| Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011 |
| 11:17 pm |
Hooray for people suddenly LJ-ing again this week! I approve! |
| Monday, June 6th, 2011 |
| 6:52 pm |
Augusta
1995 - June 6, 2011
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| Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 |
| 11:25 pm |
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| Thursday, March 31st, 2011 |
| 4:56 pm |
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| Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 |
| 11:26 am |
Of Gods and Men
I saw this movie last night at the Bell Lightbox, with Deb, after the deacon at Mass on Sunday recommended it in his homily. His exact words were, "God wants you to see this movie." How could I argue with that? It's the true story of a small community of Trappist monks living in a Muslim village in Algeria during the Algerian Civil War of the 1990s. The film is fittingly calm and slow which reflects the pace of life in the area and in the monastery and makes the scenes of violence and aggression all the more jarring. It starts by painting us a picture of how integrated and interdependent the monastery and the village have grown, over the years. As the monks finish morning prayer inside, the Islamic call to prayer sounds outside but there is only peace and love in their interactions, no religious tension. There is an especially moving scene as terrorist forces first start encroaching on the village. A few of the local Muslims and the monks are discussing the situation and it is clear that they see themselves as one side, united in faith, against the terrorists who have made a mockery of Islam. That image of Muslim-Christian unity is one the world desperately needs to see right now. It is especially appropriate that this movie is being shown during Lent as savvy Christians will be able to draw many parallels between what happens with the monastery and what happens with Christ in His last days--the temptation, the Last Supper, the Agony in the Garden, the road to Calvary... It's not at all heavy-handed or preachy though. It's not a Catholic propaganda piece in any way, in fact, I don't think they even mention the name of the order at all. What it is is a raw, real depiction of humanity struggling to live in love. Perhaps the most striking part of the film was not even the film itself but the atmosphere after the credits rolled. Everyone sat through all the credits then walked out in absolute silence, out of the theatre, down the escalators, not a single sound from anyone. It was, for me, the same silence we experience on Good Friday, as the Mass ends without a recessional and we all walk out in solemn silence. Once you've seen it, you can read more about the actual monks depicted here and some more insight into their decisions here. |
| Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 |
| 12:43 pm |
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| Wednesday, March 9th, 2011 |
| 7:00 pm |
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| 6:54 pm |
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| Friday, December 31st, 2010 |
| 8:23 pm |
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| Friday, December 10th, 2010 |
| 1:30 pm |
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| Thursday, December 9th, 2010 |
| 5:34 pm |
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| Wednesday, December 8th, 2010 |
| 6:53 pm |
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| Tuesday, December 7th, 2010 |
| 5:41 pm |
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| Friday, November 19th, 2010 |
| 3:23 pm |
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| Monday, August 30th, 2010 |
| 4:42 pm |
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| Thursday, August 26th, 2010 |
| 11:05 am |
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| Wednesday, August 25th, 2010 |
| 4:37 pm |
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| 1:41 am |
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| Friday, August 20th, 2010 |
| 11:22 am |
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| Thursday, August 19th, 2010 |
| 3:42 pm |
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pers's journal
