Christian Holmes- Outside Reading 4

            Deeper into “The Screwtape Letters”, Screwtape reveals one of Gods main goals, “The Enemy wants to bring the man to a state of mind in which he could design the best cathedral in the world, and know it to be the best, and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than he would be if it had been done by another.” The goal of this idea can be summed by the “selfless glorification of the good”. According to Lewis’ story what God wants most of all, is for man to rejoice in that, which is good, selflessly. Because God is the utmost of all goodness, love, and kindness in the universe, it would make sense to categorize God as “the good”.  So, in other words, man is to bring glory to God without question of himself. This lack of self is the summarization of the death of selfish ambition.

            This characteristic death of selfish ambition can be seen very distinctly in the film “Ground Hogs Day” starring Bill Murray. At the beginning of the story, Bill’s character is closed off, negative, and down right mean.  One trapped in time, however, he discovers time to be, that which is sacred in his life (that which Lewis refers to as the Cathedral). Once he finds the sacred and removes himself from the center of the sacred, he is enabled to see the beauty of the sacred and the purpose it really has. Lewis’ example (fulfilled) would be that someone longs and rejoices in celebrating and glorifying God regardless of themselves or their own accomplishments. It’s interesting to see how this idea of “dying to oneself” continues to be communicated through media.