Daily Nourishment for March 29, 2024: Good Friday with a Poem and Essay by Pádraig Ó Tuama
Daily Nourishment Read Time: 40 seconds
Pause/Prompt/Practice Time: 10-15 minutes
“A small sprig of consoling company” - Pádraig Ó Tuama
Pause.
Take a few deep breaths with a six-count inhale and a six-count exhale. Then listen to “Go to Hell” by Pádraig Ó Tuama.
Prompt.
Read this essay by Pádraig Ó Tuama. Here are the last two paragraphs:
“Years later, when studying theology, I came across Hans Urs Von Balthasar. Von Balthasar is noted for many things, one of which is his poetic retelling of Christ’s descent into hell. He said, “Jesus descended into hell. He is dead with us, and disturbs our loneliness. … God, in the weakness of love enters into solidarity with us who find ourselves damning ourselves, in the form of the crucified brother abandoned by God…and in such a way that is clear to the sinner that God-the-Forsaken is so for my sake.”
Each year on Easter Sunday I find myself moved. Not because there is a happy ever after ending to all of our stories. It is quite clear that there is not. I am moved because of a sacred echo of a hope that there is solidarity for those who feel like we inhabit a small hell of our own experience. The hope of Easter doesn’t damn this hell with a bleaching light. Rather this hope enters and squats with us. The celebrations of Holy Week for me are not about cataclysmic resurrections, but about being moved to follow in the life of the Nazarene, bravely entering into loneliness with a small spring of consoling company.”
Practice.
Set a timer for seven minutes and write in response to the poem above, the essay above, and/or one or more of the questions below.
What do you want to receive from Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter this year?
How do you want hope to enter your life? This world?
What makes the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus worthy of following, observing, celebrating?
What gaps do you wish a savior would fill in this world?
What bad things do you wish could be undone?
Want More?
Look at this photograph of a painting for a few minutes. Do a round of visio divina, if you like.
[Good Friday by Paul Delaroche]
Artist Unknown
about 1870–1890
Learn more here.
Today’s Daily Nourishment was provided by Charlotte Donlon.
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