making of the universe: the sacrifice of the logos

2/20/18

“Thus this pouring out of His life into forms is part of the original sacrifice, and has in it the bliss of the eternal Father sending forth His offspring as separated lives, that each may evolve an identity that shall never perish, and yield its own note blended with all others to swell the eternal song of bliss, intelligence, and life.

This marks the essential nature of sacrifice, whatever other elements may become mixed with the central idea; it is the voluntary pouring out of life that others may partake of it, to bring others into life and to sustain them in it till they become self-dependent, and this is but one expression of divine joy.

There is always joy in the exercise of activity which is the expression of the power of the actor; the bird takes joy in the outpouring of song, and quivers with the mere rapture of the singing; the painter rejoices in the creation of his genius, in the putting into form of his idea;

*the essential activity of divine life must lie in giving, for there is nothing higher than itself from which it can receive; if it is to be active at all – and manifested life is active motion – it must pour itself out.*

*Hence the sign of the spirit is giving, for spirit is the active divine life in every form.*

But the essential activity of matter, on the other hand, lies in receiving; by receiving life-impulses it is organized into forms; by receiving them these are maintined; on their withdrawal they fall to pieces.

All its actvity is of this nature of receiving, and only by receiving can it endure as a form. Therefore is it always grasping, clinging, seeking to hold for its own;

the persistence of the form depends on its grasping and retentive power, and it will therefore seek to draw into itself all it can, and will grudge every fraction with which it parts.

Its joy will be in seizing and holding; to it giving is like counting death.”

 

Annie Besant