2024/12/23

175. The Prophesied One Part 1

If St Francis was prophesied in the San Damiano Crucifix, as discussed in the previous issue, the reason must be hidden in the Gospel of John. Furthermore, if the Jesus on that crucifixion represents the Eucharist, then it represents the risen Jesus, so the scenes depicted here are concerned with the scenes of his resurrection. The first one of these scenes is: "Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.'" (Jn 20:1-2). 

Mary of Magdala and "the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved" had stood by the cross two days earlier with the mother of Jesus and the wife of Clopas, splashed with the blood and water that flowed from the side of Jesus, and witnessed the conclusion of the New Covenant and the birth of the Church (cf. Jn 19:25-35). In the scene where Mary of Magdala ran to announce the news, John the Evangelist mentioned the name of Simon Peter first, for the same reason that in the following scene, "the other disciple", who ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb before him, waited for Peter without going inside. John the Evangelist recognized that Peter had been chosen by the heavenly Father and Jesus as the head of the Church (cf. Mt 16:17-19). Additionally, along with that fact, there was no way that the Apostles did not remember his resurrection, which Jesus had begun to reveal to them from this time onwards and spoken about many times. 

Remembering the case of Lazarus, whom Jesus had resurrected, they would have found it strange that the linen cloths that had wrapped Jesus' body and the napkin on his head were still in the tomb. Also, unlike the other Gospels, which describe earthquakes, angels and the appearance of people in long white and shining robes, the mere sight of the empty tomb would have led "the other disciple" to assume that the body had been taken away. He believed in the words of Mary of Magdala, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb." He could not, however, ask Peter for his opinion. That was a natural conclusion considering Peter's experience on Thursday night when he denied Jesus three times at the time of his arrest. The rooster depicted below the San Damiano Crucifix, next to Jesus' left knee, is the sign that Jesus guarded Peter, who had said, "I will lay down my life for you" (Jn 13:37), with his words (cf. 13:38). 

However, it was inevitable that "they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead" (20:9). That is because Jesus had said, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth" (16:13). Peter and "the other disciple" "went back home" (Jn 20:10) to consult with the other Apostles about the issue that Jesus' body had been taken away. They feared the chief priests who had posted the guard at the tomb (cf. Mt 27:62-66, 28:11-15). 

Meanwhile, Mary of Magdala remained alone, weeping outside the tomb. Then, the risen Jesus appeared to her. At this point, thinking it was a gardener, she had enough energy and fervent hope to say, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away" (Joh 20:15). The desire "I will take him away" expressed her unique vocation. The body of Jesus, whom she said she would take away, had the marks of four nails and a wound in the side. 

Francis, the man depicted in a small, neck-only figure on the far left of the San Damiano Crucifix, the prophesied one, the third John, stares at Jesus on the cross with his eyes wide open. Francis, who later received the Stigmata, embodied the words of Mary of Magdala, "I will take him away". Francis was called to the same vocation as Mary of Magdala. 

To be continued.

Maria K. M.