21. Jesus Appears to His Friends (from The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision) by Douglas Blanchard
“And he said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see.’” -- Luke 24:38-39 (RSV)
Jesus’ friends were hiding together, afraid of the authorities who killed their beloved leader. The doors were shut, but somehow Jesus got inside and stood among them. They couldn’t believe it! He urged them to touch him, and even invited them to inspect the wounds from his crucifixion. As they felt his warm skin, their doubts and fears turned into joy. Jesus liked touch. He often touched people in order to heal them, and he let people touch him. He defied taboos and allowed himself to be touched by women and people with diseases. He understood human sexuality, befriending prostitutes and other sexual outcasts. LGBT sometimes hide themselves in closets of shame, but Jesus wasn’t like that. He was pleased with own human body, even after it was wounded.
Jesus, can I really touch you?
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Next: 22. Jesus Returns to God
This is part of a series based on “The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision,” a set of 24 paintings by Douglas Blanchard, with text by Kittredge Cherry.
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Scripture quotation is from Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
2 comments:
Each time I re-read "Jesus in Love: At the Cross", I am delighted anew by the wondrous insights you share about Jesus' post-resurrection appearances and interactions. Not only is there the exquisite scene where Mary Magdalene truly comes into her own as a healer, but of course the beautiful marriage scene with John. Your comments on this post mirror that so well. Jesus DID love to touch and be touched, and his reality as God With Us is still being realized in loving touch when we dare to be completely honest with our Eros.
I borrowed some phrases from my novel “At the Cross” for the next post, which explores Eros more deeply. The painting, “Jesus Returns to God,” shows Jesus in a glorious kiss with God. Thank you, Trudie, for reminding me so often of the vision that I expressed in my novels.
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