The structure of the Lenten Cloth

The Lenten Cloth of Misereor of 1982 is marked by the goals of the work of Misereor and inspired by the biblical texts of the five Sundays of Lent Year B.
The Haitian artist Jacques Chéry, a practicing Christian is familiar with the biblical texts.  He paints the world of the Bible in the colorful way that is close to the people of Haiti and can be grasped by them. He wants to confront our world of today as many people in Haiti and among us experience it, with the Christian faith and understanding it in the light of the Gospel.

More than Moses (2)

The 10 commandments are the expression of God’s will and of the covenant between God and Israel. The artist connects them to the “human rights” and in doing so stresses human dignity as inalienable. He illustrates these rights in his French and Creole mother tongues.  The man in the dark suit points to the first commandment: In spite of solemn declarations of the human rights, many times they remain empty words. Could it be because we lost the living relationship with God?

A new Creation (6)

The rainbow with its seven colours encompasses the whole picture. The dark blue of the rainbow repeats itself in the water of the Flood.
The rainbow is the sign of God’s “Yes” to the life of humanity and the whole of creation. It is a symbol of the covenant of God with Noah and signifies that the Earth is a living space for all human beings (Gen:9,8-15). Jesus fulfilled this promise; his death has brought new Life. The artist has the whole picture of the new creation wound around with the huge fruits of the tree of the cross.

The new table fellowship (9)

In the scene of the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus points towards the table fellowship: it is the measure for any worship of God, for any community. People of all races show the fellowship which does not consider position and title: “I shall plant my Law within them, writing it on their hearts. Then I shall be their God and they will be my people. There will be no further need for anyone to teach neighbor or brother.” (Jer:31,31-34). Children bring the fruits of this promise and of paradise to the new community.

Temptation and Probation (1)

Jesus is presented as the New Adam who overcame the temptation in the desert (Mk:1,13) and lives in peace with wild animals. In this overcoming of temptation he proves to be the “Son of Man” (Mk:9,9). The artist paints the temptation of riches, of pleasure, and of power in a symbolic way: a house, a car, and three men who exploit the Earth and destroy the planet. The temptation of Jesus is repeated in our own lives. We also need to overcome - the temptation to lord it over others and to attach our heart to the things of this world.

The Tree of the Cross (4)

Jesus hangs on the cross, like the serpent that Moses elevated in the desert (Jn:3,14-21). The artist painted the tree of the Cross with roots reaching deeply into the darkness of the “Flood”. In between we see the seeds as signs of hope: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies…” (Jn:12,20-33).

Through his passion and death, Jesus takes upon himself all human guilt. Whoever believes in him will be saved. The one who believes is subject to the same mysterious law as Jesus was subject to. The fullness of the saving power of Jesus is symbolized in the huge succulent fruits.

More than the Temple (8)

Jesus protests against the temple being used as a market place. When they ask him where his authority comes from he answers with a riddle: “Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up!” The Jews think of the stone building of the Temple – Jesus thinks of the “Temple of his own body”. The artist takes the word “Temple” as a biblical image for the community. It is a question put to us—Do we give preference to “stones” and “things” over what is “inside a person”?

Homeless (3)

In our present time God’s Law and Human Rights are trampled on. In the artist’s eye, the “Flood” as a threat to humanity is not finished. He shows the violation of one concrete human right: the right for a homeland. People who are fleeing are found not only between Haiti and the USA, but also in Africa and Vietnam. They leave their country in tiny boats to escape dictatorship and terror. Jesus is sitting among the homeless. He is with them and with us on the way; he is our way leading through misery and death towards the Kingdom of God.

Lacking Peace (5)

The artist connects the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus with the scene in the shadow of the roots. Jesus overcomes Evil through his Passion. It is the same Christ who hangs on the cross, who sits in the boat with the refugees, who breaks down under the clubs of the soldiers. However, the “world” remains full of darkness towards him: “People have preferred darkness to the light” (Jn:3,19). We all know the darkness of our time: conflict, war, violence, torture, fear.

Without orientation (7)

The artist shows people who are taken into captivity to Babylon (2 Chr:36,14-16). Some are sitting by the river and weeping; most are working on a tower-like a mountain emerging from the water. They try to reach the summit by recklessly stepping on their fellow human beings. J. Chéry wants to show in this crowded scene how much, even today, we are taken up in a “Babylonian magnomania” where we try to get to the top, one against the other. Still, there are some helping hands that wish to break the vicious circle of Evil.