Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist
(Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66.80)
In Mathis Grünewald’s profound painting of Jesus’ crucifixion, a diminutive John the Baptist stands at the Savior’s side. He is smaller than life because the artist wants to signify the meaning of the Baptist’s words in John’s gospel, “(Jesus) must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). For this reason also, the Church has placed the birth of John the Baptist just after the summer solstice when daylight begins to decrease.
Today’s gospel focuses on the naming of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s child. “John” literally means “Yahweh has shown favor.” We see God’s favor in two ways. First, he has blessed the pious couple with a child despite their old age. Second, John will serve as the precursor of God’s greatest blessing – His son, Jesus the Christ. The naming is also significant because by insisting on “John” both parents comply with God’s will. For Zechariah this compliance indicates a turnabout from his previous incredulity when the angel announced to him that he was to have a son. We may see this change of heart as indicative of the grace of Jesus’ coming already taking effect.
A woman I know always sends Christmas cards in July. It seems incongruous to be thinking of cold nights and warm stables when hot winds are blowing across the land. But her sentiment is much the same that the Church wants to propagate with the celebration of John’s birth today. The birth of Jesus is news to good too be contained. It needs to be announced in season and out of season. Today we celebrate one who announced it even before he was born.
Showing posts with label Mathis Grünewald. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mathis Grünewald. Show all posts
Homilette for March 27, 2008
Thursday in the Octave of Easter
(Luke 24:35-48)
The German Renaissance master Mathis Grünewald portrayed scenes from the gospel on what is called the Isenheim Altarpiece. The paintings of the crucifixion and the resurrection especially stand out. One can hardly imagine a more pathetic figure than Christ tortured on the cross. He is writhing in pain. His body is hideously contorted. Thorns not only pierce his head but are embedded over his skin from a beating with reeds. As atrocious as Jesus looks here, his resurrected body is gloriously resplendent. His skin glows, and his wounds sparkle. There is not a hint of the agony he underwent just two days before.
St. Thomas Aquinas would find the magnificent transformation of Christ’s body entirely appropriate. He writes, according to one commentator, that in the resurrection the incorruptible soul bestows on the body “something glorious or luminous”. The gospel narrative today attests to this transformation. Jesus’ disciples cannot believe what they are seeing as the resurrected Lord stands before them. They mistakenly believe that he is a ghost because the last time they saw him was in the distance hanging on the cross (cf. Luke 23:49).
Aquinas does not relegate such a glorified body solely to Jesus, however. No, he says that everyone who dies with Christ are bound to undergo this same transformation. It will not happen on the day we die but at the resurrection of the dead on the last day. Our bodies will have all the resilience of robust youth whether we die at ninety days or ninety years. This is just another example of how God shows his love for us. It provides us still another reason to love God unreservedly in return.
(Luke 24:35-48)
The German Renaissance master Mathis Grünewald portrayed scenes from the gospel on what is called the Isenheim Altarpiece. The paintings of the crucifixion and the resurrection especially stand out. One can hardly imagine a more pathetic figure than Christ tortured on the cross. He is writhing in pain. His body is hideously contorted. Thorns not only pierce his head but are embedded over his skin from a beating with reeds. As atrocious as Jesus looks here, his resurrected body is gloriously resplendent. His skin glows, and his wounds sparkle. There is not a hint of the agony he underwent just two days before.
St. Thomas Aquinas would find the magnificent transformation of Christ’s body entirely appropriate. He writes, according to one commentator, that in the resurrection the incorruptible soul bestows on the body “something glorious or luminous”. The gospel narrative today attests to this transformation. Jesus’ disciples cannot believe what they are seeing as the resurrected Lord stands before them. They mistakenly believe that he is a ghost because the last time they saw him was in the distance hanging on the cross (cf. Luke 23:49).
Aquinas does not relegate such a glorified body solely to Jesus, however. No, he says that everyone who dies with Christ are bound to undergo this same transformation. It will not happen on the day we die but at the resurrection of the dead on the last day. Our bodies will have all the resilience of robust youth whether we die at ninety days or ninety years. This is just another example of how God shows his love for us. It provides us still another reason to love God unreservedly in return.
Homilette for Thursday, April 12, 2007
Thursday, I Easter, April 11, 2007
(Luke 24)
The German Renaissance master Mathis Grünewald portrayed Christ’s life on what is called the Isenheim Altarpiece. The paintings of the crucifixion and the resurrection stand out. One can hardly imagine a more pathetic scene than Christ tortured on the cross. He is writhing in pain. His body is hideously contorted. And thorns from a beating with reeds cover his body. As atrocious as Jesus looks here, his resurrected body is glorious. His skin glows, and his wounds sparkle. There is not a hint of the agony he went through just two days before.
Thomas Aquinas would find the magnificent portrait of Christ’s glorified body entirely appropriate. He writes, according to one commentator, that the incorruptible soul bestows on the body “something glorious or luminous” in the resurrection. The gospel narrative today seems to attest to this transformation. Jesus’ disciples can’t believe what they are seeing as the resurrected Lord stands before them. They mistakenly believe that he is a ghost because the last time they saw him was hanging on the cross.
Aquinas does not leave such a glorification of the body solely to Jesus’ case. No, he says that everyone who dies with Christ are bound to experience this same transformation. It will not happen on the day we die, but at the resurrection of the dead on the last day. Our bodies will have all the beauty of robust youth whether we die at ninety days or ninety years. This is just another example of how God shows his love for us. It provides us still another reason to love God in return.
(Luke 24)
The German Renaissance master Mathis Grünewald portrayed Christ’s life on what is called the Isenheim Altarpiece. The paintings of the crucifixion and the resurrection stand out. One can hardly imagine a more pathetic scene than Christ tortured on the cross. He is writhing in pain. His body is hideously contorted. And thorns from a beating with reeds cover his body. As atrocious as Jesus looks here, his resurrected body is glorious. His skin glows, and his wounds sparkle. There is not a hint of the agony he went through just two days before.
Thomas Aquinas would find the magnificent portrait of Christ’s glorified body entirely appropriate. He writes, according to one commentator, that the incorruptible soul bestows on the body “something glorious or luminous” in the resurrection. The gospel narrative today seems to attest to this transformation. Jesus’ disciples can’t believe what they are seeing as the resurrected Lord stands before them. They mistakenly believe that he is a ghost because the last time they saw him was hanging on the cross.
Aquinas does not leave such a glorification of the body solely to Jesus’ case. No, he says that everyone who dies with Christ are bound to experience this same transformation. It will not happen on the day we die, but at the resurrection of the dead on the last day. Our bodies will have all the beauty of robust youth whether we die at ninety days or ninety years. This is just another example of how God shows his love for us. It provides us still another reason to love God in return.
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