During this
Lenten season at the Monastery in our Liturgy of Hours readings, we have
listened to Jeremiah the prophet. One
day the reading from Jer. 5:21-23 “Pay
attention to this foolish and senseless people who have eyes and see not, have
ears and hear not” struck a chord within me sending me to search this farther
in Scripture and readings.
These
readings focused on the eyes of Christ which sear into our very being. I have a wooden Icon hanging in my bedroom of
Jesus Pantokrator based on the 13th century Serbian Hilander Monastery icon at Mt. Athos in Greece. It has been a stabilizing force
in my life for many years .Gazing into
these sad and beautiful eyes, especially when in distress, fills me with the
depth of his love and intense compassion.
The face of the Icon expresses the depth of
God’s immense compassion in our chaotic world with an ever increasing violence
and hatred among the adults and children of His family.
As this gaze persists reaching into my heart and soul, that begging look is
gently leading me to look with a similar
gaze into the eyes of each person I meet to see the Christ within this person
in order to spread this merciful compassion and mercy.
Remember
also that Jesus said: “ To have seen me is to have seen the Father. Do you not
believe that I am one in the Father and the Father in me. “
Henri Nouwen
throughout many of his books stresses that there is no longer any difference
between Jesus and those He loves. We are
part of the intimacy that Jesus shares within the communion of the Trinity.
Now we must
be ready to share this same love for all.
Perhaps as
we enter into the Holy Week mysteries, through scriptural imaging, we could
place one’s self in each event as a participant and gaze into the eyes of Jesus
and feel him gazing into yours. Notice that Jesus is not focusing on his
suffering but on those around him.
Sr. Joan Gripshover, OSB
Dear Sister thank you for this good post. Thank you for guiding me to this good passage: Jer. 5:21-23
ReplyDeleteHear this, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22 Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord.
“Should you not tremble in my presence?"
We need that comma in your quote above. It is not true that
violence and hatred is ever increasing in our world. If we take the long view, and consider the general levels of welfare in society, and also the education of the people -- in our abolition of the death penalty in most societies of the world, we can note a great advance in general human civilization, though there are still some barbaric places which use judicial execution (sometimes of comparatively innocent persons, with many mistakes in the past in various places). Thank you for your excellent word about the icon. We need education about how to relate to icons, especially throughout North America, and also in Asia and Africa. Why is an icon NOT an idol? Genesis is telling us (and I guess it is a secret) that the human form itself has a divinity and grace given by God, and that we can image (within our minds) the holiness of God by using that mental image (we know of course that God is beyond humanity in power and love). We need to tell this to the new Churches - the icon is an assistance to that mental work, a holy window to help us in our smallness (myself especially) to come closer to God. It may be a simple and basic truth, but how strong it is, and what you say is so strengthening and good. It is still early to say so, Holy week next week, but looking to Easter please let me wish to all OSB and family a very Happy Easter and also to say thank you for these good words, God bless.