September 5, 2022

Reflection

THEY  CAME  TO  CODORA

Just watched the movie, "They Came to Cordora."

It was a western that tells a story within a story. The place is New Mexico and Mexico - in 1916. - with Gary Cooper and Rita Hayworth.

Pancho Villa sent soldiers to attack the town of Columbus, New Mexico. They killed a dozen Americans - wounded others and destroyed propeerty. The President of the United States sent an army to retaliate - especially to capture Pancho Villa.

It was not a great movie.  

It was too talky, talky.

It seemed implausible - impossible  - and stupid.

Yet I stayed up with William Guri to watch it to "The End".

Gary Cooper plays the part of a soldier - an officer - whose job it is to watch a battle and then to recommend battle honors to those he thought deserved them. He won't give any honors to a guy who leads a charge on Ojos. It is badly planned.  They don't make any reconnoitering - other than just charging the town of Ojos.

The Mexicans lose the fight because they don't have rapid fire rifles.

The United States officer does it for ego and recognition and honors - so he will get an award and retire at 60.

Gary Cooper won't make any recommendations for honors.  In an earlier fight he was in a battle.  and got scared.  His position was being hit with bullets flying by his face he jumps into a ditch to survive. He's labeled a coward for avoiding battle.

And here he is an Army major trying to capture what is courage.

Four or 5 soldiers are sent as heroes back for honors.  Throw into the story, Rita Hayworth, an American, who was very friendly with the Mexicans and is sent back to the U.S, forces.

As I thought, the movie is horrible.

Gary Cooper is trying to get the thoughts of the soldiers. He spends time writing down notes.

"All 5 are little wounded children." That's how he described them in his notes - which they take from him when he is almost dead.

Yet he has to courage to bring them to Cordura.  They are trying to kill him. They don't want to be labeled heroes. They see the implications gaining that recognition - one of them is wanted.

That was the movie - an exploration of courage and cowardice.

Motive! We try to figure them out in court rooms, crimes, and movies.

 September 5, 2022

Thought for Today

"Every man's work, whether it be literature or music or pictures or architecture or anything else, is always as portrait of himself."

Samuel Butler [1835-1902]

The Way  of All Flesh [1903[

Chapter 14

 September 4, 2022

Reflection

THE  CRY  FOR  MYSELF

"What about me?"

"What about my needs?"

"What about my hungers? And thirsts? And desires?"

"Fair!"

"Foul!"

"Unfair!"

"Oh oh!"

Human cries.

Listen to the human cries.

Turn on the TV - open up the newspaper. You'll see, you'll hear, you'll notice some kind of protest somewhere around the world.

Catholic Social Teachings are wordy documents. Yet they are asking folks, "What about babies? The poor? The worker? The married? The people on the edge, the margin? The migrantss? The ones being shot at or terrorized?"

I look at the statue called, "The Thinker." Is he silent? Is he about to go back to sleep? Or is he screaming about his stupidity for the right to life? Or about the night before? Is he shouting? Is he shoulding on himself?

I cry.

I scream.

I am scared.

I am nervous.

I'm tired.

I'm overwhelmed.

I need to escape.

I need to stop and sort out my life.

I scream.

 September 4, 2022

Thought for Today

"I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it."

Alice Walker

The Color Purple

September 3, 2022 

Reflection

THE  CRY  FOR  OTHERS

At times it's nice to be alone.

But when we're alone and we don't want to be alone, then we wonder, "Where is everybody?:

When another is supposed to be there and he or she isn't, it's then we sometimes cry.

The baby does it in the crib.

The old do it in the nursing home.

The husband does it when his wife is dying of cancer in the  hospital room and he sees the whole empty future without her before him.

The teenage boy does it when he is dumped by his girl friend.

The cry for others is to respond - to wake up - to reach out - to grow up- to stop drinking too much - to stop overeating - and a hundred other cries.

Why tears?

What do tears produce?

A feel.... I feel like I'm doing something. I'm responding in some way.

I cry. Therefore I am.

I cry. Tears stop you for a moment and you know I'm here.

I cry and you know I exist.

I scream - and I stop traffic and the dance.

I cry and the other starts to think.

I cry. Therefore, you think. 

 September 3, 2022

Thought for Today

"The devil is an angel too."

Miguel de Unamuno [1864-1936]

Two Mothers

 September 2. 2022

Reflection

THE CRY  FOR  GOD

Everyone's prayer is, "De Profundis."

Out of  my depths - from my depths - especially when I feel an ocean of water - or doubts - or debts - or problems - are churning around me - and I have nothing or no one to grab onto.

De Profundis ....

Psalms 130 is everyone's prayer.

Is God in a helicopter hovering over a sinking ship - tossing down a rope or a basket to grab onto or get into.

Did the Jews have it right when they told the story of the baby Moses put in a basket - and sent out into the waters - and then that Moses is saved - and grows up - and then leads his people through the waters - to escape, to exit Egypt - for freedom.

Everyone screams out, "Oh my God!" - "OMG" - "Jesus Christ" - "Holy Moses" - "God, where are You" - or "Holy shit" - when disaster strikes.

The cries for God are many.

There are atheists in foxholes.

There are agnostics in foxholes.

There are people of faith in foxholes.

People scream.

People in foxholes scream.

Some for God.

The screams for God are shoutest loudest when the mud or the moment we are in - becomes what we don't expect and don't want.

Out of the depths I cry to you, O God.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  PSALM  130  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out of the depths I cry to You, O God.

Lord. hear my cry.

Let Your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.

If You, Lord, kept an account of my sins, who, O Lord, could hold up one's head.

But in You is forgiveness - therefore You are revered.

I wait for the Lord with all my soul

My hope is the fulfillment of God's word.

My soul waits for the Lord more eagerly than watchmen wait for the morning.

Like those who watch for the morning, O Israel, look for the Lord.

The Lord is love unfailing; great is his power to set us free.

He alone will set Israel free from all their sins.