Triduum Collage

The Good Shepherd

On a Sunday morning I found him, in Rimutaka prison.
Joe, intellectually handicapped, was accused of hurting people. Police put him there because his caregivers could not control him. One psychiatrist thought he was dangerous. The other thought he was ill, and his illness made him violent at times.

Only on Sunday mornings I was allowed to visit him. In fact I was the only visitor for three months.

“When I was in prison, you visited me.”(Matthew 25, 36)
Joe was in my eyes the lost sheep, whom Jesus mentioned in a parable. (John 10.11)

Once in a Roman Catacomb I saw a statue of Jesus, the good shepherd. This is the first statue of Jesus: a sheep on his shoulder clinging to Jesus for friendship.

After three months the judge was fed up with the two psychiatrists with opposing diagnoses of Joe, so he told the court that Joe was to be set free.
Outside the prison I embraced Joe and he clung to me as his friend.

In front of the prison bars and the green of the bush I painted Joe clinging to Jesus, his friend: The Good Shepherd.

Emmaus


After years of marriage Agnes and Leo were never talking to each other. They thought of divorce. “Shall we give it more go?” they finally said. So decided to go on weekend of Rediscovery (in French: Retrouvaille).

“Two of Jesus’ followers were going to a village called Emmaus and they were talking to each other all the things that had happened.”
(Luke 24.13-14

During the weekend in an old convent with lawns and verandas Agnes and Leo listened to couples who had similar problems and pain in their married lives. Agnes and Leo wrote answers to questions relating to their loss of love; they sat down and shared their stories and tried to listen.

On an overcast day they walked with Jesus, not seeing Him on the front lawn, hearing each other on the veranda, but not hearing Him. He was everywhere and yet closer than their shoulders,
closer than their breath.
Although within each other they had that burning fire to recognise Him, they did not ask what that voice within was and who He was.

“The disciples stood still, with sad faces. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that have been happening these last few days?”(Luke. 25,18)
Agnes and Leo were still crying out “what is it that keeps us going? Do we have some one close to share our grief.”

At the end of the weekend, after breaking the bread of their lives with the one who was all the time with them, they recognised, in an instant, their original love for each other, stronger than many years before.
They stood up and shared their experience and joy with the other couples.”

“The two disciples explained to the ones in Jerusalem, what happened on the road to Emmaus, and how they recognised the Lord when He broke the bread. (Luke 25,35)

The painting illustrates the Breaking of the Bread.
Jesus looks with tenderness to Agnes and Leo.
Instantly they recognise Him.
I know because I was present at their weekend


Psalm 23

Looking at the painting I see two colours, green of the forest and blue of the waterfall.
Both colours are full of life. What life do you discover when you tramp through the bush. How often do you walk through the many streams and feel the refreshing coolness of the water.

“He lets me rest in the fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water” (Ps 23, 2)

Walking on the beach, sitting by the sea, watching the sun set in blood-red rays, and then feeling the caressing breeze from the waves you feel the touch of God.

But often this source of living water is hidden by the shadow of
frantic activities and worries.

One of my religious friends, called J.A was in a very depressive mood. His relationship with God was almost at a standstill. He felt abandoned and alone. He went through the deepest darkness of his soul.
Then one day a certain sister called Ria invited him to a parish renewal weekend. “I have no time for it” J.A said. “But I have already enrolled you” Ria replied. “Well” he said, “I give it one hour. If it is boring, I leave.” The leader started, and J.A soon wanted to leave, until the skies opened and the rain came down in torrents, with thunder and lightning. J.A was trapped; caught by God. J.A stayed and slowly he felt accepted by others, and eventually his hope was restored in a new future. He was grateful to sister Ria and to God changing his life.

I will not be afraid, Lord, you are with me. Your shepherd’s rod and staff protect me. (Psalm 23,4)

With my friend J.A I had lunch together, outside the café and filled our glasses to the brim.

“Your house, Lord, will be our home as long as we live”
Psalm 23,6

With the help of the three paintings of the Good Shepherd, Emmaus and Psalm 23 I gave three talks to the Sisters of Charity when they had a triduum to prepare the feast-day of their founder, Mother Theresa.


John Heijnen 12.02.09