Fear Is All Around Us

Will Martin continues his examination of Dante’s Inferno ...

“Thy soul attainted is with cowardice

Which many times a man encumbers so,

It turns him back from honored enterprise…”

Inferno Canto II

Sometimes the fear of consequences will keep us from doing what we know ought to be done. This fear is both common to all men and completely inexcusable in the eyes of heaven and earth. Which means we have a great big hairy problem. What do we humans do when Truth, Goodness, and Beauty demand something of us that we are too afraid to do? Dante answers this conundrum in Canto II of the Inferno.

Having been told that Virgil has come to guide him to heaven through hell, Dante foresees a great problem. He does not possess the cardinal virtue of fortitude which would allow him to brave every danger as he follows his guide. But Dante also knows that it is better not to venture at all than to fail half way in.

They say 4-wheel drive only gets you stuck a bit further into the mud than you would have done without it. And here is Dante, about to enter hell with the hope of passing through to heaven if he can only persevere. He takes a peek into himself, sees a lack of the courage that would sustain him, and puts his problem to Virgil. “Poet, who guides me, reguard my manhood, if it be sufficient, ere to the arduous pass thou dost confide me…” Translation: do you think I am brave enough to walk this path? Tell me before we enter.

I invite you to pause and answer Dante yourself. How would you, dear reader, encourage him? What source of persevering courage do you know of that you could point him towards? Having answered yourself, now compare it to Virgil.

Virgil’s answer to Dante’s fear ought to be supremely encouraging for every mothers’ son of us…daughters too! Virgil’s short-hand answer is that Dante has friends in high places. He tells his story of how he came to Dante’s aid in the first place. Long story short there were people in heaven who were concerned for Dante, who were praying for him by name before the throne of God, and who sent Virgil to rescue him. Now protestants have a great problem here that Catholics do not. Catholics treasure the idea of the heavenly intercession of the saints. It isn’t my purpose to say who is right or wrong. What I want to ask of us all is to think. Consider what it would mean to your current fears. Think of the fears that are keeping you back from “honored enterprise.” How familiar are you with the fear that keeps you back from trying something truly great? Yeah, its familiar to me too; to Dante as well.

Now, holding those fears in mind, imagine this: Imagine you have a dear friend who stands welcome before the God of heaven, who constantly pleads for His omnipotent Good hand to aid you, and who can actually work on your behalf.

We are human. And fear is the air we breath. But fear not, whoever you are. We have heavenly help; A Savior and a multitude of witnesses that surround us. We don’t have to be the hero. We can be the helped. So, pin your ears back and live to the hilt. Dare the impossible. Dare the impassable. Dare to attempt something great. For you, like Dante, are not alone.

Will Martin lives in La Grange. You can email him at: iamwillmartin@gmail.com