San Francisco vivió en el Espíritu Santo. En un arco gótico, un signo de los tiempos en que vivió, San Francisco se encuentra entre los maderos caídos y rotos de la abandonada Iglesia de San Damiano. Hay dispersos bloques de construcción a sus pies y la Cruz de Damiano arriba. Está rodeado de sus queridos pájaros y animales: las palomas, los pájaros cantores, el cordero y el lobo que simbolizan la paz y la armonía. El lobo domesticado canta armonía a la melodía de Francisco, tocada en su laúd y cantada como oración.
Vestido con su ropa hecha jirones, los hombros y las rodillas desgastados por la Cruz que llevaba y las oraciones que rezaba. La oreja de tamaño exagerado se convierte en un símbolo de su elevado poder espiritual de observación y la sensibilidad a la belleza y necesidades de los demás que componen el conjunto de nuestra comunidad sagrada.
La colmena, un símbolo de la dulzura y la unidad de las comunidades que provocó dondequiera que difundió la palabra y la obra de nuestro Señor y Salvador Jesucristo.
San Francisco vivió en el Espíritu Santo
Estaba enamorado de la vida y de toda la creación de Dios. Como Jesús, sanó a los enfermos, limpió a los sucios y sirvió a los pobres como lo simboliza el lavabo y la jarra.
Fue con este amor en el Espíritu Santo que respondió al llamado que escuchó para reconstruir la iglesia de Cristo, no solo física sino espiritualmente. Lo hizo a través del sacrificio y el amor en forma de compasión, creatividad y trabajo extremadamente duro pero alegre, así como un asombro. auto-negación inspiradora por un ex joven que fue mimado y autocomplaciente; un cambio tan profundo que provocó un milagro asombroso de renovación al cristianismo a través de la intervención divina como se ve por los estigmas en sus manos y pies.
¡San Francisco de Asís fue portador de la Luz de Cristo en un mundo en tinieblas!
Señor, hazme un instrumento de tu paz,
donde haya odio, ponga amor, donde hay ofensa, perdón;
Donde hay duda, fe,
donde hay desesperanza, esperanza;
Donde hay tinieblas, luz,
donde hay tristeza, alegría.
Oh Divino Maestro,
Que no busque yo tanto, ser consolado como consolar,
ser comprendido como comprender.
Ser amado como amar.
Porque dando se recibe.
Perdonando se es perdonado.
Y muriendo a si mismo
Se nace a la vida eterna.
He is shown here with St. Mary whom he cared for after our Lord’s crucifixion (Jn 19:26, 27) at Ephesus in Turkey, the Isle of Patmos on the horizon where he was imprisoned and wrote Revelation.
He embraces his gospel to his heart bringing to mind the Cross and Passion of our Lord. Significantly, his crossed arms define the shape of a chalice (the sacred blood) and an hourglass. Indeed it reminds us that Christ is the Alpha and the Omega.
Above the saint flies the eagle, John’s symbol of vision and highest inspiration. Specifically, it carries away a serpent because according to legend, Emperor Domitian once spiked the saint’s wine with poison. Subsequently and miraculously it turned into a snake and slithered out of the cup.
High relief wood carvings of 6 saints by Vonn Hartung, in ambo at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Pensacola, Florida (photo by Steven Schloeder/Liturgical Environs PC)
This high relief wood sculpture, St. John Apostle and Evangelist is12-inches x 33-inches x 3-inches. It is one of six saints carved by A.Vonn Hartung. Pastor Doug Halsema commissioned them for the Ambo of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Steven Schloeder of Liturgical Environs PC was the liturgical consultant.
The saints are all directed towards the center of the Ambo, as though they are again listening to and reliving the truth and reality of Christ Jesus, that because of them and through them the gift of the Holy Spirit continues to live in us in the Liturgy of the Word.
Today October 18th is the Feast Day of St. Luke the Evangelist, patron saint of physicians and artists. On this occasion I pay special homage to him with this wood sculpture.
“St. Luke” wood sculpture high relief by AVonnHartung for St. Paul’s Catholic Church (Pensacola, Florida)
Artistically I have placed St. Luke the Evangelist in the center of his mission. In addition I have conveyed, a feeling of the harmony brought to him through the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Luke was St. Paul’s companion and biographer. Additionally he authored of Acts of the Apostles, a continuation of his gospel. By the style of his hair and garments I indicate his Syrian gentile origin of Greek lineage. I have juxtaposed Luke to the winged ox, symbol of sacrifice, patient servitude and strength. Additionally, I have portrayed the Parable of the Sower from his gospel (Lk 8:4-9).
The tempestuous backdrop witnesses to his shipwreck with Paul (Acts 27:13-42) and the many trials and tribulations he experienced struggling to keep pace with him on his missionary journeys. Luke holds his written witness in a book (gospel) that looks much like we might perceive a paperback because of the dynamics of his perilous travels with Paul.
Luke “studied the life and words of Jesus with utmost care, knew and relied upon witnesses to the actual events–including Mary and St. John–and devoted some time to speaking with the women who had traveled with Jesus. The Gospel [of Luke] is thus especially notable for the respect and attention it pays to women in the Church, in contrast to the role of women both in Jewish and pagan society…Luke stresses the mercy of God, documenting the merciful acts of Christ…Luke also devoted much attention–more than his fellow evangelists–to the interior life of prayer…” (OSV’s Encyclopedia of Catholic History, by Matthew Bunson, D.Min.)
“…and so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build my church, and not even death will ever be able to overcome it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of heaven; what you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)
“St. Peter” wood sculpture high relief by AVonnHartung for St. Paul’s Catholic Church (Pensacola, Florida)
Artistically I have tried through composition and subject matter to place St. Peter in the center of his mission. I have strived to impart a feeling of the harmony brought to him through the gift of the Holy Spirit. In his countenance as a man I show his strength and vulnerability as well as the dynamic quality of his inspiration.
La Madre Dolorosa (Sorrowful Mother) woodcarving by A.Vonn Hartung
Madre Dolorosa Sorrowful Mother, a high-relief wood carving, expresses the agony of Jesus through His mother Mary. Specifically, the betrayal by Judas, the arrest, torturous scourging, trial, carrying of the cross, and finally the agonizing crucifixion and death at Golgotha.
The Sorrowful Mother contemplates the seven sorrows of her life, represented by the seven swords piercing her heart.
