microShifts by Gary Jansen

This book encourages you to take a look at a few things you might take for granted and consider making small, simple, and incremental changes—something that I like to call MicroShifts—that over time can lead to radical transformation in your mind, body, and soul. ...

This book is about practical spiritual transformation. ... As St. Ignatius taught, the spiritual life isn't something separate from everyday life: it is everything and everyone. Which means that even minor changes that you make to your exterior life can have an important impact on your deeper, inner life. And vice versa.

This is a little book, as befits the topic of making little changes to effect transformation. It might be the perfect book for the New Year since this is when we all have something in the back of our minds that we'd like to change, even if it is only getting up when the alarm goes off instead of hitting snooze.

Author Gary Jansen gives examples from his own life, popular culture, and the Bible, along with tips and prompts to help you start shifting your own life into a better path. I particularly enjoyed his chapters "Learn From Your Enemies" and "Be Brave Enough to Have No Opinion." Sometimes we have big changes thrust upon us (a new baby, moving to a new city for a job) but most of the time life is made up of small habits and routines. MicroShifts is the perfect book for recognizing how effective change really works in our lives.

Piling houses on top of each other, front doors and all.

There is something entirely Gargantuan in the idea of economising space by piling houses on top of each other, front doors and all. And in the chaos and complexity of those perpendicular streets anything may dwell or happen, and it is in one of them, I believe, that the inquirer may find the offices of the Club of Queer Trades.

G.K. Chesterton, The Club of Queer Trades

I recently reread this short story collection and really loved the little ways that Chesterton stood things on their heads - as he was famous for doing. He begins at the beginning by doing that very thing as we see above.

Le pont de l'Europe

Le pont de l'Europe, 1889, Louis Anquetin

American Catholic History Podcast

American Catholic History finds the hidden gems and compelling stories of Catholic Americans who have contributed to their nation by virtue of their faith over the past three centuries. In less than 10 minutes per episode, American Catholic History will introduce you to the amazing men and women who came to these American shores and were born here and contributed in ways both great and small, celebrated and unheralded.

I just discovered this podcast and have really been enjoying it. The topics range from people (Frank Capra, James Longstreet, Babe Ruth) to places (Loretto Staircase, St. Mary's in Galveston) to events (Annie Moore as the first immigrant to pass through the gates of Ellis Island). At about 10 minutes per episode it is short enough to fit into any schedule.

Get it at SQPN or iTunes.

For the Life of the World by Alexander Schmemann

A Christian is the one who, wherever he looks, finds Christ and rejoices in him. And this joy transforms all his human plans and programs, decisions and actions, making all his mission the sacrament of the world's return to him who is the life of the world.

This book was literally pressed into my hands by my spiritual director and I read it slowly it over several months. The author was an Eastern Orthodox priest but any Christian can get a great deal of insight and inspiration from this wonderful book. He looks at the connection between daily life and the sacraments and liturgy of the church. As a result, we are repeatedly drawn into fresh realizations about how present God is in everyday life ... and how connected that is with the liturgy.

I realize that doesn't make it sound very exciting. But it is. Chalk it up to my inability to properly describe this book which gave me some revelatory moments. This is lengthy but gives a sense of the book.

Man is a hungry being. But he is hungry for God. Behind all the hunger of our life is God. All desire is finally a desire for Him. To be sure, man is not the only hungry being. All that exists lives by "eating." The whole creation depends on food. But the unique position of man in the universe is that he alone is to bless God for the food and the life he receives from him. He alone is to respond to God's blessing with his blessing. ...

Centuries of secularism have failed to transform eating into something strictly utilitarian. Food is still treated with reverence. A meal is still a rite—the last "natural sacrament" of family and friendship, of life that is more than "eating" and "drinking." To eat is still something more than to maintain bodily functions. People may not understand what that "something more" is, but they nonetheless desire to celebrate it. They are still hungry and thirsty for sacramental life.

It is not accidental, therefore, that the biblical story of the Fall is centered again on food. Man ate the forbidden fruit. The fruit of that one tree, whatever else it may signify, was unlike every other fruit in the Garden: it was not offered as a gift to Man. Not given, not blessed by God, it was food whose eating was condemned to be communion with itself alone, and not with God. It is the image of the world loved for itself, and eating it is the image of life understood as an end in itself.

This is one of the most inspirational books I've ever read. I may just begin again at the beginning.

