Wagtail and Lotus

Ohara Koson, Wagtail and Lotus

The Last Dance by Martin L. Shoemaker

In space, mutiny means death—that’s why Inspector General Park Yerim is taking her investigation so seriously. The alleged mutineer is Captain Nicolau Aames, whose command of the massive Earth-Mars vessel Aldrin has come under fire. The vast System Initiative says he disobeyed orders, but his crew swears he’s in the right.

En route to Mars, Park gathers testimony from the Aldrin’s diverse crew, painting a complex picture of Aames’s character: his heroism, his failures, even his personal passions. All eyes are on Park: one way or another, her findings will have astronomical implications for the Aldrin and the future of space travel.

The last time I enjoyed a new science fiction author this much was when I read Leviathan Wakes. Like that book, this one feels like something from the Golden Age of Science fiction, while being something brand new.

Inspector General Park conducts a series of "off the record" interviews while investigating charges of mutiny against the captain of a Martian-bound spaceship. That's the framework for a series of stories that range from mystery to Martian survival to estranged love. All are building blocks in the overall question of figuring out the accused captain's motivations and guilt or innocence. It's space opera in fine form.

I burned through this in two days and am already looking forward to the second in the series, though I'll have to wait a year for it.

Spectacular view in Llano County

Jason Merlo Photography

Gospel of Matthew: Nazareth is Not a Backwater

Nazareth, 1942

We all picture Jesus growing up in a burg, right? I know I did — until I was set straight by historical context.

It was in Nazareth that Joseph settled, and it was in Nazareth that Jesus was brought up. It must not be thought that Nazareth was a little quiet backwater, quite out of touch with life and with events.

Nazareth lay in a hollow in the hills in the south of Galilee. But a lad had only to climb the hills for half the world to be at his door. He could look west and the waters of the Mediterranean, blue in the distance, would meet his eyes; and he would see the ships going out to the ends of the earth. He had only to look at the plain which skirted the coast, and he would see, slipping round the foot of the very hill on which he stood, the road from Damascus to Egypt, the land bridge to Africa. It was one of the greatest caravan routes in the world.

It was the road by which centuries before Joseph had been sold down into Egypt as a slave. It was the road that, three hundred years before. Alexander the Great and his legions had followed. It was the road by which centuries later Napoleon was to march. ... Sometimes it was called The Way of the South, and sometimes the Road of the Sea. On it Jesus wou;d see all kinds of travelers from all kinds of nations on all kinds of errands, coming and going from the ends of the earth.

But there was another road. There was the road which left the sea coast at Acre or Ptolemais and went out to the East. It was the Road of the East. It went out to the eastern bounds and frontiers of the Roman Empire. Once again the cavalcade of the caravans the their silks and spices would be continually on it; and on it also the roman legions clanked out to the frontiers.

Nazareth indeed was no backwater. Jesus was brought up in a town where the ends of the earth passed the foot of that hilltop. From his boyhood days he was confronted with scenes which must have spoken to him of a world for God. ...

So now the stage is set; Matthew has brought Jesus to Nazareth and in a very real sense Nazareth was the gateway to the world.

Quote is from The Daily Study Bible Series. This Matthew study first ran in 2008. I'm refreshing it as I go. 

Hurrying

There are more important things to do than hurry.

Robert Farrar Capon

Really countercultural. Really true.

Portrait of a Young Woman

Portrait of a Young Woman, Edgar Maxence (1871-1954)

Moonlight

Moonlight, Edward B. Gordon

Oct. 25 - Shah Rukh Khan on Letterman's "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction"

It took me about a year (and 100 Hindi movies, most of them not with him) to get there, but I have to admit that I'm hooked. I'm an SRK fan.

So it's no surprise that I've been waiting for this since they taped it.

Gospel of Matthew: When Life Takes Unexpected Turns

The Flight into Egypt by Giotto di Bondone

Matthew 2:13-18

It's easy to think of Joseph being serene and simply floating along in his role as Mary's husband and Jesus' father. Of course, only a second's thought shows that is highly inadequate. The poor man must have been wracked with doubts otherwise God wouldn't have needed to send him dreams of direction. If he had been floating serenely then God might have sent down a congratulatory "Good show!" but no more would have been necessary. I especially like the way that George Martin points out what Matthew does and does not show us.

Joseph and his family can be looked upon as patron saints for today's political refugees. Yet Matthew does not dwell on the hardships they might have experienced. Matthew portrays Joseph as a man living an upright life that periodically takes sudden turns. Joseph is betrothed to Mary--but discovers she is pregnant, and learns from an angel that it is through the Holy Spirit. In due course her child is born—then magi arrive, quickly followed by angelic instructions to flee to Egypt. We might think of Joseph as a patron saint for those whose lives take unexpected turns as they try to remain faithful to God.

For reflection: What unexpected turns has my life taken? What can I learn from the example of Joseph?

Quote is from Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life. This series first ran in 2008. I'm refreshing it as I go.

A Waffle Making Dad

Darwin Catholic makes waffles for the family and muses about fatherhood and ... of course ... waffle making. Being Darwin, he gets to some interesting places. Here's some:

I've read compelling writing by women writers about the emotional labor they do to keep a family going. I wouldn't claim that for my tribe, we waffle making dads. We're not particularly emotional. But we try to do our labor. We make weekend breakfasts and dinner once or twice a week when we're around in time do to the prep. We do the "you'll have to talk to your father when he gets home" conversations, and the careful diffusing conversations with daughters entering their teens who at times decide that their mothers don't understand them at all and Dad is the only person they will listen to. We mow the lawn and take the trash out and get the oil changed more or less on time. We pay the bills and track the finances and deal with a host of practical issues while having the unfortunate tendency to assume that everything is okay in people's emotional lives unless they actually tell us otherwise.

