5 – 9 – 17 Spiritual Craftsmanship

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There was a bit in Mere Christianity that I realized I agreed with consciously, but did not abide by. That is this idea that any change we make in ourselves is really the Holy Spirit through us, which I think is perfectly reasonable. Surely I have a little bit more independent habit forming ability than a dog, but it makes sense to me that my spiritual self would not be subject to my corporeal actions. It’s as though my going to Mass is not what’s going to bring me closer to God, it’s the petition of wanting change and inviting the Holy Spirit that would allow Him to effect the change he sees fit. That doesn’t mean that Mass isn’t important, indeed it may be one of the best ways to invite Him in, seeing as I receive Communion while I’m there.

I’m quite glad it is this way too, for I’d imagine spiritual changes are a good deal more difficult to effect, and murkier to see the consequences of before they actually happen. I’ve made some poor choices with my body, so I can see why we must rely on the experts for renovations of the soul. Though I may tinker with my current, small dwelling, whether it be a deer blind or tent. It requires no great deal of artistry or mind to structural integrity, I’ll put another window in the blind, put some more insulation in the open stud walls, or duck tape over a hole in the tent. Indeed I won’t be in too much trouble if these things go wrong, the blind will be leaning way over long before it will fall, and I may survive if it collapses with me in it, as for the tent I’ll simply have to swim out of the plastic canvas.

But a house, only a madman, in this day and age, would go in for constructing his own house without consulting the relevant experts. And the only person who would even think they could would be someone who has worked extensively on other houses and buildings under a superior craftsman. Who are these spiritual craftsman? Well I suppose the greatest of them is God, some of his chief architects would be his angels, and the apprentices of an arcane trade would be his priests and lay ministers who convert, console, and heal. Well then even those that are here on earth that really understand what would go into building a house understand that they cannot do it alone. They need to consult their superiors in the field. So that the only people who suppose it to be possible to renovate their own souls are those who have never done much renovation on anyone else’s soul and know terribly little of the field. They are like the layman who watches the skilled craftsman, be it a blacksmith or a computer programmer, and says “Well surely it can’t be too difficult, sure there is some physical strain in the one case but everybody needs some exercise. Besides look how happy he is, how carefree and unthinking his movements are.” These are the same who would hurt themselves if they once attempted the tasks they see undertaken.

A possible conclusion from this is that we are simply not to be trusted, that the building up of a soul is too important of work to be left to human hands, but I think that’s entirely incorrect. I think God sees us as his apprentices, he seeks to raise us up, and give us power in accordance with our understanding of his will. I don’t pretend to know the mind of God, but based upon the words of Christ and the Bible I think it would give him great pleasure to see a friendly neighborhood of souls. One neighbor scooping the leaves out of another’s gutter because he owns a taller ladder, another neighbor plucking weeds from a friend’s garden because they are still young and lithe while their friend is old or injured, one man mowing another’s lawn because he may happen to be the only one with a rider mower and can do it much faster and with less effort, though the man who owns the lawn could still do it he is gracious enough to accept the help. Not to mention that Jesus invites us into his sonship I think any conception of ourselves are destined to be powerful through God are far from blasphemous, he encourages it explicitly throughout the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. It is our seeking a power from a source outside of him which makes him grieve at our folly.