74.  Retreats from Darkness.

Dearly Beloved,

I don't watch a lot of television, and although I enjoy the odd thriller, especially spy thrillers, seeing violence on screen makes me most uncomfortable. What I have noticed is that there are now many series of adventure stories, but as these TV series progress the writers seem to run out of inspiration and the result is that each sequential episode become darker, and often more violent, than the one before. This seems to have happened even in what should be innocent series, like Harry Potter. In the first episode I was charmed by the plot and the imagination shown in setting the story out, especially the flexible bus taking Harry to platform seven and a half at the railway station on his way to school.

In later episodes the plots darken and one is left with stories which remind one of the classic battle between good and evil, a dualism which was a problem for Christianity in its early years. Around 500 AD St Augustine of Hippo broke with the Manicheans and pointed out to his erstwhile leader Mani, that if as Mani preached, God is always fighting and cannot overcome the forces of evil, then he cannot be God but must be a mere god or less. Much earlier Irenaeus (130-200AD) busily wrote against the same problem in Gnostic Christianity. God is by definition Omnipotent.

I have written quite a number of letters to the Dearly Beloved, but now find that I am suffering the same problem as that suffered by the writers of thrillers. I find myself becoming more concerned with the dark conflicts between human beings. The Archangel Michael in all his splendour, spearing the devil is a brilliant and helpful image of good overcoming evil.

Then there is prayer. One of the most interesting aspects of the Orthodox Christian tradition, is its contemplative tradition most famously enshrined in the repetition of the Jesus Prayer, the phrase” “Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”. It can also be reduced to “Christ have mercy upon me” or other shortening. Repetition of this prayer allows a change in perspective and I find that it will focus my consciousness away from the egotism which makes me vulnerable to becoming mentally entwined in the darker aspects of life.

Another useful phrase in prayer is “Be still and know that I am God”. That occurs in Psalm 46:10. It is deal for the modern world where we are beset with busyness and lack moments of quiet and stillness. In context the original phrase is associated with God making wars to cease (is that enforcing peace?) and asserting His primacy. Perhaps it is good as a preliminary to the Jesus prayer, to cool down, stop rushing about and focus on the riches that the Holy Spirit can dispense to us hapless humans if we only give Him the chance.

Peace and Grace to you,

Paul.

Completed 13 December 2021.

Photo: Paul Munton.

Suppressing his Ego, The Admiral of Admirals, George of Antioch, prostrates himself before the Virgin Mary, a mosaic in the Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio  in Palermo , Sicily where he is buried (c 1151 AD)." 

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