The waffle making dad can seem like a pretty out-dated archetype these days. The up to the moment guy is a sensitive feminist ally who admires kick-ass women and decries male privilege ...

I'm not sure how to address that whole set of ideals and concerns, the people who snappily say that women are giving up a lot to teach a young man to make waffles, so I'll just leave that to one side. My words are to the young men of the world. And I'll say: being a waffle making dad is not a bad aspiration. In a world that can't seem to make up its mind what, if anything, it wants from masculinity, many of the archetypes available out there are not great. ...

Now go read the whole thing!

A Capacity to Receive

After all, you must have a capacity to receive, or even omnipotence can’t give. Perhaps your own passion temporarily destroys the capacity.

For all sorts of mistakes are possible when you are dealing with Him. Long ago, before we were married, H. was haunted all one morning as she went about her work with the obscure sense of God (so to speak) ‘at her elbow,’ demanding her attention. And of course, not being a perfected saint, she had the feeling that it would be a question, as it usually is, of some unrepented sin or tedious duty. At last she gave in—I know how one puts it off—and faced Him. But the message was, ‘I want to give you something’ and instantly she entered into joy.

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

That's what happens when you think you know it all. Ahem - which would never happen to me! Of course not!

I wish I didn't identify so well with H's putting it off.

The End to Our Double Boxer Era — Goodbye to Wash

On Thursday, our gentle 11-year-old giant Wash suddenly went down. On Friday morning we had him put to sleep. Of all the dogs I've known in my lifetime I now realize that he was "my dog" more than any of them. He was embedded in my routine in a dozen tiny ways I never thought about.

As Tom said on Facebook, Wash was the opposite of Zoe, our other Boxer who died a few months ago. He was happy, curious, and playful as a Boxer should be. His soulful eyes added greatly to the Boxer look of "concerned curiosity" and he took that look seriously, he had to sniff every package or mail that came into the house.

Wash always was more aware of the television than other dogs we've had.
He particularly responded to dogs, sometimes without even hearing barking —
in the instance above the animated dog hadn't made a sound. Wash will bound over to
the television and brace himself on the console so he can bark back "in person."
When the dog disappeared mysteriously, he'd look for the interloper behind the TV
and then around the house.

We took it as a good omen that he died on the feast day of St. Francis. I am really glad that right before everything went downhill he went on a walk where he warned the other dogs that this was his street (by aggressively eating a mouthful of grass, an intellectual connection that the other dogs totally missed every time), drank from sprinklers, and checked out all the Halloween decorations in yards. In other words, he got to enjoy his life to the fullest to the very end.

He was a good dog and he will be missed by everyone who knew him.

In the meantime, Kaylee is doing her best to fill the void. As Tom says, "Even though we lost a pair of Boxers this year, we still have a half pair of briefs. (Sorry for the pun)"

Here are a couple of memories from the "double boxer" years.

The early years, Wash and Zoe

More grown up and tired out from "watching" football with the family.

First Friday Fast - for the Church and Our Priests

Bread and Water by Duane Keiser

Dear friends, your pastors are full of faults and imperfections. But despising them is no thte way to build Church unity. Do not be afraid to demand of them the Catholic faith, the sacraments of divine life. ... If you think that your priests and bishops are not saints, then be one for them. Do penance, fast to make reparation for their defects and their cowardice. That is the only way that anyone can bear another's burden.

Cardinal Robert Sarah, The Day is Now Far Spent

Since soon after the reports about Cardinal McCarrick's heinous behavior came out, as well as the horrifying reports about how many highly placed Church officials overlooked his actions, I have been observing a fast on the first Friday of each month. I offer it up for purification and support of the Church and our priests.

I didn't mention it, thinking of Jesus' direction to not bring attention to one's own fasting and prayer. Cardinal Sarah's words gave me new resolve in what had become a somewhat perfunctory observance. It also made me think that I needed to go public, recommend the practice, and ask you to join in unity, observing what penance seems good to you. So join me!

Stunning Moments of Forgiveness and Mercy in the Name of Christ

I was stunned when I saw the extraordinary Christlike behavior of murder victim Botham Jean's brother toward Amber Guyger, the former Dallas police officer convicted of murder in Jean’s 2018 shooting death.

I've noticed that a lot of news sources are reporting the hug, but not the strong Christian message that was key to Brandt Jean's message, as well as to the judge's follow up (below). So I'm sharing the videos here.

This was Brandt Jean’s chance to tell Guyger exactly what he thought of the former Dallas officer after she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for murdering his brother last year when she mistook his apartment for hers....

Instead, Jean told Guyger that he wanted what Botham would have wanted.

"I think giving your life to Christ would be the best thing that Botham would want for you," he told her. "I love you as a person, and I don't wish anything bad on you."

He told Guyger that he didn't even want her to go to prison.

"Can I give her a hug, please?" Brandt asked. "Please."

Dallas Morning News

See it all below.




Equally extraordinary was the moment of grace extended by the judge. After speaking to the family, she spoke with Guyger and then ...

The judge appeared to be overcome in the moment, and left the courtroom. She returned a moment later, a small Bible in her hand.

“You can have mine,” the judge said to Guyger. “I have three or four at home.”

She then began to counsel Guyger. The pair were talking low, barely audible, just the two of them. “This is your job,” the judge said, opening the book.

