Wednesday, November 24, 2010

A Father's Fierceness

On my top ten favorite movies is "The Patriot" another "Wild At Heart" movie. I wonder why I didn't post this much earlier but I guess everything appears and happens on time in the seasons of your heart. I have spliced two clips here to show and talk about the fierceness of a father.

The movie is set during America's war of independence from the British. Benjamin Martin the hero of the story is a single father of seven children and owns land and property in the Carolinas. Though a former war hero he has taken a stand not to fight the British in spite being pursued by fellow friends and citizens who want to make use of his experience as a general. He maintains that he is a father and does not have the luxury to take part in the fight, but he does make his views clear that he opposes the idea of taxation without representation and voices his opinion that this war would not be fought in some distant battlefield but right in front of their homes.

In the mean time his eldest son Gabriel has rebelled against his father wishes and has signed up as a volunteer solider to fight the British in spite of his father's protests. True to his prophetic words in the legislature the fight does come home, as his wounded son collapses at his door step. In the events that ensue the ruthless British captain recognizes Gabriel as Martin's son and want to kill him, in the chaos one of his sons rushes to protect Gabriel's and dies in stead. The British Captain gives orders to set Martin's home on fire and lead away with Gabriel as a prisoner. Benjamin Martin the warrior father collects himself with the only desire of saving his children and becomes part of a fight he long tried to avoid. The scene below is the rescue of a father in his wholesome fierceness. The youngest of his son's has never seen this part of his father and has trouble accepting him as it emotionally effects to see his father as a violent man.


Benjamin Martin becomes Captain and leads a proxy war against the British and eventually helps them win a decisive battle. The movie is great study on the aspects of Fatherhood and how we as men are created as warriors to defend our families and our nations against any kind of tyranny and oppression. Benjamin Martin's son Gabriel stands for the ideals of freedom with a vision of greater nation where men are born and treated equal; and the picture of a  father who fought alongside his son not only for the protection of his own family but who stood up for those ideals with honor and courage. In the final scenes of the movie just as he promised the father avenges by killing ruthless captain who had murdered his sons without losing sight of the higher and larger cause freedom of all people who were part of that fight, freedom for a great nation.

The first clip in the movie reminds me of a savior who came down, his blood covered face at the cross is a similar analogy but so very real, so very true all because he chose to engage the enemy in battle to defeat him and rescue us. What a picture? The fierceness of the father was to recover all that was lost!

Thoughts for the day, Shalom & Blessings,

Sam Kurien

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