I never cease to be fascinated by people’s faith and devotion. And by how their belief systems are made manifest in public. Whether it’s manipulative, hate-based TV ads by political grotesques or simply silent displays such as this one we encountered on the main approach to St. Peter’s one Sunday morning. We saw clouds of smoke halfway down the Via della Concilazione and decided to investigate. Incense. Dispensed by these Peruvian ladies who were walking backwards toward the basilica in advance of a major religious banner with Christ (El Señor de los Milagros) pictured on one side and his mother on the other. Their show of faith would be moving no matter what your (or my) beliefs might be. Sincere. Personal. No hidden agenda or motive. I recently found myself in a church-basement classroom, the walls bearing the results of what I reverse-engineered to be a teacher’s asking “What is God to you?” The kids had drawn pictures and written (with their kid-like printing) “a friend,” “a father,” etc. One rather mature response stood out: “incomprehensible.” Bingo.
No comments:
Post a Comment