PETER AND THOMAS AND GOD'S WOMAN

MANFREDI, Bartolomeo
The Denial of St Peter

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’
....

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.

(Gospel of John 18:15-17, 25-27)

CARAVAGGIO - The Incredulity of Saint Thomas

But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.  So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."  Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe."  Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"  Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

(Gospel of John 20:24-29)

God's Woman

Peter, Thomas, are you my kin?
I call you, "Brother". Are we alike?
You imperfect ones, a doubter, a denier,
Am I your sister?

"I tell you I do not know him!"
Three times your Lord denied.
Oh, Peter, when you heard the cock crow,
Your salty tears were bitter.

You, Thomas, to touch, to see was all.
"Me believe? When I see the nail marks,
When I put my finger in his side."
"My Lord and my God!"

You, my brothers, deeply, fully human,
You flaw-filled men of God,
You give me strength; you give me courage.
Perhaps I'll be God's woman, after all.

(June Butler 4/18/07)

Images from the Web Gallery of Art.

GAY PASSION OF CHRIST

3. Jesus Drives Out the Money Changers (from The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision) by Douglas Blanchard

Jesus in Love Blog is running a Holy Week series of Doug Blanchard's paintings titled A Gay Passion of Christ, along with commentary by Kittredge Cherry.  Doug's paintings are stunning, and Kittredge's excellent commentary does the art full justice.

The protest looks like a scene from Occupy Wall Street, although it was painted a decade before that movement began. Blanchard’s Jesus could be angry about the growing gap between the wealthy one percent and the other 99 percent, or about fundraising tactics that demonize LGBT people, or about countless other forms of economic injustice.

I highly recommend reading today's commentary in its entirety and following the posts during the rest of the week.  The paintings and the words provide timely meditations as we approach the climax of the Lenten season.

THE CIRCUMCISION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

"Scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist", Master of the Life of Saint John the Baptist (artist) Italian, probably 1330/1340
Samuel H. Kress Collection

Luke 1:57-66

Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. But his mother said, ‘No; he is to be called John.’ They said to her, ‘None of your relatives has this name.’ Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. Fear came over all their neighbours, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

A Collect for Guidance

Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

DOUG BLANCHARD'S "END OF THE WORLD" SERIES

Quickly, before the rapture on Saturday, see Doug Blanchard's (aka Counterlight) "End of the World" series of paintings. In all seriousness, Doug's pictures are powerful and haunting, truly outstanding.

The painting above, as you see, is titled "Rescue". At his blog, I told Doug that the painting called to mind a crucifixion, and that's true, but what the scene suggests now, with a further look, is a particular scene at the crucifixion, the pietà.

GAY PASSION OF CHRIST SERIES

(Photo by Dorie Hagler)
From the Jesus in Love Blog:

A gay vision of Christ’s Passion starts tomorrow here at the Jesus in Love Blog. New posts will run daily for three weeks from April 8-29.

Each daily post features art by gay New York painter Douglas Blanchard, text by lesbian author Kittredge Cherry of Los Angeles, and a short Bible passage. The three-week blog series includes all 24 paintings in Blanchard’s epic masterpiece “The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision.”

Doug blogs as Counterlight at Counterlight's Peculiars. His "The Passion of Christ" paintings are marvelous, indeed. Doug was kind enough to give me permission to post the images of selected paintings from the series during Lent last year and the year before. I urge you all to follow the posts at Jesus in Love. Kittredge Cherry writes beautifully, and the pairing of Doug's paintings and Kittredge's text, along with appropriate passages from Scripture, will make for excellent Lenten meditations.

Thanks to Ann Fontaine for the link.

UPDATE: Part 1 of "The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision" started today at the Jesus in Love Blog. It is excellent.