The Cat

Henriette Ronner-Knip, The Cat
via Arts Everyday Living

The fruits of the Holy Spirit and fruit as something to be enjoyed

The fruits of the Holy Spirit are the result of the virtues. To put it more poetically, the virtues are the blossoms on the tree of life, which we see in springtime, and the fruits are what come from these flowers at the time of ripeness. [...]

Interestingly enough for those who thought morality was all about gritting one's teeth and getting on with something unpleasant, tradition associates [the fruits] with the experience of delight. A "fruit" that we pluck from a tree, ripe and delicious, is something to be enjoyed, and the person who unselfconsciously possesses these fruits is a person who is able to take pleasure in life. His day-to-day existence is filled with happiness and pleasure. When we lack these characteristics we are resltless, discontented, morose and unhappy. That is a sign that something is wrong with us.

Stratford Caldecott,

Fruits of the Holy Spirit

Gospel of Matthew: Each Temptation Building on the Previous One

Matthew 4:1-11

All of the devil's temptations are adapted based on Christ's answers. Each one is an attempt to divert Jesus from suffering and obedience.

I can't recall specifically where I learned that Jesus' refusals are all given in quotations from the Book of Deuteronomy. His tests resemble those of Israel when they were wandering in the desert. So his triumph over temptation is in direct contrast to the failures of the Jewish people in the wilderness. This is something that the Jews of Jesus' time would have picked up on right away.

Of course, for us the three lessons of the temptations are the basic ones we struggle with always. Who do we trust? And who do we worship? Do we put ourselves or God first?

As a side note, I especially like Jesus' expression in the engraving below. He is serene in his knowledge, in his power, in who he is.

Christ is tempted by Satan.
Engraved drawing by Jacob de Wit after Peter Paul Rubens.

The focus [of the first temptation] is on the identity and power of Jesus. ... The temptation is not really about food but about turning Jesus away from the difficult road that the Father wills for his Son (26:39). His mission is not to serve himself by exploiting his divine prerogatives but to serve others by a life of heroic sacrifice (20:28).

Jesus responds with the words of Deut. 8:3: "One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the word of God." The statement is a short lesson on God's priorities for our lives, teaching us that physical needs are not our greatest needs.

[...]

Immediately one notices how the tempter adjusts himself to the one being tempted. Jesus has quoted the Bible to express his commitment to live by God's word, and so the devil turns to the Bible to press his second attack. ...

The second temptation is essentially a challenge to the trustworthiness of God. Satan wants Jesus to subject his Father's promises to verification. ...

Jesus strikes back with words from Deut. 6:16: "You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test. The original context of this passage is the rebellion of the exodus generation in the wilderness [at Massah where] ... some demanded God give proof of his presence among them.

[...]

Jesus has refused the offer to serve himself rather than his mission from, the Father and has declined the challenge to test the Father's goodwill. Now he is asked to repudiate the Father altogether by surrendering himself to the lordship of Satan, the "ruler of this world" (John 12:31).

Still Jesus remains unmoved. He responds, "Get away, Satan!" and drives the devil off with the words of Deut. 6:13: "The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve." The context of the quotation is instructive, for it prohibits the worship of "other gods" (Deut. 6:14). Bowing before Satan would be an act of idolatry, and Jesus will have no part of it.

Quote is from Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: The Gospel of Matthew by Curtis Mitch and Edward Sri. This series first ran in 2008. I'm refreshing it as I go.

Human ecology is inseparable from environmental ecology

For both popes [John Paul II and Benedict XVI], in fact "human ecology" in inseparable from environmental ecology, because respect for ourselves, for our sexuality, and for human life in all its stages and manifestations, is the manifestation of a respect for nature as such, which has been created in divine Wisdom: The book of nature is one and indivisible. It takes in not ony the environment, but also life, sexuality, marriage, family, social relations: in a word, integral human development. Our duties toward the environment are linked to our duties toward the human person, considered in himself and in relation to others. It would be wrong to uphold one set of duties while trampling on the other.

Stratford Caldecott,
Radiance of Being

Christopher Tolkien: A Hobbit Amongst the Urukhai

Well, there you are a hobbit amongst the Urukhai. Keep up your hobbitry in your heart, and think that all stories feel like that when you are in them. You are inside a very great story!

