“Go Therefore” or Hang Up the Phone
One of my favorite religious movies of all time is Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth. I had a VHS copy of the full eight hour presentation that I kept and watched at least once yearly for over 25 years. When the DVD was released, I purchased it the first week. After all, VHS tape only lasts for so long.
Now I just purchased one of the newer cell phones that can upload small jpeg files to display as wallpaper and when the phone powers on and powers off. It is the LG AX4250 and it takes JPG files of 128 X 128 pixels as display images. So I decided to combine my passions and I created some Jesus of Nazareth wallpapers for my cell phone.
My wife says most normal people have pictures of their families on their phones. Well, she probably has her answer right there. I have never claimed to be normal. Most have accused me of the contrary, with greater and greater degrees of accuracy. I do have pictures of them that show up when they call me. Really, I do! But as a norm, with my tongue in my cheek, I tell her that I have to give priority to the one who said, "He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." I try to say it with a twinkle in my eye but for some reason she does not think it is very funny. (I have a feeling that the ones who first heard Jesus utter those words did not think it was very funny either.)
Anyway, my startup image is this one of Peter's ship on the Sea of Galilee.
My ending or power-off image is this one of Jesus holding Peter and John. It is at this point in the film that Jesus proclaims the line from Matthew 28: "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations…"
For my wallpaper, I have created a variety of icons to change throughout the year as my mood fits.
Then I have created seasonal wallpapers for the high festivals. I have one to celebrate the baptism of Jesus. I use it for our quarterly baptisms at our church.
I have some to celebrate the Christmas season and Epiphany.
I have others for the various days of the Easter Season, including Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter.
In this way, I remind myself to whom I belong and how my conversation should go when I use my phone (as well as at all other times). Feel free to download and use any of these images for yourself.
I also have a mini-presentation of the Gospel before me. I start out as a fisherman; I end up as a fisher of men. In between is Jesus.