Plato's Cave and Christ

This wonderful video tells the well known allegorical tale of Plato's Cave.
It is also beautifully narrated.
It is astonishing to realise that the Greek philosopher Plato died in 347 BC because although I have heard the story many times  today it really got me thinking about how well it relates to the recent scriptures in the Mass readings and our Christian faith in general.

For example 
  • e.g  Who Do You Say I Am ?;  
  • the experience the disciples must have felt  both at and after they had experienced  the awesome transfiguration of Christ which we read about this Sunday
  • the exasperation and frustration of incomplete vision that we have as followers of  Jesus because we are so often chained and in a cave !
 "Let no-one deceive himself
If any one among you considers himself wise in this age,
let him become a fool, so as to become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God,"

 

and this from the Book of Sirach which is the first reading on Monday


"All wisdom comes from the LORD
and with him it remains forever, and is before all time
The sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,
the days of eternity: who can number these?

Heaven’s height, earth’s breadth,
the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?

Before all things else wisdom was created;
and prudent understanding, from eternity.

The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom
and her ways are everlasting.
To whom has wisdom’s root been revealed?
Who knows her subtleties?

To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed?
And who has understood the multiplicity of her ways ?

    The sudden glimpses that take us to the divine revelation that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and indeed the whole tale resonates deeply with the difficulties we face as Christians as we try to explain to others who do not see what it is we believe and why it is the truth ! 
    In some ways it also explains that we do not have a complete handle on the truth
    and gives fresh meaning to the destiny that Christ foresaw and tried to explain to his disciples immediately after they witnessed his transfiguration that he would be crucified.....

    "yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man
    that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt?

    • It explains how all of us who have had some experience in our lives that has led us to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and as a consequence can't but help  want to share it with others will inevitably suffer and be villified and even destroyed
    • how  God's ways transcend our own limited view of the world.

    “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
    take up his cross, and follow me.




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