Consoling Jesus

By Angela Reinhart

It was the last Friday of August 2015 and the first day of our spiritual companionship training program. It was an introduction day to both the program and to one another. Our class had three or four individuals just prior to the enrollment cut-off date. The class was not expected to go forward. 

Prayers were lifted and at the close of enrollment we had twelve participants moving forward in the class. Blessed. 

Our first day concluded with the movie, Joshua, about a traveling artist, sculptor, that comes to a small town. The town is divided and missing more than they realize. Joshua is a new face, a stranger. He has much to share and the story was quite moving. You could call it a contemporary Jesus story. I call it a must see.

Toward the close of the movie I was fidgety, unsettled. I wanted to go to my room. I had an unceasing need to pray, to console Jesus. Honestly, to wash His feet. I was uncertain exactly what this meant. I did not want to be impolite, but this feeling was overwhelming. 

At the end of the movie, some stayed around and talked a bit. I said my goodnights and went on to my room. In my room, I left the lights dim. I had packed my sketchbook and journal, to write or draw, if time allowed. I unpacked a bit more and got out my sketchbook. 

I felt elation and uncertainty. I sensed Jesus’ presence with me, at least near to me. I held my sight to my sketchbook’s blank page. I felt Jesus’ presence more intensely, as if in the room. I began to sketch what I visualized, on my sketchbook. The image unfolded rapidly (offered above). When the majority of the image was drawn, I stopped.

Jesus was with me, there was an intense wonder that engulfed me, here was my Holy Father, and an opportunity to console Him, to wash Jesus’ feet. To me, Jesus’ presence was undeniable. I laid down my pencil and sketchbook and humbly turned to the other side of the room. The vision of His presence was cherished and seen through my heart. He was sitting there with an indescribable sense of anguish, compassion, and love.

I knelt in front of Jesus and wept, adoring this moment to console Him. On the floor, knelt beside Him. I compassionately lifted His foot, held it with reverence and washed His foot in a bowl of water near us (through this vision).  I pulled it close, under His foot. My tears combined with this water, I washed His foot and felt His wound, and wept.

I gently dried his foot, with my hair (conscious of the Bible verse referring to this). I was thankful for His mercy toward sins, prayerful of the pains caused Him. I wept. I washed Jesus’ other foot, felt compassion for His pain on the cross. A sinful heaviness was present, at the same time, consoling. 

Upon drying His right foot there was peace and resolution. Beside Jesus, I lifted His hand, pressed it endearingly to my cheek, and wept more. An incredible assurance reaffirmed in me. As gracefully as He appeared, He was no longer there in vision, but simply in heart.

Angela Reinhart – Angela’s spiritual companioning work is non-denominational. Raised by Protestant and Baptist parents, now married and Catholic, my faith is grounded and passionate. In 2017, she graduated from the spiritual companion program, offered through the John Paul XXIII Retreat Center, Hartford City, Indiana. This course is currently available at Lindenwood, in Donaldson, Indiana. Through the program, and this particular experience, she says she has “learned to expect the unexpected and allow it to embrace me, with my heart and arms open wide.” She adds: “I’m a lifelong creative being always keenly aligned with art and letting it flow into my writing. I have artwork in over twenty-five states and several pieces overseas. An artist by my nature, I continue to hold to a conviction that God has more in store, for my creative work, than I can even imagine. I listen, watch, and sense, those precious opportunities to stay in my call.”