By KAITLIN KLEIN
WONDERFUL ADVENTURE
Have you ever contemplated Jesus being crowned with thorns from the thorns' perspective?!
I had not; it hadn't even crossed my mind. Yet songwriter Danielle Rose has, and wrote thoughtful, piercing lyrics that she set to music and performs as “Crown of Thorns,” a moving a cappella piece on her “Mysteries” album. Listening to this song moves my heart and guides me to contemplate this mystery and event from a different perspective than I usually do.
This can be the power of the good, the true and the beautiful, speaking to us and revealing Christ to us in this world. God has gifted many of his people with the ability to write inspiring poetry, music and art, all of which can bring us to tears; give us a sense of wonderment and awe; or enliven the joy of being alive.
As St. John Paul II writes in the beginning of his 1999 Letter to Artists, artists are “captivated by the hidden power of sounds and words, colours (sic) and shapes, (they) have admired the work of (their) inspiration, sensing in it some echo of the mystery of creation which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate to (them).” Artists then take their craft and share it with others, and we can take advantage of their works to lead us deeper into prayer and allow artists' expressions of God to lead us to a deeper encounter with Him.
We've each experienced many Good Fridays and many celebrations of the Triduum. Do we fully enter in and encounter the Lord in His Passion more and more each year? Instead of our same routine this year, risking this holy day to simply pass by in knowledge only but without moving our hearts, perhaps use one of the many good tools available to us.
If you don't regularly journal in prayer, today may be a good day to start. Countless spiritual directors and devout persons recommend this practice. Deeply praying the Stations of the Cross, including artwork with your contemplations, is, of course, a common devotion. Praying with music can be powerful. In fact, simply reading Danielle’s “Crown of Thorns” lyrics moves me; but when I listen to her sing them, my heart is stirred in an even greater way (I would note, however, to prayerfully consider how to add music to an often-silent Good Friday).
Beautiful religious art is readily available. You may have a favorite crucifix, statue or painting at home that can aid your prayer, or you could ask friends for their suggestions and even find an image online. A spiritual poem or using lectio divina during Scripture reading are more ideas, and the steps of lectio divina can also be used while contemplating a religious icon. Icons are traditionally used to enter into prayer.
There are other creative ways to experience the Lord's Passion, and you can choose what may be helpful for you this year.
I pray you have a blessed Triduum and are able to encounter our crucified Jesus in a powerful way, contemplating the details down to his crown of thorns.