Hello World,
I’m nearly in tears as I write tonight…I shoulda seen it coming…Seven is the number of completion and something was most certainly completed in tonight’s episode…But let me not get ahead of myself…And let’s not wait another second to get into another exhaustive and entertaining Greenleaf Recap Season 5 Episode 7: The Seventh Day…Trust me on this: You will not need to read another recap after reading this one here…
The Seventh Sin…
Thankfully, Darius is not dead! After last week’s episode, I wasn’t so sure. This episode begins with Grace and Darius in the Memphis Police Impound Lot as Grace had to bail Darius out of jail and apparently Darius’ car had been impounded in the process. Yes, Bob and nem had Darius thrown in jail! We are all sinners but Bob and nem are among the worst…But even being jailed isn’t stopping Darius from chasing the story so that the truth will come out. After he is let go, he still plans to interview the source that Yusef gave him.
Grace is working her angle as well. She and Aaron are trying to get an injunction to temporarily stop the demolition by proving that the land that Jacob and Kerissa sold to H&H was done under false pretenses. Grace and Aaron believe the couple didn’t know that the true buyer was H&H as another name was used as the buyer. Those of us who have watched the show know that this angle aine goin’ nowhere. But more on that later. Also, Grace tells Darius that Bob plans to make a big announcement at the demolition. He’s treating this like a “ribbon cutting ceremony,” Grace says.
Bishop isn’t thinking about Calvary at all…at least for the time being. He shows up in his bedroom with a warmer (is that what it’s called?) presumably to serve Lady Mae breakfast in bed. She says, “Have you lost your mind?” He tells her that although it is demolition day at the church, he doesn’t intend to “sit around and mope all day. New Church, New Life.” When Lady Mae opens the warmer, she discovers the very first ring that he gave her. Although Lady Mae had told Bishop she would remarry him on Flag Day, Bishop says, “I thought the right ring might inspire you to push the date up.”
Not back to Flag Day! 😂 #Greenleaf pic.twitter.com/gUECpUH7Vz
— Greenleaf OWN (@GreenleafOWN) August 5, 2020
It does make her melt, but you know Lady Mae is all about the terms and conditions. She tells him that before they are remarried, they have to be on “one accord.” She wants to work out a plan with Tara. “I won’t plant a church in the shadow of another scandal,” she says. She proposes selling the property and giving the money to Tara. Bishop says, “I’m not offering Tara anything because it’s like I’m admitting I’ve done something which I didn’t.” And just like that, Bishop is back to square one. “Then this has to wait until Flag Day.” At this stage in her life, Lady Mae is putting her foot down when it comes to Bishop and keeping it there.
Speaking of putting a foot down, Zora is still trying to move to NYC and now that her parents are separated, she’s trying the divide and conquer approach, but it doesn’t work. She never cancelled her flight for that night. “I’m trying to be nice to you, but you need to be patient,” Jacob says to his petulant daughter.
Once Bishop goes downstairs, he sees his oldest grandchild A.J. “Isn’t today the day?” he asks. But Bishop isn’t going to succumb to sadness. “Today is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Amen, Bishop. But Bishop knows that A.J. didn’t show up just to talk about Calvary’s demolition. He tells him that he will meet him in the garage in half an hour.
At Calvary, the plans for the demolition continue to proceed. Phil, Judee & Fernando are there, and Grace and Aaron show up. The half siblings announce that because Jacob and Kerissa were not aware that they were selling their land to H&H, it was real estate fraud. “My brother is willing to testify under oath.” Fernando, with his greasy self, says that Kerissa knew all about it and that she “enjoyed it immensely.” Of course, Grace calls Jacob who says he will call Kerissa. We know that Kerissa knows. SMH. He is crestfallen when he calls her and she admits that she knew. He realizes then that her betrayal was worse than he thought. Now, he is really glad that they are longer together.
Back at the estate, Tara shows up. “Is Bishop willing to part with the land?” she asks. She tells Lady Mae that Rochelle won’t even be satisfied with that. “She wants him brought low” while Lady Mae and Tara want “peace.”
Seven Faces…
Bishop meets A.J. in the garage. “I was just about to get started.” Bishop laughs as he is not convinced. He knows good and well that A.J. is intimidated by this task of putting together a Pontiac GTO from the parts as he was and still is. “Should we pray for strength?” he says. “It’s been over 40 years, and I still haven’t found the strength to open it up.” Remember the car is in parts in a humongous box. For Bishop, praying practically comes natural but A.J. wasn’t raised in church and is not a Christian. But Bishop says he can easily get saved by saying a “simple prayer” and get removed from the “destroy your soul pile.”
