tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-126460892024-03-07T03:40:26.452-05:00Wheat & Weedsreligion, politics and the glories of home-grown tomatoesRC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.comBlogger7931125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-266162446003677812024-03-03T10:07:00.002-05:002024-03-03T10:07:37.184-05:00Repent! And Believe the Gospel!<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44u5t98u0m_ll-euM5Yp-0ADC1QxodTsYPhuQUwgoDgroVRhOSNDDSxGQA_ljdbOqhAQNFDcJdCyFFanoXPerbUWuwSCzj_zgRnZ0xN9ORZaSh3TrOQLyZzCdG_nysxX5tKvQ2aNYAnUr1KNwNuPianx4J6jOz22vLKket473lhOBr-BDOODHKQ/s902/Prodigal%20son.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="564" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi44u5t98u0m_ll-euM5Yp-0ADC1QxodTsYPhuQUwgoDgroVRhOSNDDSxGQA_ljdbOqhAQNFDcJdCyFFanoXPerbUWuwSCzj_zgRnZ0xN9ORZaSh3TrOQLyZzCdG_nysxX5tKvQ2aNYAnUr1KNwNuPianx4J6jOz22vLKket473lhOBr-BDOODHKQ/w250-h400/Prodigal%20son.jpeg" width="250" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Image: </i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Eug%C3%A8ne_Burnand?uselang=de#/media/File:Eugene_Burnand_-_Heimgefunden.jpg">Prodigal Son</a>, <i>Eugene Bernand</i></span></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Don't know if I will keep this up or not, but have the impulse this morning to post artistic images of repentance and conversion here for the remainder of Lent. This is either a one-off or first in a series! </p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-1588251551572054702024-01-07T08:23:00.000-05:002024-01-07T08:23:09.332-05:00Happy Epiphany, Transferred<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC3AnyaWygeC_465wtkPo4lnXwGFg2aAh3GXcJUmzwamtzcAQ6Khqxokblolx21wlF5ISd8ezaUq4UNhrl3mWe9-2c2oqRi4iQVE5cEtH0Jlej-bJA0M9X_LeldlPTnFYos2LQxT7qwT-SYG_k1R_ygqig1CxW_B2a3WTxKOkBC-F_wcgFgFA7g/s685/kings.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="532" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwC3AnyaWygeC_465wtkPo4lnXwGFg2aAh3GXcJUmzwamtzcAQ6Khqxokblolx21wlF5ISd8ezaUq4UNhrl3mWe9-2c2oqRi4iQVE5cEtH0Jlej-bJA0M9X_LeldlPTnFYos2LQxT7qwT-SYG_k1R_ygqig1CxW_B2a3WTxKOkBC-F_wcgFgFA7g/w311-h400/kings.jpeg" width="311" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Image: </i>The Adoration of the Magi, polyptych panel 1<i>, Magdalen College School</i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Shamelessly pinched from <a href="https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/the-adoration-of-the-magi-48997">here</a></span></i></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The Infant looks upon these holy pilgrims with a joyful countenance, and thus shows that He accepts these first-fruits of His Redemption. The divine Mother is also silent, but welcomes them wth her smiling looks, and thanks them for the homage done to her Son. They adore Him also in silence, and acknowledge Him for their Saviour and their God, offering Him gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.</span></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">
Yes, my Infant Jesus, the more humbled and poor I behold Thee, the more dost Thou inflame me with Thy love.
</span><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">O Jesus, my Infant King! I also adore Thee, and offer Thee my miserable heart. Accept it and change it. Make it wholly Thine own, so that it may love nothing but Thee. My sweet Saviour, save me, and let my eternal happiness be to love Thee always and without reserve. O Mary, most holy Virgin, I hope for this grace from thee.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p>~ From a meditation on Epiphany by St. Alphonsus Liguori </p><p>Read more: I found both the image and the meditation through <a href="https://x.com/father_rmv/status/1743937719711986066?s=20">Father V on X</a></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-32607841499626157252024-01-06T16:43:00.002-05:002024-01-06T16:43:30.742-05:00Happy Epiphany!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_EFNZBt2Hu2wYg9KaeF2N2qT40H0geG6atVDV3fm33L8sM4vYvclAZ0dSAmJKXQZSgYSJuYaL0h4Dvj93L-lnWQ1-EYA8jlLz_7T-bVLokhTv6SoNJ6pTHLhXYogC1lahMedhRx4U4baLUBT9pc500rAB5yo4Xh9Yz5Au1jwLHitKZbY9DU-Xw/s1024/basilica.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="1024" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_EFNZBt2Hu2wYg9KaeF2N2qT40H0geG6atVDV3fm33L8sM4vYvclAZ0dSAmJKXQZSgYSJuYaL0h4Dvj93L-lnWQ1-EYA8jlLz_7T-bVLokhTv6SoNJ6pTHLhXYogC1lahMedhRx4U4baLUBT9pc500rAB5yo4Xh9Yz5Au1jwLHitKZbY9DU-Xw/w400-h200/basilica.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Image: portion of a mosaic in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception <p></p><p><br /></p><p>So: in the US, where the Solemnity of Epiphany is transferred to Sunday, is today the 13th day of Christmas? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiZh96nCpHTp-eyLvHqfG11xXdTane5aQ79Qho8yHBPOnhUcB1xgHh0kyz0HIqSfKqfRcEuDJE3utRpLMNi1jU09H-FKWPz3pkG3F4iMFAJhRbR7rZ6bb2_aBrmtOCYfaXcXCdaSJxEkHPo6wV_BhuT0EMlJ-WaFEOKLV4r7Jp-32ypH3_9QPkw/s949/joke.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="727" data-original-width="949" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQiZh96nCpHTp-eyLvHqfG11xXdTane5aQ79Qho8yHBPOnhUcB1xgHh0kyz0HIqSfKqfRcEuDJE3utRpLMNi1jU09H-FKWPz3pkG3F4iMFAJhRbR7rZ6bb2_aBrmtOCYfaXcXCdaSJxEkHPo6wV_BhuT0EMlJ-WaFEOKLV4r7Jp-32ypH3_9QPkw/s320/joke.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-40359538644666461932024-01-05T18:40:00.004-05:002024-01-05T18:40:41.332-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 12! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLk4HLm6bKmHPuc_4J1HkIP28NRVZihk_fnNIpgP0WU-wv722fAks-SipwMSUi7-rvWSZAuvTznZFi-sch447lbtbfaNrD1H09h1Q3PNvEao9BaVZhTZc3s80e6mqJ6VqSajwKAnO1OPb71fj7_wv4RYkliD4iv3NZUs4bXpgm5rlN3MlJuXS0Wg/s1500/magi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="928" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLk4HLm6bKmHPuc_4J1HkIP28NRVZihk_fnNIpgP0WU-wv722fAks-SipwMSUi7-rvWSZAuvTznZFi-sch447lbtbfaNrD1H09h1Q3PNvEao9BaVZhTZc3s80e6mqJ6VqSajwKAnO1OPb71fj7_wv4RYkliD4iv3NZUs4bXpgm5rlN3MlJuXS0Wg/w248-h400/magi.jpeg" width="248" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Image: </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;">Adoration of the Magi<i> by Gyula Benczúr, 1911</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><i>Shamelessly pinched from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=916442107150117&set=a.519092446885087">J.R.'s Art Page</a></i></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, .SFNSText-Regular, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, .SFNSText-Regular, sans-serif;">A little late today, but made it! Tom Hoopes asks: <a href="https://media.benedictine.edu/this-sunday-do-we-lack-what-the-wise-men-had">Do we lack what the wise men have</a>? <br /></span> </span></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-20428075040126986352024-01-04T07:30:00.001-05:002024-01-04T07:30:00.129-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 11!