The judge mentioned John 3:16, saying this will strengthen her. Guyger nodded her head.

“You just need a tiny mustard seed of faith,” the judge said. “You start with this.”

WFAA News

See the news report below which contains much more.

Gospel of Matthew: Follow That Star!

Edward Burne-Jones, Star of Bethlehem

Matthew 2:1-12

One of the favorite things I learned recently when reading up on the pagan prophet Balaam is that he prophesied the star of Bethlehem. We see this time and again. God uses everyone and anyone in order to work for the good of us all and our salvation. Even a pagan prophet who doesn't know enough to listen to his talking ass! (Numbers 22-24)

I always figured that star was a bonus, tied into ancient expectations about the symbols which accompanied a king. And that is also true. But to see it tied into Balaam's prophecy is really wonderful. Then looking at how that story foreshadows the events of Jesus' birth, as we're shown below ... well it just keeps getting better and better.

The account of the magi following a star and searching for a king underscores Jesus' kingship by recalling the prophecy of Balaam in Nm 24. In this episode the Moabite king, Balak, called upon a seer named Balaam to pronounce a curse on Israel. However, each time Balaam tried to curse Israel God took control of his speech and words of blessing came out of his mouth instead. In his last attempt to curse Israel, the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied about a future king arising out of Israel. According to this oracle, a star would be the sign of the great king's arrival (Num 24:17).

All this foreshadows the events associated with Herod, the magi, and the birth of Jesus. Just as Balak sought to use the pagan seer Balaam to destroy Israel, so Herod seeks to use the pagan magi to destroy the Christ child. And just as Balaam failed to cooperate with the king's plan, uttering blessings instead of curses, so the magi fail to assist Herod in his plot to destroy Jesus, paying the child homage instead of reporting his location to Herod.

Quote is from Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture. This series first ran in 2008. I'm refreshing it as I go. 

Tiffany Pitcher

Tiffany and Company Pitcher, New York City, 1878
Public domain, courtesy of The Art Institute of Chicago

An asymmetrical water scene, realized through a combination of hammering, engraving, and applied metal elements, wraps around the body of this pitcher. The vignette was almost certainly inspired by the work of Katsushika Hokusai, a Japanese artist known for his dynamic woodblock prints of the natural world. Tiffany and Company’s design library included three volumes of Hokusai’s work, many featuring the same graceful irises, enlivened dragonflies, and splashing carp visible on this pitcher.

A Great Beginning to a Catholic History Series: The Church and the Roman Empire by Mike Aquilina

The Church and the Roman Empire (301–490)

Constantine, Councils, and the Fall of Rome

by Mike Aquilina

This brand new history series is just what I've been wanting — truthful Catholic history that's easy to read and that busts some of the ubiquitous myths about Catholicism. Author Mike Aquilina keeps the history easy to understand while adding depth to the bits that I already knew ... or thought I knew.

Occasional "Up Close and Personal" boxes showcase different personalities or aspects of Christianity from that time, such as looking at the Catholic bishop before Patrick or listing five who chucked everything for a life of solitude. "You Be the Judge" boxes examine common questions and set the record straight on topics like "Didn't Christianity harm the status of women?" or "Do Christians exaggerate the persecutions?"

One of Aquilina's strengths is the way that he makes the scenes come alive. Here's a bit from the Council of Nicaea.

It was a grand spectacle to see so many bishops at once, and the general public filled the spectators' areas to listen to some of the preliminary debates. Even pagan philosophers joined the fun—some out of genuine curiosity, others to make fun of the Christians. People from town came just to see the parade of bishops of all nations. Even Scythia, exotic land of barbarian cowboys, and Persia, traditional enemy of Rome for generations, were represented. ...

And of course everyone wanted a glimpse of the two men who had started the whole uproar, Arius and Alexander. Alexander, a frail old man who needed help to get around, was a bit of a disappointment, although his young archdeacon and assistant Athanasius looked like a man to watch. But Arius was a rock star. he was tall, a good speaker, and a very thoughtful-looking man. Fangirls followed him wherever he went. He must have something to say.

It really makes me feel the excitement in the air. Very much not the way I usually think of the Council of Nicaea!

Highly recommended. I can't wait for the other books in the series to be published.

Gospel of Matthew: Jesus' Family Tree

Having recently been focusing on the prophets, for a book that will be coming out next year, it seemed natural to look at Matthew mostly because he is so good at quoting the Old Testament and reminding us to ponder the whole Bible. So I'm gonna take you along for the ride. This won't be any sort of comprehensive study. Just some of the interesting things I find on the way.

Rose window in Basilica of Saint-Denis, France,
depicting the ancestors of Jesus from Jesse onwards

Matthew 1:1-17
Ah yes, that interminable genealogy at the beginning of Matthew. Like me, you may have come across various explanations as to why particular people are included, their significance to Jesus' message to us, and why the thing is so darned long.

The ancient Jews loved genealogies. Every name called a story to mind and pointed to a particular part of salvation history. It has a theological content but also shows that these were real people and that Jesus broke into real time and history. So if you're telling the story of the Son of God coming to earth, wouldn't you start with where he fits in salvation history?

Two names in particular stand out from the very beginning. Jesus is called the "son of David" which reminds us of the promise God made that the Messiah would come from the line of David and establish a kingdom that would endure forever. Jesus is also called the "son of Abraham" which reminds us of God's promise that Abraham's descendants would become a great nation and that all nations would find blessing through his family. In Jesus these promises are fulfilled, Matthew is telling us.

