Adventurous Christianity
One of the things I love about G.K. Chesterton is his great sense of adventure. As you read his writings and drink in his wisdom, wit and reasonableness, you are struck by the thrill of his Christianity. Chesterton was a man who, metaphorically anyway, jumped on a horse and charged into life waving the banner of Christ and yelling his way into the fray with joyful abandon. His posed photographs tend not to give us the impression of this, but the many stories of his wit and exploits reveal this all too clearly.
Sullen Saints
St Teresa of Avila once wrote, 'God save us from sullen saints', and what an insight that was. There seems to be a trend, if I may call it that, where one's commitment to one's Christian faith is to be expressed in a dour orthodoxy rather than a joyful one: the practice of virtue, it seems, is that of a test that one must rise to with a 'funereal festivity'. Ironically the Saints were not dour, there was an extraordinary joyfulness in them, and in some of them even a mischievousness - note St Philip Neri and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, for example (and I would include Chesterton here, among the joyful saints). Mother Angelica of EWTN, though painted as an irritable and angry old woman by those who considered themselves her enemies, was anything but: her wit and mischievousness were infectious; she was never lost for a humorous comment. The Christian life is indeed one of death to oneself, of rising to new life and growing in holiness, but that death is one where we shake off the old self and who is to say that that shaking is not by means of a dance, a good rollicking tango where the miserable old sinner within is suddenly jerked into the way of holiness?
Christianity is an adventure as well as a pilgrimage - who says the two cannot be the same?Chesterton's famous quote, 'In Catholicism the pint, the pipe and the cross can all fit together' reveals a profound insight into the nature of orthodox Christianity - we can actually have our cake and eat it - depending on the flavour of the cake. When God declared to St Peter in the vision of Jaffa that all foods were clean, and Jesus spoke about uncleanliness coming from within, we were led to understand that this world and all its beauty were created for us and we should not push it away as pagan or evil. While there must be temperance and penance, and these are vital for growth in holiness and reparation for our sins, there is also, as St Teresa reminds us, a time for partridge. Indeed, if we constantly abstain and push away the gifts of God we may blind ourselves to his goodness.
There is a story from the life of St Teresa which I love. It may be apocryphal, but it fits her manner of holiness and wisdom. I used it my booklet on Self-Control for the Catholic Truth Society series on the fruits of the Holy Spirit, Living Fruitfully. I'll relate it here:
On one of their foundation journeys together, St John and St Teresa of Avila arrived at an inn and dismounted for refreshment and rest. After eating dinner the innkeeper, to treat the priest and nuns, brought them a plate of cakes. For whatever reason John declined, but Teresa launched right in, and as she was enjoying the treat announced, “Imagine, Frey Juan, seeing as these cakes are so good here on earth, what will they be like in heaven?”
The gifts of this earth point to the goodness of God and, albeit imperfectly, to what he has prepared for us in heaven. Life here can also be a celebration, and Christ endorsed that - he was no stranger to dinner parties and weddings, and when the conscientious Pharisees condemned him for this, and his disciples for not fasting, the Lord was quick to respond. The very image of heaven as a wedding banquet is an indication of where God stands on this issue, our lives here are to prepare for that eternal feast which, let's face it, beats the image of our sitting in clouds strumming harps.
The Riotous Pilgrimage
And so we are to bring to our Christianity a spirit of festivity, a joyfulness, an intrigue and a sense of adventure. As Catholics we love pilgrimages, and sometimes those pious journeys can be quite riotous. At the moment I am writing a biography of St Thomas Becket (hence the lean pickings on the blog), and one thing that is obvious when looking at the pilgrimages to Canterbury was the sense of celebration and joy. Geoffrey Chaucer gives us a good insight into this in his Canterbury Tales, and if you have read them you will know some of those tales do not come within an ass's roar of piety. The pilgrims to Canterbury were coming to pray and have a good time.
The pilgrims to the Holy Land in the Middle Ages may not have shared the same profligacy as their Canterbury counterparts. For many centuries, when the Holy Places were under Muslim rule, pilgrimage was a very risky affair and if one did not have a sense of adventure, then you would have been better staying at home. Tragically many lost their lives on the way to Jerusalem, and of those who made it, many were so impoverished by the needs of the journey and the heavy taxes placed on Christians visiting the city, they ended their lives as beggars on the streets of Jerusalem. Yet, those who took the risk to go on pilgrimage were happy to do so, it was an opportunity that was worth the risk.
That is something for us to think about: is our Christian life an opportunity which is worth the risk? Do we bring that spirit of adventure to how we live our lives as Christians? Do we approach the virtues as challenges to be met with gusto, our fasts as moments of grace and our feasts as celebrations of God's bounty to be enjoyed with relish? Do we reach out to the poor and see Christ in them, preparing to give even the last penny out of love and throwing our personal needs to the wind for now? In writing this I am conscious of my own failures in this regard. Thank God we are in Lent, this is the time for self-examination and resolutions.