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4QPBLnsJKWoJEeiRAlDPYc0fr74h-s_EQrTrNMJ6OI_Y5veJZAcjXin7zh3SD58GiqPVJP2MWpHWzrMFmaI5r0X3scz7gqfsWchyphenhyphenerQ30ZGAMcgv3K4JsUb8A9nUu4Bdk9bRlMIkoyg7Sv3yjx_i6qwXs7UwKWp8ZdZo1yPcEM-u6G04c-0-FA/s736/st.%20lucia%20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="736" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4QPBLnsJKWoJEeiRAlDPYc0fr74h-s_EQrTrNMJ6OI_Y5veJZAcjXin7zh3SD58GiqPVJP2MWpHWzrMFmaI5r0X3scz7gqfsWchyphenhyphenerQ30ZGAMcgv3K4JsUb8A9nUu4Bdk9bRlMIkoyg7Sv3yjx_i6qwXs7UwKWp8ZdZo1yPcEM-u6G04c-0-FA/w400-h313/st.%20lucia%20.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><i>Image: </i><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Nativity <i>– Alcina Nolley, </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><i>shamelessly pinched from <a href="https://twitter.com/BSPCofE/status/1733195791299178707/photo/1">#globalnativity on twiX,</a> </i></span></span><i style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;">submission from St. Lucia</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.100presepi.va/en.html">100 Nativity sets</a> on display at the Vatican. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I got curious about John Paul II's first Christmas <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/messages/urbi/documents/hf_jp-ii_mes_19781225_urbi.html">Urbi et Orbi</a>. What would he tell the whole world about Christmas his first chance? It's worth reading the whole brief thing, because he of course does not start here, but this is the main message.
</span></span></div><p></p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;"></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">I address therefore all the various communities: the peoples, the nations, the regimes, the political, economic, social and cultural system, and I say:</p><div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">— Accept the great truth concerning man;</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">— Accept the full truth concerning man that was uttered on Christmas Night;</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">— Accept this dimension of man that was opened for all human beings on this Holy Night;</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">— Accept the mystery in which every human being lives since Christ was born;</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">— Respect this mystery;</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">— Allow this mystery to act in every human being.</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">— Allow him to develop in the outward conditions of his earthly existence.</p><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Humanity's power resides in this mystery. The power that permeates everything that is human. Do not make it hard for that power to exercise its influence. Do not destroy its influence. Everything that is human grows from this power; without this power it perishes; without this power it falls to ruin.</p></div></blockquote><div><p style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Segoe, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;"></p><span style="font-family: inherit; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: medium;">
</span></span></div>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-50505823893923603032024-01-03T07:30:00.012-05:002024-01-03T07:30:00.133-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 10! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSzRZZnmI2pSeXyA12C9XQon5BMj3tqC84IWGkKZUYqPymd9T_h3YpOESc7U4beD29aNGNgZYzJ_mK9Npazx4DZ8-jdosa3zAQ_5L78F3aKhOdmbOWRmTZ-tnFy8WE0FMFRkgpxphoyBU-k2tdbRxx0EMWs45Ky-OIx8c7fA7ox3VVA-qQeIDyw/s865/nativity%20zaborsky.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="865" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSzRZZnmI2pSeXyA12C9XQon5BMj3tqC84IWGkKZUYqPymd9T_h3YpOESc7U4beD29aNGNgZYzJ_mK9Npazx4DZ8-jdosa3zAQ_5L78F3aKhOdmbOWRmTZ-tnFy8WE0FMFRkgpxphoyBU-k2tdbRxx0EMWs45Ky-OIx8c7fA7ox3VVA-qQeIDyw/w400-h400/nativity%20zaborsky.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;"><i>Image: Above the Manger,<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> Ladislav Záborský, Slovakia</span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Shamelessly pinched from <a href="https://twitter.com/OhLottie/status/1737742992805380108/photo/1">this twiX post.</a></span></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Did I mention this earlier in the 12 Days? <a href="https://myfranciscan.org/plenary-indulgence-for-the-800th-anniversary-of-christmas-at-greccio/">It's the 800th anniversary </a>of St. Francis creating the first nativity at Greccio, and therefore there is a plenary indulgence to be earned from visiting a Franciscan worship site and contemplating the creche there between now and Candlemas. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-73773801745956206042024-01-02T07:30:00.000-05:002024-01-02T07:30:00.257-05:00Merry 9th Day of Christmas! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHtlw8qT85hu1he_0KmmntusxyXPRiqQtLeJ6HszhleI8xuybcRbCm0ga3bFDjukRr_X0vPFsWzM-fa4TXrFcwLhuCcK2ccHKfmswzZLEx3z7TxfA7yMG8KzkDozd7azsVimVLPV_U9gVtDq9TSLflnR2yV_0BA5URxdkHchP30bX136mz3fuTw/s818/jan2nativity.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="818" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHtlw8qT85hu1he_0KmmntusxyXPRiqQtLeJ6HszhleI8xuybcRbCm0ga3bFDjukRr_X0vPFsWzM-fa4TXrFcwLhuCcK2ccHKfmswzZLEx3z7TxfA7yMG8KzkDozd7azsVimVLPV_U9gVtDq9TSLflnR2yV_0BA5URxdkHchP30bX136mz3fuTw/w400-h245/jan2nativity.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><i>Image: Rembrandt van Rijn, </i>Landscape with the Rest on the Flight into Egypt</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-size: 17px; text-align: start; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><blockquote><blockquote>This is the night of the Most Gentle One: let no one be cruel.
This is the night of the Humble One: let no one be proud.
Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake: so, rich one, invite the poor to your table.
