Happy Birthday to Rose!

Yellow Rose Cake from Williams-Sonoma

This is strikingly similar to last year's birthday post for Rose ... largely because I tend to have the same thoughts about her on her birthday so far away from home.

This cake is because I was thinking of how much fun it would be to celebrate Rose's birthday with her in person.

Alas and alack, she is in the city of the angels and we are in Dallas. But it made me think of how she loves Texas. All the Texas cakes I found were rather uninspiring. Not that there is anything wrong with the Texas flag on a Texas shaped cake. In fact, that is the height of Texas love, but I couldn't find any photos that looked as if I wouldn't be ripping off a family cake photo.

So I naturally turned, for my Rose, to thinking of the yellow rose of Texas and it turns out that Williams-Sonoma has made the ultimate yellow rose cake. Ultimate.

Happy birthday my sweet Rose. 25 years old? How did that happen?

I know this year she will be alone on her birthday. Luckily that prospect didn't seem to bother her when we talked yesterday. Maybe she was eyeing the birthday box I sent. We'll talk after she opens it.

Until then this will have to do: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The Lord by Romano Guardini

That Jesus’ task “is consummated” must be true, because he says so (John 19:30). Yet what a spectacle of failure! His word rejected, his message misunderstood, his commands ignored. None the less, his appointed task is accomplished, through obedience to the death—that obedience whose purity counterbalances the sins of a world. That Jesus delivered his message is what counts—not the world’s reaction; and once proclaimed, that message can never be silenced, but will knock on men’s hearts to the last day.

How does one adequately review this magnificent book? I'm not really up to the task.

Romano Guardini set out to explore the life and words of Jesus in the gospels. He has a clarity and depth that often turns our view upside down to show the deep meaning of Jesus' words and actions. All this is done with a completely reverent viewpoint that never leaves Catholic teachings but yet shows us something new and startling.

Such then the Firstborn of all creation. In him may be found the prototypes of all forms, beings, values. As white light contains all colors, the Word virtually contains everything distributed over the breadth of the universe, the length of time, the depths of intelligence, the peaks of the ideal. Christ is the creative hand of the Father into which are graven the lines of the world's destinies from the beginning on. Each line or thread is separate, yet together they compose the universal tapestry whose forms go back to him, the Weaver. In his hand lie also the decisions of grace, the impenetrable warp and weft of sacred history with its revelations, its prophecies and warnings, the infinite fabric of that which is to cooperate for the good of those who love God. What a thought!

Bearing all this within him, that same Christ entered into history, loved and died in the narrow confines of a human life. ...

It is the book that delved into the Beatitudes in such a way that I finally related to them. It opened up the Book of the Revelation in such a way that moved the symbolism into how Christians live and strive to know Christ better. It left me knowing more about Christ, with a sense of excitement and inspiration about the Church and being Christian, and more insight into the eternal.

That's a lot to ask but I now understand why this book was considered personally important into forming both Pope Benedict's and Pope Francis's Catholic foundations. If one wonders how two such different-seeming popes can have one book so much in common (aside from the Bible, of course), then it begins to give a feel for the depth and breadth of this work.

I began this in Lent and am finishing close to the end of the Easter season which is very fitting. Most of the chapters were 4-5 pages and those were rich enough that they fueled my thoughts for the day. Thus it makes a perfect devotional.

NOTE: I can recommend this book to any Christians, not just Catholics.

Worth a Thousand Words: They Are Out!

They Are Out!
taken by Remo Savisaar

It is no wonder that this talented photographer has begun winning awards:

Dear friends, I am very happy to announce, that two of my photos received high prize in Estonian biggest Nature Photo contest!

Winner in "Animal behaviour" category and Winner in "Creative Visions of Nature." Also one photo was Highly Commended.

Biggest news was that I became Overall winner and received Grand Prix! :)

My sincere congratulations go to Remo Savisaar for this well deserved recognition. I also sincerely thank him for allowing me to share his work here over the years.

Worth a Thousand Words: Muzzle Nuzzle

Muzzle Nuzzle
taken by Valerie at Ucumari Photography
Some rights reserved

Well Said: What is certain in life and death

If anyone should ask: What is certain in life and death — so certain that everything else may be anchored in it? Life teaches us that this is the only true reply. Not people — not not even the best and dearest; not science, or philosophy, or art or any other product of human genius. Also not nature, which is so full of profound deception ...  The answer is: The love of Christ. … Only through Christ do we know that God’s love is forgiving. Certain is only that which manifested itself on the cross. The heart of Jesus Christ is the beginning and end of all things.

Romano Guardini, The Lord

I am certain that the love of Christ is my anchor to true reality in this world. When I look at life without focusing on Jesus is when I go astray, lie to myself, get fooled.

The full manifestation of his love is truly on the cross. It always comes back to the cross. That shadow looms over all. I cannot look away. Not from horror, but in gratitude.

Pesto alla Genovese

Or as we now know it in America, Pesto. Get this classic recipe at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Blogging Around: The "I Just Liked This Story" Edition

The Papal Nuncio and Sparkly Kitty Shoes

He help up his hand and silenced the mother, and leaning forward on the crozier, he asked the girl, “Those are special shoes. Do you like them?”

She pulled the thumb from her mouth and chirped “They’re spark-a-we.”

“Ah. Sparkly is important in shoes.” He told her. “Are they your favorite?”

“She never takes them off.” Her mother confessed.

“They’re my booful shoes!” the girl shrieked to the amusement of a growing crowd.

The Papal Nucio placed a hand on the girl’s head, looked at her mother and then around at the rest of us and said, “This child is teaching us two important lessons today. The first is – do not be conformed to the rules of this world - the rules of this world are meaningless. And the second is – always offer to God your best. Even when the best you have is sparkling cat shoes.”

There's a third lesson but you can read that for yourself at Shoved to Them.

From the Corner of the Eye

“Evil-ution,” said Danny Mulloney to his beer, “is just plain wrong.”

The O Neil and I exchanged looks. There is a certain way that people have of inflecting their voices, a way of lilting this vowel or that, or stretching the odd syllable or two, that lets you know that they’ve said more than they’ve spoken. ...

This is a wonderful short story in the best tradition of one of my favorite genres, tall tales told in taverns. When the tale is told by Michael Flynn then you know you're in for a good 'un. This one did something I've never seen before and it really shocked me. (Just from the story point of view; the story is perfectly safe for general consumption.)

Read From the Corner of the Eye and find out more about the story at Michael Flynn's blog.

This is How It Is

Rage.

