Preparing the Soul

At this point in my life, I've never felt more certain of my purpose for being, for existing, for living - however one wishes to put it. It is to prepare my soul for Heaven. Yes, with fear and trembling, but also with confidence in Mercy. God's Mercy.

At this point in my life, I've also never felt more weak. Everything I endeavor to carry out appears to be fragile and arbitrary. However I'm deeply living the lesson of what Jesus meant when He said to be like children if we desire to enter the Kingdom of God. I always thought it was because children are 'innocent'. It isn't. It is because children are born with the inherent ability to trust their parents. Sin weakens this trust, but children hold onto it tenaciously. They trust to varying degrees, but it is there.

As 'wise' adults, we regularly toss aside this virtue on a daily basis. Despite the longing God has to gift it to us and help sustain us through our day, and then in the long haul as we hope for Heaven, we stay in the pathetic shallows. We are determined to be self sufficient.

Whats more, this trust seems to thrive in humility. The kind that says despite the feebleness in my soul and the sense of hobbling along, I have complete confidence in God to pick me up and take me where I will be closest to Him this side of Heaven.

G. K Chesterton writes in Orthodoxy:

The old humility was a spur that prevented a man from stopping; not a nail in his boot that prevented him from going on. For the old humility made a man doubtful about his efforts, which might make him work harder. But the new humility makes a man doubtful about his aims, which will make him stop working altogether.

At the start of this, I said I've never been more certain of my purpose for being. I will never be doubtful about my aims, little and big. I'm endeavoring to gain the trust that St Therese had. I'm going to keep picking up myself so that God can me moving on the right path.

Thank you Mary for hosting Weekends with Chesterton. Go to Better Than Eden to find more Chestertonian wisdom.

Weekends with Chesterton: Logic vs Poetry

From Orthodoxy:

Poetry is sane because it floats easily in an infinite sea;  reason seeks to cross the infinite sea, and so make it finite. The result is mental exhaustion, like the physical exhaustion of Mr. Holbein. To accept everything is an exercise, to understand everything a strain. The poet only desires exaltation and expansion, a world to stretch himself in. The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits.

Poetry is such an essential service to mankind. It gives voice to the divine liturgy where we seek to understand God better, and draw close to Him. In other places, it takes a mystery and shines a light on it, making it a mystical experience (try reading St John of the Cross). 

On a personal level, poetry keeps me human - and this quote from Chesterton perfectly illustrates it.

Weekends with Chesterton: A Christmas Carol

I'm thrilled to be able to join you all - thank you Sarah for starting this! I discovered Chesterton recently and haven't read too much. I love that he is a writer in so many genres and as a lover of poetry, I have been thrilled to use some of his poems for my personal edification as well as for memory work with my son. One of my personal favorites is this one:

A Christmas Carol

The Christ-child lay on Mary's lap,

His hair was like a light.

(O weary, weary were the world,

But here is all aright.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary's breast,

His hair was like a star.

(O stern and cunning are the kings,

But here the true hearts are.)

The Christ-child lay on Mary's heart,

His hair was like a fire.

(O weary, weary is the world,
But here the world's desire.)

The Christ-child stood at Mary's knee,
His hair was like a crown,
And all the flowers looked up at him,
And all the stars looked down.

G. K. Chesterton

Doesn't this poem speak as clearly as ever to us now as it has in all history? The world is wearied by the burden of it's sins, and more than ever, we are all wearied from the onslaught of constant media. The stimulation of such varied forms of media regularly distract our hearts and minds from Christ in his first, second and third comings. I particularly love the parts in parentheses. How true are the words, "but here the world's desire"; and how sad that few realize it. Finally, all creation looked to Christ's first coming. The last stanza has simple, perfect words to demonstrate this. I too, as His creation, look at Him with the sense of wonder and awe that Chesterton espoused to his contemporaries and to us today.