Entry #655228, added on 06-20-09 @ 10:53 am EDT
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| The Thorn Birds | Entry #655228 |
I have come across several ideas from Collen McCullough that leave one pondering. The Thorn Birds is not only a great saga, but it's educational. I have learned things I didn't know about New Zealand, Australia, sheep-herding, and World War II in North Africa. But it's the conversations amongst the priests that leave your head spinning its wheels. There are two points I want to share here.
The first astounding thought: Lucifer loved Jesus when he tempted him on the mountain. Loved. I then realized how many men, and women, have wooed someone, promising things that weren't theirs to give, desperate for the love of the object of their affections. "I'll give you everything you want, I'll protect you, whatever. . . just love me like I love you."
Is it possible that Lucifer wasn't looking down his nose at Jesus, that he wasn't trying to hurt him, or so he thought, he just wanted to be loved as an equal. His offer was an attempt to buy Jesus' love and a partnership. When Jesus demanded, "Get thee behind me, Satan!" maybe it wasn't in anger and condemnation; maybe it was in love and affection and in the struggle to fight the human temptation. He knew Satan had always had a desire to be equal to God that tarnished his love for Him.
The second point she raised that was so noteworthy is also about Satan. When he revolted in Heaven, he was immediately forgiven by God. Lucifer could have remained in Heaven, forgiven, beautiful, powerful. But he chose his destiny. Better to have reigned in Hell than to serve in Heaven. Power or pride? Or competition? His pride would not allow him to accept forgiveness under God's terms.
The book talks a lot about priests who struggle all their lives to resist sin and to commune with God. Does a priest have to sin in order to escape his pride, to experience true humility, to understand those who come to him for confession? In his struggle to be pure, or in any Christian's, is he striving to be God? Is his guilt another sign of his pride? Is the resistance to sin, particularly if it's some passion of our hearts, our attempt at nobility, therefore, elevating ourselves to a godlike status? Is the sacrifice or denial in itself a form of pride, and therefore, sinful?
The unspoken implications are that Jesus understands our temptations and our pride. And that we are all, crooks and politicians included, been forgiven, but we don't have to accept it.
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