The Gift of Imagination
Whenever I fly, I frequently do three things. First, I always pray a rosary—that’s a given! Then, I catch up on some work or necessary reading. Finally, I relax a bit and watch a movie. I admit I am quite conscious that, by wearing my Roman collar, many people in the seats around me take note of the movie I have selected. The last thing I want is for them to go home and tell their family and friends that they witnessed a Catholic bishop praying a rosary and then watching a super-violent or unseemly movie!
On my most recent flight, I selected the family-friendly movie Harold and the Purple Crayon. It is a heartwarming film about the power of imagination and the beauty of creativity. The hero of the story is Harold, a young boy who is gifted with a purple crayon that allows him to bring his drawings to life. As he sets out on an adventure, Harold learns valuable lessons about courage, problem-solving, and the responsibility that comes with shaping the world around him.
Spoiler alert: toward the end of the movie, Harold finds a touching letter from the author who created him. In it, he reads:
"Dear Harold, one day you might want to know why I made you. I wanted to show folks that, with a little imagination, you can make your life whatever you want it to be." This film reminds us that, like Harold, we all have the ability to create, dream, and make a difference in this world through our imaginations. How true!
Our imagination is truly a gift from God, allowing us to see beyond what is and dream of what could be. We are made in the image of God, and our ability to imagine and create reflects His divine nature. This gift allows us to participate in our Creator’s ongoing work of beauty and goodness in the world.
Perhaps you are familiar with Ignatian Contemplation, also known as imaginative prayer. Through this method, St. Ignatius of Loyola teaches us to pray using our imaginations. This practice encourages us to place ourselves inside a biblical scene, using all our senses to experience the story as if we were truly there. If you have never used this form of prayer, I invite you to try it using these basic steps:
- Imagine yourself in a scene from Scripture, such as being present at Jesus’ birth, walking with Him along the road, or witnessing His miracles.
- Engage your senses by seeing the setting, hearing the voices, feeling the textures, smelling the surroundings, and experiencing the emotions.
- Interact with Jesus directly by listening to His words, speaking to Him, and experiencing His love.
After an imaginative prayer experience, St. Ignatius invites us to reflect on what we felt, learned, or heard. In other words, we can ask ourselves, “How did God speak to me through my imagination?”
Faith itself requires the gift of imagination. It gives us the ability to believe in what we cannot see (Hebrews 11:1). Imagination allows us to trust in God's plan, envision a better future, and hold onto hope even in difficult times. It also builds our capacity for compassion and empathy by helping us put ourselves in others’ shoes and understand both their joys and struggles. This ability to see the world from different perspectives strengthens our call to love one another, just as Christ taught.
Of course, like all gifts, we can misuse our imagination. According to John Lennon, we can “imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try.” Why would we do that? Sometimes our world or life experiences bring us to imagine sad, evil, and immoral things. Yet God gifted us with our imaginations so that we may be fully alive and joyful through, with, and in Him.
So, I invite you to imagine the Holy Trinity—being in the presence of God the Father and feeling His eternal love, peace, and mercy; walking and talking with Jesus; and experiencing the Holy Spirit descending upon you, filling you with wisdom, strength, and courage. Imagine there is a beautiful heaven, teeming with saints, angels, and your loved ones in God’s eternal presence.
Ultimately, imagination is a sacred gift that allows us to create, love, hope, and draw closer to God in all that we do. Please join me in imagining a Church and a world where every heart is filled with God’s love and mercy, abounding in kindness, respect for life, justice and peace for all people—now and forever!
