A Movie You Might Have Missed #74 — Gaslight

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.

After the murder of her aunt, Paula Alquist (Ingrid Bergman) leaves London for Italy to start a new life. While there, she falls in love with the charming Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer). They marry and return to London where Paula begins to notice strange goings-on: missing pictures, strange footsteps in the night, and gaslights that dim without being touched. As she fights to retain her sanity, her new husband's intentions come into question.

IMDB

A classic for a reason. If you only know the term "gaslight" but not where it came from, then you need to watch this movie. If, like me, you haven't seen it for a very long time, then you are overdue for a rewatch.

All the actors are simply wonderful at conveying mood and mindset through much more than words. The director's masterful use of light and shadow makes the most of the black and white format. Note the sequences outside the bedroom doors where the shadows of the railings fall across the people, looking like jail cell bars. And the clothes - by Irene - are glorious.

My favorite character was Miss Thwaites, the nosy old lady who lived across the square and was dying to get into the house where a murder had happened. She added much needed comic relief and we all adored her.

Walk of Mary Across the Mountains

Maximilian Liebenwein, Walk of Mary Across the Mountains

 I first saw this at Lines and Colors where there are links to bigger versions and Charley's previous post on Liebenwein.

The inspired richness of human experience and the Bible

We can say with Aquinas that "grace does not destroy nature, but perfects it." The Bible is a book of human authors as well as of the Holy Spirit. Consequently, it is the product of a vast human religious culture with its internal traditions, external influences, occasional crises, and its moments of intellectual resolution. It is this richness of human experience that is inspired, not a magical world of human authors removed from normal human life and circumstances. As Austin Farrer once noted, the Bible is like a love-letter written by a soldier fighting in the trenches on the battlefield. There is some blood and dirt on it and the paper is torn, but the message is beautiful and we can understand it. The divine word speaks to us truly, but does so through the gritty reality of human historical life.

Thomas Joseph White, OP, The Light of Christ

Beautifully put and so very true.

Two Idlers

"Two Idlers" by Robert Frederick Blum, 1889
via J.R.'s Art Place

It's like a lovely Labor Day dream isn't it?

Praying the Rosary Like Never Before by Edward Sri

This is an amazingly thorough book on the rosary which includes so much for meditation. I knew a lot of the information in the front half of the book — history, prayer techniques, why pray the rosary — but it was well put and easy to read.

The second half of the book, focusing on the mysteries, was simply amazing. It has Edward Sri's trademark excellent Biblical connections which lead us into salvation history. It pauses for moments of reflection which open the heart of the person praying. I really appreciated the fact that Sri used St. John Paul II's teachings as touchpoints throughout this book. I have always loved JPII's apostolic letter on the rosary and Sri not only used this but mined other homilies and works for deeper meaning from this saint.

I also loved the way that Sri didn't focus on just one moment for each mystery but would look at it from many angles. For example, in the Presentation we are shown how Luke is pointing us toward the story of Samuel, how Simeon is responding to the Holy Spirit, and how Simeon's phrasing has special prophetic resonance.

The cherry on the sundae, so to speak, was when I found a scriptural rosary guide included at the end. Each mystery is given ten short verses from the Bible, one for each bead of the decade. These can be used in a variety of ways — simply for reflection before beginning the decade, to help keep focus on the mystery, to be said before each bead, or other options as they strike the person praying. I only recently came across this idea but really like it a lot and Sri's selections are more thorough than others I've seen.

I will add here that I rarely pray the rosary myself, but I like to read different meditations on the mysteries just to use for my own contemplation. This is an excellent resource for that as well as saying the rosary.

I read the Kindle version which is fine for reading but which doesn't have chapters linked from the book's TOC or have the footnotes linked, which is a major problem for moving around inside the book. I'll be getting the print version at some point because I want it around for anyone in the house to pick up.

It wasn't perfect and there were a few things I didn't love. None of these are deal breakers but I wanted to mention them.

