We are in week two of the Ignatian lenten retreat. Today I’m going to focus on one of my reflections in week one, though. My favorite activities in the retreat are when we imagine ourselves in the scene. We can be anyone, Jesus, another named (or unnamed) character, or a random bystander. I most enjoy being a random bystander and thinking about, as myself (a self-insert?) I am there and what my reaction would be were I to experience whatever is happening.
My favorite activity in week one was on day four, when we were assigned to read Matthew 3:13-17 and instructed to imagine ourselves watching John the Baptist and Jesus. In my vision, I went to the riverbank to learn what John had to say. People had been talking about him and his teachings in my village and I was curious. I have no intention of being baptized, though; I’m terrified of water and whatever fauna may lurk beneath the surface.
While we are listening to John, his cousin shows up. We’ve seen him around; they seem to get on well and enjoy teasing each other. I am not there to listen to their banter, though. I tire quickly of their “Baptize me”, “No, you baptize me” and am thinking about leaving when John finally decides to humor his cousin. I’ll give him points for showmanship, though. He timed it for just as the sun is breaking through the clouds. If only I could figure out how he managed that creepy disembodied voice shouting about a beloved son.
I think my dissatisfaction with the Catholic church right now heavily colored my reading. I do enjoy the image of Jesus and John teasing each other like siblings, though. It makes them more three-dimensional for me, more relatable.
The image below is of a green striped zebra I made while living in Malawi. Read more about it on deviantArt. I’m guessing it was the dry season and I was tired of the dusty brown everywhere.
This post is part of my Lent 2025 Imaginative Readings series.
