Christology in my prayer life
My grandmother taught me that karakia day and night was essential to life. We pray in the morning to ensure that we have a good day; and we pray at night to protect our wairua from harm as we sleep. That’s the prayer life.
Image 3: Crucifix, Rosary beads, incense stick – a small prayer space in my bedroom, Grey Lynn, Auckland
(B. Rangiwai, 2017, private collection).
Morning prayers
Morning prayers begin with the burning of incense from an Indian shop
A tiny image of Lord Ganesh
remover of obstacles
decorates my incense stick holder
This is intentional
My room reeks of Patchouli
He hōnore, he korōria
Ki te Atua
Lord Jesus, watch over us this
day and bless the whānau
In nomine Patris et Filii
et Spiritus Sancti
Āmine
Christology in my social life
I am friends with people from literally ALL walks of life. I see Jesus almost everywhere. In film. On the streets. In the reflection of my glass of whiskey. Even in the face and presence of a drag queen on Ponsonby Road, posing as a warped version of the Virgin Mary.
Image 4: Lady Trenyce Bhone, SPQR Café and Bar, Ponsonby Road, Auckland
(B. Rangiwai, 2017, private collection)
Lady Trenyce Bhone:
“My performance is about the appropriation, by gay culture, of Christian, and in this case, Mariological iconography. This work evokes a feeling of gross imitation and defamation, underpinned, quite ironically, by a deep sense of admiration. In many ways, the blatant blasphemy of my replication defeats the iconic image of the Blessed Virgin, almost shaming her, suggesting that I am of a higher power than Mary. I am the embodiment of the ‘Virgin in a condom’” (personal communication, June 22, 2018).
SPQR Jesus
SPQR Jesus is caaamp!
She claps her hands
She does couture poses
and vogues while waiting
tables
She fills the wine glasses
to the brim
and loves to see people
getting loved-up and
boozy
SPQR Jesus serves-up
Crayfish linguini
made by Polynesian chefs
who moved out of Ponsonby
‘cos the rates were too high
Christology in my devotion
I always nod in the direction of a cross. I solemnly bow toward an altar. And I genuflect with both sincerity and drama when in the presence of a tabernacle. I attribute this respect toward crosses, crucifixes, altars and tabernacles or aumbries to both my Katorika and Mihingare whakapapa. My theology of the Eucharist is that it is the spiritual body and blood of Jesus and that I should venerate it.
Image 5: Altar, tabernacle and reredos/retable, St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
(B. Rangiwai, 2018, private collection)
Jesus is home
When Jesus is home
he’ll leave the light on
But when the light is off
Jesus is out shopping
Jesus is like a genie in a lamp
he can fit into small spaces
like a tabernacle
or a chalice
or on a shiny paten
The priest holds his fingers
Together
After handling the wafer
For fear of dropping
Jesus particles on the floor
Feed the people with the
BLOOD and FLESH
of the un-dead Son
Rinse those pinchy
Pincer-like fingertips
with water and swish
it round the blood-stained
chalice
His portly face goes bright red
when he swallows deeply
the remainder of Christ’s blood
floaty bits ‘n’ all
References
Baxter, J. K. (1988). Collected poems James K Baxter. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Brown, B. (2014). I am the Māori Jesus. In R. Whaitiri & R. Sullivan (Eds.), Puna wai kōrero (pp. 48-54). Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press.
Holman-Hunt, W. (1900-1904). Light of the world [painting]. Retrieved from: https://www.stpauls.co.uk/history-collections/the-collections/collections-highlights/the-light-of-the-world
Holman-Hunt, W. (1905). Pre-Raphaelitism and the pre-Raphaelite brotherhood. London, United Kingdom: Macmillan.
Osborne, J. (1995). One of us. Relish. Philadelphia, PA: The Crawlspace.
