Isn’t it interesting that puzzling questions, spiritual and otherwise, pop into our heads while relaxing on vacation? While our bodies relax our minds are set free to ‘wonder’ where they will.
On the shore of Lake Ontario, we found ourselves pondering once again whether ‘my God is your God?’ A question not easily unpacked. Is our image of God fashioned by our own experiences and coloured by our own temperaments? On a natural level, this is not so surprising, as siblings often describe their parents with unique variations. As in all relationships, our sense of God is very personal, quite different.
As humans, we do not see things clearly but only in fragments as attested to by Paul in his message to the Corinthians,
It is not surprising then, that each of us forms our own image of God.
Would you consider it farfetched if we turned from quoting scripture to the Indian folktale “The Blind Men and the Elephant”?
In this tale, images of an elephant are formed from each blind man's limited perspective of the elephant. Upon overhearing their differing viewpoints, the Rajah points out how each one has only a limited perception of what an elephant is. He emphasizes, “The elephant is a very large animal," … "Each man touched only one part. Perhaps if you put the parts together, you will see the truth.” The Rajah's advice holds wisdom for us as we ponder our image of God. It's no time to think small.
Summertime offers us an opportunity to be still and know that God is God. In the stillness we may hear
"I am who I am".
We see dimly now but trust that one day we will see face to face and know God fully as we are known.
-Sister Loretta Hagen, CSJ; Sister Magdalena Vogt, CPS; Sister Nancy Wales, CSJ
Header image: Unsplash/Sean Oulashin