Better Than Content

I am sure that all of us can identify a piece of parental advice that we only accepted years later. Here’s one of mine: “Just take my word for it- the books are better than the movies!”

Dad’s recommendation fell on deaf ears as I was absorbed in my umpteenth viewing of the movie The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King. At that moment, Gandalf was rallying men along the walls of Minas Tirith against a horde of Orcs, which came from the evil-looking mountain range across a river. No doubt, it was gearing up to be an epic battle, and I was content.

Fast-forward several years into my second year at Saint John Paul II Seminary. In the 2017-18 academic year, the book club embarked on an eight-month journey through J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. For a few seminarians- myself included- it was a green experience, but the majority were rereading the books for a second, third, or even fourth time. Over the course of twelve dinners, Priests and seminarians gave reflections on a range of topics from the beauty and geography of Middle Earth to friendship and sacrifice; these sparked conversation and clarification on only a few points of the work.

One takeaway for me was the complex reality of being inspired by the good works of others. Sure, there are people in my life who have directly impacted me, but I have also been moved by saints from centuries ago or fictional characters such as Aragorn and Faramir. Actions that had no direct impact on me continue to impact me indirectly. To this, G.K. Chesterson says that “tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

Looking back, I am very thankful for the opportunity to read this book amid some twenty members of the Saint John Paul II Seminary community. It will be a treasured experience, and one to which I will always return to with gratitude.

There is so much more that can be said. But I will only relay a piece of advice that I, myself, received: the books are better than the movies!