Most interesting to me is the inclusion of four women in the genealogy — Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba. It isn't unprecedented, but it is unusual. Especially when you consider that they are all Gentiles and three of them are associated with sexual immorality. Yet, they are specifically called out for our attention among Jesus' ancestry.

Matthew thus selects three of the most prominent Gentile women in the ancestral line of David along with the most famous of David's wives to highlight how Gentile blood flowed into the royal line of David. This underscores God's concern for Gentiles, demonstrating that he brought them into the story of Israel even in the Old Testament. It also lays a foundation for the universal mission of Jesus' kingdom, which will gather Gentiles into God's covenant family ...

All that in one genealogy! Which I'd have skipped without the commentary to show me what I was missing by not paying attention.

---------

Quote is from Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: Gospel of Matthew. This series first ran in 2008. I'm refreshing it as I go.

This Just In: The Day is Now Far Spent by Cardinal Robert Sarah

Christians are trembling, wavering, doubting. I want this book to be for them To tell them: do not doubt! Hold fast to doctrine! Hold fast to prayer! I want this book to strengthen faithful Christians and priests.

I ordered this book as soon as I heard about it. I liked Cardinal Sarah's previous books, especially God or Nothing. This one looked like the shot of inspiration and support that I have been craving in the midst of the Church's crisis. I've only read the introduction but am already heartened.

The whole intro is available as a sample from Amazon and I urge you to read it.

Sources for Gospel of Matthew Bible Study

The last time we looked at the Gospel of Matthew together it was 2008!

So we're way past time to take a second look at some of the things that bring Matthew alive for me. Here are my favorite resources. I may not quote all of these, but I'll have looked through them and over the years they have added to my overall knowledge.

Simone Cantarini , St. Matthew and the Angel

The Navarre Bible: Matthew
The Navarre commentaries are consistently excellent and have a lot of thoughts from Church Fathers, Popes, saints, and the Catechism. They add wisdom from the 2,000 years of Church contemplation on scripture since Jesus.

Life Application Study Bible: New International Version
This Protestant Bible is an interesting resource. The footnotes are fresh, interesting, and a good resource for historical questions such as how threshing was done when Ruth met Boaz for example. They also have maps and occasional one page essays about main figures of the Bible. There is a tendency to ask questions at the end of commentary such as, "Do you listen to God like this person, etc.?" which I find rather annoying but they may not strike everyone that way. I would advise the NIV version as I have been told that translation is more accurate than the New Living Translation.

Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: The Gospel of Matthew
The structure is such that you are generally covering just a little scripture at a time. Each reading is followed with cross references to the Old Testament, New Testament, Catechism, and Liturgy. These are followed by the commentary, in which words from the scripture reading are bold whenever they are used. Although I saw some people complaining about that practice, I found it useful. Sometimes a bold word would make me suddenly pay attention and go back to the scripture, thinking, "Did it really say that? Why haven't I ever noticed before?"

There are also a few maps, occasional photos when they'd be helpful, and sidebar boxes with Biblical background and living tradition (Catechism, Fathers of the Church, saints) information that enriches understanding.

In Conversation with God by Francis Fernandez
A daily devotional that follows the daily Mass readings. Topics range from the sacraments and virtues to family interaction and friendship. The sensible and down-to-earth writing is enhanced by quotes from saints, Church Fathers, popes, cross-references with other scripture than in the day's readings, Church documents, etc. I've been using this for 20 years off and on.  Full review here.

The Word on Fire Bible: The Gospels
From the Word on Fire ministries headed by Bishop Robert Barron, this is a commentary bible loaded with observations from the Church Fathers, newer Catholic writers like Fulton Sheen and G.K. Chesterton, and Bishop Barron himself. The primary purpose is evangelization of those not affiliated with organization or Christianity and poses the question throughout of "Who is God? and "Who is Jesus Christ?"

Opening the Scripture series: Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life
This is the one that I used for my first Gospel of Matthew series of posts, way back in 2008. It's still good. Read my full review here.

Ignatius Matthew Study Bible
This has since been gathered into the Ignatius Study New Testament by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch. I already had it in this individual little book. The commentary is excellent, as one would expect.

Word Among Us
Available in print or digital format, this monthly magazine has the daily Mass readings with a little commentary. There are also a few articles covering the monthly theme.

The Daily Study Bible Series — The Gospel of Matthew, Revised Edition
I'm a real fan of William Barclay's commentaries on the New Testament books. Barclay's strengths are his phenomenal knowledge of the Greek language, the Jewish culture and religion, and the Roman occupation during the New Testament era. He is wonderful at conveying this knowledge in a way that simple and easily understandable. He puts it in context so that you can understand what events meant to the people to whom Jesus spoke to 2,000 years ago.

However, I have to always include this caveat when mentioning William Barclay ... his theology can be very wonky if you are Catholic. For example, his commentary on the gospels with nativity stories include a number of reasons Jesus' virgin birth didn't necessarily have to be virgin. Sorry. That's really nonnegotiable. He also often includes pointed commentary about why Roman Catholic teachings are wrong. So there's that ...

But if one reads with a knowledgeable eye, Barclay's work is really wonderful.

NOTE: the recently revised versions (1990s and beyond) have been heavily edited to be more politically correct. I'm not sure what that has done to Barclay's original work so I just go with the second revision, done under Barclay's eye. I'm not so thin skinned that I can't stand a little old fashionedness.