First, the reader is never instructed in how to pray the rosary, with the actual prayers. I realize this book is high level, but it wouldn't have taken that much space. There was an illustration under the heading How to Pray the Rosary but it simply showed the order to say the prayers with the beads. As someone who is a convert I can say that you simply have to put these prayers in an easy to find place for the eager beginner who picks the book up.

Second, I read the Kindle version which is fine for reading but which doesn't have chapters linked from the book's TOC or have the footnotes linked, which is a major problem for moving around inside the book. I'll be getting the print version at some point because I want it around for anyone in the house to pick up. 

Lastly, the group study questions sounded as if they were written by someone giving a quiz to be sure the readers paid attention and then jammed in at the end of the chapters. Ugh. The author gave plenty of prompts through the material and these questions really broke the mood for me.

Morning Awakening

Morning Awakening, Eva Gonzales

This painting is of Eva Gonzales's sister Jeanne who was in over 20 of her paintings. I love that she painted her sister so much.

Speaking ill-naturedly of others ...

Considering how much we are all given to discuss the characters of others, and discuss them often not in the strictest spirit of charity, it is singular how little we are inclined to think that others can speak ill-naturedly of us, and how angry and hurt we are when proof reaches us that they have done so.

Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers

Fritillaries in a Copper Vase

Vincent van Gogh, Fritillaries in a Copper Vase, 1887

 Vivid. Bright. Full of life. Like a flame captured in a vase.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #73 — Midnight (1939)

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.

When out-of-work showgirl Eve (Claudette Colbert) arrives in Paris with no work in sight, she asks taxi driver Tibor (Don Ameche) to drive her from club to club. But the more time she spends with Tibor, the more Eve realizes that he is falling for her. Unwilling to accept his feelings, Eve escapes to a charity concert, meets the charming Georges (John Barrymore) and disguises herself as a Hungarian baroness. But love-struck Tibor is not willing to let Eve go without a fight.

This is a lovely bit of hilarious farce, beautifully acted by big stars in a script by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett.

Supposedly Wilder hated last minute script changes so much that he began his own directing career so no one would do that to him again. We can thank this movie for giving us Wilder the director whose movies I love so much.

This particular movie has fire-cracker dialogue, a delightfully twisty farcical plot, and tons of charisma. Perfect for viewing any time but especially perfect for our current anxious times.

If you like this, try It Happened One Night for more of Claudette Colbert or Trouble in Paradise directed by comic genius Ernst Lubitsch (a major influence on Billy Wilder) for a couple pulling cons on the rich in witty style.

Till we can become divine ...

Till we can become divine, we must be content to be human, lest in our hurry for change we sink to something lower.

Anthony Trollope, Barchester Towers

I love that Padre Pio never quits on anyone — Shia LaBoeuf's conversion

This is a wonderful story. I will be praying that Shia La Beouf's conversion takes deep root. Here are the basics, but do go read the whole thing.

LaBeouf said he believes God used his eagerness to resurrect his lagging movie career to put him on a path to healing and personal peace.

The turning point was an offer to play the lead in Abel Ferrara’s new film, Padre Pio — which premieres in Venice next week.

Though he knew little if anything about the famous Italian saint, or Catholicism in general, LaBeouf lept at the chance.

As it turned out, it wasn’t his career that God wanted to save, LaBeouf believes.

The Franciscan friars he spent time with to prepare for the role made him increasingly curious about the faith that inspired Padre Pio.

A Retreat for Lay People by Ronald Knox

I now can see why C.S. Lewis called Ronald Knox the wittiest man in Europe. At times I kept forgetting I wasn't reading Chesterton but was reading a collection of Monsignor Knox's talks he'd given on many retreats for us regular folk - a.k.a. lay people.

