One thing is true about Charles McCarthy, OFM Conv., he is very active! It seems as though every day he is on an adventure and exploring new sights, often outdoors. To the pleasure of his brothers, family, and friends, he captures these adventures through photography and shares them with others. Fr. Charles has even taken his spiritual direction appointments outdoors! He often uses the hashtag #GetOutSide on his social media to add his adventurous photos to his ever-growing digital collection. Fr. Charles shared the following reflection to explain what motives him to #GetOutSide!

The theme of being “outside’ and encountering God is rather frequent in the Bible. Have you heard of these? The Creation Story – 1st or 2nd; the Garden; the Flood; Abraham, Isaac and the ram; Joseph (patriarch) dropped in the Well; Jacob wrestling with the angel (AKA God); Elijah heading off to Mount Horeb to hear “the gentle breeze;” Moses snatched up from the River Nile bulrushes; burning bush; Moses parting the Red Sea; Moses on the mountain to get the Ten Commandments; marching around the city of Jericho until the walls crumbled; David’s anointing as king while tending sheep; where did the Levites lose the Ark of the Covenant(?). The examples don't stop there: Magi following a star; shepherds and angels in a field at night; sermon on the mount; Good Samaritan story; let’s go fishing; Jesus and the woman at the well; lepers along the road; fig tree; calming of the storm on the sea; “Peter! Get out of the boat!”; the Transfiguration; disciples plucking heads of grain in a field; crucifixion; Mary’s encounter with the Gardener; brothers on the way to Emmaus; the Ascension. There is a whole mess more where those came from.  

While not all God encounters happened outside, it sure seems like the idea of 'Outside Encounters' was central to the biblical storytellers. Remember the conversation between God and David through the prophet Samuel (2 Samuel 7): “And what kind of building do you think you can build for me?” or what Isaiah writes for us: “Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool; what is the house which you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?” (66:1). Even when we want to build a temple for God it doesn’t really have the capacity to “house” God!! “Temples, churches and mosques” are more likely gathering places for us: places of secure gathering for the community. But to encounter God? Go on! #GetOutside!

Being Franciscans, we are taught, and some of us pass on, that the First Book of Theology is “Creation.” Once I mentioned Creation being the first Book in a homily. Afterward, a person who heard the comment asked, “You mentioned the first book is ‘Creation.’ Who wrote that? I don’t think I’ve heard of that.” After being more than a little incredulous, I looked at my fellow Franciscan, who also happened to be the parish Faith Formation Director, and said, “Really?!?” “Oh! That Creation!”

Theology is how we come to understand God and attempt to express our experience. Understanding and expressing relies on so much more than words! Words can be poor to express the inner life. Pictures can encapsulate our Vision. “Son of Man! What do you see?” (Daniel 7:13-14; Jeremiah 1:11, Revelation 21:2; John 1:29-34, 1:47-50; John 20:1-18).

So here is your first #getoutside challenge. First: go online and tag #getoutside and see the thousands of images already out there!! Second: #GetOutside! Go on! #GETOUTSIDE for a sunrise, a sunset, a moonrise, for a walk in nature or just sit on a street corner, a front porch/balcony and observe. Stroll the neighborhood and look for a mural or some graffiti! Pope Francis offers us this light: “The universe unfolds in God, who fills it completely. Hence, there is a mystical meaning to be found in a leaf, in a mountain trail, in a dewdrop, in a poor person’s face” (Laudato Si 233).

#GETOUTSIDE with your “God-Eye-Filter” on your iPhone/smartphone or camera (I use an iPhone8) and see what you might see. Remember when Jesus did a mind-job on some anti-listeners? In effect, he said, “You say that you see, but you remain in your sin (out of balance, out of touch, blind),” because you do not see with “my eye!” This exercise might help you realize that God is in your backyard and on your corner – wanting to be seen – and seeing through your eye, that is a way to live Theology.

Join Fr. Charles on the #GetOUTSIDE challenge!