My new computer (whose name is Wilhemina) does a really cool thing for the screen saver (I hope I can describe it sufficiently for you to get the idea): A picture that I have stored in my photo program appears on the screen. After a moment or two, it starts to decrease in size while other pictures appear around it, each the same dimensions as the first and each reducing in size along with the original image. All the while the computer is adding more and more pictures as they all recede together. Eventually, the screen is covered with hundreds of tiny photos, too small to figure out what they are. The size-reduction and adding of more photos continues...and this is where it gets really cool. Because if I change my focus from trying to see individual images and look at the whole screen, I realize that a new image is appearing from my file of photos made up of all those other now teeny-weeny photos; Wilhemina is creating a mosaic right before my eyes. Eventually, the new image comes into focus and stops for a moment, filling up the screen. And then, the whole process starts over again, with this image receding and other pictures starting to surround it. Magically (at least to me) my computer reads the colors and degree of light and who knows what other factors of all my photos to create mosaic after mosaic.
Somewhere along the line though, I have to switch my focus; if I want to see the new image, I have to let go of the old one. If I try to hold onto the original picture and don't look at the others that are being added, I'll miss out on the new image. Even if my vision allowed me to see pictures that small, I would be overlooking rebirth and transformation right before my eyes.
Unfortunately, I think the church desires more often than not to focus on the original image in the mosaic of the world in which God places us. We have to let go of old images of what church is; we need to blink and refocus every so often as a faith community. God is creating all around us a new image of church out of the mosaics of the pictures and stories that have made up the faith up to now. The new image isn't frightening, even though some would have us believe that. The new image comes from the files that God already has stored in us. The new image contains the pictures of lives of faith lived through centuries and centuries. We have to refocus though in order to see it. Will we do so?
Pace e Bene,
Gerry
PS--To see an example of the type of thing I'm talking about (a photo mosaic) go to this website.
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1 comment:
Very cool, and you did a good job describing it!
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