Bishop Robert Barron on The Two Popes

The new and much-ballyhooed Netflix film The Two Popes should, by rights, be called The One Pope, for it presents a fairly nuanced, textured and sympathetic portrait of Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis) and a complete caricature of Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI). This imbalance fatally undermines the movie, whose purpose, it seems, is to show that old, grumpy, legalistic Benedict finds his spiritual bearings through the ministrations of friendly, forward-looking Francis. But such a thematic trajectory ultimately does violence to both figures, and turns what could have been a supremely interesting character study into a predictable and tedious apologia for the film-maker’s preferred version of Catholicism.

That we are dealing with a caricature of Ratzinger becomes clear when, in the opening minutes of the film, the Bavarian cardinal is presented as ambitiously plotting to secure his election as pope in 2005. On at least three occasions, the real Cardinal Ratzinger begged John Paul II to allow him to retire from his position as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and to take up a life of study and prayer.

Bishop Robert Barron's review of The Two Popes,

Catholic Herald

I haven't seen The Two Popes because all the other reviews I read gave me the clues to what Bishop Barron spells out. Barron's review looks at the missed opportunities that would have made this a more accurate film and also a film that honestly let people see both popes.

The Magi

The Magi by J.C. Leyendecker, magazine illustration from 1900
via J.R.'s Art Place

Best of Rereading and Rewatching — 2019

How long's it been since you reread or rewatched these? Pardner, that's too long.

My top picks from last year. In no particular order.

Sita Sings the Blues

A creative delight. The Indian story of The Ramayana told three ways,
all from Rama's wife's point of view ... the titular Sita.
(My review here.)

The Lunchbox

Mistaken lunch deliveries connect a young housewife and a widower
when they send each other notes in the lunchbox.

Lootera

Loosely based on an O'Henry story. With redemption in the end.

(My review here.)

Lagaan

Peasants versus the Raj in an epic cricket match.
Charming and a celebration of the human spirit.

(My review here.)

The Curse of Chalion

by Lois McMaster Bujold

A bedraggled, galley ship survivor is caught, despite his best efforts to the contrary,
in the middle of royal intrigue. Plus getting errands from the gods.  
(My review here.)

Paladin of Souls

by Lois McMaster Bujold

Sequel to Curse of Chalion, from Ista's point of view. Maybe even better than the first book.

(More here.)

The Killer Angels

by Michael Shaara

Simply amazing in communicating the humanity, flaws, errors, and brotherhood of these men fighting at Gettysburg ... and the tragedy of the battle.
(My review here.)

Andrea Vernon and the Corporation for Ultrahuman Protection

by Alexander C. Kane

Mixing the workplace, romance, and superheroes. Andrea sees all the action from behind-the-scenes at a corporation which manages their contracts and assignments. Which is very funny indeed.
(My review here.)

Mockingbird

by Walter Tevis

In the 25th century robots do all the work and no one can read. Paul has discovered how to read and this changes everything. There's no way to really describe this book well. Read my review and then read it for yourself.
(My review here.)

Best of 2019—Books

In 10 words or less, my top 10 picks from the over 160 books I read last year. You may find old books here but if they're on this list, then they were new to me! In no particular order.

Bollywood Kitchen

by Sri Rao

Home-cooked easy Indian meals paired with Bollywood films. 
(My review here.)

Bollywood: The Films! The Songs! The Stars!

DK Publishing

Stellar look at Bollywood history, background, and new movie resource.
(My review here.)

The Bayeaux Tapestry

by Lucien Musset

Full-colour reproduction of entire Tapestry with a detailed commentary.
(My review here.)

Lent

fantasy by Jo Walton

Priest Girolamo can see demons and cast them into Hell.
(My review here.)

Letter to a Suffering Church

(A Bishop Speaks on the Sexual Abuse Crisis )
by Bishop Robert Barron

Encourages Catholics to fight for the Church to be true to Christ.
(My review here.)

My Plain Jane

by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows

Funny, inventive, light, alternative history of Jane Eyre. With ghosts.

(My review.)

The Light of Christ

by Thomas Joseph White

A good dose of philosophy with your Catholic faith.
(My reviews here.)

Arrow of the Blue-Skinned God

(Retracing the Ramayana Through India )
by Jonah Blank

Retelling the Ramayana and linking it to Indian culture/history. 

(My full review)

The Last Dance

 by Martin L. Shoemaker

Investigating mutiny charges against captain of Martian spaceship. Heinlein-esque sf.
(My review here.)

The Pioneers

(The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West)
by David McCullough

Back when the West was Ohio. Interesting, inspiring, proud to be American.

 (More info here.)

Best of 2019 — Movies

In 10 words or less, my top 10 picks from the over 130 movies we watched last year. As always, the movies may be old, but my viewing was brand new in 2019. In no particular order.

Kahaani

Hollywood would be proud to make a thriller like this.
(My review here.)

