The Black Madonna: Mysterious Soul Companion

Beautiful. Wow. Fascinating. Refreshing. These are but a few of the words that came to mind as I read through Stephanie Georgieff's book The Black Madonna: Mysterious Soul Companion. I found that I was joining the author on a pilgrimage to explore the psychology, science, art, history, and theology in understanding what all these works of art known as the Black Madonna bring to the table. There were were so many new insights and refreshing statements made throughout this pilgrimage. In this literary journey Georgieff introduced a new idea to me that should be shared: That art is a method through which the spiritual world communicates to humanity. As I read those words I immediately thought, "well surely! If God can become incarnate as a human why wouldn't God use art to communicate to us as well now?"

As I continued on to travel through the pages, I could sense a desire to bring healing and The Kingdom of God to earth. I felt that this unearthing of the meanings and history of the Black Madonna led to more of a reason to love God, others, and the earth which we live on. I found that it was a reminder that society's ways of instant gratification and hedonistic self-indulgence is not the way that we were intended to live. Georgieff illustrates this perfectly when she expresses the truth in that, "If one fails to see in another being, or is even forbidden to recognize “The Christ in You,” one is capable of all sorts of immoral behavior." When we get caught up in the ways of society we can often overlook the Image of God that people were created in and if we cannot see that then we unfortunately will be more prone to treat them wrongly. She goes on later to express that, "Christ came to be the brother of humanity, to give humanity true freedom: through His deeds each human being is capable of becoming a working member in the community of the Divine, participating eventually as a partner in the Divine plan of creation. This new relationship is not one ruled from above by cosmic law, but one that is shared through truth and grace." Here again we see the importance of seeking first Christ's Kingdom and becoming co-creators and co-heirs with Christ once we choose that Way of Love and are adopted as God's Children.

As a Protestant reader I was drawn to what Georgieff had to stay about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. I sometimes wonder if the Protestant Evangelical Church has done us a disservice by not talking about Mary or the Divine Femininity much.  I, for one, loved how the author compares Mary as a representation of The Church as the Bride of Christ. She does so by explaining that "The Song of Songs is an allegorical poem showing the deep love between the human soul and the Divine, the longing that the soul has for the Divine, along with the reciprocal desire that the Divine has for the human soul." This is a stance on Mary I have recently been contemplating that she, as the Theotokos, the Human Mother of God, is a representation of Church, humanity, ought to be. Her actions are ones that humanity should have as well. She literally carried Christ within Her and brought Him into the World and we are called to carry Christ within us and share His Good News to all in the World.

There is so much truth, beauty, and healing found within this book. We are reminded of ourselves, of humanity, by studying the Black Madonnas. The Black Madonnas connect us to humanity and remind us of the work we are called to do because they "have suffered, endured great harm, and yet they persist. They are a model for all the downtrodden, the lonely and abandoned. The Black Madonnas offer hope of survival and healing to those who mourn from the pain of racism. The Dark Virgins also offer healing image of the Divine to the racist person, that God can be presented with different face, and that different face is Holy." The Black Madonnas are often shown as having big hands that are pointing downward as if they are saying, "get to work and do something. Plant the seeds of the future." The Black Madonnas are wonderful works of art that are not meant to be worshiped, but I believe are meant to remind us of our callings as followers of the Way of Jesus the Christ. It is to remind us to spread the seeds of His love in the world, work towards reconciliation and the healing of nations which will come in its fullness on the day of Christ's return.

As the book itself ends, I would like to ask, "Who is the Black Madonna? We, humans, are the Black Madonna." How can we get to work and do something about what's wrong in the world today?

I used to think I had it all together.

I used to think I had it all together and now I think that I am desperately in need of God's grace.

This morning I woke up with the desire to write about a topic that has been on my mind since last weekend. I had come to a realization about myself and I kept going back and forth as to whether or not I should write it. Then today I read Sarah Bessey's new blog post advertising her new book Out of Sorts--which is on my "To Read" list--which encouraged her readers and fellow bloggers to write their transformation stories. It was enough to encourage me to write one of mine.

