St. Francis De Sales Memorial

Francis de Sales, CO OM OFM Cap. (French: François de Sales; 21 August 1567 – 28 December 1622) was a Bishop of Geneva and is honored as a saint in the Anglican and Catholic church. He became noted for his deep faith and his gentle approach to the religious divisions in his land resulting from the Protestant Reformation. He is known also for his writings on the topic of spiritual direction and spiritual formation, particularly the Introduction to the Devout Life and the Treatise on the Love of God.

This summary is from Wikipedia but I liked the emphasis on St. Francis De Sales' gentle approach because he changed a lot of people's minds and hearts about Calvinism.

I think he is a good patron for today where we encounter so much ill informed opposition to the faith, both from within and without the Church. For daily living, I can especially recommend Introduction to the Devout Life as a down-to-earth, surprisingly modern book.

Here's an example of St. Francis's good advice which spoke to me when I was reading today's reflection in In Conversation with God, vol. 6. They are brief but were good reminders to me.

Humility is not only charity. It is also sweetness. Charity is the humility which appears on the outside. Humility is the charity which is on the inside.

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We have to be indignant towards evil while at the same time being as polite as possible toward our neighbor.

Here is one of my very favorite quotes from St Francis de Sales — perhaps I need to reread Introduction to the Devout Life. It's been a while.

Day is continually turning to night, spring to summer, summer to autumn, autumn to winter, winter to spring; no two days are ever exactly alike. Some are foggy, rainy, some dry or windy; and this endless variety greatly enhances the beauty of the universe. And even so precisely is it with man (who, as ancient writers have said, is a miniature of the world), for he is never long in any one condition, and his life on earth flows by like the mighty waters, heaving and tossing with an endless variety of motion; one while raising him on high with hope, another plunging him low in fear; now turning him to the right with rejoicing, then driving him to the left with sorrows; and no single day, no, not even one hour, is entirely the same as any other of his life.

St. Francis de Sales, Introduction to the Devout Life

For anyone interested in this book, Scott and I discussed Introduction to the Devout Life on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Rest in Peace, John Allen, Jr.

I was sorry to see that John Allen died yesterday. I remember reading his All the Pope's Men and being impressed not only by the book itself but by his even-handed writing. I was truly impressed by the honesty with which he acknowledged his horror when his younger self was told by a respected mentor that he was a very biased writer. By the time I encountered him, Allen was someone I really respected. Even when I might not have agreed with all his conclusions, I respected him. And that's rare. 

I tend to agree with The Pillar's piece which says:

I think much of that came because John pioneered something in contemporary Church life: The idea that the Church could be covered in depth from a perspective that was neither cloying piety nor dismissive skepticism; that it could be considered the proper subject for proper journalism, understood and evaluated on its own terms, and by its own self-understanding, rather than by the imposition of ideologies or by broad and unoriginal presumptions about religion and religious people.

As a convert from secularism I appreciated that quality a lot.

Eternal rest grant unto John Allen, O Lord,

and let perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul,

through the mercy of God,

rest in peace.

Amen

[Two other books of his that I loved: To Light a Fire on the Earth (with Robert Barron) and A People of Hope. Another book of his which I recall liking - not sure why I didn't review it - The Global War on Christians.]

Worrying Rama, comforted by his brother

A depiction of Rama in the Ramayana. Worried about his wife Sita,
he is consoled by his brother Lakshmana.

I happen to know the story of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana (not to mention Hanuman and Ravana). It is depicted in numerous Hindi movies and often serves as a subtext which many Indians know like the back of their hand. I was looking for an image of someone worrying and loved when this popped up. He has reason to worry, by the way. Sita was his wife who had been kidnapped by the ten-headed demon Ravana. Don't worry it turns out ok in the end.

Bitterness, worry, and God

Bitterness is believing that God got it wrong. Worry is believing that God got it right.

Timothy Keller

I don't struggle with bitterness but I am a bit of a worrier. This is solid gold for helping me relax and trust.

Readers and Writers and Literature. Oh my!

It takes readers as well as writers to make literature.

Flannery O'Connor, Catholic Novelists and Their Readers

Simple but profound.

Don Quixote in the Study

Don Quixote in the Study, Gustav Dore

 Since our quote today is about reading. The link below the photo goes to a post that has lots of paintings of people reading. A lot of fun to look at.

The Plunge

The Plunge, Remo Savisaar

Remo tells us:

The kingfisher, having carefully spotted the exact location of its prey and waited for the perfect moment, suddenly tucks its belly in. This makes it look slimmer, but the purpose is to pull its feathers close to its body, leaving as little air as possible. In an instant, it propels itself into the air and plunges like a dart into the water. Splash! Just a second later, it emerges with a fish in its beak. It all happens incredibly fast! In my experience, the kingfisher almost always catches its prey — very rarely does it leave the water without a catch. After all, the kingfisher!

Go to the link to see the photo larger.

2026 is the Year of — John Carpenter, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Brothers Karamazov

 

Long ago, I used to have a long reading and viewing list at the beginning of each year. I dedicatedly worked my way through them. I posted them as my book and movie challenges.

