We are all asked on some level by our own soul, what is the purpose of life, what is the purpose of my life? Purpose is not entirely up to the individual. It is something that finds us, that calls to us. It is not born in the reasoning parts of our mind, however much we may think or reason about it. It’s deeper than that. 

We all want to believe that we are here for a purpose, all of us except the hopeless and desperate nihilist. Modern man must go searching for answers because he does not live on bread alone and never has. There is more than is currently offered in western and eastern contemporary philosophy and religion. A high yearning is hidden within all for beauty and truth beyond what we can comprehend. God is more than an idea, a concept, something we read about. 

The ancient christian tradition teaches that the true purpose of life is to achieve theosis. If man is made in the image of God like Genesis 1 claims, then the value of human life transcends the material world of space, matter, and time. This divine value also creates an equally transcendent responsibility that we then must strive after: Living up to the image we bear which is a perfect Creator full of love. That is theosis. Being who we were made to be from the beginning, that is purpose fulfilled. 

But mankind lost their qualifications when the image they bore was darkened. In the garden, man and woman were deceived by the serpent into believing that they could become like God if they ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Ego, or pride, corrupted us to choose our way and disobey God. Yes, we became wise, but this wisdom brought the painful realization of our vulnerabilities that resulted in the shame that pushed man to hide from God. This is the same ego that leads to divorce, murder, and anger. 

Egotism is a corruption of love when it is oriented away from God and toward the self. We live in a time that says focus on yourself. That merely exacerbates the issue. We are not enough on our own. The human race could have been taught to become morally better by the philosophers, the self help gurus, or by the prophets. Being morally better is not the point, the human heart becoming one with the heart of God is the point that is missed. We were no longer united with God. Moreover, reuniting is impossible without the God-man, Jesus Christ. 

We fell from grace into a sickness that we can’t heal on our own. Separated from God in Paradise and therefore our purpose. The need for a new man to redeem the fallen man was set into motion from the beginning and He was there in the beginning. If God had not taken flesh, man would not be able to become a god (little g) by Grace. Enter the Incarnation, 0 B.C, Bethlehem, Israel. Christ being made flesh and walking among men, yet without any corruption, makes a way for there to be permanent communion that man can not soil, if through repentance we turn to be healed. 

The icon called “Anastasis” or “Resurrection” is an image of this very redemptive act of love. Art has the ability to transcend language and communicate directly with the human heart. It does this best when you connect with the art and its creator through an understanding of the context that provides the depths where the meaning lay. It depicts Christ descending into the underworld to pull Adam and Eve out from their graves. The resurrection is not just of the Lord, but of mankind. Heavenly trumpets can almost be heard at the sight of this famous icon in every Orthodox church. 

With this perspective, anything short of theosis is settling for less. Not just for the individual, but for the whole. “We are becoming gods, but not yet” (Archimandrite George). Theosis is a humility fueled endeavor. Admitting you are not the center, but that Christ is, requires constant humility lest you fall into the gold plated trappings of self-sufficiency. Gratitude cultivates humility. Beyond that, gratitude and repentance are the weapons against egotism, anger, and even Satan himself. Theosis does not occur overnight though. Putting off the old man takes time, effort, and most of all — grace. There can only be so much in the heart of man. The struggle to uproot passions is one that is difficult and burdensome. But, it tills the soil of the heart so it has room for the divine. The creature undergoing theosis is not alone. Monks around the world are struggling by the side of the newly baptised. It is a struggle, but it is a worthy one.

There is only one Man through which theosis is possible. It’s a dynamic process in which there is a lot of mystery. The Holy Mysteries are a way that one gets to know and to experience God’s Grace. It is not becuase of the bread and wine alone, but the faith involved with such an act is the key ingredient for transformation. But, I don’t think they are the ONLY way to experience God’s Grace because, I myself have felt God’s grace in uncanny ways that are just as mysterious, but also outside of the liturgy of orthodoxy and even the Church. The thief on the cross points to God’s abundant mercy not dependent on institutions. He never had Holy Communion, was never baptized, and he was by no means righteous on his own account. However, he did have faith. Each of our journeys may be different, that’s okay. What will yours be?

References

Theosis: The true Purpose of Human Life by Archimandrite George