Fan

Shah Rukh Khan plays his own stalker. Nail biting thriller.
(My review here.)

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi

(A Match Made By God)

Solid comedy and sweet look at true love and marriage.
(My review here.)

Eega (Fly)

Heartwarming, thrilling story of a man reincarnated as a fly
so he can protect his love and take vengeance on his murderer.
(C'mon, no one can sum that up in 10 words).

(My review here.)

Piku

Crazy family's road trip from Delhi to Calcutta in a taxi.
(My review here.)

Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse

Genius animation—Spidermen from different universes in one great adventure.

Padmaavat

Epic interpretation of epic poem.
(My review here.)

Dor

Two women's lives become intertwined by unlikely, dire circumstances.
(My review here.)

Fighting With My Family

Funny, quirky, and thoughtful coming-of-age sports movie.
(My review here.)

Ram-Leela

Romeo and Juliet — Bollywood style.
(My review here.)

Anne of Green Gables on SFFaudio

Anne of Green Gables isn't science fiction or fantasy. So it seems like an unlikely combination until you realize that Jesse and Maissa are from Canada ... and are digging into their literary roots. Plus there is always Anne's fantastical imagination to consider! Evan and I came along for the ride. A fun discussion - get it here.

Jesse Tree — Day 23: O God With Us

The O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons sung or recited at Vespers from December 17-23. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture.

   

Day 22: O King of the Gentiles

Symbols: tablets of stone, chalice and host

Mosaic from the apse of Saint Sophia, the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington DC.
taken by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P., some rights reserved

Isaiah 7:10-14; 33:22
Romans 8:20-24
John 1:1-18

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,
the hope of the nations and their Saviour:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.

Jesse Tree — Day 22: O King of the Gentiles

The O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons sung or recited at Vespers from December 17-23. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture.

   

Day 22: O King of the Gentiles

Symbols: crown, scepter

Detail from the beautifully carved great reredos, carved by Lee Lawrie, in the Episcopal Church of St Thomas on Fifth Avenue in New York City.
Taken by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P., some rights reserved

Genesis 2:7
Ezekiel 37:21-28
Isaiah 26:8-9, 40:31
Jeremiah 10:7
Haggai 2:7

O King of the nations, and their desire,
the cornerstone making both one:
Come and save the human race,
which you fashioned from clay.

Jesse Tree — Day 21: O Dayspring, Radiant Dawn

The O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons sung or recited at Vespers from December 17-23. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture.

Day 20: O Dayspring, Radiant Dawn

Symbols: sun rising or high in sky

This is the mosaic dome in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington DC.
Taken by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P., some rights reserved

Jer. 23:5
Zechariah 3:8; 6:12
Malachi 3:2
Luke 1:78-79
Hebrews 1:1-4
John 8:12

O Morning Star,
splendour of light eternal and sun of righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

At My Window

At my Window, Boulogne, William Powell Frith

Jesse Tree — Day 20: O Key of David

The O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons sung or recited at Vespers from December 17-23. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture.

   

Day 19: O Root of Jesse

Symbols: key, broken chains

Medieval Limoges enamel of the Harrowing of Hell, by which the Risen Lord Jesus frees Adam and Eve and the patriarchs from the jaws of death. This piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Taken by Fr. Lawrence Lew O.P., some rights reserved

Isaiah 22:20-24
Revelation 1:18; chapter 3; 20:4-6, 13

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;
you open and no one can shut;
you shut and no one can open:
Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,
those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

Chocolate Brownie Cookies

I wouldn't have believed how good these cookies are. They're more trouble than brownies, but I am not in love with brownies. I am in love with these.

Find them at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

Double Decker Living Bridge

Double decker living bridge (famous for its parallel spans), taken by Vinayak Hedge

Living root Bridges are built in the deep valleys of East Khasi hills in central Meghalaya, Northeast India. The people of these villages (Nongriat, Laitkynshew and others) are isolated from rest of the world as these are located in a deep valleys which can only be reached by an arduous trek. Now though the situation is better as there are steps built to visit the valley. You have to descend and climb more than 2100 steps at a time. Since these valleys were inaccessible for a long time people came with this ingenious solution to cross rivers which were very full due to tremendous rainfalll in the monsoon.

They plant the strangler fig trees on both sides and once they grow they use guides such as bamboo poles or string for the roots to grow around them. Then in 10-15 years (mostly more), a bridge is grown. This is multi-generational effort. these bridges are extremely durable an last 5 to 6 centuries.

And they've been around a very long time.

