Beauty of Spring

The beauty of spring gives so many people joy and delight as we see the vibrant colors and interesting textures in the plants that bloom. I'm not a gardener myself, but I do enjoy the result of others' labors who do enjoy it. Here are a few photos I made while at SSJD the other day, walking around the grounds, captivated by the work of the sisters and the gardeners who work there.

In particular, I enjoy getting up close as in the macro shot of the center of the orange flower. You can see the lines of the petals and the symmetry of the seeds in the center. Everything is perfect as God created it to be.

The second image is spindly. I don't even know for sure what it is. The fine thread like image looks so creative; a piece of art with God as the artist.

I have always loved peonies. They remind me of my grandmother who had many of them in her gardens when I was growing up. And the smell is wonderful too! My only regret is that they don't last very long. But I'll enjoy their beauty for as long as I can.

And finally, I think this last photo is a flower coming out in bloom. The sun is shining vibrantly in the center, surrounded by a ring of fire. And the texture has a rugged quality to it. 

The magnificence of God's glory revealed through the flowers in our gardens is overwhelming. I read this quote ... "looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind." That's so true in my own experience. And this quote as well resonates with me ... "Nature is one of God's beautiful creations. Through nature, God is able to teach us, speak to us, and provide for us. For this reason, we can find in scripture that we humans are called to protect all which is of He has created. Use these Bible verses for a better understanding."

I thank God for those who tend the gardens whether it be in their front yards, parks, hospitals, libraries or at places like SSJD. Whether it's walking through my neighborhood or in the public places of my community or the grounds of the sisters, they all become holy and sacred through the nurturing and tending of beautiful gardens that invite me to see and recognize the glory of God.

In closing, I share this poem by Robert Frost ...

A Prayer in Spring

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;

And give us not to think so far away

As the uncertain harvest; keep us here

All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,

Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;

And make us happy in the happy bees,

The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird

That suddenly above the bees is heard,

The meteor that thrusts in with needle bill,

And off a blossom in mid air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,

To which it is reserved for God above

To sanctify to what far ends he will,

But which it only needs that we fulfill.

Bounteous harvest ...

Yesterday I spent some time at one of the local farmer's markets. There is such a bounty of fruits and vegetables that are colorful, with different textures and tantalize the taste buds.

This is one of my favorite times of the year. As one who enjoys cooking, I'm able to eat things that were grown locally. There is a freshness that adds to the delicious taste. As a photographer, the colors are so vibrant and inviting.

And of course, there is the spirituality of remembering with gratitude all that God blesses us with. I also enjoy the anticipation of what harvest is yet to come over the coming months. The local strawberries are out; the field tomatoes are yet to come. Delicious!! And all gifts from God!! 

As I drive around the area, it grieves me that so much of our farmland is being redeveloped into subdivisions and strip plazas and condominiums. I think we'll be sorry for that someday. I only pray that we will preserve some of the farmland for future generations. 

I encourage each of us to head out to a farmer's market and offer support by purchasing local produce. You won't regret it!!

Loving the World: Photography as Spiritual Practice

This past week I had the privilege of learning from Paul Kimmerling at a retreat held at the Order of the Holy Cross in West Park, New York. It re-enlivened in me my love of photography and the discipline of looking for and find the sacred and holy through the lens of my camera. The passion has always been there; but it had gone somewhat dormant. I had forgotten how much life, spirit and energy I get when I go out and "make" photographs of what I feel, see and experience. Thank you Paul for that!!

And what a glorious sacred and holy space to rekindle the passion and discipline of photography and spirituality. The monastery itself is so full of images that engage from the icons to the porch with rocking chairs to the cloister to the grounds to the shore of the Hudson River. There's no end of the ways to be drawn into an experience of the holiness and sacredness of God.

The question that always the hardest ... of the just over 300 images that I have ... which ones to share.

I was drawn with a desire to sit on this bench. As well as the stunning sunrise behind it, there was an equally amazing view of the sunset in the other direction too. What impressed me, though, was the invitation to come and sit; to take the time to stop and enjoy this moment; and to receive the grace that God was offering in the gift of a new day and the glorious colors painted in the sky. This was an excellent way to begin my retreat time. And the days that followed, although I didn't get up again to greet the rising sun, brought invitations to similar moments of holiness and beauty.

Celebrating the Eucharist is so central to my own spirituality. All is now prepared; the credence table is set; the wine and water is poured. Now to wait with anticipation for the words of blessing; "This is my body"; "This is my blood". This sacrament of Christ's living presence that is tangible and real provides such comfort and grace beyond what I can imagine. It's more than ritual; it is communion with God and with each other gathered around the table and with the whole body of Christ. Truly I experience is as a gift for which I am grateful to receive. 

