按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
mysticism of sympathy that in himself each had been made incarnate；
he calls himself the Son of the one or the Son of the other；
according to his mood。 More than any one else in history he wakes
in us that temper of wonder to which romance always appeals。 There
is still something to me almost incredible in the idea of a young
Galilean peasant imagining that he could bear on his own shoulders
the burden of the entire world； all that had already been done and
suffered； and all that was yet to be done and suffered： the sins
of Nero； of Caesar Borgia； of Alexander VI。； and of him who was
Emperor of Rome and Priest of the Sun： the sufferings of those
whose names are legion and whose dwelling is among the tombs：
oppressed nationalities； factory children； thieves； people in
prison； outcasts； those who are dumb under oppression and whose
silence is heard only of God； and not merely imagining this but
actually achieving it； so that at the present moment all who come
in contact with his personality； even though they may neither bow
to his altar nor kneel before his priest； in some way find that the
ugliness of their sin is taken away and the beauty of their sorrow
revealed to them。
I had said of Christ that he ranks with the poets。 That is true。
Shelley and Sophocles are of his company。 But his entire life also
is the most wonderful of poems。 For 'pity and terror' there is
nothing in the entire cycle of Greek tragedy to touch it。 The
absolute purity of the protagonist raises the entire scheme to a
height of romantic art from which the sufferings of Thebes and
Pelops' line are by their very horror excluded； and shows how wrong
Aristotle was when he said in his treatise on the drama that it
would be impossible to bear the spectacle of one blameless in pain。
Nor in AEschylus nor Dante； those stern masters of tenderness； in
Shakespeare； the most purely human of all the great artists； in the
whole of Celtic myth and legend； where the loveliness of the world
is shown through a mist of tears； and the life of a man is no more
than the life of a flower； is there anything that； for sheer
simplicity of pathos wedded and made one with sublimity of tragic
effect； can be said to equal or even approach the last act of
Christ's passion。 The little supper with his companions； one of
whom has already sold him for a price； the anguish in the quiet
moon…lit garden； the false friend coming close to him so as to
betray him with a kiss； the friend who still believed in him； and
on whom as on a rock he had hoped to build a house of refuge for
Man； denying him as the bird cried to the dawn； his own utter
loneliness； his submission； his acceptance of everything； and along
with it all such scenes as the high priest of orthodoxy rending his
raiment in wrath； and the magistrate of civil justice calling for
water in the vain hope of cleansing himself of that stain of
innocent blood that makes him the scarlet figure of history； the
coronation ceremony of sorrow； one of the most wonderful things in
the whole of recorded time； the crucifixion of the Innocent One
before the eyes of his mother and of the disciple whom he loved；
the soldiers gambling and throwing dice for his clothes； the
terrible death by which he gave the world its most eternal symbol；
and his final burial in the tomb of the rich man； his body swathed
in Egyptian linen with costly spices and perfumes as though he had
been a king's son。 When one contemplates all this from the point
of view of art alone one cannot but be grateful that the supreme
office of the Church should be the playing of the tragedy without
the shedding of blood： the mystical presentation； by means of
dialogue and costume and gesture even； of the Passion of her Lord；
and it is always a source of pleasure and awe to me to remember
that the ultimate survival of the Greek chorus； lost elsewhere to
art； is to be found in the servitor answering the priest at Mass。
Yet the whole life of Christ … so entirely may sorrow and beauty be
made one in their meaning and manifestation … is really an idyll；
though it ends with the veil of the temple being rent； and the
darkness coming over the face of the earth； and the stone rolled to
the door of the sepulchre。 One always thinks of him as a young
bridegroom with his companions； as indeed he somewhere describes
himself； as a shepherd straying through a valley with his sheep in
search of green meadow or cool stream； as a singer trying to build
out of the music the walls of the City of God； or as a lover for
whose love the whole world was too small。 His miracles seem to me
to be as exquisite as the coming of spring； and quite as natural。
I see no difficulty at all in believing that such was the charm of
his personality that his mere presence could bring peace to souls
in anguish； and that those who touched his garments or his hands
forgot their pain； or that as he passed by on the highway of life
people who had seen nothing of life's mystery； saw it clearly； and
others who had been deaf to every voice but that of pleasure heard
for the first time the voice of love and found it as 'musical as
Apollo's lute'； or that evil passions fled at his approach； and men
whose dull unimaginative lives had been but a mode of death rose as
it were from the grave when he called them； or that when he taught
on the hillside the multitude forgot their hunger and thirst and
the cares of this world； and that to his friends who listened to
him as he sat at meat the coarse food seemed delicate； and the
water had the taste of good wine； and the whole house became full
of the odour and sweetness of nard。
Renan in his VIE DE JESUS … that gracious fifth gospel； the gospel
according to St。 Thomas； one might call it … says somewhere that
Christ's great achievement was that he made himself as much loved
after his death as he had been during his lifetime。 And certainly；
if his place is among the poets； he is the leader of all the
lovers。 He saw that love was the first secret of the world for
which the wise men had been looking； and that it was only through
love that one could approach either the heart of the leper or the
feet of God。
And above all； Christ is the most supreme of individualists。
Humility； like the artistic； acceptance of all experiences； is
merely a mode of manifestation。 It is man's soul that Christ is
always looking for。 He calls it 'God's Kingdom；' and finds it in
every one。 He compares it to little things； to a tiny seed； to a
handful of leaven； to a pearl。 That is because one realises one's
soul only by getting rid of all alien passions； all acquired
culture； and all external possessions； be they good or evil。
I bore up against everything with some stubbornness of will and
much rebellion of nature； till I had absolutely nothing left in the
world but one thing。