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

The simple view is that medicine exists to fight death and disease, and that is, of course, its most basic task. Death is the enemy. But the enemy has superior forces. Eventually, it wins. And in a war you cannot win, you dn't want a general who fights to the point of total annihilation. You don't want a Custer. You want Robert E. Lee, someone who knows how to fight for territory that can be won and how to surrender it when it can't, someone who understands that the damage is greatest if all you do is battle to the bitter end.

This is about the conversation no one wants to have — as we grow older and frailer or face incurable disease (no matter our age) — how do we cope? What should we ask our doctors and our loved ones in order to try to ensure the best outcome, under circumstances in which "complete cure" may not be possible? This book looks at all sorts of situations, from the person in a senior care home who needs a sense of purpose to a young mother with terminal cancer.

I read this at the urging of my daughter whose book club had discussed it. As other reviewers have noted it can be depressing. However, so are some of the circumstances in which we may find ourselves by the end of our lives. It is worth pushing through to the end because author Atul Gawande works through the physical difficulties of aging and disease to look at what makes us have our best days. I especially appreciated the questions he asks to help people identify what's most important to them when their world has narrowed because they are on their way out of it. How do we finish our story in the way that is most meaningful to us?

At the end I was in tears, but they were good tears. This is a thoughtful and honest book which I wholeheartedly recommend.

Camille Monet and a Child

Camille Monet and a Child in the Artist’s Garden in Argenteuil
Claude Monet, 1875
via WikiPaintings

There is a lot of information about the painting at the link, but nothing about what I love most in this painting — the child's rapt concentration on the book. That is so lifelike, so what I know from being around little ones and I love the way Monet is able to evoke it.

Aliens and working at a fevered pitch

What you need to know before reading this: Gwedif is an alien. The narrator is human.

Gwedif pulled up to me as we walked. "I wish we had more time," he said. "This happened with Carl too. Barely time for introductions, and then off to decide the fate of our peoples. If nothing else, we've learned that you humans thrive on crisis."

"Anything worth doing is worth doing at a fevered pitch," I said.

"I don't know about that," Gwedif said. "I think the first place I'll go when I visit your planet—really visit your planet, I mean, not that little trip I took earlier—I think I'll go visit a monastery. Those people seem to have the right idea. Slow meditative spiritual contemplation."

"I think most of the monasteries these days are either making chant CDs or boutique wines," I said.

"Really?" Gwedif said. "Well, hell. What is it with you people?"

John Scalzi, Agent to the Stars

Garden at Sainte-Adresse

Garden at Sainte-Adresse ("Jardin à Sainte-Adresse"), 1867, Claude Monet

Christ’s Baptism by John by Woonbo Kim Ki-chang

“Christ’s Baptism by John”  by Woonbo Kim Ki-chang, via J.R.'s Art Place

I really love the portrayal of Jesus in different cultures. Also, check out those angels! Simply wonderful. The common elements and the cultural adaptations show the universality and personal connection of Christ with the world and each of us. And it pulls me closer too.

Check the Korea Times article for info about the artist and his work. See many more of his paintings, including portrayals of Christ at artnet.

The Abyss and the Bridge to God

To confess your sins to God is not to tell him anything he doesn't already know. Until you confess them, however, they are the abyss between you. When you confess them, they become the bridge.

Frederick Buechner

So perfectly worded.

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garrett M. Graff

I was drawn to this book because I have sensed the lessening of feeling in observing the anniversary of September 11 as the years have gone on. This is natural, as I know from my own lack of interest in Pearl Harbor Day which was so long before I was born. However, 9/11 wasn't quite 20 years ago and I still feel vivid remembrance every year. So I was really interested when I read a review in the paper, featuring excerpts of the people's oral stories which make up the text.

By presenting people's experiences in chronological order, with no other commentary other than that needed to place a context for orientation, this is that unusual creation - an unbiased history. They are grouped in logical sequences so that a section from people evacuating the North Tower will be followed by a section from firefighters gearing up and then one from air traffic controllers struggling to understand what just happened. In this way, the sequence of events unfolds so that the day begins to make sense in a way it didn't when events were unfolding before our eyes.

I was fascinated by the parts behind the scenes such as on Air Force One or the air traffic controllers or inside reporters thoughts, which were new to me. But the entire thing was gripping and conveyed the reality of just what an act of war that terrorist attack was - in a way that I couldn't take in when I was one of those watching in confused horror on that fateful day, struggling to come to grips with what was happening.

This book brought back my familiar feelings from that time while stitching together events and giving me the broader understanding through which I could both understand better and honor more fully the incredible losses and heroism we experienced. All through using only these oral testimonies. Extraordinary.

ALSO: My daughter Rose commented that the description sounded like the style used in World War Z by Max Brooks. That hadn't occurred to me but she's right, it is very similar.

Matthew Bible Study - Index

MATTHEW

• Sources
• 1:1-17 - Jesus' Family Tree
• 2:1-12 - Follow That Star
• 2:13-18 - When Life Takes Unexpected Turns
• 3:13-17 - Allow It Now
• 3:1-2 - Come to the desert to be baptized in the Jordan
• 4:1-11 - Being Tempted Through Our Gifts
• 4:1-11 - Each Temptation Building on the Previous One
• 5:15 - A Lamp in the Hand of God and Stained Glass
• 5:17-18 - "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets"
• 5:20-21 - No Room for Righteous Anger
• 7:24-29 - Building on Rock
• 8:5-13 - Jesus Was Amazed
• 8:21-22 - Let the Dead Bury Their Own Dead
• 8:23-27 - Keeping Our Faith During the Storm
• Matthew's Resume
• 8:28-34 - Why Jesus' Exorcisms Were Unique
• 9:1-8 - Struck with Awe
• 9:9-13 - Sharing a Meal with Sinners
• 9:36 — Gut-Wrenching Compassion
• 10:26-33 - Everyone Who Acknowledges Me
• 12:14 - The Irony of the Pharisees' Decision
• 13:9-11, 15-22: The Cockle of False Doctrine
• 14:22-33 - Rowing into a Headwind in the Darkness
• 16:13-18 - Who Do You Say That I Am?
• 16:20-23 - Get behind me, Satan!
• 16:20-23 - Get behind me, Satan! Continued.
• 17:1-8 - Transfiguration: The Cloud
• 17:1-8 - Transfiguration: Parallel to the Execution 
• 25:1-13 - Oil for Our Lamps
• 25:14-30 - Self-Protective Lovelessness
• 26: 20-25 - Love's Last Appeal to Judas
• 26:57-58, 69-75 - Peter's Staggering Honesty and Heroic Courage
• 28:16-20 - Back in the Beginning, A Very Good Place to Start
  

It's the little things that give joy

Well Said: To learn who rules over you ...

To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.

Kevin Strom

Ouch! The ones who I'm not allowed to criticize probably wouldn't like that. But maybe they don't recognize themselves. They're too busy telling us who we should be nicer to.

Colorful Bog

Colorful Bog, Remo Savisaar

Another one from Remo Savisaar. I just couldn't resist this fairy land looking image. Click through on the link to see it larger.

Playful Red Fox Kit

Playful Red Fox Kit, Remo Savisaar

Isaac Asimov and Me

People who think they know everything area a great annoyance to those of us who do.

Isaac Asimov

Gee, I never realized Isaac Asimov and I had so much in common.

Chop Suey

Edward Hopper, Chop Suey

If there were ethical basics that transcended time and place, then they were true both for Martians and for men.

“The show must go on.” I had always believed that and lived by it. But why must the show go on?—seeing that some shows are pretty terrible. Well, because you agreed to do it, because there is an audience out there; they have paid and each one of them is entitled to the best you can give. You owe it to them. You owe it also to stagehands and managers and producers and other members of the company—and to those who taught you your trade, and to others stretching back in history to open-air theaters and stone seats and even to storytellers squatting in a marketplace. Noblesse oblige.

I decided that the notion could be generalized into any occupation. "Value for value." Building "on the square and on the level." The Hippocratic oath. Don't let the team down. Honest work for honest pay. Such things did not have to be proved; they were an essential part of life-true throughout eternity, true in the farthest reaches of the Galaxy.

I suddenly got a glimpse of what Bonforte was driving at. If there were ethical basics that transcended time and place, then they were true both for Martians and for men. They were true on any planet around any star—and if the human race did not behave accordingly they weren’t ever going to win to the stars because some better race would slap them down for double-dealing.

Robert A. Heinlein, Double Star

The Minister's Lunch

The minister's bride set her luncheon casserole down with a flourish, and waited for grace. "It seems to me," murmured her husband, "that I have blessed a good deal of this material before.

Irma Rombauer, The Joy of Cooking

The Water World of the Mother River

Remo Savisaar, The Water World of the Mother River

Be sure to click through to see this larger. It is simply stunning.

Take sides!

Take sides! Always take sides! You will sometimes be wrong - but the man who refuses to take sides must always be wrong.

Robert A. Heinlein, Double Star

Hiroshige, 100 Famous Views of Edo

I'm rereading this so I'm rerunning the review from when I first read the book in 2013.

Hiroshige, 100 Views of Edo 

by Melanie Trede

I have been leisurely perusing this book on Sunday mornings when we get up and sit on the back porch with our coffee and the dogs running crazily after squirrels and mockingbirds. (Those of you with little ones, this time will come again for you, do not despair.)

This was a Christmas gift from my husband who knows of my fondness for looking at art on those Sunday mornings. Obviously, I haven't been always examining it on the back porch or even on every Sunday. Do not judge it by my leisurely pace. I'd find it hard to believe that you could find a better book about Hiroshige's famous series of woodblock prints.

The way the shadows are elongated and distorted
gives the impression we are really seeing
moonlit playgoers in the puppet district

Author Melanie Trede first puts Hiroshige in context by explaining that these types of series were common as travel guides. You'd get the latest series and admire the artistry while planning your next trip. Her explanations of the influences traded between Western and Japanese art, the constraints of the woodblock printing process, the Japanese government's censorship and other such information put me not only in the mood to better appreciate each piece, but put me mentally in that time and place. I especially loved little details such as the fact that a crane's feathers would be colorless but have a 3-D texture applied by the printer using his elbow to push the paper into hollowed out areas.

Think how this crane would have seemed to soar
into your room with those feathers lifting from the paper

All of this combines to make one appreciate what an artist's eye Hiroshige had, and his printer too for that matter. Impossible points of view, interesting framing, an insistence on showing the lowly facts of life as well as the noble things ... these keep the prints continually fresh and interesting.

Horse dung. A fact of life but very controversial
for a piece of art. I myself loved seeing the straw horseshoes

The book itself is also lovely, bound like a Japanese book, in a case with bamboo-like clasps. This setting prepares one for the treasury of art contained within. Just as Hiroshige would have wanted, one suspects.

Mom and Hurricane Dorian

We've been planning to move my mother from her condo in Florida to live with us here in Dallas. The original plan was a leisurely three-month period, which got moved up sharply a couple of times as various situations changed.

