Thursday, April 17, 2014

The Pull of Water

Traditions. I wonder about the oddities—those venerable and inherited practices. Imagine adding religion to a polar swim?

The Telegraph U.K. headline: Russian Orthodox believers celebrate Epiphany by taking a dip into icy water.

The tradition isn't confined to Russia.

Up and down the Danube River priests throw a cross into the river and swimmers compete to be the first to reach the Holy Cross. This year over seventy "cross"inspired swims took place.

The concrete and pragmatic side of me wants to know if anyone ever suffers from hypothermia.

Water has a draw. A church in California baptizes people in the Pacific Ocean. Early this April the Pastor of the church and several congregants baptized three people in the Pacific near the Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve. Huge waves caught hold of the men and carried them away. Two men swam back to shore—the third perished. ( I wonder if he perished before or after the baptism?)

I read somewhere that in 1923 this area was where The Ten Commandments was filmed.

When I think of religion, water, baptism, I want to reread "The River" by Flannery O'Connor. It's a story that defies a summary, save to say that it requires reading and rereading.Grace is evident within the story.

Yes, it also is typical of O'Connor who insists that she needs to shout, to often use grotesque situations in order for people to hear.

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