Living bridge formed of the aërial roots of the India-rubber and other kind of figs.
Illustration from Himalayan journals; or, Notes of a naturalist in Bengal,
 the Sikkim and Nepal Himalayas, the Khasia Mountains,1854

I hadn't heard of these wonderful bridges before or of Meghalaya, which I was instantly curous about considering our family obsession with Indian movies (which naturally progresses into all other topics such as geography). I was interested to see that it has a Christian majority of 75% and is traditionally matrilineal. Plus it's in a spot you don't see mentioned in the movies much.

Thanks to Scott for pointing out the Atlas Obscura piece on the bridges and sending me on such a fascinating armchair trip!

Jesse Tree — Day 19: O Root of Jesse

The O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons sung or recited at Vespers from December 17-23. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture.

Day 19: O Root of Jesse

Symbols: flower, plant with flower

Detail from the painted ceiling of Ely Cathedral,
taken by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P.

Isaiah 11:1-5, 52:13-53:6
Revelation 5:5, 22:16
John 15:1-4

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths,
to you the nations will make their prayer:
Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

Coquito

We recently discovered this delicious Latin American drink which seems like a good equivalent to eggnog. If eggnog were a coconut delight.

Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

The Travelling Companions

Augustus Leopold Egg, The Travelling Companions

Jesse Tree - Day 18: O Lord of Israel

The O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons sung or recited at Vespers from December 17-23. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture.

Day 18: O Lord of Israel

Symbols: burning bush, stone tablets

Mosaic of Moses and the Burning Bush in the National Shrine in Washington DC.
The Lord, with outstretched arms on the Cross, comes to redeem us.
Taken by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P., some rights reserved

Exodus 3:1-6, 6:6, 19:16-19, 20:1-6

O Adonai [Lord], and leader of the House of Israel,
who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

Painted Church - St. Mary's Catholic Church

St. Mary's Catholic Church - Praha, Texas
courtesy of Jason Merlo Photography

I just rewatched Lilies of the Field, preparing for some upcoming movie group discussions. The beauty of the finished chapel made me suddenly think of the painted churches of Texas. And hence this picture which I'm sharing today.

(Scott and I discussed the movie on A Good Story is Hard to Find.)

Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya

SHERLOCK HOLMES IS FICTION. AGENT SAI SRINIVASA ATHREYA IS ORIGINAL.

Agent Sai Srinivasa Athreya is a brilliant, underrated detective from Nellore who runs an agency called FBI which sees no business. He gets more than what he asked for when a case happens to fall right into his lap out of nowhere.

Charming and delightful tale of a detective who learned everything from fictional detectives in books and movies. This gets off to a very slow start with a lot of establishing scenarios to Agent Athreya has a good detective's mind. Once he is thrown in jail the story turns into a legit twisty mystery which takes off much as a Hollywood movie would. In a way, it is a nice bookend to Knives Out in that it has a modern setting (albeit South Indian) but tells a classic noir-style tale. The star is really personable and charming. I would gladly see another of these so I'm glad to hear that a series is proposed.

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.)

Jesse Tree - Day 17: O Wisdom

On December 17, the Church begins to intensify the preparation for Christmas with the use of the "O" Antiphons during the Liturgy of the Hours. The symbols for the Jesse Tree from December 17 to 23 are based on the "O" Antiphons.

The O Antiphons are Magnificat antiphons sung or recited at Vespers from December 17-23. Each antiphon is a name of Christ, one of his attributes mentioned in Scripture.

Day 17: O Wisdom

Symbols: oil lamp, open book

Detail from a tapestry c.1500-20 from the Netherlands, and housed in the Cloisters Museum, NYC.
Taken by Fr Lawrence Lew, O.P., some rights reserved

Sirach 24:1, 3-4, 7
Wisdom 8:1, 9:1-6
Isaiah 40:14
Baruch 3:15, 29-37
1 Corinthians 1:18-31

O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High,
reaching from one end to the other,
mightily and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Romeo and Juliet — Bollywood Style

Ram and Leela, passionately in love with each other, realize that the only way to stop the bloodshed between their respective clans is to sacrifice their own lives.

So, right there in the description you can see that this telling of Romeo and Juliet takes a definitely Indian twist. It's all about family, all the time.

This was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali whose movies are famously beautiful and this is no exception. Set in a town where two gangster families (another familiar Indian theme) openly war for dominance, Ram and Leela meet at a Holi celebration. It's clever because the colored powder partially disguises their features (instead of the masked ball of Shakespeare's writing).

I really enjoyed this adaptation, especially the chemistry between Deepika and Ranveer Singh. The way they interact, right up to the end, shows us how deeply and instinctively they understand each other ... and without a lot of sappy stuff. Melodrama - yes. Over the top theatrics - yes. Sexual attraction - yes. (Good heavens, that incense scene was amazing.) But not sappiness. Which I appreciate.

