I have been reading the Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis during
Lent. Well I started at the first of Lent and then due to “worldly” events I
hadn’t read it for a couple of weeks. I somewhere made a joke about reading it
during Lent and I forget the rest. Anyway it was not my intent to read this
book specifically during Lent yet it worked out that way.
I haven’t finished it yet, but I was reflecting or self internalizing
it, that it is a great book to read if you ever truly want to do a self
examination of conscious. And if you are not Catholic basically when we go to
Confession or the Sacrament of Reconciliation which the actual confession is
only part of the action of Reconciliation that includes the examination of
conscious and the repentance, but that is a topic for better educated Catholics
than me to discuss.
And we have so much literature and even apps now that help
us prepare for the self examination for confession why would you need to read a
whole book to prepare for confession. Actually we probably need to read multitudes
of books yet again another topic for the more well educated.
The point I was considering was there is so much in the book
that we all run across that looking at it from the eyes of the enemy so to
speak can open our eyes up even more. And this is a take away from the book as
it is, but to use it to prepare for Confession may be a bit much for some, but
give it a read and think about it.
We ignore so much of our own lives we forget what is the
true perspective. And Screwtape’s arguments about how to drive us away from God
can show us what we truly need to do. Or what we should truly be paying attention
to daily. And he argues so well about the subtle ways to entice us away from
God.
So how does this prepare us for confession? Good question
and preparing for confession is something I have been trying to figure out how
to do for years. Or even having a “good confession” Exactly what is a good
confession. I use to confess my litany
of sins since my last confession yet I felt I wasn’t accomplishing the true
goal.
So I changed my approach and did such a good job in changing
my approach I really feel like I am not confessing well. I confess better, but
is it well. And I truly believe my confessions are better with this new approach
which I have been trying for a couple of years now. Yet it makes reading the
Screwtape letters stand out so much more. I am going to finish the book and
find out what to do next but in the meantime I am still pondering all this internalized
madness.
And another thought that has come to mind is that women and
men confess differently and not because of the women are from Venus and men are
from Mars mentality or by human nature a bit of that, but because of their
relationship with God via understanding their relationship to God in the
Trinity.
Women truly understand the Church is the bride of the Bridegroom
Jesus and can live it, while men struggle with that analogy since the word bride
is used and they may feel it is a relationship they do not understand. Of
course I am generalizing and people will find examples that shoot generalizing
down, but overall I have observed this phenomenon. So this leaves Women confessing
to a lover, explaining her frailties her inadequacies and how she can do better
and a longing for her lover to forgive her.
Men being “men of action” relate more to the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit brings action. So their confessions reflect action, need to
overcome the sin, fight it and conquer it.
And both approaches are valid.
Both these examples are just observations in hearing people
talk about confession. No one really tells me what they confessed, but over
time and knowing many people you hear this type of thinking on how they
approach confession.
And going back to the book, C. S. Lewis’ victim of Wormwood
and Screwtape being a man Mr. Lewis approaches his reasoning in the man sense.
Screwtape addresses the man’s actions or thought processes to turn him, the one
relationship matter is his relationship with his Mother and it is very minimal
in the book so the relationship of Jesus to a man is not explored versus more
of the relationship of one with the man. They talk about their victim’s
behaviors and actions and what can be done to change the behavior to lead him
away.
I think it is a good book for examination of conscious for a
confession even if read just once because you can begin to incorporate how you
look at your life through these lenses and even for a woman, yet more men may
find it helpful than women.
No matter your Christian denomination it is a good book to
read to help you stay on track, yet for people who practice the Sacrament of Reconciliation
and are struggling with what is a good confession this may not be the ultimate
guide yet it can give some structure to what are you trying to say or as they
say get off your chest (conscious).
Cheers.
