Sunday, April 12, 2009

The Making of a Saint




Who would think that this picture of a saintly old woman, bowed down with age, was once a beautiful young woman who had everything - wealth, family, admirers, and material possessions; she led a sinful life that had no room for God in it. Here, she is bent not only with old age, but also with sorrow in reparation for her past sins. Note the instruments of the Passion she holds - the Cross, the nails, the lance, the reed and sponge; in her left hand she holds a scourging whip, and in her right, a bundle of scourging rods. It is with these instruments we inflict pain on Christ every time we sin. It is as though we were there at His scourging, holding the whip and lashing Him, torturing Him with our sins, for indeed our sins are the instruments of His Passion.


Here she is again, a beautiful young woman at the moment of her conversion.


Meditate on the difference between the two pictures, and the road in between, from the start of her conversion where she realized her sinfullness, to the long hard way of the Cross that led to Blessed Angela's sanctification and redemption. May we all persevere on that road.

3 comments:

Shirley said...

The scourging is one of my favourite meditations on the Passion. I think of my sins as the instruments used to torture in the Scourging, especially my sins of the flesh. It's very humbling.

Michele said...

father told me that everytime we sin (willfully) we are crucifying Christ all over again. a good thought to keep in mind so we don't sin deliberately.

Therese said...

I am so happy to see you posting again PMG.

The scourging in the Passion of the Christ is one of the hardest parts in the movie to watch. Thanks for reminding us what our sins do.