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We stand in the middle, with arms raised, between heaven and earth.

We offer what we have been given by God to the world.

We offer the praise of the world back to God.

We are created to be priests.

Like priests offering the bread and wine to the Church, we offer the beautiful kingdom rule to the world.

Like priests offering the prayers and worship to God, we offer the praise of creation to the Creator.

We stand in the middle, unique among all of God’s creation.

Not better.

There are many who critique the Church for claiming that humanity is better, more important, more the center than any of the rest of creation.

The idea of better leads to much of the abuse of creation all around us.

We are not better than the rest of creation.

We are, in fact, the only piece of creation actively rejecting God.

Definitely not better.

Yet we are unique.

We are a hybrid of material and spiritual, of visible and invisible.

Animals have a living body, but not a rational soul.

Angels have a rational soul, but not a living body.

Humans are a microcosm of creation.

We are the only creation to contain the whole.

Not because of any merit on our part, but because that is the way we were created.

We stand in the middle

Arms outstretched

Mediating between heaven and earth.

Doing our best to imitate the Man who remained whole.

Art credits: Solomon Dedicates the Temple by Tissot; Three Crosses Sketch by Rembrandt; all other photographs copyright Made Sacred 2019