Re: Holy Palmer's Kiss

Paul Kennedy (kennedyp@toronto.cbc.ca)
Thu, 05 Aug 1999 05:13:56 -0400 (EDT) 

ANYBODY who DARES to call St. Cecilia a Sectionperson for penning this
message will have to deal with the wrath of Paul.

FIAT





>This one is going to get away from me, I can feel it right now.  So those
of you who don't feel like a read have my full permission to move on your
merry way to the next message.  (Now that I've gotten that quick bit of
self-deprecation out of my system, on with it.)
>
>Years ago, when I first read _Franny and Zooey_, I made a note for myself
at the back of my mind to look for _The Pilgrim's Way_ when I was in
bookstores.  But like many of my "Notes to Self," the tasks often take years
to complete.  One of my favorite pastimes is browsing in  bookstores, so I
found it surprising that I had such trouble finding it.
>
>Then one day last winter, I found myself stuck in DeKalb, Illinois.  (Don't
ask.)  And because I was staying on NIU's campus, I made some time (believe
me, in the middle of a blizzard in DeKalb in January, there's not much other
than time...) and wandered around the University Bookstore.  Up and down the
aisles, checking out what they're reading in the English classes these days,
through the philosophy aisle, I came upon a big bin of books, marked down
from the previous semester.  And sitting right on top of that bin of books,
almost crooning my name, was THE BOOK.  By its tattered appearance, I could
tell that it had survived all sorts of indignities.  Hugging it to my
breast, I hurried to the front counter and paid four dollars for my
treasure.  (That's only twice what a bottle of water costs in New York City.
Not to harp on any subject or anything.)
>
>So though I finally had it in my possession, it took me months to screw up
my courage and actually read it.  But last night I actually did read it.
And took notes.  And maybe it's because of all the talk of hands lately, but
two things really stood out at me, and I thought that I share two passages
with all of you.  They seem to have a little bearing on some of our recent
discussions.
>
>As I'm sure that you know, the Pilgrim is instructed by his starets, or
holy man, before going on his way to practice what he has learned.  To help
him practice the prayer of the heart, the starets gives him a chotki, which
is like a rosary.  During his journey, the pilgrim is chased by a wolf.  He
tries to save himself by throwing the chotki at the wolf.  Disoriented by
the chotki, the wolf runs off and leaves him alone.  After his experience
with the wolf, the pilgrim relates this story to a teacher who then explains
the reason for the miracle:
>"The starets to whom this chotki belonged was a holy man  - and what is
holiness?  It is simply the return of sinful man, through efforts and
struggles, to that innocent state of grace that the first man enjoyed.  When
the soul is sanctified, so is the body.  Holy people always held chotki in
their hands.  This very contact of their hands and the holiness that
emanated through them infused the knots with the power of the innocent state
of the first man."
>
>So is it any wonder that hands hold such symbolism for Seymour?  After
reading this, I kept thinking about that passage that Rick and Mirjam
recently reminded us - the one about how he has yellow-stained hands from
Charlotte's dress, etc.  And touching innocence infuses the toucher with
that innocence.  Therefore the wolf runs away, overwhelmed.  So what of
Seymour touching Sybil's foot?
>
>But then I came across this next passage, which relates to again the
right-hand left-hand discussion:
>"Even my late starets of blessed memory would tell me that obstacles to the
prayer of the heart come from two sources: from the left and from the right.
This means that if the enemy fails to prevent us from praying, through vain
thoughts and sinful imaginings, then he stirs within us memories of all
sorts of edifying things, or he entices us with pleasant thoughts - anything
at all - just to lure us away from prayer, which is something unbearable to him.
>"This is what is called 'right hand theft,' and it causes the soul to scorn
converse with God and to turn to the pleasure of conversing with its own
self or with other creatures."
>
>So then I began to look through _Franny and Zooey_ for references to right
v. left hands and found something interesting:  Lane reads his pleasurable
letter from Franny in his right hand.  Whenever anyone wants a little more
control over a situation, they are holding their cigarette in their right
hand.  Franny uses her right hand to brace herself against the bar.  But
when she touches the fingers of her left hand to her forehead, she is
overcome and faints.
>
>Seymour uses his left hand to kill himself.
>
>So perhaps the right hand is that which we use to save us from great
emotion, reminding ourselves of greater happier things.  And the left hand
links us to the depths of despair of our souls.
>
>(Middle of the night musings...  They seemed so much clearer before I wrote
them down.  Ah, me.  Oh, and you can call me a section man all you want.  I
really deserve it for this one.)
>
>Regards,
>Cecilia.
>
>
>
>
>--== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==--
>Share what you know. Learn what you don't.
>
>