Brian’s Reflection: Monday, Dec 1, 2008


I'm working my way toward divinity.

- Bette Midler [The Divine Miss M!]


Now, who would have thought that the Divine Miss M was a ….. theologian! And highly influenced by the mystics and by the Fathers/Mothers of the Early Church to boot! You just never know, do you.

Actually, we’re all working our way toward divinity. This has nothing to do with thinking that we are going to “become God”. Who in their right mind would want to be God anyway. Too much responsibility, let alone stress! [Unfortunately, I know a lot of people not in their right mind who are working hard at being God, but I shall refrain from casting direct aspersions!] Nor does it have anything to do with becoming “perfect”. Attaining “perfection” is essentially antithetical to being human, at least in this Earthly life - so you can relax if you have been plagued by this fantasy.

Working your way toward divinity is simply another way of saying that we are Learning How to Love. It’s quite a trip, as most of you will know! Some steps forward, some back - and yes it goes on until we die. The successes and the failures, the learnings and re-learnings, the exhilaration and the hurt, the surrender of so many things that we thought we had to hold onto to be “happy” - all part of the mix.

Learning how to love isn’t a goal. It’s the ongoing definition of becoming human, where learning is the operative word. Christians have decided that God is Love Itself, and is Perfect, for theological reasons I think I comprehend. But interestingly, God is often portrayed in Scripture as a Learner, determined to be nasty at one point, but then “changing His mind”. I think that God let that sneak into Holy Writ so we wouldn’t get too discouraged. God is kind, yes?

I’m with Bette. Working my way toward divinity. Glad of every minor success. Trying to learn from the failures and not to take them “personally”. It’s the faithfulness to the work that counts!

Brian+