Psalm 26 — I Have Led a Blameless Life

If [enemies] persist and, with hands red with blood, try to drag you down and kill you, remember that God is the proper judge (for he alone is righteous while that which is human is limited) and so say the words of [Psalm] 26.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This psalm begins with:

Judge me, LORD!
For I have walked in my integrity.
In the LORD I trust;
I do not falter.

It seems like a bold request, especially when reading through the rest of the psalm where the psalmist doesn't have a particular complaint or name an enemy. This is a straight up call for redemption based on personal innocence. God is called to take a close look and judge for himself.

I love the psalmist's straight forward, personal approach to God, honestly stating his case for having lived a humble, trusting life. This almost reads like a sequel to Psalm 25 where we're told that trust in Yahweh and following his instructions wil lead to a righteous life with divine deliverance. Psalm 26 describes the life where that has been done.

The Treasury. Gold- and silversmithery of Wrocław Archcatedral Exhibition.
Christian Mentzel the Elder (about 1675). Psalm 26:6–12
(psalm 25 in the Greek numbering), followed by the Gloria Patri. [So gorgeous!]

When considering humility it is always important to remember that being humble means knowing who you are — both the good and the bad. Only that way can we know who we are in relation to others and to God. If the psalmist says he is innocent, he may still be a humble man.

True Innocence and Honesty Before God

We may find it difficult at first to recognize humility in what may seem like a rather brash and prideful statement of complete innocence, but it is there. Especially the call for Yahweh's scrtiny is a moment of humble submission to divine authority. One does not lightly open the ark inner recesses of one's being to God's gaze, for the consequences of sin are real and God's mercy is very necessary, as the psalmist clearly recognizes in 26:9-11.

Psalms vol. 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.

Suburban Dicks by Fabian Nicieza

Once a budding FBI profiler, Andie Stern gave up her career to raise her four (soon to be five) children in West Windsor, New Jersey. But one day, between soccer games, recitals, and trips to the local pool, a very pregnant Andie pulls into a gas station--and stumbles across a murder scene. An attendant has been killed, and the bumbling local cops are in way over their heads. Suddenly, Andie is obsessed with the case, and back on the trail of a killer, this time with kids in tow.

She soon crosses paths with disgraced local journalist Kenneth Lee, who also has everything to prove in solving the case. Hilarious, insightful, and a killer whodunit, Suburban Dicks is the one-of-a-kind mystery that readers will not be able to stop talking about.

This is a book of contrasts. A light, humorous tone is counterpointed by the dark roots of the motive for the murder of a young, simple Indian gas station attendant.

Likewise it plays with a lot of mystery tropes like two losers who wind up solving a murder — only they are actually people with very successful backgrounds who have found themselves at low points of their lives. Andrea was a profiler who caught a serial killer but who now is a housewife with four kids and one on the way. Kenny won the Pulitzer Prize very young for journalism and has gone nowhere but down, now working on a surburban newspaper. The murder is not only a chance to reestablish their self worth but the investigation makes both feel alive again.

We could look at this as the suburban mystery where the housewives who are friends band together to gather clues. Yet, these women are not not really good friends and in some cases haven't met until the story begin. They are all motivated by different things, all of which tie into the murder or their own lives.

The past matters a lot, both to the investigators and to the mystery but we aren't dragged through info dumps. In fact, often small facts are sprinkled through someone's thoughts which give us a clue as to personal relationships, Andrea's with her husband for example, but the big picture is left to unfold naturally. That's a relief because I don't really care about Andrea's and Kenny's pasts more than the author tells us.

Also there is the topic of racism, both systemic and personal, which would normally make me steer a mile away from this book. However, the touch is light without being glib. And because the story is so rooted in Andrea's and Kenny's personal stories, it is a factor without taking over the narrative.

As I said, this is a study in contradictions and perhaps that is what makes it work so well. It is a story with characters we like, a murder that is interesting, and a funny tone which pulls it all together. You'll know early if it is your kind of book. The introduction is what grabbed me and it will either do the same for you or turn you away. Highly recommended.

Reclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Said, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church by Fr. Blake Britton

During the past five decades, the Second Vatican Council has been alternately celebrated or maligned for its supposed break with tradition and embrace of the modern world. But what if we’ve gotten it all wrong? Have Catholics—both those who embrace the spirit of Vatican II and those who regard it with suspicion—misunderstood what the council was really about?

Short review: simply excellent. Inspirational as well as informative. All Catholics should read this book.

==========

Here's the full story.
 

I have enjoyed listening to Father Blake Britton on the Burrowshire podcast which he does with his friend Brandon Vogt. I was intrigued by the idea that he'd written a book and had it preordered but was lucky enough to get a review copy. It was everything I hoped for and a whole lot more.

This book does just what it says on the subtitle. With genuine understanding of what motivates both sides,  Britton clarifies why there are misconceptions (and misapplications) of Vatican II both by liberals  and conservatives. That is no small feat. By looking at why the council was so misunderstood, we see that both liberal and conservative groups are responding to "the paracouncil." 

The paracouncil resulted from theologians (who may not have even been at the council), the media and turbulent, secular influences. These combined to skew the intentions of the Vatican II council into something that is loosely referred to as "the spirit of Vatican II." I'd heard the phrase but never paid enough attention to wonder why it was used. After all, if someone said "the spirit of the Bible" we'd go  take a good long look at the Bible to see what it really said. No one was doing that with the Vatican II documents. I realized that's like saying "it's the vibe of the thing" which is always dangerous when dealing with the faith.  The paracouncil is the reason for the iffy implementation I've noticed in a lot of parishes.

