A Sense of Mystery

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

My advice to anyone who has taken a bad picture: Convert it to black and white. I took a hike on a trail  outside of the YMCA camp in Estes Park. It was the middle of the afternoon (a difficult time to take pictures because of the harsh lighting) and I was using a long lens. When you don't use a tripod with a long lens things get fussy.

But convert it to black and white (plus other adjustments) and presto! you have a picture that communicates a sense of mystery.

"God wanted his people throughout the world to know the glorious riches of this mystery-which is Christ living in you, giving you the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27 God's Word to the Nations

The miracle of God is that through Christ we have been convert. We were messed up, broken individuals and through the power of Jesus' crucifixion we are declared not guilty of sin.

The mystery that this conversion has worked is that of Christ living in us. Let's take on this word "us" for a minute. Stating the obvious "us" is plural. Christ dwells in the community of the baptized. Paul cannot conceive of Christ dwelling in the individual without Christ dwelling in the community.

This point was recently etched in my brain when I participated in a spiritual retreat with my prayer partner. We were walking and praying, not with each other but in the presence of each other. That day would not have been as meaningful for me had I not been with my brother in Christ.

This is the mystery that God converts us sinners then dwells in us in the context of community. It's the same as taking a throwaway picture and converting it to a piece of art.

By the way, a happy summer to all.

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(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2014 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.