Rage that I should have just been selfish and eaten the leftovers myself. Rage that I was really being just about as selfish now. And rage that we ever let those damn freezer pops into the house that people have been harassing me about all morning.

Go, son, into the outer darkness! No, you may not have your popsicle now. You may have it when your father has recovered from the urge to strike you and when you have waited out the penance for your own hastiness and waste.

Darwin's been minding the kids, over at DarwinCatholic, and the results are blindingly honest, familiar to any parent, and sidesplittingly funny. Go and enjoy.

18 Free Audiobooks Over the Summer, Classics and Modern

It's SYNC time again!

They give away 2 free audiobook downloads every week of the summer. Beginning this week!

SYNC is promoting literacy for listeners 13+ so the novels pair a current young adult title with a classic or required summer reading list title.

For example, this week Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl is paired with Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier.

Each set of titles is available free for only one week so if you see something you want then get it while you can. These are professionally produced audiobooks which are donated by the publishers.

The program isn't limited to anything except your willingness to use OverDrive, which many library systems already use to allow online audio borrowing.

I discovered this program through Jesse at SFFaudio. Here's a link to his initial post which details the steps necessary to use OverDrive. It's a bit of a pain but not bad once you get used to it.

Read all about SYNC and sign up for their emails at their website.

Worth a Thousand Words: Easter Island Heads ... And Bodies!

Excavated Moai Photo: Easter Island Statue Project
via Your Daily Art

Holy cannoli, Batman!

Who knew the Easter Island heads were just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak? They are just what is visible of gigantic buried statues.

According to the ArtNet story, this isn't a new story although it is the first I've heard of it. There are a lot more photos and information at the link.

The Perfect Confirmation Gift: Happy Catholic

Happy Catholic: Glimpes of God in Everyday Life is beautifully written. The style, which achieves the admirable feat of being both ice-cold and white-hot, is electrifying. Julie Davis is never preachy, condescending, or, worse, sentimental. She states her arguments elegantly and clearly, and she has the wit and grace to remember that there are, after all, other opinions, other worldviews.

This book is a collections of quotes. It's been too long since I've read a non-formulaic, original work, let alone one that openly bares the soul of the author and makes you respect them for honestly portraying life as filled with shades of grey instead of being just black or white. Julie Davis writes like Roseanne Barr does standup. No foolin' and to the barbed point with lotsa chuckles along the way.

Think beach book, think train tome, think plane paperback, think graduation gift, think library literature! Absolutely recommend this book.

I'm indebted to Mary Ann whose Amazon review makes me very happy indeed.

Happy Catholic (the book) still makes a great confirmation gift or even a belated Easter gift to new Catholics.

And even if you've been reading the blog all these years, there isn't any duplicated content. It was all written specifically for the book.

Just thought I'd put that reminder out there!

Dante's 750th Birthday, Pope Francis and Some Good Reading

On the eve of the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the Holy Father expresses his hope that during this year the figure of Dante and his work will also accompany us on this personal and community path. “Indeed”, he remarks, “the Comedy may be read as a great itinerary, or rather as a true pilgrimage, both personal and interior, and communal, ecclesial, social and historical. It represents the paradigm of every authentic journey in which humanity is called upon to leave what Dante defines as 'the threshing-floor that makes us so ferocious' to attain a new condition, marked by harmony, peace and happiness. And this is the horizon of every true humanism”.

“Dante is, therefore, a prophet of hope, herald of the possibility of redemption, of liberation, of the profound transformation of every man and woman, of all humanity. He continues to invite us to rediscover the lost or obscured meaning of our human path and to hope to see again the shining horizon on which there shines in all its fullness the dignity of the human person. Honouring Dante Alighieri, as Paul VI has already invited us to do, we are able to enrich ourselves with his experience in order to cross the many dark forests still scattered on our earth and to happily complete our pilgrimage in history, to reach the destination dreamed of and wished for by every man: 'the love that moves the sun in heaven and all the stars'”.

That's not all Pope Francis had to say so just click over to the Vatican Information Service for the whole scoop.

How Dante Can Save Your Life: The Life-Changing Wisdom of History's Greatest Poem by Rod Dreher

I recently got interested in rereading The Divine Comedy because of Rod Dreher's new book.

However, before I get to that book I have a couple of others I'm interested in. Why I feel I need to read them first I don't know. I'm just going with the (internal) flow on this.


Heaven and Hell: Visions of the Afterlife in the Western Poetic Tradition by Louis Markos

I really enjoyed Louis Markos' On the Shoulders of Hobbits. Having begun this I'm hooked. The way Louis Markos examined the Hebrew and Greek views of the afterlife are insightful and exciting. Dante's Divine Comedy takes up the middle of the book and I'm looking forward to that part quite a bit.

You'll be seeing excerpts from this show up soon as daily quotes.

Also it didn't hurt that he gives my favorite John Ciardi his endorsement as best Dante translation and notes. In fact: "Ciardi is really the only guide you need to Dante." (I've been so beaten up for not preferring other translations that Markos' recommendation was balm to my wounds.) Not that he doesn't comment on many other translations also. When the bibliography is as invitingly written as this, then you know the book's got to be good.


Reading Dante: From Here to Eternity by Prue Shaw

I can't remember where I came across this. Possibly from my pal Garry Wilmore on Goodreads. He began learning Italian in order to read Dante in the original. That's how much he loves his writing.

So when he gave this 5 stars I knew it had to be good.


The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Ultimately, I'd be remiss not to include the actual book itself. We don't want to forget in reading about The Divine Comedy that ultimately it is a book we should read for itself. I'm not going to ever get into a translation battle because I don't know enough to advise others. I do know what worked for me, though, and on that basis I can highly recommend John Ciardi's translation with the excellent notes.

As I mentioned above, Louis Markos has a few words of recommendation also, which I'll include here. Because Markos does know about translations.

Many great translators have turned their sights to Dante, but I still think that the best English version of the Divine Comedy (Inferno, Purgatory, Paradise) is by John Ciardi. In addition to his excellent and powerful translation, Ciardi supplies a wealth of notes that help make the work come alive; he even teaches us how to pronounce all the Italian names properly. Indeed, Ciardi is all you need to understand Dante, for his notes draw together much of the best criticism. The introductions and afterwords to all three editions are particularly good.

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne


This was a great book. It was very different from The Scarlet Letter style-wise with lots of description which set mood, tone, and gave layers of additional meaning. Luckily, I've been reading so much Dickens lately that I was able to recognize when to abandon my usual "don't bore us, get to the chorus" reading style and sink into those layers. Hawthorne also does eccentric characters who you learn to love in a way that is Dickens-worthy also, including (but not limited to) a family of chickens.

