Pilgrim's Progress

Staring at the Son

But as each of us looks at the glory of the Lord with our faces uncovered,
We are transformed to be like the one we look at,
becoming more glorious each time we look.
All this is the work of the Lord, who is the Spirit.
(2 Cor 3:18, paraphrased)

Soul Expansion

During our recent 24-7 prayer here in church, someone showed me this wonderful prayer in the Northumbria Community prayer book (Celtic Daily Prayer). It expresses so many inner things so concisely ...

Lord, help me now to unclutter my life,
to organise myself in the direction of simplicity.

Lord, teach me to listen to my heart;
teach me to welcome change, instead of fearing it.

Lord, I give You these stirrings inside me,
I give You my discontent,
I give You my restlessness,
I give You my doubt
I give You my despair
I give You all the longings I hold inside.

Help me to listen to these signs of change, of growth;
to listen seriously and follow where they lead,
through the breathtaking empty space of an open door.

And so to the latest tune - "Soundtrack to an Expanded Life". Reminds me of earlier stuff which felt like "my soul getting free."

Soundtrack For An Expanded Life (Main Theme) (96K MP3; 13 mins; 8.8MB) Higher quality version available on request for non-commercial use in Christian worship, mission etc.

And so ...

May you listen to the stirrings in your soul;
In those deep currents may you discern the Spirit's promptings,
And may you have the courage to follow where He leads.

St Ignatius Goes Digital

 

Three perspectives on a well-known story, the woman caught in adultery in John 8. I've taken some liberty with the details of the story in order to recreate what strikes me as the essence of the scene. I don't know where the comic book idea came from, except that it makes it easier to create strong characters and a punchy visual style.

Where would you put the camera in the above scene? (As it's created in 3D software, it can go anywhere you like!) Where do we "put the camera" when we read a particular story in the gospels? And why do we put it there in that story? Who are we identifying with? Standing in judgement upon? Do we feel part of it or are we an onlooker?

A friend suggested that to engage theology and visual arts in this kind of conversation was to do "visual theology". I love that idea! The visual and the theological journeys are intertwined, and each enhances, informs and refines the other. The process of asking "what does this look like" is a wonderfully rich and challenging journey which gets me deeper into the text than a purely intellectual process ever could.

Maybe this is a kind of Ignatian spirituality for a digital age?