n e w c h u r c h l i f e : m ay / j u n e 2 0 1 7
In cold fact, if such feelings must be expressed, swearing does nothing for
a man that a good vocabulary effectively used would not do better. At best it
is a crutch for the inarticulate. Frequently it is nothing more than a sulfurous
smokescreen behind which to retreat in disorder when worsted in rational
argument.
But the habit becomes especially serious when it involves misuse of the
Lord’s Divine names. Daily we pray: “Hallowed be Thy name.” Yet the fact
remains that, as far as we are concerned, the Lord’s name will be hallowed only
as we keep it holy. Ignorance may be an extenuation in some instances, but it
cannot excuse us; and while we are free to swear if we wish, we can do so only
with our eyes open to our inconsistency. For the fact is that we cannot love the
Lord and at the same time use His sacred names to express anger, irritation,
incredulity or contempt.
We cannot love the neighbor and at the same time consign him to the
infernal regions, or ask God to condemn him the moment he crosses us. We
can plead, of course, that it is just a habit, that we do not really mean what we
are saying. But it may then be asked whether it is the mark of a rational man to
say habitually what he does not mean.
The proprium even rebels against the restraints religion would have it
accept. But religion and practice cannot be kept in separate and unrelated
compartments; and there is safety only in a practical hallowing of the Lord’s
name, bearing in mind that it includes all that is from Him.
• • •
Coincidentally, it was while we were in Florida for the Retreat that my older
brother, Hugo, passed on to the spiritual world. Recalling memories about his
life I thought back to a short story he had written for Richard Gladish in the
Academy College – which relates to that potentially “embarrassing carry-over
into the spiritual world after death.” The story was about a young man who had
died – and had been trying to rid himself of the habit of swearing. As he was
being shown the many marvels of heaven, he suddenly exclaimed, “Well, I’ll be
…” “Damned?” interrupted his guiding angel. “I hope not.”
(BMH)
science and religion
The doctrine of correspondences shows us how the spiritual world and the
natural world are related – the spiritual being the realm of causes, and the
natural consisting of effects produced by influx from the spiritual. In light of
this revelation, we see how the facts discovered by science, and the natural
truths based on them, can serve to confirm and illustrate the spiritual truths
revealed by the Lord in His Word.
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