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{"id":1241,"date":"2006-12-10T06:14:00","date_gmt":"2006-12-10T06:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/orthodixie\/2006\/12\/handeling-mortality.html"},"modified":"2006-12-10T06:14:00","modified_gmt":"2006-12-10T06:14:00","slug":"handeling-mortality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/orthodixie\/2006\/12\/handeling-mortality.html","title":{"rendered":"Handeling Mortality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

$\"\"$ <\/a>I<\/span>n the latest issue of TOUCHSTONE<\/a>, Peter J Leithart reviews a book on imagination which includes the following: \u201c\u2026 Pascal says, we seek happiness in illusory diversions, hoping to forget our mortality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hoping to forget our mortality.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The other night, thanks to the good will of Christian friends, my family and I attended a performance of Handel\u2019s Messiah<\/em><\/strong>. I totally forgot whatever ailed me. Handel\u2019ll do that to you. But, with all weighty respect to Handel, the credit should actually be lain at the feet of Virtue. It is rare, this side of paradise, for us to seek that \u201cforgetting of mortality\u201d in Virtue. We most certainly seek it in Vice \u2026<\/p>\n

Tree, Snake \u2026 Round One.<\/em><\/p>\n

Your day, yesterday, today \u2026 To be continued.<\/em><\/p>\n

As one priest said, \u201cWe sin because we die.\u201d Think about it. Isn\u2019t it because we know the eventuality, but don\u2019t know the time, that we rush forward to cram so much into so little. And what does it leave us but full of remorse and empty of charity?<\/p>\n

On the other hand, there are times when (planned or otherwise) the \u201choping to forget mortality\u201d is wrapped in beauty and appears a sacrifice pleasing to the Good God. That must be what Handel meant when, upon completion of Messiah<\/em><\/strong>, he said: \u201cI did see all heaven open before me and the great God Himself.\u201d<\/p>\n

My recent experience was enhanced by the performers: 150 male & female high school students, dressed in black formals, looking elegant and mannered. Momentarily, void of hip-hop, saggin pants (and worse), I saw sanity, dare I say hope<\/em>, return.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s one thing to shun beauty. It\u2019s another to be just plain ugly. Our world, home to death and decay, longs for the beauty of Virtue. For whatever vices Handel may have suffered, his masterpiece remains a symbol of beauty, hope and good cheer.<\/p>\n

St Paul writes: \u201cFinally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things\u201d (Philippians 4:8).<\/p>\n

With beauty reflecting Virtue, it is possible to forget our mortality<\/em> all the while remembering that the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

Hallelujah!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"