Could it be that an actor — a Hollywood “superstar” (on what they call the “A-List”) — grants us a lesson on spiritual warfare?
Draw from it what you may.
Last weekend, according to press accounts, after the now-famous-hard-not-to-see slap during the otherwise unwatched and greatly declining Academy Awards, actor Denzel Washington went to console another superstar, Will Smith, after Smith, in a tirade, stormed onto the stage and slapped a comedian across the face for making a joke about his wife’s short hair. (Smith was there to collect an “oscar” for best actor.)
We are informed by the media that “in-between the slap and his best actor win,” Smith met with another Hollywood superstar, Denzel Washington, who offered Smith cautionary counsel. “At your highest moment, be careful,” said Washington, “that’s when the devil comes for you.”
We can actually meditate on this (as well as the very nature of acting).
In one fell swoop (to keep a cliche in service), the assailant demonstrated the bizarre state of mood in America and, apparently, the entire planet (they’re calling it the “bold slap-heard-round-the-world”).
To compound the histrionics, Smith, upon going back to his seat, after delivering the slap, twice shouted a profanity that begins with the letter “f” (loud enough for the mezzanine to hear). A shame. Incredible it is, how not just vulgarity but outright obscenity and the Lord’s Name in vain are now staples of public discourse, including mainstream media and politics, on both sides of the aisle.
For shame indeed. The moral arbiters of the affair? These included a radio “shock jock,” Howard Stern, who may be the lewdest person ever to “grace” American airwaves. He at least twice used the “f-word” and two vulgarities to criticize — Smith! An interesting world it has become.
The Academy Awards were perhaps a symbol of how everyone everywhere is striking out at each other (reaching a horrendous nadir in Ukraine). Unfortunately — and shamefully — this includes within the Church.
(Rodney King, philosopher: “Can’t we all just get along?”)
Last week we carried a new alleged word of knowledge from the series called the “1990 prophecy” that ended by saying, “Be wary, ye whose mission has been division and whose self-righteousness was conceived by hell. Few who view themselves as saviors will have the eyes to see Me in towers of brightness that will split this night.” (March 16, 2022, 3:34 a.m.)
A little coincidence: Days later, a news item informed us that “people spotted a mysterious red flare over Houston, Texas the night of Wednesday, March 23, 2022.
“Others noticed it over Pearland, League City, Deer Park, and Missouri City, ABC13 reports.
“But a similar mysterious beam of light was also spotted on the other side of the world, in areas like Egypt, several days before.”
Strange beams or towers of light around the world — no doubt with meteorological, solar, or other astronomical explanations; but nonetheless, a little punctuation.
Strange times indeed. A good time for Lent. A good time to close off the “world.” A crucial time to examine and cleanse the interior.
[resources: Imitation of Christ and Tower of Light]