Sunday, August 28, 2011

LOVE LETTERS

In this visually stunning movie filmed near Tuscany, a letter hand written in 1957 - inspires its author to travel to Italy in search of her long-lost love. Modern characters are developed while relationships slowly blossom along the lovely streets of Verona. Much like the wailing wall of Jerusalem, there is a brick wall in Verona where bereft women scribble notes of their need for compassionate advice. A cluster of wise women known as the Secretaries of Juliet respond daily to each note plucked from the brick sanctuary. In the play of "Romeo and Juliet", Shakespeare lures the audience with poetic sonnets that portray the unobtainable lady as a model of inspiration. Juliet leans over the balcony to hear Romeo's exaggerated pledge and responds honestly with words of doubt; "Dost thou love me?" A woman with a noble heart, Juliet searches for truth over poetic verse. In "Letters to Juliet" self-volunteered missionaries keep hope alive as the famous Verona brick hanger for tears --- fills their need to put experience into good use. As fate would have it, the destiny of a fact finder from New York stumbles upon a story worth re-telling. Was it FATE or CHANCE that led the longing heart of Sophie to true love? In the play, Juliet dodges her father's attempt to force her to marry a man she has no feeling for, and the movie dares Sophie, the engaged writer to examine the idea of marriage over genuine feelings of love. Shakespeare's romance script allowed Romeo to test Juliet's feelings for him using a non-threatening invitation. Thus Juliet could pretend she did not understand him, and he could retreat without losing honor. The normal sequence of courtship for Sophie was sped up by the encouragement and witness of Vanessa Redgrave's hope to have her heart fulfilled. Sophie found in her --- a mother's love long lost. When one is in love, one desires to shower their beloved with affection. Mere thoughts of them provoke a fervent flutter of heart while the mind races to think of clever ways to surprise them with generous acts of service and kindness. One's mind is pre-occupied, it is filled with memories of their last words, their touch, their scent, their face. A person in love wants to stow away --- alone, to savor moments spent together. Time is devoted daily to WORSHIP the most precious relationship of one's life! Lovers obsess over how to spend more time together. When we fall into love, we fall into life's greatest pleasure. We fall into each conversation with another --- speaking of our hearts treasure. In Shakespeare's time and in the time that Jesus walked among us, a woman was required to be modest and shy to make sure that her suitor was sincere. Humble hand gestures, a respectful glance, and subtle posturing were all a part of romantic wooing. The dramatic structure of Letters to Juliet is done with a precise hope to keep the audience in a purposed breathless state of suspense. Scenes shift from hope to despair, reprieve, and new hope, which serve to accentuate the tragedy of a heart that longs to be chosen, to be loved and languish in true love. These Italian tiles artistically embrace a picture of love. A burning heart that desires to connect, to be noticed. Imagine listening for the voice of our Beloved, ears tuned and yearning for Him to whisper words that affirm true love while acknowledging all that was done to gain His notice. "I know your deeds, your hard work, your preserverance. I know that you cannot tolerate deceitful men. That you have tested those who claim to love God first and found them false. I see that you have endured hardships and persevered as you have waited upon the Lord to lead you in matters of the heart, and that you have not grown weary. Love is ready to be harvested! Indeed I have noticed you and I thank you for all that you have done in the name of Love." With such an affirmation does not the one hearing thrill to plunge into acts that reciprocate the love from the One Who has so honestly confided His recognition of thee? Would one not earnestly desire more time with the object of their affection, to just BE close in relationship together? Letters to Juliet led me to consider the truth contained in letters penned for my benefit. The letters from Mark, Matthew, Paul and John are the living Word of God, written 2010 years ago, for His beloved. Those who read, watch, listen and seek true love, a love that is ever-lasting --- find themselves carving out time once again to devote to Him in genuine worship of Jesus, the One who God sent on our behalf, to love us in spirit, and truth. God hand picked and gifted writers to document His story, and His love for us. Solomon penned most of the psalms while fascinating in His glory. Praising God in continuous worship -- "Day and night they never stop saying "Holy, holy holy is the Lord God Almighty, Who was, and is, and is to come." Revelation 4:8 The believers of Jesus in the church of Ephesus were congratulated for all the kingdom work they were doing. Then God convicted them in spirit for putting works above time with God. "Yet, I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love" Revelation 2:4---His crazy, radical, eternal LOVE is freely given --- even while we ignore He exists, even when we get side-tracked by all the beauty, people, sports, adventures in the world He created for our pleasure. His love is eternal, often unrequited, but yet He loves us, completely - as we are, always! Fall in love with the living Words of Jesus, with His desire for you --- Obtain the eternal and present opportunity to WORSHIP Him in spirit for what He has done in you. Would a hand written love letter dated 2010 years ago by a man named Paul cause you to seek to be united to his Holy Inspiration? Is GOD the most esteemed TREASURE in your heart? The Spirit of God was made available to us through the death of His Son on the cross. Would loving Jesus for what He did, for Who He is, for all the grace He gives daily, EVEN if we lose our health, our home, our loved ones, cause people to persecute you for being crazy? Is loving Jesus worth the promise of eternity in a place where there is no suffering? Shakespear spoke of our human nature's design to connect with the divine and wrote "If I profane with my unworthiest hand - this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand, to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." Juliet responds delicately " Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is a holy kiss."

No comments:

Post a Comment