Soiled Light

Let the mind rest at peace.

The ten thousand things rise and fall

while the Self watches their return.

They grow and flourish

and then return to the source.

Returning to the source is stillness,

which is the way of nature.

The way of nature is unchanging.

Knowing this brings enlightenment.

Not knowing this leads to disorder.

Knowing the constant, the mind is open.

With an open mind, you will be open-hearted.

Being open-hearted, you act royally.

Being royal, you attain the divine.

Being divine, you will be at one with the Tao.

Being at one with the Tao is eternal.

I will kindle the light through mercy, kindness, and forgiveness.

I will shelter the light where good flourishes, standing against wickedness.

I will preserve my own light through joy, beauty, and song.

Theme: Not that Jesus alone is divine, but that Jesus reveals the path by which all humanity may become fully united with God.

1. Genesis: The Divine Image as Our Origin

> “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness...”

— Genesis 1:26

Starting Point: Humans are created with an inherent connection to God.

Implication: To be human is to mirror or participate in God’s nature (life, wisdom, love).

2. Psalm 82 and Jesus' Reference

> “I said, ‘You are gods, children of the Most High, all of you.’”

— Psalm 82:6

> “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’...”

— John 10:34–35

Jesus draws from a Jewish mystical tradition that sees divine potential in human beings.

He doesn’t deny his divinity—instead, he extends the category to others who reflect God.

3. Jesus as the Image of God and New Adam

> “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation...”

— Colossians 1:15

> “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.”

— 1 Corinthians 15:49

Jesus is the template, not the exception.

In him, we see the destiny of humanity—to bear divine likeness fully.

4. John 17: Unity as Participation

> “That they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us...”

— John 17:21

Unity is not just moral; it’s ontological—a shared life, like branches in the Vine (John 15).

Jesus prays that his divine relationship becomes our reality.

5. 2 Peter 1:4 — Theosis Named Explicitly

> “He has given us... precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature...”

This is perhaps the clearest biblical expression of theosis.

Salvation = participation, not mere transaction.

6. Early Church Fathers: Theosis Articulated

> St. Athanasius (c. 296–373):

“God became man so that man might become god.”

> St. Gregory of Nyssa:

“The goal of a virtuous life is to become like God.”

> St. Irenaeus (2nd century):

“The glory of God is a human being fully alive; and the life of man is the vision of God.”

These weren’t fringe ideas—they were core theology in the East.

Jesus reveals and initiates what is possible for all.

7. Mystical and Modern Echoes

Meister Eckhart (13th century) – Christian mystic:

> “The eye with which I see God is the same eye with which God sees me.”

Gregory Palamas (14th century) – Hesychast theologian:

> “Through grace, we become by participation what God is by nature.”

Richard Rohr – Contemporary Franciscan:

> “Jesus didn't come to change God's mind about us—he came to change our minds about God, and about ourselves.”

[Genesis]

↓

Humans made in God's image

[Jesus of Nazareth]

↓

Perfect image of God — fully human, fully united with divine will

[John 17 / 2 Peter 1]

↓

Invitation to join that unity — to "partake in the divine nature"

[Church Fathers]

↓

Theosis becomes central Christian doctrine in the East

[Mystics & Modern Voices]

↓

Rediscovery of the divine spark within all humanity

Summary:

What’s striking is how rare that is, even across cultures. In the ancient Roman world, pity was weakness. In Confucian thought, virtue came through order and hierarchy—not through identifying with the lowly. Hinduism and Buddhism value compassion, but their paths focus on detachment, not self-sacrifice. Many indigenous cultures prize balance and community, but Jesus made love for the outsider—especially the rejected and unworthy—the center of his vision. Even within Judaism, while compassion and justice are foundational, Jesus went further by extending divine love to enemies and turning shame into honor.