ERICKSON: A Lenten reflection on a portrait of the Suffering Christ

Late Lent is upon us, and our journey will soon turn toward Holy Week. We should prepare ourselves to walk with Jesus throughout the remainder of this season.

One preparation we should undertake is to see Our Savior in His suffering as He goes through His passion out of His deepest love for us. An image, even a crucifix, can serve as a focal point of meditation. We need to impress on our hearts His suffering image because all images of His Passion are expressions of His love. Thus, I would like to offer a reflection of the expressive painting “SIC DEUS DILEXIT MVNDVM.”

This painting of “For God So Loved the World” is a mystery since the artist is unknown. It was painted somewhere, perhaps in Germany, in the 17th century, but it became very popular in the 18th century. Believe it or not, it was once slated to be destroyed but was saved by a priest from Michigan. From henceforth, it has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity and devotion.

It strongly resembles the image on the Shroud of Turin. It is a beautiful expression of Jesus’ passion. The portrait itself is very rich in symbolism. For one, Our Savior appears bright against a very dark or even black background. The darkness can be seen as the world that is mired in its sins and the awful consequences that follow. Here, we see Jesus coming forth with His agony and tears to somehow light up the world that His Passion must take place to save our souls.

He seems bright because He is the Light of the World, yet, also, He seems to step forward from the darkness to show His radiance to the entire world, doing so in His agony!
So many of us suffer the blisters of sin, but Jesus takes on all sin and death to defeat it! It is amazing that this portrait can express this sign of love and hope for mankind.
The crimson red of His tunic certainly represents the blood that flows from His Most Sacred Body. Jesus’ Most Sacred Heart is slightly brighter than His blood-soaked tunic.

It beats blood from the fifth wound and flows down in front of the heart. A flame of His most passionate love burns at the apex of the heart with the cross at its center. The cross on top of Jesus’ heart is not consumed by the flames. This part of this sacred image recalls Moses and the burning bush. Fire would not consume the bush because the flame was God himself. The flames of God’s compassionate love can never be extinguished.

The circle of thorns surrounding His heart represents His crown of thorns. For a heart to receive such a crown takes humility. The thorns prick not only at His head but also at His Most Sacred Heart.

We see the humility in the crown on His Most Sacred Head. The thorns press hard into His precious head.

Then, there is the large halo surrounding His Sacred Head. The gold trim and lines signify His royalty, and we can see that His crown of thorns points to His Kingship as one of supreme love and deep humility. The big encirclement also seems to be filled with a dry red wine color to possibly reflect the Eucharistic image of the portrait. His holy halo is also shaped like a host.

Then there are arrows in the halo, possibly to show the direction of where His love flows. It flows everywhere His mercy is needed.

Finally, the letters at the bottom of the painting say it all: SIC DEUS DILEXIT MVNDVM, which means “for God so loved the world.”

As we head toward Holy Week, perhaps we should reflect on this image. Meditating on the image draws us closer to His Most Sacred Heart and leads us to a grand desire to find Him in the Eucharist and in all aspects of our lives.

Let us walk with Him as He is about to give His all for us! 

Carl Erickson serves as director of the Galveston Newman Center.