https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6C8SX0mWP0 Before you start reading, take 2 and a half minutes and watch the clip above....."The tales that really mattered" I'll wait....... No really, go watch it first...... "It’s all wrong By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened. But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t. Because they were holding on to something. Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam? Sam : That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for." My siblings and I had a Lord of the Rings marathon this past weekend, and even if you've never seen or read the Lord of the Rings, I think these words can speak to all of us. "Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy. How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened.". "uncertain" is a word that we hear so often now to describe the state of our nation or world, the state of our schools, the state of ourselves. Everyone's state seems to change daily, we are constantly on edge, and all this seems to be based on the state of the coronavirus, or what happens with politics or the latest murder or crime seen on the news. "How could the world go back the way it was when so much bad happened"?? I think we find ourselves asking this a lot. And this is the state Frodo is in at this point of the movie - he is reached the point of despair and he can't seem to find that hope. If you know the story, at this point in the story it seems Frodo might be right to despair. He has been traveling for weeks and weeks and endured countless battles but he seems to be getting no closer to his goal of destroying the ring of power. Essentially, this ring is evil and all who carry it or even know about it desire to possess it and use it to be in power over all. The desire for the ring and use of it is so great, it drives everyone to war because everyone wants it for their own, and brings them to despair and ruin. There are those who would wish to use it for good, but because it is evil in nature, it cannot be used for good in any capacity. Therefore, it needs to be destroyed - hence the reason and the plot of the story. Frodo has endured battles against the enemy - physically he has fought them off with the aid of his friends with sword and arrow. He has also endured battles inwardly. As he carries the ring, he fights the temptations of being drawn to it to use it for good or ill. He has to fight the temptation of becoming cross with those around him because they don't understand the burden he carries. He has to fight the temptation to truly desire the ring, because when he does give into this temptation, the ring is the only thing he cares about and he does not trust those around him who really do want the best for him. He is mentally and physically exhausted and Mordor (where they are trying to go to destroy the ring) is still far off, and seemingly impossible to reach because almost the whole rest of the world is against them. Is Frodo right to despair? Perhaps we can sympathize with him for times we have done the same. But he doesn't stay in that state for long. Why? Sam is Frodo's constant friend and support. He has to believe there is more than the darkness and evil that is and has been constantly surrounding them. He looks back to stories and why they've stuck with him. It is because there is MORE that what we can see on the surface of the present situation. Sam admits the fact that there is evil and it is currently surrounding them. Sam admits the fact that there is despair in the air. Sam goes further than that - he dares to hope. "Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why." So many times in life I think we are too small to understand why things happen. The times we are living in now will stay with us, and maybe we don't know why. But out of all the bad that is happened, all the evil in this world that continues, we do strive to hold onto the good, the hope and not the despair. How can we do this? How can we live with certainty in a world that is uncertain? How can we live with hope and trust in a world that is full of despair and condemnation? How can we wake up with a smile and say "good morning God!" instead of waking up with anxieties and worries about the day and we say "god, it's morning..." I offer two suggestions. One. Look to the example of Sam and Frodo. When one despaired, the other met them where they were at, but offered to hope. They walked together through the battles, and even though Sam couldn't carry the ring for Frodo, he could simply be with him and offer support and friendship the whole way. We can do this. We can offer hope to others when all seems lost. We can walk alongside them even though we cannot carry their burdens. We can ask others to do this for us. When we fall into temptation and despair, we can ask our family, our friends to walk with us, be with us, and lean on them for hope. When we cannot see or dare to hope, we can lean on others to hold the light of hope for us until we can find our way - and vice versa. Two. Go to Joseph. Joseph bears the title "Terror of Demons". And rightly so! "St. Joseph is a quiet man, but he is not a timid man. One glance of his eyes sends all hell into flight. One word from his mouth routs the forces of darkness as an axe levels a field of trees! Who can stand against you if the Terror of Demons protects you? St. Joseph will protect you against Satan and his demons. Satan is not a myth; neither are evil spirits and demons. The world considers these creatures to be fairy tales and legends, but they are real. We are in a spiritual battle. Satan and his demons are out to get you. To defeat the devil, you need Jesus, Many, St. Joseph, and the teachings and Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Every Christian needs truth and the strong spiritual fatherhood of St. joseph. You are a child of Joseph. It doesn't matter if you are 6 years old or 60 years old. Jesus himself referred to grown men on the shores of Galilee as children (see Jn 21:5). Jesus is God, and he has appointed St. Joseph to be your loving spiritual father. In times of fear, oppression, mortal danger, and extreme temptation, run to your spiritual father. He will fight for you. The Terror of Demons is ready to slay dragons for you!" ~Donald H. Calloway from "Consecration to St. Joseph" St. Joseph, Terror of Demons, Pray for Us!
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