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Lenten
Journey
By
Ruth Susen Riley
During
the month of March 2003, Christ Church, South Hamilton,
Massachusetts, held an invitational exhibit of art for
Lent. But the exhibit would be much more than just a
display of fine art; a book comprised of visual images
from the exhibit along with poetry in observance of the
Passion accompanied it.
The Art Committee of Christ Church, comprised of four
people at the time, decided to hold a Lenten
Invitational Exhibit. Invitations were
sent out to artists who had exhibited in the Preston
Cutler Gallery at the church previously and/or were
church members. They were asked to submit three images
for consideration and the committee chose one or two
from each artist to be in the exhibit.
The idea was to put together a quality show on the walls
of our “gallery” – one of the church’s common
meeting/reception rooms – that would also serve as a
means for meditation and reflection for parishioners
during Lent. Towards that end, the Readers and Writers
Guild at Christ Church was invited to respond to the
exhibit in writing and poetry. In fact, all parishioners
were encouraged to do so.
As the images were compiled
digitally and matched with poems – so that words and
images complimented each other –
a book emerged. Thanks to the
generous offer of a parishioner who works as a freelance
publisher to oversee the publishing at cost, we were
able to requisition funds from the church to make the
book a reality. Professional proofreader and writer,
David Cottingham, made sure the book was ready for the
press by donating hours of his time and expertise. The
end result was Lenten Journey: A Visual and Poetic
Observance of the Passion – a 36 page, 8 1/2"
x 11" paperback book
filled with 29 images and 27 poems reflecting upon Lent.
Information on each writer and artist is also included.
Robert Hanlon, creator of the constructed piece,
Juniper Cross, tells us that when we “commanded” him
to “make something for the exhibit”, it was just the
catalyst he needed to turn an interesting old piece of
juniper into an elegantly styled crucifix that now
adorns the wall of the church over the healing chapel.
We are grateful to the many artists, writers, and other
parishioners who gave of themselves and shared their
work generously, allowing us to fashion a book that we
could all be thankful for and that has served as both a
visual and poetic inspiration for the parish and for
many people outside the parish.
Thanks be to God!
Cover image by Steve Hawley
Psalm 16:8 (I have set the Lord always before me)
oil and wax on paper, 10" x 13"
Lenten Journey: A Visual and Poetic
Observance of the Passion is available for sale from
Christ Church. For information on purchasing a copy,
please contact Ruth Susen Riley at
ruth@rsrileyfineart.com. |
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Holy Trinity
By Steve Hawley
ink and watercolor on paper
9.5" x 8"
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Introduction
Lenten Journey: A Visual and Poetic
Observance of the Passion
The rich, ancient, and extraordinary
liturgies of Holy Week begin on Palm Sunday
with this collect:
Assist us mercifully with your help, O
Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter
with joy upon the contemplation of those
mighty acts whereby you have given us life
and immortality.
Joyful contemplation…a strange thought as
you peruse the images in this booklet. They
are mostly of suffering, forlornness, pain,
death. And yet, it is the paradox of
Christianity—God was never closer and more
active than in the events of Jesus’ passion.
George Rutler writes:
Particularity is the ground of devotion,
at least from the Christian point of view,
because Christianity is the account of how
God became particular. There was a
period—one period of thirty-three years, to
be precise, and a moment—three hours of a
Good Friday, to be quite precise, when God
was as specific with us as he ever was.
The mystery of the face of the eternal God,
mostly hidden, dwelling in light
inaccessible—yes, with hints in creation,
glimpses in history, stirrings in the human
soul of every one—is now unveiled in space
and time in the suffering, death and
resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. His
passion reveals God’s passion, a passion of
suffering and a passion of desire. For this
is love revealed, passionate love, for you
and for me. Christian art is sacramental;
that is, it seeks to mediate not just images
or ideas but grace. As you contemplate these
words and pictures, may you receive this
amazing grace and have a foretaste of that
heavenly joy which Christ’s passion has won
for you.
Fr. Jurgen Liias
Rector of Christ Church
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