Imagination

Jesus’ parables often show vivid imagination and were told in order to catch our imagination. The disciples and all his listeners were captivated by his stories. Although imagination is sometimes used to mean imagining things that do not exist, C.S.Lewis’ Narnia Chronicles, J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and J.K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter, these imaginary worlds embody profound truths about the Christian faith, the folly of war, the battle between good and evil.

We have the opportunity to use our imagination during this time, letting go of some of the superficiality of life with its frenetic busy-ness and becoming once again more aware of deeper truths. Otherwise we could end up thinking of the Mona Lisa as nothing but a ‘spread of pigments’ on a canvas, the Beatles’ classic singles as mere “electronic noise” or the Ninth symphony as nothing but a ‘sequence of pitched sounds of varying timbre’ Roger Scruton, The Soul of the World (sic).

Creative imagination is fundamental to the spiritual life. It enriches us. Everything that has ever been created has once been imagined. Changing our lives and our world depends on our imagining of a better future and embracing it. Of course, our imagination can also mislead, especially if it means putting self at the centre of all we consider and desire. The world seems to be full of people who exalt their own being above the needs of others and the care of the very ecosystem on which we all depend. Our vision can be very restricted to our own personal needs at the expense of others.

A person who speaks of people building massive stores of goods and feeling utterly satisfied with their own achievements, who speaks of taking back a greedy son as if nothing had occurred, of a poor person left to die by the wealthy landowner, of a member of a hated group actually doing something good – and of laying down his life for his friends – is bound to encounter trouble from those without the imagination and understanding to change their ways. But Jesus’ Way calls us all to imagine new life in tune with the Love of God and of neighbour as oneself.

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art--
thou my best thought by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.