— Nativity Sermon, St. Isaac of Syria</blockquote></blockquote></span></span></div><p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-62488671135526408882024-01-01T20:08:00.094-05:002024-01-01T20:08:00.136-05:00Books Read, 2023<p> <b>Scripture </b></p><p>The whole thing! The Catholic version, so maximum books! (Using Bible in a Year reading plan) </p><p><b>Popery </b></p><p><i>Catechism of the Catholic Church </i></p><p><b>Professional & Devotional </b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Benedict-XVI-Defender-Joseph-Pearce/dp/1618907360">Benedict XVI, Defender of the Faith</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Benedict-XVI-Biography-Peter-Seewald/dp/1472979192">Benedict XVI, A Life, Vol. 1</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Mercy-Heart-Word-Meditations/dp/0898705584">Fire of Mercy, Vol. 1, about half-way through</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Liturgy-Joseph-Cardinal-Ratzinger/dp/0898707846">Spirit of the Liturgy</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unreasonable-Hospitality-Remarkable-Giving-People/dp/B09S4MDZHZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QIAC6QRBR0E5&keywords=unreasonable+hospitality&qid=1703809456&s=books&sprefix=unreaso%2Cstripbooks%2C71&sr=1-1">Unreasonable Hospitality </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Poor-Assisi-Eloi-Leclerc-ebook/dp/B001QFZOL8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3SRHW20WARYNG&keywords=wisdom+of+the+poor+one+of+Assisi&qid=1703809492&s=audible&sprefix=wisdom+of+the+poor+one+of+assisi%2Caudible%2C62&sr=1-1">The Wisdom of the Poor One of Assisi</a></li></ul><p><b>Book Club</b></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Man-Called-Ove-Novel/dp/1476738025">A Man Called Ove </a></li><li>Anthony & Cleopatra</li><li>Coriolanus</li><li>Julius Caesar</li><li>The Laws (Plato)</li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Master-and-Commander-audiobook/dp/B0001BJED2/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1KQHJD1EU1DB1&keywords=Master+and+Commander&qid=1703809576&s=books&sprefix=master+and+commander%2Cstripbooks%2C69&sr=1-1">Master & Commander </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/My-Fathers-House-Rome-Escape/dp/B0BS75T935/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BPOKT81J5MVW&keywords=My+Father%27s+House&qid=1703809615&s=audible&sprefix=my+father%27s+house%2Caudible%2C64&sr=1-1">My Father's House</a></li><li>Tempest</li><li><a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/46567/so-brave-young-and-handsome-by-leif-enger/">So Brave, Young & Handsome </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/This-My-Body-Eucharistic-Revival/dp/1685789978">This Is My Body </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Works-Mercy-Sally-Thomas/dp/1951319737">Works of Mercy </a></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Just Felt Like It </b></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Adrift-Molly-Chase-Rhonda-Ortiz/dp/B0C9SFYV82/ref=sr_1_1?crid=GRQ0EURG8SHK&keywords=adrift+%2B+ortiz&qid=1703809711&s=books&sprefix=adrift+%2B+ortiz%2Cstripbooks%2C71&sr=1-1">Adrift </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Aviator-audiobook/dp/B07FGGD2R5/ref=sr_1_1?crid=10JMQV0000MDK&keywords=the+aviator&qid=1703809738&s=books&sprefix=the+aviator%2Cstripbooks%2C69&sr=1-1">The Aviator </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Narrow-Passage-Possibility-Political-Philosophy/dp/164177343X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2H0DWON1DIQBZ&keywords=elmer%27s+the+narrow+passage&qid=1703809771&s=audible&sprefix=ellmers+the+narrow+passage%2Caudible%2C67&sr=1-1">The Narrow Passage</a> </li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/The-Time-In-Between-Maria-Duenas-audiobook/dp/B0064RCKLU/ref=sr_1_1?crid=87XAF9ULKVVG&keywords=The+Time+In+Between&qid=1703809801&s=audible&sprefix=the+time+in+between%2Caudible%2C61&sr=1-1">The Time In Between</a></li></ul><p></p><p><b>Shakespeare </b></p><p>(four of these are also mentioned above in two different book clubs) </p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Antony & Cleopatra</li><li>As You Like It </li><li>Coriolanus</li><li>Julius Caesar</li><li>Tempest</li><li>Winter's Tale </li></ul>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-65624773003471972932024-01-01T07:30:00.001-05:002024-01-01T07:30:00.135-05:00Happy New Year! & Merry Christmas, Day 8 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksuRUnbumYJy0zLxY5iZXD96ijE6aZqcvmYfqwphaMbXREpvU7Jj3VIJNet36Q6301fRaPFmdINtz_tflrUaBdOgU646fkcPZG4TEVDsYGNYaU9gsw3hfvrw8JA-3UpfADbyz_FjoDae16eGlnh96tn-6jArs9Y8FBnaPCIn636dAqN0lmfaJ3w/s736/Hungary.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="736" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksuRUnbumYJy0zLxY5iZXD96ijE6aZqcvmYfqwphaMbXREpvU7Jj3VIJNet36Q6301fRaPFmdINtz_tflrUaBdOgU646fkcPZG4TEVDsYGNYaU9gsw3hfvrw8JA-3UpfADbyz_FjoDae16eGlnh96tn-6jArs9Y8FBnaPCIn636dAqN0lmfaJ3w/w400-h329/Hungary.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">Image: </span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">The Nativity (1925) – Livia Mihály Kádár Shamelessly pinched from <a href="https://x.com/OhLottie/status/1731924216612532299?s=20">this twiX page</a></span><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">.</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="color: #0f1419; font-family: TwitterChirp, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2f222a; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal;"><blockquote>That the Creator is in his creature and God is in the flesh brings dignity to man without dishonour to him who made him. Why then, man, are you so worthless in your own eyes and yet so precious to God?</blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2f222a; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #2f222a; font-family: Inter, sans-serif; font-style: normal;">~ St. Peter Chrysologus</span></div></i> <p></p><p><br /></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-16576502468187522202023-12-31T07:32:00.001-05:002023-12-31T07:32:00.320-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 7!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfd6A3nSt6L1z55f0KtCEqHbkF3fPnfDyQ08QdwOaywl4MUG5zCwdbJ4SYKV-qXTk3xti3mQMDi3rpQmEWtXZLr0dtucgXff66Gjdr7yYWcZhyphenhyphenYBwrstc6Hwb9RE1NxAqUGbdwGondPQvSaO7oxHGwB4G9m0EL1hLmtlJ3oG1VX3SZ12ERxtU5RA/s479/nativity.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="479" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfd6A3nSt6L1z55f0KtCEqHbkF3fPnfDyQ08QdwOaywl4MUG5zCwdbJ4SYKV-qXTk3xti3mQMDi3rpQmEWtXZLr0dtucgXff66Gjdr7yYWcZhyphenhyphenYBwrstc6Hwb9RE1NxAqUGbdwGondPQvSaO7oxHGwB4G9m0EL1hLmtlJ3oG1VX3SZ12ERxtU5RA/w400-h400/nativity.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Image: </i><a href="https://www.wikiart.org/en/bartolome-esteban-murillo/the-adoration-of-the-shepherds">Adoration of the Shepherds</a>,<i> Bartolome Murillo </i></span></div><p></p><p>Hard for me to believe I've never run this image before, but Search says it's so. </p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">NOEL </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Grim was the world <span style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><a style="animation-name: none !important; color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>and grey last night:</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The moon and stars were fled,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The hall was dark without song or light,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The fires were fallen dead.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The wind in the trees was like to the sea,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">And over the mountains’ teeth</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">It whistled bitter-cold and free,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">As a sword leapt from its sheath.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The lord of snows upreared his head;</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">His mantle long and pale</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Upon the bitter blast was spread</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">And hung o’er hill and dale.