(Rev. James Hutchins, Contributor, The American Dossier)
As I was praying this morning, I thought of Charles Dickens's famous first lines of A Tale of Two Cities when reading the psalms. Dickens described the turbulent times in London and Paris at the time of the French Revolution. They seem to be most applicable to our own times. I'll give you the quote and then tell you why, although I think you can easily guess.
The quote: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair."
So many good things in our time are happening along with some of the worst things. A President who has been vilified in countless ways, is the most pro-life president in history. The depth of scandal in the clergy of the church has reached another historic low. The height of holiness in the laity is reaching another historic high. The most horrendous laws permitting abortion are being passed in some states while in the midst of all that, the most hopeful pro-life laws being passed in others. The startling gut-wrenching expose of the abortion industry in the movie "Unplanned" in the midst of the despicable efforts of the media to censor its success.
Well, you get the picture. And it is larger than the thumbnail sketch above.
In his book, Charles Dickens, describes not only the playing out of these contrasts in the governments involved, the cultures involved, but also in the personal lives of those involved. In the midst of "the times" personal lives triumphed. It is therefore well to remember that no matter what is going on outside of our own lives, we can maintain within ourselves, with the help of God's grace, his victory over death proclaimed in his resurrection.
The cross was the "best of times" and "the worst of times." The worst evil ever perpetrated against our God and most loving Savior Jesus Christ, was used by Jesus Our Savior for the greatest good ever bestowed upon mankind, our salvation.
Charles Dickens leads us into his novel citing "the best of times" first not "the worst of times." He puts the good first. I don't think that was accidental. Let us not forget to put all the good that the Lord has done for us first in our memories, minds and hearts lest evil besmirch the image of the empty tomb and Christ's triumph over the "worst of times."
With prayers that your Lenten penances and change of heart may free you from all that clouds our vision of the triumph in us of Christ in His Resurrection. I wish you in anticipation a very blessed and holy Easter.
Fr. Jim is a retired Roman Catholic Priest from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Chaplain for thekingsmen.org
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