I recently finished rereading
The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Lewis has long been one of my favorite authors, and it's been so long since I've picked up
Narnia I thought it was time to do it again. Most of my memories from reading the series revolve around the character of Aslan and how much of an emotional connection I have to that character. This time through was no different; in fact I probably felt even more emotion than ever. I think as I grow in my faith I start to understand a little more about what Lewis was doing with the character of Aslan and his parallels to Christ. I ran across so many fantastic quotes that describe the character of Christ so perfectly or perhaps even directly parallel Scripture verses I wanted to compile some of them in one place. This is almost more for me than it is for anyone else, but I hope these quotes give you a slightly different perspective on the God that become one of us to save us. And if you haven't read
The Chronicles of Narnia, leave this blog and go to a bookstore. What's wrong with you?
The Magician's Nephew
(
referring to Aslan singing the world into being, and watching colors appear in the earth) "They made you feel excited; until you saw the Singer himself, and then you forgot everything else."
Aslan: "Oh Adam's sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!"
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
"'Is he - quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.' 'That you will, dearie, and no mistake,' said Mrs. Beaver; 'if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly.' 'Then he isn't safe?' said Lucy. 'Safe?' said Mr. Beaver; 'don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.'"
Aslan: "...though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward."
(after Aslan's resurrection he runs and plays with Lucy and Susan) "It was such a romp as no one has ever had except in Narnia; and whether it was more like playing with a thunderstorm or playing with a kitten Lucy could never make up her mind. And the funny thing was that when all three finally lay together panting in the sun the girls no longer felt in the least tired or hungry or thirsty."
(after Aslan speaks to another lion who is commonly regarded as stupid) "'Did you hear what he said?
Us Lions. That means him and me.
Us Lions. That's what I like about Aslan. No side, no stand-offishness.
Us Lions. That meant him and me.'"
"But amid all these rejoicings Aslan himself quietly slipped away. And when the Kings and Queens noticed that he wasn't there they said nothing about it. For Mr. Beaver had warned them, 'He'll be coming and going,' he had said. 'One day you'll see him and another you won't. He doesn't like being tied down - and of course he has other countries to attend to. It's quite all right. He'll often drop in. Only you mustn't press him. He's wild, you know. Not like a
tame lion.'"
The Horse and his Boy
"'Please,' she said, 'you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else.' 'Dearest daughter,' said Aslan, planting a lion's kiss on her twitching, velvet nose, 'I knew you would not be long in coming to me. Joy shall be yours.' Then he lifted his head and spoke in a louder voice. 'Now, Bree,' he said, 'you poor proud, frightened Horse, draw near. Nearer still, my son. Do not dare not to dare. Touch me. Smell me. Here are my paws, here is my tail, these are my whiskers. I am a true Beast.' 'Aslan,' said Bree in a shaken voice, 'I'm afraid I must be rather a fool.' 'Happy the Horse who knows that while he is still young. Or the Human either.'"
"There was a short silence and then they all stirred and looked at one another as if they were waking from sleep. Aslan was gone. But there was a brightness in the air and on the grass, and a joy in their hearts, which assured them that he had been no dream."
Prince Caspian
"'Welcome, Prince,' said Aslan. 'Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?' 'I - I don't think I do, Sir,' said Caspian. 'I'm only a kid.' 'Good,' said Aslan. 'If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not.'
"'You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve,' said Aslan. 'And that is both honor enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth. Be content.'"
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
"'Oh, Aslan,' said Lucy. 'Will you tell us how to get into your country from our world?' 'I shall be telling you all the time,' said Aslan. 'But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river. But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder.'"
The Silver Chair
"'You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you,' said the Lion."
(after Aslan tells Jill the directions for her quest) "But first, remember, remember, remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs. And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly; I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters."
"'You see, Aslan didn't tell Pole what would happen. He only told her what to do. That fellow will be the death of us once he's up, I shouldn't' wonder. But that doesn't let us off following the sign."
The Last Battle
(spoken by a pagan whom Aslan saves) "'And this is the marvel of marvels, that he called me Beloved, me who am but as a dog.'"
(after the end of the world, referring to the new Narnia) "'I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now. The reason why we loved the old Narnia is that it sometimes looked a little like this.'"
"'There
was a real railway accident,' said Aslan softly. 'Your father and mother and all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning.'"
How amazing to know that now we are stuck in a pale, comparatively lifeless school term, filled with work and stress - and the vibrant holiday we were made for is waiting just around the corner.
