Lua Crescente

Language does funny things from time to time, and understanding a foreign language can open up new and unexpected vistas within your own.

I was sitting outside in the car and I noticed a minivan publicising a local pre-school prpgramme called “Lua Crescente” or “Crescent Moon” with a logo in the shape of a crescent, obviously. Now, the word "crescent" in English defines that particular shape. What it doesn’t indicate is that the word crescent comes directly from the Latin (and also, incidentally, the Portuguese) verb “to grow” - “crescer” (hence of course our words “increase”, “crescendo” etc).

So, now, it’s no longer just about the shape. It’s about how the moon got to be that way. It grew. It increased in size and radiance. And it would continue to grow until it became a full moon and filled the heavens with its glow. Later that same night, I sat outside on our balcony under that very full moon, amazed at how much light it radiated over the Parque

But of course, in fact, it is not the moon that's actually growing. The moon stays the same. It’s just that the portion of the moons surface that reflects the suns light on to our planet grows as it follows its orbit. Just plain physics. Not even rocket science!

But here’s a nice little metaphor for my life and my walk with God. How much am I growing? How much of the fulness of Jesus is reflected in me to others on a day to day basis. I reckon need to be more of a crescent moon.