It has plenty of mysterious, haunted atmosphere but isn't without comedy. I already mentioned the chickens, of course. The urchin who comes daily to Hepzibah's shop to buy gingerbread cookies was a delight. Indeed, Hepzibah's efforts to set up her "cent shop" were both humorous and touching in the way that the best writing can be.

Here's the way the back of the book description began: "The House of the Seven Gables is one of Hawthorne's defining works, a vivid depiction of American life and values replete with brilliantly etched characters." And it goes on through "lives caught in the common fire of history."

Wait, were you trying to get me to NOT read it? Luckily I was lured into reading so that I could listen to SFFaudio's discussion of it a year ago. That may not be enough to lure you so I will try to do a little better.

The Pyncheon family lives in a mansion built on land wrested from Matthew Maule after Colonel Pyncheon accuses him of witchcraft. Maule laid a curse on the Pyncheons before his death, that they would choke on their own blood. Of course. And many of them have in the generations since then. Also of course.

The family has dwindled to aged spinster Hepzibah and her mentally disturbed brother Clifford. When they are helped by sprightly, young cousin Phoebe and then threatened by rich, malicious cousin Judge Pyncheon the house's ghosts begin to descend on the cursed family. And there is a mysterious lodger. Also a family of chickens.

Now THAT'S a story I'm going to read. And you should too.

Help a prolife couple struggling under difficult circumstances

Baby Olive was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. A debilitating and lethal genetic syndrome that has a .027% chance of existing in a healthy 27 year old woman. This coupled with the fact that Olive’s heart is only half developed, and due to a hernia, her stomach is in her chest cavity; stopping her lungs from developing, is sealing our daughter’s fate.

We will only have mere minutes to spend with Olive when she enters this world.

This expectant mother is a high school friend of my daughter's. She and her fiance are facing what it means to be prolife under difficult circumstances.

They were already struggling greatly with the expenses of an unexpected pregnancy, as they found out that their baby has trisomy 18: Edward's Syndrome. She will not survive to term, and will die in their arms a few minutes after her early birth. They are persevering, but it is pushing them to the edge of bankruptcy.

Read the whole story and donate at the link. Bonus: you'd be supporting an Iraq war veteran!

Worth a Thousand Words: The Proposal

William-Adolphe Bouguereau, The Proposal, 1872

Today's art is in honor of a real life event in our family — our oldest daughter Hannah became engaged yesterday.

We are thrilled. Hannah's fiance, Mark, is a wonderful young man who is a great fit with our family (always a nice bonus!). Most importantly they seem perfect for each other. We look forward to much future happiness as they begin planning their life together.

Happy Birthday, Dear Tom!

This is from Wikipedia because
I forgot to take a photo of mine, which looked just like this,
except it had sliced strawberries.

As we know, I take birthdays very seriously, especially when it is that of the love of my life.

We'll have been married thirty-one years next month and, as has become a habit for me more and more,  I have been realizing the happiness that comes from spending so much time with one person. I should say, with that one person who is practically perfect for me in every way.

We'll be feasting on Chinese food at a favorite restaurant in Richardson's Chinatown. I am making our new favorite, Pavlova with Strawberries, which is just like eating a cloud. A delicious, delicious cloud.

No gifts I get him can ever express my love adequately ... of course! But I have a few offerings which will attempt to fill the gap.

Happy Birthday, dear Tom!

Well Said: The live current and the flow of love

The love Christ means is a live current that comes from God, is transmitted from person to person, and returns to God. It runs a second cycle reaching from God to an individual, from the individual to his neighbor, and back through faith to God. He who breaks the circuit at any point breaks the flow of love. He who transmits purely, however small a part of that love, helps establish the circuit for the whole.

Romano Guardini, The Lord

Audible's Daily Deal Today is a Ray Bradbury Classic

Something Wicked This Way Comes is only $3.95 on Audible today. It's one of my favorite Ray Bradbury novels.

Worth a Thousand Words: Autumn Through Kitchen Window

Raleigh, NC, Home
taken by the blue hour

Perhaps I should explain that I was looking at the photos taken in the home pictured below and a gentle, contemplative piece by Andre Previn came into my earbuds. It seemed fated that this picture with the contrast between stark, modern architecture and the autumn woods should capture my imagination.

Check out the blue hour's post for all the photos from this spread of a Raleigh, NC, home.

Worth a Thousand Words: The Big Trail

John Wayne, The Big Trail, 1930

I was listening to You Must Remember This, a wonderful podcast in which Karina Longworth explores the secret and/or forgotten histories of 20th Century Hollywood.

Her series on Hollywood stars during World War II, cleverly called Star Wars, has gotten to an episode on John Wayne. She's examining why he didn't sign up for the war but I was more captured by her recommendation to look at stills from his first movie. Oooo la la! This ain't the Duke of popular memory!

Who Would Dare to Love ISIS? (A Letter from the People of the Cross to ISIS)

As the world responds to the Islamic State with hatred and vengeance, there is one group that is responding differently. They are not allies with ISIS but enemies. And they have been slain by the thousands in the hands of ISIS. ISIS calls them The Nation of the Cross - The ones they have killed are bringing a message of forgiveness and hope. Declaring a love that they do not know - A love that reconciles even the worst of us and can make enemies into brothers.

We worked with several Arab Christians and Middle East Refugees to get their feedback. Also had it translated by an Arab Christian from Egypt.

This is powerful stuff from the heart of where Christianity lives and was born. The message of Christ's love ... from a group called MIGHTY.LA.

This reminds me that even while we strive to stop ISIS we must not forget to pray for them. If ever there were truly lost souls, it is these mistaken people.



The transcript of the video is at their site. It's going into my quote journal.

Via The Deacon's Bench.

Worth a Thousand Words: Waxwings

Waxwings
taken by Remo Savisaar

Blogging Around: Grab Bag

Daredevil, Catholicism, and the Marvel Moral Universe

The Netflix series has chosen to make religion a foundational aspect of Matt’s character, expressing his struggles with his faith through his actions, and weaving that inner turmoil with outer drama to build him into a hero. Because the show is infused with Catholicism—and actually enacts a certain type of theology, as opposed to simply utilizing imagery and shallow references—it’s able to create an interplay between the fictional world of the show and the real world of Catholic faith in a way that I haven’t seen on television…well, ever?

This piece at Tor.com is an in-depth look at all the things I love to find in entertainment. Unfortunately their description of the violence made me sure that it's not something I want to watch. At least not right now. I've got enough stuff going on that I am in my happy-watching mode. But that did leave me free to read the entire piece which has spoilers for the first season. And it left me really wanting to see it.

