Imagining Incarnation

 I was reminded the other day how quickly we can see someone passing by and imagine who they are and what their story is without even knowing them.  My favorite place to do this is at an airport during a layover or in a coffee shop as I watch people go in and out.  I am not a fan of being creepy in this and I know that this can quickly turn in to making harsh judgments and assumptions. This is also something I am not a fan of when I see it in me!  These days however I am not going on airplanes and the pandemic doesn't even allow for coffee shop lingering! The only off screen  "social interaction " I have had in the last weeks was with an internet repair technician, quick delivery drop offs, a drive thru wedding, a prospective job meeting and a

Sunday afternoon First Aide Course...and as you can see from the picture--- the latter was not what you could call "lively  meaningful conversation!" :) 😃 

The highlight of my days has been sitting in my apartment at a regular time each day for weeks and imagining the Gospel passages of the God Incarnate as He walked this earth. As part of my School of Spiritual Direction Course,  I am doing the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises   Man, I can't believe I've lived a Christian life this long without contemplating the very human nature of Jesus in the Gospels and all He went through?!  I mean this past week in particular I was prompted to imagine Jesus as a Young man who was subject to parents (even though misunderstood by them) and what kind of questions He would've had being a young adult?!  Not something they made time for in my Sunday school days for sure, but as I have reflected on the Jesus who was a baby, a lost boy found in the temple and even one who was subject to his parents I grew in love even more because he walked through some of the very human things we do! As I pictured Him having questions, hungering and being tempted in the wilderness and as One with Authority  casting out demons and healing the sick--- I am again drawn in to love!  He touched and blessed the children, let John baptize Him and felt the Beloved approval of Heaven as He was called to minister.  He even stopped for the one in the crowd even when they tried to shush the loud pleas for mercy!   Jesus showed great kindness as he initiated dialogue about people's wants and whether or not they wanted to be well.  There was honor and respectful treatment towards women and bold, indignant "put you in your place" words and questions for the Pharisees and those who would lay heavy 'religious burdens'.  Jesus-the beautiful God Man---the Person of God has never been so alive, resurrected and real in my prayer life these days and though the idea of imagining with Scripture may bring up some nervousness in you as you read my blog post this month...I still dare you to pick one of the Gospel stories and imagine yourself as a witness to the event. It will be like watching a movie reel!  See what the Spirit of God will highlight for you...what do you see/smell/touch feel as you behold Jesus?  You may fall in deeper in love with Jesus or you may like I did this week find an expression of  grief, question, anger or anxiety there too, but above all else you will see with fresh eyes "God with skin on--the God with us" and may we never be the same and always be in wonder!