Britton walks us through the reason for the council and the major documents. As he does, we get context from ancient and modern times, what was (and wasn't) included, and thoughtful ways to help implement the true teachings of Vatican II in parishes. Along the way, he shares personal experiences as a parish priest which bring it all to life.

I was left with a profound respect for the council who so skillfully balanced Catholic tradition with the need to renew the practices of the Church so that the people have passion and vigor in their faith. I was left inspired by the council's goals and the examples of instituting proper practice in modern parishes.  I'm lucky enough to worship in a beautiful church that has a profound respect for the liturgy, including the music. Here are some of the things that Vatican II added, some of which I knew and some of which I didn't. All of these are implemented in our parish and which I'm profoundly grateful for!

• Revised liturgical calendar which cycles through the gospels in a three year period on Sundays and two-years for daily Mass while including lots and lots of Old Testament scripture too.
• Encouraging Bible reading and study. This has led to a lot of great study programs which our parish uses as well as many books I use myself.
• We should all be saints. The idea that the laypeople are also called to saintly holiness.
• Making sure there is a homily with the Mass. (Who knew that wasn't always a thing? I didn't!)
• The four stages of RCIA (this is the program non-Catholics go through to enter the Church) . In our parish it is well developed. For me was a source of unexpected spiritual growth and that was 20 years ago. I thought it always was like that.
  
• The Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) prayed by the laity. Another thing that I didn't know. I have only recently begun dipping my toes in this practice but am grateful for it.

 Reclaiming Vatican II is simply excellent. It is inspirational, informative, and easy to read and understand. All Catholics should read this book.

Also recommended: The Vatican II Collection by Bishop Robert Barron. The text of the four main council documents supplemented by explanatory commentary from Bishop Robert Barron and  Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis.

The main point of Christianity was this: that Nature is not our mother: Nature is our sister.

The essence of all pantheism, evolutionism, and modern cosmic religion is really in this proposition: that Nature is our mother. Unfortunately, if you regard Nature as a mother, you discover that she is a step-mother. The main point of Christianity was this: that Nature is not our mother: Nature is our sister. We can be proud of her beauty, since we have the same father; but she has no authority over us; we have to admire, but not to imitate. This gives to the typically Christian pleasure in this earth a strange touch of lightness that is almost frivolity. Nature was a solemn mother to the worshipers of Isis and Cybele. Nature was a solemn mother to Wordsworth or to Emerson. But Nature is not solemn to Francis of Assisi or to George Herbert. To St. Francis, Nature is a sister, and even a younger sister: a little, dancing sister, to be laughed at as well as loved.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Crane family in autumn

Crane family in autumn, Remo Savisaar

 

A “flying jumbo“ in royal regalia

The flying jumbo in royal regalia used to enthrall spectators
gathered at Rajpath in New Delhi

But this caparisoned jumbo was no ordinary pachyderm. It was a small helicopter, modified to resemble a “dancing elephant“ and flew over the Rajpath during the Republic Day parade.

Needless to say , its performance was the pièce de résistance of the fly past showcased by the Indian Air Force on Republic Day . Manoeuvering of the copter was no mean feat. It not only required extensive practice and high skill on part of the pilot but also a high level of technical expertise as external 'attachments' were fitted to the flying machine and any laxity meant disaster.

Isn't this wonderful? What imagination and skill this took. I wish I could see these jumbos in action but it happened 40 years ago. Read the whole story at Times of India.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #52: Sullivan's Travels

It's been 11 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.

"Nothing is going to stop me. I'm going to find out how it feels to be in trouble. Without friends, without credit, without checkbook, without name. Alone."

Oooo, la la!
How is this for a suggestive poster?

 Preston Sturgis' comedy is all about the need for humor in hard times.

A pampered movie director feels that the depression going on calls for serious, hard-hitting movies that explain the current social and economic problems to the public. His producers tell him, au contraire, hard times call for light-hearted movies to take your mind off your troubles.

To prove them wrong and experience those hard times, the director disguises himself as a hobo and takes to the road. After several botched attempts, during one of which he meets Veronica Lake as the romantic interest, he accomplishes his goal accidentally and better than he ever would have thought.

At this point the movie takes a darker turn but this is when it is most effective. Especially touching is the scene in the church where the poor black congregation and convicts from a local work farm are laughing at Pluto and Mickey Mouse.

Highly recommended although Preston Sturgis is no Frank Capra, however much he wants to be (which is cleverly mentioned early in the movie). Also it was fun to see where "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou" came from, which was used by the Coen Brothers in the movie of the same name.

Bread

Bread, Duane Keiser

God wrote not a poem but rather a play

According to most philosophers, God in making the world enslaved it. According to Christianity, in making it, He set it free. God had written, not so much a poem, but rather a play; a play he had planned as perfect, but which had necessarily been left to human actors and stage-managers, who had since made a great mess of it.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Gathering Dead Leaves

Gathering Dead Leaves by Ernest Biéler
Via J.R.'s Art Place

Sliding Standards and Job Hunting

My standards were sliding swiftly. At first I had insisted I would only work at a company with a mission I believed in. Then I thought maybe it would be fine as long as I was learning something new. After that I decided it just couldn’t be evil. Now I was carefully delineating my personal definition of evil.

Robin Sloan, Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Spooky Listening

Something to remind us that Halloween is coming at the end of the month!

A short audio program celebrating our creepiest holiday. Hosted by the Halloween Haunter. History, customs, traditions, as well as spooky stories and poems.

