Sylvain Reynard's Blog, page 10
June 3, 2022
Teaser from my New Book
Dear Everyone,
I’ve posted on Twitter and Facebook that I’m writing a new book. It’s a contemporary love story, set in Paris. The female lead is Canadian and the male lead is Spanish. The book isn’t finished yet but at the urging of readers, I posted a short teaser:
“Despite the warm summer weather, he was wearing a black knitted cap, as well as his ubiquitous uniform of dark blue leather jacket, faded jeans, and motorcycle boots.
Under her gaze, the man’s sensual mouth widened into a smile behind his beard. He adjusted the long strap of the leather carry on that was slung over his shoulder.
Lucie turned away so swiftly, she almost gave herself whiplash.
Thankfully, at that moment the elevator doors opened. The man stepped forward, still smiling. ‘And you are?’
Now she looked into his mirrored sunglasses. ‘Minding my own fucking business.'”
(apologies for the profanity)
There’s a backstory to that exchange. As I get closer to finishing the book, I’ll post updates.
Follow me on social media to keep up with the shenanigans that ensue, and thank you for reading,
SR
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May 28, 2022
“Gabriel’s Promise” Releases
Dear Everyone,
I have good news. “Gabriel’s Promise” has been released in Danish by DreamLitt Press. Also, the Russian edition of “Gabriel’s Promise” should be released June 1st by Eksmo Press.
Recently, I celebrated the one year anniversary of the Italian release of “The Roman” by Delrai Edizioni. Delrai published the entire series in Italian, and those outside Italy can order them from Amazon.it
Part 3, the final part of “Gabriel’s Rapture,” will debut on Passionflix.com on August 12th. “Gabriel’s Redemption” will begin filming on location in Oxford and Italy this fall.
I’m also proud to be celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Berkley/Penguin’s publication of “Gabriel’s Inferno” and “Gabriel’s Rapture” on July 31st, 2022. Stay tuned for some giveaways in celebration.
I’ve been hearing from readers around the world who would like to read my books in their languages. One way to bring this about is for readers to reach out to their favourite publisher and suggest they acquire the translation rights to my books.
I’m very grateful for your support. Thank you for reading,
SR
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May 9, 2022
Lenten Reflection – #5
Dear Everyone,
I spent some time before and after Easter finishing NT Wright’s book, “Surprised by Hope” and reflecting on the book as whole. I have a couple of observations.
First, he emphasizes the importance of the Christian doctrine of the general bodily resurrection. And as he points out, this is what provides hope and comfort for the future. Death is not the end. The tyrants, the genocidaires, the killers cannot end us. Because physical death is not the end. We shall rise again.
Second, God will redeem the cosmos. His redemptive work will extend to the planets, the animals, the very ground on which we walk. Again, this doctrine provides hope and comfort for the future.
Third, as Wright expresses, our creative works will also last into the future: “What you do in the present – by painting, preaching, singing, sewing, praying, teaching, building hospitals, digging wells, campaigning for justice, writing poems, caring for the needy, loving your neighbour as yourself – will last into God’s future. These activities are not simply ways of making the present life a little less beastly …. They are part of what we may call building for God’s kingdom.”
Consequently, as Wright emphasizes, the work of the Church here and now must be conceived of in these terms – in light of the general resurrection, the redemption of the cosmos, and the building for God’s present and future kingdom.
As I continue my writing and creative endeavours, I am going to keep in mind Wright’s exhortation. I’m going to consider how my writing builds God’s present and future kingdom and how it can do so much, much better. I think all of us can approach our creative endeavours, and our ways of doing good deeds and saying good words in the light of God’s kingdom.
Peace be with you all.
Thank you for reading,
SR
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April 18, 2022
“Gabriel’s Rapture” Part 3 – release date
Dear Everyone,
I have a few announcements, and much good news.
“Gabriel’s Inferno” is complete (In three parts) on Passionflix. The DVDs are available in the Passionflix shop, in English and with multiple subtitles. Passionflix will ship internationally. The DVDs are for all regions.
“Gabriel’s Rapture” parts 1 and 2 are available on Passionflix. Part 3 will debut on Passionflix August 12th.
“Gabriel’s Redemption” will begin filming this fall on location in Oxford and in Italy.
While you’re waiting, you can always re-read the books, read “Gabriel’s Promise,” or listen to the audiobooks.
