We always look at the crucifix from our perspective. Today we’re going to look from Jesus’ perspective, what He actually saw during the three hours he spent hanging on the cross. The most famous of all 365 watercolors in his epic series The Life of Jesus Christ, Jacques Tissot daringly helps us to imagine the scene from the perspective of the Jesus hanging on the Cross as he dies slowly. In this scene, we are able to look out with him tenderly at his mother, as she holds her heart as the sword of sorrow is mystically piercing it; at Mary Magdalene, clinging to the foot of the cross; at St. John, grasping onto two fingers in his right hand, a profession of Christ’s eternal divinity as his humanity was approaching its death. With him, we see arrogant Pharisees, seated on horses who, unlike their riders, were bowing in adoration before their Creator. We behold Roman soldiers, standing or seated, taking in the awful spectacle, one awaiting with the lance that would soon open up the heart of Jesus. We glimpse the crowd of passers-by, spectators and some stunned believers, for whom Jesus prayed to the Father for mercy. We see the tomb that would soon become the tabernacle of his body and the most famous sepulchre in history. And somewhere, we imagine Jesus lovingly seeing those whom Tissot didn’t depict: you and me.
No comments:
Post a Comment