This past May--just a few months ago--much to my shock and disbelief I was the male student chosen in my graduating class to receive the Service Above Self award. I know, I know, the fact that I was shocked is one of the "reasons why I deserved this reward." At least that's what everyone told me. Here's the thing though. Sure, I offered a lot of my time (and learned about proper boundaries in the process) I do not think receiving this award was the proper response for all I have done. I do not want this recognition. Many people say that the reason why I do not want the recognition is because I am too humble, but in fact I have a confession: the reason why I do not want the reward is because I struggle with pride. 

Throughout my high school years I would tell mentors, friends, and even myself that I had no problems. I had everything all put together. There were even times when I would lament because I felt I had no testimony to share because everything had seemed to go perfectly in my life (lamenting over a 'perfect' life is certainly ironic, I know.). I had no worries, no needs, and certainly no major sins in my life I struggled with. I managed to go through most of high school thinking that my life was fine. I had managed to move away from the middle school experience I had (and hated) and was finally making my life the way I wanted it to be. 

As I ended my high school career and went off to college I had found that there was something I struggled with. Worry. I struggled with worry, but I knew that I--with proper planning and coordinating--could and should overcome it. I would pray about it every now and then, but overall I knew that I was capable of fixing it...myself. So that is what I did. I, as an ENFP, worked and worked to become a J and make sure that I was planning everything in order to avoid worrying. I wanted to fix it myself and not surrender this struggle to God and let Him help me. 

It was not until the end of my college experience that I began to give this to God more. As I began to surrender this aspect of my life to God, I also began to see the other issues in my life. I began to see pride as a primary motivator in many of my decisions. I started explaining to very few people that I struggled with this back and forth fight between being "too humble" or "too prideful." I did not seem to be able to find Aristotle's mean. I could not find the middle way. It was this dichotomy where both sides were detrimental. 

All of this leads me to this past weekend. 

My wife and I were busy cleaning up around our apartment when I glanced at my bedside bookshelf and noticed my Service Above Self plaque in the middle of all my keepsakes. It was strategically set up so it could be one of the first things I saw in the morning. It was then that I realized that the very thing I had set up to remind myself to be humble was instead filling me with pride each morning. I would turn over and see that plaque to be greeted with thoughts of, "Yes I received that award. This is me and I am glad it is." I was letting this very good and sincere award dominant me. I was getting more caught up in the fact that I won something than what it actually stood for.

So I picked it up, put it in my backpack, brought it to my office, and laid it at the cross that was in there. I committed this symbolic act to remind myself that who I am is because of Jesus. What I have accomplished is because of Jesus. I can do nothing without the breathe of God and so surrendered this award to Jesus, my Savior. 

Just a few days later was Halloween and naturally I had to dress up for the $3 burritos at Chipotle (and for the fun of dressing up...sometimes I still feel like a child). For my wife's costume she borrowed my graduation cap, gown, and cords. Now these cords I was very hesitant to let her use. They were a big deal to me because they represented all I had worked for in my college career. They reminded me of all the hard work that I did to get the GPA I had. I did concede though and I let her wear my cords. After hours of laughing and enjoying our burritos it was time to put away our costumes. That was when I realized they were missing. My cords. They were gone. We searched high and low and retraced all our steps, but the cords were simply gone. 

Gone. Vanished. 

Just like that.

It was this disappearance that reminded me of my pride. This disappearance that reminded me of what was really important in my life. This disappearance even reminded me how I got to where I was today. It was not just from my own will. It was not just all my hard work. I got to where I am today by the grace of God and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Losing my cords and moving my plaque were what I needed to do to surrender my pride to God. They were outward signs to represent that I used to think I had it all together and now I think I am in desperate need of God's grace daily.

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I do not share this to gloat or enlarge my pride more than it has already become. I share this to vulnerably and humbly share my struggles and my need for God's grace. I ask others to confess to one another where we struggle so that we may help each other as adopted children of the One True King to carry one another's burdens. We, as the Betrothed Fiance to Christ, must work together, lift each other up, as we faithfully wait for the coming of our Bridegroom.

Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, whose face is hidden from us by our sins, and whose mercy we forget in the blindness of our hearts: Cleanse us from all our offenses, and deliver us from proud thoughts and vain desires, that with reverent and humble hearts we may draw near to you, confessing our faults, confiding in your grace, and finding in you our refuge and strength; through Jesus Christ your Son (Book of Common Worship, pg. 87, prayer 1).