I was heavily influenced by the blogging world in that way because that wasn't my natural way of doing things. My natural way was to skip, hop, and jump through what attracted me at the time. I've fallen back into that over time. However, my family has fallen into a few directed ways of watching movies and I have a few reading ideas for this year.

OSCARS — Our family enjoys things like picking a director (Billy Wilder, William Wyler) and working our way through their filmography. That's what led to our leisurely purusal of Oscar winners and nominees. Since September of 2024 we've covered them from 1931-1942. We're continuing with that viewing, which is occasional.

JOHN CARPENTER — round Chrismastime we got interested in John Carpenter because of an overlap with watching 1970s and 80s science fiction movies. Rose loves that crazy time in sf films because it is a transition period which results in some of the most iconic "of their time" sf. And it takes Tom and me back to when those were just some of the movies that came out when we were in high school and college.

In watching Escape From New York, we thought of Halloween (love it) and Carpenter's work as a top B-movie director of sf/horror. A new goal emerged — we're watching Carpenter's films from Dark Star on. Also occasionally as one can only take so much John Carpenter in a row. We are discovering him to be a very efficient director with a particular way of telling a story that we do enjoy. Also fun is seeing the "regulars" who are cast — beginning with Donald Pleasance.

POPE BENEDICT XVI — Last year I read John Paul II's complete encyclicals. It was really wonderful. It was a slow process but completely worth it. That made me want to read from his successor's writing. I also love me some Pope Benedict XVI. Last year I read, In the Beginning and that helped rekindle my desire to read more of his writing.

I've read a number of his works a while back, most specifically the Jesus of Nazareth trilogy, his encyclicals as they came out, and some of his teaching homilies published in book form. I read his Apostles book last year as a start to my focus and am now reading about the Fathers of the Church. I'm also interested in rereading the encyclicals and other works — for example, I am now reading a selected collection of his Advent, Christmas, Marian, and saint homilies.  That will be going on through the year.

BIG BOOKS — I've meant to reread Middlemarch for some time. I think this year will be that time. I also am going to attempt The Brothers Karamazov for a last time. I've now read just enough Russian novels that I might be able to get my head in the right space. No guarantees on this — I do not love Russian novels. But I at least understand them a little more.

There will be other big books because Scott and I are going to discuss Kristin Lavransdatter on A Good Story is Hard to Find. Also I've gotten interested in Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell again — this will be the third time. 

We'll see what else I find as I hop, skip, and jump through 2026.

Two Young Girls at the Piano

Two Young Girls at the Piano, Auguste Renoir

Since today's quote was about playing the piano (or fingers at any rate), this seemed like a good picture.

Woah. No musles in our fingers?

In order to allow dexterity and slimness for actions such as piano playng, the finger contains no muscles; tendons transfer force from muscles in the forearm and palm. In all, seventy separate muscles contribute to hand movements.

Dr. Paul Brand, Fearfully and Wonderfully ...

This blew my mind. Which is pretty much what the whole book did anyway.

Koyla (Coal)

A village girl agrees to a marriage to a king she has never met after he sends her a photograph of himself. But the man in the photograph is not the king but his most loyal slave, the handsome but mute Shankar.

Just a perfect viewing experience if you like 1990s Indian movies - and we do. That means this is for the experienced Indian movie viewer. We'd never have liked this seven years ago but now we relished every moment.

This is a villain heavy dramatic thriller with a good dose of Madhuri Dixit's classical dancing, Amrish Puri's over the top villain and, of course, Shah Rukh Khan's inimitable heroic style. You will believe that the hero can be mute (which really bemused us at the beginning of the film).

We really loved the "5 hands" scene which was very skillfully done for genuine laughs. I've never seen Johnny Lever with so few over the top moments, which was interesting. Anyway, it was a hit with us.

Being what you created us to be

You first loved us so that we might love you — not because youneeded our love, but because we could not be what you created us to be, except by loving you.

William of Saint-Thiery, On the Contemplation of God

I've seen this expressed before but never so well.

Snow Magic

Snow Magic, Edward B. Gordon

Edward B. Gordon says:

How the snowfall completely transforms and enchants our usual perspective. Suddenly, no explanation is needed, only wonder-filled observation. Every time, I feel almost as if I have the eyes of a child again.

Agreed! This painting perfectly captures that wonder.

Hawaiian Fisherman

Hawaiian Fisherman by Charles William Bartlett,
color woodblock print, 1916. Via J.R.'s Art Place.

I don't usually like wood prints. However, this is in the style of several book covers that my grandparets had. They were my father's old childhood books and when I was a kid I didn't really read them — but I liked the covers. It takes me back to those days.

One owed something to one's ancestors

When my father had been extravagant, he used to say gaily in self-defense that "one owed something to one's ancestors." Certainly,if it had not been for several of his ancestors, he would not have owed so much to his contemporaries.

C.N. and A.M. Williamson, The Motor Maid

This light, fun book was one of my top reads of 2025. This bit gives you a sense of the humor throughout.