"We should remember that this life is scarcely more than an accident of our being—that it is no part of ourselves, who are immortal; that we are immortal spirits, independent of time and space, and that this life is but a sort of outward stage, on which we act for a time, and which is only sufficient and only intended to answer the purpose of trying whether we will serve God or no.
We should consider ourselves to be in this world in no fuller sense than players in any game are in the game; and life to be a sort of dream, as detached and as different from our real eternal existence, as a dream differs from waking; a serious dream, indeed, as affording a means of judging us, yet in itself a kind of shadow without substance, a scene set before us, in which we seem to be, and in which it is our duty to act just as if all we saw had a truth and reality, because all that meets us influences us and our destiny.
It is this view of life, which removes from us all surprise and disappointment that it is so incomplete: as well might we expect any chance event which happens in the course of it to be complete, any casual conversation with a stranger, or the toil or amusement of an hour. These are suitable feelings towards this attractive but deceitful world."
John Henry Newman,
The Greatness and Littleness of Human Life, 23 Oct 1836
"He became what we are, that he might make us what he is."
Athanasius of Alexandria
"The glory of God is the human being, fully alive; and the humanity of a person is found reflected in the glory of God."
Irenaeus of Lyons
"It is fair to question the notion that our bodies are temporary; in fact, the popularity among Christians of the
‘you are a soul, but you have a body’ sentiment, stripped of any nuance or context, indicates that a robust defense of the theology of the body is needed. But nothing is more universal than death, and it is understandable that this quotation was, and is, widespread because people want to be assured of their future. Christians need to be mindful, however, that they are embodied creatures with the promise of an embodied resurrection. Jesus incarnated in a body and resurrected with a body, so Christians should be careful about minimizing their own."
Hannah Peckham,
C. S. Lewis Never Said It
Newman is not denying the reality of our own incarnation, at all. That would be a danger of falling into a kind of Gnostic or Manichean dualism. What he is doing is placing us in the context of our relationship with the world itself, which is passing.
Speaking of 'passing,' former Nasdaq high flier Novavax gave a surprise 'going concern' warning after the bell, which shocked their share price sharply lower, and took the equity futures down as well.
I think that Novavax is down something like 95% from its 2021 high.
Stocks traded weakly today.
Gold and silver caught a bounce.
A huge 310,000 ounces of gold passed through the Hong Kong warehouses the other day.
Maybe they are using it for balloon ballast?
Nothing is too fantastic for 'very serious people' to speculate about anymore.
The Dollar edged a little higher.
Have a pleasant evening.
