#how could anyone be happy when other people are being treated unjustly?? they must be fake women

[pwurrz]

of course terfs would get mad at a post reminding them that there’s more to being a woman than misery and suffering: they’re misogynists. they hate women. their misogyny is just the ‘woke’ kind where they re-enforce the idea that women are weaker and stupider and generally less capable compared to men but like, in a ‘feminist’ way 🤪💅

when you hate women and genuinely believe they are inferior, that they are lesser, it’s impossible to see that there’s any joy or pride or anything positive about being a woman. especially if you yourself are a woman who believes in this kind of self-deprecating mindset.

[revolutionary-demosthenes]

4th of July: John Laurens and Slavery, and why we shouldn’t idolize him

I’ve written several drafts of posts trying to explain John Laurens’s complicated relationship with slavery and, in a broader sense, how the hypocrisy of freedom for our country--while denying the freedom of enslaved people--has led directly to the situation we find ourselves in now, in terms of race in America.

I’ve struggled with even going there, because I’m trying to focus on the present now, not the past. But I firmly believe that America can only fix its present once we’ve faced our past. And I want this information on my blog. John Laurens was not a perfect man, not even close. He was an abolitionist, yes. But how he came to these views is complicated and his personal conduct towards African-Americans is often troubling. Too often, in fact, the racist ideas of his era are visible in his writings.

There’s lots out there about not glorifying or idolizing historical figures, such as Thomas Jefferson, Washington, and other slave-owners.

This is becoming particularly clear today, with the truth of violent systemic racism in America finally becoming more fully recognized. When people watch videos of a black man begging for his life under the knee of a policeman, that brutality becomes undeniable.

But John Laurens is often exempt from this “historical disclaimer” of sorts. In the world of the Hamilton fandom and even more broadly in history, he becomes The Abolitionist, a White Savior figure who abhorred slavery and fought for racial justice, no exceptions, no fine print.

But there is a fine print for John Laurens. And it is a vital one to examine, because it shows us the importance of carrying our beliefs into our personal lives, not just our political ones.

First, let’s acknowledge the circumstances John was born into.

South Carolina, where he was born in 1754, was a southern colony, and as such relied mainly on agriculture in its economy. The rich plantation owners were the pinnacle of society. Washington’s family is an example of one such rich and powerful plantation owning family. The wealth and standing in society of these men led to positions in the government. And a man who illustrates this perfectly is none other than Henry Laurens.

Henry Laurens, John Laurens’s father, was, despite his pleading to the contrary, a significant slave owner and slave trader. Though in his private life he claimed to dislike slavery, he co-owned the largest slave-trading house in North America, Austin & Laurens. It doesn’t matter what he thought, or claimed to think. What matters is what he did.

Henry Laurens owned between close to three hundred slaves. His attitude toward the treatment of his own slaves was dehumanizing, self-righteous, and willfully ignorant. He chose to look upon himself as a “good” slave owner, rather than actually face the horrors he was perpetrating. He wrote in a letter that he’d rather treat his slaves “with Humanity” and make “less Rice” than “submit to the Charge of one who should make twice as much rice & exercise any degree of Cruelty towards those poor Creatures who look up to their Master as their Father, their Guardian, & Protector.” What Henry is trying to say here (to my reading) is that he’d rather his plantation produce less of a crop and not work his slaves too hard than treat his slaves cruelly to produce more profit.

Henry Laurens, in an attitude that is all too familiar today,  consistently chose to think of himself as an exception to the problem rather than as part of the problem. He was quick to talk up abolition and condemn cruel treatment of enslaved people. But when it came to his own slaves, he insisted that “my Servants are as happy as Slavery will admit of, none run away, the greatest punishment to a defaulter is to sell him.”

I don’t know how John’s mother, Eleanor Ball Laurens, viewed slavery, but she also came from a large slave-owning family. Even if she personally didn’t approve of the practice wholeheartedly, she benefitted directly from slavery and married someone in the slave trade.

So this is the life John Laurens was born into. A life of incredible privilege, sourced directly from the the slave trade and the labor of kidnapped and enslaved Africans. This is the first thing that needs acknowledging in terms of John’s relationship with slavery. He was able to accomplish much of what he did because of his social standing and wealth as the son of a very powerful South Carolinian, powerful mostly because of his standing in Southern society.

John was able to get his education in Europe because of slavery. He was able to use his father’s influence to become an aide-de-camp to George Washington. His social standing and quality of life all stood upon the backs of slaves.

Because of this background, John was exposed to the brutal truths of slavery since he could understand the world around him. Is this how he came into his abolitionist views? It absolutely could be. But it is more likely that John first became serious about abolition when he was taken to Europe for his education. He attended a school in Geneva, a cosmopolitan place that was very open to new ideas. Being an abolitionist was not considered as radical there as it was in the Southern Colonies, and there was more writing on the subject of abolition, including a poem by Thomas Day, an abolitionist patriot, whom John was friends with.

So John’s serious thoughts on abolition may have partly been a product of being away from a place where slavery seen as a part of life and being in a place which was more open to abolition. John may have thought slavery wrong for a long time, but lacked adequate support to be vocal about it.

Significantly though, John did not abandon his beliefs when he returned to America. He continued to be a vocal abolitionist, and unlike his father Henry, confronted actual slave owners and tried to convince them to free their slaves… including his boss, General George Washington.

He also converted Lafayette into an ardent abolitionist, and Lafayette, even after Laurens’s death, stuck to these beliefs. He later in life even bought a plantation and ran it with the labor of paid black people, to prove it could be done.

But once we get to the war, we must also talk about Shrewsberry.

John didn’t own slaves, technically. But his father dispatched two of his slaves to serve as John’s valets during the war, one of whom was named Shrewsberry. (Something to note: I am not sure if these slaves were paid or not. I would assume not, and I have yet to find a record of payment, if it did exist. But if anyone knows more about this, I would love to know the answer, as it’s an important question to think about.)

This alone would mar John’s “perfect abolitionist” image, but it gets more disturbing when you consider how John viewed and treated his valets. I should mention we don’t have a ton of evidence of their living conditions, but what we do have is distressing.

On to the primary evidence: if you read the correspondence between John and his father, a funny/not funny pattern is that John is always requesting clothes, fabric, hair powder, etc., from his father. He usually thanked his father for these items. But here is a quote from a letter John wrote to his father on December 15th, 1777: “Berry received a hunting shirt and a check shirt. If there be any difficulty in getting him winter clothes I believe he can do without.” So while John advocated for black Americans in his public life, his private conduct tells differently.

And this is further evidenced when, after Laurens’ death in 1782, Thadeus Kosciuszco wrote to Nathaniel Greene that John’s slaves (his father's technically, as explained above) were “nacked” and that they were in need of “shirts jackets Breeches.” (“nacked” meaning “naked.”)

While John Laurens was certainly more enlightened than the average man of his time on the subject of slavery, he still had trouble connecting his broader ideas of freedom and emancipation to his personal life. He also wrongly blamed Shrewsberry for the loss of a hat, writing to his father, “Shrewsberry says his hat was violently taken from him by some soldiers as he was carrying his horses to water. If James will be so good as to send him his old laced hat by the bearer I hope he will take better care of it.” The blame for this incident obviously lies upon the soldiers who stole Shrewsberry’s hat, but John acts like Shrewsberry was in the wrong, or somehow that having the hat “violently taken” indicated that Shrewsberry was not taking care of the hat. The automatic and unjust condemnation of Shrewsberry again speaks to how John did have the prejudices of his time period in his head, even as he fought against them in a broader sense.

Later in the war, John left Washington in favor of his home state, South Carolina. He wanted to raise a regiment of slaves to fight for the patriot cause, who would then be emancipated for their service. John had written his father about the idea earlier, saying,

“I would bring about a twofold good, first I would advance those who are unjustly deprived of the Rights of Mankind to a State which would be a proper Gradation between abject Slavery and perfect Liberty—and besides I would reinforce the Defenders of Liberty with a number of gallant Soldiers—Men who have the habit of Subordination almost indelibly impress’d on them, would have one very essential qualification of Soldiers—I am persuaded that if I could obtain authority for the purpose I would have a Corps of such men trained, uniformly clad, equip’d and ready in every respect to act at the opening of the next Campaign…”

Reading through this carefully, we can see some ideas expressed here that are important to note. Firstly, “proper Gradation between abject Slavery and perfect Liberty.” This means that though John did want to free the slaves, he did not think that black people should have the “perfect Liberty” that whites enjoyed. Additionally, when John writes, “Men who have the habit of Subordination indelibly impress’d on them” he is suggesting (to my reading) that because slaves were constantly treated as inferior, they would be good soldiers (I assume because soldiers have to obey their commanding officers.) Honestly, this reads to me like John wanting to take advantage of the cruelty slaves endured because “They’re used to it.”

Henry wrote back that what John was offering was hardly better than slavery, again assuming his attittude of “my slaves are happy.”

John wrote a long letter in return, explaining his reasoning and also basically being like, “dad please support me, dad, please.” But there are also some phrases here, in his letter defending his abolitionist views, that are revealing about the prejudices John harbored. 

He writes, “I confess, indeed, that the minds of this unhappy species must be debased by a servitude, from which they can hope for no relief but death, and that every motive to action but fear, must be nearly extinguished in them.”

Note John’s reference to slaves as a “species” rather than a race. (And, by the way, race is a social construct, not an actual biological thing.) The belief that blacks and whites were separate species was common at the time, and often used by slave traders to justify their actions. And this bit of writing shows that even if John didn’t really believe this wholeheartedly, he at least had the idea in his head. However, later in the letter John does use “race” so it’s a little unclear what he actually believed.

And we can see the belief that black people were not as intellectually capable as white people, owing to their enslavement.

Gregory Massey puts it this way: “Young Laurens reasoned that blacks were not innately inferior to whites; rather, their apparent mental deficiencies resulted from generations of enslavement.”

