image of the day: jesus weeps

looking out over Jerusalem from the Mt of Olives

I took this photo on a trip to Israel and Palestine in the fall of 2005. I was jet lagged, and up way too early, so I went wandering down the Mt. of Olives from the hotel where our group was staying.

There was a gate that was partially open, and a man begging outside of it motioned me to go in. When I did, I found workers harvesting olives (thus the name of the Mt.) and the door to the Dominus Flevit Church open. Being the only person there at that hour of the morning, I had the church to myself and was able to get this shot, looking out its window, onto the Old City of Jerusalem.

Dominus Flevit is the name given to the church constructed on the site thought to be that where Jesus wept over Jerusalem (as found in Luke 19:41-42).

“As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Today, May 15, marks the anniversary of what, in Israel is reffered to as Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut in Hebrew) commemorating the creation of the State of Israel, but what, among the Palestinians is referred to as the ‘Nakba‘ or ‘Catastrophe’ commemorating the displacement of the Palestinian people that took place in order to create the State of Israel.

Having read this morning about the violence erupting between Palestinian protestors and Israeli military in various border locations it seemed to me that Jesus might still be weeping.

hanging around in the guas

hanging around

Something about this photo makes me smile–maybe it is because Brian and Megan are smiling back. But I love the ‘motion’ and the emotion that seem captured in this momentary slice of life–a hammock in the living room in the midst of the barrio Guasmo Sur, south of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

I took this photo on one of my frequent visits to Guasmo Sur as part of the ‘Adopta Una Familia‘ and Mi Cometa projects. You can see more stories and photos from the Guas here.

pay attention?

blue bird on desert agave with blue sky

This morning as I was taking a walk I saw this desert agave (century plant) in bloom. I stopped to take a picture of it (with my iPhone) and just then this blue bird landed on the branch. Obviously, it’s not a shot I could have planned!

Part of what I love about photography is that it helps me to focus (metaphorically–the camera does the literal stuff all on its own) and to pay attention.

When I first began to take ‘photo walks’–heading out with my camera and the intention only of wandering and seeing what I might see, not worrying about wasting film (yes, this was in the days of film, and yes, the idea of wasting film on random shots and then having to pay to develop it was definitely something to overcome) I was amazed at how much enjoyment I got out of these simple excursions. That was over ten years ago.

In that time I’ve taken a lot more photos, taught workshops and classes in photography (one of my favorites is definitely photopiece, a great experience started by my friend Leanna Creel) and tried to continue to refine my capacity to be mindful, to pay attention, having fun with photography, but also ‘practicing’ it, as in a ‘spiritual practice’ that helps me to be aware and awake to the beauty of the world around me.

Lent, the season leading up to Easter, is typically practiced by some sort of act of ‘penitence’ or giving up, doing without–some way of emptying ourselves of ‘self’ so that we can make room for God, goes the tradition.  I wonder if Lent might also be a season for being intentional about paying attention–of taking time to ‘empty ourselves’ of busyness or excess ‘noise’ in our lives so that we open up space to be aware and present?

 

 

2010: the year in review (a selection of images)