I didn't love the bit where each takes over running their clans. With the emphasis on family and town politics, it sagged some. It expressed the ending we expect in the most Indian of ways ... so much so that it made it a delight. Also, I've never seen family so examined in Romeo and Juliet, but to be fair - that's also very Indian. I loved those aspects a lot.

Overall this movie is a good adaptation. The songs and dances are really good and, of course, Deepika and Ranveer Singh are a delight for the eyes. So even if you don't love the rest of it, you can enjoy the show.

Rating — for advanced viewers. (You've got to be willing to let this one wash over you, enjoying the ride for what it is ... it also helps if you've got a basic knowledge of Romeo & Juliet, but that's not really necessary).

Scott and I discuss this at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Hannah and Rose discuss it in episode 44 of An American's Guide to Bollywood podcast.

Fan - Shah Rukh Khan series final

Hannah and Rose discuss the 2016 Shah Rukh Khan film Fan, about a man whose obsession with a Bollywood star takes over his life.

This movie showcases Shah Rukh Khan's considerable acting talent and is a fascinating look at celebrity culture in India. Get it at An American's Guide to Bollywood, episode 9.

My review of Fan is here.

The Early Church (33–313) by James Papandrea

The first three centuries of the Christian faith were a period of missionary zeal, deep thought, and tribulation. In The Early Church (33–313): St. Peter, the Apostles, and Martyrs, Catholic historian and biblical expert James Papandrea dispels what he calls common “mythconceptions” about the early years of Christianity. Tracking the challenges of heresy and persecution throughout the period, Papandrea shines a spotlight on the earliest saints and explores the growth and development of the new Church.

I wasn't sure if I'd like this book as much as the next in the series, which I read first, by a different author. But I shouldn't have worried. This book is just as chock full of truthful Catholic history that's easy to read and that busts some of the ubiquitous myths about Catholicism. Even though I've read a fair amount about these early Church days, I still found new information. I especially appreciated that it was never assumed we knew basic information. This ranged from explaining the difference between numbering in plain years versus by century (the year 300 is the beginning of the fourth century) to outlining how the Church hierarchy came about.

Occasional "Up Close and Personal" boxes showcase different personalities or aspects of Christianity from that time, such as looking at the real Saint Valentine. "You Be the Judge" boxes examine common questions and set the record straight on topics like "Weren't Christian holidays originally pagan holidays?" or "Didn't the Church silence the voices of people who didn't follow the dominant party line?"

I liked it. Can't wait for the rest of the series.

That's Entertainment — Knives Out

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death.

I like the review from DarwinCatholic (go there and read it all):

The short review: yes, you absolutely must see this, especially if you are fan of Agatha Christie, big house mysteries, fantastic set decor, southern accents, Chekhov's gun, crazy families, donut holes, and whodunits that keep you guessing until the end.

I was delighted to see that, a la Agatha Christie, there is an underlying moral grounding to the story. There's also a less underlying social message, which is nonetheless worked in without being too over the top. It is what makes the story feel modern and fresh despite being heavily grounded in the rich family whose patriarch was murdered genre. So it feels old and new, the actors are all obviously having a grand time, the mystery is told in an interesting way that keeps you guessing throughout and it is pure entertainment.

Don't miss it.

What I'm Reading During Advent: The Radiance of Being, The Art of Advent, Sister Wendy on the Art of Christmas

The book is in three parts, concerned respectively with the nature of nature, the nature of God, and the nature of divine Wisdom. It opens in Part One with some reflections on the history of science and cosmology, using the metaphor of "light" to suggest a bridge between scientific and religious thought. Part Two, about our conceptions of God, is largely concerned with the notion of the Trinity, which makes Christianity so unique among the religions of the world. Part Three explores the intimate relationship between God and man — man viewed as the link or mediator between God and the rest of creation.

The doctrine of the Trinity ... makes sense of human life as a whole. It is the Key that opens every lock, an insight that reveals the center of the universe. It shows us the pattern that underlies physics, history, psychology, economics, and the arts. It is the most beautiful, elegant, and simple doctrine in the world — a true "theory of everything.

This is my latest book crush. The way that Stratford Caldecott honestly and unsparingly looks at the nature of science and world religions (which is as far as I've gotten) and sees where they might show us something new about the Catholic faith has been mind blowing. And, never fear, just when you think he's tipping over the edge into something that doesn't agree with the faith, he pulls up and reorients everything so that we see the orthodox faith shining through. Really extraordinary.

