Quote of the Day: Spiritual Search
In a surprising plot twist, the discussion at SC&A has moved on to the subject of God, organized religion, and spiritual search. This reminded me of a quote I had meant to post. This past weekend, I was re-reading one of my favorite books, “The Last Battle” by C.S.Lewis (the last book of the Chronicles of Narnia). One of my favorite parts is in the end, where the characters are in Aslan’s country, and come across Emeth the Calormene. He tells them his own story – essentially a story of his own spiritual search, and how it ended.
“For always since I was a boy I have served Tash and my great desire was to know more of him, if it might be, to look upon his face. But the name of Aslan was hateful to me.”
Fast forward to the part where Emeth tells about meeting Aslan (all emphasis is mine):
“But I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash. He answered, Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me. Then by reasons of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one? The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child? I said, Lord, thou knowest how much I understand. But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking for Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not seek so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.”
Don’t you just love C.S.Lewis? This whole paragraph is so wise. I wish everybody the best in their spiritual pursuits. “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Mt. 7:7-8).
“For always since I was a boy I have served Tash and my great desire was to know more of him, if it might be, to look upon his face. But the name of Aslan was hateful to me.”
Fast forward to the part where Emeth tells about meeting Aslan (all emphasis is mine):
“But I said, Alas, Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash. He answered, Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me. Then by reasons of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one? The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted. Dost thou understand, Child? I said, Lord, thou knowest how much I understand. But I said also (for the truth constrained me), Yet I have been seeking for Tash all my days. Beloved, said the Glorious One, unless thy desire had been for me thou wouldst not seek so long and so truly. For all find what they truly seek.”
Don’t you just love C.S.Lewis? This whole paragraph is so wise. I wish everybody the best in their spiritual pursuits. “Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Mt. 7:7-8).