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The world was blind,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">the boughs were bent,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">All ways and paths were wild:</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Then the veil of cloud apart was rent,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">And here was born a Child.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The ancient dome of heaven sheer</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Was pricked with distant light;</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">A star came shining white and clear</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Alone above the night.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">In the dale of dark in that hour of birth</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">One voice on a sudden sang:</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Then all the bells in Heaven and Earth</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Together at midnight rang.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Mary sang in this world below:</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">They heard her song arise</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">O’er mist and over mountain snow</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">To the walls of Paradise,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">And the tongue of many bells was stirred</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">in Heaven’s towers to ring</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">When the voice of mortal maid was heard,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">That was mother of Heaven’s King.</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">Glad is the world and fair this night</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">With stars about its head,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">And the hall is filled with laughter and light,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">And fires are burning red.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">The bells of Paradise now ring</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">With bells of Christendom,</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">And Gloria, Gloria we will sing</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">That God on earth is come.</div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="animation-name: none !important; font-family: inherit; transition-property: none !important;">~J.R.R. Tolkien</div></div><p><br /><br /></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-43251180575228765822023-12-30T07:30:00.000-05:002023-12-30T07:30:00.144-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 6 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokFKGec2dxHyQc5IpSIZFQHOJey2Pu7SFAREdL2kWDHpNvu8JjO7sTT37x6V0G_74_e0SC26DqG7Aio6GCcl-k2QLoCJZrWSK5WhxZNyTQvgijyQsrz2vf-pmSB3vQq7KAOLjtXA7-IxG63t6tfMjGD5bP1EzSuZQEVEHmVDqnam6J7M84h1k0Q/s1600/mauricedenisnativity.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1462" data-original-width="1600" height="365" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokFKGec2dxHyQc5IpSIZFQHOJey2Pu7SFAREdL2kWDHpNvu8JjO7sTT37x6V0G_74_e0SC26DqG7Aio6GCcl-k2QLoCJZrWSK5WhxZNyTQvgijyQsrz2vf-pmSB3vQq7KAOLjtXA7-IxG63t6tfMjGD5bP1EzSuZQEVEHmVDqnam6J7M84h1k0Q/w400-h365/mauricedenisnativity.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Image: "Christmas," Maurice Denis. Shamelessly pinched from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JRsArtplace">J.R's Art Place</a>. </i></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p>This was nice: Nov. 27 someone paid to have all the 20+ Times Square billboards first go dark and then <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INse1lhgZGA">show this Nativity</a> -- what would you call it? Light show? Multi-media presentation? Silent film? </p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-12105422213196233942023-12-29T07:30:00.001-05:002023-12-29T07:30:00.135-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 5 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaI47njtyPg5jiu7fYkguWFboBU81X3IhzaNhuv-w0G787homsfEr7IgWpOJN5YesvXMuOL68EYg459K1ZkYrmvW5zByHA4KT0y2EnFTX5s_as8pA13t3sxr-ORzxmlW3Xn_GMf8o2ETsdOPyOYOcD8173s3S1Bk7hS30_9C4x0PMxlcLr2ds7g/s2048/homeless%20nativity.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaI47njtyPg5jiu7fYkguWFboBU81X3IhzaNhuv-w0G787homsfEr7IgWpOJN5YesvXMuOL68EYg459K1ZkYrmvW5zByHA4KT0y2EnFTX5s_as8pA13t3sxr-ORzxmlW3Xn_GMf8o2ETsdOPyOYOcD8173s3S1Bk7hS30_9C4x0PMxlcLr2ds7g/w300-h400/homeless%20nativity.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;">Image: by "Adam," whom a friend found living on the streets in Paris. </span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A little more about my friend's encounter with "Adam." She writes<i>: </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">after joyfully giving me his most beautiful art work, Adam said, “I love God so much ! I pray all the time ! Especially for mean people . You know, when someone is mean…give him a big hug ! I promise, the person will change! I learned this from Mother Teresa </span><span style="animation-name: none !important; background-color: white; transition-property: none !important; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a style="animation-name: none !important; cursor: pointer; transition-property: none !important;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;">of Calcutta !“ I asked him for a hug as, after hearing wise Adam, I felt much need of conversion."</span></span></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_O71Gj45qxmoMVkJAXKAihP89B9pXiq2d-QPNnqHrlSz8_QJlL_nPYTsPT3F4vbAtJNEhuK7QiLTPQsnzXNjVt2utSZ9wq6iIwYUBNyvH2t1IdJyO_4VGz8J9TGneF07uk3qGbLkPOXv26928llTQIfWpCZKX70hlU0Kq85c8CXvqzekyEJslg/s2048/adam.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_O71Gj45qxmoMVkJAXKAihP89B9pXiq2d-QPNnqHrlSz8_QJlL_nPYTsPT3F4vbAtJNEhuK7QiLTPQsnzXNjVt2utSZ9wq6iIwYUBNyvH2t1IdJyO_4VGz8J9TGneF07uk3qGbLkPOXv26928llTQIfWpCZKX70hlU0Kq85c8CXvqzekyEJslg/w150-h200/adam.jpeg" width="150" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-17096966642870506332023-12-28T08:51:00.001-05:002023-12-28T10:40:55.128-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 4! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFVcIJdASOoE29nXt09l3lIhp2HvhnwTxrC3pL65LaEmOUccChO8ZBs4vCLcHkeI4DfN-j1U1Us6bunAokXlnPwAUL_1-NtiEY243DtsAuzoOWMbA2-Jy4WNE53X4gav6rN6bERvCK3CsmtDtCiq4VZfGO5GQtXWTu9i1KxFHRavGXH7Y9jHlwg/s960/blackmadonnabyjerell.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="655" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFVcIJdASOoE29nXt09l3lIhp2HvhnwTxrC3pL65LaEmOUccChO8ZBs4vCLcHkeI4DfN-j1U1Us6bunAokXlnPwAUL_1-NtiEY243DtsAuzoOWMbA2-Jy4WNE53X4gav6rN6bERvCK3CsmtDtCiq4VZfGO5GQtXWTu9i1KxFHRavGXH7Y9jHlwg/w273-h400/blackmadonnabyjerell.jpeg" width="273" /></a></div><span style="color: #0b5394;"><div style="text-align: center;">Image: shamelessly pinched from the Black Catholics of New Orleans FB page.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Seems possibly to be from <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/IMITATIONBYJERELL?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1358161924&from_page=listing">ImitationbyJerell.</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I love this <a href="https://www.chesterton.org/gloria-in-profundis/">Chesterton meditation on the Incarnation</a>, especially the brilliant "Glory to God in the lowest." </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 16.5px; letter-spacing: 0.02px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 16.5px; letter-spacing: 0.02px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There has fallen on earth for a token<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />A god too great for the sky.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />He has burst out of all things and broken<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The bounds of eternity:<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Into time and the terminal land<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />He has strayed like a thief or a lover,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />For the wine of the world brims over,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Its splendour is spilt on the sand.