
“Condemned Christ” Finger Painting by: Ronald Raab, CSC 2020
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Gospel JN 8:21-30
Jesus said to the Pharisees:
“I am going away and you will look for me,
but you will die in your sin.
Where I am going you cannot come.”
So the Jews said,
“He is not going to kill himself, is he,
because he said, ‘Where I am going you cannot come’?”
He said to them, “You belong to what is below,
I belong to what is above.
You belong to this world,
but I do not belong to this world.
That is why I told you that you will die in your sins.
For if you do not believe that I AM,
you will die in your sins.”
So they said to him, “Who are you?”
Jesus said to them, “What I told you from the beginning.
I have much to say about you in condemnation.
But the one who sent me is true,
and what I heard from him I tell the world.”
They did not realize that he was speaking to them of the Father.
So Jesus said to them,
“When you lift up the Son of Man,
then you will realize that I AM,
and that I do nothing on my own,
but I say only what the Father taught me.
The one who sent me is with me.
He has not left me alone,
because I always do what is pleasing to him.”
Because he spoke this way, many came to believe in him.
This finger painting captures Jesus in the unknown. He is condemned by our human frailty and humbled by the experience of passion and death, only to be revealed. His eyes are cast down. The posture of Jesus captures a moment before his hands will be tied as he comes before Pilate. His arms will also be raised on the cross. Sit with this image and wait for Jesus to reveal to you all that is humbling you at this time in your life from our common experience of virus and faith.
How profound to look at our Savior and know He did not offer and resistance to Pilate. He came into this world to save us through the Cross. If we belong to Him then we must carry our cross to become one with Him. This is not a punishment from God it Is His Love to us to give our life to Him and care our crosses so that we may live with Him. Easy no life is not easy. Life was not easy for our Savior He died on the Cross for us. I pray for all people in this most time of suffering. Let us look forward to the joy God has planned for us. Pray Pray Pray
Thank you Father Ron as you help us through this most difficult time. It is a most difficult time for all people and Priests and for Our Holy Father. God be with us Mary keep your veil over us.