The soldier pierced the Lord's side, he breached the wall of the sacred temple, and I have found the treasure and made it my own. ~ From the Catecheses by St John Chrysostom
As the homilist at our Good Friday service quoted these words, I felt something gently leap within me, in quiet recognition. Twenty-one years ago, as I started studying our congregation's Constitutions and plumbing the depths of our spirituality, I was captivated by the pierced Heart of Jesus; drawn, despite my reluctance, into a journey centred on vulnerability. But even with all my hesitations, deep down I too could have said: I have found the treasure, and I am making it my own...
Over the past two decades I have found myself returning, in different ways and circumstances, to the call contained within a line from paragraph 8 of our Constitutions: The pierced Heart of Jesus opens our being to the depths of God and to the anguish of humankind. Over the years my understanding of that Heart, and of my call to it, has shifted, nuanced, widened and evolved, according to the events and the people, the sorrows, joys and struggles that have been part of my life. But the central call, the captivation, has endured - steadfastly so.
But the piercing of Jesus' Heart was not the end: that violent act did not have the final word, but, unwittingly, released a torrent of abundant, redemptive love, poured out over all. It was not the end, but the beginning of something infinitely glorious; not a closure but an opening-up. Love has proved stronger than death, vulnerability stronger than violence. And this morning, whether we can see it or not, the sun is dancing and the earth rejoices, because Jesus is risen, death has been overcome and Love made flesh still lives among us, gloriously so, and recognisable by his wounds.
And I... I have found the treasure and made it my own... That was my Easter gift, given on Good Friday, reflected on in the silence of Saturday, bubbling into celebration today...
As the homilist at our Good Friday service quoted these words, I felt something gently leap within me, in quiet recognition. Twenty-one years ago, as I started studying our congregation's Constitutions and plumbing the depths of our spirituality, I was captivated by the pierced Heart of Jesus; drawn, despite my reluctance, into a journey centred on vulnerability. But even with all my hesitations, deep down I too could have said: I have found the treasure, and I am making it my own...
Over the past two decades I have found myself returning, in different ways and circumstances, to the call contained within a line from paragraph 8 of our Constitutions: The pierced Heart of Jesus opens our being to the depths of God and to the anguish of humankind. Over the years my understanding of that Heart, and of my call to it, has shifted, nuanced, widened and evolved, according to the events and the people, the sorrows, joys and struggles that have been part of my life. But the central call, the captivation, has endured - steadfastly so.
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| Herz-Kreuz by Manfred Bugl |
And I... I have found the treasure and made it my own... That was my Easter gift, given on Good Friday, reflected on in the silence of Saturday, bubbling into celebration today...
I resonate with all you have said. I also have found the treasure for He has opened His Heart to and for us.
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