The Holy Spirit is always with us as Jesus promised she would be. One thing I entered into this retreat with was a desire for discernment; that God would speak words of wisdom and encouragement about my faith, vocation and ministry. I experienced that in so many ways. This image, though, really struck me. I call it my "Burning Bush"; just like what Moses experienced. God spoke to him; and I believe that God spoke to me too through images, individuals I had conversations with, worship and in the stillness and quiet too. 

As a regular part of my personal spiritual rhythm, I hope to share again more regularly in this forum. 

Baptism ... Unity ... The Cross

"Baptism ... Unity ... The Cross!"

This past week at SSJD, I was able to make photographs of the font, their candle on the altar burning for unity and the crucifix at the front of the chapel. As I looked at these photos, I was struck about the truth that through our baptism we commit to work where we can for unity and that unity is found only in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Each time I go into the chapel at the convent, I dip my finger in the water provided and make the sign of the cross on my forehead. Through that simple action, I am reminded that through my baptism I am part of the body of Christ; I claim my baptism and recommit myself to a desire to live out the covenant of baptism between God and I. Sometimes I have taken one of the stones in the bottom and kept it with me in my pocket as a reminder of who I am and whose I am and what that means for my life, faith and ministry. A simple act that has a deeper meaning.

On Thursdays through the year, and throughout the whole of this past week, there is a candle that burns on the altar of the chapel as a reminder that we are praying especially for the unity of all Christians. Sometimes that unity is compromised; there can be barriers to being in communion with each other; we may be frustrated and experience brokenness in our relationship with others who follow Christ as we do. And yet, as Jesus prayed, so too it is our prayer ... that we may be one as He and God are one. We need to be intentional about being united to one another through the sacrament of our baptisms. That needs to always be our prayer and our hope as part of the body of Christ.

Ultimately, our unity comes through our belief in who Jesus is and the place Jesus has in our lives and in our faith. Jesus death on the cross, leading up to the joy and promise of the empty tomb of Easter morning, is the center of what binds us together. The Christ who died that we may have life and rose again that we may have hope unites us together wherever we are from, whatever our various interpretations of scripture, whatever our liturgical preferences, whatever our opinions about this issue or that issue. That is indeed a blessing. As we gaze up at Jesus on the cross, may we know ourselves to be baptized into that wonderful and sacred mystery, the body of Christ.

Thanks be to God!! Pray for the unity of the church. Amen!!

"Lest we forget"

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them, we will remember them.

This week we observe the solemnity of remembrance day, a tradition that has deep roots especially with those who were personally impacted by the wars of the past century. However, the reality of war, and the impact of war is hitting younger people today given our countries involvement in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. As well, the media and social networking has highlighted how all of us are affected by war, injustice, oppression and violence as we live in this global village of this 21st century.

My father in law served in the second world war. I was asked in one of my photography courses to compose a photograph that represented Canada. The part our country has played in conflicts around the world in the past and in the present is an integral part to who we are and how we are seen by others. The image I composed has the portrait of him in his uniform, his metals and a poppy covered cross set against the backdrop of a war memorial monument. These are all symbolic of how his family remember him and the sacrifice he was willing to make for his country.

I can remember vividly the years of my childhood and youth attending the yearly Remembrance Day ceremonies at the cenotaph in our community. Mid November is often associated with weather that is cold, damp and sometimes rainy. But the community gathered none the less and still does to this day. This memorial monument to those who fought in the wars of the 20th century is in the center of town and very much at the heart of the community of Port Dalhousie. It is a reminder of how important it is to remember and never forget the sacrifices that were made in the fight for justice, freedom and peace. Each year, the veterans and members of the legion parade to the cenotaph and back along with various service groups and politicians. The church is also present, active, visible and participating in this yearly act of remembrance. The faithful gather, whether they attend church regularly or not, and prayer, faith and readings from scripture are an integral part of this observance.

Taking a closer look at the monument itself, the soldier is respectfully laying a wreath at a cross. I don't think it's coincidence that the markers of many of the soldier's graves were in the form of a cross. I havn't had the privilege of going to the cemeteries in Europe. However, I have been struck by similar scenes I've seen in my various visits to places in the United States. Their cemeteries often have large sections reserved for those who died in the fight for freedom. The sight of the rows and rows of white crosses is quite profound. For me, that is the intersection of the experience of life and of faith.

The ultimate sacrifice we believe in as followers of Christ is the image of Jesus dying on the cross. That shows to us how much God loves us, that he would allow His Son to die so that we may have life; so we'd know we are forgiven the sins we commit against Him and against one another; so that we might experience the gift of healing and peace in our lives and world of brokenness and despair. This image is so profound for me. And, I can only imagine how God wept that it took this for us to even begin to remotely see, recognize and believe that God wants so much more for us than we can ever attain or create on our own, no matter how many wars are fought; no matter how many lives are lost.

