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I appreciate your trying a GIF background here. And the image itself - with the dove, light and Mary's womb is pretty amazing. But, the way it came out with many small versions of this art makes for a distracting rather than enhancing background. Be careful and discerning with this on future Padlets! 

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I appreciate your trying a GIF background here. And the image itself - with the dove, light and Mary's womb is pretty amazing. But, the way it came out with many small versions of this art makes for a distracting rather than enhancing background. Be careful and discerning with this on future Padlets! 

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Excellent layout/design as the difference among the seasons is easy to follow and the use of color with the arrows makes it easy for the viewer. 

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Excellent layout/design as the difference among the seasons is easy to follow and the use of color with the arrows makes it easy for the viewer. 

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Outstanding work with the LOTR responses! I like the bullet-pointing as well as the use of images and how you connect the ideas with the arrows. 

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Outstanding work with the LOTR responses! I like the bullet-pointing as well as the use of images and how you connect the ideas with the arrows. 

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- she is our mother
- we are called to have a motherly relationship with her
- she bears Jesus
- will teach us to be one with God and Jesus

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- loving Mary helps us grow with Jesus
- she is the perfect mother and disciple to Jesus
- helps us learn to be with him

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- a struggle of if you choose good or evil was brought in
- you had to and have to pick which "army" you are going to fight for
- Mary shows us how to fight with the good
- if you are good you will have support and eternal life

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- was a temple where God chose to dwell in
- she held the light within her
- the light was Jesus
- Restored the peoples faith and showed that God was her for his people

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- November 21

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- October 7

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- September 15

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- September 8

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- August 22

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- August 15

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- July 16

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- Saturday following the second Sunday after Pentecost

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- May 31

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- March 25

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- February 11

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- January 1

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- Sunday after Christmas

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- December 25

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- December 12

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December 12 is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In 1531, Mary showered her children with roses. Today, you can shower her with roses while celebrating your loved ones forever.

These elegant rose plaques are a beautiful, permanent part of our shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe. What better way to remember your family and friends – and honor Mary.

You can also light a vigil candle at our Shrine to thank our Blessed Mother and to honor your loved ones.  

Find out more at our Gift Shop: https://giftshop.miraculousmedal.org/ 

Our Lady told St. Juan Diego, as she tells you:

Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety, or pain. Am I not here who am your Mother? Are you not in the folds of my mantle? Is there anything else you need?

So place everyone you hold dear in the warmth of our Mother's arms. 

#OurLadyofGuadalupe #MiraculousMedal #WePray #IamVincentian #WeAreVincentian 

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- December 8

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- located at the bottom of the padlet page

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LOTR #2 response

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It is well known that J.R.R. Tolkien, the celebrated fantasy writer who gave us The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was a Catholic. He was not a writer who just happened to be also a Catholic; he was a writer whose Catholicism permeated his work.

Although there are those who object to a world of goblins, elves, and dwarves as an escapism that is not Catholic or wholesome, Tolkien's Middle Earth was a very "sacramental" place which at times only thinly veils its author's Catholic world view, and this we know by his own testimony. Tolkien's Catholic principles impregnate his writings, particularly the Rings trilogy. I would include in these principles his monarchism, respect for hierarchy, fascination with matter as a conduit to unseen spiritual realities, deep sense of chivalry, respect for the principle of subsidiarity in government, high regard for virtue as a means to happiness, and a penetrating sense of the redeeming value of suffering.

Tolkien's world is a fallen world where evil lurks, but where good is more powerful. Reading the The Lord of the Rings trilogy, one has an ever-present sense of Divine Providence. Unlike the morally ambiguous realms we enter in so much modern fiction, in Tolkien's world, good is beautiful and evil is ugly (although, at times, it has a powerful allure that is difficult to resist).

One of my favorite Catholic things about the trilogy is the date when the Ring is finally destroyed in the Cracks of Doom. This cataclysmic and salutary achievement, which begins a new age for Middle Earth, took place on March 25. Catholics recognize this as both the Feast of the Annunciation and the date traditionally assigned to the Crucifixion of Our Lord.