I've been listening to this for years and it is always entertaining. It has a great blend of material and usually isn't much longer than 7 or 8 minutes. It hasn't been updated since 2018 but there is so much material there that you won't run out or get bored.

Here you will find stories from master storytellers such as HG Wells, MR James, Edgar Allan Poe, and HP Lovecraft, and hopefully be introduced to new authors and stories you may not have encountered before. As well as short fiction, we will also present assorted weird verses and poems, and retell some old folk-tales and legends .

Mr. Jim Moon is a wonderful reader of spooky tales. From the Great Library of Dreams is a spin off of his Hypnogoria podcast where he delves into the history of the weird so that's also a good Halloween choice.

Spooked features true-life supernatural stories, told firsthand by people who can barely believe it happened themselves. Be afraid. Created in the dark of night, by Snap Judgment and WNYC Studios.

Snap Judgment has featured spooky shows since the beginning. Here they are broken out into half-hour segments, usually with a couple of stories in each episode. This has become a Halloween tradition.

The Moonlit Road features Southern ghost stories, folktales, myths, legends and other strange tales from the dark backroads of the American South, told by the region's best storytellers.

Classic ghost stories, with a few original ones mixed in, that are usually around 10 minutes long and well told. Another one I've listened to for years. You can also read them at the website.

Ready for the Dance

Ready for the Dance. Augustin Jules Bouvier.
Via Books and Art

 

L'élégante au livre d'éstampes japonaises

L'élégante au livre d'éstampes japonaises (1879). Jules-Emile Saintin.
An elegant lady reads and studies a book of Japanese prints.
Via Books and Art

 

Psalm 25 — He teaches sinners and the humble His way.

When enemies surround you, lift up your soul to God in Psalm 25, and you will see these evildoers put to flight.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This psalm is all about finding the way or path of the Lord. God teaches and leads even the guilty sinners. This is one we all need.

Verses 1 to 7a of Psalm 25 in the 12th-century St. Albans Psalter

I tend to forget that when I'm not being humble, it's as if I'm telling God I know better than he does.

25.9 God Teaches the Humble

Instructing the Humble. Augustine. [God] will teach his ways not to those who want to run on ahead, as if they could rule themselves better than he can, but to those who do not strut about with their heads i the air or dig in their heels, when his easy yoke and light burden are set on them. Expositions on the Psalms.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

25:21 Wait for God

Love by His Strength. Cassiodorus. The church says that the innocent and upright have adhered to the church because it waited on the Lord; otherwise it could not love such people if it was not seen to be confident of such strength. Explanation of the Psalms.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

I like the fact that it is the humble sinner who is beseeching God. No matter how hard I try I will never be perfect. It is God's grace to us as we are which gives hope and love.

Those humble sinners who fear Yahweh also hope and trust only in him. It is important to note that it is "hope" and "trust" that link the humble sinners to the covenant with God, not sinless obedience. Here is a clear statement of the gospel of grace in the heart of the Old Testament. When the psalmist declares that "all the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant", we immediately think of the law and the necessity of keeping its commandments. But the broader context of this psalm chips away at our traditional view of an Old Testament covenant of law and sharpens our vision of a covenant of grace offered to sinners in both Old and New Testaments. The Torah is then the guidebook by which "sinners" are led into a covenant of grace, acknowledging their sinfulness and relying wholly on the gracious mercy of God for salvation.

Psalms vol. 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.

Rama Rama Re

A mesmerizing and often humorous road trip with an escaped convict, an old man with a mission, and an eloping couple fleeing their enraged families. As happens with such journeys they encounter other people on missions of their own and in the end the encounters interweave to a connected tale. This is a movie to take in as it washes over you.

It was put into perspective by the opening song from Sita to Lord Ram about her dharma. This is followed up immediately by a police official watching a TV show where Sita is walking into the fire, the result, she says, of a bad choice and of having to carry out her dharma (the duty she was assigned to fulfill in life). I'd forgotten about that by the finale until the singers encountered at the end closed the circle and made the conclusion perfect. Sita, Ram, and dharma are part of the Ramayana which is an epic tale that we have encountered many times in other movies. 

As a result, this made us think of favorite movies which depend heavily on Christian religious symbolism for deep layers of meaning below the obvious surface story such as The Mill and the Cross, Babette's Feast, and Tokyo Godfathers.

As Americans we have at best a basic understanding of the Ramayana and Hinduism, so we know we missed tons. We are now in need of a thoughtful Indian viewer who could explain more of the symbolism and underlying themes. But we loved what we did understand and will be watching this again.

RATING — VERY ADVANCED. As you can tell from the review, this is probably too advanced for us, but like all good movies it stands on its own as a story. We certainly liked it. If you are adventurous, give it a try. 

 If you want a basic telling of the Ramayana go watch Sita Sings the Blues free on Tubi. You'll also get to see a delightful movie that way!

Hannah and Rose discuss this in episode 50 of An American's Guide to Bollywood podcast.

Mental Arithmetic

 

Mental Arithmetic, Thomas Cooper Gotch
Via My Daily Art Display

The Canadian Nights by Katharine Campbell

The president of the United States has a giant red button on his desk. If he ever chose to push this button, it would send the world into chaos. This button is for emergencies only and is designed to break the internet.

How do I know this button exists? Please, everyone knows it exists.

In The Canadian Nights, this infamous button is pressed while the Canadian prime minister is live streaming a hockey game. Without hockey to vent his pent-up aggression, the Canadian prime minister snaps. He stops saying "please" and "thank you". He pushes past people without saying "excuse me". He even litters. That's right he drops a gum wrapper on the sidewalk and doesn't pick it up.