The Reform of Joy
I think we need a good injection of adventurous Christianity in the Church today. I am heartened when I hear of so many young committed Catholics discovering Chesterton and lapping up his wisdom; I can only hope they will imbibe his saintly abandon with his wisdom and rational common sense. If they do, we will be laying a great foundation for the future - a solid foundation for the reform and renewal of the Church. The Church needs reform, Christians of every ideological hue agree on that, though those who paint themselves red think in terms of overturning systems and constructing new ones based, funnily enough, on the musings of a bland and joyless 19th century scholar. Meanwhile those who wrap themselves in blue see the need to turn back the clock, go back to the old way and everything will sort itself out.
True reform does not begin with systems, nor adherence to past practices: it begins in the heart of a Christian who makes a resolution to follow Christ and make the Gospel his way of life. Orthodoxy is vital since it is the expression of fidelity to the Word of God, but that fidelity must be infused with joy. Joy is the hallmark of authentic sanctity, it reveals a soul in communion with God, a soul at peace and a man or woman rejoicing in the freedom won for us by Christ. This joy opens our hearts to the truth aware that the truth does not threaten, but sets us free. That joy sees the reality of our situation - that we are sinners, but sinners not only with the hope of salvation but with access to the grace of God which can help bring us to salvation. And the sign that we have joy at the heart of our faith? An adventurous Christianity.
Now I know many will say that if we look at the Church today we will see that there is very little joy around. Things are a mess - I acknowledged that a few weeks ago in another post. In that I advised that we seek the grace to endure and we live our Christian lives in accordance with what Christ has said and what the Church has taught for two thousand years and to do so regardless of what some of our leaders are saying now. If others are unfaithful, we must be faithful just as Christ is faithful. But this endurance must not be one expressed through gritted teeth. It is one, I think, which must be lived with joy - a joy that emerges from knowing that this too will pass and all will be well and that Christ has already planted the seed of renewal and peace.
Gilbert Strikes Back
I sometimes ask myself what would Chesterton do if he were around today? Well, I think, first he would be writing about the faith (and related topics) and teaching the truth regardless of what some are preaching and teaching in the Church. He would have respect for the hierarchy, but he would also be aware of the weakness of its members and the need to pray for them, especially those who had gone astray and were leading others astray. He probably would be in the middle of various frays and being torn apart on Twitter by the usual suspects. Gilbert would be polite and lighthearted - he realised that the most important topics required the seriousness of levity. He would stand his ground and let the insults roll off him like water off a duck's back. And then he would have a pint, a smoke and a good meal with friends; tell jokes, read detective fiction and entrust the mess that is in the Church to God and Our Lady, and encourage the rest of us to do the same.
I do not think I am dismissing the problems the Church is facing today, but I think this is what Chesterton would do (and I could be wrong, and if I am, I am), and his reaction would be one based on faith, hope and joy. He would not let the misery of ideologues to destroy his discipleship which was rooted in the joy of knowing, loving and serving Christ. You could call that 'Gilbert Strikes Back!'
Brothers and sisters, we do live in dark days. The Church is being torn, the truth is being distorted by people who should know better, but the Church is elastic by grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, and she will return to form. No matter how much her careless children try to reshape her, she confounds them and calls them back in love. Part of that elasticity is joy and a sense of adventure implanted into the hearts of her faithful ones. Do not let the misery of ideology rob you of that joy. Face these challenges with a spirit of adventure because we now live in a time when a great evangelisation must happen. St John Paul II initiated the New Evangelisation, it has yet to get going in earnest. Perhaps what we are seeing is an attempt to kickback on that great programme of renewal. Well, we should not let that happen, but if we crease beneath the controversies, if we give in to anger or despair, if we forget that things can change so quickly and that that moment is in the kairos of God, then we are giving in. These times will make us holy, but God preserve us from becoming sullen saints tainted with the dirt of the struggle.
Friends, the chariots await; the adventure lies ahead. Time for a bit of pious mischief!
The Riotous Pilgrimage
And so we are to bring to our Christianity a spirit of festivity, a joyfulness, an intrigue and a sense of adventure. As Catholics we love pilgrimages, and sometimes those pious journeys can be quite riotous. At the moment I am writing a biography of St Thomas Becket (hence the lean pickings on the blog), and one thing that is obvious when looking at the pilgrimages to Canterbury was the sense of celebration and joy. Geoffrey Chaucer gives us a good insight into this in his Canterbury Tales, and if you have read them you will know some of those tales do not come within an ass's roar of piety. The pilgrims to Canterbury were coming to pray and have a good time.
The pilgrims to the Holy Land in the Middle Ages may not have shared the same profligacy as their Canterbury counterparts. For many centuries, when the Holy Places were under Muslim rule, pilgrimage was a very risky affair and if one did not have a sense of adventure, then you would have been better staying at home. Tragically many lost their lives on the way to Jerusalem, and of those who made it, many were so impoverished by the needs of the journey and the heavy taxes placed on Christians visiting the city, they ended their lives as beggars on the streets of Jerusalem. Yet, those who took the risk to go on pilgrimage were happy to do so, it was an opportunity that was worth the risk.