These are really wonderful because Knox seemingly effortlessly combines practical advice, inspirational thoughts, and unexpected ways to think about God and our relationship with him. I got a kick out of the times when Knox would say "my own translation of this Scripture might give a better sense" and I'd remember that, of course, the Knox Bible was done by this priest who had such a chatty, friendly style in these talks.

I read a chapter each morning with my coffee and it was the perfect start to my day. Here's a sample of some of the down-to-earth yet utterly surprising images that delighted me and have stuck with me.

Being alive to God means something a little more complicated; it means that the thought of God is at the very apex of our unconscious minds all the time, overflowing all the time into our conscious thoughts, our conscious acts. ...

We read of the patriarch Enoch, that he walked with God. We usually, I think, get the wrong idea of that word "walked in the Old Testament. We think of it as if it meant going on a kind of pilgrimage, laboriously plodding on and on, along a path that has been mapped out for you, but of course it doesn't; it means walking up and down, strolling about at your leisure, taking a turn up and down the front lawn—that is the sort of picture we want to have in our minds when we hear about people walking with God. Enoch walked to and fro, went about his daily business and his daily pleasures, but always with God.

If only we were more like that! If only we could walk through the world at God's heels—so close to him, so alive to his presence, that we could share everything with him, refer to him every moment of sunshine, every shadow of uncertainty in our lives; accept everything he sends with conscious gratitude; obey the least whisper of his call! Even if it is sitting in a room where its master is at work, see who the dog, though it is half asleep on the floor, is awake all the time to him; he has merely to throw a word to it and you will hear it rapping its tail on the floor, for very pleasure that some notice has been taken of it—if we could be grateful, instinctively grateful, for every breath of grace that passes over our souls, and acknowledge it, at once, as God's gift!

Letter

Letter, Okada Saburōsuke

Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

Trollope's comic masterpiece of plotting and backstabbing opens as the Bishop of Barchester lies on his deathbed. Soon a pitched battle breaks out over who will take power, involving, among others, the zealous reformer Dr Proudie, his fiendish wife and the unctuous schemer Obadiah Slope.

I listened to Timothy West's narration on Audible, which is wonderful. This is one of the last of my self-assigned books to read for my 2022 book challenge.

No wonder this is one of Trollope's best loved books. It is a lot of fun and perfect light reading. It makes me think of Thackeray's Vanity Fair although this book is gentler than that but it has the same vibe for me. He carefully builds a complicated tangle of characters who come clashing against each other quite naturally as each works toward a single-minded goal.

I grew quote fond of almost every character as we followed their trials and travails in doing things seemingly as simple as throwing a summer party — which is not simple at all as it turns out. Even the few people you love to hate have their moments of humanity as comeuppances are delivered.

I can foresee reading the entire series. 

Well Said: Down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean

One of my favorite quotes from an author whose prose captures me every time I glance through one of his books.

In everything that can be called art there is a quality of redemption. It may be pure tragedy, if it is high tragedy, and it may be pity and irony, and it may be the raucous laughter of the strong man. But down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. The detective in this kind of story must be such a man. He is the hero, he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor, by instinct, by inevitability, without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world. ...

If there were enough like him, I think the world would be a very safe place to live in, and yet not too dull to be worth living in.

Raymond Chandler, The Simple Art of Murder

I'd say that this applies not only to the hard boiled detective but to how we live our own lives.

A Fishing Boat at Sea

Vincent Van Gogh, A Fishing Boat at Sea, 1888

Family Photo

Family Photo, Remo Savisaar

This picture of this little boar family is so sweet.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #72 — A Face in the Crowd

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.

POWER! He loved it!
He took it raw in big gulpfuls...
he liked the taste, the way it mixed with the bourbon and the sin in his blood!

Lonesome Rhodes (Andy Griffith) is a homespun philosopher and country singer discovered in a drunk-tank by a radio show producer in Northeast Arkansas (Patricia Neal). His charm and disarming honesty make him an influential overnight sensation. As Rhodes moves up the ladder into bigger markets he is courted by people who want to use his influence with his adoring audience who mistake image for truth. But the people behind the scenes know what he's really like.

