'Thrill of the Chaste'

It is time for me to tip my hat to the book 'The Thrill of the Chaste' by Dawn Eden. I was at the Chesterton Conference and the book and its author were on the program. I gazed at the book for about 15 minutes wondering if I should buy it, thinking 'What could I get from it?' Then I bought it for my daughter, Katie, 25. She is a single woman, if not singular. She fit the reader which the book seemed to be aiming at. I thought I might read it before I sent it to Katie. I brought my cousin and her husband to hear Dawn Eden speak. It was rather a typical conversion talk except that Ms. Eden laughed a lot and many members of the audience seemed to be part of a cheering section and in the question period asked leading question to get Ms. Eden to instruct the audience. I was a bit disappointed, but quizzical.

A man at the book table when I had bought 'The Thrill of the Chaste' said to me. 'It is a great book. I read it, but was very disappointed that my daughters would not.' I happened to see Ms Eden in the lobby later and waited for her to be free. She signed my book to my daughter and in a quick exchanged said that I should get spiritual guidance. I had been a rather isolated Catholic for quite awhile, but I left Ms. Eden with a Miraculous Medal and my signed book and a tortured hunger. The Conference was what I needed. I have read Chesterton's 'Lepanto' and some great sketches on famous people, but it is 'The Thrill of the Chaste' which has become my spiritual guide. It is one of the few books that I have read more than once. I am on my fourth reading and beginning to get it, a little. I have underlined many parts, written on the covers and recommended it to others. It is no longer suitable for a gift for my daughter. It has been God's Gift to me and has put me firmly on Mi Camino to God, again. It is because of this book and 'The Dawn Patrol' blog that I started this blog with my son's help.

Over the past six years I have traveled through Dante's 'Divine Comedy about six times, knowing each time that I finished that I was a bit more prepared to read this great work. This book will be on my reading list for the rest of my life. Now beside this classic is 'The Thrill of the Chaste'. It is a spiritual journey like that of Dante's. Dante said that he would write the greatest love story ever well before he wrote it. Beatrice is suppose to be his love, but really it is God to Whom he goes to place his love. In a way Ms. Eden's book is a love story to her husband, but, ultimately, it is a love story like Dante's about her journey to God. It is God's Love that lasts forever. It is God's love that can fill our hunger like the woman at the well which Ms. Eden writes about. I am slowly beginning to drink at this well.

I suppose that people only 'objectify' others when they have objectified themselves (a term used in Ms. Eden's book). This is what it is like in the depths of Dante's Hell, though sins of incontinence, which includes sexual sins, are in the circle of lust in upper Hell. Still 'objectifying', making all beings objects which are for the feeding of self, is clearly seen in Lower Hell. In these depths it is a place where everything is heavy, where the pressure from Upper Hell can be felt in the Italian words of Dante and in the surrounding landscape of monsters, rock cliffs and ice which contains sinners frozen totally and in varying degrees of exposure. There is little sacred here outside of the souls created by God who have chosen to turn from God and His Love and God's order and Justice. This is close to life on earth of the those who have chosen to freeze themselves and others in Ms. Eden's world often with the drug of sex, though that is not the real reason, which is the need to break through loneliness to love. Ms. Eden's book shows people how to unfreeze their hearts. It is interlaced with spiritual guidance and wisdom gained from agonizing failures to fine love in the world and from the flesh.

This is a book for anyone looking to fill that God-shaped vacuum inside. It is a book that can be studied by the pilgrim to God. It is a book that can replace agony with humor. Remember all love is Divine Comedy. I hope to learn more of the laughter of Ms. Eden (and GK Chesterton) which was a large part of her talk. May we all laugh with God for the salvation of souls.

I will continue walking through this book until it falls apart (or comes totally together) in content or pages. So far journeying through it has only given me a deeper understanding of myself, others (men and women in different ways) and a life closer to God. Now I weave towards a life closer to my wife and four children. My children are adults, so my relationship with them is changing. My life has changed emotionally since realizing my inability to deal with my father's death at age 14,. I have received much help dealing with his death over the last two plus years, so I am changing and, so, my way of relating changes, and, thus, my relationships. But one thing is that as I change others change, too, or put me behind them. Change causes change, insight leads to insight, growth leads to growth. This is not often pleasant or easy for people, but burying pain is far more destructive. All things are possible with God. May the Saints and the Blessed Mother bless us all.

I suppose, ultimately, that 'The Thrill of the Chaste' has grabbed me and led me is because it is about a spiritual journey with thrilling spiritual messages. It puts men and women on equal footing in this spiritual journey to God and gives insight into a woman's struggles in this journey. It is about spiritual union with God and giving thanks for all that God has given to us and, at the same time, trying always to just do His Will while having hope that certain things will happen. Oh, love and paradoxes. God bless us.