John goes on, “I have had the pleasure of conversing with you, sometimes, upon the means of restoring [the slaves] to their rights. When can it be better done, than when their enfranchisement may be made conducive to the public good, and be modified, as not to overpower their weak minds?”

What sticks out here is, of course, the assertion that the slaves had “weak minds.”

Essentially, John thought that once black people were allowed to live free, “rescued from a state of perpetual humiliation” as he put it in the same letter, their nature would change to more like whites. Black Patriots and Loyalists: Fighting for Emancipation in the War for Independence by Alan Gilbert states, 

“Nonetheless, John Laurens retained a slave-owner’s perspective about the psychology of blacks at the time. In a 1776 letter to his father, he ignored manifold black acts of resistance and their hunger to be free: ‘There may be some inconvenience and even Danger in advancing Men suddenly from a State of Slavery while possessed of the manners and Principals incident to such a State... too suddenly to the Rights of freedman. [T]he example of Rome suffering from Swarms of bad citizens who were freedmen is a warning to us to proceed with caution.’ [...] The son insisted, however, on the principal that slavery is simply wrong, the immoral shackling of another: ‘The necessity for it is an Argument of the complete Mischief occasioned by our continued Usurpation.’”

But the same book also says, “John Laurens was a practical abolitionist. Favored by nature and fortune, he chose no easy path. He could, for instance, have worked for Washington, recruited a company of white soldiers as his father urged, and still have advocated for the “public good.” Instead, he committed himself to the nobler course of fighting determinedly for abolition.”

However, “18th century abolitionist” usually did not mean someone who believed black and white people were equal and should have the same rights. It meant that you wanted to end slavery. The difference between these views often gets blurred for John Laurens. Saying that John Laurens was an abolitionist is accurate, but he probably did not believe that black and white people should have the exact same rights, at least not at first. That needs to be acknowledged. John was an abolitionist, but it is unclear how much equality he really wanted. 

Only paying attention to his anti-slavery professional life also leads to the idea that it is safe to idolize Laurens, rather than critically examine his complex views on race. The idea forms that he is the one white man from the 18th century we can be fully proud of. The one we can say is our beautiful cinnamon roll without having to confront his relationship with slavery. The fact that John Laurens wanted to help enslaved people gain their freedom doesn’t change the ways in which he benefited from white supremacy, nor how he treated his personal servants, nor the racist ideas he expressed in some of his writings.

This does not mean Laurens was evil, or that you can’t like and admire parts of him. By the standards of other revolutionary figures, like the aforementioned Jefferson and Washington (and Madison and Hamilton to an extent*) Laurens was remarkably enlightened. But also, that in itself is terrible. Like, the idea of a “good guy” from the 18th century is still one that believed that black people had “weak minds” owing to their enslavement. 

If we truly want to reckon with the racial sins of America, and how they originated, we need to see figures like Laurens for all they were. Not just the noble abolitionist, but also the inherently privileged white man whose righteous public crusade was enabled by the very system it sought to end, slavery. We also need to see him as the extremely wealthy young man who regarded the command of his servants as part of the natural order of his life.

I didn’t write this solely for history. John’s story is a reminder to all allies that actions based on our beliefs are important to make in our private lives, as well as public. Yes, it’s important to advocate for racial justice in our public and professional lives. But it’s also important to examine and be honest about our own forms of privilege and the ways in which we have internalized the racism of the world around us. All white people in America benefit from slavery and the systems it was built upon, even those whose forebears came to America long after slavery was abolished. I firmly believe that a step forward for racial justice in the US is simply to acknowledge privilege, because we cannot fix a broken system until we realize all the ways in which it is broken. 

[luna-almighty-god]

Comfort a Little Dream N°5 [ Past tense ]

This story is obviously not canonical, please do not refer to it if you are looking for canonical information.

Careful, there are explicit scenes in this story (violence) !

Enjoy the reading!

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First Chapter

Previous Chapter

===

His world had been devastated. Completely devastated. There was nothing left, just him. Him, a pathetic skeleton unable to protect his own. He, a skeleton who'd hoped in vain, hoped that it would start all over again, that he could take back history, change it. He'd had the crazy hope that Chara could help him...

[ Chara had betrayed him ]

He thought he could count on Ink

[ Ink had abandoned him ]

He thought he was backed by Nightmare

[ Nightmare tried to kill him ]

So Cross had given up. Alone in the depths of some universe, waiting for his impending death, he had given up his dreams, his hopes. He had given up the idea of seeing his friends again, of seeing his dear brother, of seeing his world again. He had given up the idea of finding a family again, of connecting with new people.

[Because he was worthless]

[He was just a mistake.]

[ Mistake that would soon go away ]

At least he thought so. Until this apparition, this almost divine apparition. This little skeleton, this angel descended from heaven, who appeared one day before him in a portal of light.

Dream, the brother of Nightmare, the guardian of positive emotions.

Cross had felt his soul miss a beat as he watched, with a mixture of wonder and curiosity, this little being approach him. This adorable little being, with such sweet eyes, such a tender smile. This little being who had crouched down beside him, who had gently grasped his hands, who had spoken to him with a voice full of kindness and gentleness :

“I felt your negative emotions... Do you need help?”

And Cross knew his life would never be the same again.

*** ***

“Cross, are you all right?”

The swordsman was startled. He didn't expect to be disturbed in the middle of the night, but in the end he should have foreseen this: Dream must have sensed he was brooding, prey to recurring insomnia.

The young guard had come to sit beside him:

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Cross had shaken his head, his throat tied. If he said a word, he could burst into tears. Instead, he took advantage of his friend's comforting presence, came to lay his head on his shoulder. Dream was so gentle and patient, Cross had never known a monster like him before, and it warmed his heart to be so sheltered and pampered by such an innocent little angel.

*** ***

It had been a tough battle. Nightmare was in a dark rage, and Cross suspected it was his fault. He'd fallen under the wrath of the Nightmare Master for his betrayal, and it was all coming down on him. In the end, he could accept that. But for Dream to get hurt too, that was unacceptable!

“I'm sorry…” Cross whispered as he finished bandaging the guard's arm. I didn't mean to... I didn't want you to pay the price. »

And Dream had smiled, as tender as ever:

“You can't blame yourself Cross... We're friends, it's normal that I intervene!”

But Cross couldn't accept it. No, no, he couldn't accept that his guardian angel should be treated this way, that someone as adorable as Dream should be unjustly hurt! And he couldn't understand why such a sweet person was so stubborn:

“Your brother is the worst kind!" he cried, trembling with rage. We must finish him off once and for all, so he can never hurt anyone else!

- NO!”

Cross was startled: it was the first time Dream had screamed like that. Dream who came and grabbed his hands with force, his eyes feverish, his body trembling:

“Please... I beg you, please don't hurt Nightmare...

- Dream, I know you care about him, but your brother... !

- He's been wounded! He was hurt and abandoned, rejected by everyone, humiliated... ! Cross, you know what it's like... You know what it's like to be on the verge of despair, don't you? You know what it's like to feel so hated, so alone, so excluded from everything, to feel like your life will never get better, that you're going to keep falling until you crash into the bottom of the abyss... !”

Cross had frozen. Yes, yes, he knew what it felt like... And Dream went on, eyes down:

“... Nightmare finally cracked ... what little goodness was left in him was swallowed up, imprisoned by the negativity of the black apples. He's not in control, not completely. All he has to do is be entertained for a moment and the negativity will twist his mind, make him do bad things ... and say bad things.”

He looked up at him, his eyes misty with tears:

“He only needs help... Needs someone to show him that nothing's lost, that everything can still get better. So please... don't hurt him…”

Cross thought he was going to cry. Crying at the look of his friend's defeated face. Crying at the thought that Nightmare was more like him than he thought.

He had taken Dream in his arms, held him tightly. Because at that moment, he knew... He knew that he was going to make a big decision.

*** ***

“I'm going back to Nightmare.”

Dream didn't answer at first, too surprised to make any comment. Then when he understood what he had just announced, his eyes widened in terror:

“Wha... What?”

Cross had taken an inspiration:

"I'm going back to Nightmare... and I'm going to guide him. I will show him that he is not just a being of negativity! There must be some good in him! You said it yourself: he lived a horrible life, rejected by everyone, full of hatred against everyone. So I want to do with him what you have done for me: I want to help him, to help him to enjoy life, to be positive, to be happy. »

Cross was determined. Decided to follow in Dream's footsteps.

Dream was not just a friend or a mere guardian: Dream was an example to be followed, an example for every living being. But above all: he was the model Cross wanted to be like.

Dream had helped and supported him, had given him back the hope of being happy, had given him back his smile. And now it was Cross' turn to do something, it was Cross' turn to show someone the way. And that someone would be none other than Nightmare. Because what would make Dream happier than to see his brother be nice again?

“Thank you for all Dream, really!”

He had hugged him one last time, gave him a heartfelt smile.

Then he was gone.

He had left without realizing the wound he had inflicted.

*** ***

Cross opened his eyes. With a pasty mouth, he didn't get up immediately, sweeping the ceiling with his eyes.

"Slept well? »

He slowly turned his head, crossed Ink's tired gaze. It caused him to straighten up. He and the painter were still at odds, even though Dream had tried several times to reconcile them.

“Wasn't it Dust's job to keep an eye on me?

- No, he looks after Dream…”

Cross did not make a single comment. He did not see himself entering into a verbal joust with the Creator: the Creator was clearly not in the mood. Dream had been in a coma for a few days, and Ink hadn't slept a wink, waiting for him to wake up, but that put him in a terrible state.

Without a word, the painter approached the swordsman and changed the bandage on his skull. A small souvenir of the blow the guard had dealt him...

“You looked like you were having a nightmare…” Ink confessed gently, being careful not to be too abrupt.

Cross remained silent for a moment, staring into the void. He finally closed his eyes while clenching his fists, prey to a guilt that made him want to cry. But he remained in control of himself. At least as much as he could:

“No. I just realized how dumb I was.”