</span></p><p><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 16.5px; letter-spacing: 0.02px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Who is proud when the heavens are humble,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Who mounts if the mountains fall,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />If the fixed stars topple and tumble<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />And a deluge of love drowns all-<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Who rears up his head for a crown,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Who holds up his will for a warrant,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Who strives with the starry torrent,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />When all that is good goes down?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 16.5px; letter-spacing: 0.02px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For in dread of such falling and failing<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The fallen angels fell<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Inverted in insolence, scaling<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The hanging mountain of hell:<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />But unmeasured of plummet and rod<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Too deep for their sight to scan,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Outrushing the fall of man<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Is the height of the fall of God.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 16.5px; letter-spacing: 0.02px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Glory to God in the Lowest<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The spout of the stars in spate-<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Where thunderbolt thinks to be slowest<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />And the lightning fears to be late:<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />As men dive for sunken gem<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Pursuing, we hunt and hound it,<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The fallen star has found it<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />In the cavern of Bethlehem.</span></p></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3a3a3a; font-size: 16.5px; letter-spacing: 0.02px; margin: 0px 0px 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p></div>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-6931889353752879562023-12-27T07:30:00.001-05:002023-12-27T07:30:00.133-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 3! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPr4uivkFpnh3b73jHhS-Q5udaOojPbn266Ngp5V6kSKzlpYmALY39yIJkMpM1bJy4GjD3gAYnbUksN-gLmmPPDhLP7aaSkVZbMyAwLSkAHhOrp0xWBDsuqOr5Jp1TBaHyJffATwFlLjZeNrjPYOX14_D9xgKOm7NS8kXRVcK5vScH4VyMpPDOnA/s984/Screenshot%202023-12-26%20at%209.05.15%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="984" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPr4uivkFpnh3b73jHhS-Q5udaOojPbn266Ngp5V6kSKzlpYmALY39yIJkMpM1bJy4GjD3gAYnbUksN-gLmmPPDhLP7aaSkVZbMyAwLSkAHhOrp0xWBDsuqOr5Jp1TBaHyJffATwFlLjZeNrjPYOX14_D9xgKOm7NS8kXRVcK5vScH4VyMpPDOnA/w305-h400/Screenshot%202023-12-26%20at%209.05.15%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="305" /></a></div><span style="color: #0b5394;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Image: Illustration from </i>The Huron Carol<i>, artwork by Frances Tyrrell</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Shamelessly pinched <a href="https://cultivatedlearning.org/nativity-art-around-the-world/">from here</a>. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div></span><p></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: #f9f7f6; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 1.25em;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Justified by faith, let us be at peace with God: for justice and peace have embraced one another. Through our Lord Jesus Christ: for Truth has arisen from the earth. Through whom we have access to that grace in which we stand, and our boast is in our hope of God’s glory. He does not say: “of our glory”, but of God’s glory: for justice has not come out of us but has looked down from heaven. Therefore he who glories, let him glory, not in himself, but in the Lord. </span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: #f9f7f6; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 1.25em; text-align: start;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.7em;">For this reason, when our Lord was born of the Virgin, the message of the angelic voices was: Glory to God in the highest, and peace to men of good will. </span></p></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: #f9f7f6; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 1.25em; text-align: start;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.7em;"></span></p><p style="background-color: #f9f7f6; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 1.25em; text-align: start;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.7em;">~St. Augustine, <a href="https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/st-augustine-on-why-we-celebrate-christmas/">homily</a> </span></p></div><p><span style="color: #0b5394;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-42366207929368060922023-12-26T08:55:00.002-05:002023-12-26T08:55:21.818-05:00Merry Christmas, Day 2 <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoqykM1Dxq0DHSVAIqr7nTqeNYNJuYZgAkglMoSYmLPm-0qj1teVaQUOLA3ps3owZwR3hNUGnKhuayCHjUzVktw855bY5UdnKRXeSCor4r24CIaEr-imThWuCsFmM1lzz1p2xxPta74bz0rJmh-GUVnFCNbbT7FwuFt121v4plJ9T6TRYh1rsbg/s1000/Maes.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="734" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXoqykM1Dxq0DHSVAIqr7nTqeNYNJuYZgAkglMoSYmLPm-0qj1teVaQUOLA3ps3owZwR3hNUGnKhuayCHjUzVktw855bY5UdnKRXeSCor4r24CIaEr-imThWuCsFmM1lzz1p2xxPta74bz0rJmh-GUVnFCNbbT7FwuFt121v4plJ9T6TRYh1rsbg/w294-h400/Maes.jpeg" width="294" /></a></div><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">Image: "</i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nativity in Roman Clothing,"</span><i style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jean Baptist Lodewyck Maes</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Shamelessly pinched from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JRsArtplace/posts/pfbid0o6jyS1RacoVAka5sdC1XEWUiL8Szmp4xzTjg2UGr2pmcrm5TLbGvmnnPkzvk274Xl">J.R.'s Art Place</a></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6; color: black; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: start;"><blockquote>Awake, mankind! For your sake God has become man. Awake, you who sleep, rise up from the dead, and Christ will enlighten you. I tell you again: for your sake, God became man.</blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6; color: black; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6; color: black; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: start;">~<a href="https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/st-augustine-on-why-we-celebrate-christmas/">St. Augustine</a>, homily</span></div></span> <p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-40063854439799850272023-12-25T07:00:00.007-05:002023-12-25T07:00:00.250-05:00Merry Christmas! 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUZ1II7Hj7tI7pIdL7oFz17tHExoVHpTfPEKyNDf8o9DH1SBuWj182CbZNOr3T3dgJjCmpuY3qLzW7tPah8bF1TGn7bcmsLRtJdpeWqw8ysgvCeQL7lYmgaa85L6stzGLEhBSCRmZuB0huEoSEiC6G2Y9k10JyHWYDnlUiluoZ5MycVYjLXdHqw/s724/Screenshot%202023-12-24%20at%208.35.22%E2%80%AFAM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="724" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUZ1II7Hj7tI7pIdL7oFz17tHExoVHpTfPEKyNDf8o9DH1SBuWj182CbZNOr3T3dgJjCmpuY3qLzW7tPah8bF1TGn7bcmsLRtJdpeWqw8ysgvCeQL7lYmgaa85L6stzGLEhBSCRmZuB0huEoSEiC6G2Y9k10JyHWYDnlUiluoZ5MycVYjLXdHqw/w400-h384/Screenshot%202023-12-24%20at%208.35.22%E2%80%AFAM.