The lembas bread is another example of Tolkien's Catholicism. It is manifestly a literary type of the Eucharist. For the unfamiliar, lembas is bread made by the Elves. Literally, the word means "journey bread" or "waybread" in Elven, a language of Tolkien's own invention. (Professor Tolkien was a linguist and philologist by profession.) The Elven etymology of lembas was doubtless, at least in part, a reference to the Eucharist as .

Now, viaticum itself contains a very powerful imagery since the word (from the Latin via = "way") comes from the ancient world and connotes a meal taken in preparation for a journey. It was "baptized" by Catholics and came to signify the Eucharist received on one's deathbed, in order to strengthen him for his journey into eternity. The Roman Ritual has a special rite for administering Holy Communion as viaticum.

But the Eucharist does not only strengthen us in the end. It strengthens us throughout the journey of our life. It is the "bread of the strong," the "bread of life," and the "food of the elect." As a sacrament, it is a means of grace, so it increases sanctifying grace and carries with it a pledge of all the actual graces we need to be strong in resisting sin. Theologians, poets, and preachers have long waxed eloquent on the Eucharist possessing spiritually all the qualities that food has materially: It fortifies, heals, satiates, and refreshes the one who partakes of It.

There is, of course, much more to be said of the Blessed Eucharist, but let's get back to Tolkien and one of his many descriptions of lembas in the trilogy. In this passage, the Hobbits Frodo and Sam are near the dreaded Mount Doom, the fiery mountain which is the only place where the Ring can be destroyed. They are in terrible physical danger because they are well into the enemy camp. They also lack water and have had nothing to eat other than the lembas.

"As for himself, though weary and under a shadow of fear, [Sam] still had some strength left. The lembas had a virtue without which they would long ago have lain down to die. It did not satisfy desire, and at times Sam's mind was filled with the memories of food, and the longing for simple bread and meats. And yet this waybread of the Elves had a potency that increased as travelers relied on it alone and did not mingle it with other foods. It fed the will, and it gave strength to endure, and to master sinew and limb beyond the measure of mortal kind." ( Return of the King, 262)

Indeed, Tolkein's lembas provides the fantasy reader with some very Catholic literary food for thought!

For more on Tolkien's Catholicism, see The Lord of the Rings: a Catholic View , by Charles A. Coulombe, K.C.St.S.

The Once & Future Christendom is another article with much to recommend it concerning a Tolkienish world view that is essentially Christian, though I would like to point out that the author is a bit off on the principle cuius regio, eius religio (it's not a "classical political maxim," but, rather, a pragmatic invention concocted in the maelstrom of Reformation political chaos). Too, he does not seem to realize that the "Council of the West" he calls for is impossible without Catholic unity. For all that, what the author cleverly calls "the Shire Strategy" gives us something to ponder in these days of creeping globalism and governmental obesity.

The Wikipedia article on Tolkien is very favorable to his Catholicism (at least in that article's present form in September of 2007).

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It is well known that J.R.R. Tolkien, the celebrated fantasy writer who gave us The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was a Catholic. He was not a writer who just happened to be also a Catholic; he was ... Continue reading →

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Important "elvish artifacts" throughout LOTR

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Important "elvish artifacts" throughout LOTR

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J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and the accompanying stories of Middle-earth are some of the most influential fantasy works ever. They set up tropes and precedents that countless subsequent works have either emulated or departed from.

Thanks to The Lord of the Rings, and also Peter Jackson's academy award winning movie adaptations, Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, Hobbits, and Rings of Power are all household names.

One particular trend that The Lord of the Rings help codify is the fantasy story that revolves around magical items-- items with special properties, great significance, or magical powers that both a protagonist and antagonist have great interest in.

Such items tend to be very old and come to our main characters with long and mythic backstories. If the right people use the power of these objects at the right time, the story will move forward and the day will be saved.

In the case of The Lord of the Rings, many such objects come to mind. However, how do they compare to each other in terms of power and significance? How do the Rings of Power stack up to each other? Which is the most powerful piece of heirloom weapon or armor?

Here are The 17 Most Powerful Artifacts In The Lord of the Rings, Ranked!

