Our Father...
The Flemish painter, John-Paul Rubens (1577-1640), created this image titled The Flagellation of Christ. We might more typically call it The Scourging at the Pillar. It is said of St. Kateri Tekakwitha: She prayed more with her eyes than with her lips.
Hail Mary...
This is a rough scene. Scourging was a prelude to crucifixion, but sometimes it so weakened the man he was unable to walk to the place of execution. Here the scourging of Christ seems to be more than just a cruel piece of Roman law, but rather a great unleashing of humankind's angry hatred towards God.
Hail Mary...
In the Genesis account, we were created by God and placed in a wondrous and harmonious paradise. It doesn't take long though before the story becomes violent and brother murders brother. One anonymous source says: "If God lived in a house on earth today - all his windows would be broken."
Hail Mary...
The tough guy on the left is using a whip with a piece of metal attached to the end. Someone actually thought how to "enhance" a tool so that it would do more damage. Depravity runs deep in humankind. These kinds of things happen still. Americans have a short memory when it comes to shameful things. Have we already forgotten Abu Graib?
Hail Mary...
This awful scene happens at night. One major newspaper reported at the start of this month that many hundreds of migrant young people have been shuttled at night to a tent city in the Texas desert. At night.
Hail Mary...
A young man in the background is mocking Jesus with a pretend salute. Bullies mock, even in school playgrounds. But it's especially sad when the mockery is performed by persons of authority, influence and leadership. These people are supposed to bring out the best in us. But this is probably an ignorant boy in Ruben's painting. He lives at the bottom of the pile, so he uses mockery to enhance his stature.
Hail Mary...
At the bottom right in the painting we see a dog entering the room. Dogs are often included in paintings depicting Gospel events. A dog is symbolic of faithfulness and loyalty. Oh Jesus, though everyone else might turn against you, my soul will stay true.
Hail Mary...
Our country feasts on violence. People watch reality television hoping to see a fight in a restaurant - fists and curses flying. Before watching a movie we're exposed to half a dozen previews of fireball explosions, crashes, bleed outs and murders. We use images of burning cities as movie entertainment. And while we don't have a corner on violence, around the world we are thought of as a violent nation. We can defend that, or pray for our conversion.
Hail Mary...
This Gospel scene is found only in Western art; it doesn't appear much in Byzantine or Eastern iconography. We might think the gruesome depictions of Jesus' torture are unnecessary. Or contemplating his prison grief, our souls might be awakened and made sensitive to creation's sorrow and pain.
Hail Mary...
An arm reaches into the scene holding a bunch of dried sticks - another weapon to be used against Jesus. The bully on the right steadies himself by stepping on Jesus and grins as he holds his own weapon high above his head, the better to increase momentum. But there can be weapons in our hearts and in our minds. Do I want to be a non-violent person?
Hail Mary...
Glory be to the Father...
