The Easter Banner

A Coffee with Padre Video

By Fr. Timothy Armbruster, C.PP.S.

As we journeyed through Lent, I shared with you the creation of the purple Lenten banner. Today I would like to share with you the creation of the Easter banner.

I wanted a pattern that stayed connected with the cross. This particular pattern with various color combinations, caught my eye. The browns and greens along with the swirls speak of the majesty of the cross and the Easter season.

This banner now hangs in our chapel for the Easter season and various people have commented on it. I appreciate and cherish what people have shared. To me it is a piece of living art that we all see it a bit differently.

This banner not only fulfills a need, something to decorate with and fill a space, but also something that provides meaning and way to meditate on the Easter season. Even for me, each time I walk into the chapel I see something different in it. I’m also thinking of all the reflections people have shared with me.

In making quilts, there is the process of piecing together the top layer with the design and then sandwiching it together to be quilted. Someone commented about the beauty of the top piece but if you look at the back, it may not be as neat. From the backside, we may not always be able to make out what the design is. Since this banner is not yet quilted, it is still a work in progress. As it will be quilted, we will no longer be able to see the back of the top side, rather we will see the backing. If the quilting is done correctly, all that we should see are the lines of stitching that somewhat traces the original design on the front. The “ugliness” of the piecework is sandwiched inside with a layer of batting. A layer of batting that gives some strength, support and weight so that the banner hangs a bit flatter. The comment was made to our own lives of all the work that happens behind the scenes to make something beautiful come from within.

Another person shared with me her thoughts and reflections, “Oh, I really like that! The cross seems to come right to you as you behold it, as if saying, “See it is accomplished!” She continued her comments speaking about the color choices and the background.

To me it speaks of the cross that is not just some stationary object. It has become something so much more.

During Lent I had the opportunity to join the students of St. Francis Xavier in St. Joseph, MO, for an all school retreat focusing on the school theme of “Becoming Saints.” We talked about the saints and what it means for us today. Each student had the opportunity to choose his or her favorite saint and write it on a heart that we attached to the cross. The cross we used was the same cross we used for the very first all school retreat almost 20 years ago when I was first stationed at St. Francis. That first retreat was on the Stations of the Cross and each student was given a nail to nail into the wood of the cross. Those nails are still present in that wood. This year our hearts covered up those nails. As all those hearts were attached and all those nails were covered up, it spoke to me of our hearts of memories and our cross of challenges. Our challenges and our memories are part of our stories. The crosses we face lead us to those heart of memories as we face each cross in our lives. The memories help give us strength that God will be with us always as we face those challenges.

This Easter cross speaks to me of the challenges we face and all the work behind the scenes to bring about something of goodness. Even the messiness of our lives can produce something beautiful. As the crosses of our lives fade, we are left with the memories and the stories. We hold those memories so the next time we face our crosses we have the stories to strengthen and encourage us and remind us, we are not alone. God walks with us. We celebrate the newness of life in the Resurrected Jesus.

Thank you for joining me today as I share this Easter Banner and what it means to me. Feel free to stop by our chapel if ever in the area and spend some time in prayer. I would love to hear what you see in this banner or what memories it stirs or what it means to you this Easter Season.

May the sprit of the Risen Lord continue to inspire and give us hope and strength to face the challenges of life and share in our heart of memories.

Until next time, may God’s peace be with you.

All of the videos in this series can be found here: Coffee with Padre

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[Fr. Timothy Armbruster is a Precious Blood priest whose ministry has focused on parish work and retreats for youth and young adults. He holds a Master’s of Divinity Degree from Catholic Theological Union and describes himself as “a clown at heart.” Fr. Timothy incorporates clown ministry into his work to open our hearts, to seek laughter and happiness, and to see the world around us a bit differently. “In the stuffiness of life, we need God’s humor to see things anew,” he says.]

 Credit: Music: We Are a New Creation (Instrumental) · Christopher Walker · Paule Freeburg We Shall Praise Your Name ℗ 2011 OCP All rights reserved. All selections BMI. Released on: 2020-03-31 Music Publisher: OCP https://youtu.be/1NmInyrziZE

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