Christ My King! Christ Your King! Christ the King!

This past weekend as we celebrated Christ the King Sunday (and Riders Grey Cup Win) I was keenly aware of the Cross of Christ. It is Christ’s Cross that calls us to life, for it was his dying that leads to life, to his resurrection and the glorious kingship he offers to each of us in our baptism. I have said before that I feel we sometimes we so stuck on the crucified Christ, we forget about the rest of the story, that Jesus offers us paradise and we in turn are called to build up his kingdom through taking up our cross with hope and promise. Being a bearer of the Cross is not a burden, it is a witness that we walk with Christ our King.

 

 

 

Throughout the Grey Cup game we heard and saw about sacrifice, about hard work, about giving it our all to achieve victory. This reminded me once again that the ultimate victory belongs to Christ our King and through our sacrifices, hard work and giving our all we come to embrace this victory, which believe it or not is even better than the Riders Grey Cup victory. I am learning this more and more during this Postulancy year and as I look ahead to continued studies, my Notivate year and how I am being called to trust in God more deeply.

 

So between finishing up my first course, keeping up with the demands of a Postulant, my ministries and daily walks I have been working on being more aware and letting God speak to my heart. It’s hard sometimes to shut up enough to do this but I’m working on it. In this listening as I mentioned above the Cross of Christ has been surfacing, especially the San Damiano Cross which I gaze upon each day. There is so much in this cross, so I offer to you a description of its many messages and my own thoughts of how pondering the cross lead me to understand ‘Jesus Remember Me’ in a deeper way.

 

San Damiano Cross

This is the cross which St. Francis was praying before when the Lord commissioned him to “rebuild the Church.” (The original still hangs in Assisi.)

It is an icon cross because of the style of the image that it includes. With its detail, it teaches more fully the meaning of the crucifixion.

Jesus is portrayed as both wounded and strong, regal and suffering, crucified and resurrected. Note the halo and Jesus’ prominence. There are also color contrasts.

The major witnesses are the second largest figures: the Blessed Mother and the Beloved Disciple, (on the left); Mary Magdalene, Mary, mother of James and the Centurion (on the right). The Centurion’s hand gesture, a classic position of Christian witness, is a traditional sign for ‘I am speaking’ he is saying “Truly this is the Son of God”.

The minor witnesses include the solider who pierced Jesus’ side. He is the smaller figure below Mary, holding the spear. On the opposite side is the solider who offered Jesus the vinegar soaked sponge. Traditionally their names are Longinus and Stephaton.

At the end of the cross, six angels marvel at this event, their hands representing awe, discussion and invitation.

The six figures that are barely seen at the bottom are the patron Saints of the area: Sts. John, Michael, Rufino, John the Baptist, Peter and Paul.

The rooster at Jesus’ left calf represents Peter’s denial.

The resurrection and ascension are portrayed at the top: Jesus in royal garb, brandishing the cross like a scepter (love this description – see the cross takes to greater places!), welcomed by ten angels, alive by the power of God (right hand).

-          Info taken from Catholic Source Book

 

Pretty powerful stuff, huh? So much to ponder each day as I gaze upon it in prayer and as it gazes down upon me as I rest. Between the image of this cross and the gospel from this past weekend I sign off with this reflection…

 

Jesus Remember Me

 

Jesus, please remember me, a child of God, and your brother.

 

Please remember me

when I struggle, when I seek, when I wander.

Please remember me

when sin takes hold, when illness grasps me,

when frustrations roar.

Please remember me

when loneliness pursues, when fears hold fast,

when uncertainty takes control.

Please remember

me when I celebrate, when I rejoice,

when I cherish moments.

Please remember me

when I sit in quiet, when I sing out loud,

when I write my thoughts.

Please remember me

when I gather with community, when I pray lone,

when I serve my brothers and sisters.

Over and over I say Jesus remember me,

but then I remember

that you could never forget one of God’s own.

Amen.