Daily Meditation: Thursday, December 27, 2012

Joy, the greatest - is to create, for we draw closer to the very essence of God

12/27/2012

There are various situations in which we may experience joy, but it is in the act of creation that we feel the greatest joy, because when we create we draw closer to the very essence of God. God creates, and since he made human beings in his image, they too are capable of creating. Of course, there is no comparison between human creations and divine creation, but the principle is no different – humans create, as does God. And since the greatest joy is to be found in the act of creation, it is given to artists to experience the greatest joys. ‘And what about scholars and mystics?’ you may ask. To the extent that scholars and mystics are creators, they can of course experience as great a joy as any artist. You will object that you have known many unhappy artists. Yes, of course, but you have to understand that when we speak of joy for an artist, it is the joy that comes from the fact of creating, the joy bestowed by the very act of creation. And ‘artist’ can also mean any human being who creates something with their hands, or with their feelings, wishes or thoughts.