Worst of all, he has all US citizens on Canadian soil arrested and declares he will throw one to a horde of angry beavers every day until the President restores the internet.

But one brave US citizen, Amala Patel, comes up with a plan to stop the carnage. She volunteers to be the next victim on the condition that the prime minister listen to her tell a story before her mauling. The bored, internet-starved prime minister agrees and becomes so enthralled by her fables that he continually postpones her mauling so he can hear more. The Canadian Nights is a compilation of Amala's sixteen best fables.

Katharine Campbell uses this idea as a framework to showcase some truly hilarious short stories. There's a modern twist in all of them but they all hearken back to the traditional fairy stories whose premises we know. Some stories had a pointed message, albeit one that you can easily ignore*, and some were just funny takes on familiar tropes. That makes them work on two levels. My favorites were Elves vs. Elves: A Christmas Miracle and The Smart Home Rebellion but all of them were good.

I first encountered Katharine Campbell's writing in her fractured fairy tale Love, Treachery, and Other Terrors which was also funny and which I also enjoyed a lot. It had a very different feel from this and I'm looking forward to seeing what genre she chooses to skewer next. 

 

* Although ignoring the pointed message about insider trading may cause cancer in the state of California.

Crested Forest Tit

Crested Forest Tit, Remo Savisaar

 

So Much Fun: Lupin, Only Murders in the Building

Only Murders in the Building follows three strangers, played by Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, who share an obsession with a true crime podcast. After a murder in their building, the three neighbors decide to start their own show that covers their investigation of the murder.

We were attracted to this by seeing Steve Martin in the ad. We've watched two episodes. It is clever and funny and the performances are great. Somehow it is like a throwback to the old murder mystery shows while being thoroughly modern. If you haven't heard of this, try it out. The first season of six episodes is on Hulu, with a second season in the works.

 

Lupin is a French mystery thriller series starring Omar Sy in the role of Assane Diop, a man who is inspired by the adventures of master thief Arsène Lupin. The first part, consisting of five episodes, is subtitled Dans l'ombre d'Arsène (In the Shadow of Arsène), referring to the primary character's inspiration. The series became the most-watched non-English series on Netflix.

A lot of people know about this one but we've liked it so much that if you are waiting to try it out, just jump in! It was recommended to us a lot of times but we had other things we had to finish first! Now the time has come and it was worth the wait. 

Omar Sy, Paris, and a crusade to redeem his father's reputation (tarnished at the hands of an evil millionaire, of course) are a combination made to please. We fell in love with Omar Sy in Intouchables, a movie I've pushed a lot around here. His charm and talent are undeniable and a pleasure to watch. I'd read and enjoyed the whimsical tone of the Lupin mysteries, a French series that ran long ago around the same time as the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. These mysteries only slightly intersect with those long ago tales, but the tone is the same — whimsical, ingenious, and Lupin (or Diop) always wins. Paris is almost another character because it adds so much atmosphere to the show.

Two seasons of five episodes each are on Netflix, with a third season in the works.

Learning to Knit

Ernst Bieler

There was no title for this painting that I could find. The loving look on the mother's face, the intent expression of the little girl, and the knitting itself all make this a painting that I love.

Three Sisters

Three Sisters by Yamakawa Shūhō, 1936.
Via J.R.'s Art Place

A Journey with Jonah by Paul Murray, OP

Jonah is the only ancient prophet with whom Jesus identifies in the Gospels. But when we turn to read the book of Jonah itself, we discover that this so-called “book” is only two pages long―and that Jonah’s prophesying is limited to one short sentence. And yet, around this small book, as if it were around Jonah’s own troubled ship, high waves of controversy and mystery have swirled for centuries. In A Journey with Jonah: The Spirituality of Bewilderment, Fr. Paul Murray strives to uncover the great lesson of this story.

This was more scholarly than I expected but was still very readable as a deep dive into the Book of Jonah. Word on Fire has bundled together three short pieces to form a meditation: 3 chapters from Father Paul Murray which were first published in 2002, a 2003 lectio divina from Cardinal Ratzinger (who was later Pope Benedict XVI) In English for the first time, and the Book of Jonah itself (which I thought was a nice touch).

Murray's reflections range through a lot of sources while keeping the focus on the deeper meanings found beneath the surface. Both it and Ratzinger's examination provide lots of food for thought. I liked both and recommend the book.

You may think past ages were good ...

Is there any affliction now endured by mankind that was not endured by our fathers before us? What sufferings of ours even bear comparison with what we know of their sufferings? And yet you hear people complaining about this present day and age because things were so much better in former times. I wonder what would happen if they could be taken back to the days of their ancestors — would we not still hear them complaining? You may think past ages were good, but it is only because you are not living in them.

St. Augustine, Sermon

Monsignor Quixote by Graham Greene

I can't remember where I heard about this take on Don Quixote by Graham Greene but it sounded like a fairly cheerful introduction to an author whose books always sound depressing. And it was. Father Quixote is a descendant of the famous book's hero. Yes, he knows the book is fictional. When he's promoted to Monsignor he goes on a road trip in his aged car Rocinante, with his friend Sancho who is the newly deposed Communist mayor of the town. 

I know just enough broad plot points from Don Quixote to see where Greene uses them in his own updated way for this charming book. The rambling trip and conversation are amusing, thought provoking, and inspiring.

