Miss Shelby
9th September 2004, 11:09 AM
The Smiling Christ ... G. Giaquinta
Surrounded by darkness, the Lord's frail, dying body was throbbing with pain. He emitted a feeble sigh and moaned: 'Lord, My Father, why have You abandoned me?'
An invisible ray of light pierced the darkness and rested on the Heart of Christ: The response of love from the Father.
On the face of the Lord a smile radiated as life stirred with His memories.
.... of the children He had caressed and who, in their innocence gazed on Him, the smiling Christ, with their mothers nearby lost in reverie.
.... of the sick who received not only health but the gift of His smile.
.... of the adulterous woman who was saved by the smile of Christ.
.... of His mother smiling at Him, His smile at her.
And there Mary was, standing by Him. He slowly turned and, smiling through His pain, murmured, 'Mother, behold your son'. And to John, 'Behold your mother'.
Then His face, became radiant with eternity. He uttered a loud cry ...
Throngs surrounded Him. He breathed on them the Spirit of love. He smiled again ...
Then He bowed His head. It was finished.
Let us pray.
To be able to smile always, in joy and in pain, to friends and to foes, to the indifferent, is the grace that we ask of you, Smiling Lord of Calvary, through the intercession of your Mother, our Smiling Mother.
Amen.
Surrounded by darkness, the Lord's frail, dying body was throbbing with pain. He emitted a feeble sigh and moaned: 'Lord, My Father, why have You abandoned me?'
An invisible ray of light pierced the darkness and rested on the Heart of Christ: The response of love from the Father.
On the face of the Lord a smile radiated as life stirred with His memories.
.... of the children He had caressed and who, in their innocence gazed on Him, the smiling Christ, with their mothers nearby lost in reverie.
.... of the sick who received not only health but the gift of His smile.
.... of the adulterous woman who was saved by the smile of Christ.
.... of His mother smiling at Him, His smile at her.
And there Mary was, standing by Him. He slowly turned and, smiling through His pain, murmured, 'Mother, behold your son'. And to John, 'Behold your mother'.
Then His face, became radiant with eternity. He uttered a loud cry ...
Throngs surrounded Him. He breathed on them the Spirit of love. He smiled again ...
Then He bowed His head. It was finished.
Let us pray.
To be able to smile always, in joy and in pain, to friends and to foes, to the indifferent, is the grace that we ask of you, Smiling Lord of Calvary, through the intercession of your Mother, our Smiling Mother.
Amen.