J.R.R. Tolkien in a letter to his son Christopher
during the Second World War

Christopher Tolkien died last week after devoting much of his life to curating, editing, and writing about his father's work. What a service he has done for mankind over his lifetime. Eternal peace grant him, O Lord.

Young Italian Woman Praying

Young Italian Woman Praying by Moritz Calisch
via Books and Art

The Chiefs, the Super Bowl, and Me

The last time the Chiefs were in the Super Bowl I remember watching it with my family in our little red house near Kansas City. My dad called every play of the game just as they ran it.

Yesterday Mom and I watched the Chiefs win the playoffs, the day after what would have been Dad's 86th birthday. That victory unleashed our memories and turned the victory into something personal.

It is wonderfully unreal that she and I will be watching them in the Super Bowl together again.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #1: Mostly Martha

It's been 10 years since I began this series highlighting movies I wished more people knew about. I'm rerunning it from the beginning because I still think these are movies you might have missed.

Mostly Martha

Germany

Martha is a chef who has a great deal of discipline, an obsession with food although she never seems to eat, and little joy in her life. When her sister dies, Martha is forced into facing unknown situations after her orphaned niece comes to live with her. Then a new chef is added to the staff and Martha's loss of control seems complete. Suddenly Martha's life is no longer under control at all with the expected growth of character resulting.

This is a slow and deliberate movie but the acting and dialogue are great and a lot of the scenes are very funny. Naturally, as this is about a chef, it is a major "foodie" film. Mostly Martha is a German movie with subtitles but don't let that scare you. Actually we liked listening to the German and picking out words that were almost the same as in English ... but that's the kind of thing our family does for fun.

Do not be fooled by the American remake: No Reservations. It completely messes up the last third of the movie.

The ends and the means

We will never have peace in the world until men everywhere recognize that the ends are not cut off from the means, because the means represent the ideal in the making, and the end in process. Ultimately you can't reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

via The Radiance of Being by Stratford Caldecott

Music Lesson

Music Lesson by Shirataki Ikunosuke

Why truth is stranger than fiction

"Do you believe that truth is stranger than fiction?"

"Truth must of necessity be stranger than fiction," said Basil placidly. "For fiction is the creation of the human mind, and therefore is congenial to it."

G.K. Chesterton, Club of Queer Trades

That absolutely never occurred to me. Brilliant.

Tea

Tea by Harrison Fisher, 1908
via Illustration History

Gospel of Matthew: Being Tempted Through Our Gifts

Matthew 4:1-11

I'm always struck by the fact that after baptism, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested. Mark uses the word "drove" which is what always comes to my mind, but Matthew, interestingly, says led. I like the idea that Jesus is obediently following step-by-step the big plan of what God has in mind.

It only recently occurred to me that this story has to come to us from Jesus in the way that he told it to his apostles. Otherwise no one would have known about it.

One of the things I like best about this story is that Jesus faces his trials in a very human way. He is the Son of God — as his baptism just made clear — and yet he wins the battle as a man. So we can do it too.

William Barclay points this out while making some other good points about temptation which are good for our own reflection in times when we're struggling against making the wrong choices.

Christ in the Wilderness by Ivan Kramskoy, 1872

We must always remember that again and again we are tempted through our gifts. The person who is gifted with charm will be tempted to use that charm "to get away with anything." The person who is gifted with the power of words to produce glib excuses to justify his own conduct. The person with a vivid and sensitive imagination will undergo agonies of temptation that a more stolid person will never experience. The person with great gifts of mind will be tempted to use these gifts for himself and not for others, to become the master and not the servant of men. It is the grim fact of temptation that it is just where we are strongest that we must be forever on the watch.

(v) No one can ever read this story without remembering that its source must have been Jesus himself. In the wilderness he was alone. No one was with him when this struggle was being fought out. And we know about it only because Jesus himself must have told his men about it. It is Jesus telling us his own spiritual autobiography.