Cheese Pennies and Classic Chess Pie

 When my book club gathered to discuss Uncle Tom's Cabin I wanted to do a bit of a theme for refreshments. Researching classic Kentucky dishes (that's where Tom's story begins for us, on the Shelby's farm) I found Cheese Pennies and Chess Pie come from way back. The pennies are cheese crackers and the chess pie is very lemony, without being a lemon pie!

I'm just sure that's what Aunt Chloe would have served to the Governor when he came for dinner. Try them and see what you think!

Air-King Radio

Radio [1930-33] Air-King Products, New York
Via the Brooklyn Museum

Why can't our things be designed like this any more?

Psalm 24 — Who is This King of Glory?

As you wonder at the order of creation, the grace of providence and the sacred prescriptions of the Law, sing ... Psalm 24.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I have grown to love this psalm as I encounter it in the morning prayers of the Liturgy of the Hours. I especially love "Lift up your heads, O gates! ... Who is this King of glory?" It evokes Palm Sunday with Jesus riding into Jerusalem saying that if the people were quiet then the very stones themselves would shout out. Knowing that the psalms were sung in the Temple, I also like to think of that sequence being sung as a call and response, triumphant as the people welcome their Lord.

Dome of the Rock viewed through the Cotton Merchants' Gate

 Here are a few remarks that John Paul II made when he did a series on the psalms and canticles in the Liturgy of the Hours. Read the whole commentary here.

So we reach the third scene of our triptych which describes indirectly the joyful entry of the faithful into the temple to meet the Lord (vv. 7-10). With a thought-provoking exchange of appeals, questions and answers, God reveals himself progressively with three of his solemn titles: "the King of Glory, the Lord Mighty and Valiant, the Lord of Armies". The gates of the temple of Zion are personified and invited to lift up their lintels to welcome the Lord who takes possession of his home.

The triumphal scene, described by the Psalm in the third poetic picture, has been applied by the Christian liturgy of the East and of the West to the victorious Descent of Christ to the Limbo of the fathers, spoken of in the First Letter of Peter (cf. I Pet 3,19), and to the Risen Lord's Ascension into heaven (cf. Acts 1,9-10). Even today, in the Byzantine Liturgy, the Psalm is sung by alternating choirs on Holy Saturday night at the Easter Vigil, and in the Roman Liturgy it is used on the second Sunday of the Passion at the end of the procession of palms. The Solemn Liturgy of the opening of the Holy Door at the beginning of the Jubilee Year allowed us to relive with great interior emotion the same sentiments the Psalmist felt as he crossed the threshold of the ancient temple of Zion.

6. The last title, "Lord of Armies", is not really a military title as may appear at first sight even if it does not exclude a reference to Israel's ranks. Instead, it has a cosmic value: the Lord, who now comes to meet humanity within the restricted space of the sanctuary of Zion, is the Creator who has all the stars of heaven as his army, that is, the creatures of the universe who obey him. In the book of the prophet Baruch we read: "Before whom the stars at their posts shine and rejoice; when he calls them, they answer, "Here we are!' shining with joy for their Creator" (Bar 3,34-35). The infinite, almighty and eternal God adapts himself to the human creature, draws near to meet, listen and enter into communion with him. The liturgy is the expression of this coming together in faith, dialogue and love.

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #51: Caesar Must Die (2012, Italian)

It's been 11 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.

"To think, at school I found this so boring."

Convicts in an Italian high security prison practice and perform Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. In the process, we see how the play holds up as a real life reflection of not only the prisoners' experiences but of life in general. The prison theater is being redone so practices are held all over the prison which not only gets us out of the "stage performance" aspect but connects the play more fully to the prisoners' reality.

It was sheer genius for the directors to use real prisoners as the actors while filming in the real prison. Most of them are simply fantastic. Everything except the actual performance is in black and white which, as shot here, adds a rich textural depth.

I didn't expect the film to take us through the substance of the play but that was all to the good also. I'm not likely to voluntarily watch Julius Caesar but I thoroughly enjoyed recognizing key scenes and realizing I knew more of it than I thought. I also was fascinated to realize that the Italian translation was much more colloquial than most Shakespeare we native English speakers ever hear. That also made it easier to connect with in the prison setting.

I've seen people kicking this movie because it doesn't measure up to their standards of a documentary. I think that one can't really bring the documentary label to bear on it because it is an interesting hybrid of staged fiction and documentary.

Simply judging it on its own merits, as a piece of art, as a movie, as a story, as entertainment, Caesar Must Die is terrific.

Evening Glow

John Atkinson Grimshaw, Evening Glow

Our trees still have all their leaves (and will for a month or two), but that golden glow tells us it is autumn anyway.

How a Christian must follow Christ even though he does not shed his blood for him

I tell you again and again, my brethren, that in the Lord's garden are to be found not only the roses of his martyrs. In it there are also the lilies of the virgins, the ivy of wedded couples, and the violets of widows. On no account may any class of people despair, thinking that God has not called them. Christ suffered for all. What the Scriptures say of him is true: He desires all men to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.

Let us understand, then, how a Christian must follow Christ even though he does not shed his blood for him, and his faith is not called upon to undergo the great test of the martyr's sufferings. The apostle Paul says of Christ our Lord: Though he was in the form of God he did not consider equality with God a prize to be clung to. How unrivaled his majesty! But he emptied himself, taking on the form of a slave, made in the likeness of men, and presenting himself in human form. How deep his humility!

Christ humbled himself. Christian, that is what you must make your own. Christ became obedient. How is it that you are proud? When this humbling experience was completed and death itself lay conquered, Christ ascended into heaven. Let us follow him there, for we hear Paul saying: If you have been raised with Christ, you must lift your thoughts on high, where Christ now sits at the right hand of God.