Bad Christian Art

I’m convinced that bad art derives, like bad literary theory, from bad theology. To know God falsely is to write and paint and sculpt and cook and dance Him falsely. Perhaps it’s not poor artistic skill that yields bad Christian art, in other words, but poor Christianity.

[...]

In short, if Christian novels and movies and blogs and speeches must be stripped of profanity and sensuality and critical questions, all for the sake of sparing us scandal, then we have to wonder what has happened that such a wide swath of Christendom has failed to graduate from milk to meat.

An insightful piece from Tony Woodlief at Image. I concur. Read it all.

Mental Illness: The Cold Reboot of the Soul

Thomas L. McDonald shares his personal story and reminds us that everything has a purpose, even mental illness. It is moving, inspiring, and informative all in one. Here's a bit. Then go read it all.

The interesting part of all this, and the reason I’m sharing it now when I very rarely write personal things, is that while it’s put pressure on my faith observations, it hasn’t damaged my actual faith at all. I don’t blame God for this and I accept it as my cross even though I’d really like to stop carrying it for a while any time now God.

Maintaining a regular prayer schedule is nearly impossible in this condition. I visited with some friends last night and spent some in their parish prayer chapel where the Eucharist was exposed. I was able to pray the 22nd Psalm and that was it. The rest of the time, I had hardly a single word in my head, not even the Jesus prayer which is usually my go-to meditation. I just sat silently staring at the sacrament.

And you know something? It was enough. My faith is always too much in my head. There’s a useful side effect to that: it’s very rarely shaken. Even when I don’t “feel” it I know that, intellectually, it’s still a rock to stand on. A faith that is too much in the head grows arid, but one that is too much in the heart is easily buffeted by emotional trauma.

Three Methods of Prayer That Will Change Your Life

From my inbox: Philip Kosloski has a good piece on methods of prayer.

How to Help Persecuted Catholics in Middle East

CNEWA’s mandate is to support the Eastern churches in Catholicism, meaning the Catholic communities scattered across the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe that draw on Eastern Orthodox traditions. In recent years, that’s made CNEWA a prime mover in delivering aid to persecuted Christians in some of the world’s leading hot spots.

Today, CNEWA is among the largest providers of aid to Middle Eastern Christians anywhere in the world. Though it’s a Catholic organization, it helps Christians of all sorts.

This is from John Allen's piece which is quite good. I came to it via The Deacon's Bench where there are more links because Deacon Greg Kandra works for them! CNEWA looks like a wonderful way to support our persecuted brothers and sisters in the Middle East.

Worth a Thousand Words: Lahmacun

Lahmacun
taken by Eating Asia

Whatever you do, don't call it Turkish pizza!

Why? Find out at Eating Asia.

Well Said: Shaming and Public Disapproval

In this day of New Victorians and Neo Puritans, shaming and public disapproval have again become the weapon of choice for society at large. And it is a very effective weapon.

Because it hurts.

L. Jagi Lamplighter

I have to say that back in the day when political correctness became the new way to do things, I never saw this coming. I felt it was nice to consider other people's feelings and refer to them using respectful terms and so forth.

I  didn't foresee how far the pendulum would swing so that majority rule would conduct public shaming campaigns in the name of "tolerance." (They keep using that word. I don't think they understand what it means.)

In one sense it's fascinating because we're now seeing what happens when liberals get caught up in their own version of that famous conservative example which culminated in the Communist-hunting investigations.

In another sense, it hurts. Lamplighter speaks whereof she knows because her husband is John C. Wright who's one of the targets of the Hugo Awards public shaming debacle that's going on right now.

The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown

The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connections and Courage by Brené Brown

“In my research,” Dr. Brown says, “the word I use to describe people who can live from a place of vulnerability is wholehearted.” Being wholehearted is a practice—one that we can choose to cultivate through empathy, gratitude, and awareness. Join this engaging and heartfelt teacher on The Power of Vulnerability as she offers profound insights on leaning into the full spectrum of emotions—so we can show up, let ourselves be seen, and truly be all in.

The best way to get an idea of this book is to watch Brené Brown's TED Talk on vulnerability. It was a real eye-opener for me and it went viral so I wasn't alone in loving it.

I was delighted to find this 6-talk series on Audible that I could use as a refresher.  Brown pulls together all her research to continue the vulnerability conversation on a deeper level.

Brown herself is so engaging and genuine that the sessions are easy to listen to. She freely shares personal stories as examples so you know you're not alone when you recognize some behavior being discussed. And she's funny. I will never forget her story about the three-dozen cookies.

Brown's work is like a secular look at the human condition and how to live as our most honest, fulfilled selves. She doesn't ignore spirituality. Indeed, her research found that is a key component of whole-hearted peoples' lives. I was fascinated when I realized how often  Brown's findings echoed personal discoveries I've made in 15 years of Catholicism. I look back at how far I've come and I see someone who has come into the light after spending much of my life in darkness.

One of the things I loved was when Brown said that if you feel shame then she can guarantee there are other people who feel that same shame. Again, a very Catholic teaching. As someone said to me the other day about the value of belonging to our parish, "I learned we're all broken. It's not just me. I'm not alone."

I didn't always agree with every single thing Brown said (and I bet she's ok with that imperfection!). However, those were usually the instances where she was making her own points instead of using research based information. My disagreement didn't come on many points and they didn't matter to the overall work.

Am I done? Of course not. We're never done, as Brown points out and as the Church also tells us. But Brown's work comes together wonderfully well for anyone who is striving for a more authentic life. (That's all of us, by the way.) I learned things that help me understand why I act the way I do. Over-functioning when stressed — right here! Will that change things? Not sure but it can't hurt to know it.

And it meshes wonderfully well with the Catholic faith which just validates both even more to me.

I'll probably be revisiting these talks occasionally for a refresher. Highly recommended for ... everyone.

Well Said: Christianity and ordinary life

Before I became a Christian I do not think I fully realized that one's life after conversion would inevitably consist in doing most of the same things one had been doing before. One hopes in a new spirit, but still the same things.

C.S. Lewis, Weight of Glory

I never thought about that at all, but yeah. Life goes on, but in a new spirit.

Worth a Thousand Words: Hepatica Flower

Hepatica Flower
taken by the incomparable Remo Savisaar

Before the Disney Mary Poppins, there were the delightful books

Here's a sampler of one of my favorite chapters, read for you at Forgotten Classics podcast.

Well Said: Did you grieve to hear of the afflictions he suffered?

"May I say," said Florence, " that you grieved to hear of the afflictions he has suffered?"

