H,
“Dealing.”
Most of our time goes in
dealing with ourselves. This is always a unique problem because there is tunnel
vision, the unreliable narrator and the master of good intentions (even on the
surface) at work. We think in relation to our own selfish ends being
altruistic. We cast ourselves, mostly, as the hero of the story of life, in
which others are merely bit part players or supporting characters.
dealing with ourselves. This is always a unique problem because there is tunnel
vision, the unreliable narrator and the master of good intentions (even on the
surface) at work. We think in relation to our own selfish ends being
altruistic. We cast ourselves, mostly, as the hero of the story of life, in
which others are merely bit part players or supporting characters.
The “hero” in this sense
could be tragic, meta-human, flawed or even, and mostly, just misunderstood. We
have different variants of the same disease of self. One might think he is Kal-El
and the other might think he is Damien Omen. In both cases we are at the centre
of the forest and our tree bears fruit in all seasons; sometimes we think this
fruit is good and sometimes we think this fruit is bad. Most of the time there
is a broad hint that the fruit is salvageable.
could be tragic, meta-human, flawed or even, and mostly, just misunderstood. We
have different variants of the same disease of self. One might think he is Kal-El
and the other might think he is Damien Omen. In both cases we are at the centre
of the forest and our tree bears fruit in all seasons; sometimes we think this
fruit is good and sometimes we think this fruit is bad. Most of the time there
is a broad hint that the fruit is salvageable.
It is possible that this is
one of the main reasons God came down in human form. We need a measure outside
the cycle of human effort and failure. We need a light out of self. We are
dealing with the most intimate of sins and the most crushing of disasters that
all add up to the tragedy of being human. We need an outside look at what it is
to be full of light against the ensuing darkness.
one of the main reasons God came down in human form. We need a measure outside
the cycle of human effort and failure. We need a light out of self. We are
dealing with the most intimate of sins and the most crushing of disasters that
all add up to the tragedy of being human. We need an outside look at what it is
to be full of light against the ensuing darkness.
The answer we get is not the
one we thought up. He did not come in on a wave of glory. The term “Glory” in
both Hebrew and Greek add up to the great revealing of the true nature of God. What
we see in human form is not a tale spun of perfect teeth and pristine manners. It
is not a story of a handsome meta-human standing aloft our condition and
breathing the beauty of the uncommon life down to us from the vantage point of
the stars. It is more HBO than CW. It is grime and sand and death and blood. The
real person of Jesus Christ shatters our very idea of “hero” and puts in that
spot a stirring reality. A passionate, sensitive, doubting and troubled soul weighed
down with the sins of the world as we are but knowing it. The sin is not to
know or believe. He avoided both. He took death in and came out in life. The eternal
life of living in God. This was our destiny and God had to show us. This is our
real life and it takes a cross to reach it. We face life and death with this
great example: light above us all and new life in us all.
one we thought up. He did not come in on a wave of glory. The term “Glory” in
both Hebrew and Greek add up to the great revealing of the true nature of God. What
we see in human form is not a tale spun of perfect teeth and pristine manners. It
is not a story of a handsome meta-human standing aloft our condition and
breathing the beauty of the uncommon life down to us from the vantage point of
the stars. It is more HBO than CW. It is grime and sand and death and blood. The
real person of Jesus Christ shatters our very idea of “hero” and puts in that
spot a stirring reality. A passionate, sensitive, doubting and troubled soul weighed
down with the sins of the world as we are but knowing it. The sin is not to
know or believe. He avoided both. He took death in and came out in life. The eternal
life of living in God. This was our destiny and God had to show us. This is our
real life and it takes a cross to reach it. We face life and death with this
great example: light above us all and new life in us all.
I am going too lofty again.
This is the stirring truth: it is fine to be human and flawed. Strength is at
the bedrock of intimacy with God. In giving over all of us we reach the truth
about our state. We find pain unbearable and doubt unspeakable. Yet, somehow,
these are the best points on our journey. Our faith tells us that the real self
will show and bring us to our knees. Most of the time the only way to deal with
this is to stay right there.
This is the stirring truth: it is fine to be human and flawed. Strength is at
the bedrock of intimacy with God. In giving over all of us we reach the truth
about our state. We find pain unbearable and doubt unspeakable. Yet, somehow,
these are the best points on our journey. Our faith tells us that the real self
will show and bring us to our knees. Most of the time the only way to deal with
this is to stay right there.
Till God rolls away our
stone again.
stone again.