A beautiful reflection and great way for me re-center on the meaning of this week. I'd never considered how the movie would change if they took out that voiceover from Gandalf but I have to agree! It reminds me of this wonderful quote in N. D. Wilson's "Dandelion Fire": "Sometimes standing against evil is more important than defeating it. The greatest heroes stand because it is right to do so, not because they believe they will walk away with their lives. Such selfless courage is a victory in itself.” Thank you for this reminder.
"I wonder sometimes whether focusing on a happy ending allows us to gloss over the work of what John Lewis called “good trouble,” even if our efforts don’t ultimately amount to much.
"So this Easter, I’d like to encourage all of us to not skip to the eucatastrophe but instead “end with the middle.” Before rushing to the empty tomb, sit in the weight of Good Friday and consider the work that remains before us."
What a wonderful, compelling thought-- perfect for Holy Week. I enjoyed this post tremendously-- thanks so much for sharing!!
Wow. This is such a beautiful reflection on the tension between the “already” and the “not yet” of our lives, both in faith and in storytelling. I love how you tied the themes of The Two Towers to the ongoing work of justice, hope, and perseverance. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the middle of the story is where the real courage and meaning are found. Thank you for sharing this thought provoking post!
A beautiful reflection and great way for me re-center on the meaning of this week. I'd never considered how the movie would change if they took out that voiceover from Gandalf but I have to agree! It reminds me of this wonderful quote in N. D. Wilson's "Dandelion Fire": "Sometimes standing against evil is more important than defeating it. The greatest heroes stand because it is right to do so, not because they believe they will walk away with their lives. Such selfless courage is a victory in itself.” Thank you for this reminder.
I love that quote, Aberdeen! Filing it away.
"I wonder sometimes whether focusing on a happy ending allows us to gloss over the work of what John Lewis called “good trouble,” even if our efforts don’t ultimately amount to much.
"So this Easter, I’d like to encourage all of us to not skip to the eucatastrophe but instead “end with the middle.” Before rushing to the empty tomb, sit in the weight of Good Friday and consider the work that remains before us."
What a wonderful, compelling thought-- perfect for Holy Week. I enjoyed this post tremendously-- thanks so much for sharing!!
Thank you so much for reading, Mark!
Wow. This is such a beautiful reflection on the tension between the “already” and the “not yet” of our lives, both in faith and in storytelling. I love how you tied the themes of The Two Towers to the ongoing work of justice, hope, and perseverance. It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes the middle of the story is where the real courage and meaning are found. Thank you for sharing this thought provoking post!
Absolutely love this piece. Poignant and something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately - thank you for taking the time to write it ❤️
Profound. As I am working on my Easter sermon, this is what I reflect on in how we might meet his moment.
Preach it preacher!
I've never really thought about watching the films over Holy Week. And the Two Towers is also my favorite of the trilogy.
Huzzah! Thanks for reading Sarah.