Sunday 15 March 2009

Jesus in a cushion?

I'm sure to be in trouble for this one.... an AAP item I read today:

Thousands flocked to a Roman Catholic church on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion on Saturday after believers said they saw the "face of Christ" in the pleats of a church cushion.

Church officials limited access to the Jesus-Misericordieux church in eastern Saint-Andre's Cambuston district to a few minutes per visitor as traffic in the area ground to a halt.

Believers and curious onlookers pulled out cameras to take pictures of the cushion attached to the priest's chair.


Now... I'm sorry, I have some problems with this. I can remember a time (probably back in the 70's) when the younger generation (that was me back then) used to sew patches over the holes in our jeans. These days they just wear the holes with pride. But anyway... I can remember someone in the US made the news for having a patch of the US flag sewn onto the arse of their jeans. It was a sign of disrespect to the flag and the nation, said detractors.

But somehow, the face of Jesus where a priest puts his bum is seen as a "miracle", and not absolute blasphemy? I'm not the least bit religious these days, but even I was sort of shocked (amidst chuckles and chortles and poorly-suppressed giggles).

I know priests get a lot of bad press these days for behaving badly - and yet nobody has picked this up and run with it? And will I go to hell because I can't help seeing something very Monty Pythonesque in all of this? (MP's Life of Brian and the MP Contractual Obligation album song which began with the words Sit on my face and tell me that you love me are going round and round in my head at the moment, and I'm almost hysterical!)

To be fair, I don't know whether the cushion was one to be sat upon, leaned against or knelt upon - but still... is that any way to treat Jesus?

1 comment:

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