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="color: #0b5394;"> Image: <a href="https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/mattchinworth/newborn-king/">Newborn King</a>, Matt Chinworth- visit his site! </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6; font-family: calluna, serif; text-align: start;"><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">Ask if this were merited; ask for its reason, for its justification, and see whether you will find any other answer but sheer grace.</span></blockquote></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 20px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6; font-family: calluna, serif; text-align: start;">~St. Augustine, <a href="https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/st-augustine-on-why-we-celebrate-christmas/">sermon featured in the Office for Christmas Eve</a></span></div><p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-43363919524180097392023-12-24T20:00:00.001-05:002023-12-24T20:00:00.252-05:00Merry Christmas 2023!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsS2NC7Qs41mvL6PbQfx5IPWPJnW7ATrpRsZsmU7uZUrsin-ZLBrG9kJzVjoF_zv79TKoQ-d0aSB7O07ktPg9lR-ON7lpDcB42d0Uw6E_25kXSfpccCfR0qi6Tf0Y9Uwj5sUPNkjqgGMHc5t_tBotINlyUAEliDKWCI5oXCIgpkHXHBF5Hakbrw/s865/Wydra.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="865" data-original-width="730" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFsS2NC7Qs41mvL6PbQfx5IPWPJnW7ATrpRsZsmU7uZUrsin-ZLBrG9kJzVjoF_zv79TKoQ-d0aSB7O07ktPg9lR-ON7lpDcB42d0Uw6E_25kXSfpccCfR0qi6Tf0Y9Uwj5sUPNkjqgGMHc5t_tBotINlyUAEliDKWCI5oXCIgpkHXHBF5Hakbrw/w338-h400/Wydra.jpeg" width="338" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Image: </i>"Christmas,"<i> Jan Wydra, 1925</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> Merry Christmas! </span></div><blockquote><blockquote><p style="background-color: #f9f7f6; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 1.25em;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">You would have suffered eternal death, had he not been born in time. Never would you have been freed from sinful flesh, had he not taken on himself the likeness of sinful flesh. You would have suffered everlasting unhappiness, had it not been for this mercy. You would never have returned to life, had he not shared your death. You would have been lost if he had not hastened ‘to your aid. You would have perished, had he not come.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f9f7f6; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 1.25em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Let us then joyfully celebrate the coming of our salvation and redemption. Let us celebrate the festive day on which he who is the great and eternal day came from the great and endless day of eternity into our own short day of time. </span></span></p><p style="background-color: #f9f7f6; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 1.25em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"></span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">He has become our justice, our sanctification, our redemption, so that, as it is written: Let him who glories glory in the Lord. </span></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #f9f7f6; font-family: calluna, serif; font-size: 1.25rem;"></span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;">~From a Sermon of St. Augustine, featured in the Office for Christmas Eve</div><p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-64109349514219930892023-04-11T20:08:00.000-05:002023-04-11T20:08:03.869-05:00Have We Brought Back the Freak Show? <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have some questions for Christian and/ or socially conservative friends on social media. It's not my intent to rebuke anyone, but to raise an issue for reflection. This is probably too heavy a topic for the middle of Easter Week, but it's on my mind because as we try to get a handle on how to oppose the "transing" of America's youth, all my social media feeds have become visually very disturbing, as everyone seems to feel the need to document the deranged people caught up in this movement.
It strikes me that every time I have seen a deeply disturbing picture or video of an obviously disturbed individual in the past several years -- the kind of image for</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which I try to practice old-fashioned custody of the eyes out of protection of my own heart and the other person's dignity-- it has been in the feed not of my progressive friends flaunting sexual transgression and imposing their libertine ways on me (I say that tongue in cheek)</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but in the feed of "pro-family" or Christian authors tut-tutting the latest outrage. Yes, I am telling you my lefty friends' posts are in a certain respect more wholesome and PG-rated than many of my Christian and pro-family friends. </span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">Here are my questions, in no particular order.
<br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">1) I understand the need to educate people about threats or potential threats to civil society and family life. Does <i>every</i> troubled person doing something weird rise to the level of cultural threat? Is it possible that some practices are so isolated and bizarre that they will never catch on as a trend, and it would be better to pass over them in silence than to publicize them?
2) What was wrong with the old-fashioned circus freak shows? Anything? Aren't many of the photos and videos that accompany weird practices of merely prurient interest? What good is served by thrusting those photos in the faces of those who see your posts?
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3) Is it possible that that certain notorious transgressive accounts have been exposed enough and don't require further documentation -- we now get what these people are about? Is there a point at which we cross the line from reporting to marketing for the transgressive?
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4) When we invite people to gawk at disturbing behavior, often behavior we know or reasonably assume is associated with serious mental illness, isn't that <i>use </i>of a person, betraying his or her human dignity?
5) Similarly, if we illustrate our stories and posts about trends we think are harmful with (possibly) prurient pictures, aren't we guilty of using people? </span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">6) When we easily pass along images that are deliberately intended to shock and disturb, do we have any responsibility to shield our audience in some way so they have an option not to see them? (Twitter, for example, allows you to tag your own photo as possibly disturbing). (Tangentially related: not so long ago a certain sector of Christian twitter got into a discussion about the prudence of the use of foul language if you're an influential evangelical or Catholic writer. Interestingly, some of the folks most adamant that the F-bomb does not befit a professing Christian's social media page are pretty blithe in passing along images that cannot be unseen and I would argue probably shouldn't be seen. Isn't it possible sick images are more powerful and therefore more potentially soul-damaging than an F-bomb? </span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><a name='more'></a></span></span><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I suppose the objection will be that these things are news and people must be informed. And I agree, sometimes they are. But I wonder what the criteria are for such things? What constitutes a moral threat that must be understood and resisted and what constitutes plain old-fashioned gossip and staring at the circus freaks? (I also have in mind as I write this a family I know who have a loved one who suffers from bi-polar depression. This person made national news and became a source of great laughter for the late night comics more than a decade ago when her oddball sexual scandal was revealed. If she'd been a healthy person in her right mind, she would have been rightly mocked and rebuked for her behavior. But knowing as I do that she was in the throws of a manic episode and how deeply tormented her entire family was throughout, I didn't find it funny. It was a national laugh at a seriously mentally ill person.)
