For Jesus and for Mary, Good Friday represents the purest expression of poverty. They looked to nothing on earth, stored up no treasures which moth or rust could consume, divested themselves not only of possessions and security, but of their good name; their standing in society. Jesus had even had his garments ripped away and auctioned off. At three in the afternoon, his poverty will be absolute, when he breathes forth his spirit and darkness covers the earth.
The one person unstained by sin witnessed the powerful gift of love by which she had been preserved Immaculate, to be his mother. Mary gave everything she had, too.
Tonight we will accompany her as she commits the body of her divine Son to the tomb. She knows from his own words, which she had always kept and pondered in her heart, that he would rise again on the third day, but the prophecy took nothing away from the atrocious sword that pierced her heart on that day when all was darkness, and the only sound that filled her ears was the groaning of the wood under the weight of its precious burden.
Manifested in the flesh, he will be vindicated in the Spirit.
But not yet.
Having loved his own in the world, he loved them to the end.
Workshop of the Bedford Master (French, active first half of 15th century)
The Crucifixion, about 1440 - 1450, Tempera colors, gold leaf, gold paint, and ink on parchment
Leaf: 23.5 x 16.4 cm (9 1/4 x 6 7/16 in.)
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, Ms. Ludwig IX 6, fol. 121
2 comments:
Holy Week greetings from your former (and still weeping) choir director in Chicago. We miss you! Prayerful and joyous Easter, Sister.
Paul
My first Triduum in 14 years without the glorious music of OLMC. Well, I confess I do have a couple of pieces of Ferris and French with me...but only a few sopranos to sing it!
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