Good Friday

For My Fellow Artists

By Ritagail Burleson

When you read this, it’ll be Good Friday, and my 65th birthday. My birthday is nearly always a hard day for me. This year, I was going to Really Celebrate...only to find it was on Good Friday this year.

So I thought I'd write a little reflection about why it's hard to celebrate, but I asked our Good Shepherd and Divine Artist if there was something He wanted me to write instead, and this image began coming to me, way back in early February. I struggled with it, at least 5 versions of the poem, and wrestled with shades of gray paint.

In reading, viewing, and listening to all of the reflections here at CAC, it's obvious the Holy Spirit is moving among us and we're doing what we can to respond, to be vessels for the Spirit's leadings. I encourage you to Keep Creating! Keep Sharing!

And I also want to put something else out there: As I write this, I'm in the midst of finishing up a short video reading of my poem for here at the CAC and beginning a new story for afterwards for wherever it takes me. In that story, one of the themes is imagination and helping others to see good things in the midst of dark times. I have no way of knowing what'll happen between now and April 3, or beyond. The new story is scary because it may seem too naive, too cheerful, not dark enough. And yet, if we are, as St. Paul says in Philippians 4:8, to set our minds on lovely and good things, then, they might seem a bit naive. But so is lighting a votive candle in the darkness. What good can one candle do? What good can one cheerful image or sweet story or catchy-tuned song do? Maybe we need to release them into the Holy Spirit and step back to see what happens. I'm not saying all of our creative efforts should be cheerful, that wouldn't be feasible, but I think sometimes we hold back creating works because we fear they won't be taken seriously by others. I'm encouraging you to join me in creating anyway in spite of those fears.

Blessings.

For My Fellow Artists

"It is finished",
Dear Jesus said
Before he died.

Oh, but my sovereign Lord
It is NEVER finished!
Death
Darkness
Destruction
Despair
Never leave the human race.

"It is finished",
Echoes again,
Before our Jesus died.
Did he lie?
What is"It?"
The pool of blood and water
Shimmers on the tired ground
While Spirit flees out
And away from us
Who are dust bound.

Void.

Charcoal grays.

And the shimmering pool
Reflects
A brief bright light
Of colorful hues--
But there's no rain,
No sun,
Nothing but this unspeakable pain
Of being left
Alone.

The colors glimmer
Both into the heavens
And into the pool's shimmer.

Spirit echoes
"It is finished--
Life
Has
Begun."

GRAMMY®-nominated Catholic artist and speaker Laura Huval recorded a reverent rendition of The Old Rugged Cross inspired by a sketch of Jesus on the Cross drawn by her late father, which was discovered after his passing. The recording includes an original verse reflecting on surrendering our burdens at the foot of the Cross and trusting in Christ’s redeeming love.

Holy Thursday