IMAGES OF SUFFERING

Julian Morgan (American)

Crucifixion,
c. 1980
Passionist Spiritual Center of Riverdale

Commentary by Rev. John T. Render, C.P.

Suffering and sorrow are universal, even more universal than sin. Christians believe in the sinlessness of Jesus, yet know him as The Man of Sorrows. Many Christians consider Mary the Mother of our Lord as sinless, yet we know her as The Mother of Sorrows.

So there is something ambiguous about suffering. Pain is evil, but pain with patience, pain with love is great enough to redeem the world. That is what this sketch of Christ with the crossing lines reaching out in all directions means. Suffering reaches into the depths of our hearts, but Christ's suffering is there at the same time. This is what Rev. Julian Morgan sketches so well.

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Rev. John T. Render, C.P., D.Min. is the Director of the Passionist Research Center www.passionist.org/prc/ and with Suzanne M. Harker the co-creator of Christ World an E-spirituality site at www.christworld.com.

From the Artist

I painted this depiction of the crucifixion about twenty years ago as part of a series of paintings on the passion. I wanted to depict the starkness of the passion, the sheer agony of Jesus suffering. Yes, there are watchers in front of the cross. They are like most of us, they want to share the pain, but they can't. They are held apart by their inability to suffer with our Lord.

When I paint I do not often interpret the painting. I let the one who sees the painting be the person to give meaning to the effort. Most persons project their own feelings and meaning into the painting. They join the watchers, trying to understand the meaning of Christ's suffering, while being drawn yet pulled away from the event. Herein surely is the ambiguity of the crucifixion.

Rev. Julian Morgan, C.P.