Friday, February 19, 2010

Quote for the day


I have been reading a lot of C.S. Lewis this year. I always loved the Chronicles, and the Screwtape Letters, but I am amazed at his understanding of our relationship with God, and each other. Here is one of my favorite passages:


"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you say it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nighmare. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations....There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations--these are mortal and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit--immortal horrors or everlasting splendours....Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses." C. S.Lewis , "The Weight of Glory"


I wish I could remember this every minute of my life! Especially when I am tired, out of patience, and my children want one more drink of water, or one more spread of the blankie, or "she is copying me"!!! I am afraid I don't treat them with much reverence at that point...I am too busy trying not to kill them! But I guess just not killing them is not enough, I must not WANT to kill them! :) Perhaps reverence will come with the next forty years of experience!

4 comments:

Brenda said...

Tami, that is so true. All of it. I need to read C.S. Lewis more often. We think of you guys often. Especially when we drive past the old (and condemned) apartments. Oh and also Jiyhun Knudsen says 'Hello' back. In fact, Molly is over at her house right now playing. Small world!

Melody said...

*sigh* As I read this, one of my little angels is in the corner, having just been spanked. We learn as we go, right? What a great quote!

The Cheezy Burgers said...

I loved the quote, and then I almost wet myself when I read, "I must not WANT to kill them!", Amen, Amen, Amen, with three kids and another on the way....I know the feeling. Love is definatley screamed in my house...and by all four of us girls. Poor John.

Helena said...

We just recently read Till We Have Faces for book club. Have you read that one?