Angels and us

Posted on by Vincent

At some point in the Christmas season the pathos converts to joy; just as grape juice needs only yeast and a little time to turn into wine. This is the Christmas miracle, repeated every year: “Peace, goodwill to men”. I used to think it was a supernatural thing, as though some power, God I suppose, beamed forth Love at this time, igniting men’s souls, whether Christian or not. I never supposed that God would favour Christians* above others: what a repulsive idea! Yet in adulthood one does encounter bold spirits who dare to concede that God can behave in repulsive ways; thus helping to explain why the world is like it is. So I won’t even believe in this imposed notion of an over-arching God. One thinks of Alice, on trial for her life. The cards are stacked against her, literally. All she needs do is start waking up from her absurd dream:

‘Hold your tongue!’ said the Queen, turning purple.
‘I won’t!’ said Alice.
‘Off with her head!’ the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.
‘Who cares for you?’ said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) ‘You’re nothing but a pack of cards!’†

 Having shrunk God to a myth, shall I be a militant atheist like Richard Dawkins? No, I shall live as a normal human being, not as a scientist in professional mode. Science thrives on evidence, theory, reason. Daily living is an art.

Art is based on our sensual and emotional response to what is, dreams made manifest, if you will. Angels belong in the same domain. Ghetu has asked me to write on angels, tells me I’ve talked about living innocently so that the angels can make us their instrument. I find no written record, perhaps it was said face-to-face, but when. He lives in India, we’ve never actually met.

It is angels who engineer important but unlikely encounters. How else could I have found my Beloved in this rather big world? And it must have been angels who inspired someone to invent Blogger & WordPress. Angels can put a precious sparkle into the eye of every random stranger we encounter on the street. I no longer think that the Christmas spirit comes from some divine influence, like a universal vibe that permeates the ethers, to bring about peace and goodwill. I mean, if God could do such a trick, why not all year round? And by the way, it’s not the possession of Christians alone, for I’ve seen it just as much in the Muslims around here in the last few days. I think it spreads like a virus. Perhaps Dr Alistair who endures so much derision and argument from me (see for example this post & its comments, or even more notoriously this one), is right when he says smiles are catching. Well of course he is right in that part—he just hasn’t persuaded me that forced smiles, politicians’ smiles, do any good.

Who starts this virus of genuine goodwill? I’m usually one of the last to feel it so it ain’t me. Perhaps it’s the angels. We can help them with our guilelessness, and in presuming all others to be innocent, throughout the year; and, unless we are prosecuting lawyers, not trying to prove anyone guilty.

* Christians: Jews or Muslims too, of course.
† Alice in Wonderland: end of the last chapter.

14 thoughts on “Angels and us”

  1. Vincent,
    You are always so honest and so real in your posts. And while I might not always agree, I always come away with a mix of reality and being so uplifted and certainly thought inspired. I am particularly struck by the tenderness in the very simple sentence in with which you speak of finding your Beloved through the angels. You see, there is something that comes through that is beyond the words you have spoken, something of genuine heart and gratitude. I think it is in these moments, these subtle nuances where the virus starts. And so, my friend, I think perhaps you underestimate yourself.

    May you have a wonderful, peaceful, holiday season filled with moments that make memories, and may you always be filled with LOVE.

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  2. Daily living is not science but art.

    What matters is what happens, not what our mythical beliefs tell us. What colour is a shadow? A darker shade of the object’s original colour? Or a complementary colour? Artists are not agreed. It can be hard to tell, for colour and taste are not objective realities. They are constructions of our perceiving senses and synthesizing brains! Personal experience is not made of objective reality at all. What happens includes miracles, plenty of them.

    Vincent, I couldn't agree more. Here's to many miracles in the New Year.

    Best Wishes,

    SB

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  4. Serenity, I am touched by your words which show, here as ever, how closely you attend to the things you observe and the things you do, because you closely attune to my intentions too. And yes, I do perhaps underestimate myself because it is not easy to overcome the habit of a lifetime, however dramatic the transformations which have occurred in recent years.

    In any case I think you and I agree on the main thing: that somehow we can affect the world (beneficially, I mean!) just by being ourselves.

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  5. Vincent,
    All I can say is a resounding “Amen” to every word.

    Happy Christmas to you and may we rejoice loudly today…Love's Day. It is the day that Love has made.

    You make a difference with every word, every intention, every thought. Thank you for the difference you make! I for one am filled with gratitude.

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  8. Wouldn't literal angels (if that's what you mean) come from a divine source?

    Also, I thought it was interesting that you discussed those virtues as being like viruses introduced into humanity; partly because this is an idea I have mulled over myself, for what it's worth.

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  10. Hullo Vincent, thanks for this post, which closely resonates with a feeing that has been gathering strength within me in the last few days, about an angelic conspiracy to help me realise my dreams, which are not about personal pleasure but about public good. I know from my own experiences that we can will things to happen; but for that we have to become purely that force of will. This does not mean that whatever we might want will always happen. We are never wise enough to know everything, including what's good for us, and when. So “setbacks” are only so much more preparation, and learning, for the opportune moment.

    In such a context, perhaps blogging may be seen to be akin to a grand angelic orchestra?!

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  11. Thanks all for good wishes and other messages!

    jlhart7: “literal angels” eh? I don't entertain the notion of literal angels, in the sense of creatures with wings and individual names ending in “-el” – Gabriel, Michael, Raphael & so on.

    As for their having a “divine source”, I can't wait to write on this topic. Woke up in the middle of the night and in the dim light of a lava lamp wrote down some angel-inspired thoughts about this.

    Since we have some house-guests, I have to snatch moments to respond and meanwhile a new post is in preparation.

    Rama, what you say makes complete sense. When a certain kind of surrender takes place, we allow angels to set the agenda and supply us with the dreams and the means.

    O yes, blogging is an instrument for the angelic orchestra!

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