A.J. isn’t ready for all of that at the moment, but he does listen when Bishop says, “There is a God. A world like this just doesn’t happen. He sees you and he loves you.” Although Bishop doesn’t force God onto A.J., he says he looks forward to the day when he is saved because the smile on A.J.’s face will be “equal in beauty to 10 Grand Canyons and 100 sunsets.” Wow, that’s beautiful, right?
So the angle that Noah had been working on works out! He finds the caretaker, an elderly white gentlemen with one of those wizard beards. Noah and Grace meet with him at his home somewhere in the country it seems. He tells him that this “Negro” had a close relationship with Loretta Davis. “She let him walk all over her.” Apparently, they used to fuss and fight so much that she would tell him not to come around any more. But he always came back. “Do you think they were lovers?” Grace asks. Taken aback, the caretaker says, “They were not lovers.” “Who was Darryl to Ms. Davis?” Grace asks. He says he was her son. What?!!! Apparently, this Mrs. Davis has a public face and a private face. The unmarried woman had a black son! (But I’m a little puzzled. How did she have enough money to buy a house of that stature without a husband during that time period? She must have inherited some money herself, maybe from her father…) But isn’t all wild?
We’re not giving up just yet. ✊🏾 #Greenleaf pic.twitter.com/K2uUoIEbwO
— Greenleaf OWN (@GreenleafOWN) August 5, 2020
Via the news, the family discovers that Bob Whitmore plans to announce his candidacy for Senate at the demolition. “The man is pure, unmitigated evil,” Bishop says. Grace tells her family what she has discovered. When Charity hears the news, she is more determined than ever to stop the demolition of the church. “If we’re about to lose our house, I’m not giving up the church without one last fight.”
Anyone else feel like Rochelle wants a bit more than that? 🤔 #Greenleaf pic.twitter.com/pilA86MCE7
— Greenleaf OWN (@GreenleafOWN) August 5, 2020
Bishop finally wants to meet with Rochelle and Tara, and they show up at the estate. Lady Mae breaks the news to the sisters. “Ms. Davis may have been your grandmother. That’s the only story that makes the first will plausible. If this is proven, your blood ties preceded our legal ties.” But as Tara said earlier, that news doesn’t satisfy her sister. Rochelle shouts, “All I want is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God.” Bishop gets up fed up. He promises to reveal all the truth “the whole God blessed thing.”
Speaking of the whole truth, Charity has done a thing as well. She emailed Calvary church members about Bob and Eden Vale Lending and told them they could hear the whole truth if they showed up at the church. Jacob found out about the email and told his parents so of course everyone is on the way to Calvary for a showdown!
At least 100 or so members have shown up and the room is buzzing. Bob gets in front of the church and accuses Charity of digging up a “bunch of old news.” But Bob is confronted by the whole truth which includes low-interest cash loans to an 100 percent black clientele. Nearly 300 of these loans defaulted and Gladys DeMars, Phil’s mother, was the signatory on each and every one. None of that sounds good and Phil, with his two-faced self, has to speak out as well.
“Gladys DeMars was my mother,” he says to the church. He explains that while on her death bed, “she seemed concerned that God couldn’t forgive her.” She didn’t reveal what she needed forgiveness for, but now he knows why she was concerned. His mother was a crook! Bob attempts to stop Phil from revealing his truth and calls him, “son.” “I’m not your son.” Next, in front of everyone, he says to Judee, “Give me my mother’s ring back, Judee.” Judee is shocked but recovers quickly enough to drop his “stupid ring” on the floor. Bob still attempts to save the situation. “Let’s stop focusing on the past. Let’s focus on the future.”
7th Heaven…
But the true shepherd of Calvary has shown up and he’s ready to come all the way clean. Bishop and his family come in the sanctuary and Bishop walks up front. He says, “I took advantage of your faith in me, and I got fat and happy in the process.” He explains that the only reason that the church even exists is that he was able to construct the building by using his home as collateral to get a loan from the bank. He was told by Mac that Ms . Davis was childless after Darryl James died in the fire and that she could be convinced to will the home to him.