And once again, once again he thought he would like to go back in time.

He would have liked to change everything.

===

Next Chapter

You can support me on my Utip or on my Ko-fi account !

===

Credits =

Dreamtale -> Joku

Shattered Dream -> ErroredArtist’s

Cross ->  Jakei

Error -> Lover The Piggies

Ink -> Comyet / Myebi

Dust -> Ask DustTale

Killer -> Rahafwabas

Color -> Superyoumma

Sugar Plum -> undertale Community (formerly NSFWShamecave ?)

[unwoundvisions]

Macayla Laurence Info Dump 3

Has your muse saved a life?

She has not.

Has your muse had a close call with death?

There was a close call when she was bitten by a dog as baby and the time she almost fell to her death.

Has your muse been responsible for the death of another?

No, she hasn’t.

Has your muse experienced a physical altercations?

Technically, no. There have been no proper fights but there have been a few instances where she defended herself.

Does your muse tend to be aggressive?

Not really, not unless she is provoked.

Does your muse immerse them self in a single task?

Kind of. It’s a lot easier for her to focus on one thing at a time. She can multi task but she works better when entirety focused on one thing.

How does your muse connect to fire?

She has always been drawn to fire. Often lighting candles simply to watch the flame.

Does your muse value appearance?

Not really. She believes society focuses far too much on appearance, often using it to look down on others. Personality is what matters much more.

Does your muse have any priceless possessions?

Her locket with photos of her grandfather and Laurie inside. That and the few paintings there are of her family back home.

Does your muse have a high level of self worth?

In a way. She has enough self confidence to never allow someone else to make her feel inferior for any reason. However, sometimes she can make herself feel insecure by overthinking or by striving for perfection.

Does your muse have a reoccurring problem?

Yes, she keeps getting kidnapped by pirates.

What haunts your muse?

The death of her parents. She often thinks about how confused and scared they must have been in their final moments. They were supposed to be able to come back home but their lives were cut short.

What does your muse fear?

Dying suddenly. Her parents never had a chance to say goodbye and she fears that may happen to her or she may loose more of her family suddenly.

How does your muse connect to water?

She’s always had a positive connection with water and usually feels at peace when around it. She’s always loved rain, swimming and being around water in general. Perhaps it is because her birth sign is a water sign.

What secret does you muse keep hidden?

She has to keep a lot of secrets simply because her status. However, perhaps her biggest secret is that she is very unhappy with her life. She truly can not see herself ever being happy marrying some noble men and never doing anything interesting.

Does your muse value wealth?

Only because she knows that she is more privileged than most because she was born into wealth. She knows it has value and wishes she could do much more with her wealth to help others.

How does your muse connect to earth? 

She’s connected to the earth but not by choice. She’s always been a very grounded, logical and sensible person because she is expected to be. She enjoys a lot of the qualities the earth element gives her but wishes for the freedom other elements represent.  

Does your muse tend to be protective? 

Oh yes, it’s simply her instincts as the oldest sister. She always looks after those she cares for and will usually be protective. However, she is also careful to never try to burden someone with her protectiveness. She knows very well people have to make their own decisions and won’t get in their way.   

How does your muse connection to air? 

She did not connect to it that much until she started staying on airships. It gives her a sense of freedom which she knows is ridiculous given that she’s a captive. However, feeling the wind on her face makes her feel free in a way she never had before.

Who was your muse in their past life? 

She doesn’t really believe in that sort of thing.

How does your muse tend to get into trouble? 

Usually by not being a good enough noble. She tries her best to follow all the rules and live up the expectations but it’s not always easy. 

Does your muse often act in revenge? 

No, not at all. She may talk about getting revenge but she would never actually do it. She prefers to move on but will most likely never forget if she was done wrong.

How does your muse value loyalty? 

She does not trust many but when she does, she is completely loyal to them and hopes they will be loyal in return. 

How does your muse view sexuality? 

She firmly believes that if their not harming anyone or themselves, it should not be anyone’s business. She believes it’s ridiculous that people are so judgmental for stupid reasons. She also hates that people are so hypocritical when it comes to sex. Men are praised for their sexual exploits and doesn’t believe women should be shamed for being sexual beings. 

Has your muse witnessed the death of another? 

Thankfully, no.

Does your muse value honor? 

She values whatever kind of honor pushes those to help people who have been treated unjustly by society.  

Does your muse have a collection? 

Not really unless her small army of stuffed animals count.

Which of the Seven Heavenly Virtues relates to your muse?

Charity because she has always wanted to help others.

Which of the Seven Deadly Sins relates to your muse?

Lust because she’s secretly a very lustful person.

What makes your muse lose control?

If someone is trying to harm her or someone she cares for. Or if someone treats the people she cares about poorly. She can tolerate a lot of things directed at her but it’s when it comes to people she cares about, she has trouble not saying or doing something if they are being mistreated.

How does your muse connect to the afterlife?

She doesn’t really connect to it because she does not enjoy thinking about death. While she does not think death is the end, it certainly feels like it which is why she prefers to focus on the present.

[7r0773r]

Frost in May by Antonia White

Once [Clare] even borrowed Nanda’s rosary. Seeing Nanda looking a little doubtful, Clare tweaked her pigtail and asked:

“What is it, baby? Will it hurt your rosary to be used by a pagan?”

“I’ll have to get it blessed again, that’s all,” Nanda explained.

Clare’s eyes danced. They were odd eyes, green and, like her skin, freckled with brown.

“I say, am I as wicked as all that? Do I actually put a curse on everything I touch?”

“Of course not,” said Nanda. “I’d have to get it blessed again if I lent it to anyone . . . even the Pope himself. You see, a rosary’s only blessed for the person it belongs to, and so if anyone else uses it they don’t get the indulgences and you don’t either until it’s been blessed again. Mine’s blessed for a happy death, so I mustn’t forget to have it done.”

Clare threw up her hands and crowed with laughter. “What a fantastic idea, darling. Does it cost anything, having your beads blessed?”

“Of course not,” said Nanda, profoundly shocked.

“Don’t look so hurt, baby. I’m only a poor, inquiring heathen. But I always thought there was something called a sale of indulgences.”

“Lots of Protestants think so,” said Nanda kindly. “But it’s quite untrue. They think that three hundred days’ indulgence means that you get three hundred days off purgatory. But of course, that’s quite impossible, because there isn’t any time in purgatory.”

“Well, what does it mean then?” 

“It’s rather a long explanation,” Nanda told her.

“Go on. I’m fascinated.”

“Well, it’s like this. To begin with, every mortal sin has two sorts of punishment, temporal and eternal. If you die in mortal sin, you go straight to hell. But you’re let off the eternal punishment if you confess your sin and get absolution.”

“Then I should just go on sinning and being forgiven as often as I liked.”

“Oh, no,” said Nanda hastily, “because part of the condition of getting absolution at all is that you have to have a sincere intention not to commit the sin again.”

“I see,” mused Clare. “By the way, how do I know when it is a mortal sin?”

“That’s awfully easy. There’s got to be grave matter, full knowledge and full consent. So if you kill someone by accident, it isn’t a mortal sin. Unless you meant to hurt them badly, when of course it would be. Then take stealing. It’s rather difficult to know just how much would constitute grave matter. But it’s generally supposed to be about half a crown.”

“So if I stole two and fivepence, it would only be a venial sin?”

“Ye-es,” said Nanda a little doubtfully. “But, of course, if two and fivepence was all the person had, or if they were a widow or an orphan, or if you stole it from a church box, it would be mortal.”

“And suppose it was a very dark night and I meant to steal a half-crown and it turned out to be two shillings, it would only be a venial sin?”

“Good gracious, no,” said Nanda positively. “It would be a mortal sin because you had the intention of stealing half a crown.”

“You Catholics are wonderfully definite about everything, aren’t you? It must be a great comfort to know just where one is. But go on about indulgences.”

“Sure I’m not boring you?”

“Not a bit, infant,” smiled Clare, showing very white teeth that had crinkled edges like a small child’s.

“Well, you’re quite clear about eternal punishment and temporal punishment, aren’t you? After the eternal and temporal punishment, aren’t you? After the eternal punishment of a mortal sin has been remitted in confession, there’s still the temporal punishment to be worked off in this life or in purgatory. Venial sins carry some temporal punishment, too, but not so much.”

“I supposed there are heaps of venial sins?”

“Hundreds,” said Nanda gloomily. “Almost everything’s a venial sin, in fact. If I don’t eat my cabbage, or if I have an extra helping of pudding when I’m not really hungry, or if I think my hair looks rather nice when it’s just been washed . . . they’re all venial sins. And then, as if one’s own sins weren’t enough, there are nine ways in which you can share in another person’s.”

“Good Lord,” crowed Clare. “I bet you a holy picture you don’t know ’em all.”

Nanda shut her eyes and gabbled.

“By counsel, by command, by consent, by provocation, by praise or flattery, by being a partner in the sin, by silence, by defending the ill-done.”

“It’s amazing. How can all you babes reel them off like that?”

“Well, I’ve done catechism and Christian Doctrine for two hours a day for three years.”

“Then tell me something. I was reading Rosario’s catechism on Sunday, and I came across something very peculiar. It was one of the commandments . . . ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery,’ and it said it forbade fornication and all wilful pleasure in the irregular motions of the flesh. What does it mean?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” said Nanda coldly. “We don’t do the sixth and ninth commandments. Mother Percival says they’re not necessary for children. They’re about some very disgusting sins, I believe, that only grown-up people commit.”

She could not understand why Clare laughed so wildly that her green eyes brimmed over with tears.

Rather offended, Nanda said: 

“I think we’d better be getting back to the others. I promised Léo to play tennis. And, besides, we’re not really supposed to be about in twos.”

“Nonsense, baby. Mother Percival has got us well in the tail of her stony eye. And besides, you may be converting me, who knows?”