"Not," she replied, "if they have taught him that his daughter is very dear to him. He will not grieve for them himself, one day, if they have brought that lesson, Florence."

Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son

I may never have seen a clearer or more succinct summary of the Mystery of the Cross.

Review: Art: A New History by Paul Johnson

Art: A New History by Paul Johnson

In Art: A New History, Paul Johnson turns his great gifts as a world historian to a subject that has enthralled him all his life: the history of art. This narrative account, from the earliest cave paintings up to the present day, has new things to say about almost every period of art. Taking account of changing scholarship and shifting opinions, he draws our attention to a number of neglected artists and styles, especially in Scandinavia, Germany, Russia and the Americas.

Paul Johnson puts the creative originality of the individual at the heart of his story. He pays particular attention to key periods: the emergence of the artistic personality in the Renaissance, the new realism of the early seventeenth century, the discovery of landscape painting as a separate art form, and the rise of ideological art. He notes the division of 'fashion art' and fine art at the beginning of the twentieth century, and how it has now widened.

I love the way that Johnson is able to make everything so clear in terms of how various civilizations' art mirrors their governing styles. He also made me really respect early man (you know, the ones who filled those caves with all that fantastic art) by explaining things I didn't know about both the art and what the artists went through for their accomplishments.

This took me a couple of years to leisurely work my way through. Now that I'm done I'm going to miss Paul Johnson's voice looking at history and art and the fascinating, creative people who are artists.

This is simply superb. Johnson has his prejudices but they are few and fairly discussed. It probably helps that I share many of Johnson's opinions but just never had the wherewithal to understand why. And now I do!

My only wish is for a companion volume that shows all the images that Johnson mentions. There simply wasn't room in this book for enough of the actual art.

I'll be putting this in my rereading stack.

John C. Wright's Grocery List

This is too funny. Here's a bit. Then go read it all...

A fan remarks:

“I would rather read Wright’s grocery list than any of the “literary” stuff in the genre now.”

How funny you should mention that! I happen to have my grocery list right here.

Items to pick up:

A pound of Apples, despite that this mortal fruit is the one whose taste brought all our woe in paradise;

A sack of flour, child of an unworthy grain, those firstfruits offered by the first murderer and his first victim, his brother, which horrid fratricide to this day we repeat;

Rivendell and Lothlórien’s competing bed and breakfasts

Just one of the many topics under discussion in SFFaudio's discussion of The Ring Goes South (a.k.a. the second half of The Fellowship of the Ring). Join Jesse, Seth, Maissa, and me!

Blogging Around: The Media Edition

A New "Wrinkle" in Time

I was fascinated to see that Madeleine L'Engle's granddaughter has discovered a three-page section that was cut from the original classic, A Wrinkle in Time. I didn't know that people looked at Camazotz as a commentary on communism. That never occurred to me. This sheds light on what L'Engle had in mind.

In it, Meg has just made a narrow escape from Camazotz. As Meg’s father massages her limbs, which are frozen from a jarring trip through space and time, she asks: “But Father, how did the Black Thing—how did it capture Camazotz?” Her father proceeds to lay out the political philosophy behind the book in much starker terms than are apparent in the final version.

He says that yes, totalitarianism can lead to this kind of evil. (The author calls out examples by name, including Hitler, Mussolini and Khrushchev.) But it can also happen in a democracy that places too much value on security, Mr. Murry says. “Security is a most seductive thing,” he tells his daughter. “I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s the greatest evil there is.”

Ms. Voiklis said she wanted readers to know the book wasn’t a simple allegory of communism. Instead, it’s about the risk of any country—including a democracy—placing too much value on security. The tension between safety and personal freedom is an idea that resonates in today’s politics.

Read the whole article at the Wall Street Journal. There's a link in the article to a pdf of the omitted pages. I can see how they would have slowed the story down, yet the point L'Engle was making really resonates with me. We're living right now with that same problem of too much prosperity leading to too great a desire for security.

Pope Francis and the CNN Anchor's Renewed Faith

Deacon Greg Kandra is in Jordan right now and you really should take a look at his posts which are fascinating.

I don't know how he has time to also keep track of other news but this one grabbed my attention. Not only does it give a wonderful story of CNN anchor Carol Costello's return to faith, but it shows how Pope Francis is drawing people's attention to Church teachings in a way that lets them see the mercy underlying it.

In an interview with newly appointed Cardinal Lacroix, she pursues her questions about a statement from Pope Francis that surprised her. This is just part so do go read the whole piece for yourself.

But isn't homosexuality a sin in the eyes of the church?

"There is room for everyone. The door is open," Cardinal Lacroix insisted. "Of course you know that the Catholic Church will never promote same sex marriage, but do we respect homosexual persons? Do we welcome them? Do we accompany them? Of course. But to respect the Church and its teaching, which is based on a long tradition and also the word of God, we will not go so far as to bless. But that doesn't mean we reject."

That last sentiment -- "that doesn't mean we reject." -- did it for me.

And that's what I liked. What the cardinal tells her is basic Catholic teaching but in a way that allows her to really hear the whole message. And that's Francis's gift, it seems to me.

Plastic Bags

Like a lot of places Dallas has put a tax on plastic bags from stores. Their heart is in the right place but I never saw any statistics to justify it. Just the same old "everyone knows" argument about helping the environment. So I was really interested when Skeptoid podcast did an episode on that very issue.

Researching this episode was the most difficult time I've had yet doing Skeptoid. Not surprisingly, it's hard to find any information on this topic that isn't advocacy one way or another. There are plausible, reasonable claims that plastic bags aren't that bad - thoughtfully provided by the plastic bag industry. There are horrific tales of disaster - dished up by environmental advocacy groups with their hands out. But actual science? That seems to be pretty rare, and it's hard to dig much up.

But you do get what science there is on the topic which yielded surprising results. You can listen to the Skeptoid episode or read the transcript here which also has links.

Russian Movie Censorship — It's Back!

The Kremlin says upcoming movie "Child 44" distorts historical facts about Soviet Union and presents Russia as a dark land. Consequently the Russian release has been canceled. Well, it is a movie so that's probably true. Hollywood never lets the truth get in the way of a great story. However, the Russians seem pretty paranoid about Stalin's legacy and, let's face it, that legacy isn't one I'd want to hold up to a bright light.

Mr. Medinsky criticized the film not just for its take on the country’s war effort but also for its negative portrayal of life under Stalin in general. He encouraged local viewers to rid themselves of what he termed as “these endless schizophrenic reflections” on Russian history.

