The Eagles are Coming!

"There is no real going back. Though I may come to the Shire, it will not seem the same; for I shall not be the same. I am wounded with knife, sting, and tooth, and a long burden. Where shall I find rest?" ~Frodo, Return of the King

Several times over the past semester I have compared my experience at JUC to that of Frodo and Sam at Mount Doom.  I don't mean  to imply that it has been a miserable or traumatic experience.  Certainly there have been elements of misery and trauma as are common in life, but it has been a wonderful blessing to spend two years on this "journey" to my MA.  The point is, though, it has changed me.  It has changed us.  There is a handful of other hobbits, dwarves, elves, and men who have been with me on this journey, some for the full two years, some for slightly less time.  We have traveled together, explored, studied, learned, hiked, swam, endured burning sun and freezing rains and flying rocks, watched sunsets in desert skies, shared meals, shared rooms, laughed together, prayed together, studied the Bible together.  There is something about living in a foreign country where there is the combination of so much ancient history (especially Biblical History) and so much modern conflict.  There seems to be a general consensus: after this, it's going to be hard to fit back into life in the States.

However, fortunately for Frodo and Sam, journeys always have an ending.  This JUC journey is ending for most of my companions.

One more meal together before more departures.

The Eagles are coming and, one by one, taking my friends back to their own little "Shires" where, like Frodo and Sam, they will try to find a place to fit and search out the company of others who have had similar experiences, looking for people who understand, and hoping for many JUC reunions in the years to come.

A few of us help my roommate of two years pack up.

A few of us will still remain after this summer, to continue the journey together.  Our absent companions will be greatly missed, but it is a huge blessing that a few will remain to grow together some more, and to add a few more companions as we journey on.

Apocryphal Tolkien

I happened to watch The Return of the King last night and was struck by the similarities between what is shown in this scene, especially from about 5:30 to about 8:30....

...and a battle described 1 Maccabees:

1 Maccabees 6:33-34, 37, 42-46
Then the king rising very early marched fiercely with his host toward Bathzacharias, where his armies made them ready to battle, and sounded the trumpets. And to the end they might provoke the elephants to fight, they shewed them the blood of grapes and mulberries.

And upon the beasts were there strong towers of wood, which covered every one of them, and were girt fast unto them with devices: there were also upon every one two and thirty strong men, that fought upon them, beside the Indian that ruled him.

Then Judas and his host drew near, and entered into battle, and there were slain of the king's army six hundred men. Eleazar also, surnamed Savaran, perceiving that one of the beasts, armed with royal harness, was higher than all the rest, and supposing that the king was upon him, put himself in jeopardy, to the end he might deliver his people, and get him a perpetual name: wherefore he ran upon him courageously through the midst of the battle, slaying on the right hand and on the left, so that they were divided from him on both sides. Which done, he crept under the elephant, and thrust him under, and slew him: whereupon the elephant fell down upon him, and there he died.

I would say that Tolkien knew his apocrypha.

And just for fun, here's what Eleazar SHOULD have done: