Nailing to the Cross


Roots
And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the
criminals, one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not
what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching; but the
rulers scoffed at him, saying "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen
One!" Luke 23:33-35
Representation
Two colors, two movements. One of aggressive green, the other a tender and vulnerable pink
and yellow. The green color highlights a brutish face, an oversized nail and hammer. It stigmatizes
the massive cross as the ultimate negation of life. Placed on this altar of aggressive death, the
dislocated members of the Suffering Servant are trembling in senseless torture and pain. Faceless
and helpless, as the tender pink and yellow colors suggest, he is now indeed a worm and no man.
Identification
Human life is full of green and pink dichotomies, not least because I, too, have two souls in my
body: one that belongs to the brutish face with nail and hammer, the other trembling in helpless
need for truth, goodness and beauty.

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This page, maintained by The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio 45469-1390, and created by Jim Danis was last modified Wednesday, 04/18/2001 16:57:55 EDT by Jim Danis. Please send any comments to Johann.Roten@udayton.edu.

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