“It is time to finally form our own idea about ourselves as the heirs of a great, unique Russian civilization,” he wrote. “Without that, they will crush us.”

For anyone who was around for the Cold War, and I was, this all sounds disturbingly familiar. If the truth hurts, just don't let anyone know it. This one's all around the internet but I read it in the Wall Street Journal.

"Controversial" or "Historic?'

Get Religion asks: Why does Washington Post label one religious freedom law 'controversial' and another 'historic?'

In the media storm over a religious freedom law passed in Indiana, the Washington Post repeatedly used the term "controversial" to describe the measure (examples here, here and here).

However, the Post prefers other words to characterize a gay rights bill passed in Utah, including "landmark" and "historic."

Words matter. Read it all.

=======

NOTE: if you can't read an entire WSJ article, try going to Google or Bing and searching for the article. Often if you come in that "door" the whole article is available.

Well Said: The Utter Reliabililty of God's Love

Christ's death discloses the utter reliability of God's love above all in the light of his resurrection. As the risen one, Christ is the trustworthy witness, deserving of faith (cf. Rev. 1:5, Heb. 2:17), and a solid support for our faith ... Had the Father's love not causes Jesus to rise from the dead, had it not been able to restore his body to life, then it would not be a completely reliable love, capable of illuminating also the gloom of death.

Pope Francis, Lumen Fidei

Yes.

I reread this recently and found so much enlightenment and inspiration within. It is well worth revisiting regularly.

Worth a Thousand Words: White Stork

White Stork
taken by Remo Savisaar

Doesn't this look like a coy, runway walk?

My Continuing Dickens Exploration: Dombey and Son

Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens

(Writing this without spoilers probably will lead to misdirection, but I feel there are too many people who probably haven't read this book. And I DO want to say some things.)

*big sigh* Oh, that was good.

It is interesting to me that I began reading Dickens with his later books. Going backwards to his earlier creations, one can see the training wheels on in some places. There are some very predictable plot developments that the reader sees as soon as the seeds are introduced. However, Dickens (that genius) still managed to surprise me again and again with unexpected twists that made the story lively and interesting.

One thing that doesn't change from book to book is the creation of eccentric characters who begin by seeming odd and funny but wind up stealing your heart. I'd never have thought that I'd care passionately about Susan Nipper, Cap'n Cuttle, Miss Tox, or Mr. Toots but I really did.

I also appreciated the way that Florence, the character with the least development in many ways (one motivation and one only) was used to show us so much about other characters. Mr. Dombey, Edith, and little Paul all showed surprising depth as they came into contact with Florence whose only desire was love. I was especially impressed with what we were shown of Mr. Dombey's internal character using this technique.

There were times also when the power of Dickens' writing washed over me and left me bereft of my own words. Most notably in Mr. Dombey and Edith's argument in her bedroom, in Mr. Carker's conversation with Edith discussing Mr. Dombey's character, and in the chapter Rob the Grinder Loses His Place where I felt as tired and mentally confused as the fleeing fugitive whose thoughts we read. Here Dickens worked the seemingly impossible feat of making me sorry for someone who I'd been longing to see punished.

On a personal note, I was astounded by in the chapter After a Lapse when Harriet is advancing a proposition to the fellow who plays the violoncello. This book suddenly became a reflection of how many times we stubbornly think we know best and refuse God's love, only to find that his forgiveness and mercy are boundless ... especially when we've fallen the very lowest and don't deserve it ... and yet it is freely and lovingly given. I don't know if that is what Dickens intended, but it is certainly what struck me hard. It was a revelatory moment that left me turning off the audiobook to simply think about the implications of that interpretation when applied to the other stories woven into the novel.

It isn't the perfect Dickens novel. It sagged in the middle when there was a transition from emphasis on Paul to introducing Edith, and there were those predictable plot points I mentioned. It probably won't ever be my favorite (right now those honors are shared by The Pickwick Papers, Bleak House, and Little Dorrit), but it is a great book and very rewarding on a lot of levels.

Best Product Review Ever

Lifted from John C. Wright's blog ... I literally laughed out loud.

Product review

Be sure to take a quick glance to the right for the product picture ... it took me a bit to get oriented since the review is on the left.

Review: The Book of Feasts & Seasons by John C. Wright

The Book of Feasts & Seasons by John C. Wright

THE BOOK OF FEASTS & SEASONS is a beautifully mind-bending stroll with a grandmaster of science fiction through the annual Catholic calendar. Over the course of the year, from January to December, the author takes his inspiration from ten different holidays and explores their meanings in a series of stories of marvelous imagination. ... 

I'd already read several of these stories online, exactly where escapes me but probably on the author's blog. However, seeing how many pieces from this collection were nominated for Hugos made me finally pick up the book.

Stories range from noir style mystery to dinosaurs to time travel to mad scientists in the best tradition of solid science fiction. Wright also weaves in Christian themes, often specifically Catholic ones, which is only to be expected since the book's description points out that the author is following the Catholic liturgical calendar.

What is a mystery is how Wright manages write stories so centered in science fiction while also staying so centered in Catholicism. In a sense these could be compared to the Narnia books or C.S. Lewis's space trilogy. Except, of course, they are so obviously the creation of John C. Wright that they are entirely new and fresh.

As in any collection I liked some more than others but all are good. My absolute favorite is Nativity which caught me by surprise and left me off balance. Wright so absolutely captured the mystery, the uncertainty, the doubt, and gift of faith in that story. I felt the reality of the Passion and crucifixion, I felt the wonder and freshness of the nativity, I felt the marvel of Creation. I was in tears at the end and thankful for the goodness of God.

I do wonder whether non-Christians can enjoy these stories but obviously the answer is yes since so many of them were nominated for the Hugos by science fiction fans.

A Magnificent Book: Mockingbird by Walter Tevis

Mockingbird by Walter Tevis

Only the mockingbird sings at the edge of the woods.

Why have I never heard of this magnificent book before?

Thank goodness my mother, 80 years old and never afraid of a Kindle Daily Deal, read it and commanded me to do likewise.

In the 25th century all the work is done by robots, the ones that haven't broken down. Mankind stumbles along in a drugged stupor, trained from birth to avoid thinking and that "privacy is supreme. They haven't the basic knowledge to repair anything, much less a complex machine.

One of the last of the great thinking robots, Spofforth is the dean of the university in New York City. Paul from Ohio has taught himself the lost art of reading and wants to teach it at the university. Mary Lou has dropped out of the system only to be tempted into putting herself in harm's way by the lure of "What did you call it? Reading?" These three give us a fascinating and nuanced look at what it means to be human.

