The Great Gospel of John
Volume 3
Jesus' Precepts and Deeds through His Three Years of Teaching
Jesus near Caesarea Philippi
- Chapter 239 -
The thought of God's boredom.
Raphael says, "Not you, friend, made this judgment, the Lord Himself laid this judgment in your heart, and therefore it must be right!"
2
Says also Murel: "Everything that is heard here is wholly unlike this world. And yet, pure human reason cannot object to it. Our boredom if we should suddenly become wise and omniscient like God and, on the other hand, God's boredom in the after all imaginable situation where He would never be perceived, felt, heard and seen by His created beings, children and even angels, - these truly are two opinions and possibilities every deep thinker must necessarily respect. Certainly, no templar has ever dreamt of it; yet it is true. No matter how I now think and reason, I cannot find any objection to it, although the expression 'God's boredom' sounds somewhat peculiar. But no matter how I look at it, it remains true, and very true at that. I just remember another very fitting example for this new truth which I have to tell you!"
3
Says Mathael: "Brother, out with it at once! For we can only expect something real, good and for this matter useful to come from a mind enriched by so many experiences!"
4
Says hereupon Murel: "Not actually because of that, but so that you should see how I have understood all this. I imagine a man endowed with all wisdom and all alone on God's earth. He would certainly try to communicate with other people, provided they were there. He searches all over the earth to its remotest corners, without finding a living and thinking being. His great wisdom becomes a burden to him, for whatever he does and creates is recognized and admired by no one. How would such a man feel after a greater length of time? Must he not despair? Would not the most horrible boredom consume him?
5
How indescribably good he must feel to come, finally, upon an ever so humble maid or a coarsest servant. With what indescribable love would he cling to such a find.
6
Oh, there it becomes obvious what one man means to another and what bliss there is in doing good to the neighbor
7
What a terrible fate would it be for a lonely man not to be able to find another man on the whole earth to whom he could do good! For that reason love is a purely heavenly life element because it must make men utterly unhappy not to be able to actively communicate with others!
8
Of what benefit would the moving tone of his voice be to a singer, of what the sound of a well-tuned harp if he had forever to listen to it alone?! When a lone bird in the woods hops from tree to tree, through certain plaintive sounds searching for his like but not finding it, it becomes frightened and soon stops singing, becomes sad and soon leaves the forest which to it is deserted and empty.
9
Even the animal has enough love to evidently long for its l like, how much more, then, a human being endowed with deep feeling, mind and reasoning power! What good would be to him all the great capabilities and talents if he could thereby benefit only himself?
10
Following my observation I can quite reasonably assume - that is, according to our human concepts - that the Lord God would certainly in the end become terribly bored, although he had the whole of infinity full of wondrous worlds without, however, a being which recognized and loved the One Who created it out of His love, and had a great delight in the countless wondrous works of His wisdom, power and strength. But in order to be recognized and loved, the Creator must come to meet the created being, and the Father the child, and reveal Himself to it in such a manner as to make it possible for the created being, and especially for the child, to recognize the Father as such.
11
If this condition is not met, God has created angels and human beings and everything that exists in vain. He would forever remain alone and His ever so beautiful creatures would know as much of Him as the grass knows of the one who cuts it and dries it into hay.
12
Yet God has always in the most suitable ways clearly revealed Himself to His created beings who, endowed with all reason and intelligence, are striving for the true freedom of fife, and has prepared them for this His coming. With this coming all that was promised has been fulfilled: The beings behold Him in the flesh and blood just as themselves; He walks among them like a man and as Father of eternity teaches them to recognize their great and eternal destiny.
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In this way everything is now in the best order, and it now depends solely on us people to apply the recommended measures painstakingly so that the great twofold goal is reached, namely: The child has recognized its eternal, true Father, looks at Him exalted with loving eyes and is delighted in Him beyond measure; and the Father also is delighted beyond measure because He is no longer alone but in the brightest light among His children who recognize and praise Him, love Him above all and again and again marvel at His wondrous works which they highly admire, praising His infinite power and wisdom. And that must mean, for both the creator and the created being, an abundance of bliss. And that must then be filled with bliss for the creator and for the creation! - Have I judged that falsely or correctly?"