[Pearls Ep 150: Answering atheism Tuesday.]
As we finish reflecting on Joseph’s dream, it brings to mind the popular sentiment in our culture of “follow your dreams”.
But just how serious is society about this?
Not unrelated – there is a fondness for communism these days. You’ve probably seen various polls and surveys that show (disturbingly…) that younger generations have a favorable view of communism. That’s probably because it’s gussied up as “democratic socialism” – a kinder, gentler form of tyranny. But if a rose by any other name still smells as sweet, so does a communist boot by any other name still crush your neck.
Try going to Russia, China, Venezuela, or North Korea and declaring that you are there to “follow your dreams.”
The true failing of Communism (and the countries listed above) is not the lack of economic or professional freedom, but the lack of religious freedom. Marx famously declared “Communism begins where atheism begins.” Lenin and Stalin took that to heart and crushed religious freedom.
Why is religious tyranny the “core wound” of Communism? Because religious freedom is the stuff that dreams are made of.
Here is the introduction of the spiritual classic, “My Daily Bread”:
“EVERY MAN DREAMS, at some time or other of the better person he might have been or may yet become. This book deals with that dream — self-perfection. True, there are different ideals and standards of self-perfection, but only one ideal, one standard alone, will stand the test at the judgment seat of God. The one and only standard of goodness and perfection is the standard which God Himself has given us. We do not have to establish an ideal for ourselves. Our Heavenly Father has already given us one — His divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Our dreams are nothing more, and nothing less, than an extension of the wisdom of St. Augustine – “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” The connection between dreams and religion is tied up in the phrase “rest in thee.” How do we “rest in Jesus?” We rest in Him by becoming exactly the person He created us to be.
That is the purpose of religion – to be transformed into exactly who Christ created us to be. Whether we recognize it or not during the course of the day, that is at the heart of all our dreams.
A society that does away with religion is a society that can no longer dream.
That was the state of Israel at the time of the Nativity. Jewish society as whole gave only lip service to religion. And so instead of embracing God’s plan that Israel become the light to all nations, their dreams dwindled to little more than finding a way to get along with Rome.
But God will always find a way through to people, even in the most unwelcoming of societies. He went directly to Joseph – as He has to you – with a message that He is sending His Son. To remind us how to dream.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: Matthew 1:18-24
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.
When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.”