Genuflecting, and ducking and bowing and scraping, and basting themselves with sign of Cross, and all that disgusting hocus-pocus, and you come to one simple, single act of Christian charity and what happens? The rules of Church forbid it.
Uncle Andrew could never fully understand his sister’s religiousness. In spite of the fact that it irritates him from time to time, he puts up with it, because her faith is a part of her personality and it is sincere. However, he is not so understanding when it comes to hypocrisy. He calls the ceremony conducted by Father Jackson “disgusting hocus-pocus”. Father Jackson’s attitude proves that he is not able to perform “one simple, single act of Christian charity”, which is compassion.
She thought that she had never before had a chance to realize the strength that human beings have, to endure.
When Mary wakes up without her husband near her and realizes that he is really dead and is not going to come back to her, she also understands that she can cope with it. She realizes “the strength that human beings have, to endure’’. She knows that her family, her children and her faith can help her not to give up.
Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit.
It is important to have something to believe in. Mary’s faith helps her not immerse herself in despair. She continues repeating “Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit” and gives her a needed reassurance that everything is going to be alright.
I hear my father and my mother and they are my giants, my king and my queen, beside whom there are no others so wise and worthy or honorable or brave or beautiful in this world.
Like any other child, Rufus loves his parents immensely, for they are the dearest and nearest people for him. He states that “my giant, my king and my queen’’, which shows his respect for them. For him, they are the most “wise and worthy” in the world. There are no one who could be as “brave or beautiful’’ as they are.
