A Tolkein Quote

[HisLamb]

  "Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth, the Blessed Sacrament. There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the one true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that."
J.R.R. Tolkien


 

 

[Avila]

Cool.

 

[kern]

Here's another:

From a letter written to JRRT's son, Michael Tolkien:

"The only cure for sagging of fainting faith is Communion. Though always Itself, perfect and complete and inviolate, the Blessed Sacrament does not operate completey and once for all in any of us. Like the act of Faith it must be continuous and grow by exercise. Frequency is of the highest effect. Seven times a week is more nourishing than seven times at intervals. Also I can recommend this as an exercise (alas! only too easy to find opportunity for): make your communion in circumstances that affront your taste. Choose a snuffling or gabbling priest or a proud and vulgar friar; and a church full of the usual bourgeois crowd, ill-behaved children -- from those who yell to those products of Catholic schools who at the moment the tabernacle is opened sit back and yawn -- open necked and dirty youths, women in trousers and often with their hair both unkempt and uncovered. Go to communion with them (and pray for them). It will be just the same (or better than that) as a mass said beautifully by a visibly holy man, and shared by a few devout and decorous people. (It could not be worse than the mess of the feeding of the Five Thousand -- after which [Our] Lord propounded the feeding that was to come.

I myself am convinced by the Petrine claims, nor looking around the world does there seem much doubt which (if Christianity is true) is the True Church, the temple of the Spirit dying but living, corrupt but holy, self-reforming and rearising. But for me the Church of which the Pope is the acknowledged head on earth has as chief claim that it is the one that has (and still does) ever defended the Blessed Sacrament, and given it most honour, and put it (as Christ plainly intended) in the prime place. 'Feed my sheep' was His last charge to St Peter; and since His words are always first to be understood literally, I suppose them to refer primarily to the Bread of Life. It was against this that the W. European revolt (or Reformation) was really launched -- 'the blasphemous fable of the Mass' -- and faith/works a mere red herring. I suppose the greatest reform of our time was that carried out by St Pius X: surpassing anything, however needed, that the Council will achieve [this was written pre-Vatican II]. I wonder what state the Church would now be but for it." (Letter #250, "The Letters of JRR Tolkien)

-Chris

 

[Avila]

Wow!!! That is also a really great quote, Chris!

 

[Hoonbaba]

Was JRR Tolkien Catholic?  Just curious

-Jason

 

[HisLamb]

Originally posted by Hoonbaba
Was JRR Tolkien Catholic?  Just curious

-Jason

Yes.

And, Chris, thanks!  The allusion to how "messy" it must have been feeding the 5,000 really stuck with me. 

 

[Hoonbaba]

Wow...I just reread that part about Jesus telling Peter, "Feed my sheep!"  It NEVER occurred to me that it may be referring to the Bread of Life, as in the Eucharist!!! =)

Thanks for sharing! =)

God bless!

-Jason

 

[Hoonbaba]

Originally posted by HisLamb
  "Out of the darkness of my life, so much frustrated, I put before you the one great thing to love on earth, the Blessed Sacrament. There you will find romance, glory, honor, fidelity, and the one true way of all your loves on earth, and more than that."
J.R.R. Tolkien


 

By the way, can someone cite the source of this statement?

God bless!

-Jason

 

[HisLamb]

Originally posted by Hoonbaba
By the way, can someone cite the source of this statement?

God bless!

-Jason

I wish I could, Jason!  I got this quote from a friend.  I'll have to try e-mailing her to see if she knows.  Or maybe someone else here can cite the book or letter?

 

[Hoonbaba]

Originally posted by HisLamb
I wish I could, Jason!  I got this quote from a friend.  I'll have to try e-mailing her to see if she knows.  Or maybe someone else here can cite the book or letter?

Hey I did some research and found it here:

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/arts/al0108.html

It was a quote stated to his son.  Look at the section that says, 'death' and you'll find it there! =)

Also here:

http://www.love2learn.net/literature/authtolk.htm

And here:

http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/tes/quotes11.html

And here too:

http://www.christlife.org/about/newsletters/jan02.html

And here....hehe this is getting ridiculous isn't it?

http://www.catholicity.com/weeklymessage/archives/wm2002-05-29.html

Cool stuff ain't it!?

God bless!

-Jason

 

[sklippstein]

TY Jason i checked out a few of the sites u mentioned.

 

[HisLamb]

Originally posted by Hoonbaba
Hey I did some research and found it

[Cool stuff ain't it!?

God bless!

-Jason

 

Very cool, Jason!  Thanks for posting the links. I went looking in the wrong places.  Kept finding stuff about the "Lord of the Rings", and hobbit-lore, etc.  And my friend got it from a friend, who got it from a friend, etc.  No references.

Off topic here...I noticed a quote by Fulton J. Sheen in one of the above links.  When I was a little girl, that man scared me to death! 

 

[LilyLamb]

Great quotes from both sources ... I especially enjoyed digesting the wordy second quote posted by Kern

Jason - I had the same reaction to the "feed my sheep"

... always something new to learn ...