M
Mattjolley
Guest
Why is he often portrayed as if he is helping Jesus down from the cross? I always find this a striking image but Id like to know the meaning behind it!
Matt
Matt
- Status
T
tee_eff_em
Guest
I do not think the image is of helping Jesus down from the cross – Rather, it depicts an embrace between the crucified one and the stigmatized one.
How it came to be an iconic image, I cannot say. (Perhaps a famous old master depicted it, and has been much copied?)
tee
J
JReducation
Guest
Our Holy Father Francis preached the embrace of the cross as a form of penance.
Also, at his canonization, the Church confirmed upon him the title The Mirror of Perfection. Of all the Christian saints he is the most perfect immitation of the historical Christ.
Finally, our Holy Father Francis preach the importance of living the Gospel without glossing over it. He’s not talking about doctrine, but actually living according the the virtues of the Gospel such as poverty, chastity, obedience to God and the Church, contemplation, penance, charity toward all, peace, finding God through all things living and realizing that all of nature exists because it has been called into existence by the love of God.
By the end of his life he asked that Christ would give him the grace to become a perfect reflection of Christ’s virtuous life, especially humility.
He is represented as embracing Christ on the cross, because his entire life was spent embracing the crucified Christ. He loved the poverty of Christ on the cross and the mercy of Christ.
His reflections and discussions with Christ were not only for priests and religious, but for the laity as well. Francis founded an order for the laity called the Secular Franciscan Order. He also wrote letters to the faithful encouraging them to embrace the poverty of Christ on the cross, very literally and to embrace Christ’s obedience on the cross, without murmuring, without resentment, without pointing fingers at the guilty. Francis called upon the faithful to embrace the prayer of Christ on the cross, not only in the liturgy, but also in silence and solitude on a daily basis.
He encouraged mothers, fathers, single people, religious and priests, to spend time each day alone with Christ crucified meditating on God’s love and mercy and on our sinfulness, not the world’s sinfulness, but mine.
Thus he became for the Church what St. Bonaventure called, “The Saint of saints.”
Thus far, the only other person whom the Church believes to have close to the perfect immitation of Christ in the Gospels, besides Francis, is Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Hope this helps.
Fraternally,
JR
Also, at his canonization, the Church confirmed upon him the title The Mirror of Perfection. Of all the Christian saints he is the most perfect immitation of the historical Christ.
Finally, our Holy Father Francis preach the importance of living the Gospel without glossing over it. He’s not talking about doctrine, but actually living according the the virtues of the Gospel such as poverty, chastity, obedience to God and the Church, contemplation, penance, charity toward all, peace, finding God through all things living and realizing that all of nature exists because it has been called into existence by the love of God.
By the end of his life he asked that Christ would give him the grace to become a perfect reflection of Christ’s virtuous life, especially humility.
He is represented as embracing Christ on the cross, because his entire life was spent embracing the crucified Christ. He loved the poverty of Christ on the cross and the mercy of Christ.
His reflections and discussions with Christ were not only for priests and religious, but for the laity as well. Francis founded an order for the laity called the Secular Franciscan Order. He also wrote letters to the faithful encouraging them to embrace the poverty of Christ on the cross, very literally and to embrace Christ’s obedience on the cross, without murmuring, without resentment, without pointing fingers at the guilty. Francis called upon the faithful to embrace the prayer of Christ on the cross, not only in the liturgy, but also in silence and solitude on a daily basis.
He encouraged mothers, fathers, single people, religious and priests, to spend time each day alone with Christ crucified meditating on God’s love and mercy and on our sinfulness, not the world’s sinfulness, but mine.
Thus he became for the Church what St. Bonaventure called, “The Saint of saints.”
Thus far, the only other person whom the Church believes to have close to the perfect immitation of Christ in the Gospels, besides Francis, is Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Hope this helps.
Fraternally,
JR
B
bpbasilphx
Guest
How it came to be an iconic image,
**Icon MEANS image.
But I think this refers to the vision of St. Francis where the Crucified reached out to him to “repair My church which is falling down.”**
**Icon MEANS image.
But I think this refers to the vision of St. Francis where the Crucified reached out to him to “repair My church which is falling down.”**
D
Deacon_Ed_B
Guest
I have this statue of Jesus on the cross reaching down with his right arm and placing it around and in back of the left shoulder of St Francis while he, St Frances is reaching up to embrace Jesus on the cross. It is on my desk, in my office, here at home. I saw it in the window of a religious store in Caracas, Venezuela and went in and bought it. I hand carried it all the way back with our flights, etc. to make sure it did not get broken. It always starts a conversation when people see it.
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B
Prayers & blessings
Deacon Ed B
C
Claire_from_DE
Guest
I think this is the vision Francis had when he received the stigmata.
- Status