LENT I

Transformation of Humanity by the Elixir of Imagination

The Holy Spirit is not only the prime Mover of Imagination in the Godhead; she employs that faculty exclusively for glorifying the divine Son.  As Son of Man, or ‘Human Being,’ the second Person of the Holy Trinity existed for all eternity before the world began (John 1:1-14).  This is the Mystery hidden from former ages, now revealed to the saints through the Incarnation.

The divine humanity manifested in Jesus of Nazareth is the Spirit’s doing, as a prototype of what humanity is capable of becoming.  Every aspect of Jesus’ persona is imaginally conceived, and likewise has to be imaginally, not literally perceived, including his birth, death, resurrection, and ascension, plus all the sayings attributed to him.

But that is only half of the story; the second half is equally dramatic.  The Holy Spirit’s imaginal conception of the glorified Christ continuing his mission to humanity by passing on his divinely-human beingness to his followers, and through them to the rest of humanity, is equally arresting in scope.  Knowing Jesus in the flesh is one thing; knowing him as the Cosmic Christ in the Spirit, and being united with him in spreading his Gospel throughout the world, has more far-reaching consequences for every Christian.

The goal of the Christian mission is nothing less than the transformation of humanity as a whole, and the formation of a new race of human beings capable of managing human society in justice and peace and for the benefit of all.  The realization of this objective is far from complete, yet from age to age the bounds of Christ’s reign are steadily increasing, with the company of faithful souls who have finished their earthly course, joining those above awaiting the time when, the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and forever.

The terms in which this faith and hope are set forth in Scripture all require the elixir of the Spirit’s imaginal power to interpret and comprehend, and then to communicate to each person’s consciousness, in accordance with their capacity to exercise their own Imagination for the renewal of their mind.

PG
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