“I shouldn’t dream of trying, Clare,” asserted Nanda, still hurt. “Catholics don’t try and convert people like that. They just answer your questions and . . . and . . . pray for you.”

Clare leaned over and touched Nanda’s arm with a hot quivering hand that burned through her holland sleeve.

“Do you pray for me, baby?”

“Of course,” said Nanda in a very matter-of-fact voice, but she blushed all the same. Clare’s touch embarrassed and delighted her; it gave her the queerest shivering sensation in the roof of her mouth. Why was it that when everyone else seemed just face and hands, Clare always reminded one that there was a warm body under her uniform? For a minute her freckled eyes searched Nanda’s, and then she laughed softly and shook her man of wiry bronze-bright hair. (pp. 109-113)

***

With a very stiff curtsey, Nanda turned to the door. But instead of dropping her eyes, she looked very straight at Mother Radcliffe. The nun threw back her head and gave the merest ghost of a smile.

“You are very fond of your own way, aren’t you, Nanda?”

“Yes, I suppose so, Mother.”

“And do you know that no character is any good in this world unless that will has been broken completely? Broken and re-set in God’s own way. I don’t think your will has been quite broken, my dear child, do you?” (p. 145)

***

Don’t you believe in miracles, Léo?”

“Not entirely, my child. But I’m willing to enter into the spirit of them. Like all the old men who bellow that they believe in fairies when Tinkerbell is at her last gasp.”

“But you wrote such a lovely and convincing one for your Christmas story,” protested Nanda.

“I like the Catholic way of looking at things,” said Léo. “Any way of looking at life is a fairy story, and I prefer mine with lots of improbable embellishments. I think angels and devils are much more amusing than microbes and Mr. Wells’s noble scientists.”

“But you’re a pagan,” asserted Clare in a shocked voice.

“So are hundreds of practising Catholics. I could tell you things about the Renaissance Popes that would make your hair stand on end.”

“I’m beginning to think that there’s something to be said for being a Protestant after all,” said Clare. (pp. 148-49)

***

In time, from utter exhaustion, Nanda’s breathless sobbing became quieter. She even looked up and dimly noticed the albums on the table, and a kid-gloved hand still fidgeting with the clasp of a bag. Then her eye caught the sight of a brown paper parcel only half-hidden by her mother’s muff. She guessed at once that it contained her birthday present. Another wave of misery poured over her. A little while before, one sentence of her father’s had torn right through every protective covering and shamed her to the very marrow. If he had stripped her naked and beaten her, she would not have felt more utterly humiliated. Never, never, could things be the same. Never again would he believe in her. Never again could she love him in the old way. But now, the sight of the absurd birthday parcel suddenly showed her all the small human losses included in that one great loss. She wept wildly for all the dear, silly things that were gone for ever; the happy tea times of the Christmas holidays, the talks in the study, the Haec Olim file to which she could never add her green ribbon. (p. 217)

***

Presently the nun said, still in the same gentle measured voice:

“Those are good tears, Nanda. I have waited for them and prayed for them. You understand very little yet, my dear child, but one day you will understand the significance of all this.”

Nanda did not reply, and Mother Radcliffe went on:

“You are feeling that you have been unjustly treated—that no offence could deserve so great a punishment. Nanda, you must try and believe that all this is for your own good.”

But Nanda could only mutter with dry and swollen lips:

“Daddy—Daddy.”

The nun put her hand on her forehead.

“God asks very hard things from us,” she said, “the sacrifice of what we love best and the sacrifice of our own wills. That is what it means to be a Christian. For years, I have been watching you, Nanda. I have seen you growing up, intelligent, warm-hearted, apparently everything a child should be. But I have watched something else growing in you, too—a hard little core of self-will and self-love. I told you once before that every will must be broken completely and re-set before it can be at one with God’s will. And there is no other way. That is what true education, as we understand it here at Lippington, means. Real love is a hard taskmaster, and the love of God the hardest taskmaster of all. I am only acting as God’s instrument in this. I had to break your will before your whole nature was deformed.”

Nanda glanced at the nun’s face. It was pale and controlled as usual, yet lighted with an extraordinary, quiet exaltation.

“Many things must have happened to you here at Lippington which have seemed unkind, unjust even. Very few of those things happened by accident. I am speaking to you now as if you were a grown-up person. Yours is a nature with a great capacity for good and evil; you are gifted but wayward; obstinate, yet easily led. You have one quality which I think will help you through life. I believe you are fundamentally honest. But there was a quality you needed more. We tried to teach you by easy ways, but to-day you have had to learn it by hard ones—the quality of humility.” (pp. 218-20)

[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2021. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.net

Meditation: Do you know and experience the mercy God has for you through the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for you and for your sins upon the cross? The Lord Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross so that we could receive pardon rather than condemnation, freedom rather than slavery to sin, and healing for the wounds caused by sin, injustice, and evil.

God's mercy knows no limits

God the Father never tires of showing his steadfast love and mercy to those who seek him. Scripture tells us that his mercies never cease. "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (The Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:22-23). What can hold us back from receiving God's mercy and pardon? Anger, resentment, an unwillingness to forgive or to ask for pardon can hold us back from the healing power and merciful love that has power to wash away guilt and condemnation, fear and anger, pride and resentment. The Lord Jesus offers us freedom to walk in his way of love and forgiveness, mercy and goodness.

Imitate God the Father's mercy

We are called to be merciful towards one another just as our heavenly Father has been merciful towards each one of us. Do you quickly forgive those who wrong you or cause you grief or pain, or do you allow ill-will and resentment to grow in your heart? Do you pray for those who have lost sight of God's mercy, pardon, truth, and justice?

In the Old Testament we see the example of Daniel, a man of great faith in God's mercy and just ways, who prayed daily, not only for himself, but for his own people, and for his persecutors as well. Daniel was 'shamefaced' before God because he recognized that his own people who had been called and chosen by God as the people of Israel, were now suffering in exile due to their sins and unfaithfulness to the covenant God had made with them (see Daniel 9:4-10). Daniel did not sit in judgment over the failings and sins of his own people, instead he pleaded with God for compassion, pardon, and restoration. Our shame will turn to joy and hope if we confess our sins and ask for God's healing love and mercy..

Do not judge

Why does Jesus tell his followers to "not judge lest they be judged"? Jesus knew the human heart all too well. We judge too quickly or unfairly with mixed motives, impure hearts, and prejudiced minds. The heart must be cleansed first in order to discern right judgment with grace and mercy rather than with ill will and vengeance.

Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD), a wise early Christian teacher and writer, comments on Jesus' exhortation to not condemn:

Do not judge, that is, unjustly, so that you may not be judged, with regard to injustice. With the judgment that you judge shall you be judged. This is like the phrase "Forgive, and it will be forgiven you." For once someone has judged in accordance with justice, he should forgive in accordance with grace, so that when he himself is judged in accordance with justice, he may be worthy of forgiveness through grace. Alternatively, it was on account of the judges, those who seek vengeance for themselves, that he said, "Do not condemn." That is, do not seek vengeance for yourselves. Or, do not judge from appearances and opinion and then condemn, but admonish and advise. (COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 6.18B.)

Grace and mercy

What makes true disciples of Jesus Christ different from those who do not know the Lord Jesus and what makes Christianity distinct from any other religion? It is grace - treating others not as they deserve, but as God wishes them to be treated - with forbearance, mercy, and loving-kindness. God shows his goodness to the unjust as well as to the just. His love embraces saint and sinner alike. God always seeks what is best for each one of us and he teaches us to seek the greatest good of others, even those who hate and abuse us. Our love for others, even those who are ungrateful and unkind towards us, must be marked by the same kindness and mercy which God has shown to us. It is easier to show kindness and mercy when we can expect to benefit from doing so. How much harder when we can expect nothing in return. Our prayer for those who do us ill both breaks the power of revenge and releases the power of love to do good in the face of evil.

Overcome evil with mercy and goodness

How can we possibly love those who cause us grief, harm, or ill-will? With God all things are possible. He gives power and grace to those who trust in his love and who seek his wisdom and help. The Lord is ready to work in and through us by his Holy Spirit, both to purify our minds and hearts and to help us do what is right, good, and loving in all circumstances. Paul the Apostle reminds us that "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us" (Romans 5:5) God's love conquers all, even our hurts, injuries, fears, and prejudices. Only the cross of Jesus Christ and his victory over sin can free us from the tyranny of malice, hatred, revenge, and resentment, and give us the courage to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21). Such love and grace has power to heal, restore, and transform us into the image of Christ. Do you know the power of Christ's redeeming love and mercy?

"Lord Jesus, your love brings freedom, pardon, and joy. Transform my heart with your love that nothing may make me lose my temper, ruffle my peace, take away my joy, or make me bitter towards anyone."

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2021.

THE GREAT SYMPHONY OF FORGIVENESS

“Forgive and you will be forgiven.” —Luke 6:37, RNAB

When Jesus was dying on the cross, He prayed: “Father, forgive them” (Lk 23:34). When St. Stephen, the first martyr, was being stoned to death, “he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’ ” (Acts 7:60). After St. Patrick was kidnapped and enslaved, he forgave his enemies.  Martyrs forgive those who murder them. Every day millions of people receive the miracle of forgiving others. Let us join in Christ’s great symphony of forgiveness which has been sounding throughout the world for almost two-thousand years.

Thank God for your enemies. If you accept God’s grace to forgive them, your enemies will be your way to holiness and eternal happiness. Love your enemies (Lk 6:35), for the Lord is using them to help you. Pray for your enemies, for they too will stand before the judgment seat of God. Forgive your enemies, for in doing so we imitate Jesus in a most special way.

Forgiveness is the key to love, holiness, healing, victory, and peace. Accept the miracle of forgiveness and be among the saints forever.

Prayer:  Father, through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Forgiveness, may I forgive as Jesus forgives and be forgiven as I forgive (Mt 6:12).

