Are you with me?

The climatic scene in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe is a battle between all of the strange, horned monsters and bovine beasts that are aligned with the White Witch (a Satan figure) and the benevolent, furry animals and talking creatures that are aligned with Aslan the Lion (a Christ figure).

Looking down on the battlefield, the newly dubbed knight and leader of Aslan’s forces, Peter Pevensie sits mounted on a white unicorn steed. Just before he charges into battle, he turns to Oreius, his guardian angel figure who also resembles St. Michael the Archangel and he prays for his help: "Are you with me?'. 

Gryphon: They come, Your Highness, in numbers and weapons far greater than our own.

Oreius: Numbers do not win a battle 

Peter: No. But I bet they help.

Peter: (turns to Oreius) Are you with me? 

Oreius: To the death. 

Peter: (shouts) For Narnia and for Aslan! (He charges and the army follows.) 

Centaur: Go! 

Faun: Go! For Aslan!

This scene always reminds me that we too are in a giant battle between good and evil everyday. However unqualified we may feel or how we are seemingly unequipped to mount a defense let alone a victory, the truth is we are not alone. In moments when I am weak I need others to be strong. We all do. This is why we pray, ‘I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sister, to pray for me to the Lord our God.’ In Catholicism, it's not just 'me, my bible and God'. Rather, it is communal. It's all of us together. 

Are you with me? We can't do it alone.

The Catholic Mass is both the macrocosm and stillpoint of the hurricane in that epic war with the legions of hell. Through the prayers, readings, standings and kneelings, we work our way toward Calvary where the weaponization of love and forgiveness paradoxically flips the cruelty of the executioners of God on its head with these ten words, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do”. 

Before that sacrifice is offered on our altars we begin Mass by pounding our hearts with a recognition of our own sins and our weakness. In abject humility we acknowledge our most grievous faults. The Confiteor Prayer is a Catholic prayer which in Latin means ‘I confess’. In accusing ourselves we rob the Devil of his leverage and power as ‘the Accuser’. It is a prayer that is asking for help from eachother so that we may prevail over evil in our world, in our Church and in our own hearts.

The Confiteor (I Confess)
 
I confess to almighty God
and to you, my brothers and sisters,
that I have greatly sinned
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done,
and in what I have failed to do;
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
and you, my brothers and sisters,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Notice, after we express sorrow for every kind of sin and ask for God's mercy and forgiveness, we turn to our left and our right, to friends both seen and unseen and implore them to charge into battle at our side. With the tremendous intercession of Mary, the saints, and the people around us we gain confidence. Our chances for victory become magnified. We think to ourselves, 'I am not alone. You are not alone'. 

This goes back to a theological and catechetical principle: primarily, faith is caught not taught. Shoulder to shoulder we declare as one body, ‘We believe…'

Just as a lack of faith from those around us causes scandal and demoralization, the demonstration of sincere genuine faith by those who we worship with causes the edification of honor and glory as a tribute to our Lord to surge in the heart. At mass, if we do it right, we may catch the ‘good infection’ a phrase C.S. Lewis used to describe how Christian life is spread.

Like little fish that swim together in harmony as one, we form into a giant school that resembles a fearsome sea creature. As our power actually is magnified through the unity that the Holy Spirit brings about, we see that the Devil’s power is deceptive and over exaggerated. 

In the Communion of Saints, as members of this One Body of Christ, we have angelic helpers, protectors and guides and we have the prayers of Our Lady, the saints and the holy Church. “We pray in public as a community, and not for one individual but for all. For the people of God are all one.” + St. Cyprian, bishop and martyr (208-258 A.D.). As Catholics we are beneffiting from constant intercession. 

In the end, perhaps like Peter Pevensie when all hope seems lost, the risen and glorified Aslan himself will show up in the nick of time to pluck us out of the fire. When Christ comes again, as he promised he would…We will put down our swords and together our dented, blood splashed helmets will be replaced with victory crowns.