You've never seen Andy Griffith like this! He could really act. Who knew there was so more to his abilities than he displayed on The Andy Griffith Show or Matlock? Despite that, it's Patricia Neal whose quiet performance anchors the film. Keep an eye on her subtle reactions for a deeper reading of the story.

This is a spiritual cousin to the also little known Ace in the Hole directed by Billy Wilder. That film examines sensationalist journalism while this one dives into the intertwining of cult of personality, mass media (TV) and politics. This was the second and final collaboration between Elia Kazan and Bud Schulberg after On the Waterfront. In its own way it is equally as good a film and definitely should be better known.

Irises

Vincent van Gogh, Irises, 1889

Vase with Cornflowers and Poppies

Van Gogh, Vase with Cornflowers and Poppies
via Arts Everyday Living

Last year, I painted nothing but flowers to accustom myself to a a color other than grey, that’s to say pink, soft or bright green, light blue, violet, yellow, orange, glorious red.

Vincent van Gogh, letter to sister Willemien,
late October, 1887

Starry Night

Starry Night, Jean-François Millet

This goes along with today's quote. Click on the link to see the stars fill the screen more. I also like finding paintings of stars that aren't Van Gogh's. Nothing wrong with his paintings but his stars are seen everywhere.

When he calls the stars, they answer "Here we are!"

But the one who knows all things knows her [Wisdom];
he has probed her by his knowledge—

He who established the earth for all time,
and filled it with four-footed animals,

Who sends out the lightning, and it goes,
calls it, and trembling it obeys him;

Before whom the stars at their posts
shine and rejoice.

When he calls them, they answer, “Here we are!”
shining with joy for their Maker.

Such is our God;
no other is to be compared to him:

He has uncovered the whole way of understanding,
and has given her to Jacob, his servant,
to Israel, his beloved.

Thus she has appeared on earth,
is at home with mortals.

Baruch 3:32-38

I always love it when scripture personalizes nature's response to God. It adds a new dimension to His creation and to how it speaks to us in a way deeper than words (Psalm 19). This one's for Hannah - Happy Birthday, nature lover!

A fern in a glass of water

A Fern in a Glass of Water, Duane Keiser

 

Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity.

Literature and fiction are two entirely different things. Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity. A work of art can hardly be too short, for its climax is its merit. A story can never be too long, for its concusion is merely to be deplored, like the last half-penny or the last pipelight.

G.K. Chesterton, In Defence of Penny Dreadfuls

Courtyard of the Pazzi Chapel

Carl Georg Anton Graeb, Courtyard of the Pazzi Chapel, Santa Croce, Florence
via Gandalf's Gallery

People must have stories

But people must have conversation, they must have houses, and they must have stories. The simple need for some kind of ideal world in which fictitious persons play an unhampered part is infinitely deeper and older than the rules of good art, and much more important.

G.K. Chesterton, In Defence of Penny Dreadfuls

A Movie You Might Have Missed #71: The Old Man and the Gun

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.

A True Story...Mostly.

Based on the true story of Forrest Tucker (Robert Redford), from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities. 

Wrapped up in the pursuit are detective John Hunt (Casey Affleck) and a new acquaintance (Sissy Spacek) who might be falling in love with him.

A solid film which is more thoughtful and interesting than a lot of people have given it credit for.

I first heard of this as a fitting last work for Redford because of the good natured manner and the twinkle in his eye. This did not sound compelling. But listening to The Next Picture Show talk about it made me give it a try.

It is leisurely and character driven — which seems funny for a movie about a detective and bank robber playing cat and mouse, but there you go — and that's where the interest comes in. When you consider the other two main characters and their lives in contrast to Tucker, then you find the movie's substance.

Also it is only an hour-and-a-half. Like one of Tucker's robberies, you're in and out before you know what hit you ... and you're smiling at the end.

