Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy 4.17

Then I said: “The arguments which we have accepted bring us to that conclusion. But tell me, do you leave no punishment of the soul to follow after the death of the body?”

“Yes,” she answered, “heavy punishments, of which some, I think, are effected by bitter penalties, others by a cleansing mercy. But it is not my intention to discuss these now.

“My object has been to bring you to know that the power of evil men, which seems to you so unworthy, is in truth nothing; and that you may see that those wicked men, of whose impunity you complained, do never miss the reward of their ill-doing; and that you may learn that their passion, which you prayed might soon be cut short, is not long-enduring, and that the longer it lasts, the more unhappiness it brings, and that it would be most unhappy if it endured for ever.

“Further, I have tried to show you that the wicked are more to be pitied if they escape with unjust impunity, than if they are punished by just retribution. And it follows upon this fact that they will be undergoing heavier penalties when they are thought to be unpunished.”

—from Book 4, Prose 4

Will there are also be eternal consequences for the way we choose to live in this life, rewards or punishments in an afterlife, or in a next life? Would knowing that it is so give a greater weight to the power of Providence? Might it offer a finality to things, a certainty that nothing can escape an ultimate justice?

Speaking only for myself, I have found that this can be a misleading line of inquiry for me. Whether the human soul is immortal, and whether our judgments now have very real consequences later, is indeed a critical question, and our answer will shape much of how we view our place in the totality of things. Nevertheless, I must be careful not to ask the question for all the wrong reasons.

Coming to know what my future state might be isn’t a problem, but relying on that future state to make excuses for my life now is a problem. I find it too easy to look to what will happen then, instead of focusing on what is happening now. There is something base and mercenary in me when I expect treats for myself and my friends later, and only tricks for my enemies and opponents later.

My sense of justice can all too easily be replaced by a desire for gratification and vengeance.

So I do not ignore the question, but I put it aside, for the moment, when I consider why I should choose to do good instead of evil. I should follow virtue because it fulfills my very humanity, and expresses itself in happiness simply by itself. I should avoid vice because it cripples my humanity, and expresses itself in misery simply by itself. Do not tell me that there needs to be more, because this is already enough: the good life is good for its own sake, or it is not a good life to begin with.

It seems that Lady Philosophy is trying to guide Boethius in a similar manner, affirming that the effects of our actions are indeed greater than we might think, but also reminding him to see Providence at work right in front of him, here and now. He does not need to wait for his rewards, and those who have treated him unjustly do not need to wait for their punishments. The rewards and punishments cannot be separated form the thoughts and deeds themselves.

Perhaps thinking in this way can also help me to learn pity, not by looking down on others, but by showing genuine compassion for others. When another tries to hurt me, he may attack me on the outside, while he only hurts himself on the inside.

Should I not want what is good for him, instead of stewing with anger? There is something I can do about that immediately, and I don’t need to dwell on his fate down the road. If I offer love, I will surely become better, and there is a chance, just a chance, that he may use that as an opportunity to become better himself. Let me worry about the joy and suffering in front of me at the moment.

I have a rather unpleasant memory of a religious zealot I once knew giving me what he intended as a pep talk, but instead ended up making me far more aware of the malice in my own motives.

“Look, just rest assured that they will be in Hell, and you will be in Heaven. You will have the last laugh! You will have eternal glory, and they will only have eternal pain. God’s power takes care of it that way!”

No, just no. I cannot bring myself to imagine either God or his Saints taking pleasure in laughing last. Love is the law of Nature, and the will of Nature’s God. The evil man deserves to be helped, not to be hated.

Written in 11/2015