Saturday, April 4,
2015
Niccolo dell’Arca, Il Compianto
(1463)
Matthew 27:55-61
(NRSV)
Many women were
also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the
mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee. When it was evening, there came a rich man
from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of
Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a
clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the
rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
Niccolo dell’Arca is a little known 15th century
Early Italian Renaissance artist who created sculptures in painted terracotta
with amazing movement and expression.
This Lamentation of the Dead
Christ was created for the church Santa Maria della Vita in Bologna. Six
life-size figures gather around the dead Christ in varying states of distress:
(from left to right) Joseph of Arimathea, Mary the mother of John, Mary the
mother of Jesus, John, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. The emotion and drama only seems to increase
moving from Joseph to Mary Magdalene, from stoicism to dynamic tragedy in the
outpouring of grief. Despite the energy
and movement within the scene, each figure is turned inward, privately
addressing their reaction to the death of Jesus, and each reacts
differently.
Look at the detail of each figure and dwell on them. Think of their relationship to Jesus: having
walked with Him daily or having known Him from His birth or perhaps a more
recent follower. Think of this moment of
absolute darkness and hopelessness as they see the dead body of their son,
their rabbi, their leader, their Savior, their Messiah. What might they be feeling? How are they expressing their grief?
Like Joseph of Arimathea (see him holding his tools),
stoically taking care of practical details?
Jesus is dead, He needs a tomb and the body needs to be prepared before
the Sabbath.
Like Mary His mother, pondering those things in her heart
from His birth to His death and wondering why now?
Like John, the one He loved, remembering every lesson Jesus
taught and trying to see a bigger picture?
Trying to reconcile the things He said with the reality of death,
struggling with faith and hope?
Like Mary Magdalene, overwhelmed with grief for the One who
saved her and the loneliness of facing life without Him; wondering who will
protect her, who will save her now; and the dread of falling back into the ways
of the past?
In this time of Lent, how are you grieving?
The amazing Good News is that we know the end of the
story. We don’t have to dwell in the
grief of Saturday, but know that the joy of the resurrection is just a day
away! In Ecclesiastes 3 it says that
there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven. There is a time to weep and to mourn, but
there is also a time to laugh and to dance.
That is the joy of the resurrection!
Nancy S.
Livengood
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