As I enter into the acts of remembrance this week, I want to honor my father in law and others like him. I also think of how much God must still grieve and cry tears of sadness at what is becoming of His world, His people everywhere, the innocence that is lost day to day and the injustices that are perpetuated. And I pray that we might eventually learn from all the past that in war no one ever really wins and that together we all lose; I pray that leaders of nations might truly desire to work with each other for the common good of all people; that as the prophet Isaiah says, swords will someday be turned into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks; and most importantly, from the prophet Micah, that we might be faithful in our living out of all our relationships as strive to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God. Amen.

Hidden Images

Recently, I've looked at some of the photos I've made and realized again that there are subtle images that may not be in the forefront, however that are very visible upon further reflection. And those images invariably are spiritual in nature for me.

This photograph is of the centre of a tulip. The beauty, intricacy and perfect symmetry of the detail is really quite something. I call this photograph "Fireball" because as I reflect upon it, that's what I see. From a spiritual perspective, it reminds me of the flame of fire at Pentecost that was overwhelming and awesome.

On Canada Day, we went to a local fireworks display. The images were awesome and beautiful at the same time. I decided to experiment with the "fireworks" setting on my camera. The images I captured of the fireworks in the sky had other images imbedded in them.

This was one of my favorite photographs of the evening. What I saw was a candle in the middle with the light beaming from the center. The brightness is overwhelming and speaks to me of the light of Christ shining in the darkness of our world. In particular, I thought of the great light of Easter, the light of the Risen Christ and the glorious message of the Exsultet, the ancient hymn of praise celebrating the new light ... "Accept this Easter candle. May it always dispel the darkness of this night"

Again in this image, the sky is lit up with various colours forming different patterns of light. The image that I see in this photograph is the phoenix rising from the ashes. Again, a sign of resurrection, new life and hope. And what a beautiful image that is at the center of our faith in the risen Christ. So many people today embrace the hopefulness and promise that out of the ashes can come new life with a renewed sense of hope and faith.

Finally, again this image shows different light and shape formations in the sky which on their own look quite beautiful. Looking deeper into the photograph, I see the dove of baptism. The stark white, glowing image of the dove speaks of purity, peace, newness of life and again ultimately hope. The story of Jesus baptism comes to mind. Imagine experiencing that dove sent by God with the message "You are my beloved, with you I am well pleased!"

When you look at these images, what do you see? Send me a reply if you'd like. I'd love to hear from you about what you see and what you experience.

Spirituality in Kensington Market ... Signs of Desolation and Hope.

A few weeks ago, as part of our photography and spirituality course at Emmanuel, we spent the better part of the day in Kensington Market making photographs of what we saw and experienced. What an eclectic part of Toronto with so much evidence of what looks like desolation, and yet so many profound images of hope too. There was what appeared to be sadness and despair, but also elements of joy and celebration. I guess it's so true that it all depends on our perspective what we experience and feel in a given situatin and setting.

There's no doubt that some of the images were disturbing and symbolic to me of desolation, death and perhaps even the powers of evil that can have such an impact upon us, our lives and our world. For many people who are in a vulnerable and fragile state, this is all they see. It's no wonder so many live with the profound reality of depression and other issues that affect their mental health and well being.

As well, there were messages written on the walls that spoke what people felt in their hearts and souls. They may not even be aware of what they were expressing or the impact it might have on those who stop to read it. This particular one is the last line of the song "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea".

As I looked at another image, though, I found great hope and consolation. I was reminded that God calls me His own ... He says to me, "Mine"! It's a wonderful gift to know whose we are, and to be known as God's beloved. Was that the painter's intended message? Who knows for sure. However, it was the message I recieved and felt as I looked upon his/her work.

I found it interesting to look at the various images on the walls throughout the neighbourhood. Some would see it as graffiti; others would view it as art. The impact is truly in the eye of the beholder. Is this the image of a woman in despair; or is she pensive, reflecting on life? Sometimes whether an image portrays desolation or hope is dependant on what's going on in our own lives or in the world around us; what we see and recognize is a reflection of what's going on in us emotionally and or spiritually.

We are in the most holy week of our church year as we walk the road of suffering toward the glory of Easter. Do we experience this week through the eyes of desolation or through the eyes of faith and hope in all that God promises us through both the suffering, dying Christ and the resurrected Christ?

I am reminded of a prayer we often use for those who are bereaved. May it be the prayer that is on each of our hearts as we go through this week:

Grant, O Lord, to all who are bereaved
the spirit of faith and courage,

that they may have the strength to meet the days to come
with steadfastness and patience;

not sorrowing as those without hope,

but in joyful remembrance of your great goodness,

and in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those they love.

All this we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour.

Amen.