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One of our goals during this initial phase of being “new” foreign missionaries is to explore, learn about, and get to know the city of Lima. The more we learn about Lima, the more we appreciate it and the more we can learn about connecting to it’s population. Although most tourists when coming to Peru, quickly bypass Lima in order to go to famous places like Machu Pichu or the Nazca Lines, there are hidden treasures amidst the smog, busyness, and traffic of this big city.

The other day, when my Mom was in town visiting, we were able to explore the Cathedral de San Francisco located in the heart of Lima. This cathedral dates back to the 17th century, and is most famous for the catacombs beneath the building. As we explored the beautiful structure which once served as home to Franciscan monks, we came across the dining room which particularly caught my attention. At the very end of the hall was a huge painting of the Last Supper.

The painting at the end of the hallway is entitled “The Last Supper” and was drawn by a Peruvian artist over a hundred years ago. Although this picture depicts the Biblical story of the Last Supper in Luke 22, there are some distinct characteristics of this painting that really caught my eye. It might be hard to tell, but look at the painting (located below) and see if anything in the painting stands out to you.

Last Supper Painting

I would love to hear your comments, but for me two things stood out. The first was what was on the menu for the Last Supper. If one looks closely, one can tell that on the plate is a Peruvian delicacy known as “Cuy”, which translated into English is “Guinea Pig.” I found it amusing that the artist when visualizing the supper that night, envisioned Jesus and his disciples chomping on the meat of grilled guinea pig.

(THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION ALERT – MOVE TO NEXT PARAGRAPH IF BORED)
Here we have an instance of a person looking at the Biblical story through the lens of his own experience, own surroundings, and own culture. As a person interested in missions it makes me think about the relationship between the church and its surrounding environment. Is it more effective to transplant a model of church into a given milieu, or to allow each body to grow, develop, and mature in light of the particularity of its own environment? Does there have to be a dichotomy between faith and culture or can they work together to better reach those in a particular setting? Was the life and ministry of Jesus contextual? Was it was geared for a particular time in a particular culture. Jesus was born a Jew, not some kind of universal man. He lived his life as a Jew studying Torah, participating in yearly festivals, and attending the synagogue. Furthermore, instead of meeting general needs of humanity as a whole, Jesus’ ministry aimed to meet the needs of people in their own particular circumstances. He gave sight to the blind, gave hearing to the deaf, gave healing to the sick, freedom to the captives, and forgave the sinners. It seems to me that his ministry was highly influenced by context. Using Christ’s ministry as an example, just like the artist in the painting did, we should consider ways to communicate God’s narrative in terms of Peruvian circumstances and context. THEOLOGICAL RAMBLING ENDS HERE

The next characteristic of interest is located between the second and third guy to the right of Jesus. Can you see it? That’s right it is the devil. What is the devil doing at the Lord’s supper? I didn’t know he was invited. The artist gives us an excellent illustration of the elusiveness, influence, and reality of the Devil. How many of you saw him before it was pointed out to you? Not very many, as one really has to look hard to find him. He was there the whole time, yet hard to find. He is hidden in the background, gently whispering suggestions in the ear of Judas. Once he is recognized however, one can spot him, point him out, and realize what he is up to.

Multiples times each day, the Franciscan monks of Cathedral de San Francisco would stare at this paining. It would remind them of the contextual and relevant aspects of the Gospel and that the devil, although hard to detect at times, is always there, lurking in the background, and seeking to influence those around him.

Lima is a wonderful city, full of excitement, culture, and history. When you come to Lima we can take you to some of these magnificent places, and even hit a local Peruvian restaurant where you can eat your very own Guinea Pig. We look forward to your visit :).