The temptation of St. Antony…
Posted by Terry Nelson on Jan 19th, 2008
The temptation in the cloak is the most dangerous…
I’m still not writing (or painting!), but I wanted to post this piece by Claudio Bravo, it could be called a post-modern narrative on the temptation of St. Antony of Egypt - oh, I guess that is what it is. Anyway, I like it very much.
While I have you engaged viewing this work, I just want to mention something: If you endure grave temptations - be very grateful. When you are temptation free - or think you are - something may be off - you just might be living in sin, or at least in a situation the devil is not too concerned about. Beware of the temptations and sins that are “cloaked”.
I wish I could tell you how I know this - but that would be indiscreet.
January 19th, 2008 at 1:26 am
As an alcoholic we learn early on to beware of the times when we feel really, really good. Those are when we are in the most danger.
It’s the drunk’s version of what you are saying.
January 19th, 2008 at 11:39 am
The cloaked one looks scary, because its face is hidden…..
January 19th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Ter: I love that!!!! I’m not familiar with Bravo’s work but I like that one very much.
Start painting! Step #1: pick up the brush.
January 19th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Adrienne - isn’t that true - but addicted people have to watch out for depression as well - such a life!
SF - yes indeed - see the “big” sins can also distract us from those hidden ones - and we think we have done a lot to overcome the big things, and then it’s the hidden ones that can keep us chained.
Cath - I’m trying - I just have no inspiration yet.
January 19th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Terry - Inspiration comes from action!
January 19th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
The cloaked one reminds me of scenes from The Passion … and for some reason Donald Sutherland’s movie, “Don’t Look Know” w/that red cloaked character whose mysterious re-appearances tempt Donald to chase “it” around town unto Donald’s death … eerie
January 20th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Oh, Terry, you can feel the picture! “Beware of the temptations and sins that are “cloaked”.” I know, I know!
January 21st, 2008 at 5:21 pm
“Inspiration is for amateurs. I just get to work.”
(Chuck Close)
Want more? A link on my blog to a thing about Chuck Close at 43 Folders:
http://claresiobhan.stblogs.com/2008/01/20/inspiration-is-fo r-amateurs-i-just-get-to-work/
January 21st, 2008 at 6:53 pm
bit of unveiling here:
over the decades I’ve learnt the hard way that evil exists and seeks to destroy through the most subtle and intelligently destructve of ways :
a] by attempting to destroy the real you.
b] by preventing the real you from acting, thinking and interacting the way the real you would.
The closest description in words I’ve found is in St Francis de Sales’s “Introduction to the Devout Life”
The chapter on Anxiety [i.e. 'b' ] has to be the most incisive piece of psychology ever written.
It’s habits that corrupt : repeated sins make us numb to the way they affect us - as if they’re not serious - the lies we repeat in company about ourselves eventually confuse us about what reality is - it clouds our own history from us - the infused guilt that compels us to dwell in abject fear of discovery - throws our mind into an endless loop of mental nausea, emotional panic and forms a massive barrier shutting people out from the terror within as we re-enact events - and if it has physically enticing aspects [e.g. givng emotional highs /the thrills of risky ecstasy or even encroaching on becoming a masturbatory fantasy or one which could supplant/confuse the emotions wihin real lovemaking with a partner] it not only ruins that which should be pure ; it distorts what is really pure and gives the illusion that that which is really good and sincere - can’t be ???? because the greatest lie satan can tell is ‘everything is ruined / spoilt / contaminated / corrupted and nothing can be ever fixed ‘ - and the guilt flows like a river and it suffocates us.
So rather than fight it [I mean let Christ wipe away every tear] - which is the only thing which will vanquish it - we hide, we pull the blanket over our head ,close our eyes tightly, place our fingers in our ears.
We’re very good at self-delusion ; excellent at pretending our faults are the ones we can easily conquer, while we truly struggle with utterly different things….
…plus we’re also very good at saying sorry for the things we’re either not very guilty of ; or don’t feel very guilty about….
Nothing is more difficult than saying sorry for the things we truly haven’t done - our very deliberate sins of ommission we either equivocated away, justified our inaction to ourselves or just cowardly didn’t act until we said to ourselves ‘oh it’s too late now’. It eventually gets to the stage where the sin isn’t cloaked any more - it just hangs before us like a fringe blocking the sunlight - or burrows its way into our shoulder injecting its poison - a parasite feeding on everything we try and absorb. we cannot live with it - it has to die - it has to be destroyed like the foul cancer that it is - but how many of us are brave enough to face it head on ?
it’s always amazing how riculously stupid and illogical we are - we’re too scared to do something which would prevent us continuing to live our lives in fear….
anyway, sorry to ramble - have work in four hours so must sleep. love you dude; thankyou for your openness.