I've been jaded by the plethora of recent apocalyptic novels but this one is different. Written in 1980 by the author of such varied works as The Man Who Fell to Earth and The Hustler, this book is eerily prescient.

Perhaps the highest tribute I can give this novel is that when I finished I didn't want to read another book. To do so would sully what I'd just read before I'd finished thinking about it, as well as be unfair to anything that followed because it wouldn't be able to compare.

I can only say, as my mother did, "Why haven't we heard of Mockingbird before? Why isn't it a well-known classic?"

Let's change that. Read it for yourself.

Well Said: The Spider's Web

Outside the moon had come out. It was full, a disk of bright silver. I saw a large, dramatic spider web on my back porch that must have been made while I was in the house with my mind in turmoil; the spider was just finishing the outer circle of it. The moon illuminated the strands of the big taut web so that it seemed to be made of pure light. It was dazzling, geometric and mysterious, and it calmed me just to stop and look at it, at the elaboration and power of life that could make such a design.

Walter Tevis, Mockingbird

Worth a Thousand Words: Aurora Borealis

Aurora Borealis
taken by Remo Savisaar

I really cannot imagine looking out my window and seeing this. It must really feel surreal. Like being on another planet.

Books Just In: Tweets, Seeds, Encounters, A Way Forward, and a Giveaway

Ah spring book season, when the new growth of authors and publishers sprout at the mailbox, unexpectedly delighting book reviewers.

I love it.

I won't get a chance to read these as fast as you deserve to hear about them. But they did pass the first chapter test and make it onto my "to read" stack, so here's a heads up.

Tweeting with God: # Big Bang, Prayer, Bible, Sex, Crusades, Sin, Career . . . by Michael Remery

Ok, I might not have been entirely accurate. I have mostly read this book. In record time. But there's a review embargo until the release date of April 14. So details will have to wait.

Suffice it to say for now, I love this book. A. Lot.

5 stars "love it." Have been bugging people I know by showing it to them "love it."

I'm just sayin'.

Seeds of the Word: Finding God in the Culture by Robert Barron

In a sense I've read some of this book already since it's a collection of Father Barron's columns from his blog and various other places (I think) around the interwebs.

I always like getting his take on what's happening below the surface in books and movies. This also throws in sections on pop culture and politics so it is bound to be interesting. If I could get a wish it would have been to have printouts of these columns. Wish granted!

GIVEAWAY! [UPDATED] I got two copies of this one so if you want to be entered into a giveaway, just leave a comment for this post. If you have trouble signing in, just leave an Anonymous comment and write your name in the comment. WINNER: Manny!

Encountering Truth: Meeting God in the Every Day by Pope Francis

Early every morning, Pope Francis celebrates a personal sort of Mass in the small Saint Martha chapel at the Vatican. The audience is made up of gardeners, nuns, cooks, office workers, and always changes. What doesn't change is that the pope gives his homilies without notes just as he did when he was a parish priest. This book features highlights from almost 200 homilies covering a year from March 2013 to May 2014.

This doesn't come out until June so this is a really early mention. I was enthralled with the introduction which has an in-depth look at how Pope Francis prepares and what he thinks is important in contemplating and conveying the Word of God to the faithful. He also gives a "map" of the way Francis circles round various topics, engaging them from different angles as the liturgical readings progress day to day. That's a new idea for me, that to get a full sense of his teachings one must patiently look at it from day to day.

The few homilies I've samples left me eager for a deep, slow reading of this book. And, to be honest, that's not usually the way I feel after reading samples of books featuring Pope Francis's writing. So this is a rare find for me.

(What can I say? I loved Pope Benedict's intellectual style. It ain't Pope Francis's fault. I get that.)

Beyond the Abortion Wars: A Way Forward For a New Generation by Charles C Camosy

Charles Camosy argues that our polarized public discourse hides the fact that most Americans actually agree on the basic issues at stake in abortion morality and law. ...  Camosy proposes a new public policy that is consistent with the beliefs of the broad majority of Americans and supported by the best ideas and arguments about abortion from both secular and religious sources.

This isn't my usual sort of book. However, this issue matters greatly to me so I agreed to look it over. A quick perusal left me feeling that Camosy takes a similar approach as that proposed in How to Defend the Faith Without Raising Your Voice. That alone makes it worth pursuing.

Plus the very handy chapter conclusions looked like reasoning that goes along with Catholic teachings and that I could agree with. (Yep, I "cheated." We'll call it an in-depth preview. How else am I gonna tell if its worth our time?)

Anyway, this definitely looks worth investigating if you're interested in digging deeper.

Easter Wednesday: Jesus is Risen ... in City Mall, Beirut, Lebanon

Another oldie as I go looking for little reminders of our Easter joy to share all week. Still a goodie!



Now that is giving witness out loud and in public! Plus it is beautiful to hear.

Click on the little "CC" in the red oval to see the English captions. Via Deacon Greg at The Deacon's Bench.

Note:
Fred in the comments elucidates further.

FYI, it is a common refrain in Eastern Orthodox Easter services... repeated over a hundred times in various forms. People in the middle east would recognize it like we recognize the "Hallelujah chorus" in the west. Its one of those that reaches across faith traditions, most people have heard it.

This makes sense because you can see people joining in and singing from around the edges, though not so lustily as the main singers.

UPDATED - Congratulations to John C. Wright and Michael Flynn for Their Hugo Nominations!

Imagine my delight in seeing two of my favorite science fiction/fantasy authors among the 2015 Hugo Award nominations. I like their writing just that little bit more because they're Catholic. So sue me.

CONGRATULATIONS guys!

I hadn't made my April book purchase yet so dropped John C. Wright's  The Book of Feasts and Seasons into my Kindle. Several of the stories he's nominated for are from that book. What sf reading Catholic wouldn't love this concept?

... a beautifully mind-bending stroll with a grandmaster of science fiction through the annual Catholic calendar. Over the course of the year, from January to December, the author takes his inspiration from ten different holidays and explores their meanings in a series of stories of marvelous imagination.

I also really enjoyed One Bright Star to Guide Them, another story for which Wright received a nomination. (My review here ... scroll down for it.) He really was popular ... six nominations in all!

In recent years there have been fewer and fewer authors and books I enjoy nominated for Hugos. I just put it down to my personal taste diverging from the general science fiction readers who participate in the nominations. (Not that I haven't enjoyed some of them. Ancillary Justice was a book I couldn't put down and still can't stop thinking about.)

It turns out there may have actually been a reason for that lack of connection. I was completely unaware that a group of authors have been promoting their own slate of suggested nominations. They've been fairly successful so it seems and they must like a different sort of fiction than I do. So no wonder I was paying less and less attention to the Hugos, which used to be a touchstone for informing me about new interesting books.

