"The Prophet Isaiah proclaims 'The grass withers, the flower fades,' yet, in the same breath, he assures us that the word of God stands forever, (Isa 40:8) a word that brings joy to all people (Lk 2:10). Here we are faced with a paradox of the Christian life: we are called to live joyfully in a wasteland; to gaze on the lilies of the field, and yet to long for something more (cf. Matt 6:28-33). The Gospel is a call to rejoice, but not in illusion; the Gospel is a call to enchantment.
"C.S. Lewis lived in war-weary England,
yet he writes as one living in the 'shadowland,' a world pointedly
imperfect, but pointing to something more. While others were growing
disillusioned, betrayed by the promises of progress, Lewis was growing
enchanted - learning to acknowledge the world's sorrows, while embracing
the good that remains. . . . "
In a recent commentary based on C. S. Lewis' essay, "Talking about Bicycles," Brother Augustine Mary Buckner, O.P.,
reflected four "Ages of Enchantment" that may serve as a roadmap for living Christian joy "here in the shadowlands."
To access Br. Augustine's complete post, please visit:
Dominicana: Christian Enchantment (31 JAN 23)
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