Thank you for your support,
SR
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April 10, 2022
Lenten Chat
Dear Everyone,
This past week, I read chapters 9-10 of NT Wright’s book, “Surprised by Hope.” Instead of posting this week’s reflection, I’m inviting you to join me in a chat on my Facebook page from 2-3PM Eastern (New York/Toronto) today.
Happy Palm Sunday to those who are celebrating. Peace be with all of you and peace especially be with Ukraine,
SR
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April 4, 2022
“Gabriel’s Inferno” DVDs are back in stock
Dear Everyone,
I am happy to report that the “Gabriel’s Inferno” DVDs are now back in stock in the Passionflix store. You can order them directly from Passionflix here. The films are in English, with French, German, Italian, Czech, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish subtitles. The Passionflix store ships around the world.
All the best and thanks for watching,
SR
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April 3, 2022
Lenten Reflection #4
Dear Everyone,
This past week, I read Chapters 7-8 of NT Wright’s book, “Surprised by Hope.” In these chapters, Wright focuses on the implications of the Christian doctrine of the bodily resurrection. He points out that since Christ is raised bodily, his Ascension is also bodily. And since all human beings will be raised at the general resurrection, the doctrine of heaven needs to reflect this embodied reality. Wright states, “The method of the kingdom will match the message of the kingdom. The kingdom will come as the church.”
The idea of Jesus ascending to heaven physically and thus, being absent from us physically, is captured in Wright’s discussion of “Parousia.” God is with us now spiritually, but Jesus will return to us bodily. And in the renewal of the cosmos after the general resurrection, Jesus will continue to be physically present.
Wright’s discussion of parousia reminded me of the later passages in Dante’s “La Vita Nuova.” After Beatrice’s death, Dante explains how bereft he is to be separated from her. Then, at the very end of the poem, he speaks of studying so he can be worthy of writing a fitting tribute to her. Dante experiences the absence of Beatrice, and he longs to be reunited with her. In his writing of “The Divine Comedy,” he sees her again. But as he explains in the poem, he needed to undergo a conversion in which his love for Beatrice was replaced with a higher love – the love for God. His longing for Beatrice becomes replaced by a longing for union with God, “The love that moves the sun and the other stars.”
I think Dante is using Beatrice as a metaphor for Christ. Dante is conscious of Beatrice’s physical absence even though he can interact with her through his writings. But he longs to be reunited with her. Wright speaks of how the Church is conscious of Christ’s physical absence and longs to be reunited with him, while simultaneously experiencing his spiritual presence.
Wright closes Chapter Eight with these words, ” There will come a time … when, in the great renewal of the world that Easter itself foreshadowed, Jesus himself will be personally present and will be the agent and model of the transformation that will happen both to the whole world and also to believers. This expectation and hope, expressed so clearly in the New Testament, continues undiminished in the second and subsequent centuries.”
Expectation and hope. These are thought-provoking subjects to reflect on.
This week, I’ll be reading Chapters 9 and 10 in Wright’s book. Also, I hope to schedule a chat next Sunday, April 10th on these Lenten Themes. Stay tuned.
Peace be with you,
SR
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March 24, 2022
“Gabriel’s Rapture – Part 2” has been released
Dear Everyone,
“Gabriel’s Rapture- Part 2” has been released on Passionflix. You can subscribe to their streaming video service, and if you use code GRAPTURE2, you’ll receive a discount. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
I’m very proud of this film and wish to extend my thanks to Tosca Musk, Giulio Berruti, Melanie Zanetti, Margie Goodspeed, Ben Collier, Redd Carter, and the entire cast, crew, and Passionflix team. I don’t have a release date for Part 3 yet, but I expect Passionflix will announce it soon.
In the meantime, if you haven’t read the book, you can read the story in its entirety in “Gabriel’s Rapture.”
I will be hosting a watchalong viewing party on my Facebook page (@sylvainreynard) this Sunday, March 27th at 7PM EDT. (New York/Toronto) Also, I’ll be joining the All Things SR Podcast in their podcast chat room this Saturday, March 26th at 9AM EDT. (New York/Toronto) I hope you can join me.
I believe “Gabriel’s Redemption” is slated to begin filming late this summer.
Thank you for reading and thank you for watching,
SR
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March 20, 2022
Lenten Reflection – #3
Dear Everyone,
This week I read chapters 5-6 of NT Wright’s book, “Surprised by Hope.” Wright is the author of several different books, many of which focus on St. Paul and the Pauline Epistles. This background informs his writing and he quotes a number of Scripture passages in Chapter 6. I encourage you to look them up and read them for yourself. Scripture reading can be daunting, because one might not know how to find the relevant passages. But the Bible Gateway site is very helpful. It has many different translations and editions of Scripture, in several different languages. They even have an App in the App store. You can enter the passage you are looking for in the search box, and the site will find it for you.
