Happy Christmas Dear Readers,
” 'Jacob,' he said, imploringly. ‘Old Jacob Marley, tell me more. Speak comfort to me, Jacob.'
'I have none to give,' the Ghost replied. 'It comes from other regions, Ebenezer Scrooge, and is conveyed by other ministers, to other kinds of men. Nor can I tell you what I would. A very little more is all permitted to me. I cannot rest, I cannot stay, I cannot linger anywhere. My spirit never walked beyond out counting-house-mark me!- in life my spirit never roved beyond the narrow limits of our money-changing hole; and weary journeys lie before me.'”
Scrooge who denies comfort to others by his greed and avarice begs it from his doomed friend.
He shows not compassion for Jacob and his estate but in the rut of his own self containment begs his friend for comfort. There seems so little hope for our anti-hero in this moment. As his friend stands fettered, doomed, and in anguish, Scrooge can only consider his own future and still seeks only to serve his own interests.
In the midst of this self serving moment, however, lies the barest glimpse of hope. Mister Dickens gives it to us in a device that seems to be one of his favorites. For the first time in our story we are given a bit of information about Scrooge that we did not previously posses. In fact, if one is keen on the way in which Mister Dickens uses this device we could close the story here in certainty that all is well that ends well.
We of course will follow Scrooge’s journey to the end. We cannot leave him here in his nightshirt faced with only a weary ghost and not knowing how he turns out. So I will share the insight of hope Mister Dickens gives us and you may address it as you wish. In the midst of Scrooge’s self serving plea for comfort, Jacob responds by using for the first time in the tale, Scrooge’s given name; Ebenezer. Ebenezer means Stone of Help or Stone of Comfort. It is intriguing that the first time Mister Dickens gives us Scrooge’s first name is when he asks Marley for comfort.
Later in the tale the fact that this name refers to a stone is very important. But here, in the moment with Misters Marley and Scrooge we learn that at least the name of the man implies that he is a steady and strong source of help, encouragement, and comfort. Marley is saying to Ebenezer, “I have not comfort to give, Stone of Comfort.” We are left in the moment wondering if the miserly Mister Scrooge may truly be transformed into an Ebenezer.
As to Marley’s opinion on the matter, it is clear that comfort is conveyed to “other kinds of men.” Perhaps we must be vigilant that we are the kind of men that other ministers deliver comfort to because we have delivered it to others. For now though, hold only a name in hope for our wanting miser. Then again, we also only have a name in which to hope.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
” 'Jacob,' he said, imploringly. ‘Old Jacob Marley, tell me more. Speak comfort to me, Jacob.'
'I have none to give,' the Ghost replied. 'It comes from other regions, Ebenezer Scrooge, and is conveyed by other ministers, to other kinds of men. Nor can I tell you what I would. A very little more is all permitted to me. I cannot rest, I cannot stay, I cannot linger anywhere. My spirit never walked beyond out counting-house-mark me!- in life my spirit never roved beyond the narrow limits of our money-changing hole; and weary journeys lie before me.'”
Scrooge who denies comfort to others by his greed and avarice begs it from his doomed friend.
He shows not compassion for Jacob and his estate but in the rut of his own self containment begs his friend for comfort. There seems so little hope for our anti-hero in this moment. As his friend stands fettered, doomed, and in anguish, Scrooge can only consider his own future and still seeks only to serve his own interests.In the midst of this self serving moment, however, lies the barest glimpse of hope. Mister Dickens gives it to us in a device that seems to be one of his favorites. For the first time in our story we are given a bit of information about Scrooge that we did not previously posses. In fact, if one is keen on the way in which Mister Dickens uses this device we could close the story here in certainty that all is well that ends well.
We of course will follow Scrooge’s journey to the end. We cannot leave him here in his nightshirt faced with only a weary ghost and not knowing how he turns out. So I will share the insight of hope Mister Dickens gives us and you may address it as you wish. In the midst of Scrooge’s self serving plea for comfort, Jacob responds by using for the first time in the tale, Scrooge’s given name; Ebenezer. Ebenezer means Stone of Help or Stone of Comfort. It is intriguing that the first time Mister Dickens gives us Scrooge’s first name is when he asks Marley for comfort.
Later in the tale the fact that this name refers to a stone is very important. But here, in the moment with Misters Marley and Scrooge we learn that at least the name of the man implies that he is a steady and strong source of help, encouragement, and comfort. Marley is saying to Ebenezer, “I have not comfort to give, Stone of Comfort.” We are left in the moment wondering if the miserly Mister Scrooge may truly be transformed into an Ebenezer.
As to Marley’s opinion on the matter, it is clear that comfort is conveyed to “other kinds of men.” Perhaps we must be vigilant that we are the kind of men that other ministers deliver comfort to because we have delivered it to others. For now though, hold only a name in hope for our wanting miser. Then again, we also only have a name in which to hope.
Wishing you joy in the journey,
Aramis Thorn
Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure store."
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment