Biblical messages often proceed from historical incidents, but the actual message is independent of communicating those events with perfect factual accuracy. Any good writer knows that!
That quote is boiled down from a lengthy paragraph in Fr Richard's Daily Meditation of January 10, 2017. The paragraph was about learning spiritual truths (a.k.a., midrash) for our own understanding. It ended with: Midrash allowed and encouraged each listener to grow with a text and not to settle for mere literalism, which of itself bears very little spiritual fruit.
Words cannot convey how happy I was when first I read those words. I felt like the caged bird, released...free to fly!
See, I exaggerate. According to me, literal truth can be wholly spoken in less than two minutes and still have folks yawning.
I do not think it out...it is just that when I share something I saw, thought, heard, I just open my mouth and whatever thought is sitting there pops out dressed in diamonds and pearls or mud and less than mud. Just not literal truth.
About the quote, the sentence that meant the most to me...big surprise...was the one justifying less than perfect factual accuracy, specifically when followed by, Any good writer knows that! Oh my yes!, and yes again!
Notice the date was from Fr Richard's post in 2017. I saved it along with my words, "Brian Williams and I?"
That was back when Williams was demoted for exaggerating his reports. Before the hammer fell on him, I recall thinking his reporting was enhanced by his telling, but apparently, some rigid, righteous and right folks were less than impressed. Not to parade my prejudice.
When I began this post, I was thinking about self-acceptance...specifically, accepting our less-than ways. Exaggerating is probably one of mine, but I'm good with it. There was a time, when being perfect was a goal, that I tried...really hard...to speak literal truth or not at all. The only thing that came from that was my feeling like a failure...again.
I talked with God about it...he got a good laugh, and I got free. She exaggerated.
Thank you.
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