I loved a couple of Jane Williams' previous books — Faces of Christ: Jesus in Art, Angels — so I've had my eye on this Advent book for some time. It does not disappoint. Every day of Advent I've found food for thought and inspiration. Sometimes the art leads to other reflections than directly on the painting but it is the way that Williams opens up the art, connecting it with Advent, that I love most.

Here's a bit on the Holman Hunt painting, Light of the World.

Holman Hunt's picture is full of symbolism, all of it taking us more deeply into Advent reflection. There are three light sources in the painting, but they all cluster around Jesus. Behind him is the dawn light, struggling to make its way through the dark woods, towards that central figure. Then there is the lantern that Jesus is carrying, a bright, homely light to welcome wandering travellers. And finally, there is the light that shines around Jesus' head, his own inner brightness, from which the other lights take their meaning. Behind Jesus are threatening, twisted trees, shedding rotting fruit to the ground. They are the trees that Adam and Eve ate from, and the tree on which Jesus dies, and all our long family trees, waiting to be lit up and filled with life again. The lantern that Jesus is holding throws a reddish light back on to his cloak, which makes it look similar to the wood of the door. After all, Jesus said that he is the door or the gateway (John 10:7). So we have two doorways, facing each other, as we wait to see whether one will open to the other. ...

This one was a quick read so I just finished it. But very worthwhile.

Excellent meditations not only on art portraying the major events of Advent and Christmas, but on what these mean to us personally. It is fairly short so you can fit the 14 reflections into a busy schedule. I loved the scene of everyone in Bethlehem lined up for the census with a man leading a donkey carrying a woman almost lost in the crowd. How easy it is to be so busy, even with necessary things, that we don't notice signs of God right next to us? Each painting opened my eyes a little more, thanks to Sister Wendy.

The definition of freedom

Much of the time we think we are loving and free when in reality we do not even know what these words imply. for example, the whole world currently seems to believe that freedom grows with the number of options placed before us. But God's love teaches us something different. "Perfect freedom is the total inability to make any evil choice," says Thomas Merton. "Therefore, the simplest definition of freedom is this; it means the ability to do the will of God."

Stratford Caldecott, The Radiance of Being

The Trinity: The Key That Opens Every Lock

Perhaps they [clergy explaining the Trinity] feel a bit like quantum physicists, trying to explain to laymen how light can be a particle at the same time as being a wave.

But the doctrine of the Trinity does not just make sense of a few experimental observations in a laboratory. It makes sense of human life as a whole. It is the Key that opens every lock, an insight that reveals the center of the universe. It shows us the pattern that underlies physics, history, psychology, economics, and the arts. It is the most beautiful, elegant, and simple doctrine in the world — a true "theory of everything."

Stratford Caldecott, The Radiance of Being

From my newest book crush.

A Kiss for a Horse

14-month old Jeanne Anne Evans kisses her horse near Marfa, Texas, in 1955.
Traces of Texas

Fortitude and the Salt of the Earth

Fortitude is the virtue that helps us to confront bodily and spiritual dangers. Often while citing an intention to be kind and benevolent, some have extinguished genuine Christine fortitude. Jesus tells us that we are the salt of the earth, not the sugar of the earth!

[...]

Jesus himself tells us: "You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world." What a responsibility! What a commission! To give up being the salt of the earth is to condemn the world to being insipid and flavorless; to give up being the light of the world is to condemn it to darkness. We must not be persuaded to do that. It even happens that some pastors, wishing to "meet the world," deliberately neglect this faith perspective in order to adopt a profane view. What a loss!

Cardinal Robert Sarah,

The Day is Now Far Spent

On the Menu ...

Die Schwarze Pump (The Black Pump), 
Edward B. Gordon

We're cooking up a storm today, preparing for Thanksgiving of course! Here's what's on the menu and links to a lot of the recipes.

Turkey in a Courtyard

Turkey in a Courtyard by John Singer Sargent, circa 1879-1880
via J.R.'s Art Place

Sharing food ...

Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.

M. F. K. Fisher

Having just rewatched Babette's Feast and with Thanksgiving on the horizon, I could not agree more.

Pulp Adventure Fiction: The Mucker Series by Edgar Rice Burroughs

It's no secret that I have a real fondness for pulp fiction of the type that was serialized in various magazines around the turn of the 20th century. It is perfect for light relaxation and almost always has an underlying moral sense that I find refreshing these days.

This series by Edgar Rice Burroughs has additional interest because he begins with a completely unlikable and seemingly unredeemable character.

Billy Byrne is a low class American born in Chicago's ghetto. He grows up a thief and a mugger. He is not chivalrous nor kind, and has only meager ethics - never giving evidence against a friend or leaving someone behind. He chooses a life of robbery and violence, disrespecting those who work for a living. He has a deep hatred for wealthy society.