17 THE ELFSTONE/EVENSTAR

The Elfstone is a brilliant jewel made of silver with an eagle shaped brooch in the center. It was most often worn as a pendant and was forged by an Elven smith named Enerdhil of Gondolin, one of the most skilled jewelers of that age.

The stone was possessed by Idril, mother of Eärendil the Mariner, when Gondolin was besieged and destroyed. She escaped with the stone and passed it on to her son, and Eärendil in turned kept it through his journey back to the Undying Lands.

Somehow it comes into Arwen's possession. In the movies, we see Arwen give the Evenstar to Aragorn as a gift representing their love. At least in the books, it supposedly grants the power to see anything that is old and withered in its youthful state once again.

16 THE RING OF BARAHIR

This ring originally belonged to the Elven Lord Finrod Felagund. It bore the likeness of two entwined silver serpents with green eyes, one adorning and one devouring a golden crown.

When Finrod was attacked by orcs, he was rescued by a company of men led by Barahir. In a gesture of thanks and eternal friendship, Finrod gave his ring to Barahir.

The Ring of Barahir was passed on to many descendants of Barahir. Eventually, it was given to Elrond of Rivendell, who in turn gave it to Aragorn. While it is not implicitly magical, the Ring of Barahir is among the oldest created objects in all of Middle-earth.

It is even older than the Rings of Power. It has also been used throughout history to prove the lineage of its wearer and promote cooperation between Elves and Men.

15 HITHLAIN

Hithlain was the material that comprised the versatile Elven rope. In the Sindarin language of the Elves, "hithlain" is a compound word made of "hith" (mist) and "lain" (thread).

The exact nature of the material is unknown. However, it proved to be an invaluable tool for Frodo and Sam during their quest to destroy the One Ring.

The Elven Rope is thin, lightweight, and flexible, while also incredibly strong. It also has several magical properties. Even if a knot in the rope is out of reach, it could be unknotted with just a thought from the owner.

The rope is scalding to the touch to beings corrupted by evil, such as Gollum. It is unclear if the magical properties came from Hithlain itself or through the Elves making it into rope.

14 THE NAUGLAMÍR

During the First Age of Middle-earth, the Eleven King Thingol summoned the Dwarves of Nogrod to his kingdom. He instructed them to fashion the treasures of Nargothrond into fine jewelry.

The greatest jewel that the Dwarves made in this venture was Nauglamír. When it was finished, Thingol requested that one of the priceless Silmarils be set in Nauglamír. When that was done, Nauglamír was praised as the most beautiful object in the entire world.

Because of its singular allure, the Dwarves demanded to have their crafted piece back. When Thingol refused, the dwarves killed him. A long succession of battles followed the Nauglamír throughout its history in Middle-earth.

The sons of the Elven King Fëanor even slew their kin, the Elves of Doriath, in order to claim Nauglamir for themselves.

13 DRAGON-HELM OF DOR-LÓMIN

This legendary war helm was originally created by the Dwarf smith Telchar of Nogrod during the First Age of Middle-earth. Telchar was also credited with forging the sword Narsil.

The Dragon-helm of Dor-lómin was embossed with gold on its silver frame and was adorned with a central frill in the shape of the dragon Glaurung. It was said to strike fear into the hearts of its wearer's enemies. For those who were worthy of wearing it, it was also said to render it's wearer invulnerable from any harm or wound.

It was originally worn by the Dwarf king Azaghâl, who passed it on to the Elven prince Maedhros. The High Elven Kings of Ñoldor kept it for centuries until it was passed on to the Man Túrin Turambar, son of Húrin. He can be seen wearing the helm on most versions of the cover of The Children of Húrin.

Mithril is a precious, naturally occurring metal found only in the deep caverns of Khazad-dûm. It shines like silver, but its gleam never fades. It is malleable and yet stronger than tempered steel.

Within their mountain dominion, the Dwarves mined voraciously for Mithril. They crafted it into fine ornamental garments and spectacular weapons and armor.

When the Balrog awakened in Moria, it cast the Dwarves out of their kingdom and prevented any more Mithril from reaching the wider world. One item that made it out was the Mithril vest, passed from Thorin to Bilbo to Frodo.

