Theo-Drama

Midway along the journey of our life, I awoke to find myself in a dark wood, for I had wandered off from the straight path.---Dante, from the Divine Comedy

 

Fr. Robert Barron interprets this opening line of Dante's masterpiece as a man waking from his "ego-centric slumber". When we wander off from the straight path, it is usually connected in some way to the ego-drama. Fr. Barron describes the ego-drama as "a film written by me, starring me, directed by me, and watched mostly by me." Dante's path had become about himself alone, but he awoke. Midway through life, something awakened him. We all need waking up from time to time. We must never imagine that we are always awake and living in the Theo-drama. The Theo-drama is God's film. He directs it, writes it, and in His mercy, He allows us to play a part in it. His film is much more entertaining, beautiful, and meaningful. His drama stars Jesus, and the story is about His love for us and our love for Him. No matter what we do in life, if our lives are about us, they will be boring and predictable, if they are about Jesus, they will burn like torches in the darkness of this world's endless night.

 

wkm