Seeing differently
By Rev. Dr Katherine Rainger, Senior Chaplain
The Van Gogh Alive, the Experience multi-sensory exhibition is currently on display at Parkes Place Lawns in the National Triangle. Maybe on the long weekend you had a chance to go and have a look? I went the other day and was blown away by the experience.
It’s one of those encounters that is hard to put into words. There was something profoundly beautiful and moving about the layers of creativity on display. Van Gogh’s story, told through his art and his writing, reveals a life that knew what it was to give and receive love. His story is also one of the intense challenges that come with living with a mental illness.
Stories of all kinds can transport us to another time and place, to be challenged, inspired and to increase our imagination about the world as we encounter it and the world as it could be.
In this season of Lent, the time before Easter, we return to the story of the life of Jesus. The four Gospels in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) bring us four distinct yet interrelated visions of who Jesus is. Each has their own viewpoint, however each one reveals Jesus as the Son of God and the one sent as the path for humanity to experience union with God and with each other.
The Gospel of Mark, the shortest of the Gospels, can be performed as a 90-minute stage show. A dramatised recitation by James Scott will be performed at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture in Barton on Thursday, 14 April at 7:30pm.
James also cooks hot cross buns throughout the performance, which are available for the audience to eat at the conclusion of the show. During the performance, images of classic art works are projected onto a screen illustrating the gospel events. Another multi-sensory experience!
Common Grace is sharing reflections to provoke and inspire during Lent. I contributed a reflection where I explored some of the stories that have been formative in my life. My primary and secondary libraries were influential in giving me access to books and encouraging a love of reading. Our Radford librarians do a fantastic job making our libraries inviting and engaging places.
Loving and Holy God,
we turn to you again in
this Season of Lent.
We come to you in need of
your grace, your forgiveness, your wisdom.
We thank you for the gift of stories
that enliven our imaginations
and challenge us to see differently.
May your word dwell in us and lead
us to a greater understanding of
who you are.
We pray for our world.
Bless all peacemakers and those
who work for justice.
Help us to play our part.
In the name of Jesus we pray,
Amen
Lenten blessings,
Rev. Katherine
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