A CHRISTMAS CAROL - STAVE 4

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - STAVE 4

This Phantom, The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, causes Scrooge the greatest unease. The air of mystery, the lack of speech, the black garment, the outstretched hand with the finger that continually propels Scrooge forward in the future. But why no speech? Why no face? Possibly because the events are not written in stone yet. They are on course in certain directions, but they are not finalized.

From our first stop we know someone has died. The men discussing the person's death are crass. They are only interested in who has gained the dead person's money and if a meal will be served at the funeral.

The spirit points to another couple of men. Scrooge recognizes these two as men he tried to impress in life. They mention the death but quickly move on to a more serious conversation- skating.

Why is the spirit showing him these things Scrooge wonders. Still he pays attention as he knows there must be some importance to them, but he doesn't understand.

They pass Scrooge's place of business. It's his normal work time, but a stranger stands in his place, but the spirit doesn't stop there. The purpose of that is just a glance on the way to another destination. A shop of thievery and ill-repute. Scrooge is horrified as he hears the conversation of 3 people that have stolen goods from around a dead person's room and off the body directly and are attempting to sell them to a pawn type shop. There was no one to watch over the body, to protect it, to safeguard the personal effects. No one cares.

Then the spirit takes Scrooge directly into the room where the dead man lays. Dickens gives us this marvelous personification of Death. However, from this man no good deeds were done to make his memory live on in the minds of men. The spirit urges Scrooge to pull down the cover and see who lays beneath, but Scrooge cannot bring himself to. Scrooge begs to see someone that mourns this man. One couple is found, but as Scrooge finds out they don't miss the man. They celebrate the fact that his death gives them a few more days to be able to pay their debts they owed him.

The Ghost leaves this home and they travel the streets to the Cratchit's. Tiny Tim is dead. The whole family mourns.

Last stop - the graveyard. Dickens tells us that the burial place choked with weeds and packed full was the worthy resting place of this unmourned man. Scrooge begs the Spirit to reassure him that what he is about to look at is not set in stone. Scrooge pleads with the Spirit and tells him he has mended his ways. He will remember and honor the past, present, and the future, and the lessons they have taught. Still he must glance upon the headstone of the man, and, of course, it is him. He grabs the Spirit's hand trying to imprison the pointing finger. The Spirit disappears and his bedpost stands in its place.

While we should not live our lives always wondering what others think of us in a performance- type way, we do need to take a moment at the end of this stave and ask ourselves what type of legacy we are leaving for others? Have we made a difference in people's lives? Have we been a beacon of light sharing Christ's love and care to others. Will we genuinely be missed when we cease to breathe upon this earth anymore? We have one precious lifetime to live, and as I close my book on this stave tonight I am asking myself if it is a life often lived for the betterment of others or myself?