St. Augustine, Sermo 304

The Prayer

Stanislaus Chlebowski, The Prayer

Psalm 23 — Trusting the Shepherd

When you see yourself shepherded and guided safely by the Lord, rejoice in the words of Psalm 23.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

I've become very fond of this psalm in the last year. It has the dual effects of being very peaceful and trusting, combined with acting as a promise for believers, no matter how hard times may get.

Everyone from the Church Fathers to us modern folk love this psalm and there is a wealth of commentary to dive into. I am going to share just a few comments that struck me.

An image of Psalm 23 (King James' Version),
frontispiece to the 1880 omnibus printing of The Sunday at Home.

This simple observation cracks me up. It is so funny because it is so true.

23.1 The Lord is My Shepherd

Complete Dependence. Augustine. When you say, "The Lord is my shepherd," no proper grounds are left for you to trust in yourself. Sermon.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

I like the reminder from both St. Augustine and Pope Benedict XVI that being in God's company radically transforms reality.

23.4 The Valley of the Shadow of Death, You are with Me

A Lamp in a Dark Place. Augustine. As long as you remain in this present life, you are walking in the midst of vices, of worldly pressures, which are the shadow of death. Let Christ shine in your heart, who lights the lamp of our minds with the love of God and neighbor; and you will not fear any evils, since he is with you. Sermon.

Psalms 1-50 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

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To speak of the "dark" valley, the Psalmist uses a Hebrew phrase that calls to mind the shadows of death, which is why the valley to be passed through is a place of anguish, terrible threats, the danger of death. Yet the person praying walks on in safety undaunted sine he knows that the Lord is with him. "You are with me" is a proclamation of steadfast faith and sums up the radical experience of faith; God's closeness transforms the reality, the dark valley loses all danger, it is emptied of every threat. Now the flock can walk in tranquility, accompanied by the familiar rhythmical beat of the staff into the ground, marking the shepherd's reassuring presence.

Pope Benedict XVI, Prayer

I always think of how I feel about being invited to the feast in the presence of enemies but not about what it means that God offers us that hospitality.

23.5 You Prepare a Table Before Me

To accept another as a guest at one's table was to set aside enmity and to assume responsibility for the safety of the guest while in your dwelling. To sit at Yahweh's table is to enjoy fellowship and communion with him. To do so "in the presence of my enemies" is to have one's special relationship to God declared publicly in a context of divine blessing and security.

Psalms vol. 1 (The NIV Application Commentary)

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The Psalmist becomes the object of much attention for which reason he sees himself as a wayfarer who finds shelter in a hospitable tent, whereas his enemies have to stop and watch, unable to intervene, since the one whom they considered their prey has been led to safety and has become a sacred guest who cannot be touched. And the Psalmist is us, if we truly are believers in communion with Christ. When God opens his tent to receive us, nothing can harm us. Then when the traveler sets out afresh, the divine protection is extended and accompanies him on his journey.

Pope Benedict XVI, Prayer

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.

Nate Bargatze — a stand-up comedian who is both nice and hilariously funny

Bargatze broke out during Donald Trump’s presidency with the first of two hour-long Netflix specials. A college dropout who insists he’s too dumb to make informed decisions for himself, let alone lecture anyone else, he never talks about politics. He goes nowhere near race or identity issues. He maneuvers so gingerly around other subjects—religion, gender roles, the fracturing of America—that they feel untouched.

After reading this article in The Atlantic, I was intrigued. Bargatze sounded like the comedians I enjoyed most — Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, David Brynner — doing observational comedy without trying to skewer people.

After watching both his Netflix specials we agreed, this guy was somehow hilarious without being mean. We were all laughing out loud at things like ordering coffee and coughing in public. It was a refreshing change of pace. We may be the last people to hear about him, but in case you hadn't watched him yet, give Nate Bargatze a try. 

 I found the article via The Dispatch's daily newsletter. They're good too and not mean. Give them a try.

Dying is nothing ...

Jean Valjean, almost without ceasing to gaze at Cosette, considered Marius and the doctor with serenity. They heard these words, barely audible, come from his lips: "Dying is nothing; what's terrible is not to live."

Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

The Woman in White

The Woman in White, Frederick Walker
Via Books and Art

Vikram Vedha — "Let me tell you a story."

Vikram is a brave and honest police inspector who is decisive about right and wrong. Vedha is a criminal who understands the grey shades between good and evil. Vikram leads an encounter* unit formed to eliminate Vedha. In the course of the manhunt, Vedha tells Vikram three stories which change his perceptions of good and evil.

This neo-noir film is a classic story of cat-and-mouse between criminal and policeman which kept us guessing, especially when Vedha's moral questions kept throwing new light on the investigation. It's an exciting thriller that also makes us think as each time Vedha says "let me tell you a story" with a wicked twinkle in his eye. We see new light shed on our judgment of the characters as Vikram is forced to reassess himself and the situation.

The movie's framework of using stories to engage two protagonists to a meeting of minds is inspired by the Indian folktale Baital Pachisi. They are also known as internationally Vikram-Betaal and are often called the vetala tales. So we can see whence the names of the film protagonasts are derived. These are ancient Sanskrit stories which made us think of the Scheherazade stories in that a framing story encapsulates a lot of other tales.  Knowing just the basic outline of the stories gave us context adding another layer of understanding and enjoyment to the movie. We could only imagine how much fun watching this must have been for Indians knowing the Baital Pachisi.

