.Images of the Holy easily become holy images- sacrosanct. My idea of God is not a divine idea. It has to be shattered time after time. He shatters it Himself. He is the great iconoclast. Could we not almost say that this shattering is one of the marks of His presence? The Incarnation is the supreme example; it leaves all previous ideas of the Messiah in ruins. And most are ‘offended’ by the iconoclasm; and blessed are those who are not. But the same thing happens in our private prayers..All reality is iconoclastic..-C. S. Lewis, A Grief Observed.
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March 25th, 2014 at 3:25 am
That is so important! And of course the images that need to be shattered are the ones that keep me in bondage and that I fear to see even touched let alone damaged…or God forbid, shattered.
March 25th, 2014 at 6:40 am
Shattering hurts so much, whether it is our own image of ourselves, of God, or of anything, and it can be dangerous, too, if we throw infants out with bath-water. But you are so right, it is vastly important. This made me go back and read a prayer I posted a while back: https://jubilare.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/thanks/
It’s good to re-read ones own words, sometimes, as we forget things so easily! I’m shocked by how bad my memory can be.
March 31st, 2014 at 11:34 am
We humans just love to put God in boxes of our own design. We feel that makes him “safer” or more “manageable” somehow.
Once again, Lewis nails it!
March 31st, 2014 at 10:06 pm
It is so true! Whether we love Him, hate Him, or do not believe in Him at all, we box Him. I loathe our little “boxed gods” even while I know I keep trying to box Him, myself. I am so grateful that He is not one to be contained.
Yep!