A recurring theme here lately, especially during Advent and in this Christmas season, has been how Jesus reveals to us who God is. This is the most obvious consequence of Christian belief that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine, a belief we call the Incarnation. But today I'd like to talk about the … Continue reading Word Made Flesh, or, How to Be Human
There seems to be a fundamental division within the very idea of humanity. On the one hand, the word connotes the best of what our species can do and be: People who embrace the idea that we are 'the measure of all things' are called “humanists;” areas of study that explore our creativity and wisdom are … Continue reading Only Human
At the start of this season of penitence we remind ourselves of our smallness and impermanence. Over and against the ego's instinct to puff itself up in the face of these simple realities of existence — like a house cat arching its back and raising its fur at the sight of its reflection in a mirror — we instead lean into our smallness and impermanence and remember that we are crafted and sustained by the love of an infinitely creative God.
When challenged by a legal expert about what was most important about the Law, Jesus famously answered: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind ... and love your neighbour as yourself” (Mt 22.37-39). It’s a wonderfully simple response. But this simplicity is deceptive.