So after a three-week prep, Rose and I were going to fly to Florida today to help pack up Mom's stuff and then we were all going to fly back with her.

And then Hurricane Dorian happened.

So now Mom and my sister are flying to Dallas, with one day's planning and a suitcase each. Because if there is something an 85-year-old lady doesn't need, it's to go through another hurricane.

All of this is to say that I'm going to be away from the blog some while she gets settled in. Prayers appreciated!

Dum Laga Ke Haisha (My Big Fat Bride)

This charming romantic comedy is a fascinating look at the pitfalls of arranged marriage. When Prem's parents arrange a marriage to Sandhya, he didn't expect it to be with a woman who is more educated, has more earning potential, and is oversized. He can't even bring himself to touch her, which leads to one of the funniest and sweetest sequences in the film. He's even more taken aback when she stands up to him. Adding to Prem's woes is his failing business, which leads to the movie's climactic race where the husbands race through an obstacle course while carrying their brides.

This is from the writer/director of Sui Dhaaga (Made in India), which also looks at a couple who are struggling to learn to know each other after an arranged marriage. You can tell this is an earlier work, but I enjoyed it a lot. One of my favorite scenes was when the enraged couple were playing dueling songs at each other from the radio. I wish I knew what the songs were so I could have gotten the full message each was sending. It managed to be funny anyway. Halfway through I did get tired of Prem's continual whining but the ending was worth it. And I loved Sandhya the entire time.

Rating — for viewers with medium Indian film experience. (It's not rocket science, but without any cultural background at all you might feel kind of lost.)

This Just In — The Church and the Roman Empire (301-490) by Mike Aquilina

I am super-duper excited about this review book ... for one thing, I've had it on my wish list since I discovered it when scouting around Amazon for Mike Aquilina's new books. This is a brand new history series that promises to be just what I've been wanting — truthful Catholic history that's easy to read and that busts some of the ubiquitous myths about Catholicism.

I'm not sure why the second book has come out before the first, but I don't care. I'm diving in now and wanted to let you in on the ground floor! Here's the book description:

Suspense, politics, sin, death, sex, and redemption: Not the plot of the latest crime novel, but elements of the true history of the Catholic Church.

Mike Aquilina gives readers a vivid and engaging account of how Christianity developed and expanded as the Roman Empire declined. He also sets the record straight about commonly held misconceptions about the Catholic Church. Readers may be surprised to learn:

• The Edict of Milan didn’t just legalize Christianity; it also established religious tolerance for all faiths for the first time in history.
• The growth of Christianity inspired a more merciful society: Crucifixion was abolished; the practice of throwing prisoners to wild beasts for entertainment was outlawed; and slave owners were punished for killing their slaves.
• When Rome fell, not many people at the time noticed.

Aquilina brings Church history to life, enabling Catholics to more deeply consider the true origins of the creed that unites us, the Bible we read, and the liturgy we celebrate.

Throwing Shade

Karin Jurick, Throwing Shade

The Curse of Capistrano - SFFaudio

Jesse, Paul, Maissa and I talk about the swashbuckler who originated in California but went on to influence superheroes up until this day — Zorro! Join us as we discuss The Curse of Capistrano at SFFaudio.

Well Said: Community Life

The companionship of girlfriends was very different from the community life I live now; but in none of those relationships did I really feel my gifts were so valued, or my weaknesses so accepted and cared for.

Brother Guy Consolmagno, Brother Astronomer

I was especially struck by the phrase "my weaknesses so ... cared for." Isn't that what we need? Not just acceptance but to be helped in our weaknesses.

Brother Guy is talking, of course, about being a Jesuit and a Vatican astronomer. But I looked at that description and thought it might be the perfect one for what we long for in a community. My family is that way. Many of my friends, especially my Catholic women's book club, give me that too.

Does every group have to give us those feelings? No, of course not. But the ones that matter most to us are the ones that do.

The human spirit

One of the things forgotten about the human spirit is that while it is, in the right conditions, noble and brave and wonderful, it is also, when you get right down to it, only human.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!

Bank of the Guadaira with Boat

Emilio Sánchez-Perrier, Bank of the Guadaira with Boat
via Lines and Colors

This is a perfect painting for today since it is Hannah's birthday. I don't know anyone who loves nature more than she does ... or is more knowledgable about trees.

The Faithful Traveler in Portugal - a new 9-episode series

The Faithful Traveler in Portugal strikes the perfect balance between history, travel, and spiritual inspiration, and is a great introduction for anyone planning a pilgrimage to Portugal, and a perfect opportunity for armchair travelers to see these magnificent sites from the comfort of their own homes.

From monasteries and convents to cathedrals and shrines, there is a lot for the faithful traveler to see in this amazing country, beginning with its most famous—Fátima—and including many breathtaking sacred sites throughout Portugal's beautiful cities of Lisbon, Santarem, Coimbra, Batalha, Alcobaça, Porto, Braga, and more! Host Diana von Glahn presents the history behind these sacred sites in a fun and informative way that allows virtual travelers to see things others miss! Or to inspire you to plan your own trip — maybe even to World Youth Day in Lisbon, in 2022!

This series is running on Catholic TV (not EWTN).

I'm friends with Diana and I can't imagine a better guide for a series like this. She combines fun and interest with love of God ... and that's an infectious combination indeed.

Visit this page to see episode listings, details on the many ways that you can access the show, and much more. As well as a picture of Diana's smiling face!

A total dining experience for seniors with cognitive problems

“As residents go through the life cycle of dementia and Alzheimer's, they lose their dexterity,” Schumaker says. “Thrive Dining allows them to easily eat with their fingers.”

