Scenes of nature

By Nuala, aged 14 from Scenes of nature

When I researched this competition, I knew I wanted to enter the ‘Picturing Faith’ theme. When I read the guidelines, it noted how ‘Pupils are invited to select up to 4 photographs from a visit to a place of worship’. Due to COVID-19, I was unable to visit a place of worship. I also noticed it mentioned you could link the images to another trip connected to RE. I was reading some of Patrick Kavanagh’s poems and in his poem ‘The Great Hunger’, he states that ‘God is in the bits and pieces of everyday’. I was inspired by this statement and by Psalm 96:11-12 “let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the trees of the forest sing for joy”. I chose these photographs as often in today’s world, we are so busy that we do not notice the incredible scenes of nature all around us or take time to appreciate them.

The psalm is all about how the universe is one. It has been made by the same hand; it is under the control of the same mind’; it is governed by the same laws. The God who reigns on earth reigns in heaven; and what affects one part of the universe affects all. So, made in heaven or earth’ it is only right to call on all the universe to partake in the joy and celebration. I think this is an important message that is very relevant to the current issues of Racial Inequality, Global Warming and poverty all across the world. We are all equals, and many people in this world, at this time seem to have forgotten that.