This blog post is going to be a first for me. Although there will be some news later on regarding what I'm up to at the moment, I want to use this post to shine a light onto the work of a fellow sacred artist, Karen Brodie, as she embarks on a momentous year that, we hope, will see the completion of an ambitious project that began one Lent, several years ago, and in which I have played a (very) small part.
How the story begins...
In 2010, newly ordained and beginning my curacy, I was in the market to buy a set of stoles. I had my white one, worn for my ordination and designed by me, but I now wanted to acquire different designs for ordinary time (green), Lent and Advent (purple) and Pentecost/saints'days (red). You probably know me well enough by now to realise that I wasn't just going to buy a standard or plain design (!) - I was looking for a piece of theological art that spoke into our experience of these differing seasons of the church year. A lot of Internet browsing later, I came across the work of Canadian fabric artist, Karen Brodie. Her design for Ordinary time together with her reflection, and entitled "Road to the Sacred", immediately caught my attention and I placed my order, little did I realise that it would lead to a long-lasting connection way beyond my stole.
image (c) Karen Brodie Designs
It was a simple thing, really. In our brief correspondence about the order, Karen noted how I spelled "cheque" the British way and not "check" as in American English (Remember cheques?! - that proves how long ago it was). A friendly, online conversation began and not only did I receive my beautiful stole (which I still wear and cherish - I have her red design too!), I received an invitation. Karen was looking for a group of different church leaders from across the world, and at different stages of their ministry, to be part of a creative project she was planning.
The Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross are a long-standing tradition of waymarkers in the retelling of Christ's journey to the Cross. Often a feature of Holy Week and accompanied by corresponding liturgy, many churches have a series of images, or simple crosses, around their walls, enabling today's disciples to follow Christ's story and reflect on its significance for our salvation.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you. Because by your holy Cross you have redeemed the world.
There are numerous books and series of reflections on the different stations available, just as there exist images from diverse traditions to serve as a focus for our devotions. Karen's project was to invite a group of ministers each to write a reflection on one of the stations. Karen's intention was then to spend the next Lenten season in prayerful reflection on what had been written so as to design her own set of images, within her creative practice as a fabric artist. (I thought about saving this blog post until next month so it is closer to Holy Week but the Lenten link was strong enough and I didn't want to wait!) So, an intriguing prospect to a new priest who was already invested in the importance of visual theology to communicate our faith? Of course. Ambitious and exciting? Absolutely. So, I chose my station and got writing. You'll find the text of my reflection and the accompanying prayer towards the end of this blogpost. For now I shall continue the story...
As I understand it, Karen's design intentions didn't just take up the next Lenten season, but many Lents! Her creative skills were put to work alongside the devotion and prayers necessary for keeping a holy Lent several years over. At the end of that process, Karen finally had a complete set of drawings, which she was able to share with us. During Lent of 2020, Karen created a series of beautiful videos, in which she brought together the text of the original reflections, her artist's reflections and consequent designs. I was able to share these with my own parish in that strangest of Holy Weeks, while we were in lockdown. If you are looking for a way in which to reflect on the Stations of the Cross for yourself this Lent (or save them all for Holy Week), I do commend them to you. You can find them here, on Karen's YouTube channel (there is a separate prologue, then a video for each of the fourteen Stations).
For now, and as we begin our journey through this particular Lent, I share with you here the reflection that I wrote for the project all those years ago.
The Eleventh Station - Jesus is nailed to the Cross
How can I even begin to look upon your agony? The horror of your pain, anguish and suffering divides not just flesh from bone but soul from body and soul from soul, exiled from the holy city to the place of the Skull as from the Father’s love to the nothingness of death. How easy it would be to turn away, to abandon you to the utter darkness of humiliation. How can I bear to hold your gaze?