Promise:  “Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may Your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low.” —Ps 79:8

Praise:  Margaret prays for her ex-husband.

Reference:  (For related teachings, order, view or download our leaflets, Unforgiveness is the Cause, Fourteen Questions on Forgiveness, and Novena of Mary, the Mother of Forgiveness or order, listen to, or download our CD 41-1, CD 106A-1, CD 106A-3, CD 106B-1 and CD 104-1 or DVD 41, DVD 106A, DVD 106B and DVD 104 on our website.)

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for One Bread, One Body covering the period from February 1, 2021 through March 31, 2021. Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio March 31, 2020"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

The Marvel of Trelsi (Part VI)

I have resorted to the crude methodology of using screenshots as I’ve wasted over an hour trying to find pictures of Troy and Kelsi on Google Images, amongst other such procrastinating habits. Apparently, the Internet does not believe in the power of Trelsi. Google Play and Dropbox are beautiful things, people. :D 

In this instalment, I continue with the following question:

Question: What makes the Trelsi friendship and dynamic so friggin’ special? Why does it make me want to weep and write poetry?

I am using the following website link: 11 Signs of A True Friendship to demonstrate the worth of Troy and Kelsi’s friendship throughout their lamentably short scenes together in the HSM franchise. As I’m coming to the end of that list, I will also discuss the overall disadvantage of having Troy spend so little screentime and off-screen time with Kelsi.

9- “They don’t talk about you behind your back.”

As I have repeatedly demonstrated when answering this question, the Wildcats ostensible displays of friendship are heralded by the franchise script as being emblematic of true friendship.

This includes the notable examples where the Wildcats are implied to have talked about Troy, negatively, behind his back. Returning to my example from yesterday, where Chad owns up to his part in the HSM I Wi-Fi/camera stunt, the lead-up to this rare moment of humility for the Wildcats could only have been possible if the Wildcats had been muttering about Troy behind his back. After Coach Bolton tries to pressure Troy into focusing for the upcoming game, and Troy storms out of the gym in a terrible mood, the rest of the Wildcats (none of them coming to comfort Troy, of course) are headed in a different direction to plan their next move. Which would include, of course, muttering about Troy’s alleged insanity in trying out a new interest so close to the game. 

Their decision to meet with the brainiacs to put their plan into action counts as talking about Troy (and Gabriella) behind his back, for the purpose of destroying a potential relationship based on selfish interest. In HSM II, I have already stated that their decision to shun Troy appears heavily pre-planned and I’m sure that Chad had been muttering about Troy behind his back prior to his personal decision not to speak with the latter. After all, he told Taylor and Gabriella, “there’s a guy out there that looks just like Troy Bolton, but I have no idea who he really is.” Not only is this patently absurd, but the melodramatic glum faces of Taylor and Gabriella give one the implication that their lunchtime was spent slanging Troy. 

Oh, and speaking of HSM II, let’s not forget Taylor’s instigation of Troy-bashing; telling Gabriella that Troy “forgot” his date without waiting to hear his side of the story (to Gabriella’s credit, she defended Troy!), encouraging Gabriella to hold Troy to ridiculous standards in a relationship (”ALL dates are official. Whether the boy knows it or not.”), planting suspicion in Gabriella’s head that Troy might be straying from her to get in good with Sharpay and the Evans despite there being NO evidence for this, implying that Troy’s motivations are completely unethical throughout despite Sharpay blatantly chasing him and harassing him throughout. Taylor is an excellent friend to Gabriella, and a rotten friend to Troy.*

All of the above scenes are supposed to be glossed over, because hey! We’re all in this together! Indeed, when it comes to stabbing Troy in the back, they are all in this together. However, the ONE scene where Kelsi stands by Troy in the silent Lava Springs kitchen and communicates with him UPFRONT the reason for this undeserved silent treatment once again pours scorn on the alleged Wildcat unity and friendship. Once again, one small gesture in a Trelsi scene outshining everything else. This makes me certain that Kelsi was not involved in the mutinous mutterings against Troy that most probably accompanied Chad’s shouting match earlier on, let alone the plan to ignore him. 

10- “They allow you to have other friendships without getting jealous and possessive.”

Consider the value of being friends with Troy Bolton. You have earned instant status points, you’re considered cool, you have direct access to East High’s Primo Boy, you get to hang on his every word and make sacrifices at the altar of eternal worship. Being friends with Troy Bolton is like being elected Cardinal to the Vatican. You have entered an elite circle. It is my firm belief that Troy was Kelsi’s first real friend, at least in high school. She is never shown with anyone else with whom she shares the same level of familiarity, comfort and affection as she does with Troy. This makes their friendship doubly fortunate. Beforehand, she was sitting with the Drama Club students, working on her music. Now, she is well-liked amongst the Wildcat gang and has graduated to sitting at the Cool Girls table, made up of Taylor (who appears to be the head), Gabriella and Martha. People actually notice her now, they know her name and they appreciate her talent as a composer. Mega status points for Kelsi. 

But throughout the entire movie franchise, she never seeks to impose her own presence upon Troy’s life. In fact, I may have noted before that they rarely ever hang out outside of musical-related activities; Troy still spends the vast majority of his time with the Wildcats and with Gabriella. Kelsi is respectful to all of Troy’s other friends, is pleased when the Wildcats display unity and support Troy’s ambitions and goals, and does everything she can to maintain this harmony. In such benevolence, during HSM II, she appeared shocked when Chad and Troy had a row in the Lava Springs kitchen (TINY scene)-- later on, she persuaded Chad to forgive Troy. Now the BASIS upon which Chad was to forgive Troy is completely bogus and nonsensical in my view; Chad agrees to the following comment: [T] “I was a jerk.”, which as I have stated time and time again, is categorically untrue. 

However, Kelsi certainly never considered Troy to be a jerk throughout this film, and clearly saw that Troy (unjustly) renouncing his privileges in a show of solidarity with his team would appease Chad’s anger. So, either before or after finding Ryan, she runs to Chad, the very same person who called her “small person” in HSM I and with whom she has only shared a little dialogue** previous to plead Troy’s case.*** She doesn’t want to see Troy and Chad’s friendship ruined for anything and seems happy when they get along. This is evidenced by yet another TINY scene where Kelsi is smiling as Troy and Chad do that skipping routine in the kitchen. Scenes like that restore my hope in Troy and Chad’s friendship. 

Due the fact that Troy is one of the friendliest, most open and likeable characters in the entire cast, almost everyone is clamouring to be his friend. Those who get there first consider themselves to be the rightful owners. Cue Chad Danforth, whose has turned possessiveness into an art form. Remember, these two have been friends since pre-school, and although Chad was written as the sidekick, he is clearly the more dominant of the two. “For the record? I was a much better superhero than you were.” I know, I know I criticize Chad a lot, but I do REALLY LIKE Troy and Chad’s friendship. It IS a true brotherhood. They have great banter, their friendship is resilient as hell (secretly filming your BEST friend to destroy his relationship? Wow, Troy forgives like there’s no tomorrow), they make great partners in sport, they clearly bonded quite quickly as kids have great complementary qualities. BUT out of the two, it is Chad who feels that his blueprint must be followed. Troy NEVER imposes any idea upon Chad-- not in their professional spheres or in their social spheres. Rather, it is Chad who decides what Troy should think, what he should like, who he should hang out with, what he should decide and what he should do. And that presents a stark difference between how Chad treats Troy and how Kelsi treats him:

(What Troy should think)-- “The music in those shows isn’t hiphop... or rock. Or anything essential to culture. It’s... showtunes. Costumes and makeup. It’s frightening!”

(What Troy should like)-- “You’re a Hoops Dude. Not a musical singer person!”

(Who he should hang out with)-- (This one is indirect) “...the Drama Geeks and the Brainiacs think that they can... talk to us! Suddenly everyone wants to do other stuff, okay: stuff that’s not their stuff!”

(What he should decide)-- (Upon hearing that Troy is undecided about Juilliard) “That’s not what I wanted to hear!”

(What he should do)-- “You and me... we’re goin’ to U of A.”

Now, perhaps it is worth reiterating that despite all this, I still like their friendship! :D But with no such dialogue coming from Kelsi, who rather encourages his decisions and treats his ambitions with respect and is thoroughly devoted to his success, the glaring problem in Troy and Chad’s dynamic becomes clear. And yet they tell me that Troy is the jerk...

I will discuss Gabriella’s controlling tendencies later on, but the Wildcats’ possessiveness of Troy becomes clear when he’s becoming popular with the Redhawks. After all, they invite him to scrimmage within moments of meeting him, give him a jacket and a ride in their (cool!) car. They talk and joke with him like he’s their best buddy, and he gets lunch with them and Mr. Evans. Of course, Troy is cultivating friendships with them for good reasons (and don’t let anyone deceive you otherwise), but to the Wildcats, this appears as though Troy thinks he is too good for his friends. (Their interpretation, not mine). As a result, they shun and insult him. According to Zeke, who has no reason to be so insulting, “...Troy bailed on us, so whatever!” In other words, the Wildcats act like a spurned lover when Troy doesn’t lavish them with the attention they feel entitled to. This gives the impression that they friendship with him is at least partially motivated by the status boost they receive, and if Troy’s attention is on other people, that threatens their own popularity. Interestingly, they do not apply this theory to Kelsi, who is quickly absorbed into their group despite her high uncool points. But maybe this is because Troy likes her, so they see this as a sign of approval.

Long story short: the Trelsi friendship NEVER has these problems. 

11- “You have so many inside jokes and funny memories with them that you’ve lost count.”

