May 24th, 2021: Thinking About Life via Pictures
I appreciate well-taken pictures of places and objects. Some of my friends and relatives can take them so well, and they are able to capture the beauty and the depth of colors of what they see at the very moment. Good photographs can tell the stories that words will fail us. As the proverb says: "A picture is worth a thousand words."
If we have the opportunity to have a look at these types of snapshots of our lives, what would they be, and what would they say about who we are and our ways of life? Let us look at some pictures that were either mine or sent to me by people I know.
Sometimes I take a walk into different neighborhoods in my cities and take pictures. I took this picture in one of the older parts of the city. It is rustic and old. It was The city almost condemned it to build an expressway about twenty years ago. It is still there, and it tells me much about the history of our city. At this moment in time, many people don't have the desire, courage, and honesty to learn about our history. We would rather erase history and cancel culture. When we look at life like that, there is no continuity in learning. Our existence becomes fragmented.
Sometimes I love pictures of flowers. It is about appreciating stunning beauty in simplicity and embrace the richness of its fragrance. Most flowers will bloom and wither away. We can say the same thing about our lives. Have we been able to learn about the beauty of others before it is gone? Have we made our lives so complicated and failed to enjoy simple things in life? Flowers do not need much. Light and water are the fundamental needs. For us, Christians, they present a new life and a life guided by the truth.
Many of us enjoy pictures of food. It is rather a peculiar thing to do, and yet we do it. Food for many cultural traditions is the center of our gatherings. It helps build communities and breaks the differences. We might get into arguments if we talk about politics. We can always laugh and relax and enjoy the presence of others over a good meal. Some might say over a glass of wine. Jesus shared a meal with a tax collector in order to teach the religious leaders at the time that all people will be welcome to the new Kingdom of God.
John 8: 12
"Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
John 4: 14
"But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