So, I would like to know -- do you think about the impact of the images that accompany the news you pass along when you pass them along? And what are --or what ought to be-- the standards for such things?</span></span></div></div>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-30123082449456176682023-04-09T08:21:00.000-05:002023-04-09T08:21:06.940-05:00Happy Easter, Year of our Lord 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuW5SWGPuJ9Jpe-7wAYUEtkvKPki0mhwwBYwHhyeeUE9o-WSF0Z2lpWaT6a6KFOK1ox0mfE3P8_WcVqXp5YRATMvblEL-4RG9CCbPhJFYzR_Af66csC5yhcnWwE3QG0Z2gaAsq0QCCmvk_aEL2gLHTVFehK75PWhb8CWPto-YrkSAHxw2uaLE/s2048/Christos%20Anesti%20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuW5SWGPuJ9Jpe-7wAYUEtkvKPki0mhwwBYwHhyeeUE9o-WSF0Z2lpWaT6a6KFOK1ox0mfE3P8_WcVqXp5YRATMvblEL-4RG9CCbPhJFYzR_Af66csC5yhcnWwE3QG0Z2gaAsq0QCCmvk_aEL2gLHTVFehK75PWhb8CWPto-YrkSAHxw2uaLE/w300-h400/Christos%20Anesti%20.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #0b5394;"><span></span>Image: icon of the Resurrection</span></i></p></blockquote><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xdj266r x126k92a" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When the kids were little, I never bought sugary cereals exceot during the octaves of Christmas and Easter. Accordingly, as soon as we got home from midnight Mass or Easter Vigil, the kids would tear into a bowl of Super Sugar Bombs. </span></div></div><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In college, our sons have become evangelists of this tradition. First they welcome friends into the Church at Easter Vigil (more than 30 were received last night!), and then everyone celebrates with a sugar cereal party. They sent me a wonderful photo of more than 25 kids eating a selection of diabetes-inducing cereals. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe nothing else I did or said will last, but that will. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy Easter! Nothing sweeter than the joy of having a Savior. </span> </span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p> </p></blockquote>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-79338085027316356072023-04-08T08:21:00.021-05:002023-04-09T08:25:33.399-05:00Holy Saturday Tomatoes? <p>It's probably too early --not sure we really won't have any more below-40 temps -- but when I went to get geraniums for the porch (this is my Easter Saturday tradition -- after 3 pm, the spring flowers appear on the porch-- the tomatoes tempted me and the string of very warm days beguiled me. There will either be very early tomatoes or this will be a false start and I'll have to re-plant in a few weeks. </p><p>The tomatoes, as we have established, don't lie. </p><p>Tomatoes in ground date: April 8, 2023</p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-18974423309740883052023-04-07T08:35:00.000-05:002023-04-07T08:35:01.124-05:00Good Friday 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv4D3SWO42IPJX5gmBdiovBTBNTRSFsTJfmhu0LAEntrFhk0TYeCV08JWF9zMu9h2cTGH9gwOn3ceCckqQS04pAS8V-5CzpNQ2sg6-kpbE8mNebyO5IqL17Mu-_jZL5lT-Nagrg_p3mTcWSWiSYH2o1WNBhGWN_rL2XHz2b7KVNVUOx7sqOs/s2048/what%20is%20truth%20.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1513" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvv4D3SWO42IPJX5gmBdiovBTBNTRSFsTJfmhu0LAEntrFhk0TYeCV08JWF9zMu9h2cTGH9gwOn3ceCckqQS04pAS8V-5CzpNQ2sg6-kpbE8mNebyO5IqL17Mu-_jZL5lT-Nagrg_p3mTcWSWiSYH2o1WNBhGWN_rL2XHz2b7KVNVUOx7sqOs/w295-h400/what%20is%20truth%20.jpeg" width="295" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: inherit;"><i>Image: "<a href="https://www.plough.com/en/topics/culture/art/what-is-truth">What is Truth? Christ and Pilate,"</a> Nikolai Nikolaevich Ge</i></span></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-9875207690364062862023-04-06T08:04:00.002-05:002023-04-06T08:06:44.000-05:00Holy Thursday 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdYGsskqe4KijW_q5iWHDEeIfZ77p2fpmxO41S4sF3I-AHjrqYn7YdTvwv9Ywz2SiTJxB4WqFCINcFY0oRrnawMqWyN6eLo3lLHzFfAXpIJ0Z6bSS63ii1y9TsSIWnc1U4-fKPgDwTIrwVzqWuF010iQbEZSmB7Mb1FaTREtmPXWJdla9-kY/s750/lord-s-supper-1903.jpg!Large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="750" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmdYGsskqe4KijW_q5iWHDEeIfZ77p2fpmxO41S4sF3I-AHjrqYn7YdTvwv9Ywz2SiTJxB4WqFCINcFY0oRrnawMqWyN6eLo3lLHzFfAXpIJ0Z6bSS63ii1y9TsSIWnc1U4-fKPgDwTIrwVzqWuF010iQbEZSmB7Mb1FaTREtmPXWJdla9-kY/w400-h239/lord-s-supper-1903.jpg!Large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><i>Image credit: <a href="https://www.wikiart.org/en/ilya-repin/lord-s-supper-1903">Ilya Repin, </a></i><a href="https://www.wikiart.org/en/ilya-repin/lord-s-supper-1903">The Last Supper</a><i>, 1903</i></span> </div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">This bit of doggerel on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist apparently comes from the unlikely source of Elizabeth I? My mom sent it to me attributed to John Donne, but when I went googling, it's in the Anglican book of prayer as Elizabeth's. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span></span></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Twas Christ, The Word, that spake it.<br />He took the bread and brake it.<br />And what The Word did make it,<br />That I believe and take it!</span><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">A <a href="https://www.lpj.org/latin-patriarch/homily-for-holy-thursday-2023.html">beautiful homily for today</a> from the patriarch of Jerusalem. </span></div><div><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #003348; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #003348; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The night of the Supper was also the night of Judas, who came out of the Upper Room to go and sell Jesus. The night of Christ’s memory entrusted to His apostles was also the night of Peter’s denial. The night of the Eucharist was also the night of the flight of the apostles, who abandoned the Master. The night of the new commandment was also the night of the sad sleep of the friends.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #003348; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Yet we, here and now, do not want to dwell on the dark side of that night and of every night, personal, political, social and even ecclesial. That side we know well, all too well, to the point of perhaps having grown used to it. Our life, with its passages and crises, our Holy Land, with its violence and injustices, the Church herself, with her labors and contradictions, familiarize us every day with the heavy atmosphere of that night, during which the Lord was betrayed.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #003348; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I would instead like to contemplate, with you and for you, always amazed and grateful, the way Christ went through that night, the way He responded to the disintegration and disbandment of His own, His reaction to fear and discouragement.