Screwtape Reflections v
So, Wormwood has ‘Let a soul slip through his fingers’. ‘The patient’ has died, caught up it would appear in a bombing raid.
At that point there was a clearing of his eyes, and he saw Wormwood, his tempter, for what he was and what he had been doing – whilst realising also that he no longer had any part in him. He was lost to hell and home to God. He entered new life ‘as if born for it’. His doubts became ridiculous. He realised where God had been in his life all along, he came to a place of recognition.
So Wormwood and Screwtape are left in dismay and despair. They have not won. God has. And what a wonderful place that is for ‘the patient’ to be. In hope, love and acceptance with God.
Now on to Letters to Malcolm…
I’ve ‘taken up’ C S Lewis for Lent.
They’re a couple of books that I found when we moved, and thought ‘I must have another read of those one day’. Well in an effort to do something productive during Lent, ‘one day’ has come.
I’m starting with The Screwtape Letters (first published 1942, I’m reading a reprint from 1977 – though this is a third impression from 1982!). It must be about 25 years since I read it – and a lot of water has passed under this bridge since then.
Screwtape is writing to Wormwood. Screwtape is a senior demon. He is advising his nephew, Wormwood, a more junior demon, how to tempt ‘the Patient’ away from ‘The Enemy’ – ie God. So it’s an appropriate theme for the beginning of Lent. I’ll share just some of my random thoughts as I work my way through it – hoping they might spark some thought. Feel free to comment!
Pam's Perambulation 