Jesus is the one who comes to reveal to us the truth about who God really is, Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has said, in blessing the new icons in the Chapel and classroom of Redemptoris Mater Seminary, Morley.
Speaking Sunday evening 30 April, Archbishop Costelloe reflected on the Gospel reading of Matthew 25: 31-46, which speaks about The Last Judgement.
He was joined for Sunday Vespers by Redemptoris Mater Seminary Spiritual Director, Fr Noe Navarrete-Apaez and Deacon Felipe Fernandez.
“In tonight’s gospel, we find presented to us, perhaps the clearest statement in the whole of the New Testament about what the final judgment will be all about,” Archbishop Costelloe explained.
“And the final judgement will be all about whether or not we reflected the face of the Father’s mercy to everybody we meet.
“I was hungry, and out of mercy and love and compassionate care. You gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and out of mercy and compassion and love and care, you gave me something to drink. I was sick and you visited me. I was naked and you clothed me,” he said, repeating the words of the Gospel.
“We could go through each one of these and each one of them is a statement about what a compassionate merciful response looks like.
“And that’s what the church is called to be – that is what we’re all called to be,” Archbishop Costelloe explained.
The icon of the Deësis, which is located in the Chapel and the icon of the Appearance of Christ, which is located in the downstairs classroom of Redemptoris Mater Seminary, are replicas of those painted by initiator of the Neocatechumenal Way, Kiko Arguello.
The new icons at Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Morley have been painted by husband and wife, Jose-Manuel and Maria Jesus Canete and their son Miguel.
Mr and Mrs Canete, who hail originally from Spain, were sent to Australia as a mission family by Pope Benedict XVI and live in Canberra.
Speaking about the icons at the evening liturgy on Sunday 30 April, Seminary Rector, Fr Michael Moore SM highlighted how the eyes of Christ are a particular feature.
“If you look at the face of Jesus Christ, and you see the eyes, if you’re on this side, it’s like he’s looking at you, but if you’re on the other side, it’s like he’s looking at you again also, or if you’re sitting directly in front, it’s like he’s looking at you again,” Fr Michael explained.
““It’s a particular technique of the icon writers. No matter where you sit, it’s a sign that Christ wants to communicate to you the love of the Father,” he said.
Some other features of the icon in the Chapel, Fr Michael explained, include
- The dark blue circle represents Christ on the earth and the world;
- The black circle represents death; that we all experience;
- The light blue represents heaven and the eternal life; emphasising that Jesus Christ crosses the thread because he lived on earth, experienced death, rose again and is now seated at the right hand of the father in heaven interceding for us.
“With these icons we hope to have a presence that helps us to live the liturgy better, since heaven and earth are united in the Christin liturgy. Therefore, it is important that here there is a picture of the presence of the heavenly Church,” Fr Michael said.
Continuing his homily, Archbishop Costelloe also spoke about the Gospel of the Second Sunday of Easter (John 20: 19-31) when Jesus appeared to His disciples and explicitly said, ‘As the Father sent me, so I am sending you,’.
“He didn’t say, ‘The Father sent me, now I’m going to send you’” Archbishop Costelloe re-iterated, “but he used the words, ‘As the Father sent me, so am I sending you,’.
“And how and why did the Father send Jesus to be the face of the Father’s mercy? So how and why does Jesus send us to be the face of the Father’s mercy?” Archbishop Costelloe questioned.
“This is what it is to be a Christian. This is the way in which we construct the lives that will eventually hopefully lead us to the fullness of life with the Lord in heaven, so beautifully portrayed in the icon behind me,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
Archbishop Costelloe concluded by inviting those present to be challenged by this Gospel.
“As we contemplate the beauty of this icon of the risen Lord, who connects both heaven and earth, who connects our life now with the fullness of life to which he calls us, let’s allow ourselves to be challenged by this Gospel,” Archbishop Costelloe said.
“I was hungry, and did you do something about it. I was thirsty, and you responded to my need.
“We all need to pray for eyes that are open to see the needs of God’s people or ears that are open to hear the cries of God’s people and for hearts that are open, so that we will want to respond and know how to respond to all those in need,” he concluded.
