We all have our weaknesses! And - after decades, centuries, of developing The System - the Antichrist spirit has something to lure everyone.
I am intensely aware of this nowadays, with the ramping-up of evil in the world: a greater dominance by evil-motivated persons, their ideology more widely and deeply spread by the media and bureaucracies; more passively obeyed and passionately endorsed by the mass majority...
One of my weaknesses is on display just here: explaining social trends, thereby trying to define, understand and predict The System; thereby increasing my attention and involvement.
Following which; I become an advocate and defender of my latest 'model' of what-is-happening/ what-will-happen - despite that even the best model is always wrong (because a model is always - by its nature - grossly simplified and distorted compared with reality).
On the other hand, through the Gospels and Paul's Letters - as well as the teaching of the Holy Ghost, it is clear that we shouldn't be thinking this way - or, at least, if we do so think this way, it ought to be done lightly and without attachment.
Mostly we actually spend our lives alternating between worries and schemes for the future, and nostalgia and regrets about the past: oscillating between anticipation and memory.
But mostly we need (as always) to try and live here-and-now in the context of eternity: to live in the present and life-everlasting.
There are many snares of many kinds intending to stop this; but if we know what we ought to do, we can at least repent our (inevitable) failures and keep trying...
And that is something anybody can accomplish - if they wish; and (for salvation, albeit not for theosis) it is all that Jesus requires of us, after all.
That's very astute and perceptive, Bruce. The fact that you can see so clearly into your weaknesses suggests to me that the Evil One will have a tough time steering you down the path he wants you to go. I have often wondered, if you don't mind me saying - and I may have already suggetaed this somewhere - if the temptation of Denethor might not be your potential problem area. After all, he spends more time than anyone studying the enemy's systems and stratagems. It doesn't work out well for Denethor, of course, and his succumbing to despair very nearly spells doom for Gondor and the whole world. If only he had looked as deeply into himself - how own heart, his own motivations - as he looked into the Palantir! You are looking deeply into yourself though and thinking more in the round about the Enemy and the traps he lays. That's the difference,
ReplyDeleteI've been forced by virus-related matters to look unflinchingly into myself too. My weaknesses are legion. I'm preparing a piece at the moment on this very topic.
@John - My understanding of Denethor's motivations is that he equated life-worth-living with the survival of Gondor, but was less concerned by eth nature of that Gondor. He was loyal to the institution's name rather than its character - so he would have been happy for Gondor to rule the world with the help of the ring; *even though* that 'Gondor' would have been 'in name only' and actually have become merely another name for Mordor, and he himsefl would be Steward by name, but in actuality a version of Sauron.
ReplyDeleteHe already 'knew' based on extensive but incomplete information that Gondor could not withstand Mordor. But when Denethor discovered that he might have had the opportunity to obtain the one ring, but that his own son had instead allowed it to be sent into Mordor (where he assumed it would inevitably be captured by Sauron) - this combination of possibility, then the denial of what he saw as that last chance, was what drove him to madness and despair.
Despair for Denethor happened because his attitude was Gondor (almost at any price) or Nothing - and when Gonder was sure to fall, he chose nothing.
Of course, underlying this, but denied, was Denethor's personal and sinful desire for power.
That's my understanding of Denethor; and I must admit that I can't see it in myself!
What is more prone to induce despair in me is that 'Gondor' - i.e. all the institutions I once loved, have already become outposts of 'Mordor', so I am left bereft of what were once institutional sources of some living goodness and power, and therefore encouragement. I need to remind myself that I don't really need any institution, therefore universal corruption is not really a barrier to salvation and theosis.
God provides *all* that is *necessary* - for everyone.
What Denethor didn't have but we do is the knowledge that God, the good, truth, love cannot be defeated, however grim things become in this world. Your point, Bruce, that Gondor has become Mordor is so true and would be cause for despair if we didn't know that everything good about Gondor remains inviolate in the heavenly world. "My Kingdom is not of this world" Perhaps one day it will be but that day is not yet.
ReplyDelete@William - "the good, truth, love cannot be defeated, however grim things become in this world." - is of course something I strongly agree-with.
ReplyDeleteBut a point worth adding is that I think some Christians assume/ believe that The Church (their church) cannot be defeated in this world (quoting a scrap or two of scripture to - supposedly - prove this). However, from what I see and to the best of my discernment (but I don't expect everyone to agree because of that!) all the major churches have *already* been defeated in this world, in this mortal life.
"everything good about Gondor remains inviolate in the heavenly world" - Yes, this is the proper basis of our Christian hope - not a supposed divine guarantee that The Church (and church) is immune to net-corruption.
Of course, there remains much that is good (indeed excellent) in several or many churches, especially at the lower levels of hierarchy and among laity; but a belief in the supernatutally protected overall/ core integrity of churches, seems to be becoming a major weapon in the hands of Antichrist.
This is the nub of this post:
ReplyDelete"What is more prone to induce despair in me is that 'Gondor' - i.e. all the institutions I once loved, have already become outposts of 'Mordor', so I am left bereft of what were once institutional sources of some living goodness and power, and therefore encouragement. I need to remind myself that I don't really need any institution, therefore universal corruption is not really a barrier to salvation and theosis."
As I think about things that have been important to me, or that I've looked up to, your first sentence is true of all of them in varying degrees - but mostly entirely or very far gone. So I have to count on the discernment in your second sentence.
As for the churches, and in my case the Catholic Church, we have the promise that the gates of Hell shall not prevail. But that leads to the dilemma you point out:
"Of course, there remains much that is good (indeed excellent) in several or many churches, especially at the lower levels of hierarchy and among laity; but a belief in the supernaturally protected overall/core integrity of churches, seems to be becoming a major weapon in the hands of Antichrist."
As long as the remnant you refer to endures, Antichrist does not prevail. He only wins in the end by taking all, and that ultimately is not a possibility. Which is not to say that we are not all, individually, on a knife-edge.