Natalia Stands Up to Father Ray
Nestled inside the cute flirtiness of this week's Otalia episodes, (do I really need to say this is about Guiding Light?) were a couple of very, very important scenes where Natalia tells Father Ray about her relationship with Olivia. I find Natalia's process interesting - probably because it is similiar to my own. First, she came to terms with God Himself, then she tells her former fiance. Now she is standing up to the main authority figure in the church:
You may not think this is a big deal, but frankly, it's HUGE. In Catholicism, the priest is the conduit to God Himself. Natalia is telling this conduit, that she believes in her own conduit to God more than she believes in the church ordained one. Personally, I was not able to do this within myself until I started watching this story. Authorities in the church ALWAYS had the last word, not lowly me. Yet, I'm finding that after watching these scenes and praying that I too have developed an inner resolve that what I believe before God is more important than what men tell me is true. Natalia's inner strength is remarkable, especially in light of her conversations to Olivia about being scared:
In this Natalia's fear is really for the people she loves, especially Rafe and Emma, more than for herself.
Many have looked at her scenes this week and find her waffling again. I don't see this. She wants this relationship to be for a lifetime. She wants her, in her own eyes, "selfish" choices, to not impact those she loves in any negative way. She also wants to continue to be right before God in everything she does, even to the point she denies her own desires and Olivia's desires as well. I doubt she will be able to "move in" with Olivia until she feels their physical relationship, as well as their emotional and spiritual relationship, is blessed by God and her "family," Rafe, Emma, and Ava.
I'm wondering if, down the road, Olivia will need to explore more of her spiritual side and find out who she is before God. She has been moving toward this, but on 5/4 she stated "My soul's never been much of a battleground." I'm not quite sure what she meant by this, but I have a feeling that it may have some significance down the road. Personally, I hope so. I think it would be interesting.
For archive purposes, I want to link to this related article: Natalia Rivera: Freaking Superhero or Power Bottom? This article succinctly states many of the things I'd been thinking but was unable to voice. It's an excellent article.
Click to viewYou may not think this is a big deal, but frankly, it's HUGE. In Catholicism, the priest is the conduit to God Himself. Natalia is telling this conduit, that she believes in her own conduit to God more than she believes in the church ordained one. Personally, I was not able to do this within myself until I started watching this story. Authorities in the church ALWAYS had the last word, not lowly me. Yet, I'm finding that after watching these scenes and praying that I too have developed an inner resolve that what I believe before God is more important than what men tell me is true. Natalia's inner strength is remarkable, especially in light of her conversations to Olivia about being scared:
In this Natalia's fear is really for the people she loves, especially Rafe and Emma, more than for herself.
Many have looked at her scenes this week and find her waffling again. I don't see this. She wants this relationship to be for a lifetime. She wants her, in her own eyes, "selfish" choices, to not impact those she loves in any negative way. She also wants to continue to be right before God in everything she does, even to the point she denies her own desires and Olivia's desires as well. I doubt she will be able to "move in" with Olivia until she feels their physical relationship, as well as their emotional and spiritual relationship, is blessed by God and her "family," Rafe, Emma, and Ava.
I'm wondering if, down the road, Olivia will need to explore more of her spiritual side and find out who she is before God. She has been moving toward this, but on 5/4 she stated "My soul's never been much of a battleground." I'm not quite sure what she meant by this, but I have a feeling that it may have some significance down the road. Personally, I hope so. I think it would be interesting.
For archive purposes, I want to link to this related article: Natalia Rivera: Freaking Superhero or Power Bottom? This article succinctly states many of the things I'd been thinking but was unable to voice. It's an excellent article.