I have to use speculation here, since there are no scenes to give an appropriate insight into what Troy and Kelsi hanging out what look like. But there are several canonical points worth remembering: 1)- their friendship is uniquely esoteric, 2)- it is built upon unspoken understanding, 3)- they both have a great sense of humour, and are fond of sarcasm, 4)- they share many great friendship moments together. In light of this, I can see them having inside jokes and funny/great memories were they allowed more scenes together, particularly scenes that didn’t involve preparation for the musicals. Perhaps there are some canonical funny memories though: (Kelsi, from HSM II about the Ladies Luncheon) “Won’t exactly be rocking out!”. My screenshot way up above shows Troy’s amusement and somewhat affectionate indulging in Kelsi’s sarcasm. And Kelsi certainly finds his decision to steal Jimmie’s clothes in HSM III hilarious. (Don’t ask me). In the same film, we get a glimpse of the potential teasing, sarcastic sense of humour that could characterize their off-screen conversations: “Hoops Man! Over here! You look like you’re having the time of your life!” To add to the esoteric nature of their relationship, the use of nicknames seems likely. 

On the topic of nicknames, Troy and Kelsi are the only ones who use nicknames in a reciprocal fashion. Gabriella calls Troy “Wildcat” (in an often patronizing fashion), but Troy just calls her “Gabriella”. Chad calls Troy “Hoops”, but Troy just calls him “Chad”. With his and Kelsi’s friendship, such is the equal nature of it that even the nicknames are shared. He confers on her the status of Playmaker, she calls him Hoops Man. Interestingly, Troy does not mind this coming from Kelsi-- most likely because she has never viewed him entirely through the prism of being a basketball player. Even MORE interestingly, she uses a basketball-related nickname during THEATRE rehearsals. The very side of Troy that he still struggles to reveal thanks to how his basketball career overshadows his past, present and future. Why does Kelsi do this? At first glance, this might appear counter-productive. But consider this in context; they have had a disastrous rehearsal, everyone is pissed with Troy, the energy is down. Kelsi calling him Hoops Man snaps him right back to attention. He’s focused. It’s like the Coach during practice, and Troy knows this like the back of his hand. Instantly, he turns around, his attention drawn away from the disastrous rehearsal. So Kelsi is once again bringing him back from the brink of self-doubt and endless blame. Also, the nickname “Hoops Man” is a definite compliment. Chad calls him “Hoops”, which makes him sound like an inanimate object. Kelsi calls him “Hoops Man”, showing there’s a human being behind the skill. This is coming from someone who doesn’t know what a Game Ball is and wanders around twirling it in her hands, looking extremely awkward, not to mention “basketball class”, and “Playmaker...??” And by referring to Troy’s skill in basketball, she is basically telling him that he can kill it on stage just like he does on the basketball court. The results of this pep talk (minus the odious Gabriella worship!) are to calm Troy considerably so that by the next scene, when he is preparing for prom, he is showing happiness and excitement for the first time in a while. (Of course, this is cruelly crushed just moments later, but... *sigh*) 

I will expand on why Troy and Kelsi NEEDED more scenes together in the next instalment and provide some areas where this might have helped.

TO BE CONTINUED

(*FOOTNOTE-- I like Taylor McKessie. She’s fierce and fun and bubbly and smart. But her prejudice and subsequent behaviour towards Troy is inexcusable. What is interesting is that prior to Gabriella taking an interest in Troy, Taylor was quite happy for the world to hear about her disdain for Primo Boys/Sports Stars. During the detention scene in HSM I, she barely uses a whisper when she mocks Chad, who is sitting right in front of her: “That’ll be tough for Chad since he probably can’t count that high!” And later, she has a derogatory poster of Troy made with no shame whatsoever. (Again, I give Gabriella credit for not finding this amusing or persuasive). It’s hilarious and completely uncalled for. But she’s openly disdainful. By the time we get to HSM II, she’s smiling to Troy’s face and denigrating him behind his back. Why the change? I think it’s because she can’t bring herself to admit that Troy DOESN’T represent any of the stereotypes that she attaches to Primo Boys; her apparent vendetta against him is based on his status more than it is on him. In HSM I, she called him a lunkhead twice. In HSM II and HSM III, she no longer does this. Sadly, based on her behaviour in HSM II, it’s not because she had some moral epiphany, but she’s found another way to criticize him. You can see the rationale in her head: based on HSM I, she now concludes “Troy’s a nice guy”, and then BUT... Cue the new round of criticism. This is astonishing, as out of the two it is CHAD who is more of a douche throughout the movies, but she’s willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because of her feelings towards him. As she has no feelings for Troy, it is easier to maintain her prejudices against Primo Boy status. And Chad, who is supposed to be Troy’s best friend, allows her to talk smack about his buddy in front of him with no comment whatsoever. ([C] “Troy would never do that!”/[T] “You’ve got eyes: use them!”) Insane hypocrisy, but I’ve come to expect this from the Wildcats by now).

(**FOOTNOTE-- Despite Chad’s dismissive way of addressing Kelsi in HSM I, it appears by HSM II that he quite likes her. I am intrigued by what they were discussing prior to the Silent Treatment scene. [K] “It’s okay, Ryan can help!” Help what? By this time, they know that they will not be able to participate in the Lava Springs Talent Show, and yet I am always led to assume that Kelsi meant something dance-related. Maybe I am wrong. And the recipient of this help appears to be Chad, who says, [C] “I don’t know...” But Kelsi remains optimistic: [K] “He’ll get it, eventually!” I have no idea what they are referring to, much less when Chad and Kelsi were on friendly chatting terms over breakfast. Not that I object to this, as Kelsi would no doubt be a good influence on Chad! But the show never shows the transition from calling someone “small person” to discussing something like one might discuss the weather. However, I will draw the viewer’s attention back to early HSM II, where Kelsi babbles on about her beloved Talent Show, claiming “I’ve got ideas for EVERYONE; you guys can sing the lead, and maybe CHAD and ZEKE can do backup and everyone can dance!” (Capital emphasis my own). How did Kelsi come upon the information that Chad was capable of doing backup vocals? Did Chad suddenly show an interest in music in between the Winter Musical and the Summer Holidays? Did Kelsi do a survey? It would have been nice to have these details. Anyway, this apparent knowledge that Kelsi has of Chad’s musical skills further undermine his silly pantomime of braggadocio in that glorious waste of time called “I Don’t Dance”.)

(***FOOTNOTE-- It apparently never occurs to Troy that his “forgiveness” from Chad in HSM II was entirely engineered by Kelsi. Indeed, that’s the first thing that Chad says is “Kelsi told us what went down between you and Sharpay”. It appears not to affect Troy that Kelsi is responsible for this, nor that Chad, who had previously been ignoring him outright, was now making eye contact and walking over to him. Given Troy’s attempt to muster up the courage for his “apology”, I assume he had expected a struggle to get Chad’s attention. (Perhaps one of his pre-prepared speeches). The “apology” scene went off without a hitch, and that’s all due to Kelsi. And yet Troy is never shown to have taken note of this fact, let alone thanked Kelsi for helping him repair his friendships. Neither does Kelsi hang around to take the credit. There are two possible reasons for this: the first, that Troy has been so worn down by the Wildcats’ spitefulness and is desperate to get back into their good books. The fact that Chad is willing to lend him an ear engenders sheer relief. In the resulting friendships that are fixed, he has no time to consider how this was possible. His only objective was to stop the Wildcats giving him dirty looks, avoiding his path and refusing to speak with him. Remember, the beginning of the Silent Treatment was at breakfast time, but Troy appears to speak with Sharpay during the afternoon. That’s six or more hours work-time with no one speaking to him. He leaves his omelette untouched, but what about lunchtime? What about when he crosses someone’s path from the kitchens? After going through the humiliation and upset, the only thing on Troy’s mind is putting an end to it; he cracks like glass. The second reason is that the screenwriters don’t care enough about Troy and Kelsi’s friendship or basic continuity, even though they took the care to demonstrate this friendship as being superior to the main romantic couple in almost every way!) 

[kalico-to-the-letter]

REVIEW: RWBY – Vol. 4, Ch. 9: “TWO STEPS FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK”

I mean, that basically means you haven’t moved, right? But it is four more steps to add to your cardio logs. I’m normally one for a short episode title, and also one that makes a bit more sense. Though I can tell what it’s saying, if only for the reason that this week’s episode gave us bits of the old RWBY sprinkled in with the new.

Welcome to my review of the 9th Chapter of the 4th Volume, entitled, “Two Steps Forward, Two Steps Back”.

This week gave us: an What Would Korra Do? moment, summoning up a favour, former acquaintances, and manly hugs.

Spoilers after the jump.

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Perhaps the largest sprinkling of the old RWBY features the character that defined the new RWBY, this more mature story where the consequences are suddenly everything. Yang knows as well as anyone about consequences, and her story this week, her first appearance in an understandably long time, is all about reflecting on the consequences, be it of Yang’s own actions or those of her rarely-mentioned mother.

It is then not surprising, in reflecting on this episode, that Yang’s sparring scene with her father is the story with the most heart of this week’s episode. It reminded of Legend of Korra, specifically the transformation that Avatar Korra undergoes throughout the final run of that particular series. It struck me because Korra, for much of her story, was just like our first impression of Yang: hot-headed, not afraid to gamble on her abilities, and still fiercely fighting the good fight. But a hero who takes that path is likely to meet their fall as a consequence, direct or indirect, of their own actions on that path. Korra, time and time again, met such a fall.

From the midpoint of Volume 3 onwards, RWBY was distinctly redefined (for those in the audience that failed to pick up any of the signs in its first two runs), and Yang was the focal point of that moment. Since then, she’s been through the absolute ringer. But now that she is through it, and just about ready to rejoin the fight, she has time to press the brakes and reflect on where her actions have taken her. 

Is a new approach required? I would say yes, given the consequences that were dished out to her last season as a result of her decision-making. The Mercury incident was unjustly visited on her, and the Adam incident was tragic, I won’t deny either of those things. But they were direct results of her decisions, and she paid a price which is now reshaping her focus.

Of course, as Taiyang says, going “through” every problem without thinking was the most clearly-defined trait of Yang’s mother, and from what we’ve seen, Raven Branwen isn’t exactly a shining example of how to go about one’s business. Yang, however, has the potential to take her mother’s ferocity and temper it with some good old-fashioned balance.

