Listen

Read
john 19: 25-27 nrsv
Meanwhile, standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and
his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing
beside her, he said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then
he said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from that hour the
disciple took her into his own home.
Look
Observe the visual qualities of the image: line, shape, movement, and
texture. How do the visual elements connect to the scripture text?
What emotions emerge for you as you observe the art?
Reflect
“In this moment, I imagine if Jesus could, he would come down off of
the cross, walk up to his mother and hold her in his arms, thanking
her for her courage, persistence, and bravery for bringing him into the
world. I imagine he would hold her face, seeing his whole life dance in
the shades of green and brown of her eyes. I imagine pain welling up
in her glossy eyes as he wipes her tears away. In the midst of his great
pain, in the last moments of his life, Jesus takes care of his mother.”
—Artist Lauren Wright Pittman
Pray
May I care for my own family with the tenderness and warmth you
extend to us all. Amen.

Listen

Read
Luke 23: 39-43 nrsv
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him
and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But
the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are
under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have
been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our
deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus,
remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly
I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”
Look
Observe the visual qualities of the image: line, shape, movement,
and texture. How do the visual elements connect to the scripture
text? What emotions emerge for you as you observe the art?
Reflect
“While speaking to the good thief, I imagine Jesus’ hand outstretched
beneath the brilliant sun radiating oranges, reds, and yellows. It takes
great strength to find beauty in the midst of such darkness and pain.
What more can he do other than offer another hope and light on their
journey? Jesus’ ministry on earth was about bringing the Kingdom of
God into the here and now. He continues his ministry in his last moments
by offering hope to the good thief. He assures him that they will be
together beyond the pain, beyond the ceasing of their breath. The
Kingdom of God is near—so close he can almost reach out and touch it.”
—Artist Lauren Wright Pittman
Pray
May I always strive to find, acknowledge, reflect, and create beauty in
this world. Amen.

Listen

Read
Luke 23: 27-31 nrsv
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified
Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what
they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing.
Look
Observe the visual qualities of the image: line, shape, movement, and
texture. How do the visual elements connect to the scripture text?
What emotions emerge for you as you observe the art?
Reflect
“Jesus’ act of nonviolence in the face of such grotesque brutality—an
act of protest against injustice—is astounding. I imagine him balling up
his fists in unspeakable pain as the nails are driven into his wrists. His
clenched fist symbolizes his resistance in the face of terror and state-sanctioned
violence. His clenched fist signals solidarity with liberation
movements that continue today and unity with those who follow in his
footsteps to speak truth to power and nonviolently resist oppression.”
—Artist Lauren Wright Pittman
Pray
May I follow in Jesus’ path and join my brothers and sisters in
protesting the injustices of this world. Amen

Listen

Read
Luke 23: 27-31 nrsv
A great number of the people followed him, and among them were
women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus
turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me,
but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely
coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that
never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to
say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they
do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Look
Observe the visual qualities of the image: line, shape, movement, and
texture. How do the visual elements connect to the scripture text?
What emotions emerge for you as you observe the art?
Reflect
“When I consider the women beating their breasts and wailing for
Jesus, I imagine the reasons I could be doing the same. Jesus doesn’t
ask them to stop wailing; he asks them to redirect their grief, ‘Do not
weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children.’ I can imagine
grief upon grief spilling out of these faithful women. Sometimes I
grieve for what is close to me—things that I can see with my own eyes,
tragedy that I can reach out and touch. But Jesus asks the women to
do more than that. He asks them to look beyond the immediate and
tangible sorrow to the greater struggle that is to come: ‘If they do this
when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?’
Sometimes we get stuck in our religious grief for Jesus. We narrow our
focus onto his death; we tuck it neatly into our calendar each Holy Week
and place it on the far end of a faded timeline. But Jesus’ death has
lasting, continual, real world consequences in the here and now. His
death is a state-sanctioned, attempted murder of love and hope. Jesus is
telling the women that their grief will be a journey, and they need to be
prepared. We need to be prepared.”
—Artist Lauren Wright Pittman
Pray
May I grieve, but may I also be prepared to move. Amen.

Listen

Read
John 19: 6, 15-17 nrsv
When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify
him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and
crucify him; I find no case against him.” They cried out, “Away with
him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify
your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the
emperor.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.
Look
Observe the visual qualities of the image: line, shape, movement, and
texture. How do the visual elements connect to the scripture text?
What emotions emerge for you as you observe the art?
Reflect
“Jesus not only bears the physical weight of the cross, he bears the
weight of creation. I imagine his arms contorted behind him, grasping
the edges of the cross, trying to balance the weight of it all on his
back. Contemplating this great burden, I imagine his body twisted
and tied to the cross by the vines of the Garden of Eden, but also held
up and supported by the vines of the new creation.”
—Artist Lauren Wright Pittman
Pray
May I help carry the burden of the injustice in this world and work to
usher in the new creation. Amen.