On the ride to work I heard it was the anniversary of the release of "A Christmas
Carol" .
It was originally published on December 19, 1843 you can read the Wikipedia article on it HERE. Last year I reminisced about how much I enjoyed Scrooge's unrepentant meanness.
I always get a bit (just a bit) of glee in reading/watching/hearing Scrooges squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, steely eyed glare at the world.
Honestly who else but Ebenezer Scrooge would sit across the room from the GHOST (yes GHOST!) of his long departed and well loved partner and say
"You may
be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of
cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more of
gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!"
ONLY the "old sinner" himself Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge.
While we may chuckle at Scrooge as he puffs and blows about spending money or the "surplus population" we exalt in him as he sees the light and becomes
"as good a friend, as good a
master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or
any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old
world."
This is the joy of A Christmas Carol for me. The joy of redemption.
This is the joy of true and good art. As man made in the very image of God we are bound in our very beings to try as best we might to mimic our Maker in His creative works.
Granted our works are but a pale imitations of His majestic handiwork but every now and then there is among us one who can really and truly convey a bit of the Creator to his fellow man, and when he does - the joy it brings to mankind is wonderful to behold.
I submit to you Mr. Dickens in this classic work achieves just that.
So come with me as I scrounge up a bit of Scrooge to share and start reflecting on the glorious gift of redemption that we celebrate this Monday.
This is the joy of true and good art. As man made in the very image of God we are bound in our very beings to try as best we might to mimic our Maker in His creative works.
Granted our works are but a pale imitations of His majestic handiwork but every now and then there is among us one who can really and truly convey a bit of the Creator to his fellow man, and when he does - the joy it brings to mankind is wonderful to behold.
I submit to you Mr. Dickens in this classic work achieves just that.
So come with me as I scrounge up a bit of Scrooge to share and start reflecting on the glorious gift of redemption that we celebrate this Monday.
BAH HUMBUG
and Merry Christmas!
redemption
ReplyDeletewhile I can see it, is that Dickens intent?
I'll have to go re-examine
Redemption, yes!! And the chance to show others by Scrooge's example, that life is about love, giving, caring, charity. It all counts. There is a bit of Scrooge in all of us. What idols have we erected in our hearts? His visitors come to us as well to warn us to continue to check ourselves. Do we know the true meaning of love? THe true meaning of Christmas?
ReplyDeleteI have a copy of the book given to my husband's great grandfather on Dec. 25, 1916. We are reading it to our children this week. What great opportunities have come up for us to discuss our own actions and feelings about others and what is really important.