</span></span></p></blockquote><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #003348; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #003348; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.6; outline: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">RTWT. </span></span></p><br /></div>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-26915387612287231272023-04-05T08:04:00.110-05:002023-04-06T08:38:32.066-05:00Judas, One of the Twelve <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfjWt7Sne_nUEyUpci7ULXP4lqfaQZNQF1yGzNT3HmPwUaxE7tuLKdBGrKTBOp3jnUMNQtsaJGeIHbFVurg-42lfaJKf3OzpvfcFNnlV5KdWCcrVYN3ejIKMRs9lqdbLdu1xuZCCRUe7hLhZmE5xEK7ZLiYjCrQSdw3-kAVlAK55uYQLxvw4/s800/Giotto_-_Scrovegni_-_-31-_-_Kiss_of_Judas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="800" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfjWt7Sne_nUEyUpci7ULXP4lqfaQZNQF1yGzNT3HmPwUaxE7tuLKdBGrKTBOp3jnUMNQtsaJGeIHbFVurg-42lfaJKf3OzpvfcFNnlV5KdWCcrVYN3ejIKMRs9lqdbLdu1xuZCCRUe7hLhZmE5xEK7ZLiYjCrQSdw3-kAVlAK55uYQLxvw4/w400-h390/Giotto_-_Scrovegni_-_-31-_-_Kiss_of_Judas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.thecatholicthing.org/wp-content/uploads/Giotto_-_Scrovegni_-_-31-_-_Kiss_of_Judas.jpg">Image credit:</a><a href="https://www.thecatholicthing.org/wp-content/uploads/Giotto_-_Scrovegni_-_-31-_-_Kiss_of_Judas.jpg"><i> Giotto, The Kiss of Judas </i></a></div><p></p><p>"And the enemies of a man shall be those of his own household." </p><p>There's more on my heart than I find I can write about this Lent. These are decadent times, and we seem for the past decade or more to have passed into a period of clarification where the hearts of men are laid bare. Ultimately this is salutary: it's good to know the truth of things. But how painful it is to find that people you thought were in your band of brothers have defected to a different road, with entirely different premises about reality. </p><p>I'm not speaking of any personal affront. No one has done anything awful to me. But the number of companions on the journey keeps dwindling in ways I both humanly understand and have compassion for, and yet cannot help but receive as blows. I have a friend who's begun posting pictures of herself in an adulterous relationship, and they hurt my heart so deeply. It's not a matter, as she thinks, of "judging" her (her marriage has been hard for a long time and I totally understand the human desire to just grasp at a little tenderness and happiness. Women <i>do</i> get weary). <br /><br />It's that my own longings in these days where innocence is constantly being crushed have gone the other direction. The more the adults of our time live for today and force their children to bear all the heavy burdens of life, the more I long for a restoration of innocence and purity and know that only a Savior can grant it. I am thinking of Christ's lament over Jerusalem, His longing to spread his wings over us like a mother hen but we would not. <br /><br />Fr. Scalia with <a href="https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2017/04/09/one-of-the-twelve/">a good reflection on Judas</a> and all these things. </p><p> </p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-21554736944177334562023-02-14T08:50:00.001-05:002023-02-14T08:50:00.261-05:00Happy Valentine's Day! <iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1oGKoDi5CJY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12646089.post-27493416818174505202023-01-06T07:30:00.002-05:002023-01-06T08:50:36.046-05:00Happy Epiphany! Merry Christmas, Day 12! <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisluuMhcgowsbMzB_oTSted85haUwB9uWlKCTriKgS3Bc1jg3Bbv7UVI4d5zeP5kZjPwLnLqIeQ6bahuRA1ETxy_JuCLiKYW-nEDbiD_UlvyAowgIS5kF0JYuK65J4KOStI0SLhrzhW9yWLBdAm98jwFrUZzUQtFzDXEhm0esA5jg7spsHsXo/s750/2-the-adoration-of-the-magi-peter-paul-rubens.jpg!Large.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="750" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisluuMhcgowsbMzB_oTSted85haUwB9uWlKCTriKgS3Bc1jg3Bbv7UVI4d5zeP5kZjPwLnLqIeQ6bahuRA1ETxy_JuCLiKYW-nEDbiD_UlvyAowgIS5kF0JYuK65J4KOStI0SLhrzhW9yWLBdAm98jwFrUZzUQtFzDXEhm0esA5jg7spsHsXo/w400-h305/2-the-adoration-of-the-magi-peter-paul-rubens.jpg!Large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;"><i>Image: Rubens, </i>Adoration of the Magi,<i> shamelessly pinched <a href="https://www.wikiart.org/en/peter-paul-rubens/adoration-of-the-magi-1619">from WikiArt</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the "Abrahamic" meaning of Epiphany, from BXVI's <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/homilies/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_hom_20080106_epifania.html">Epiphany homily, 2008</a>: </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14.6667px;"><blockquote>...although the appearance of this light on earth was modest, it was powerfully projected in the heavens: the birth of the King of the Jews had been announced by the rising of a star, visible from afar. This was attested to by some "wise men" who had come to Jerusalem from the East shortly after Jesus' birth, in the time of King Herod (cf. Mt 2: 1-2). Once again heaven and earth, the cosmos and history, call to each other and respond. The ancient prophecies find confirmation in the language of the stars. "A star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel" (Nm 24: 17), announced Balaam, the pagan seer, when he was summoned to curse the People of Israel, whom he instead blessed because, as God had revealed to him, "they are blessed" (Nm 22: 12). In his Commentary on Matthew's Gospel, Cromatius of Aquileia establishes a connection between Balaam and the Magi: "He prophesied that Christ would come; they saw him with the eyes of faith". And he adds an important observation: "The star was seen by everyone but not everyone understood its meaning. Likewise, our Lord and Saviour was born for everyone, but not everyone has welcomed him" (4: 1-2). Here, the meaning of the symbol of light applied to Christ's birth appears: it expresses God's special blessing on Abraham's descendents, destined to be extended to all the peoples of the earth.</blockquote></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Nice <a href="https://twitter.com/EWTNNewsNightly/status/1611165783115145217?s=20&t=-Zy2kULlCFDRXpAB_D0OVA">comments from Pia de Solenni</a> on Papa Ratzinger's passing. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How about <a href="https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2023/01/04/resolutions-of-abandonment/">a provocative resolution</a> for the new year? </span></div><p></p>RC2http://www.blogger.com/profile/00624638074174720217noreply@blogger.com0