The tension in the at-times adversarial relationship between Yang and her father set us up well this week for more boss-lady Weiss, being forced to listen to her brother speak. The instant I saw him on the screen, I wanted him to shut up. And yet he kept talking. Maddening. It must have been for Weiss as well, who,  after telling him two or three or times to gtfo, just magically slams the door in his face.

Then Weiss, in more boss-lady fashion, succeeds in summoning a smaller-scale version of the armoured knight which she fought in her very first trailer. And “smaller-scale” does not mean “unimpressive”. We are told this quite firmly both through the effects (her bedroom window smashing – I pictured her climbing out with some satisfaction) and through the score, which swells with strings to punctuate the moment. It was almost too much, given this is a show not really taken with such overtly orchestral pieces. But it works simply because it’s Weiss, and because it’s more than the moment on the screen. From the window breaking to Weiss asking a favour of Klein, to her own satisfaction with what she’s accomplished, this scene reintroduces the idea of freedom to her life, not just as something nebulous, but as something very much within reach. To be honest, I would have been happy to see more of Weiss’s story, since I believed after “Punished” that her story would accelerate more than it did in this episode. Still, another scene of Weiss being a boss satisfies the soul.

And of course, we couldn’t just squeeze Blake and Team RNJR out of the episode, since their respective stories ended on such cliffhangers last time out. It was strange, but when Blake’s scene started, I’d almost forgotten that she and Sun were chasing a White Fang spy.

Anyway, there isn’t much to talk about with this scene. Blake retrieves the scroll that Ilia, the spy, stole previously – of course the two know each other, I don’t know how that’s surprising anyone at this point, including Sun – and Sun is pretty badly wounded. Oh, and the Menagerie appears to have more substance than was first let on. We knew from the start that the local White Fang were in league with Adam’s “splinter” group, but that was really it. But if an old acquaintance is telling Blake that she shouldn’t have returned, that could mean there’s potential for this slumbering storyline to go haywire.

The final scene features Team RJNR – wait, is that the first time this season that Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang have all appeared in the same episode? Oh, and now all that’s left is to get them all in the same scene? Wow, I had no idea... -_-

So, with Qrow now looking short odds to peace-out of living, Team RJNR has a decision to make. Mistral is finally in relative reach, how far they don’t know exactly but Qrow is not likely to survive the most direct route. Ruby and Jaune opt to find the nearest village or town for Qrow’s care, and Ren is dead-set against it. And I mean, agitated. He really has a thing about these little villages in the boondocks. Understandable, of course.

Team RJNR splits up. Yes, the amalgamation of a team that broke up and another that lost a member splits up, with Ren and Nora going ahead on the path to Mistral, and Ruby and Jaune taking Qrow away for help. With the music expressing how sad this parting of the ways is, it got me thinking, “What are the odds that they go the full Game of Thrones and these five never get together again?” The giant footprint of some unknown, probably hostile beast does not bode well. To be honest, neither did “Kuroyuri”, the destination of Ruby and Jaune, scratched out on the signpost. Hmm.

No, don’t think about all that. Be positive. Think about Weiss bossing it constantly. Ah, that’s better.

I thought, watching Yang’s scene play out, that this episode was going to be more evenly paced than it was. Were any of the scenes unnecessary? The hard part of the analysis is that I have to say no to that question. We haven’t seen Weiss in a while, even after I thought we would have seen more between “Punished” and now, and we haven’t seen Yang for even longer, but that was clearly necessary to show her progress. The other two resolved stories from last week and ended with new cliffhangers on top of the one at the end of Weiss’s scene. At the moment, it feels like Yang’s is the only story that the show can now put down and come back to after a few weeks, along with the enigmatic adventures of Ozpin and Oscar.

Not anymore, of course, given there are only three episodes left in the season.

Does it mean that the episodes of this last triplet are going to be considerably longer? Has Volume 4′s Game of Thrones-y mentality and structure – which has had problems but also largely worked to scale – gotten to that point, where we’re going to have to keep up with everything week-on-week?

I doubt it. But I do worry that there are three episodes remaining, and the puzzle pieces of the Volume 4 experiment are still rather scattered. Only now, Yang is looking ready to come back. Weiss may escape from Atlas, next time we see her. Or maybe not. 

It’s a matter of payoff for the journeys that all of these characters have been on this season. And as much as I talk about the logic of this season, people still want to see Team RWBY back together. As do I. And all of these stories need to all come together at a precise moment for the Volume 4 experiment to have achieved its maximum potential. What will that look like? Who knows, at this stage, and who knows whether the writers have had the nous to make it work.

But Volume 4 has still worked a treat. It was bold to go with such a new structure in the first place, and this season has still dished up a lot to enjoy on the subtle side of things.

So I remain confident that if it times its leaps right, this final stanza will be one to remember.

[chiefbeck]

Chapter 41: Ryland’s Letter

This is a letter that my friends wrote:

Dear Friends and Family,

!This is an incredibly difficult letter to write. As you all know, Ryland was a late talker due to her Deaf diagnosis at 13 months old. But, from the moment Ryland could hear and speak -- at around 20 months of age -- she would scream, “I am a boy!” until she would break down into tears. We thought it was a little odd, but we laughed it off. We also thought it to be simply a phase, but this behavior has continued and strengthened over time. Our concern has led Jeff and I to seek help from numerous professionals and countless resources to help us discover the root of Ryland’s consistent expression as a boy. Many of you have seen them, and there are certainly more examples than I can write, but a few the instances that stood out are: !

Hiding in Jeff’s closet so she could put his clothes on while making me promise not to tell anyone that she was a boy. Her shame was very unsettling at such a young age!

Temper tantrums starting at age 2, whenever we made Ryland wear dresses, skirts, or female Halloween costumes. We initially thought this was her being a spoiled brat, but later realized it was more about the pain of looking like a girl than Ryland being a defiant child.

Self-portraits are always male. Only desiring typically male toys and colors. Refusing to wear girls’ bathing suits beginning at age 2.

Wanting to wear no shirt.

Trying to stand up to urinate on multiple occasions.

Desiring and hiding in order to wear boys’ underpants (she had an accident and borrowed a pair of boys underwear at a friend’s house).

Purposefully ripping her girl hat she made at school, so she didn’t have to wear it.

Not wanting to go to fun events if she had to be a girl (in dress).

Obsessing over and questioning gender in strangers that have gender neutral looks.

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Always choosing to be the “dad” when playing house with friends.

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!Though these may seem trivial to some, the turning point came this last December when Ryland saw the return address labels I personalized for our family Christmas card. Ryland burst into tears when she saw that her personalized character had long, blond hair. She began crying, “Mom, how could you make me look like that?! You gave me long hair and made me look like a girl!” I didn’t know how to respond. She continued to cry that night in bed and through the tears and a quivering lip she said to me, “Mom, when our family dies, I will cut my hair so I can be

a boy.” Ryland obviously did not want to disappoint us by transitioning to a boy while we (her family) were still alive. It made my heart break to think that Ryland would think she had to wait until we died to be who she really felt she was inside! The next day continued with sadness when she said, “Why did God make me this way? Why didn’t He make me a boy?” Again, I didn’t know how to answer my baby, but I knew I couldn’t hide this pain anymore.

As mentioned above, I began reading books, watching documentaries, contacting multiple agencies and sought as many professionals as I could find. Jeff and I have met with the leading specialists and doctors, attended support groups, talked to families with similar stories and researched as much as possible. We have determined that Ryland is a transgender child. Although Ryland was physically born with female anatomy, her brain is that of a boy.

Jeff and I will be the first to admit that we struggle with it sometimes– not because we are ashamed of him in any way but because it makes us worry for his safety: we stick out; people stare and comment. The natural instinct is to blend in; no one likes to be the one everyone is whispering about! We are constantly having to weigh the importance of validating Ryland’s feelings about who he is (that is, not stifling his need to do boy things) and doing everything possible to make sure that he doesn’t begin to think there is something “wrong” with him. As parents of a transgender child, it’s frightening to know that there is only so much we can do to protect Ryland’s self-esteem from a sometime harsh and demonizing world. What we do know, however, is that living in secrecy and shame is not good for any of us.

We are providing this letter because, if it were you having issues in your family that were as important as this, we would want to understand what those issues were and be able to be informed and supportive. Along those lines, there is a lot more information out there about gender variance than I have summarized here and if you are interested we are happy to share. Below, there are a couple resources that you might find of interest and we can certainly share other resources if you desire to read more.

We know that if we had said nothing at all, you would accept and love Ryland just as he is. Now that we have said something, I also know that you will choose to either support or not support our decision to let Ryland live as a boy. This means we are listening to Ryland’s request to present as a boy in appearance and to be referred to as he/him. If you DO decide to support us, please also support our decision to let Ryland express himself freely, decide what to wear, and present to the world as he chooses. We expect that you will love, play, discipline and enjoy him in every way possible, and encourage him to be the happiest and best person he is capable of being. He should not get any extra slack for being different – he needs to learn from each of you how to behave like a good person and that is what we hope you will teach him.

These are the things we try to do to support Ryland, and to help him build a strong character and sense of self: We hope you, our family and friends, will help us in doing everything possible to see that he aspires to great things. For now, we just want our home and our friends’ and families’ homes to be his “safe” places where he can be himself. To that end, we!ask you to:

Love him for who he is

Validate him – whenever it comes up or there is conversation, let him know that you know it to be true that there is more than one way to be a boy or a girl, that you imagine it is hard that some kids don’t get how you feel, etc.

Encourage his individuality (you look handsome in that suit) and avoid stereotypical comments

Acknowledge and celebrate difference – he is different and knows it and there is nothing to be ashamed of – when he wants to talk about it, talk about it; give examples of how you are different or how being different can be great!

Try and deal with your own judgments – recognize your own internal issues about gender and how they play in to your feelings about Ry.