Evening Bells

Evening Bells, Carlos Schwabe

My OSV article — Exploring 6 great Christian authors (and how to start reading them)

I had the opportunity to write an article for Our Sunday Visitor which was a lot of fun to write. It includes a sidebar of Christian authors who wrote about things other than faith — like mysteries — but who managed to slip an overtly Christian book into the mix nonetheless.

Here's the introduction and then you can go read the whole thing for yourself online.

“Well, if it’s a symbol, to hell with it.” — Flannery O’Connor, speaking about the Eucharist

“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.” — G.K. Chesterton

“Wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, there’s always laughter and good red wine.” — Hilaire Belloc

Each of these quotes is famous because it pinpoints a truth that is simultaneously reassuring and startling. Yes, the Eucharist is more than a symbol. Yes, children do know about danger. They also need to know it can be overcome. Yes, the Catholic faith is good, delicious and life-affirming.

These quotes are just the tip of the iceberg. We’re going to dive past the quotes and into the work of six great Christian authors of the 20th century to see why they’re so often talked about and cited in the Catholic world. Most people have a superficial sense of these writers and their works. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien are well-known for tales of Narnia and hobbits. Flannery O’Connor seems disturbing, G.K. Chesterton seems confusing, and Graham Greene seems depressing. Hilaire Belloc is practically forgotten — except for the quote above.

But what they all share is a love of Christ and a unique way to bring his message to the world. They wrote to help us readjust our vision to the correct angle for a deeper truth. If you’ve read these authors’ well-known works, we’ve got treasures off of beaten paths. If you have been intimidated by their reputations, we’ve got the perfect “gateway” work to help you see the world — and the Faith — through their eyes.

Horses, Chickens and Pigs in a Farmyard

Horses, Chickens and Pigs in a Farmyard, John Frederick Herring Jr.

 This seemed as if it went perfectly with today's quote!

Lagniappe: Why I like chickens and pigs ...

It may be helpful if I preface this by saying that the author had been saying his horses' tetchiness over windy days wears him out. Though I think this works on its own too...

This is why I like chickens and pigs. In a high wind, pigs lie close together at the back of their house, snoozing, straw pulled over their heads. The chickens sit on their perches knitting and doing their accounts.

Verlyn Klinkenborg, More Scenes From the Rural Life

The Natural Home of the Human Spirit and The Ambassadors

The Catholic Church is the natural home of the human spirit. The odd perspective of life which looks like a meaningless puzzle at first, seen from that one standpoint takes on complete order and meaning, like the skull in the picture of the Ambassadors.

Hilaire Belloc to G.K. Chesterton
upon hearing of his conversion to Catholicism

Just to make it easy I'm including the painting that Belloc was referring to. You can see the odd shape in the bottom of the picture which, viewed at just the right angle, is seen to be a skull.

The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein the Younger

Wikipedia tells us:

The distorted skull which is placed in the bottom centre of the composition, rendered in anamorphic perspective, is meant to be a visual puzzle as the viewer must approach the painting from high on the right side, or low on the left side, to see the form as an accurate rendering of a human skull.

Hence, Belloc's comparison. I must say, for my own part, Belloc hits the nail on the head. The world didn't make true sense to me until I looked at it through the lens of Church teachings. 

Here's the skull, adjusted so we can see it as if we were the ones coming down the staircase.

The anamorphic skull, viewed  at an oblique angle

Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World by Simon Callow

Simply superb. Simon Callow reads his own work and I highly recommend the audiobook for those who are so inclined.

This is a brief but comprehensive biography of Dickens told by an affectionate fan who is nonetheless clear eyed about Dickens' positive and negative qualities. Callow is an actor by trade and his appreciation for Dickens is in large part for someone who was always "performing" and thrived most when he had a relationship with his audience.