Mithril is put to the test when the Fellowship is attacked in Moria in the movies. Frodo is able to survive getting stabbed by a cave troll holding a spear with nary a scratch.

11 THE ARKENSTONE

The Arkenstone is a dazzling crystal gem that was unearthed by the Dwarves of Erebor in the Third Age of Middle-earth. King Thror took the jewel as an heirloom of Durin's Folk and set it above his throne for all to see.

Unfortunately, the Arkenstone seemed to have a debilitating effect on Thror and his descendants. By the time that Smaug attacked the Lonely Mountain to take the Dwarves' treasure for himself, Thror was obsessed with the Arkenstone.

His only concern was to safeguard the stone, but it was buried in the gold troves and lost for years. Thror's grandson Thorin grew almost as obsessed with the Arkenstone after his company managed to retake Erebor. In the end, though, he was able to come to his senses and lead the Dwarves to victory.

10 THE FIRE OF ORTHANC

When Saruman allied with Sauron, he took his study of dark magic and machination to new heights. One of the most destructive devices to come from his pursuits was called "The Fire of Orthanc" after the central tower of Isengard.

The Fire of Orthanc is an explosive concoction, mostly fashioned into mines or bombs that Saruman used to terrorize and dominate the people of Rohan. King Theodin believed that Helm's Deep would be able to protect his people when Saruman's army set out in full force.

After all, the Deeping Wall had never been breached and the Hornburg Keel had never been invaded. Just when Theodin was growing complacent in his defenses, the Uruk-hai blasted the Deeping Wall open with The Fire of Orthanc.

9 THE PHIAL OF GALADRIEL

Galadriel gave this phial to Frodo Baggins as a gift when the Fellowship departed Lothlórien. It was filled with water from Galadriel's fountain, which contained the light of one of the Silmarils. She bade that it light Frodo's way when all others lights were extinguished.

The Phial remained in Frodo's keeping for some time until he finally used it. As part of Gollum's scheme to take the Ring back for himself, he led Frodo and Sam to the lair of the great spider Shelob.

Shelob's lair was dark, wretched, and perilous to navigate. Fortunately, both Frodo and Sam thought to call on the light from the Phial of Galadriel to ward off Shelob. Without the Phial's guidance and protection, both of the Hobbits would have surely perished and their quest would have failed.

During the War of the Last Alliance, King Elendil of the Dúnedain wielded the sword called Narsil. Elendil fell to Sauron in the final battle on the slopes of Mt. Doom. In the movies, we see Sauron crush the blade of the sword under his heel, but then Isildur manages to slice the Ring off of Sauron's hand with what remains of it.

For generations, the shards of Narsil have passed from caretaker down to caretaker among the Dúnedain. By the end of the Third Age of Middle-earth, the Elves of Rivendell had re-forged the shards into a new blade.

Aragorn was the only known heir to Elendil. With Andúril in hand, Aragorn could compel the dormant Army of the Dead to fight by his side and save Gondor. Andúril is the only weapon we see in the movies that can stand up to the Army of the Dead.

Narya was one of the three Elven Rings of Power forged by the great smith Celebrimbor. Celebrimbor gave Nayra to Círdan, a Telerin Elf lord, master sailor, and shipwright. When Gandalf arrived in Middle-earth early in the Third Age, Círdan entrusted Gandalf with Narya so that the Ring would help Gandalf in his mission against Sauron.

Narya is a golden ring set with a ruby. It is said to represent fire and helps to protect its owner from the wariness of time. Most importantly for Gandalf's mission, it had the power to inspire hope and resolution to resist tyranny and despair.

In the books, when Gandalf leads the defenses of Minas Tirith, the Gondor soldiers in his immediate vicinity were said to be emboldened by his presence.

Nenya was another of the Elven Rings of Power. It was given to Galdriel by its maker, Celebrimbor. The band of the Ring was made of mithril and was set with a white stone called an adamant, possibly a diamond.

Nenya's particular power was of concealment and protection from evil. It also bestowed an ageless longevity upon Galadriel greater than other Elves. She used the Ring's power to create her domain of Lothlórien and keep it hidden from Sauron's influence and his minions.

