"Christ develops your life into Himself like a photograph." So says Thomas Merton.
The experience of doing chemical based photographic picture making gives depth to what Merton is getting at in these cryptic words. Here is how the process works: A sheet of light sensitive photographic paper is exposed to light that is directed through a frame of negative film for a set period of time. The paper is then immersed in a chemical bath of "developer" for a minute or so. During that time the image slowly begins to appear on the paper as the developer reacts with the coating on the paper. First a very hazy image appears - in about 20 seconds. Then the picture takes on intensity. All of this is done in the darkness of a "dark room" with only a "safe light" to enable the worker to keep track of what he/she is doing.
Next the paper with the image is immersed in an acid bath to stop the development process. Then the paper is immersed in a "fixer bath" - a chemical solution that fixes the image so that the picture is permanent and will not be affected by light from this point in time. The picture is now ready for public viewing.
What Merton appears to be saying is that the content of Christ is gradually brought into the light of every day life so that observers begin to observe the likeness of Christ in the Christian person. Within the person a spiritual process happens that produces an observable result. The mechanical chemistry based photographic process is a model for that which happens in the Christian experience.
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