Wednesday in the First Week of Lent: Letter 5 Notes
Letter #5
The Propers for today can be found HERE.
While it is relatively short, there is quite a bit in Letter
#5.
The Screwtape Letters were written and first published as a
weekly series in The Guardian Newspaper during World War II.
Lewis fought in the Trenches during WWI.
Immediately Wormwood goes to work playing on the emotions of
his Patient.
Remember that 2 of the chief tools of an effective demon are
the EMOTIONS and DISTRACTION. Wormwood
has planted in the Patient’s mind both the fear of an uncertain future and the
unrealistic memories of a happy past.
The Patient had just suffered through a sleepless night and is
apparently now consumed with anguish and bewilderment.
Wormwood is elated with his success! Screwtape, however, warns his nephew that it
is far from over. He must now press
forward with the “real business of undermining faith and preventing the
formation of virtues.”
Screwtape wants Wormwood to understand that WARS can be TRICKY. They CAN be used to tempt, but circumstances can easily turn the Patient back to God if a demon is NOT CAREFUL.
In the first half of the story of Jonah, we read the part we
are probably most familiar with. God
tells Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh and warn the people to repent or be
destroyed. Jonah is afraid. He thinks the Ninevites will kill him so he sails
on a boat going in the opposite direction.
A storm comes, Jonah is tossed into the sea, and his swallowed by a
whale. He repents, is spit out on shore
and this is where we pick up.
This time Jonah goes to Nineveh. Still afraid.
Still expecting the people to kill him.
And they don’t. Instead, they
listen to the message from God that Jonah brings and repent. I would tell you that they all lived happily
ever after, but you should read Jonah chapter 4 to get the rest of the story.
Jesus uses the story and a rather interesting reference to
the Queen of the South in the story of Solomon to tell the people that God is
with us even when there is war. In the
darkest moments of life, God is the light shining in the darkness.
So now Screwtape wants to keep the Patient distracted from
God by his own fears and the uncertainty of the future. Remember, an effective demon will keep the
Patient always thinking about what could happen in the future rather than
believing in God who is with us now.
In seminary – I also served in the Air Force Reserve. The Gulf War was going on and at Sewanee
there was lots of debate around Just War Theory and similar ISSUES.
I was just worried my unit would be called up and I would be
going to war.
EDMUND BROWNING was the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal
Church. He spoke at length AGAINST the
war. He also cared for those of us
serving in the military while going to seminary. I will never forget the day he called to ask
about me. He explained that while he
opposed the war – he loved each one of us.
This was the virtue of Compassion in action. I know that God was there in that phone call.
The anguish and bewilderment of the Human Soul is fertile
ground for Wormwood to work. Notice how
Screwtape wants to decide whether the Patient should be an EXTREME patriot or
an EXTREME pacifist. The key word here
is obviously EXTREME. People on the far
right EXTREME or the far left quickly adopt an attitude of VICTORY at any cost.
However, in the Christian life – fear and anxiety are never the final WORD. We return to Psalm 51 today in our readings which could easily be titled a Prayer of a Soldier or a Prophet. Even though we see in vs 15 that the Psalmist is faced with the possibility of death, he puts his faith in God to renew within him a right spirit. Look at vs 18. A troubled spirit and a broken and contrite heart become our sacrifice of God. In other words, when we believe that God is with us in the darkest moments, we will see the Light of Hope.
Hope is the work of God that brings us REDEMPTION. Returning to the BCP Page 849 – REDEMPTION is
the act of God which sets us free from the power of evil, sin, and death. In other words, God leads us through the
Valley of the Shadow of Death where we will know no evil.
Remember the old adage – there are NO ATHEISTS in fox holes. This is the strong warning Screwtape gives to
Wormwood. Better to keep the Patient out
of the Foxhole.
I did think it rather unusual that Lewis would include that
whole bit about costly nursing homes. A
little research in a couple of good study guides helped clear it up. Wars can cause people who are otherwise
concerned only with themselves to suddenly awaken to the greater good. This turns a Patient’s attention from their
needs to the needs of others. Even those
who do not necessarily turn to God, “will nevertheless have their
attention diverted from themselves to values and causes which they believe to
be higher than the self.” Better
to suffer alone in a hospital or nursing home where a tempter can keep all you
focus on the suffering of the Patient than in a war where a Patient can become
one of many suffering together.
Finally, another demon by the name of Scabtree is introduced
and Screwtape disagrees with his view that wars are a great opportunity for attacks
on faith. We know nothing more about
Scabtree and if he is the tempter of another poor soul. This is the only time we will hear about him
in any of the letters.
Let us pray.
Bless us, O God, in this holy season, in which our hearts
seek your help and healing; and so purify us by your discipline that we may
grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who
lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and
ever. Amen.