The Wrong we have Done, Thought, or Intended Will wreak its
Vengeance on Our SOULS. –Carl Jung
Remember, we Christians think man lives for ever. Therefore,
what really matters is those little marks or twists on the central, inside part
of the soul which are going to turn it, in the long run, into a heavenly or a
hellish creature. –CS Lewis
We are very aware of what kills the
body, so we eat organic food, run 4 miles a day, take our daily vitamins, and
stay away from neighborhoods where we could be shot. But what about what kills
our souls? What happens to the health of our souls when, for the sake of the
approval of others, we act with duplicity: mimicking the language, behavior,
and attitudes, of others in ways that go contrary to our core values? Are we
paying attention to the drip, drip, drip of poison that is seeping into our
minds and hearts with every compromise? Do we really think we can debase our
souls without consequence?
Our culture is spiritually
impoverished. We have taken soul and spirit out of every arena of life, speaking
and acting as if the material world is all there is and that the spiritual
world is of no meaning or consequence. How do we maintain the health and integrity
of our souls while living in a culture that praises and supports those individuals
who have lost theirs? How do we defend or cleanse our souls from the filth that
is gilded in fool’s gold that pervades our culture? And no, the answer is not
to hide in home and church.
I suggest that this Herculean
struggle begins with c-o-n-s-t-a-n-t-l-y reminding ourselves that we are more
than blood, muscle, and bone, and that life consists of more than what we can
see, touch, and taste. If you believe that your soul is immortal than every
thought, every intention, every word, every choice, and every action, is
shaping your soul “into a heavenly or a hellish creature.”
The next step is to begin asking
yourself: “What feeds my soul?” Maybe it will be rituals that serve to remind
you of the sacredness of life. Having friends with whom I can share soul is
something that has always nourished me. What about daily spiritual exercises?
Work that fulfills you definitely nourishes the soul. Creating experiences that
leave us with memories that cause our hearts to glow is not something to
overlook here. One such experience would be learning to appreciate art in all
its forms and expressions. Gratitude also nourishes the soul, as do acts of
love and care.
We live in a time when a man can
gain the world, lose his soul, and his culture applaud him for having done so.
However, rather than wringing our hands and muttering, “Woe be unto us,” think
about this: living in such spiritual darkness means the bright light of a great
soul is all the more powerful, vivid, and illuminating.
Copyright, Monte E Wilson, 2013
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