As I said, this book takes an interesting and unusual turn in telling about a man with no redeeming qualities whatsoever whose participation in a kidnapping leads to a change of perspective. We expect Billy's redemption when he crosses paths with a millionaire's daughter, but she loathes him as much as he hates everything about her. And for a very good reason which is one I never could figure out how they would get past. Their exotic adventures together, thanks to fate, make great escapist reading.

The Mucker in Mexico in the days of Pancho Villa. With a new best friend hobo who recites poetry. What a coincidence that Barbara's father happens to own a ranch nearby that they're visiting when the banditos/revolutionaries get violent...

The Kindle collection I was reading had this book as part 2 of The Mucker, but evidently it has usually be published as an independent sequel, which makes complete sense.

No Mucker, but we do get an adventure with his pal Bridge, the poetry quoting hobo. And burglars, murderers and a ghost. It was originally titled Bridge and the Oskaloosa Kid and is actually fairly short, more of a novella than a book. The twists are fairly predictable but I enjoyed seeing Bridge have his own adventures.

A Girl Knitting

A Girl Knitting, Shirataki Ikunosuke, 1895
via J.R.'s Art Place

One day at a time

Let's try to live today as we should, according to the paths of the Kingdom, in trust and simplicity, seeking God and abandoning ourselves to him. And God will take care of the rest.

One day at a time. This is very important. Very often we exhaust ourselves going over the past again and again and also our fears about the future. But when we live in the present moment, we mysteriously find strength. We have the grace to live through what we encounter today. If tomorrow we must face more difficult situations, God will increase his grace. God's grace is given at the right time for it, day by day.

Jacques Phillipe, The Way of Trust and Love:

A Retreat Guided by St. Therese of Lisieux

Eastern Frisia 2

Taken by Marc Fabian Erdl

God's grace changes and re-orders the soul.

God's grace is not external; it actually changes and re-orders the soul and its loves, so that "God becomes the life of the soul as the soul is the life of the body." This begins now and is perfected in Heaven; in fact if it does not begin now, the soul could not endure Heaven.

Peter Kreeft, Socrates' Children

Vol. II: Medieval Philosophy

(chapter on Augustine)

Self Portrait with Pipe

Autoportrait à la pipe, self-portrait, 1892, Louis Anquetin

Lagniappe: Women and cats ...

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.

Robert A. Heinlein

Eastern Frisia

Eastern Frisia, Marc Fabian Erdl

Trusting in God Instead of Ourselves

Sometimes we manage to do what is right, lead a good and virtuous life, have great trust in God, without the slightest problem; and then a difficult time comes. For instance, we commit a fault that really humiliates us. Or we make a wrong decision, which is unpleasant, especially when other people notice it. We are brought face-to-face with our defects, and we become sad and discouraged. All our great trust in God melts away like snow in the sun.

This simply means that what we called trust in God was in fact trust in ourselves. If trust disappears when we do wrong, it shows that our trust was based on ourselves and our deeds. Discouragement is a clear sign that we've put our trust in ourselves and not at all in God.

... And it is vital that our trust should rest not on our personal achievements but only on God's love, his tenderness, his infinite mercy, on the fact that he is our Father and can never abandon us. Otherwise we will never be truly free but will always be afraid of failure, of our weaknesses and somewhat centered on ourselves instead of centered on God.

Jacques Phillipe, 

The Way of Trust and Love: A Retreat Guided by St. Therese of Lisieux

Crested Tit

Crested Tit, Remo Savisaar

What God secretly sows in our hearts

We would like to feel that we're making progress, improving and advancing, and sometimes we do see it: we're aware that God has untied a knot, as he did for Therese that Christmas. But very often we don't feel anything. Yet God is still acting and one day we will see the fruits. Like the seed the Gospel speaks of, a tiny little gran of mustard seed, God has secretly sown something in our hearts; then, whether we wake or sleep, the seed grows, bears fruit and becomes like a tree in which the birds of the sky can find refuge.* These are the fruits of the secret working of grace for our benefit and our neighbors'; they grow by themselves, so to speak, and we end up seeing how the poor lost birds of today's world find consolation, hope, encouragement, acceptance, and tenderness with us.

So the underlying issue, in the human and spiritual life, is to discover (and practice) the inner attitudes, the dispositions of heart, that make us permeable to God's grace and attract it unfailingly: small and poor, yet attracting God's grace in an absolutely certain way. Not because anyone can manipulate God. If anyone can't be manipulated, it's God. But he is faithful and he loves us, and so we can find absolutely unfailing ways of attracting his grace.