We were really impressed with the storytelling and directing from the husband and wife team Pushkar · Gayatri. We weren't the only ones. This was a really popular film and is going to be remade in Hindi, using the same directors. The cast were all good but the main stars made the film. We'd never seen Vijay Sethupathi before but his intelligent, self assured gangster with a twinkle in his eye captured our hearts at once. It is easy to see why he is so popular that his nickname from fans is "People's Treasure." (I love the way that the Indian fans love their movie stars.) We've seen Madhavan (Vikram) in other movies but he is something of a chameleon and can be hard to pick out as he ranges from a crazy college kid in 3 Idiots to the hapless love in Tanu Weds Manu to the self assured detective Vikram.

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

* Encounter killings are something we have been shocked to find are an accepted feature of Indian society and often featured in films as heroic. Wikipedia explains:

Encounter killing is a term used in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka since the late 20th century to describe extrajudicial killings by the police or the armed forces, supposedly in self-defence, when they encounter suspected gangsters or terrorists. In the 1990s and the mid-2000s, the Mumbai Police used encounter killings to attack the city's underworld, and the practice spread to other large cities.

There was a door to which I had no key

Illustration for Quatrain XXXII of Rubaiyát of Omar Khayyám,
1913, Rene Bull

There was a Door to which I found no KEY:
There was a Veil past which I could not see:
Some little Talk awhile of ME and THEE
There seem’d–and then no more of THEE and ME.

Quatrain XXXII of Rubaiyát of Omar Khayyám

A Movie You Might Have Missed #50: The Overnighters

It's been 11 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.

"The problem is we're working with sinners and some people are fearful."

This documentary focuses on Pastor Jay Reinke's ministry to homeless men who have flocked to Williston, North Dakota to work in the oil fields but found jobs are not as plentiful as they thought. In some cases, the men are fleeing former problems which catch up to them and leave them unemployable.

Reinke's Lutheran church begins by offering shelter during the winter. The congregation eventually becomes overwhelmed when the "Overnighters" program shows no signs of shutting down although good weather has come because the needy continually arrive in ever-increasing numbers.

We follow Reinke as he and his family struggle to continue the ministry against increasing opposition, including from local media and city government. I was astounded at some of the frank conversations caught by Jesse Moss with his one camera set up.

At first this looks like a straight forward case of Christian hypocrisy. However, no story is ever as simple as it appears on the surface. As the documentary continues we are shown further strands of the story which lead into challenging, thought provoking waters. By the end we are left pondering a morass of complex issues which embody themes that may lead many a Christian to say, "There but for the grace of God, go I."

I could see everyone's struggle. The pastor trying to live the Gospel, the overwhelmed congregation, the men who just want a chance to work, and even the neighbors and local media. That is part of the value of this piece. It reflects us in so many ways and leaves us thinking about how we serve when the "other" is among us.

Hoopoe

Hoopoe, Remo Savisaar

 

The Merchant's Wife

The Merchant's Wife, Boris Kustodiev

What the angels eat

When one has tasted watermelon, he knows what angels eat. It was not a Southern watermelon that Eve took; we know it because she repented.

Mark Twain

Roosters and Chicks

Roosters and Chicks, Xu Beibong

"And the flower said to the dirt ..."

This is really long but I love the story so much I wanted you to read it too.

It is hard to believe in this love because it is a tremendous love. "It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God." If we do once catch a glimpse of it. Once we recognize that we are sons of God, that the seed of divine life has been planted in us at baptism, we are overcome by that obligation placed upon us of growing in the love of God. and what we do not do voluntarily, He will do for us. Father Roy, our dear Josephite friend who worked with us at Easton and who has been these past two years in a hospital in Montreal, learning what it is to be loved, used to tell a story of a leper he met at a hospital up on the Gaspé peninsula. The leper complained to him, How could he believe in the love of God?

Father Roy proceeded to tell his favorite story. First of all, the humus from which all things spring, and the flower says to the dirt, "How would you like to grow and wave in the breeze and praise God?" And the dirt says "Yes," and that necessitates its losing its own self as dirt and becoming something else. Then the chicken comes along and says to the flower, "How would you like to be a chicken and walk around like I do and praise God?" And the flower assures the chicken that it would like it indeed. But then it has to cease to be a flower. And the man comes to the chicken and says to it, "How would you like to be a man and praise God?" And of course the chicken would like it too, but it has to undergo a painful death to be assimilated to the man, in order to praise God.

When Father Roy told this story, he said with awe, "And the leper looked at me, and a light dawned in his eyes, and he clasped my hands and gasped, 'Father!' And then we both cried together."

Father Roy is a childlike man, and the Russian leper up in the Canadian peninsula was a simple sufferer, and he saw the point that Father Roy was trying to make, and he began to believe in this love and to see some reason for his sufferings. He began to comprehend the heights and the depths and the strange mystery of this love. But it still takes the eyes of faith to see it.

Dorothy Day, On Pilgrimage

Psalm 22 (part 2) — The "Today" of Suffering God's Silence and the "Today" of the Resurrection.

In Psalm 22 he speaks in the person of the Savior about the manner of his death. ... The psalmist places all these teachings in front of us because the Lord suffered all this not on his own account but for us.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

Last week we saw how the Jewish people understood this psalm and would have taken Jesus' reference to it from the cross.

This week we're going to see how it applies to our own lives in a meditation which I put together from Pope Benedict XVI. Definitely click through on the links to read his entire two homilies.