In this week’s reading, Wright continues to stress that the good news of the Resurrection is for all humanity. The Resurrection of Christ sets the stage for the general resurrection of all human beings at the last day. Wright quotes Colossions 1:15-20, which I will also quote here:
“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; 16 for in[h] him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He himself is before all things, and in[i] him all things hold together. 18 He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.”
As this passage teaches, the hope of the Resurrection isn’t just for human beings. The Resurrection is emblematic of God’s redemption of the entire cosmos – of all creation. Through the Resurrection of Christ, God reconciles himself to all things. Through his redemptive work, God will make all things new. The old heaven and earth will become new – but not through destruction, through redemption.
Although Wright doesn’t make this point explicit, I want to affirm that the redemption of the cosmos includes not only our planet, but also our animals, and our forests and plants. I’m not sure exactly how that will come about in the future, but I believe that it will. And certainly, St. Francis of Assisi has taught us that animals are very much a part of God’s kingdom. It makes sense that they will also be redeemed.
So there is much for us to hope for, especially those of us who have lost our country, our city, our family and friends, our forests, our pets and animals. Some day God will reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven. Indeed, as Wright puts it in Chapter 6, ” What creation needs is neither abandonment nor evolution but rather redemption and renewal; and this is both promised and guaranteed by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. This is what the world world is waiting for.”
This week, I will read Chapters 7-9. Please join me.
Peace be with you,
SR
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March 13, 2022
Lenten Reflection – #2
Dear Everyone,
This week, I read Chapters 3-4 of NT Wright’s book, “Surprised by Hope.” In these chapters, Wright continues to disambiguate the Christian doctrine of the general resurrection from Greek and Roman views of the afterlife.
Consider Book XI of Homer’s “Odyssey,” in which Odysseus converses with the spirits of the dead in the Underworld. The spirit of Odysseus’ friend Elepenor comes forward and he explains to Odysseus that when he died, his soul went down to Hades. He beseeches Odysseus to give his body a proper burial.
Consider also Book VI of Virgil’s “Aeneid,” in which Aeneas is guided by the Cumaean Sybil down into Hades, so he can speak with the shade of his father,
“The chief unsheath’d his shining steel, prepar’d,
Tho’ seiz’d with sudden fear, to force the guard,
Off’ring his brandish’d weapon at their face;
Had not the Sibyl stopp’d his eager pace,
And told him what those empty phantoms were:
Forms without bodies, and impassive air. ”
In Homer and in Virgil, the souls of the dead descend into Hades. The souls are, as Virgil describes, phantoms or forms without bodies. Indeed, Dante offers a similar description in the “Inferno,” when he refers to Virgil and others as “shades.” In the Italian original, Dante uses the word “ombra” or “shadow.”
But as Wright points out, the word “resurrection,” as used by the early Christian writers, refers to “a new bodily life after whatever sort of life after death there might be.” So Dante’s description of the shades in Inferno should not be taken to be their final state of being. They, like all of us, will experience a resurrection of the physical body on the last day, and their souls will be rejoined with their resurrected bodies.
As Wright points out, this is why the doctrine of the resurrection is so central to Christianity. The resurrection of Jesus changes the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday, and establishes the celebration of Easter. As he writes, “Death is the last weapon of the tyrant, and the point of the resurrection, despite much misunderstanding, is that death has been defeated. Resurrection is not the redescription of death; it is its overthrow, and, with that, the overthrow of those whose power depends on it.”
To this I would add that none of us will spend eternity in the shadows or as shades of our former selves. Rather, we will all be resurrected. This is part of the good news of the Gospel and it is the basis for hope, as he points out in the closing paragraphs of Chapter 4:
“Hope is what you get when you suddenly realize that a different worldview is possible, a worldview in which the rich, the powerful, and the unscrupulous do not after all have the last word. The same worldview shift that is demanded by the resurrection of Jesus is the shift that will enable us to transform the world.”
I’ll be continuing my reading this week with Chapters 5-6. I invite you to join me. Feel free to participate by posting comments and questions. Please feel free to invite others to join our conversation.
Peace be with you all, and peace be with the world,
SR.
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