When I first read in this paragraph about Faramir, I cried with joy and wonder! The tears welled up in my eyes. It's "a miracle" that my book didn't have major water damage inflicted upon it. For it seems that Faramir was just too good to be true! He truly is a "saint" in the world of Middle-earth. In fact, he and Aragorn are my two favorite Dunedain. ("Dunedain" means the Men of the West, whose ancestors came over the sea from Numenor.)
So time drew on to the War of the Ring, and the sons of Denethor grew to manhood. Boromir, five years the elder, beloved by his father, was like him in face and pride, but in little else. Rather he was a man after the sort of King Earnur of old, taking no wife and delighting chiefly in arms; fearless and strong, but caring little for lore, save the tales of old battles. Faramir the younger was like him in looks but otherwise in mind. He read the hearts of men as shrewdly as his father, but what he read moved him sooner to pity than to scorn. He was gentle in bearing, and a lover of lore and of music, and therefore by many in those days his courage was judged less than his brother's. But it was not so, except that he did not seek glory in danger without a purpose. He welcomes Gandalf at such times as he came to the city, and he learned what he could from his wisdom; and in this as in many other matters he displeased his father.
One cannot but be moved upon noticing the virtues of Faramir. He is intelligent--he has keen insight into the hearts of men--yet his intelligence (or wisdom) causes him to take pity or show mercy to others. In this, he fits well the major LOTR theme of pity. Yet more importantly, he resembles Christ Jesus, who "is meek and humble of heart" and who constantly has mercy and forgives our sins when we tell Him sincerely that we are sorry. People mistook Faramir's gentleness, mercy, love of lore (revered stories), and love of music for weakness. Yet when it was necessary to fight and defend all that is true and good in the world, Faramir was more courageous even than Boromir. Jesus, the Perfect Man, was gentle as any man can be, and his enemies mistook this for weakness. Yet Jesus was more courageous than anyone who ever walked the face of the earth when He offered Himself completely to the Father to ransom us from our sins and from slavery to the cruel dominion of Satan. Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!
1 comment:
I am reminded of when Aragorn had misgivings about his own strength, fearing that he would be as weak as Isildur, saying: "The same blood runs in my veins." Yet what was the response of Arwen? "You will face that same evil, and you will defeat it."
Post a Comment