Sunday, March 23, 2008

C.S. Lewis Transformation, Part 3

READING 3, FROM THE GREAT DIVORCE (Continued from Parts 1 and 2, below.)

The NEW-MADE MAN turned and clasped the new horse's neck . It nosed the man's bright body. Horse and master breathed each into the other's nostrils.

The man turned from it, flung himself at the feet of the Burning One, and embraced them.

When he rose I thought his face shone with tears, but it may have been only the liquid love and brightness---one cannot distinguish them in that country---which flowed from him. I had not long to think about it.

In joyous haste the young man leaped upon the horse's back. Turning in his seat he waved a farewell, then nudged the stallion with his heels. They were off before I knew well what was happening.

I came out as quickly as I could from among the bushes to follow them with my eyes; but already they were only like a shooting star far on the green plain, and soon among the foothills of the mountains.



Then, still like a star, I saw them winding up, scaling what seemed impossible steeps and quicker every moment, till near the dim brow of the landscape, so high that I must strain my neck to see them, they vanished, bright themselves, into the rose-brightness of that everlasting morning.

While I still watched, I noticed that the whole plain and forest were shaking with a sound which in our world would be too large to hear, but there I could take it with joy. I knew it was not the Solid People who were singing. It was the voice of the earth, those woods and waters of that land that rejoiced to have been once more ridden and therefore consummated, in the person of the horse. It sang,

"The Master says to our master, Come up! Share my rest and splendour till all natures that were your enemies become slaves to dance before you and backs for you to ride, and firmness for your feet to rests on!

"From beyond all place and time, out of the very Place, authority will be given you: the strengths that once opposed your will shall be obedient fire in your blood and heavenly thunder in your voice.

"Overcome us that , so overcome, we may be ourselves: we desire the beginning of your reign as we desire dawn and dew, wetness at the birth of light.

"Master, your Master has appointed you for ever, to be our King of Justice and our high Priest."

*********

"you understand all this, my Son?" said the Teacher.

"I don't know about all, Sir." said I. "Am I right in thinking the Lizard really turned into the Horse?"

"Aye, But it was killed first. Ye'll not forget that part of the story?"

"I'll try not to, Sir. But does it mean that everything that is in us can go on to the Mountains?"

"Nothing, not even the best and the noblest, can go on as it now is. Nothing, not even the lowest and most bestial will not be raised if it submits to death. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. Flesh and blood cannot come to the Mountains. Not because they are too rank, but because they are too weak. What is a lizard compared with a stallion? Lust is a poor, weak, whimpering, whispering thing compared with the richness and energy of desire which will arise when lust has been killed."

"But am I to tell them at home that this man's sensuality proved less of an obstacle than that poor woman's love for her son? For that was, at any rate, an excess of love?"

"Ye'll tell them no such thing!" he replied sternly. "Excess of love, did you say? There was no excess of love. There was defect of love. She loved her son too little, not too much. If she had loved him more there'd be no difficulty.....I do not know how her affair will end. But it may well be that at this moment she's demanding to have him down with her in Hell. That kind of love is sometimes perfectly ready to plunge the soul they say they love in endless misery if only they can still in some fashion possess it.

"No, no. Ye must draw another lesson. Ye must ask, if the risen body even of appetite is as grand a horse as ye saw, what would the risen body of maternal love, or friendship be......"


Thank you Lord Jesus, for making transformtion truly possible for us sinners who accept you and the finished work you did for us on the Cross. Thank you for allowing us sinners to share in your suffering and thereby be transformed in the process. Help us to remember that transformation by your Holy Spirit is never painless or easy. But it is always, always infinitely worth it in the long run. Bless us and keep us and Make your Face to shine upon us forever. Amen

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