The Thrive Dining menu takes all the elements of the full, traditional menu and recomposes them into gourmet bites.

I love to see creative ideas applied to problems, especially when it shows respect to those being served.  And I love to see people enjoying a good meal. This new program does both. So it's no wonder this piece just grabbed me. Read it all at Dallas Observer.

Vase of Flowers

Odilon Redon, Vase of Flowers
via Arts Everyday Living

It's simply that I didn't understand.

It's not often that one gets an immediate answer to the question, "What's wrong with me?", and yet later in the day it became clear that my lassitude was of the hormonal/cyclical variety. The mundanity of that is both uninspiring and helpfully contextual. St Paul says in 1 Corinthians that he does not even pass judgment on himself, since the Lord will bring to light what is hidden in darkness. We think we understand ourselves or others, for good or for ill, and then we stumble on some obscure motivation which puts the situation in a new light. I'm not just lazy. She's not just malicious. He's not just a pushover. They're not just tactless. It's simply that I didn't understand. "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do," said the man of perfect understanding, in the most intolerable circumstances, giving the rest of us a model to follow.

Mrs. Darwin at Darwin Catholic

New Podcast - An American's Guide to Bollywood

Hannah & Rose go over 5 tips for watching Bollywood movies in their new podcast, An American’s Guide to Bollywood.

Our upcoming movies are Lagaan, Tashan, Monsoon Wedding, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, and Baahubali 1 & 2.

Yes, Hannah and Rose have a new podcast!

Their first episode — 5 Tips for Watching Bollywood — should be helpful to anyone who has been watching my continual Indian film reviews with bewilderment. iTunes hasn't added it yet, but the link goes to the website where you can listen: An American's Guide to Bollywood.

Wild Boar Family

Wild Boar Family, Remo Savisaar

Once I planned to write a book of poems ...

Once I planned to write a book of poems entirely about the things in my pockets. But I found it would be too long; and the age of the great epics is past.

G.K. Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles

Just because this is a good time to laugh.

A Word From Our Sponsor: For they search busily among his works, but are distracted

Foolish by nature were all who were in ignorance of God,
and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing the one who is,
and from studying the works did not discern the artisan;

[...]

But yet, for these the blame is less;
For they have gone astray perhaps,
though they seek God and wish to find him.

For they search busily among his works,
but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair.

But again, not even these are pardonable.

For if they so far succeeded in knowledge
that they could speculate about the world,
how did they not more quickly find its Lord?

Wisdom, 13: 1, 6-9

The Temptation of the Catholic to Intellectual Pride

The great temptation of the Catholic in the modern world is the temptation to intellectual pride. It is so obvious that most of his critics are talking without in the least knowing what they are talking about, that he is sometimes a little provoked toward the very unchristian logic of answering a fool according to his folly. But we must never despair of explaining the truth, nor is it so very difficult to explain.

G.K. Chesterton, quoted in My Name is Lazarus by Dale Ahlquist

Little Pond

Little Pond, Edward B. Gordon

The artist tells us: I built this little pond next to my studio. Next to it blooms the oleander. In the evening, the reflections of the few lights are especially beautiful.

Ginger-Turmeric Potatoes and Green Beans (Aloo Faliyan)

This is an easy Indian vegetable dry curry which is absolutely delicious whether at room temperature or hot. Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God by Jonah Blank

Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God

Retracing the Ramayana Through India

The three-thousand-year-old epic Ramayana chronicles Lord Rama's physical voyage from one end of the Indian subcontinent to the other and his spiritual voyage from Man to God. In Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God, Jonah Blank gives a new perspective to this Hindu classic -- retelling the ancient tale while following the course of Rama's journey through present-day India and Sri Lanka.

I've gotten a basic overview of the Ramayana from all the Indian movies I've watched. Including bits of holy day celebrations while acting out the story is highly cinematic, after all. Wanting to actually read it and see what Sita Sings the Blues skimmed over I came across this book which seemed like an easy way into the story.

What a wonderful, easy-to-read book. The author tells the story in pieces and then looks at an particular aspect of India physically, spiritually, and culturally. So you have topics like Fate, Kings, Caste, Rites, and Love and it works to show the reader about what it means to be Indian ... as much as anything can. This meshed really well with what I'd gleaned from Indian movies and the research we'd undertaken after viewing them in order to be sure we understood context.

I benefitted from it in practical ways as well as getting a good look at the Indian national character. Turns out wrestlers venerate Lord Hanuman. As did the main character in Bajrangi Bhaijaan - who was trained in wrestling! Just another little bit of cultural context.

I read it in four days and kept quoting bits of it to the rest of the family, who are now taking their own turns at it. Keep in mind it was published in 1992 because a few bits are dated (especially about war and terrorism), although they still apply to different parts of India these days. You don't have to care about Indian movies. It is an entertaining and interesting travelogue aside from all that. Definitely recommended.

"I never feel so reflexively patriotic ..."

I never feel so reflexively patriotic as when I hear my nation disparaged abroad. Perhaps that is because, when traveling in the Third World, I am constantly associated with every good and bad action of the American government. Punjabis have berated me for giving military aid to Pakistan, Burmese have thanked me for saving them from the Japanese army, and in the Sudan I was nearly turned back at the border for failing to justify my secretary of state's Middle East policy.

Jonah Blank, Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God

Patriotism Personified

Allegory of Patriotism in the Monument to the Fallen for Spain in Madrid (1840)
by sculptor Francisco Pérez del Valle