Daily Meditation: Tuesday, June 17, 1997

It is in the act of creation that human beings experience …

06/17/1997

It is in the act of creation that human beings experience the greatest joy, because it is then that they come closest to the very essence of God. God is a creator, and human beings, who are made in the image of God, are also creators. Of course the creations of human beings cannot be compared with those of God, but it doesn't matter, in principle there is no difference: like God, the human being is a creator. And since the greatest joy is to create, it has therefore been given to artists to taste the greatest joys. ‘And what about mystics,' you might ask, ‘and scholars?' To the extent that scholars and mystics are creators, they of course may be as happy as artists. You may argue that you have known many unhappy artists. Yes, but you must understand that when we speak of the happiness of artists, it means that at the moment they create, in the very act of creation, they are truly happy. And by the word artist, we imply any human being in the act of creation.