When the Homily is about Immunology

C.S. Lewis, then and now

I've mentioned before how portions of The Great Divorce bothered me prior to learning the theology of eastern Christianity, but this event really flooded me with memories last night.

I have been reading The Chronicles of Narnia to my eldest daughter over the past year or so, and presently we are dancing our way through The Silver Chair. Having just crossed past the chapter when the green witch/queen through magic was trying to dissuade our heros from their belief in the "overworld" I was stirred back to the time as a relatively new evangelical christian when I first read this and was delighted by the scene and the analogies that naturally followed from it. Still was last night too.

But then, in the very next chapter, the newly freed and victorious Prince Rilian notices that his shield bearing the image of Aslan had been restored to newness and he commends his fellow victors to kiss the image and prepare for battle during their escape from the underworld. I vividly recall thinking years ago when I first read this: "What the hell kind of silly superstitious idolatry is Lewis espousing here!"

However, reading this last night, it all seemed very much like home to me. Images being restored and venerated are apart of my everyday life and the obviousness of this scene was not lost on my 7 year old daughter who said almost in a whisper: "Icon of Aslan."

Thanks Jack!