Vicars, he often thought, are essentially God's lawyers on the earth. Interpreters of the law, the finders of nuance, sifters through rationalizations to get at the truth or the need of the moment.
Guessers, in other words.
Now, here's a philosophical dilemma for a vicar - is it a lie if you don't know you're lying? Is it a lie if you're lying to yourself?
"Is it a sin if I tell my cousin to bugger off?"
"Have you ever been in love?"
"Colin. For the love of God."
"I have," he said bluntly. "And when you lose love, it tears a hole out of you. The pain can be gruesome. I thought I lost Madeline once, and I swear for a few days I thought I might never be whole again."
"Perhaps you should write a poem about it. Add another verse to your song."
Charm is an essence, not a facade.
How had she ever thought his blue eyes placid as a lake? But there was untold power in any water: to buoy, to drown, to toss, to carry one to the safety of shore.
Two is my number as well, Lady Balmain.
Sometimes, the only way out of the fire is through the fire, m'boy.
No one moved. No one spoke. They seemed be riveted by whatever it was they saw in his eyes.
"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave."
A few gasps erupted.
His voice rang out, bold, clear.
"It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away."
It was safe to say everyone was awake now. He'd startled most of his parishioners and aroused the rest of them.
"Evie Duggan,"
And all the heads official swiveled to follow the beam of the reverend's gaze. Then swiveled back to him.
Then back to Eve.
Whose heart was in her eyes.
"You are the seal upon my heart. You are the fire and flame that warms me, heals me, burns me. You are the river that cools me and carries me. I love you. And love may be as strong as death, but you, I know now you are my life."
A pin would have echoed like a dropped kettle in the church then.
Eve was absolutely riveted. Frozen, her eyes burning into his.
"And though I wish I could have protected you and kept you safe from some of the storms of your life, I find cannot regret any part of your past. For it has made you who you are. Loyal, passionate, brave, kind, remarkable. You need repent nothing."
The last word fell like a gavel.
Not a single person moved or breathed.
"There are those who think good is a pastime, to engage in like embroidery or target shooting. There are those who think beauty is a thing of surface, and forget that it's really of the soul. But good is something you are, not something you do. And by that definition, I stand before you today and declare that Evie Duggan is one of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing."
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a woman, I put away childish things.
Guessers, in other words.
Now, here's a philosophical dilemma for a vicar - is it a lie if you don't know you're lying? Is it a lie if you're lying to yourself?
"Is it a sin if I tell my cousin to bugger off?"
"Have you ever been in love?"
"Colin. For the love of God."
"I have," he said bluntly. "And when you lose love, it tears a hole out of you. The pain can be gruesome. I thought I lost Madeline once, and I swear for a few days I thought I might never be whole again."
"Perhaps you should write a poem about it. Add another verse to your song."
Charm is an essence, not a facade.
How had she ever thought his blue eyes placid as a lake? But there was untold power in any water: to buoy, to drown, to toss, to carry one to the safety of shore.
Two is my number as well, Lady Balmain.
Sometimes, the only way out of the fire is through the fire, m'boy.
No one moved. No one spoke. They seemed be riveted by whatever it was they saw in his eyes.
"Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave."
A few gasps erupted.
His voice rang out, bold, clear.
"It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away."
It was safe to say everyone was awake now. He'd startled most of his parishioners and aroused the rest of them.
"Evie Duggan,"
And all the heads official swiveled to follow the beam of the reverend's gaze. Then swiveled back to him.
Then back to Eve.
Whose heart was in her eyes.
"You are the seal upon my heart. You are the fire and flame that warms me, heals me, burns me. You are the river that cools me and carries me. I love you. And love may be as strong as death, but you, I know now you are my life."
A pin would have echoed like a dropped kettle in the church then.
Eve was absolutely riveted. Frozen, her eyes burning into his.
"And though I wish I could have protected you and kept you safe from some of the storms of your life, I find cannot regret any part of your past. For it has made you who you are. Loyal, passionate, brave, kind, remarkable. You need repent nothing."
The last word fell like a gavel.
Not a single person moved or breathed.
"There are those who think good is a pastime, to engage in like embroidery or target shooting. There are those who think beauty is a thing of surface, and forget that it's really of the soul. But good is something you are, not something you do. And by that definition, I stand before you today and declare that Evie Duggan is one of the best people I have ever had the privilege of knowing."
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a woman, I put away childish things.
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