Advent Book Club day 5

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Rainbow

Another tough poem today - indeed a series of three poems;

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45001/the-three-enemies

The Three Enemies

BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

THE FLESH

"Sweet, thou art pale."

"More pale to see,

Christ hung upon the cruel tree

And bore His Father's wrath for me."

"Sweet, thou art sad."

"Beneath a rod

More heavy, Christ for my sake trod

The winepress of the wrath of God."

"Sweet, thou art weary."

"Not so Christ:

Whose mighty love of me suffic'd

For Strength, Salvation, Eucharist."

"Sweet, thou art footsore."

"If I bleed,

His feet have bled; yea in my need

His Heart once bled for mine indeed."

THE WORLD

"Sweet, thou art young."

"So He was young

Who for my sake in silence hung

Upon the Cross with Passion wrung."

"Look, thou art fair."

"He was more fair

Than men, Who deign'd for me to wear

A visage marr'd beyond compare."

"And thou hast riches."

"Daily bread:

All else is His: Who, living, dead,

For me lack'd where to lay His Head."

"And life is sweet."

"It was not so

To Him, Whose Cup did overflow

With mine unutterable woe."

THE DEVIL

"Thou drinkest deep."

"When Christ would sup

He drain'd the dregs from out my cup:

So how should I be lifted up?"

"Thou shalt win Glory."

"In the skies,

Lord Jesus, cover up mine eyes

Lest they should look on vanities."

"Thou shalt have Knowledge."

"Helpless dust!

In Thee, O Lord, I put my trust:

Answer Thou for me, Wise and Just."

"And Might."—

"Get thee behind me. Lord,

Who hast redeem'd and not abhorr'd

My soul, oh keep it by Thy Word."

They remind me of promises made at Baptism, to renounce Sin, the World and the Devil.

'The Flesh' - yes, well, I'm good at finding excuses for not doing what I ought - 

not feeling well, 

don't feel up to it,

too tired, 

it's been a long day

'The World' - yes, well, it's easy to be distracted by 

appearance, good looks

 clothes, style

 the good life, 

shopping, buying what you want

'The Devil'- yes, well, who doesn't want to be admired for their

skill,

cleverness,

power...

'Get thee behind me.'

Read that line carefully - it's not 'Get thee behind me Lord'!

No, that last verse is a plea to the Lord to keep my soul, all the souls, safe by They Word - another double meaning - Thy Word as in the Bible, and Thy Word as in the promise made to everyone.

  AdventBookClub is raising money for the Trussell Trust at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/adventbookclub2019, and is even in a group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1220319721395793/?ref=share. We are running from Advent Sunday Dec 1st to Candlemas in January, and using Rachel Mann’s “In the Bleak Midwinter“