Monday, February 22, 2010

Finding What we Must Find

i often think of Vincent Van Gogh during Lent
a troubled man moved by beauty
he tried to capture it as best he could
in many ways bringing to our tired eyes the vibrancy we take for granted
Vincent began his journey trying to share the gospel
he preached to the miners of the Borinage
a place no one else would go
he gave them his clothes, food, money
he went down into the mines with them
he suffered with them
the clergy who had sent him admonished him for living the way he was living
he was not a "good example of the society that sent him".
he told them he was only doing what he knew Jesus would do..
this led Vincent to leave the organized church
but he never left his belief in Jesus
he was no saint, but he always wrestled with the imago Dei
a confused soul, craving purpose for existence,
his anxiety grew over the years
but he never forgot the Jesus he believed in,
the one he learned more about from his Catholic friend and painter, Emile Bernard
you see this in his painting, The Starry Night",
the light represents the light of Christ shining in a suffering world
Lent is a time of self denial, alms giving, repentance,
and yet,
the light of Jesus is always our joy and hope as we live, move, and have our being
finding our redemption in the light of His love..
fiat!

wkm



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