We must always approach this story with a unique and special reverence, for in it Jesus is laying bare his inmost heart and soul. He is telling men what he went through. It is the most sacred of all stories, for in it Jesus is saying to us that he can help others who are tempted because he himself was tempted. He draws the veil from his own struggles to help us in our struggle.

Quote is from Daily Study Bible Series: The Gospel of Matthew by William Barclay. This series first ran in 2008. I'm refreshing it as I go.

Valuable truth revealed in a collar stud

The revolt of Matter against Man (which I believe to exist) has now been reduced to a singular condition. It is the small things rather than the large things which make war against us and, I may add, beat us. The bones of the last mammoth have long ago decayed, a mighty wreck; the tempests no longer devour our navies, nor the mountains with hearts of fire heap hell over our cities. But we are engaged in a bitter and eternal war with small things; chiefly with microbes and with collar studs. The stud with which I was engaged (on fierce and equal terms) as I made the above reflections, was one which I was trying to introduce into my shirt collar when a loud knock came at the door.

[...]

I had already subdued the stud, thereby proclaiming that the image of God has supremacy over all matters (a valuable truth), and throwing on my dress-coat and waistcoat, hurried into the drawing-room.

G.K. Chesterton, The Club of Queer Trades

Learned Advice

Learned Advice, Ludwig Deutsch
via Gandalf's Gallery, some rights reserved

Be sure to swing by the link for the fascinating commentary at Gandalf's Gallery.

We are tied together in the single garment of destiny

We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. And you can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the way God's universe is made; this is the way it is structured.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

via Stratford Caldecott, The Radiance of Being

Styled Ear-Tufts

Styled Ear-Tufts, Remo Savisaar

Give 2 Hours, Once a Year, for Life

If your area has a local March for Life, please consider going.

It doesn't take much time, especially when you consider that this may be the only physical action you take against abortion all year. (Not counting kneeling in prayer, that is.)

In Dallas, there are a variety of events for you to attend.

You will be participating in the one thing that the general public, the media, and government understand.

Numbers.

Your mere presence will help show that more people care about all phases of life than most people realize.

If everyone in Dallas/Fort Worth attended who really believed killing the unborn is wrong, I think the streets would be clogged for hours. The media, who generally ignores the thousands who attend here each year, would be unable to ignore those numbers.

We all have our reasons to stay home.

I understand. Every single year I battle the reasonable rationalizations that spring to mind. But those rationalizations are not really true a lot of the time. In my case, they always boil down to:

• It's inconvenient.
• I might get embarrassed.
• I don't like that music (now I'm clutching at straws).
• I'd rather be doing something else (anything else).

So, I'll just say it. I'm lazy, easily embarrassed, snobbish, and selfish. Welcome to my inner life.

But I can't get away from the truth of what Jesus tells me about how I'm being judged in the end.

‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ (Matthew 25:40)

Considering Mary's situation when she said, "Yes" to bearing Christ for us, I feel as if I can't ignore these littlest ones among us and their parents who are being lied to by everyone else in our society. Who need someone to stand up for them and tell the truth.

One of the things I like about the march is that this is my chance to simply "be there." Simply taking this walk lets my presence count without having to achieve another thing. There's a symbolism about that I like. A connection with the unborn whose value is in "being."

That's worth two hours, once a year.

==============

Here is the schedule for the North Texas March for Life  which is this Saturday, January 18.

Meet Tammie Jo Shults, American Hero Twice Over

I expected to read an inspiring story of heroism. And I did. But I didn't expect this:

Shults says her own composure that day was a result of both her training and her spiritual life.

“I had that isolated moment in time, and I did think that was going to be the day I met my maker,” she says. “That headlong rush to that cliff of ‘What if’ stopped short at that thought, and I realized I wouldn’t be meeting a stranger. That really gave me a calm.”

A great story from Texas Highways. Read it here.

To talk on top of a flying hill

Basil Grant and I were talking one day in what is perhaps the most perfect place for talking on earth—the top of a tolerably deserted tramcar. To talk on the top of a hill is superb, but to talk on the top of a flying hill is a fairy tale.

G.K. Chesterton, The Club of Queer Trades

I now want to ride on top of a double decker bus.

Casual Acquaintance

Casual Acquaintance by Karin Jurick

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.