Perhaps it may turn out a sang,
Perhaps turn out a sermon.

-- R. Burns Epistle to a Young Friend

Monday, November 21, 2011

Why It Depends on Faith

That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. – Romans 4:16-17

I started re-reading C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces yesterday, but I did not get very far.  I was sidetracked almost immediately from what may be the best fiction Lewis ever wrote -- if you can call it fiction.  I was drawn away by the hook that is the principal difference between the traditional story of Cupid and Psyche and the Lewis version.  In an afterword to the book, the master explains in his own words:  The central alteration in my own version Psyche’s palace invisible to normal, mortal eyes – if “making” is not the wrong word for something which forced itself upon me, almost at my first reading of the story, as the way the thing must have been. 

When I say something critical of those who have trouble with faith, I am speaking mostly of myself.  I often struggle and complain that so much depends upon faith, upon trusting the Unseen when the Seen thrusts its ugly mug into my face, filling and overwhelming my natural vision.  I want a clear path to a known destination, preferably with the occasional angelic visitation to guide, direct, and confirm.  I would like to see my calling written in the sky, even if it is only “Plow Corn”.  At least I would know.  I don’t like looking foolish, despite knowing that “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise”.

Sight, though, negates faith, and without faith there can be no grace, just as without grace there can be no faith.  These are the head and the tail of the coin. 

It was the same with Psyche as with Adam; as it was with Adam so it is with me.  We are content with simply who we are and the faith of unknowing until, as Paul says, the commandment comes.  The role the law plays is paradoxical.  It enables us to know in part the great Good that meets us in the dark, but it also tempts us.  The human mind can hardly resist the impulse to taste the fruit, to pull back the veil, to light the lamp, to rattle the present under the tree.  We want to know, not merely accept.  Sin comes alive, and we insist on looking upon that which faith forbids.  Christ makes possible our restoration, but we always have to accept a certain amount of uncertainty.  He leaves us free to imagine, free to fill in the blanks.

Why?  That is how we know and become what we are meant to be.  Psyche filled the darkness with beauty and love.  Her jealous sisters filled it with horror and evil.  The difference lies in who is doing the picturing.  Psyche was right.  I think if her sister had been in Psyche's place, the sister might have been right as well.  Even for Psyche the truth was more beautiful and wondrous than the soul could imagine, at its best.  But to look upon it by man’s light is to lose it.  It is better to await the unveiling. 

I think, perhaps, we will come back to this and review Till We Have Faces in detail at some point.  For now, though, imagine a classically beautiful woman, a Venus, someone perhaps like Ingrid Bergman or Grace Kelly.  Suppose one day this beautiful woman wakes and realizes that, though she can attract any man she desires, they are all drawn to her physical beauty.  She seeks true love, love that does not turn on appearances.  In an effort to find her heart’s desire, she disguises herself by mitigating her beauty and goes, in effect, veiled into the world looking for someone true.  It is the plot of thousand tales, though the protagonist may sometimes be a male of wealth or position.    We are drawn to that story because it connects with something in ourselves.  At some level we know this recapitulates what God is doing in calling upon us to know Him and love Him by faith. 

For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

10 comments:

julie said...

I've never read that one, but think I'll have to, now. The story of Cupid and Psyche is so rich, it would be great to see what C.S. Lewis has done with it.

It enables us to know in part the great Good that meets us in the dark, but it also tempts us. The human mind can hardly resist the impulse to taste the fruit, to pull back the veil, to light the lamp, to rattle the present under the tree. We want to know, not merely accept.

I'm reminded again of the much-discussed quote at OC from last year, "to be long multiple is to be deeply one." Another way of saying that it is better to have patience and await the unveiling.

One more story along those lines is that of Orpheus and Eurydice, though their ending was a much less happy one.

mushroom said...

It is good, and one of Lewis' best works. It is surprisingly "gritty", yet it really soars at times.

I admire Lewis greatly but his fiction could be clunky as in the Space Trilogy. The worst offender is probably Perelandra, but Lewis at his worst is entertaining if not always sublime.

julie said...

Yes, agreed re. Perelandra. Try as I might, I don't think I ever made it all the way through that one, and as a result I don't think I've ever read the last one, either. Or if I had, they don't stick in my mind. I like Out of the Silent Planet, though.

mushroom said...

That Hideous Strength is not as bad as Perelandra but OOTSP is easily the best. It's really where you get all the good science fiction ideas, and some interesting theology, too.

Since Jupiter has been bright in the evening sky, and especially earlier when I would see it rising over the trees, I sometimes think of how impressive it must look from Mars.

julie said...

I've been reading it the last few days. I love this one; thanks for mentioning it.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Mushroom!

robinstarfish said...

Amen to all that...and Happy Thanksgiving, Mush!

mushroom said...

Thank you.

I hope your Thanksgiving is a little less stressful than mine. Since we are global, not everyone is off today. Some of our people in Europe and Mexico are pressing for some fixes. Thus I am working. Fortunately most of the family had other plans so only my wife is mad at me.

julie said...

Ours is easy this year; we're visiting, not hosting, and the in-laws are wonderful at family gatherings. Sorry to hear you have to work! I hope at least someone saves a plate for you!

julie said...

Hey, congrats on making the sidebar over at American Digest! Your comment also made Freeburg's Best sentence list. And might I add, well said!

mushroom said...

Wow. I just thought it was kind of cute.