Material Beings

There is no good trying to be more spiritual than God. God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes [...]

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Be Pure: Fight Against Boredom

My dear Wormwood … I have always found that the trough (boring) periods of the human undulation provide excellent opportunity for all sensual temptations. —The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis — In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war [...] David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his [...]

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What Are You Thirsty For? (Repeat Post)

And today, another question: What Are You Thirsty For? C.S. Lewis offers the following observation about our deepest desire: “I call it Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished from both Happiness and from Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; [...]

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We Are not Purely Spiritual (C.S. Lewis)

There is no good trying to be more spiritual than God. God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes [...]

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The Problem of Pleasure (C.S. Lewis)

DIARY OF AN ADDICT – THE PROBLEM OF PLEASURE As I’ve been trying to overcome my “need” for the pleasure of addiction, I found the following description of pleasure from C.S. Lewis’ Screwtape Letters on point: ***************************************** [This is a fictional elder demon writing to a younger, less experienced demon] “Never forget that when we [...]

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On the Problem of Pain (C.S. Lewis)

[Christianity] creates, rather than solves, the problem of pain, for pain would be no problem unless, side by side with our daily experience of this painful world, we had received what we think a good assurance that ultimate reality is righteous and loving. + C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

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He Is not a Tame God (C.S. Lewis)

“Are you not thirsty?” said the Lion. “I am dying of thirst,” said Jill. “Then drink,” said the Lion. “May I — could I — would you mind going away while I do?” said Jill. The Lion answered this only by a look and a very low growl. And just as Jill gazed at its [...]

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We Will Be Perfect (C.S. Lewis)

He meant what he said. Those who put themselves in His hands will become perfect, as He is perfect — perfect in love, wisdom, joy, beauty, and immortality. The change will not be completed in this life, for death is an important part of the treatment. How far the change will have gone before death [...]

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No Half-Measures (C.S. Lewis)

The Christian way is different: harder, and easier. Christ says, ‘Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I [...]

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Be Perfect!

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” + Matthew 5:48 I find a good many people have been bothered by what I said in the previous chapter about Our Lord’s words, ‘Be ye perfect.’ Some people seem to think this means ‘Unless you are perfect, I will not help you’; and as we [...]

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