While the French Impressionist, Claude Monet, was beginning to paint his bright and atmospheric waterlilies, Isaak Levitan went his own way, depicting them floating above dark but translucent water, with finely detailed leaves and flowers.
Water Lilies sink their roots into the mud of ponds, along the edges of lakes and in slow moving streams. And while Levitan has set out, so sensitively observant of even subtle leaf variations and decay, I'm wondering about something else he's got going on in this painting.
The pond water in Monet's paintings, while reflective of light, remains opaque. Levitan's pond water is translucent, we can see down into it, enabling us to feel something of the water's dark depths and the other water plants growing and stretching up to catch as much light as possible. It adds a new dimension for our consideration.
So what about these dark waters and light-seeking plants? These are troubling days. One highly regarded senior senator recently called the nation's atmosphere cynical. I wanted to be sure I had a nuanced understanding of cynicism, so I checked the dictionary.
Stephen Colbert says, "Cynics always say no." Was it Bob Dylan who said, "You can't please a cynic if you try."
Levitan's water plants stretch up towards the light out of the gloom. Perhaps the painting invites us to detect cynicism within ourselves. "Just listen to yourself," the expression goes when we're speaking foolishly. Is there some inner place, an unconscious place, that wants to stretch up out of the dark, muddy shallows and into the light?
A week from today, Catholics all over the world will bump around in dark churches, welcoming the Risen Jesus with lighted candles. And when the great candle is halfway up the aisle, it is as if the flame jumps into the hands of the parishioners. The joy is palpable as the light spreads and intensifies.
I remember one year consciously thinking as I saw the flame passed on one to another, "Where is the darkness going?' It was as if the darkness was being literally pushed out of the building.
Might those darkness-dispelling candles:
- Cynicism is believing that people are motivated by self-interest; distrustful of human sincerity or integrity.
- Cynicism disregards appropriate standards in order to achieve one's own self-interests.
Stephen Colbert says, "Cynics always say no." Was it Bob Dylan who said, "You can't please a cynic if you try."
Levitan's water plants stretch up towards the light out of the gloom. Perhaps the painting invites us to detect cynicism within ourselves. "Just listen to yourself," the expression goes when we're speaking foolishly. Is there some inner place, an unconscious place, that wants to stretch up out of the dark, muddy shallows and into the light?
A week from today, Catholics all over the world will bump around in dark churches, welcoming the Risen Jesus with lighted candles. And when the great candle is halfway up the aisle, it is as if the flame jumps into the hands of the parishioners. The joy is palpable as the light spreads and intensifies.
I remember one year consciously thinking as I saw the flame passed on one to another, "Where is the darkness going?' It was as if the darkness was being literally pushed out of the building.
Might those darkness-dispelling candles:
- We're the people who believe light wins over darkness
- We're the people who say yes more than no,
- We're the people who take pleasure in everything that's good
- We're the people who hope to be characterized as children of the light.
- We're the people who want even our unconscious selves - our inner dream world - to be permeated with light.
Click on the lighted candles below and listen to the Unionaires of Union College, sing the hymn: I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light. The lyrics to the three verses are found here as well, so we're sure not to miss any of the hymn's beauty. Take notice of how the choir savors the words, Jesus, God and Father and how the word God is carried in three ascending notes - like Levitan's water plants stretching up and out of the gloom, to light.
I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world,
The star of my life is Jesus.
Refrain:
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I want to see the brightness of God.
I want to look at Jesus.
Clear sun of righteousness shine on my path,
And show me the way to the Father.
I'm looking for the coming of Christ.
I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race,
We shall know the joy of Jesus.
This hymn is based on the following scripture verses: Ephesians 5:8-10, Revelation 21:23, John 12:46, 1 John 1:5, Hebrews 12:1