Nenya itself was invisible to the common observer of the Lady Galadriel, thanks to the Ring's power. Only Frodo is able to see Nenya around Galadriel's finger when they convene privately by the reflecting pool. She tells Frodo that is due to him being a ring bearer as well.

Vilya was the thrid of the three Elven Rings of Power. By the time of the late Second Age of Middle-earth, it had been passed to Lord Elrond of Rivendell. Vilya was said to be the strongest of the three Elven Rings. It was a gold band inlaid with a Sapphire.

Even though all of the Elven Rings were said to grant healing and longevity powers, Vilya's power of healing and protection was the greatest. The books imply that the power of Vilya was crucial in helping Elrond save Frodo from his Morgul blade wound.

Vilya also let Elrond exude an aura of peace and resilience over the valley where Rivendell lay. It also may have had power over the elements, which let the Elves summon a torrent to sweep away the Nazgûl pursuing Frodo and Arwen.

4 THE PALANTÍRI

The Palantíri, or singular Palantír, were seeing stones forged by the Ñoldor Elves and gifted to the Númenóreans. When Elendil and his people escaped the Fall of Númenór, Elendil only managed to bring seven Palantíri with him to Middle-earth.

His descendants kept the stones in secure and scattered locations throughout the land, including Weathertop, Osgiliath, Orthanc and Minas Tirith, so that they could communicate across great distances.

By the late Third Age, all but three of the Palantíri were lost. They were each held by Denethor, Saruman, and Sauron. Sauron was able to use his Palantír to sway Saruman to his side, and to convince Denethor that there was no hope of victory against Mordor. In this way, Sauron struck some of his most dire blows against the free peoples of Middle-earth.

3 GANDALF'S STAFF

Throughout the books and the movies, each of the wizards carry a staff. It's a conduit for their power and visually reflects their nature and personality. Gandalf the Gray carried a brown wooden staff with a crown of knarled, splitting branches. We see Gandalf fix a luminous crystal on its top when the Fellowship had to find their way through Moria.

Gandalf the Gray's staff was lost during the battle with the Balrog. However, he was granted a new more powerful staff when he was reincarnated as Gandalf the White.

With the white staff, Gandalf exorcised Saruman from King Theodin in Rohan. He was also able to fend off the Nazgul and their Fell-beasts as they chased the Gondor soldiers away from Osgiliath. Gandalf's magical feats with the staff certainly saved the cause of the free peoples of Middle-earth many times over.

2 THE ONE RING

This golden band was forged by Sauron himself in the fires of Mount Doom. He intended to suffuse it with a part of his own soul, making it powerful enough to influence the Elven ring-bearers. While the Ring failed in bringing the Elves directly under Sauron's control, the Kings of Men could not resist the seductive power of the rings.

Even after Sauron was separated from the Ring, the Ring continued to exude Sauron's will over the other beings that encountered it. Gollum, Bilbo, and Frodo all used the Ring's plain-shifting power to hide from sight, but every time they did they risked luring the Ringwraiths.

We see beings as powerful as Gandalf and Galadriel struggle to resist the Ring's pull. It's potential to bring forth destruction and ruin is perhaps greater than any object in the series.

1 THE SILMARILS

No trio of objects is more important to the lore of Middle-earth than the Silmarils. They were originally forged by Fëanor before the First Age and contained part of the essence of the Two Great Trees of Valinor. The light shone by the crystalline Silmarils is brilliant beyond description. Fëanor wore the Silmarils in public while there was peace in Valinor.

However, Melkor stole the Silmarils. He set them within his crown and held dominion over all of Middle-earth for most of the First Age.

The fate of the whole world of Arda was said to be woven about the Silmarils. Elves, Dwarves, and Men fought not only Melkor, but each other out of yearning for or entitlement to the Silmarils. Their power has even influenced some of the other artifacts on this list.

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Are there other artifacts from The Lord of the Rings that you think are even more powerful? Let us know in the comments!

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Lord Of The Rings: The 17 Most Powerful Artifacts In Middle-Earth, Ranked

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J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and the accompanying stories of Middle-earth are some of the most influential fantasy works ever. They set up tropes and precedents that countless subsequent works have either emulated or departed from.

