I sometimes think that I get more Spiritual Education from Harry Dresden through Michael Carpenter (who is a Knight of the Cross) and Father Forthill than I do from going to Church. Perhaps because over the years while I have had some very positive experiences with church I have also had some very painful and negative ones. In addition to that the ongoing pain of my Mothers death is all tied up with my feelings about attending church. Whereas while reading Harry Dresden I get all of the benefit without any of the emotional baggage. And I really like and admire Michael which is not something I can say about just anyone. Yes I do realize he is a fictional character, but he happens to be an honest, intelligent, humble, worthwhile, humerus, respectful, tough, caring, stalwart, fictional character. And he doesn't come across as preachy .
First quote page 38.
"Holy shit," I breathed. "Hellhounds."
"Harry," Michael said sternly. "You know I hate it when you
swear."
"You're right. Sorry. Holy shit," I breathed,
"heckhounds. Godmother's out hunting. How the hell did she find us
so damned fast?"
Page 50.
Michael half-smiled "The Lord will never give you a burden bigger than your
shoulders can bear, Harry. All we can do is face what comes and have
faith."
I gave him a sour glance. "I need to get myself some bigger
shoulders, then. Someone in accounting must have made a mistake."
Michael let out a rough, warm laugh, and shook his head, then lay back on
the bench, crossing his arms beneath his head. "We did what was
right. Isn't that enough?"
I should mention the previous bit of conversation takes place in a jail cell :)
Next quote page 53.
I watched the two of them for a moment, walking in step beside one another,
while I stood there alone. Then I stuck my hands into my pockets, and
turned away. I hadn't ever noticed, before, how well the tow of them
matched one another - Michael with his quiet strength and unfailing reliability,
and Charity with her blazing passion and unshakable loyalty to her
husband.
The Married thing. Sometimes I look at it and feel like someone from
a Dickens novel, standing outside in the cold and staring in at Christmas
dinner. Relationships hadn't ever really worked for me. I think it's
had something to do with all the demons, ghosts, and human sacrifice.
Page 72.
The sun came up as we entered the parking lot. I felt the golden rays
slice across the morning skies, the sudden, subtle shift of forces playing about
the world. Dawn is significant, magically speaking. It is a time of
new beginnings. Magic isn't as simple as good and evil, light and dark,
but there's a lot of correlations between the powers particular to night and the use of black
magic.
Page 162.
A second later, the door opened, and Michael stood there, blinking sleep out of
his eyes. He wore a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with John 3:16 across his
chest. He held one of his kids in his brawny arms, one I hadn't seen yet -
maybe a year old, with a patch of curly, golden hair, her face pressed against
her daddy's chest as she slept.
John 3:16 reads "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Page 210 part A
I squinted our the window of the truck, silent. I don't have anything
against God. Far from it. But I don't understand Him. And I
don't trust a lot of the people that go around claiming that they're working in
His best interests. Faeries and vampires and whatnot - those I can
fathom. Even demons. Sometimes, even the Fallen. I can
understand why they do what they do.
But I don't understand God. I don't understand how he could see the
way people treat one another, and not chalk up the whole human race as a bad
idea.
I guess he's just bigger about it than I would be.
Something I have thought about myself quite alot, only Jim Butcher phrases it much better than I ever could.
Page 210 part B.
"Lord," Michael said. "We walk into darkness now. Our
enemies will surround us. Please help to make us strong enough to do what
needs to be done. Amen."
Just that. No fancy language, no flashy beseeching the Almighty for
aid. Just quiet words about what he wanted to get done, and a request that
God would be on his side - on our side. Simple words, and yet power
surrounded him like a cloud of fine mist, prickling along my arms and my
neck. Faith. I calmed down a little. We had a lot going for
us. We could do this.
Michael looked up at me and nodded. "All right," he said. "I'm
ready."
See what I mean about Spiritual Education?
Amen sister.
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