Sárospataki Füzetek 17. (2013)

2013 / 1-2. szám - TANULMÁNYOK - Sawyer, Frank: Krisztus, egyház és világ T. S. Eliot Kórusok "A sziklá"-ból, 1934 c. versében

Sawyer Frank

al development ...intellectual enlightenment” and have no spiritual stamina to hold back “gluttony, pride, neglect of the Word of God” and all the sins that lead to inner decay (20). Therefore the second chorus (19ff), says:

The Church must be forever building, for it is forever decaying within and attacked from without;

For this is the law of life; and you must remember that while there is time of prosperity The people will neglect the Temple, and in time of adversity they will decry it.

What life have you if you have not life together?

There is no life that is not in community,

And no community not lived in praise of God.

Even the anchorite who meditates alone,

For whom the days and nights repeat the praise of God,

Prays for the Church, the Body of Christ incarnate.

And now you live dispersed on ribbon roads,

And no man knows or cares who is his neighbour Unless his neighbour makes too much disturbance But all dash to and fro in motor cars...

The chorus also mentions the contrast of ‘both in prosperity and adversity’, a phrase found in the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and in many marriage liturgies.

III.3 Third, chorus - The relation of the divine Word to our daily life

In this section a critique of religion is voiced on stage: the church represents “outworn superstition” and in an attitude of class betrayal the church and the wealthy “blokes what keeps the yoke o’ religion on the shoulders o’ the workin’ man”, together maintain repressive patterns(33). The chorus chants:

Where there is no temple there shall be no homes,

Though you have shelters and institutions Precarious lodgings while the rent is paid,

Subsiding basements where the rat breeds Or sanitary dwellings with numbered doors Or a house a little better than your neighbour’s;

When the Stranger says: “What is the meaning of this city?

Do you huddle close together because you love each other?”

What will you answer? “We all dwell together

To make money from each other”? or “This is a community”?

And the Stranger will depart and return to the desert.

O my soul, be prepared for the coming of the Stranger,

Be prepared for him who knows how to ask questions.

72 SÁROSPATAKI FŐZETEK 2013/1-2