Last Words

Purple Thistle

7" x 5"

Pastel

The last words that people say before dying carry a lot of weight, as it often reveals richness or poverty of soul within that individual.  This is what is considered Holy Week for many around the world as we remember the last supper of Christ with His disciples, and the crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord.  So what were the last words of Christ as He was hanging on the cross dying?  Actually the last words of Christ are seven statements He made during those long hours on the cross.

The Three Crosses

Rembrandt

 The church has meditated on these through the centuries, as well as famous composers like Joseph Haydn.  Tonight I am looking forward to attending a string quartet performance of Hadyn's Seven Last Words of Christ.  The performers will be violinist Calvin Dyck (Concertmaster for the Vancouver Island Symphony), violinist Sonja Hindmarsh, violist Beth Nickel, and Lee Duckles (former principal cellist for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra).  Haydn considered this piece to be his greatest achievement.  The piece focuses on the gravity of tragedy and on hope and redemption.  Here is a link to parts of this meditation:

Art has a wonderful way of conveying what is deep, powerful, and rich in life.  And especially so for this tremendously significant Holy Week remembering of Christ's passionate love and suffering for us.  I find many of the movies about Christ's life coming up short of the horrendous reality He suffered.  But Mel Gibson's movie "The Passion of Christ" is one of the best for portraying that historic event.  Here is a part edited to highlight the seven last sayings of Christ:

Nothing can ever come close to the actual suffering of Christ for us, as He not only suffered a torturous physical death, but also being our sin in our place as He endured God's wrath and separation from God.  He was both our sin and the perfect holy sacrificial Lamb of God at the same time.  Bring on the composer Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" in response to all this!  I hope you can sink deep into the truth of what God has done for you in this very special weekend and look forward with hope for all that Christ's resurrection and conquering death means, both now and for the future!  

Speaking of last things...this week is my last week to be up here in beautiful British Columbia.  Next week will find me wending my way back across the mountain states of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming to Omaha, Nebraska.  Time to get back to classes and studio work!

Be brave and courageous!