I guess everyone must be busy the past few days. I've been pretty busy myself. Saturday I did a spring house cleaning of my condo -- very much needed. It's nice to walk into a home that's orderly to the point of near sterility! It won't last long (we creatives can always find other things to do besides chase dust woozies and errant cat hair), but while it lasts, I am going to enjoy it!
The out-of-doors is blossoming everywhere I look. This time of year speaks of resurrection, doesn't it? Especially in these northern climes, where there is such a difference between winter, spring, summer and fall. Spring around here is downright magical. I can't help but smile when it comes 'round again. And the older I get the more I notice and appreciate it... It might be hard to leave when I'm 90 (more or less) and it's time that I must go -- but heaven will be far better, so I shall not complain!
A Buddhist friend (and De fan) sent me an article and photo of an artistic piece: a full-size rendition of the crucified Jesus, created in chocolate. I didn't know how to react. It left me feeling kind of numb. I couldn't wrap my mind around it.
It finally came to me just tonight: "Sweet Jesus!" In this way I can acknowledge the existence of what really does seem to be a reverent (to the artist) masterpiece in chocolate. There is much vitriol being expounded over the piece, but I have elected to let it go. It didn't affect me that way.
Being a Protestant, I can hardly stand to gaze at an occupied cross (chocolate or otherwise), because thankfully, the story didn't end there. So the image was upsetting -- but not because it was in chocolate.
And the half of it has never been shown in any rendition of the event. The Bible says Jesus was so mangled and disfigured during his scourging prior to the crucifixion that he was not even recognizable as a human being. This chocoloate Jesus -- and all the Catholic renditions -- are therefore inaccurate -- and utterly inadequate. Art cannot detail the actual scene because it would utterly destroy the viewer emotionally.
"Sweet Jesus." That's an old southern term -- Dr. McCoy spoke it in STAR TREK VI when he was trying to save the Klingon Ambassador Gorkon, whom someone had called a Klingon Lincoln. And De himself spoke it a time or two as he was coming to the end of his life...
Yes, I will let it go at that.
Sweet, sweet Jesus. Thank You for Your love.
1 comment:
I for one am very busy - my apologies. Saw the chocolate Jesus thing - couldn't understand why anyone would a)bother and b) not expect some controversy but otherwise thought that Jesus would probably just roll his eyes and smile.
What you say is very true about these icons of Jesus on the cross (and they're everywhere in Spain) but again they're examples of human artwork - our limited expression. The real faith remains within and without us, which makes all of this folly! But we do try.
Right. I now have a day of going from place to place teaching class after class and I'm getting to bed late due to the Easter processions which are INCREDIBLE and yes I have photos. Just bear with me...
Ali
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