broken

all there is now is silence

and I can barely handle

the heartbreaking sound

silence, my friend;

silence, my enemy.

 

Beatrice rebukes but also edifies

but the broken only react in fashions of all or nothing

fear the driving force, mistrusting, misunderstanding.

 

there was a brief joy learning who another was

dreams, interests, there were many in common,

now only empty

silence.

 

my tears fill deep wells

how will I heal; how will I move forward? years of trauma, alone no one understand,

Only One.

“it is not good for man to be alone”

but I put my heart out there too quickly to be trampled, misunderstood, broken, vulnerable

where is this redemption, this grace? Is it always pain?

Am I doomed to walk the earth alone?

 

I don’t just want anyone; but Beatrice (one like) or is this an ideal?

How long? How long, Lord?

My tears are my food. I have nothing, there is no one.

 

When will the broken-hearted be made whole?

When will love cease to break your heart? When will death cease?

 

silence

 

Canto 7 Paradise: resurrection

Here is the theology of the fall of the human race and its redemption through forgiveness and the Cross.

The history of humankind begins with tragedy. A fall which blinded the whole generation of people to come. Saint Bonaventure said, “He could no longer imitate the divine power, behold divine light, or love divine goodness.” But by God becoming man to atone for all sin–a turning away from God.

Only Jesus Christ, God becoming man, could man be reconciled to God. That rift, abyss, chasm closed between man and God. The tragedy is sin, but the redemption is death on a cross and forgiveness.

This makes a new man. A new humanity.

Beatrice goes on to say that with Christ’s redemption, the body too is redeemed and will rise again. It is not subject to the grave, to dust eternally. But the soul and the body will be reunited again.

(an aside: man cannot save himself. In Purgatory we have the late repentant kings, in Hell the one’s obsessed with wealth. Wealth will not save us, nor will just rulership of a president or king. But the King of kings saved us in a strange way. Not by power, but by humility and death on a cross. To be resurrected opening the way for salvation. Jesus Christ is the only one has saved and will save and saves.)

Inferno Canto 2: Sent by Love

Love. What is it? A feeling? A sentiment? A personal being? An act?

God is love. God is a consuming fire who loves his creatures so much He will do everything possible to make Himself known and assist his beloveds to turn toward Him, but never force our love toward Him. Love is what moves the universe, everything that acts in goodness.

In the second Canto, Virgil tells that he was sent by Beatrice who came down from heaven to guide Dante out of the dark wood and out of himself and his sin.

God’s love moved Beatrice and allowed Beatrice to go to Hell and find Virgil–Dante’s most loved and respected poet. In turn Beatrice’s love for Dante compelled her to have compassion upon Dante, enough so to find a way to get Dante on the right path again. He had become lost.

This is love. To want the best for another person. Even if it pains us. Even if it pains another. Truth spoken in love is always good for us, though it may make us see a part of ourself that is in the wrong which must turn in the other direction. Admonishment is love when it points out something in the other person that is harming them or harming another and helping them correct or heal or get on the way toward healing and wholeness.

Example: if one is in any kind of emotional turmoil that is leaving a person depressed or stuck within themselves and cannot move forward in a good way, words of encouragement and admonishment will help this person turn in the right direction. Even if it’s “get your ass to counseling.” Helping that person attain guidance how to navigate from there. Spiritual direction is another good mode.

But the person must be willing and be brave to confront their own garbage and own it to move forward and admit they need help.

So Virgil is Dante’s guide. Dante will listen to him because Dante highly admires and trusts and respects Virgil. Later in Purgatory, Beatrice whom Dante reveres, berates Dante for loving the wrong things and to look toward and love the right and good and true things. It is an admonishment, but one that spurs Dante on in the right direction.

Divine Love is true whether it pains us or comforts us. God’s love is what spurs us on in the right direction. His love manifests in other people, loved ones, friends, people we meet that encourage us in some way. God’s love heals us and makes us whole. This life resembles Dante’s Inferno and Purgatory in many ways. Keep a keen eye open, and dig out your ears to know and see and hear God’s love for you.

(Some insights gathered from Rod Dreher, life, Tony Esolen, and conversations with Dr. Matt Moser).