Episode Transcript
[00:00:06] Welcome back.
[00:00:08] Today is December 7th, the second Sunday of Advent, and today we're celebrating another book loved by people all over the world.
[00:00:27] 75 years ago, renowned writer and theologian C.S. lewis whisked readers away to the land of Narnia.
[00:00:35] His book the lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was first published in 1950 and is considered a classic.
[00:00:44] Twenty years ago, on this day, the film version premiered, bringing Narnia to life for a whole new generation.
[00:00:53] Although C.S. lewis wasn't Catholic, many of his closest friends were, including the Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. tolkien, who helped Lewis return to Christianity after falling away from his faith.
[00:01:08] Lewis is considered one of the greatest defenders of the Christian faith of all time.
[00:01:14] In the Chronicles of Narnia, the story of the Gospel is told in a masterful way.
[00:01:20] The devil who has wrongly taken control of the world is represented by the White Witch, who has trapped the land in a hundred years of winter.
[00:01:30] Jesus Christ is represented by Aslan, the Great lion, who sacrifices his own life to free Narnia and release it from the darkness.
[00:01:41] Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight.
[00:01:45] At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more.
[00:01:49] When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death.
[00:01:53] And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.
[00:01:59] The quote above from the novel the lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was spoken by Mr. And Mrs. Beaver.
[00:02:06] It symbolizes the Christian truth that good has the ultimate victory over sin and death.
[00:02:13] It's the same message of hope that has been moving hearts for more than 2,000 years.
[00:02:32] And now let's open our hearts to an Advent message.
[00:02:46] Years before it was common to do so, the late Bishop Ken Utner of the diocese of Saginaw, Michigan, issued an invitation to an estimated 70,000 inactive Catholics in his mid Michigan diocese.
[00:03:01] Come home.
[00:03:02] My message is intended for people who are returning to the church after being away for whatever reason or whatever length of time, said the bishop, who chose Advent to invite people back to the church.
[00:03:16] There's something about coming home for Christmas, something in the air. This Advent season, a time when people think long thoughts and think about life, that it just seemed like a good time to issue an invitation.
[00:03:32] Tis the season for coming home.
[00:03:36] Spend some quiet time with the Lord.
