Brian’s Reflection: Monday, October 11, 2010

[Canadian Thanksgiving; Indigenous Peoples' Day in South Dakota]

The feelings of my smallness and my
nothingness always kept me good company.

Pope John XXIII; on this date in 1962, he
convened the first session of Vatican II


If most other people had said this, I would have dismissed it as poor self-esteem or false humility. But, in my humble opinion, Good Pope John was a wise and sane man (the only Pope I am willing to say that about; though perhaps one other would be Pope Celestine V, the only Pope to abdicate, in 1294). And of course, suggesting we think about our smallness and nothingness is a little challenging, so I’ve waited until the late morning to send this along, to spare you undue hours of anguish ………. well ok; I was lazy last night!

As you will know, I am a fan of thinking well of our Humanity, of who we are individually and as a Human community. This is a firm theological principle in my Life and in my understanding of “God” and of the Gospel and of other great Teachers. And yes, this despite the “fact” that I am at present beset with a deep sense of the primitiveness of our present human condition and in moderate despair of any improvement.

Being an Anglican (not the present confused aspect of “Anglican” but the classic one), I think Balance is a wise thing. So, every now and then, it is a helpful thing to recall that we are just teensy specks of Being in a vast Universe (or perhaps in an infinite number of Universes).

That makes you, like John, a wise and sane person! Isn’t it nice how being Small and Nothing can make you feel so good!

Cheers!

Brian+