His ambition blinded him to the connection of the fire and the destruction of the first will. “I was too enchanted to consider the cost and who had paid it.” Apparently, Mac with his evil self must have started that church fire or put everything in motion for the fire to happen. “I know that’s not what you wanted to hear Rochelle but that’s it’s true.” Yes, Rochelle and Tara were present. (Aside: I think Tara and Jacob are going to get together in the final episode…What say you?)
Bishop continues. “I’ve got a few more sins.” He admits that he was seduced by the demon of wealth and power. “I lost my way and you paid the price, and my family paid the price, and I’m so sorry. I dragged you into captivity by this monster. All I ever wanted to show you was what was possible with God, and all I showed you was what was inevitable without Him.” Whew, that’s a line for the ages, right? He finishes with “Bob, I told you your days are numbered.”
As Bishop finishes, Charity begins singing “Amazing Grace” and the whole family including A.J. surround him on stage. When they sing the line, “Grace will lead you home,” I’m reminded that Grace came home for the whole truth to be revealed and by God’s grace, it finally was. Somebody needs to shout!!!
At this juncture, Rochelle sees her way out, but Grace follows her into the hallway. “You happy now?” she asks Rochelle. Rochelle says, “I never wanted the house. All I wanted was what I got today.” Grace then reveals that she knows it was her who put A.J. in contact with Noah which ultimately led to them to being reunited as a family. Rochelle tells her that she wanted her dirty laundry to be aired out like she was doing to everyone else and in the end it worked out for Grace’s good. “God can use anybody,” she says, “even a mean old sinner like me.”
Another pair have to settle a score as well. Phil walks up to Charity and says, “You’re right. You didn’t deserve any of that from me. I love you.” Staring him down, Charity says, “Not even the father of my son broke my heart the way you have. I will never trust you again.” Wow! For once, Charity has had the right reaction to man and his misplaced overtures. There’s hope for her after all 🙂 She smiles as she walks away, not even bothering to look behind her. Phil was fine though. I must admit. Hopefully a man that fine but with some character is in her future.
Back in the sanctuary, Bob steps down from H&H…as if he had any other choices at this point.
Grace and Darius discuss what has happened as he drops her off at the estate. CBS will be running the entire story about Eden Vale Lending! They share a passionate kiss that leaves Darius wanting more. “We just can just go to my place,” he says. But Grace says, “Maybe tomorrow.” Bishop dropped a bomb and the family needs some time to sort through the wreckage so to speak. And Sophia needs to discuss something with her as well…
Sophia, thinking that Zora has told her mother about topless photos, tells her mother that she was wrong for sending topless pictures to Dante. “What pictures?” Grace asks. Zora didn’t tell on her cousin after all…Hmmm…
And now…here’s the moment that I was wholly unprepared for although I should have been…considering my interview with Greenleaf Creator Craig Wright and Executive Producer Kriss Turner Towner…
Darius ain’t the only one feeling lovey dovey. Lady Mae, dressed in her finest lingerie, comes behind Bishop, who is sitting on their bed and says, “Oh James, my darling, let’s get married tomorrow.” But when she hugs him, she realizes he is stiff and can barely move. Something is very wrong. It appears that Bishop is having a stroke! (Oh Bishop, why did you skip your physical?!!!) She gets ready to call 911, but Bishop, who has an open Bible on his lap, motions for to get a pen. He scribbles the words, “I do”on a piece of paper. She hugs him and says, “I do too, my love.”
“I do too, my love.” ❤️ #Greenleaf pic.twitter.com/t3URpuffxB
— Greenleaf OWN (@GreenleafOWN) August 5, 2020
He appears to ascend to Heaven right there in her arms, but I’m hoping it’s like the near death experience that A.J. had a few episodes ago. We thought he was dead, but he wasn’t. Did y’all notice that Bishop was adorned in a purple robe? It’s been some time since I’ve seen him in purple I think. Purple is the color of royalty. It seems to me that once he told the truth, he was reinstated to his royal position as the shepherd of the sheep at Calvary…Y’all, it can’t be just one episode left, but alas it is…tears…
Well, eight is the number of new beginnings so I imagine that the new Calvary or a brand new church altogether will open its doors next week…I pray that Bishop will be there to see it…
Thank you sooo much for reading my Greenleaf Recap Season 5 Episode 7: The Seventh Day… and my other recaps so far. If you would like to keep up with OWN’s “Greenleaf,” and my recaps, please click on this link to subscribe to my blog !
Any thoughts?