freedom and Kafka

Kafka’s parable, “Before the Law,” serves as a profound commentary on the nature of authority and individual freedom. In the story, the protagonist can only access the law through a guardian who symbolizes the oppressive power of authority. The narrative suggests that the barrier to freedom is not merely external, but also internal, as individuals often succumb to fear and doubt, preventing them from asserting their autonomy. The parable emphasizes the necessity of transcending authoritative barriers to achieve true spiritual and personal liberation, prompting a reflection on the individual’s journey toward self-actualization.

Franz Kafka: A Religion of Freedom Against Legal Authority

A Short Guide to the Duties of Church Membership

All baptized and confirmed members of the Church must play their full part in its life and witness. That you may fulfil this duty we call upon you:

  • To follow the example of Christ in home and daily life, and to bear personal witness to Him.
  • To be regular in private prayer day by day.
  • To read the Bible carefully.
  • To come to Church every Sunday.
  • To receive the Holy Communion faithfully and regularly.
  • To give personal service to Church, neighbours, and community.
  • To give money for the work of parish and diocese and for the work of the Church at home and overseas.
  • To uphold the standard of marriage entrusted by Christ to His Church.
  • To care that children are brought up to love and serve the Lord.

Psalm 38

This is the first Psalm from Morning Prayer.

Psalm 38. Domine, ne in furore

Put me not to rebuke, O Lord, in thine anger : neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure.
2 For thine arrows stick fast in me : and thy hand presseth me sore.
3 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure : neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin.
4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head : and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink, and are corrupt : through my foolishness.
6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery : that I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are filled with a sore disease : and there is no whole part in my body.
8 I am feeble, and sore smitten : I have roared for the very disquietness of my heart.
9 Lord, thou knowest all my desire : and my groaning is not hid from thee.
10 My heart panteth, my strength hath failed me : and the sight of mine eyes is gone from me.
11 My lovers and my neighbours did stand looking upon my trouble : and my kinsmen stood afar off.
12 They also that sought after my life laid snares for me : and they that went about to do me evil talked of wickedness, and imagined deceit all the day long.
13 As for me, I was like a deaf man, and heard not: and as one that is dumb, who doth not open his mouth.
14 I became even as a man that heareth not : and in whose mouth are no reproofs.
15 For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust : thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I have required that they, even mine enemies, should not triumph over me : for when my foot slipped, they rejoiced greatly against me.
17 And I, truly, am set in the plague : and my heaviness is ever in my sight.
18 For I will confess my wickedness : and be sorry for my sin.
19 But mine enemies live, and are mighty : and they that hate me wrongfully are many in number.
20 They also that reward evil for good are against me : because I follow the thing that good is.
21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God : be not thou far from me.
22 Haste thee to help me : O Lord God of my salvation.

me

What do you complain about the most?

People who know me, know I do not like “me”. I can never recall a time when I did. Everything about me upsets me: my physical awkwardness, my silly voice, my overwhelming and overbearing personality, my constant chatter about nothingness. So I complain about me to me and others.

But apart from that? The weather.

eye-glasses

Daily writing prompt
The most important invention in your lifetime is…
View all responses

… eyeglasses. I am so blessed to have reading glasses. I struggle without them. Perhaps I could do without other major inventions – the internet, air conditioning, computers, etc. – but I could not survive without being able to read.

is there life “out there”?

I am watching the X-Files. Yes, a little late but better than never.

One of the themes, of course, is the question of life outside of our understanding of “this world”. BTW: I am always amazed when aliens look like us!

Sully’s answer is normally something like, “That is outside of the laws of physics/science.” I wish she would add, “As we understand them.”

And that, for me, is the question: Are the laws of science/physics absolute and necessary? Or are these laws based on our small perspective, and could they be different in another context? In essence (see what I did there!), the question is. are these absolute within all contexts?

Perhaps it is a form of cultural narcissism to assume the experience of the world could not be different from my experience. And, maybe, to assume the laws of science apply to all contexts – even alien ones. And, worst of all, to assume that all aliens look like us. (Unless the alien is Species 8472.)

Anyway ….

i just wanna see ….

And I just wanna see
If you feel the same as me

Do you ever get a little bit tired of life
Like you’re not really happy but you don’t wanna die
Like you’re hanging by a thread but you gotta survive cuz u gotta survive

Like your body’s in the room but you’re not really there
Like you have empathy inside but you don’t really care
Like your fresh outta love but it’s been in the air
Am I past repair

A little bit tired of tryin’ to care when I don’t A little bit tired of quick repairs to cope
A little bit tired of sinkin’
There’s water in my boat

I’m barely breathin’
Tryna stay afloat
So I got these
Quick repairs to cope
Guess I’m just broken and broke

My life!