The "Gospel" of Fairy Tales

My husband and I went to the opera last Sunday -- not a complicated opera, but a simple opera. We saw Hansel and Gretel in the English version at Shenandoah Conservatory. What a delight! And, as I watched, I thought how right G.K. Chesterton was in his essay on Fairyland where he describes the mistaken notion of poets to think the fairies operate with a freedom that is really license to do exactly as they please. Chesterton vehemently disagrees:

I think the poets have made a mistake: because the world of the fairy-tales is a brighter and more varied world than ours, they have fancied it less moral; really it is brighter and more varied because it is more moral.

Are You Unhappy? Take a Lesson from the Bees.

I just came in from the bee yard which is just across the field from our front door. Sometimes I go out and just sit and watch the bees flying in and out to see what they're doing. The past few weeks they've been carrying in lots of pollen to feed the brood. The colonies are increasing giving us great hope for an abundant season flowing with honey.

The birds and beasts and insects all do exactly what God wants -- no rebellion in their midst. They just do it! That's what I love about nature. We, on the other hand, have the natural law ingrained within us, but have the free will to rebel against it -- to our own sorrow. And I sometimes wonder if the extremes of nature, the natural disasters, floods, tsunamis, etc. aren't a reflection of OUR REBELLION. Perhaps our sins give Satan the power to use nature against us.

The Demolition: How Did it Happen?

Anthony Esolen gives some insight in his article, There and Back Again.

I've been reflecting on this and on the collapse of the culture which is so far advanced and can only conclude that the underlying cause is the rejection of natural law.

Most people's eyes glaze over when you mention natural law. We've replaced it with "rights." We all have rights that not only allow free speech, free association, etc., but the right to create our own reality. The poster "girl" for the rejection of natural law is Bruce Jenner. Doesn't he have the right to decide he's really a she? Our culture says yes and those who disagree are gender-phobes.

Babies May Be Smarter Than Some Bishops

Researchers have found that babies as young as six months have a well-developed moral sense. They prefer good and helpful characters to those who are mean or unhelpful. And they also prefer characters that reward good and punish evil rather than those who reward evil. Sounds like these little ones would make better bishops than many of the ones we have now who rewarded child abusers and think the way to solve the immigration problem is to welcome the lawbreaking strangers and give them houses, jobs, and money -- not their houses, jobs, or money mind you but those of the people in the pews.

Read the article here and marvel at your babies. They're smarter than you think. They're wired with the natural law and they are still innocent enough to act on it. The bishops should pay attention and imitate. Maybe that's the reason the Bible says, "A little child shall lead them."