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connects to the catholic sacrament of anointing:

these heal the receiver just like the anointing of the sick does when it gives the person receiving strength and forgiveness.

Oil and Leaf become a healing symbol even though they are ordinary objects

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These sacramentals do this:

1. horns dispel despair and summon courage

they are blown in the hour of need.

They provide a sacramental effect:

1. gives the characters the courage

2.  strength to go on in times of need

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Examples from the Old Testament:

1.  the manna in the desert

2.  Noah's ark

3. Abraham and Isaac

It can be viewed as a pre Christian type

he said the visible contain the invisible like the other types in the old testament.

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it doesn't stand directly for the Eucharist.

for Catholics its derived from bread by priests

It can still be considered sacramental

its a tangible made artifact and it posses some of the properties of it

like a type in the old testament.

An example could be Noah's Ark

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the spiritual and material merge

they become meshed to the point where they become indistinguishable

elvish cloaks are an example

they aid the fellowship along the way and they were made for them

get the members out of trouble multiple times

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they are like lights from an invisible lamp

there seems to be faith in everywhere but from an invisible source just like how sacramentals have this faith and idea of God tied to them even though they are not entirely part of him

Allowed him to do this together and make it “sublime and transcendent"

It represents God of the sacraments and the sacramental throughout the movie

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I really like the visual design of this project. Your text is insightful and I love the use of images, arrows and the GIF background too!

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Theological symbolism is scattered throughout Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's universe presents significant insight regarding death, greed, addiction, power, fate, free will, and much, much more.

Tolkien was believed to split the singular Christ figure between Gandalf (prophet), Frodo (priest), and Aragorn (king). This splitting of the Christ figure is unique, and Peter J. Kreeft, author of The Philosophy of Tolkienspeaks to this.

There is no one complete, concrete, visible Christ figure in The Lord of the Rings, like Aslan in Narnia. But Christ is really, though invisibly, present in the whole of The Lord of the Rings.

Again, he says:

[Christ] is more clearly present in Gandalf, Frodo, and Aragorn, the three Christ Figures. First of all, all three undergo different forms of death and resurrection. Second, all three are saviors: through their self-sacrifice they help save all of Middle-earth from the demonic sway of Sauron.

Most important to discussions about Sam is Frodo's place in this story. Frodo represents the priestly nature of Christ. Frodo is the character that carries the weight of Middle Earth, the Ring, to its ultimate destruction, sacrificing his own comfort and security.

Samwise Gamgee

Sam's relationship with Frodo, a Christ figure, reveals Sam's allegorical identity to the reader.

Sam is us. Sam is the follower of Christ.

Let's bullet point some of Sam's prominent character traits:
- Strong-willed
- Humble
- Devoted to Frodo
- Hopeful

The way Sam interacts with Frodo provides significant takeaways when we examine our own interactions with Christ. Fictional may he be, Sam offers a sound allegory for Christian living.

Strong-willed

This scene always strikes a chord with me, and is, in my view, the quintessential Samwise Gamgee scene.

Though battered, exhausted, and likely dehydrated, Sam takes the time to nurture Frodo. When Sam realizes that Frodo may have lost hope, he snaps to. He isn't about to give up now, though this is the hardest part of their journey.

Sam shows no interest in carrying the Ring and leaving Frodo on the side of Mount Doom. He recognizes that the only way he can take care of both Frodo and the entirety of Middle Earth is to carry them both.

Sam continues to push forward, even though his burden has increased. The weight of Frodo's quest is now upon him, and he continues anyway.

"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'" - Matthew 16:24

Humble

Sam is a hobbit gardener, and this curtails his sense of ambition and his social aspirations. He is not greedy, he does not envy, he is void of jealousy. He is content.

Sam does not think highly of himself. Nor does he lack self-esteem. Sam is sure and confident, but not to the point of bravado. Any source of entitlement or pride is not found within, but rather in his servitude unto Frodo.

