inning a photo contest are like a mega ball lottery, one in a billion. Although you might get lucky.
Lent is like taking that tourist photo. We examine our conscience come up with something to give up for Lent like chocolate, drinking or smoking and hope we can survive the 40 days without going insane. Habits are hard to break, especially unhealthy habits.
One judge shared that he was given 2600 photos to review and rank each photo between 1 and 10. We would like to think that he would take his time to examine each photo for composition, style and color. In reality it would take him days if he could take 10 minutes for each photo to judge. This judge has only “3 seconds” to look and score each photo. Really. He has only 3 seconds to assign a score for each photo between 1 and 10.
So here are faced with another Ash Wednesday, yes we have the sign of the cross placed on our foreheads as a sign of our willingness to do penance or make ourselves the best Christian we can be. Mostly likely we are going to choose a behavior like a tourist shot. If you gave your Lenten practice to the Lord, what do you think your score would be?
The Wow factor to win a gold medal in a photo contest starts first with “planning.” For example, before I went to Page, Arizona last year to photograph Horseshoe Bend that has been photograph a billion times by professionals and tourists, I went online to see what other images had been taken. Online, I click on google images “Fine Art Photo Horseshoe Bend” and instantly you will see what photos have been taken by tourists and professional photographers. You are looking for images that you would be proud to hand up in your living room. Better yet, you are planning your photo tour so when you arrive you have a better idea of the photo you want to take so when the judge reviews your photo they will say “WOW!”
So let’s think about what I am planning to do for Lent this year. I have a brother-in-law struggling with dementia and his caregiver spouse is exhausted and overwhelmed. I offered to find a dementia evaluation team to diagnose the exact cause of his dementia and provide her with a plan how best to care of her spouse now and in the future. Then there is my fire chief who is searching for funding to get needed updated fire equipment. He has volunteers to fire fires but no one to help him get grants to replaced old equipment. I offered to contact a grant writer from my former North Java Fire Department to help the chief learn how to apply for grant funding. Then I think about my brother Latino priests who are serving their Hispanic communities in fear of being deported. Once again, this requires planning but I contacted my brother Hispanic pastor and provided him with guidelines how to protect his Latino parishioners when threaten with deportation. The guidelines have been offered nationwide to all our Latino parishes. Sadly, I learned last night from a brother Latino pastor that a third parishioner has been kidnapped and flown out of state to an immigration prison camp without due process.
The Wow factor might mean you are protesting against immigrant prisons in your community, or you are volunteering at an animal shelter or you are helping a neighbor or family member connect with needed medical or home care services.
So what will be the focus of your “Wow Factor” this Lent?
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends this Lent that they will take the time and search in their hearts for a plan that will really make a difference in their life. Give us the wisdom to make a picture of ourselves that reflects your love and compassion for all your people.
WOW photo Horseshoe Bend, Page AZ by Fr. Matt