That is something for us to think about: is our Christian life an opportunity which is worth the risk? Do we bring that spirit of adventure to how we live our lives as Christians? Do we approach the virtues as challenges to be met with gusto, our fasts as moments of grace and our feasts as celebrations of God's bounty to be enjoyed with relish? Do we reach out to the poor and see Christ in them, preparing to give even the last penny out of love and throwing our personal needs to the wind for now? In writing this I am conscious of my own failures in this regard. Thank God we are in Lent, this is the time for self-examination and resolutions.
The Reform of Joy
I think we need a good injection of adventurous Christianity in the Church today. I am heartened when I hear of so many young committed Catholics discovering Chesterton and lapping up his wisdom; I can only hope they will imbibe his saintly abandon with his wisdom and rational common sense. If they do, we will be laying a great foundation for the future - a solid foundation for the reform and renewal of the Church. The Church needs reform, Christians of every ideological hue agree on that, though those who paint themselves red think in terms of overturning systems and constructing new ones based, funnily enough, on the musings of a bland and joyless 19th century scholar. Meanwhile those who wrap themselves in blue see the need to turn back the clock, go back to the old way and everything will sort itself out.
True reform does not begin with systems, nor adherence to past practices: it begins in the heart of a Christian who makes a resolution to follow Christ and make the Gospel his way of life. Orthodoxy is vital since it is the expression of fidelity to the Word of God, but that fidelity must be infused with joy. Joy is the hallmark of authentic sanctity, it reveals a soul in communion with God, a soul at peace and a man or woman rejoicing in the freedom won for us by Christ. This joy opens our hearts to the truth aware that the truth does not threaten, but sets us free. That joy sees the reality of our situation - that we are sinners, but sinners not only with the hope of salvation but with access to the grace of God which can help bring us to salvation. And the sign that we have joy at the heart of our faith? An adventurous Christianity.
Now I know many will say that if we look at the Church today we will see that there is very little joy around. Things are a mess - I acknowledged that a few weeks ago in another post. In that I advised that we seek the grace to endure and we live our Christian lives in accordance with what Christ has said and what the Church has taught for two thousand years and to do so regardless of what some of our leaders are saying now. If others are unfaithful, we must be faithful just as Christ is faithful. But this endurance must not be one expressed through gritted teeth. It is one, I think, which must be lived with joy - a joy that emerges from knowing that this too will pass and all will be well and that Christ has already planted the seed of renewal and peace.
Gilbert Strikes Back
I sometimes ask myself what would Chesterton do if he were around today? Well, I think, first he would be writing about the faith (and related topics) and teaching the truth regardless of what some are preaching and teaching in the Church. He would have respect for the hierarchy, but he would also be aware of the weakness of its members and the need to pray for them, especially those who had gone astray and were leading others astray. He probably would be in the middle of various frays and being torn apart on Twitter by the usual suspects. Gilbert would be polite and lighthearted - he realised that the most important topics required the seriousness of levity. He would stand his ground and let the insults roll off him like water off a duck's back. And then he would have a pint, a smoke and a good meal with friends; tell jokes, read detective fiction and entrust the mess that is in the Church to God and Our Lady, and encourage the rest of us to do the same.
I do not think I am dismissing the problems the Church is facing today, but I think this is what Chesterton would do (and I could be wrong, and if I am, I am), and his reaction would be one based on faith, hope and joy. He would not let the misery of ideologues to destroy his discipleship which was rooted in the joy of knowing, loving and serving Christ. You could call that 'Gilbert Strikes Back!'
Brothers and sisters, we do live in dark days. The Church is being torn, the truth is being distorted by people who should know better, but the Church is elastic by grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, and she will return to form. No matter how much her careless children try to reshape her, she confounds them and calls them back in love. Part of that elasticity is joy and a sense of adventure implanted into the hearts of her faithful ones. Do not let the misery of ideology rob you of that joy. Face these challenges with a spirit of adventure because we now live in a time when a great evangelisation must happen. St John Paul II initiated the New Evangelisation, it has yet to get going in earnest. Perhaps what we are seeing is an attempt to kickback on that great programme of renewal. Well, we should not let that happen, but if we crease beneath the controversies, if we give in to anger or despair, if we forget that things can change so quickly and that that moment is in the kairos of God, then we are giving in. These times will make us holy, but God preserve us from becoming sullen saints tainted with the dirt of the struggle.
Friends, the chariots await; the adventure lies ahead. Time for a bit of pious mischief!
Praise be Jesus Christ!
Thanks for this, Father. One of my favourite Chestertonian lines on this theme is "The inn does not point to the road; the road points to the inn".
ReplyDeleteIt is the opposite wisdom to "eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die".