A Rosary Decade Before Duccio's Last Supper

Here is Duccio's painting of The Last Supper. It is one of twenty- one images found on the back of the Maesta Altarpiece. You can click on the painting if you'd like to join in today's rosary decade.

Our Father...

We see the apostle John leaning against Jesus during the supper. The Gospels tell us that he leaned against Jesus' chest. He is listening to Jesus' heart. Can I imagine taking the apostle's place and listening for that heartbeat of God, which beats for me and each human person?

Hail Mary...

There is wine at the Passover meal. There is wine at every Mass. It is the Jewish symbol of God's joyful and abundant presence. In the life of the Church, do we live as if we believe that? Or are we just law abiding and dutiful observers?

Hail Mary...

The apostles are not observing social distancing as we are in our own day. May we live lives centered on Christ, which doesn't observe distancing of the heart, but lives in close solidarity with the world, often stressed and suffering.

Hail Mary...

The apostles are eating the flat, yeastless Passover Bread. In the Exodus story, the bread had to be made quickly, there was no time to wait for yeast to rise. I don't have the past; it is gone forever. Nor do I have the future. All I have is time - right now time. May I not waste it.

Hail Mary...

Here, we see that curtain rolled up over the horizontal pole running the width of the upper room. The curtain has been drawn up - revealing the love of God in Christ's self-gift which begins in the new depth of Holy Thursday night. That self-gift is made an experience for us in the bread and the wine.

Hail Mary...

Judas is in the front row, on the long bench, second from the left. He has received his First Communion and will leave the room before the meal is ended. The others will disperse in fear, leaving only John and Jesus' Mother to stay with Jesus until the end. May my heart never be ruled by anxieties.

Hail Mary...

St. Luke tells us that the apostles argued about who is the greatest at this Last Supper. How delusional we are. We often use the words great and greatest in speaking about ourselves nationally: greatest military, greatest medicine, greatest freedoms, greatest achievements, greatest possibilities for advancement. Before God, that means nothing. God only cares that we be great in compassion, great in truth, great in justice, great in mercy - indeed - great in humility.

Hail Mary...

Duccio doesn't spend a lot of time depicting the table settings and food here. It's a pretty sparse table at that. Maybe he doesn't want to distract us from the inner reality, which is the superabundant suffering-love of Jesus.

Hail Mary...

Duccio also leaves out half the haloes. All those golden circles would be a bit much. But what about my halo and the halo around my home. "Oh, I'm no saint" lots of people say. We should be embarrassed to say that. Truth be told,  not a few Christians think sanctity means, too good to be true. Maybe our ideas about holiness are immature or impoverished.

Hail Mary...

This supper was celebrated under a bright Passover Moon. The Exodus took place under the full moon so the Hebrews could see where they were going as they fled Egypt. Do I know where I'm going? Maybe we can't know, because each day brings its own challenges and invitations. But I can tell if I am going more deeply into the heart of Christ - which is go more deeply into awareness, mercy, gratitude and compassion.

Hail Mary...

Glory be to the Father...

Duccio's Christ Before Pilate Again ~ And Jesus Is Mad?

This is one of seven Passion Narrative images taken from the reverse of Duccio's Maesta Altarpiece in which Jesus is standing bound before a power-leader of religion or state. In three of those seven paintings, Jesus is standing before Pontius Pilate. Indeed, this painting's title reflects that repeat appearance: Christ Before Pilate Again. (Luke 23:11-16)

Here, Pilate is seated on his high  platform. His golden-leafed crown lets everyone know he's Caesar's man—that he has lots of power and authority. Rome is backing him up, literally. In all of these paintings from the Agony in the Garden through The Road to Calvary, there are these helmeted soldiers with their spears pointed up in the air like missiles ready to be sent off on a test launch or to crush an enemy. We must pity these soldiers as they are all young. The one right behind the hand-bound Jesus even carries a large shield. What's that about? Some men like power displays: big desks, uniforms with lapets and rows of medals, insignia bearing hats, titles, wild signatures, salutes. Pope Francis has minimized all of that for himself.

But what stands out here is that Jesus' clothes have changed. In all the other paintings where Jesus stands before an accuser, Jesus is wearing a red tunic and dark blue mantle. The opposite of Pilate's outfit. Here, however, Jesus (barefoot) is wearing only a white tunic. He has been dressed in the clothing of a mad man. "The men in the white coats are coming to take me away," to the white hospital where people wear white hospital gowns.  This might well be the topic of whispered conversation taking place outside, beyond the governors' columned office—"Jesus is crazy!"

Jesus is mad!? I don't think so.
The inconvenient child never sees the light of day...
  And Jesus is mad?
We cause animal and plant species to go extinct...
  And Jesus is mad?
The plastic dumped into the oceans will soon outweigh the fish...
  And Jesus is mad?
Like foolish boys, we point bomb laden missiles into the air while children don't have food...
  And Jesus is mad? 
We discover that Coronavirus is more deadly in poor neighborhoods and cities...
  And Jesus is mad?
We think we're great because the stock market numbers go up, up, up...
  And Jesus is mad?
We obsess about our weight, perfect bowel function, the best night's sleep and no wrinkles around our eyes...
  And Jesus is mad?
We have the most of anyone, but we're not the happiest...
  And Jesus is mad?

Oh Jesus, you're not mad; we are. Forgive. Heal. Restore. Renew.

Tuesday in Holy Week ~ An Audio Decade Before the Icon of Our Lady of Corfu