6/2/23

NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 6/2


The month of June (and Fridays all year 'round) are times of special devotion to the Holy Heart of Jesus.  (See this morning's Pause for Prayer) On the Fridays of June, these Night Prayer posts will offer an opportunity to pray with art, with images of the Heart of Christ.  
Just as you can read, study, muse and pray over a scripture text, so you can approach a work of art as a subject for prayer (as we did this past Lent). DON'T WORRY! You don't have to be a museum goer or an art historian to pray this way. You need only some time, some art, a prayerful curiosity and a desire to discover what the Lord wants to share with you through a sacred image. (These posts will ask for a little more of your time than usual.)

We'll begin this series with one of my favorite images of Jesus: Salvador Dali's "Sacred Heart."   
 

 
Before you read my thoughts below (in black)
    here are some questions for your reflection...
 
• Spend some time simply contemplating Dali's Jesus...
    What comes to your mind?  to your heart?
        How does this image speak to you?
When you pray, how do you image the face of Jesus?
    How do you image his stature?
        What do you find in the face Dali gives Jesus here?
Departing from custom, Dali, here, gives Jesus a biological organ,
    a heart that might beat - skip a beat - beat fast
        - and one day stop beating...
  Place your hand over your own heart
    and imagine Jesus' heart beating in sync with your own...
The first apostles followed Jesus upon hearing his call:
    how might you respond to Dali's Jesus calling you?
        What attracts you here?  What surprises you?
            What mystifies and what is revealed here?
Dali's faith life had a complex history though in later life
    he became a Catholic.  In his autobiography he wrote:
        "Heaven is to be found, neither above nor below, 
            neither to the right nor to the left, 
         heaven is to be found exactly in the center of the bosom 
            of the one who has faith!' 
    In the painting, the Cross is at the center of Christ's heart,
        how does this image touch the center of your heart? 
How might you pray, tonight,
    to the Jesus imaged in Dali's painting? 
 
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Dali's Sacred Heart images so clearly, so frankly
    the beauty, strength and intensity, the raw humanity 
        of Christ's divine heart.  

This isn't the meek Jesus of so much religious art:
    this is a strong, compelling, confident in-your-face, 
        I've-got-your-back Christ 
    who puts his heart out there for us, 
        who empties his own heart into ours 
            with love beyond all telling.
 
Here's a Christ at whose word simple fishermen
    might leave behind their boats and nets
        to follow where he led them...
 
Here's a Christ 
    with sinew and strength 
        to lift and carry others' burdens
            while carrying his cross.
 
Here's a Christ 
    with a strong and robust heart,
ready to pump his power and Spirit
    through a universe aching for his grace.
 
Here's a Christ of tender heart,
    a refuge, a haven for us all;
a  brave heart, ready to expose itself
    to cover and defend us;
a heart prepared to give itself away 
    in rolling, endless waves of mercy; 
a heart large enough, deep enough, real enough
        to be the very heart of God, 
    God's own heart
        made flesh for us,
    that our hearts might know his 
        and by his love, be saved... 
 
Lord, open your holy, saving heart
     and welcome us in
        to your mercy, love and peace...
 
Protect us, Lord, while we're awake
    and watch over us while we sleep
that awake, we might keep watch with you
    and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen. 
 
Tonight's (powerful!) song is titled:
    Empty Space: Prayer of the Heart of Jesus
As you listen to it, hear it as Jesus' word for YOU,
    Jesus' prayer for YOU, Jesus' desire for YOU!
I'm repeating the Dali image just below the video
    so that you can pray with the image
        while  listening to the song's prayer.
 
 Empty Space: Prayer of the Heart of Jesus
          by Jose Mari Chan
 
If a video doesn't appear below, click here!
 




 

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