(Sounds like the Oscars in a way. Which is why I largely tend to ignore them too. I never dreamed that science fiction readers would stoop to the level of the general Hollywood studio. But there I am, proven wrong again.)

This year a different group promoted their own slate of suggested nominations. They must have done a good job because not only were many of their selections nominated but this year the Hugos had about 2000 nominating ballots, which is a record. There are some things that have gotten on the ballot in the past with 30 votes. Maybe I'm not the only one who didn't love those other authors' favorites? (Just a passing thought...)

I frankly was stunned to see all this kerfluffle going on behind the scenes.

If you want to know more, here's a sympathetic piece, here's an upset piece.

I ain't here to fight. I'm here to read.

The broader the variety "allowed" in the nominations, the likelier my chances of finding books that I enjoy and make me think, possibly simultaneously.

I hear the Locus Awards may be a good alternative to the Hugos. Scott Danielson has been following the Hugo folderol for a while and tells me:

The Locus Awards may actually be a more accurate reflection of the history of science fiction than the Hugos. I spent some time yesterday browsing the award history and found myself nodding quite a bit. They compile a list of nominees from various sources (more or less a jury) then the Locus subscribers vote on the list, which includes a write-in slot. The last few years have made me realize that the Hugos are given by a very small group of people.

Uh yeah we've been emailing about this. Have you seen how much science fiction we read and watch at A Good Story is Hard to Find? This is like a soap opera about something I am interested in!

UPDATE
Jeff Miller at The Curt Jester has a good post, Political Correctness Ruins Everything, about his love of science fiction and the way he's observed political ideology taking over science fiction, which led to this head-to-head battle over Hugo nominations. It is definitely worth reading.

Jagi Lamplighter (a.k.a. Mrs. John C. Wright) has a good post, First They Came for the Oscars: My Take on the Hugos. She has an interesting comparison to how the Oscar winners have changed over the years from popular to insular. And then looks at the Hugos through that lens.

Worth a Thousand Words: Cat Cot

Cat Cot
by Belinda Del Pesco

I have enjoyed Belinda's art for many years and lately I've loved everything she's posted (check it out). But this sleeping cat is so perfect I can almost hear the subliminal vibration of contented "sleeping" purrs.

What is the unpardonable sin?

Ethan Brand looks for it endlessly and we discuss it (and the story) at SFFaudio. Join Jesse, Seth, Rose and me for a lively discussion.

Help Christians Suffering Under the Persecution of Militant Islam

Matthew from Big C Catholics writes:

There is an apostolate in my diocese (Burlington, VT), which seeks to help Christians experiencing persecution in the Middle East and elsewhere. Could you let your readers know about it?

Indeed I could. This is a very worthy cause as we all know these days.

Nasarean.org was founded by Father Benedict Kiely, and supported by the good people and businesses of Stowe, VT, to help, in some small way, Christians suffering under the persecution of militant Islam throughout the world.

Throughout the world, but especially in the Middle East, our Christian brothers and sisters are facing persecution, ethnic cleansing, martyrdom and genocide. Nasarean.org is dedicated to helping our brethren by producing items marked with the Arabic "N" - this symbol has been painted on the houses of Christians to identify them for martyrdom and to mark out their presence, similar to the use of the Star of David by the Nazis.

The Arabic letter "Nun" is the first letter of the word "Nasrani" or "Nasarean/Nazarene" - the Muslim word of contempt for Christians. Nasarean.org believes that the wearing of this sign is an act of solidarity with our brethren - is a way to remember to pray for them - and by your generous donation - directly helps them by an act of charity. All donations - after the cost of production - will go directly to one charity with "boots on the ground" - Aid to the Church in Need - actively helping suffering Christians in the Middle East.

You can read Matthew's post here. Or go directly to Nasarean.org.

Remembering John Paul II: 10th Anniversary of His Death

At 9:37 p.m. on the evening of April 2, 2005, (a Saturday) Pope John Paul II died.

I will never forget it, not only because I loved him more than I realized until heard that news, but also for the company I was keeping at that moment. Mama T, Smock Mama, Steven Riddle and I were sitting in the Rockfish Grill dawdling over a long, enjoyable lunch. As I wrote the next day...

We were in a restaurant but it was as if we were in a soundproof bubble. Nothing else existed except the four of us and our shared, mingled sadness and joy. Tears flowed and we clasped hands and shared prayer together for our pope and our church. What an odd "coincidence" for us to be together to share that moment ... as if I believed in coincidence. In fact, my husband has said three times that he still can't believe how odd it was that I was with those St. Blog's parishioners at that time (and he doesn't repeat himself like that).

Of course, as much as I loved John Paul II, it must be admitted that no one is perfect. For instance, I can't believe he didn't use a Mac. But we will overlook these little flaws.

For one thing I feel sure he'd have enjoyed listening to A Good Story is Hard to Find on any device he had handy, Mac or not.

Today we are living in an age of instant communications. But do you realize what a unique form of communication prayer is? Prayer enables us to meet God at the most profound level of our being. It connects us directly to God, the living God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in a constant exchange of love.

Pope John Paul II
Celebration with Youth, St. Louis, 1999

The above photo and quote is one of a series that I did during those days of mourning afterward. I like looking through them. They remind me of what a treasure he was for the Church ... and for me.

It is so odd to realize that he became an official saint so fast. Though, of course, the Church was just affirming what we all knew when John Paul the Great was among us. How blessed I am to have been a Catholic in the days of his papacy.

• Until We Meet Again
• It Is Jesus That You Seek
• How Does the Pope Pray?
• The Heart of the Young
• What Made John Paul II So Real
• The Right to Life
• The Family
• Contemplating Christ With Mary

This was written much later but is my review of Peggy Noonan's book, John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father. I highly recommend it and there are several good links in that review as well.

The Mystery of the Cross: When God's Love Hurts

... Shrieks of pain. Tears of terror. As my son was laid at my feet on the kitchen floor, I collapsed before him, unable to do anything for him before the ambulance arrived. And so I prayed. The two prayers that came to me were, “Mother of God, be with us,” and “Thy will be done.” And looking back, I understand why.

From that moment on, Our Sorrowful Mother took me as her child, showing me that sometime God’s love looks very ugly on the surface....

When Cassandra Poppe's young son was badly burned in an accident, their whole family entered the Mystery of the Cross.

There could hardly be a more appropriate time than Holy Week to for this a powerful testimony and meditation on the cross. Read it all here.

Via New Advent.