The training of falcons
“Do you know how a falcon is trained my dear? Her eyes are sewn shut. Blinded temporarily she suffers the whims of her God patiently, until her will is submerged and she learns to serve – as your God taught and blinded you with crosses.” (Theatre of Tragedy – And when he falleth)
Taking the quote cum grano salis and to a less atheistic extent, its truth seems obvious, especially – and now I tend to repeat myself – if you’re living in the all-faithful Bucovina. And now, complying to the same narrative framework used some time ago… here goes…
A normal scene in the classroom. I enter and, as I head towards my desk out back I pass a whole line of sitting colleagues. As most teenagers do – in a surreptitious attempt to underline their partially unacknowledged maturity – I shook hands with the boys I was passing by. One after another, they put forward their hands, until one of them looks at my stiffened hand without lending me his own. I chased away the awkwardness of the situation, since we were looking eye to eye, and I asked: “What’s the deal? Shake hands, goddamit!” The answer was truly a shocker – “I can’t, I’ve received the Eucharist!”
I’ve heard other claims that during the day of the Communion you cannot kiss and spit. They seemed at least weird, not to say preposterous, but this one crosses the line. Then I’ve heard you’re not allowed to run either during those 24 hours. Will the divine grace be chased away by a simple touch of the hands? Will the wine and bread be tossed in the stomach and cause you nausea? I wonder if you’re allowed to drive faster? To pee? (since spitting’s out of the question…) Isn’t it obvious that there’s much more power involved in a Sacrament than the bigot misinterprets by stating new rules?… Women in the period days aren’t allowed in church… Could someone point the Bible passage that says “Damned art thee, fro which blood floweth, if thou walkest to church”? No, surely not… But, until a mentality change will occur, let’s not shake hands and run… God might be angry…
Do you know how my classmates are trained? Their hands and legs are sewn shut…
