Thursday, May 07, 2009

Christ plays... and Delta returns

While reading a National Geographic article on the resurgent Russian Orthodox Church, I was reminded of why I believe. I believe because only Jesus can make Himself incarnate in any and every culture; Christianity is defined by its ability to make itself at home in any social background.

I was reminded of what Uncle Hwa Yung shared at d'NA, on how the Russian Church survived the Communist revolution because the works of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky were not destroyed.


In Ireland Jesus was crucified on a heavy stone Celtic cross; in India Jesus wears a turban; in Nigeria Jesus eats cassava; in Malaysia Jesus' roti canai was broken and the sirap of the New Covenant was poured out for us; in Germany He wore the robes of a monk.

And then I was reminded of Eugene Peterson's book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, which Sivin gave me on the occasion of my 19th birthday. From Advent 2003 when the book was written to Pentecost 2006 when I received it, to Easter 2009 as I am reminded of it, Gerard Manley Hopkins's words ring true:

For Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.


* * * * *

Ilford Delta 400 returned to the Canon in early March; I think the last time I shot it on SLR was at STOMP in June 2008.

(Film pushed to ISO 800 on all pictures below.)


Yu Deng playing the guzheng at 3rd College's Chinese Cultural Night (Pesta Tiong Hua IV). She debated for the College during last year's Orientation Week.


Yen at FeSeni.

This looks like it might have been shot in the 1950s. Film has so much character!


7th College's Chinese Dance team in action.


Yen, and in the background the robe she will don come August.


Sze Sze, Yen's roommate.


Self-portrait.

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