Jacques Phillipe, The Way of Trust and Love: A Retreat Guided by St. Therese of Lisieux

* See the parables about the mysterious growth of the Kingdom, cf. Matthew 4:31-33 and Mark 4:26-29.

Veteran's Day Tribute

Photo credit: Kate Gardiner

It Is The Soldier
It is the Soldier, not the minister
Who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the Soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the Soldier, not the poet
Who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer
Who has given us freedom to protest.

It is the Soldier, not the lawyer
Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the Soldier, not the politician
Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the Soldier who salutes the flag,
Who serves beneath the flag,
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who allows the protester to burn the flag.

by Charles M. Province, U.S. Army • November 1, 2004

• Recta Ratio has good comments on the day and how our lack of true celebration is a commentary in itself on our culture.

For me, nothing says it better than this, also pulled from 2006, which shows just why our soldiers and veterans are so worthy of our thanks and pride. I look at this and think of my brother who has said several times, with becoming modesty, that he really just wanted to help other people.

This moving photograph shows Chief Master Sgt. John Gebhardt, superintendent of the 22nd Wing Medical Group at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas, holding an injured Iraqi girl. The picture was taken in October 2006, while Sgt. Gebhardt was deployed to Balad Air Base in Iraq. According to the Air Force Print News, the infant girl Sgt. Gebhardt held in his arms "received extensive gunshot injuries to her head when insurgents attacked her family killing both of her parents and many of her siblings."

Sgt. Gebhardt is now back home in Wichita, Kansas, with his wife and two children. An Air Force Link article about the sudden fame he gained as the subject of this photograph reported that:

The chief had a knack for comforting [the injured Iraqi girl] and they often would catch a cat nap together in a chair.

"I got as much enjoyment out of it as the baby did," he said. "I reflected on my own family and life and thought about how lucky I have been."

While deployed to Iraq, the chief tried to help out any way he could. He figured holding a baby that needed comforting that would free up one more set of arms that could be providing care to more critical patients.

"I pray for the best for the Iraqi children," he said. "I can't tell the difference between their kids and our kids. The Iraqi parents have the same care and compassion for their children as any American."

Source: Snopes

I haven't said it enough because none of us really can but to our veterans as well as those serving now ... thank you from the bottom of my heart.

We notice a self-hatred in the Western world that is strange ...

Here we notice a self-hatred in the Western world that is strange and that can be considered pathological; yet, the West is making a praiseworthy attempt to be completely open to understanding foreign values, but it no longer loves itself; from now on it sees its own history only as a blameworthy and destructive, whereas it is no longer capable of perceiving what is great and pure. In order to survive, Europe needs a new ... acceptance of itself, that is, if it wants to survive.

Joseph Ratzinger, Europe Today and Tomorrow

quoted in The Day is Now Far Spent, Cardinal Robert Sarah

I am, of course, aware of this self-hatred which is flung at Americans. We're not allowed to honor or praise ourselves in a lot of ways without having fellow Americans tell us why we are terrible.

Reading this quote it struck me that if Ratzinger was describing a person instead of the Western world, we would worry about suicide or abuse. Certainly we'd think of depression accompanying such self loathing. We would build the person up, not tear them down every chance we got. And yet this is how we as Americans, as Westerners, are treated. No wonder we are suffering cultural crisis on so many levels.

The Swan, No. 1

The Swan, No. 1 by Hilma af Klint, 1915
via J.R.'s Art Place

The Star Lovers

Illustration for The Star Lovers by Grace James
Illustrated by Warwick Goble
Read the story at Childhood Reading

This illustration makes me think of Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart, which he graciously allowed me to read aloud for Forgotten Classics.

God awaits us in our own nature.

We must rediscover the fact that our own nature is not an enemy or a prison. It extends a hand to us so that we might cultivate it.

Through our nature, ultimately the Creator himself is the one who extends his hand to us, who invites us to enter into his wise and loving plan for us. He respects our freedom and entrusts our nature to us as a talent that is to be made productive. In the gender ideology, there is a deep rejection of God the Creator. This ideology has real-life theological and spiritual consequences. In opposing it, the Church is not making herself the intransigent, inflexible guardian of a supposed moral order. She is fighting so that each human being may encounter God. The first place where he awaits us is precisely our nature, our profound being that he offers us as a gift.

Cardinal Robert Sarah, The Day is Now Far Spent

Peanuts and Bananas

We've got two new recipes that are going to be making repeat appearances ... Whole-Grain Banana Bread (don't worry - it is not healthy tasting, just delicious) ... and Curried Peanut Sauce (suitable for simmering any combo you like of meat and vegetables). Both are also super simple!

All at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.