Detail, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, Folio 150

... Forsaken by almost all his followers, betrayed and denied by the disciples, surrounded by people who insult him, Jesus is under the crushing weight of a mission that was to pass through humiliation and annihilation. This is why he cried out to the Father, and his suffering took up the sorrowful words of the Psalm. But his is not a desperate cry, nor was that of the Psalmist who, in his supplication, takes a tormented path which nevertheless opens out at last into a perspective of praise, into trust in the divine victory.

And since in the Jewish custom citing the beginning of a Psalm implied a reference to the whole poem, although Jesus’ anguished prayer retains its burden of unspeakable suffering, it unfolds to the certainty of glory. “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”, the Risen Christ was to say to the disciples at Emmaus (Lk 24:26). In his passion, in obedience to the Father, the Lord Jesus passes through abandonment and death to reach life and to give it to all believers. ...

However a question arises within us: how is it possible that such a powerful God does not intervene to save his Son from this terrible trial? It is important to understand that Jesus’ prayer is not the cry of one who meets death with despair, nor is it the cry of one who knows he has been forsaken. At this moment Jesus makes his own the whole of Psalm 22[21], the Psalm of the suffering People of Israel. In this way he takes upon himself not only the sin of his people, but also that of all men and women who are suffering from the oppression of evil and, at the same time, he places all this before God’s own heart, in the certainty that his cry will be heard in the Resurrection: “The cry of extreme anguish is at the same time the certainty of an answer from God, the certainty of salvation — not only for Jesus himself, but for ‘many’” (Jesus of Nazareth, II, pp. 213-214 Ignatius Press, San Francisco 2011).

In this prayer of Jesus are contained his extreme trust and his abandonment into God’s hands, even when God seems absent, even when he seems to be silent, complying with a plan incomprehensible to us. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read: “in the redeeming love that always united him to the Father, he assumed us in the state of our waywardness of sin, to the point that he could say in our name from the cross: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’” (n. 603). His is a suffering in communion with us and for us, which derives from love and already bears within it redemption, the victory of love.

We too have to face ever anew the “today” of suffering of God’s silence — we express it so often in our prayers — but we also find ourselves facing the “today” of the Resurrection, of the response of God who took upon himself our sufferings, to carry them together with us and to give us the firm hope that they will be overcome (cf. Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi, nn. 35-40).

Dear friends, let us lay our daily crosses before God in our prayers, in the certainty that he is present and hears us. Jesus’ cry reminds us that in prayer we must surmount the barriers of our “ego” and our problems and open ourselves to the needs and suffering of others....

Pope Benedict XVI, General Audiences, September 14, 2011 and February 8, 2012

Sources are here and an index of psalm posts is here.

The Trail Drive-In

The Trail Drive-In in San Antonio, 1982.

Located at 910 SE Military Drive there in San Antonio. The site where the Trail Drive-In once stood is now a Wal-Mart Store. It was opened on April 28, 1946 with Randolph Scott in “Abiline Town” and operated by Underwood & Ezell. Santikos Theatres took over in 1973. It closed for good in 1984.

Traces of Texas, from whence came this photo.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #49: The Extraordinary Voyage

It's been 11 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.

The cinematic journey of the iconic film A Trip to the Moon

We came across this on the Docurama channel when surfing Roku.

What a find! This tells the story of Georges Melies, whose 1902 film Le Voyage Dans la Lune left us with the indelible image of gentlemen in top hats exploring the moon. However, in order to tell Melies' story, the filmmakers wove the story of early cinema itself around the narrative. It winds up following restoration efforts to the only hand-colored print of the film in existence.

In particular I loved seeing how experimenting with a new medium allowed vivid story telling and imaginative special effects in those early days. Clocking in at 78 minutes, The Extraordinary Journey is packed with entertainment and elegant fantasy as well as being a fascinating tale.

When your duty is to be a lotus-eater

For my own part I reckon being ill as one of the great pleasures of life, provided one is not too ill and is not obliged to work till one is better. I remember being ill once in a foreign hotel myself and how much I enjoyed it. To lie there careless of everything, quiet and warm, and with no weight upon the mind, to hear the clinking of the plates in the far-off kitchen as the scullion rinsed them and put them by; to watch the soft shadows come and go upon the ceiling as the sun came out or went behind a cloud; to listen to the pleasant murmuring of the fountain in the court below, and the shaking of the bells on the horses' collars and the clink of their hoofs upon the ground as the flies plagued them; not only to be a lotus-eater but to know that it was one's duty to be a lotus-eater.

Samuel Butler, The Way of All Flesh, ch 80

This is via DarwinCatholic where Mrs. Darwin attests to the truth of the statement above. I especially loved the description of what he was hearing and watching while lying ill. It was so evocative of the experience.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #48: The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

It's been 11 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.

She raised 10 kids on 25 words or less.

Julianne Moore portrays Evelyn Ryan, a 1950s housewife with 10 children. Submitting jingles, slogans and songs to product contests, she wins prizes and cash that help their family scrape by. Her husband, Kelly, (Woody Harrelson) is an alcoholic who spends a hefty portion of his paycheck on the nightly fifth of whiskey and six-pack of beer so Evelyn's talent with words is much needed.

This started off fun and cute, with stylized presentation that made us think of Pushing Daisies. Then, just when we thought there wasn't more to say, it veered into deeper waters thanks to the complex issues caused by the alcoholic husband. Although it is treated more lightly than in some movies, the film's power comes from watching how Evelyn copes with her husband and the issues his dysfunction raises in the family.

NOTE: I subsequently read the book and found this movie to be a very good adaptation of it. Both are worth experiencing for their own worth.

Worth a Thousand Words: What Happens Next?

What Happens Next? Guglielmo Zocchi (Italian, 1874-1957)