2024/10/21

166. The Likeness of God

Jesus in the centre of the San Damiano Crucifix represents the Eucharist. To his right is the priesthood (the mother of Jesus) and the priest (the beloved disciple), who is bound to it by an inseparable bond (the bond of parent and child). On the left, across from the Eucharist, are the married laity (Mary, the wife of Clopas) and the celibate laity (Mary Magdalene), and on their left is the Roman Empire (the centurion), which turns its sincere gaze on the Eucharist accepting Christianity. This composition is mainly based on the scene from the Gospel of John. The whole image of the cross is full of happiness and peace. 

All four of them, except the centurion, are Christians who carry the name of Christ as their cross. They are to fulfil the mission of presenting Jesus Christ to the world again in collaboration with the Holy Spirit sent in the name of Jesus. On the Cross of San Damiano, this mission is placed on both sides of Jesus (the Eucharist) at the centre, as the two positions of the priests and the laity who make up the Church. The mission of the Church to manifest the "Kingdom of God" to the world is to make visible the power of the Holy Spirit, which wraps and covers these two positions in one. It is embodied in the Mass liturgy as the celebrant and the congregation standing around the altar and the Eucharist. Additionally, these two positions are constituted by three vocations. 

Jesus began his mission at the age of around 30, underwent the Passion, gave his mother to the Apostle on the cross, and temporarily dissolved the Holy Family by his death. Then, by the blood and water flowing from his side, he newly gave birth to the Church with the structure of the Holy Family. 

Those standing by the cross of Jesus were all women, except for the "beloved disciple". However, behind the names of these women hid married male laity and celibate male laity. At the time, the women were less visible socially and were less closely watched by the Roman soldiers and Jewish religious leaders, so it is thought that they were relatively safe to stay by the cross. Even after Jesus' resurrection, despite the presence of the guards, it is written that "Mary Mag'dalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulchre" (Matthew 28:1). 

Mary became the mother of Jesus by assenting to the words of the angel who told her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (Luke 1:35). Before his ascension, Jesus told his Apostles, "And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high" (24:49). They consented to Jesus' words and received his blessing. In this way, the priest can become the mother of the "body of Christ" in collaboration with the Holy Spirit by being clothed with power from on high by the Holy Spirit. That is the very priesthood, and hence, the priest has the vocation of Mary, even though he is a male. The vocation of Mary collaborating with the Holy Spirit is essential so that the following testimony of the Gospel of Matthew may continue to be fulfilled even after the ascension of Jesus: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel' (which means, God with us)" (Matthew 1:23). This vocation corresponds to the post of the "Holy Spirit". 

By living a life of celibacy throughout his life, Jesus remained as the Son of the Father. The laity who bear witness to this fact can also live a life of celibacy throughout their lives after Jesus. As Jesus encouraged by saying, "He who is able to receive this, let him receive it" (Matthew 19:12), those who live a life of celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven know that they are the witness to Jesus. They are "those to whom it is given" (19:11) who tell others the whereabouts of the "Kingdom of God". As Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16), the Kingdom of God belongs to "the children". They are indeed celibates, and the Kingdom of God is with them. Thus, celibate laity, both men and women, have the vocation of Jesus. This vocation corresponds to the post of the "Son". 

Joseph consented to the words of the angel of the Lord, who appeared to him in a dream and took Mary, his wife, and Jesus in her womb. The words are as follows: "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:20-21). When Joseph took Mary and Jesus, he accepted his own vocation. Then, the Holy Family appeared in the world. Joseph represents married laity, both men and women. They bear the vocation of Joseph, the vocation of manifesting the Holy Family in the Church, taking without fear those who retain the vocations of the Church, i.e., the vocations of Mary and Jesus. This vocation corresponds to the post of the "Father". 

Thus, the Church has the structure of the Holy Family, and if realizing that fact, it can reflect the Triune God. Jesus fervently prayed to the Father as follows. 

"The glory which thou hast given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and thou in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them even as thou hast loved me" (John 17:22-23) 

To be continued.

Maria K. M.