Week Two: A meditation on Mary, Jesus, and the love of God.
The USCCA invites you to participate in the journey of Lent. Across cultures, Mary is a source of consolation.
As the mother of Jesus, many turn to her with their hopes. She was present at the marriage feast of Cana (John 2: 1-12).
And many turn to her as she knows of sorrow. She stood at the foot of the Cross as Jesus suffered (John 19: 25).
Lent encourages us to gain stamina and strength through her example.
Photo copyright 2016: the U.S.-China Catholic Association (USCCA)
Generations of Chinese Catholics have prayed to Mary.
During this second week of Lent, you are invited to reflect on how this Chinese image of Mary and Jesus speaks. Through her intercession, let us seek to understand Jesus. Seek to know the love of God.
Today, where is your hope?
Today, where is your sorrow?
These hopes and sorrows represent our lived faith in 2024.
We invite you to learn more about the USCCA's Parish Mission Appeals, which, for the past 35 years, has shared a mutual story of faith, thanks, and understanding between Catholics in China, who have been discovering and living the Good News of Jesus Christ, with Catholics in the United States.
Our prayers together and your financial donation (large or small) assist in our mission of friendship this Lent.
Lenten Blessings and Peace,
Rev. Rob Carbonneau, CP, Ph.D., Director Emeritus
And All of us at the USCCA
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Note:
Monica Liu personally gifted this Marian painting to the USCCA in 2015. Known by her Chinese name, Ho Peh Liu [Liu Hebei: 劉莫尼加(劉河北)] (1928-2016), she was a world-renown Catholic artist. She was trained at the Art School of Fu Jen Catholic University in Peking, China, by Luke Chen Yuandu [陳緣督] (1902 –1967), who pioneered the Chinese 'inculturation' of Christianity in the arts. Such an approach had the support of Archbishop Celso Costantini (1876-1958), who was the Apostolic Delegate to China (1922-1933). By advocating an artistic movement away from the colonial associations and European forms of missionary culture towards the expression of Christian concepts and iconography in an authentically Chinese idiom, Costantini wished to inspire and free the longstanding faith of Chinese peoples for the world. Eventually, Monica Liu converted to Catholicism. In 1956, Costantini invited her to exhibit her Chinese paintings in Rome publicly. During the ensuing years, she split her time between Taiwan and Chicago, Illinois. May the art of Monica Liu inspire us to grow in faith.
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Reflections from Rev. Rob Carbonneau, CP, Ph.D., Director Emeritus
Finally, if you have enjoyed your visit to the USCCA website and learning about our mission, donate $35 to honor the 35th anniversary of the USCCA