In a letter to Eileen Elgar from 1963, Tolkien writes:

Sam was cocksure, and deep down a little conceited; but his conceit had been transformed by his devotion to Frodo. He did not think of himself as heroic or even brave, or in any way admirable - except in his service and loyalty to his master. That had an ingredient (probably inevitable) of pride and possessiveness.

Tolkien's comments about Sam being "cocksure" and a "little conceited" are especially important. These traits in Sam, however miniscule they may be, were transformed into vehicles of further devotion to Frodo. Frodo, then, acts as the transformation medium for Sam's flaws.

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. - Galatians 6:14

Devoted to Frodo

To me, the most admirable of all of Sam's traits is his hopeless devotion to Frodo. Even when Frodo turns away from Sam and casts him away, Sam obeys.

What was undoubtedly one of the hardest moments of Sam's story, the one he loves most telling him he isn't needed, becomes another opportunity for him to showcase his devotion by obeying, no matter how hard it is.

From Anne Marie Gazzalo in Moments of Grace and Spiritual Warfare in Lord of the Rings:

"Frodo's torn heart still beats, and it pushes past terror and hopelessness because of Sam's blessed aid and his own battered and bleeding will to do so."

Look at this passage from The Two Towers:

"Then as he had kept watch Sam had noticed that at times a light seemed to be shining faintly within; but now the light was even clearer and stronger. Frodo's face was peaceful, the marks of fear and care had left it; but it looked old, old and beautiful, as if the chiseling of the shaping years was now revealed in many fine lines that had before been hidden, though the identity of the face was not changed. Not that Sam Gamgee put it that way to himself. He shook his head, as if finding words useless, and murmured: "I love him. He's like that, and sometimes it shines through, somehow. But I love him, whether or no."

Perhaps Sam says it best himself in Return of the King:

"I'll get there, if I leave everything but my bones behind," said Sam, "And I'll carry Mr. Frodo up myself, if it breaks my back and heart."

Hopeful

Sam, despite his circumstances, is always reaching for the good in life. He longs for Rosie. Between the lava streams on Mount Doom, he hopes to taste strawberries again.

From Return of the King:

"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach. "

Sam's thoughts and actions are centered upon the good that is to come, whether he is sure it's coming or not.

We Are Sam

When looking for a blueprint for Christian living in literature, Samwise Gamgee is about as good as it gets.

Though our circumstances around us may be difficult, let us remember to never slow down, never cloak ourselves in visions of grandeur, cling to Christ, and keep our thoughts on the unknown good that is surely waiting.

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Samwise Gamgee as the Everyday Christian

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Theological symbolism is scattered throughout Lord of the Rings. Tolkien's universe presents significant insight regarding death, greed, addiction, power, fate, free will, and much, much more. Tolkien was believed to split the singular Christ figure between Gandalf (prophet), Frodo (priest), and Aragorn (king). This splitting of the Christ figure is unique, and Peter J.

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Three examples from LOTR that point to Catholicism are the resurrection of Gandalf, the temptation of sin that came with the ring, the three characters of prophet, king, and priest. The resurrection of Gandalf can be tied into the resurrection of Jesus that we learn through our own religion. The ring came with a temptation of sin which could b tied all the way back to even Adam and eve or just daily temptations to sin. The prophet, king, and priest are all missions that we have through our faith that are portrayed through characters in the movie.

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Deprived means you are lacking a cultural benefit and basic material
Depraved means you are morally corrupt
From these definitions it has taught me about sin. It taught me how in order to sin you must be lacking in your faith and belief with God. Sin can morally corrupt you only if you let it by straying from God. You have to teach yourself and learn about what it is to be a good catholic follower. You have to be able to put your belief and will power into God.

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I think this means how through everything you can find faith anywhere as long as you believe. Even when you do not see God he is there as long as you do what he would do through the faith.
This short observation captures the essence by showing how through our faith and the world in times of struggle and loss we find the light and the good in our faith to make us stronger anywhere and anytime. We believe how even in the darkness God is always there.

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I think this means that God became one of us to see the temptation of sin that we may go through everyday and show us how to be divine through our life and faith. Through him we were able to see the divine truth within our faith. We can use his human life as an example of how we can live ours out through the faith and God himself.