envious angels

i was watching Constantine the other night, and it caused me to think. Not to spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it, but basically towards the end you find that an angel decides to try bringing about hell on earth in a bizarre attempt to lead humanity toward a greater nobility that will make it worthy of God's love. Another movie with a slightly similar theme is Dogma, where 2 banished angels try actually ending all existence, and I think it's not an altogether unfamiliar theme in movies - angels trying to take the the fate of the world into their own hands because they apparently think that God is doing it all wrong.

One of the parts I appreciate most about Dogma is when Ben Affleck starts into a raving monologue about how humans can take for granted the fact that they can choose to ignore the longing in their souls for God, and they can choose to live the life they want to, but angels were created only to serve, to worship, to obey. He thinks it's not fair, that humanity is so precious to God and they are so undeserving. He chooses to defy God's decree of banishment and find a way back into heaven in an act of rebellion against his creator. In Constantine, Gabriel's complaint is along sort of the same lines. She claims that humanity is at its noblest when it is under the greatest amount of difficulty. She has seen as well that humanity does not deserve the grace that God pours out, and seeks to make them deserving through their suffering.

It's not a hard thing to see - we as humans get a pretty sweet deal. All we have to do is accept God's grace and we get a clean slate and entrance to heaven. All the angels that have come against God are now cursed forever, no chance for reprieve. It would seem indeed that we are the favored creation. I could understand why someone looking from an angel's point of view could think they get ripped off.

I think that what I like most about this theme of "human envy" by the angelic host is that it throws a bright light on the simple fact that we don't deserve what God did for us through his son, we don't deserve the regard and love and honor that we have been given. It's like a little prick to the heart each time I think of it - I have no business being considered a child of God, it's strictly based on God's decision, not my merit. It's a sweet pain, though - God has all of creation, the most wonderful and awesome things that his infinite creativity could imagine to give him pleasure and keep him company, and he chose me.