Dwelling Places – 22″ x 40″ x 7″ (closed) – found images, paint, wasp nest, in a cabinet – Ordinary Time, 2012.
I’ve been thinking about the statement attributed to Jesus that “In my Father’s house are many dwelling places.” When I was a kid and learned that verse, it was in a translation that said “In my Father’s house are many mansions,” and I’ve always liked the magical feeling of that; something bigger on the inside than on the outside. It reminded me of Mary Poppins’ carpetbag, out of which she could pull a floor lamp, or of the Wardrobe or Stable in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia books, both of which contained entire worlds when you stepped into them. In more recent fiction, Hermione’s satchel and the camping tents in the Harry Potter stories had the same quality.
This verse is generally thought of as referring to heaven, and in that association I heard it at several funerals earlier this year. But about the same time, a friend reminded me of the old R.E.M. song “Stand in the place where you live,” and I began to think of that verse in another way; not replacing the other idea, but as an additional layer. Jesus says in several places in the Gospels, “The Kingdom of God is close at hand,” and “The Kingdom of God is in your midst.” So what if we look at this world, as flawed as it is, as some part of that Divine household in which there are many dwelling places? When I can do this, I get more grounded; I stay connected to the Source that Jesus is calling “Father,” I can recognize those around me as fellow members of a family, and the resources of the Earth as belonging to this family and therefore to be respected and used carefully so there’s enough for everybody.