eucatastrophe: piercing joy that brings tears

[mark12_30]

Maril,

I'd like to point out the validity of starting with purgation or confession.

I tried to say both were valid, was I unclear? Sorry;

I think that in those cases where the revelation comes first, they have already had some form of preceding purgation that has brought them to that place where they are open to the revelation.

Good point, Maril. And your point about Sam's backbreaking-- yet in the end, "insufficient"-- labor is well taken.

I wonder, then, if we were to backtrack, and look at all the places where Frodo opened himself to revelation, whether we'd find that he had been first purified. Glancing back superficially, he'd been at least terrified by black riders (Gildor, Rivendell) or half-drowned by Old Man Willow (Goldberry) or marched thru Moria (Galadriel.) Interesting. Deserves further thought.

--Helen