Painted Stone

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I had occasion recently to participate in a craft of painting a stone to leave for someone to find and pass on as desired. Almost, like a prayer chain but non-religious. In any case one had to choose a rock, usually small and paint/decorate it. Some were round some were flat, etc. I wanted to paint a small simple scene (I am not an artist) and go from there. I couldn’t find a suitable rock for my vision. I finally found one that had a flat-like surface but had a chipped edge. I painted it and then put a sealer on it. When I looked at the result I was amazed to see how the painted chipped part enhanced the whole scene. It added dimensionality to it! What would have been a flat scene was now what appeared to be in three dimensions. This caused me to think more deeply about it. When we see people praying in church, or in a chapel they are beautiful, but two dimensional. When we interact with them and share ourselves and our journeys they become more alive and multi-dimensional. Their scars and trials add dimensionality, and they become more alive to us despite what might be considered defects. I consider some of our Christian brothers who display a cross. The cross is beautiful and represents a great event and a great mystery, but it is two dimensional. As Catholics, we venerate and cherish the crucifix. A crucifix represents a gruesome event with blood and tears as well as a profound meditation on life, death and resurrection. It brings us into a three-dimensional reality and deeps our understanding of the significance of the crucifixion. In seeing photos and prayer cards of the Saints, it seems we always see them kneeling and praying before some cross or icon. They are models but are bland images in two dimensions. When we read of the trials and tribulations they went through we begin to see them in a deeper and clearer way and then we can appreciate and relate to them more closely. We and they are the rocks God has painted on earth. His grace is the paint that colors our sins and defects, and his love is what causes us to understand that he accepts us his brothers and sisters the chips notwithstanding.