Art and Prayer,  Visio Divina

Holy Week Musings in Words and Pictures

I’ve been pondering the events of the final week before Jesus was crucified, what we call Holy Week, mulling over the words from the four gospels and sketching some of the scenes. The book He Was One of Us, by Rien Poortvliet, a Dutch artist whose work I find inspiring, is a beautiful and poignant presentation in Poortvliet’s words and sketches of the humanity of Jesus throughout his life on earth. I find that Poortvliet’s sketches help me realize more deeply the truth that Jesus was fully man as well as fully God, and therefore felt emotional and physical pain as we do. And that leads me to ponder how my actions affect him and his people now.

I’ve used some of Poortvliet’s sketches as jumping off points for my own musings, and as I’ve sketched, I’ve pondered how these events speak to me.

Peter said, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “today-yes tonight- before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
Mark 14:29-30
Jesus said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the pint of death. Stay here and keep watch with me…” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.
Matthew 26: 38, 40
Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away!” John 18: 10-11
Jesus touched the man’s ear and healed him. Luke 22:51 (I used my own photo as a reference for this sketch.)

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