A Divine Lent #8: But we, like all of you, are pilgrims here


A daily reflection during Lent on Dante's The Divine Comedy.

The humanness of Dante and Virgil is clear in the second canto of Purgatory.  Despite their being mady ready for the journey at the end of the first canto, they just think about going.

We were still standing at the water's edge,
wondering about the road ahead, like men
whose thoughts go forward while their bodies stay,

How often do I stand still (or really just sit) and wonder about the road ahead.  I can use Google Maps and Street View to see the whole country, but that is far short of being there.  Contrast this passive mode of travel with the examples of faith in Hebrews 11.  By faith, Noah built an ark, Abraham set out from Ur, and Moses led his people out of Egypt.  Faith is demonstrated by action, not by wondering.  Dante himself observes this contrast as the inbound ship of redeemed souls is heard singing "When Israel Came Out of Egypt," a song recalling action, not wondering.

As the souls wander about their new surroundings, they notice Dante and Virgil.

..."If you should know the road
that leads up to the mountainside, show us."
And Virgil answered them: "You seem to think
that we are souls familiar with this place,
but we, like all of you, are pilgrims here;"

Have Dante and Virgil forgotten the guidance Cato provided near the end of Canto 1, "the rising sun will show you where to climb"?  Just prior to this exchange with the souls, Dante observes, "The sun ... was shooting rays of day throughout the sky."  Any good treasure hunter or fan of Indiana Jones knows that the rays of the rising fun are fleeting.  Wait too long and you lose sight of the goal.  Yet here they stand wondering, forgetting the help provided.

The view "I'm just a pilgrim, too" can be a cop out.  How can I help?  I'm new, too!  It's another way of saying, "I'm not going to take a risk just yet, but if you find anything out that would help me, just let me know."  It can be a means to defer involvement.  While the imagery of a pilgrim is good to help me depict my journey, the journey is not just in the wondering and wandering thoughts in my heads.  The journey is in the interaction with others and with God.

The story gets even more bizarre as Dante has one of the souls sing a song.  Not only are they not moving and not sharing information, they are now totally side-tracked from everyone's immediate goal, moving to the mountain.  Cato has to suddenly appear and bring everyone back to their senses.  This is not the time for Kum Ba Yah.  It is the time to move.

This Lent, may we examine our faith by what we do rather than by what we wonder.

Comments

  1. Karen M.February 22, 2018 at 1:10 PM

    Oh! This is a good one for me. Too much thinking, not enough doing or moving. "Yet here they stand wondering, forgetting the help provided."

    ReplyDelete

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