Yet, I look upon you and realise that we are somehow, intimately connected; your lifeless eyes meet mine and I know that my life is held in yours. There is so much in my life that is a struggle: pain that continues to pierce my heart’s core, a wilfulness to self-sufficiency, an independence that mars your image in me and drives me, too, further from your Father. My distance from you, my longing to turn away, is the very sin that holds your hands to the bloodstained wood. Even then, the compassion in your gaze tells me there is more – so much more: all that pains me, all my struggles, everything that would break me is held in your bloodstained hands. How right in this moment was the Psalmist: “even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast”.
As faith begins in this moment, I seek understanding for the meaning that connects us, joining the centuries of those who attempt to explain why you have to die this way. Theories proliferate: a ransom is paid to the devil, a debt of honour is satisfied, you bear my sins as substitute for the wrath of judgment that should be mine, God suffers in solidarity with His people. In their search for deeper meaning, each generation relies upon incomplete understandings to find new images - images that reflect their own changing contexts. And yet, no one explanation suffices. The languages of “sacrifice”, “costliness”, “legal judgment”, “substitution” and “victory” all direct me to a truth that is beyond understanding. God’s powers of love, justice, mercy, redemption and transformation are all somehow united in the scene before me, a vision immensely greater than the individual elements. All words, all thoughts, all images become one on this cross: you were crucified - for us, for me, for all.
In the final gasp, faced with the horror of obscurity, you shine your light into my darkened soul to illumine my heart’s understanding. The fragments of attempted explanations make sense only when, like shards of coloured glass, they are transfigured by the kaleidoscopic reflection of your inner light, which, with the twist of pain, reveals the holy beauty of heaven’s salvation. All that holds my gaze brings me into oneness with you, that I might know, as you do, that “Deeper than horror is the Joy”.
“For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face.Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.”
PRAYER
God of every age, into a world of shattered hopes and fragmented lives, shine the light of your presence that we may see the holy beauty of the cross and the radiance of our salvation in the face of Jesus Christ. As we acknowledge our own brokenness, may the glory of your redeeming power restore us to wholeness in you. Amen
(I'm struck, here and now, how this prayer, which I wrote all those years ago, has such resonance with the current situation in our world. I encourage you to keep a holy Lent, and pray more than ever.)
Exciting news
I was delighted to hear back from Karen earlier this year. The fourteen year project to create these designs as pieces of fabric art for public exhibition is finally coming to reality. Karen has begun the fundraising process to enable her to bring her vision to life. If you are interested, you can see all fourteen designs and find more details of how to donate on her webpage. It has been an incredible journey and I consider it a huge privilege to have played even such a small part in it. I am truly excited for Karen to see how the project emerges over the next year and I do commend it to you. I may even plan a small trip to British Columbia for 2026. Who knows?!
Other news
What is it about the first week of the month and sending out a blogpost that I always seem just to have finished a new commission?! Today, I put the final touches to an icon of the Crucifixion. In fact, this was the second commission in a row when the client had seen a previous icon of mine and basically wanted "the same but smaller". You'll have to wait to see the new Crucifixion icon, but the icon that I finished last month is now safely with its new owner, so here is the "smaller" version of St John the Baptist.
The studio is packed up ready for an icon/creative workshop for Wantage parish tomorrow. I am excited to be spending a day reflecting on the story of St Photina, the woman at the well (John 4). This week has also seen me in discussions and planning for St Columba week and the retreat that I shall be co-leading for the Iona Community in June. I'm beginning to think through some creative projects that I could put together in advance of that, so watch this space!
After that, I shall be getting going on my next icon commission (Julian of Norwich), continuing my exploration of some "complex geometry", as well as - hmmmm - completing my next academic MFA assignment, which is due in by Easter.
Thank you for your support and to all those who get in touch in various ways. I have been so encouraged in recent weeks by your generosity and kind words. This month, I'm not posting my "Buymeacoffee" button; if you are able to offer financial support, please consider donating to Karen's Stations of the Cross project instead (At current exchange rates, CAD$10 is £5.50 approx).
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