Brian’s Reflection: Wednesday, July 2, 2008


In each individual the spirit is made flesh,
in each one the whole of creation suffers,
in each one a Savior is crucified.

- Hermann Hesse, author, philosopher, born
on this day, 1877, Calw, Germany. Nobel prize
for Literature 1946


Hesse said, As a body everyone is single, as a soul never. I agree with him. We all get to choose what we believe, from among an enormous variety of terrific ideas. Because no one, no one, knows the whole truth, if there is such a thing.

The older I get, the more I understand that all is connected. There is nothing that is not somehow related to everything else that exists. And I have come to “see” that the Christ-figure is an icon of each of us, an icon which each of us lives out more or less authentically and powerfully based on the choices we make, the thoughts we think, the actions we take, the things we value and/or love.

Imagine if we understood each and every person, including ourselves, as both a salvific being and a sister or brother! Maybe we would still be bastards towards one another, I don’t know. But maybe, just maybe, we would begin to understand what Jesus meant when He said, What you do to the least of these, you do to Me. That when we hate another, abuse another, demean another, we are destroying ourselves. And that’s exactly what I believe we are doing in our ignorance.

Today, as you see each person, think, That is I. And think of the Golden Rule: Do to others are you would have them do to you.

Brian+