This Lent or Eastertide, draw along with this simple tutorial to draw Calvary, or Golgotha, after Jesus’ Body has been taken down from the cross. I like to break these simple drawings down line by line. After drawing this way for a while, eventually you can look at objects without a tutorial, pick out the out lines, and create the steps on your own!
The Symbolism of the Cross For Lent and Easter
During Lent there is a strong focus on carrying our crosses, and come Easter the cross changes from a heavy burden to complete freedom. Wow! I want to carry the cross of the Resurrection, and we know Our Lord is clear, that to do this, we must also follow Him through the Crucifixion.
After all Lent is a 40 day exile to help us prepare for the Promised Land right? We ditch the meat on at least Friday’s, we take on extra prayers, extra fasts. We try to give more of ourselves, more of our time, talent, and treasure, then we normally would. We make these sacrifices willfully, out of love for God.
St. John of the Cross says “If you wish to be like Christ, call or look for the cross.” When we consider the cross we clearly see that is was heavy, burdensome, and pain staking. Not only was the journey with the cross terrible, but the arrival at Calvary would not bring peace, but torture and death. The only hope for our Lord during His passion was in the Resurrection. There was no worldly answer. The cross is suffering, and we are being called to embrace it. Not easy!
The cross is a strong Lenten symbol because Lent ends as Good Friday begins. On Good Friday Jesus dies on the cross during the Divine Mercy Hour, 3:00. The hour when the Innocent Lamb is sacrificed willingly so that I can have eternal life, though I deserve death. Lent is “a way of the cross” that leads us to the glorious feast on Resurrection Sunday.
Embracing Our Crosses This Lent
To embrace our cross it is important to always remember this life is not the goal, not the end. How hard this is. We used to volunteer at a Catholic Teen Camp, and the counselors would always scream “What’s the goal?” to the children. The entire camp would roar back “To get to Heaven!” A lead counselor would then yell “And if it’s not?” and every child would scream “then I’m wasting my time!” The goal is Heaven, eternal life with the Father who loves us.
We are not wasting time. We are following the footsteps of the Lord. To help our children (and sometimes even ourselves!) see the fruits of their sacrifices check out this Lenten Sacrifice Crown, or make some St. Therese Sacrifice Beads!
An Empty Cross, an Empty Tomb!
For Easter the Cross symbolizes that Christ is RISEN, Indeed He is Risen. It is empty not because He is in a grave, but because He is alive! What was sorrow has been turned to joy. What was 40 days of fasting is now 50 days of feasting!
How to Draw A Cross
Materials:
- pencil or marker
- paper
Let’s Start!
Begin by drawing a huge frown, or hill, at the bottom of your paper.
Next draw a slanted vertical line for the cross of one of the thieves crucified with Jesus.
Add a horizontal line a little more then half way up the cross.
Do the same thing for the cross on the other side of Jesus’ Cross.
