Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Cycle B
March 25, 2018
Rembrandt – at the Crucifixion
When I
was back in high school, I remember learning a little bit about the great Dutch
artist Rembrandt.
I
imagine all of us have learned something about him and his painting. Rembrandt lived in the 1600s and did a
beautiful painting that is entitled The Raising
of the Cross.
The
painting portrays the final moments before the cross is raised with Jesus on
it. Everyone is dressed as they would
have been in Jesus’ time except one person.
The man
raising the cross is dressed in the clothing of Rembrandt’s own time, the
1600s. Rembrandt never explained this,
but those who knew him realized that this man in the painting is Rembrandt
himself.
Our Role
Now Rembrandt did not put
himself in the painting as part of an ego trip.
Instead, he was making an
important point. He was conveying that
each of us – including himself – plays a role in the crucifixion of Jesus.
This is why the
characters in the story that we just heard are so memorable.
We identify with
them.
We see ourselves in those
who were present for the crucifixion of Jesus.
Some of these persons are noble and some are not so noble, but either
way, we see ourselves in them and realize that we play a role in the
crucifixion – just as Rembrandt was conveying.
Who
Are We?
For example, do I
identify with Peter?
Am I enthused about my
faith one minute, when things in my life are going well? But then am I giving up on God the next
minute, when a job loss or relationship troubles happen?
Or, do I identify with Caiaphas
and the high priests?
Am I at peace when my
experience of faith is black and white and pretty comfortable? But then do I quickly resist and shut down to
any gray area or anything different that faith may be calling me to consider?
On the flip side, do I
identify with the women who followed Jesus all the way to the crucifixion?
Am I patient in dealing
with the growing pains of a teenage son or daughter? Do I persevere in caring for a parent who is
aging and needing more and more care?
Or do I identify with
Joseph of Arimathea?
Do I do the right thing,
not in a showy way, but without too much concern about what others will think? Do I realize that at the end of the day,
inner peace and being true to myself are what count?
Conclusion
So, the key point, the
key theme in Rembrandt’s painting is that in our everyday lives, we play a role
in Jesus’ final hours.
Either we participate in crucifying
and putting Jesus to death. Or we are
doing what we can to make him alive and present right now.