Be Ryland’s advocate – if you are with him in a situation where something is awkward – someone is teasing or judgmental – speak up for him, and help him speak up for himself

No victim blaming –– Ryland is not responsible for other people’s intolerance – neither he nor we, his family/friends, have to ‘accept’ that people are going to be judgmental; nor does he/we have to constantly be hiding who he is in order to fit in. When people tease, bully or are intolerant, they are the ones at fault. Not Ryland.

Think about acceptance in other things that you do – making the world OK for Ryland means we all have to work on squashing eons of ingrained stereotypes; think of ways to line up or sort people other than “boys in one line, girls in another.” Advocate for others who are different and struggling. Examine the world around you and step up/speak out when someone is treated unfairly or unjustly because they are not like you and don’t blend

!in.

You also must know that if you choose to not support our decision, please don’t expect our relationship to grow from here. Our child’s happiness is most important to us. 


We are sure that this may be confusing for some of you. It certainly was for us at the beginning and caused us many tears and sleepless nights. What we have learned, however, is that most children realize their “true gender” between 3 to 5 years of age. This has been the case with many families we have met on similar journeys with their children. We have also learned that our child’s transgender identity is not

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a result of our parenting style, family structure, or environmental factors and that there is nothing anyone can do to change a child’s gender identity. This is not just a phase for Ryland or something that he will outgrow. All of the research has shown that therapeutic attempts to change the child into an acceptance of the born gender are both unsuccessful and detrimental to the child’s mental health. Simple fixes, such as removing all of the male clothing and toys and forcing Ryland into living as a girl, were both examined and found to be full of more harm than good.

Our goals for Ryland are the same as when we brought him home from the hospital: to be happy, feel good about himself, to find what he is good at, and to know that he is loved unconditionally. These goals have not changed now that we recognize Ryland’s gender identity. We are aware of the uphill journey ahead for our now son, and for our entire family, but the alternative of denying who he is puts him at a high risk of depression, anxiety, sexual acting out, substance abuse, and suicide. These are not options for us. Studies have shown that transgender people who have been raised without support for their gender identity have an attempted suicide rate of 41%, while the national average is 1.9%. We will not choose to be unsupportive of our son and hope that he will not fall into the 41%. We will do anything in our power to make sure he is part of the 59% that never attempts to take his own life. Our love and support for Ryland is complete. We hope yours will be too, since family and friends are so important to us and will be to Ryland as he goes through this transition. He needs to know, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is loved as a boy, just as he was as a girl.

If you would like to learn more about gender non-conforming or transgender children, some recommended books are “The Transgender Child” by Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper, and “Gender Born, Gender Made – Raising Healthy Gender-Nonconforming Children” by Dr. Diane Ehrensaft. We have also found the website Gender Spectrum very helpful: http://www.genderspectrum.org/

!Additionally, I highly recommend the documentary, “Trans,” which you can borrow from us or purchase at http://www.transthemovie.com/.

We realize this is an incredibly long message, but the topic deserved an in-depth explanation for many reasons, the least of which is that we value and love you, in the same way we want you to value and love Ryland. Honestly, in the grand scheme of things, Ryland ’s gender variance is just one of many attributes, one that will certainly challenge us, but teach us in ways we can only imagine right now. We are so lucky to have two, healthy and happy kids. Relative to the horrific things that other people have to endure with their children all over the world, this is nothing.

!Love, !Hillary & Jeff

[romancatholicreflections]

2nd February 2017 >> 'Be The Light Of The Nations By Loving A Life Of Contradiction ~ Daily Reflection on Today's Mass Readings for Roman Catholics on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ MALACHI 3:1-4; HEBREWS 2:14-18; LUKE 2:22-40 ] There are many people in the world today who are yearning to see the Lord. There is a big vacuum in their life. Consciously or unconsciously, they are longing for meaning, fulfilment, peace, joy and love. Somehow, even with all their self-sufficiency in material and physical needs, they remain restless and empty. Like Simeon in the gospel, they long to see the light of salvation. Like Israel, they await for the Lord to return to the Temple. We must remember that after Malachi, there were no more prophets. They expected Elijah to come again before the Messiah returned. Of course, with the birth of John the Baptist, the Messiah had indeed come to the Temple of Jerusalem as a little baby being presented to the Father for the salvation of humanity. What is the cause of so much emptiness, hatred and intolerance in the world? This emptiness in life is caused by various factors. Firstly, secularism has taken God out of public life, even in schools and in some Catholic organizations. The question of God, faith and religion are relegated to a private matter not to be discussed in public and too shameful for some to even acknowlege their faith. The in-thing today is to claim to be a “free thinker”. All signs of the sacred are gradually being removed from public view. Secondly, the promotion of relativism has brought about individualism and subjectivism. Without any absolute foundation in whatever we do, we cannot speak of God who is the perfection of life. There is also a greater diminishing capacity to love beyond oneself, to think of others and put God and humanity before self. It is all about me and my happiness. There is a lack of gratitude for what we have received from our parents, forefathers and from society. Thirdly, without an experience of the sacred and the transcendent, the human person is reduced to a material being. Although he has a soul with spiritual needs, this dimension of his life is forgotten or rather, suppressed. Left with the body, he seeks fulfilment through self-indulgence, entertainment and pleasure. Materialism and consumerism are the manifestations of someone who has lost touch with the sacred and the joy of encountering the transcendence in his life. His life is no more than that of an animal – work, eat, enjoy and sleep. Today, as we celebrate the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, we are reminded of our calling to be the light of the nations as our Lord was. “The Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me.” We are the messengers that He is sending to the world today so that we can bring the light of Christ, the light of hope and mercy to humanity. Like Jesus, we are called to purify the House of God so that all will come to worship Him in spirit and in truth, with grateful hearts and pure hands. And how can we do this if not by living a life of contradiction in a positive way? In the gospel Simeon prophesied, “You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected –– so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.” Indeed, as Christians, we are called to live a life of the kingdom hereafter on this earth as a foretaste of the life that is to come. We are called to live out the gospel values as enshrined in the beatitudes. But today, some of us have become a contradiction to the life that we are called to live. Instead of living a life of simplicity, we want to enjoy the world and its pleasures as much as anyone else. We are as much attached to the world and its temptations like the rest of humanity. Instead of living a life of charity, exemplary of a loving, caring and forgiving community, we form cliques and pressure groups within the community. Instead of submitting in obedience to God’s will and our legitimate superiors we expect all superiors to obey us because we believe we know the will of God better than them. It is necessary once again, to reclaim our role in living lives that are contradictory to that of the world’s. We must be prophetic in the way we live our lives if we are to attract others to join us. Like John the Baptist, Malachi, Eljah and our Lord, we are called to be prophets in our lives, more in how we live than in what we preach or say. We read that Simeon “was an upright and devout man.” He was a man who was much in touch with the Holy Spirit. “He looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him.” Unless, we are much connected with the Holy Spirit and docile to His prompting, we cannot be truly prophets of God. A Christian life without being consecrated to God first and foremost in prayer is a contradiction for there is nothing more important than to be in intimacy with God who is the source of life and love. When we do not pray as individuals and together as a community, we will eventually lose our sign as prophets of God. Secondly, a Christian does not live for himself or herself, or even for his or her family alone. The ultimate goal of family life is for the service of the Church and of humanity. It is not a closed community because we are to live for Christ, the Bridegroom and His Church. Some church organizations operate as if they are elite clubs, exclusive, admitting only friends and relatives. The Church must always be ad intra for the mission of ad extra. We live as a community so that empowered and enriched by our community, we can then be available for service to the larger community. Any organization that is inward- looking will lose the reason for its existence and eventually die as it will no longer attract members to join them. So how can we live for the Church? The first is to live a contemplative life and the second is to undertake social or pastoral work. But having an emphasis on one dimension does not preclude the other aspect of spiritual life as well. Some express their love for the Church through a contemplative life as in the case of Anna who spent her days fasting and praying for the Church. “She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer.” Indeed, we have many who are sick or old or who simply choose to spend time in prayer, fasting and doing penance for the mission of the Church. For most of us, we are called to active apostolate in the mission of the Church. We are called to identify ourselves with our fellowmen as Jesus did. There can be no social mission without personal identification with our brothers and sisters in their struggles and sufferings. This is what the author of Hebrews tells us. “It was essential that he should in this way become completely like his brothers so that he could be a compassionate and trustworthy high priest of God’s religion, able to atone for human sins.” It is for this reason that we must live a life of simplicity so that we can identify with the poor, the suffering and their pains. Solidarity is the first stage of being prompted by the Spirit to reach out to help others through works of mercy and education. It is critical that we be identified with our people in their sufferings if we are to help them effectively. If we lack mercy today, it is because we live in our own world of self-sufficiency. We no longer feel with the anxiety of parents for their children in their financial difficulties; or the worker who is unjustly treated at work; or someone who has been abused sexually, physically or emotionally. Unless we ourselves have some direct or personal contact with such problems, tragedies and wounded people, we tend to act from our reasoning and not from our feelings. Christ, “set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. For it was not the angels that he took to himself; he took to himself descent from Abraham.” Christ assumed our humanity and conquered suffering and death to show us the way to set ourselves free from sin, slavery and death as well. So today, on this feast of the Presentation of the Lord, let us renew our vows that we made to the Lord on the day of our profession and ordination or baptism. We know we have failed to live lives of contradiction because of our human frailty. But let us take courage. Be like Mary, offer whatever little we have and God will work wonders in our lives. Mary offered “in sacrifice, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” So if we bring the little we have, the Lord will show that He is the mighty one. Let us welcome Christ our King into our lives and He will rule over us as we give ourselves once again in complete obedience to Him, expressed in a life of poverty and chastity, knowing that only He can enrich us with His blessings and joy; and give us a love beyond all measure that no one and nothing can give. Written by The Most Rev William Goh Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart. Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord. It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.