In Which I Attempt to Emulate a Marshwiggle

During the past week or so, mostly in conjunction with the pope's visit I think, I have begun to sense an almost palpable darkness in the hearts of several people whom I know. If it were one or two people I would just shrug it off because most everybody is in a gloomy mood now and then, but it's more widespread than that. This morning I was thinking it reminded me of something, and I realized it was this.

Now the Witch said nothing at all, but moved gently across the room, always keeping her face and eyes very steadily toward the Prince. When she had come to a little ark set in the wall not far from the fireplace, she opened it, and took out first a handful of a green powder. This she threw on the fire. It did not blaze much, but a very sweet and drowsy smell came from it. And all through the conversation which followed, that smell grew stronger, and filled the room, and made it harder to think. Secondly, she took out a musical instrument rather like a mandolin. She began to play it with her fingers--a steady, monotonous thrumming that you didn't notice after a few minutes. But the less you noticed it, the more it got into your brain and your blood. This also made it hard to think. After she had thrummed for a time (and the sweet smell was now strong), she began speaking in a sweet, quiet voice.

"Narnia?" she said. "Narnia? I have often heard your Lordship utter that name in your ravings. Dear Prince, you are very sick. There is no land called Narnia." 

I think that if we know that where sin abounds grace doth much more abound, we have to also realize that the converse is true. Where grace abounds, the purveyor of sin is eager to get in his innings. Thrum, thrum, thrum it goes. The pope is about to do something that will destroy the Church. The synod is rigged. How can so-and-so can say thus-and-so? And the smoke whirls and thickens, and we stumble on almost to the brink of despair.

In all the confusion, it's difficult to know what is true and what isn't, but what we know for sure is this. Jesus did not wake up this morning and say, "Hey, what's going on? How am I ever going to deal with this mess?" And we also know this. None of us is living in this particular place and this particular time by mistake, and each of us is called in some specific way to shine among [a warped and crooked generation] like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. Phil 2:15-16.

Note that I am not saying that these are not dire times for the Church. They are. But if we constantly let ourselves be distracted by our fears, and doubts, and the opinion of everyone on earth who has access to a computer, it will be impossible to emit even a very dull glow. We need spend much more time on prayer, on what we know to be Truth as we do on the spurious news of the world. We can't afford at this time be muddled in our thinking or troubled in our hearts. We need to quiet the thrum, thrum, thrum and listen for the still, small voice.

Chapter 1 of 2 Peter tells us this:

...[W]e possess the prophetic message that is altogether reliable. You will do well to be attentive to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Do it. We don't have time not to do it.

AMDG

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isaiah 60:2