Dying Again

So, last night's dream was a bizarre tale indeed.

I don't remember the intricate plot, but the events took place in Toronto. After all the hoopla was over, I found myself in the passenger seat of a car driven by someone who was supposed to be one of my two cousins, but probably didn't actually look like either of them.

You know how dreams are.

We were leaving Toronto and she was driving too fast and almost missed the exit ramp to get on the highway out of the city. I don't know which highway she wanted to take. It doesn't matter.

At the last second, she yanked the steering wheel and the car swerved to the left. I could tell the car was going to run over a curb/partition, and so could my cousin. I braced myself for the jolt and she tried to correct the car's trajectory but failed. Instead of turning to the right and staying in the exit lane, the car simply kept going toward the left and, when it ran out of road, dove off what suddenly appeared to be a cliff.

I stared at the water below as the car lazily flipped over and then I clapped gleefully, aware of the ironic twist in the narrative: I had just spent an endless amount of time getting out of some type of complicated trouble, only to die during my escape.

Everything went into slo-motion, and the second that I became aware that we would crash upside down into the water below (and die), I woke up.

But I so relish that liberating feeling I had of acknowledging and appreciating the irony of the situation without being concerned about my wellfare.

I think this is the second dream I've had within a month wherein I die. Well, at least I didn't have have the Covid virus, unlike in some of my other recent dreams.

Blaming the Wrong Scapegoat

"The Devil made me do it!"

Remember that gem from the nineteen seventies? I can't remember the product but Madison Avenue advertisers, cashing in on Flip Wilson's popular catch phrase, hit a home run with that one.

Funny thing, though, is that we're still blaming the Devil for whatever evil thing we've done which we think couldn't possibly come from ourselves, unless we were provoked, encouraged, driven, lied to, by the Devil himself.

After all, we pray to St. Michael after each Mass (and sometimes in between Masses): "...and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen."

So, we acknowledge the dangerous role that the Devil plays in our lives and, of course, we wish to be spared of his influence by letting St. Michael fight our battles. But just in case he's busy fighting someone else's battle, we can always claim that it wasn't my fault (that I sinned). It was Adam's fault for creating Original Sin; it was the Devil's corrupting influence in my life (because my soul is so pure-white and my goodness is such a threat to the Evil one?); it was my drinking, etc. There are infinite scapegoats for our inability to do good.

So we go on sinning and blaming/giving credit to the Devil. Meanwhile, Jesus - the Logos of the universe - became incarnate precisely to be the scapegoat that we need in order to be spiritually cleansed. But we don't in humility turn to Jesus. Instead, we lay praise/blame on the Devil, who, I would think, is more than happy to take credit for our most recent downfall. Why not? He's got big shoulders, and if we can lay the blame of our own sinfulness on him, he'll gladly take it, especially if it stops us from going to Jesus with a contrite heart and begging for His forgiveness. And notice that this way, too, we don't actually have to acknowledge the real reason for our own sinfulness: The Devil made me do it! Not me! I'm fundamentally, essentially, ontollogically, a good person. If I do bad things, those actions/thoughts/words/omissions surely don't come from me. How could it be me? I've been baptized. I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me. I'm good. Heck, I even believe in God. I'm practically saved as it is by just waking up in the morning! No, if I do bad things, it has to be due to the almighty powerful Devil's influence.

And the Devil, who doesn't have to life a finger to further corrupt us and draw us away from God, sits back and laughs at our downfall.

* * *

PS: After reading this blog, my wife exclaimed, "The Devil never makes you do anything."

Touche, dear.

Catholic Church - Social Distancing

Saturday (sort of) Funny

The Catholic Church, practicing social distancing years before it was mandated.