The brilliant style of the French Impressionist painter captivates the senses. The colors pop! Each color is beautiful on its own. Yet there is a tender sweetness as the colors of yellows, golds, orange, blues, greens, and white melt into one another. When they are placed together on one canvas every color is necessary for the best of the other colors to be highlighted in the picture. The impressionist sunset by Monet is a masterpiece.
We see the beauty of the colors in this painting with our eyes. However, as we gaze upon it, we are drawn into the painting. We may even begin to feel as if we are present at the setting of the sun along the harbor shore. Check it out for yourself on the link above. Could it be you and I are sitting in the black boat in the foreground as we gaze at the beauty of God’s colors in creation?
The Scripture
As I read today’s Scripture, I wonder if the author Paul gained the eyes and heart of an artist after his conversation when he became a Christ follower. Prior to his Damascus Road encounter with the living Christ, Saul divided people into groups. Saul was an educated Roman Jew and, in his mind, with a closed perception of humanity, folks like him were privileged. Saul believed others were not worth the ground they walked on or the space they took up on the planet earth.
Paul, however, gained a keen appreciation for the beauty of color and diversity in God’s creation. In Galatians 3:23-29 after granting the reader insight into the oppressive nature of Christian law, Paul paints a word picture of the Oneness of humanity in Christ.
As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is no longer Jew or Greek; there is no longer slave or free; there is no longer male and female, for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring] heirs according to the promise.
(Galatians 3:27- 29, NRSVUE)
Today’s Prayer Practice
Today we are celebrating the beauty of Christ. What is it to see the beauty of Christ in another, even if the other is struggling or simply unlike anyone we’ve companioned through life before? Today you are invited to pray with a video clip from the movie Coda: Life with Music. The scene is found at minutes 22:51-24:39. In this scene the actress Katie Holmes, playing a reporter, notices for the first time how very fragile the pianist is. The exquisite masterful pianist is played by Patrick Stewart.
As you view this clip notice:
- How does Katie see the pianist beyond his hesitant pause and inability to start playing the piano in front of the reporters? Notice she gazes beyond the exterior reputation, presentation, and expectation as she looks with her heart at the pianist.
- Compassion is born and the beauty of Christ shines forth. Katie comes alongside the pianist. What attributes does Katie bring as she companions the other?
- Once the musical number is over, what are the results? How does the pianist respond to such companionship and love?
We live in a very colorful world filled with an array of hues comprising humanity. How will you come alongside someone you do not yet know and encourage them to their best self?
Enjoy praying.