I myself didn't realize what a talented actor Dickens was or how many theatrical performances he was a part of, especially since in Victorian times amateur plays were a common pastime. When you've got friends the likes of Thackeray and Wilkie Collins, you know the screenplay will be terrific, there will be lots of fun getting the show together, and you'll pull in quite a crowd. No wonder Dickens loved driving those performances!

As I said, this is a comprehensive biography and I highly recommend it. I was left with a greater appreciation for Dickens' genius and a real sympathy for those who lived with that genius running their lives. It must have been glorious but tiring to be one of Dickens's friends or family! 

Daikon-gashi, from the series Twelve Scenes of Tōkyō (Tōkyō jūnidai)

Hasui Kawase, Daikon-gashi,
from Twelve Scenes of Tōkyō (Tōkyō jūnidai)

The Cross is Our Glory Given by God

The Cross was his Glory. Jesus did not speak of being crucified; he spoke of being glorified. Therefore, first and foremost, a Christian's glory is the cross that he must bear.. It is an honor to suffer for Jesus Christ. We just never think of our cross as a penalty; we must think of it as our glory. The harder the task a knight was given, the greater he considered its glory. The harder the task we give a student, the more we honor him. In effect, we say that we believe that nobody but he could attempt that task at all. So when it is hard to be a Christian, we must regard it as our glory given to us by God.

William Barclay, John, vol. 2

Typing this up to share here, I suddenly thought of an "assignment" from God that I've been dodging. I got an odd lurch in my stomach thinking of the fact that it is an honor, that nobody but me could attempt that task at all, as Barclay says above. I've got new motivation now!

Tommaso di Folco Portinari and Maria Portinari

Tommaso di Folco Portinari (1428–1501); Maria Portinari (Maria Maddalena Baroncelli, born 1456)
painted by Hans Memling, location The Met

Click through on the link above to see this extraordinary art up close. It is just amazing in the beauty and realism. Originally these were part of a triptych which had a painting of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus in the middle, so each would have been facing that painting in prayerful devotion.

I discovered this via Lines and Colors, where we are told:

Look at the superb rendition of the couple’s eyes, the subtle modeling of the faces, the delicate variation of color in the skin, as well as the intricate attention paid to the woman’s jewelry, both of their rings, and the woman’s fingernails.

As if that wasn’t enough to wow the viewer, Memling has added a bit of trompe l’oeil trickery with a faux inner frame, overlapped subtly by the man’s cloak and the shadow of the woman’s praying hands, and more overtly by the veil of her headdress.

The Lines and Colors post features several parts of the paintings enlarged so you can get a great look at the details.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #70: Obit

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.

An inside look at life on the New York Times obituaries desk.

How do you put a life into 500 words? Ask the staff obituary writers at the New York Times. OBIT is a first-ever glimpse into the daily rituals, joys and existential angst of the Times obit writers, as they chronicle life after death on the front lines of history.

A charming piece that looks at obituary writers for the New York Times. Inevitably one begins thinking, however tangentially, not only about the mechanics of the thing but about people and history and one's own life. Well done and we all enjoyed it.

Golden sunrise at the wetland delta

Golden sunrise at the wetland delta, Remo Savisaar

So What?

The more you say, "I must not worry," the more you will. I think it better simply to offer the worrying to God. ...

I have the temperament which just has to face the worst possibility, and I think, when one does, one realizes that the very worst can be accepted. My way is to say in every emergency, "Now what is the worst that can happen?" and then, "So what?" That works with me.

Caryll Houselander

This has become my habit. When faced with imaginings of the worst things I finally had to face the fact that I have almost no control over a lot of my life.

If I have no control, I know who does and to whom I must turn — Jesus. And so I imagine the worst, turn it over to Jesus to help me if it should happen and then can say, "So what?"

Everyday life calls for the equipment provided by daily Scripture reading

What are you saying, man? It's not your business to pay attention to the Bible because you are distracted by thousands of concerns? Then Bible reading belongs more to you than to the monks! For they do not make as much use of the help of the divine Scriptures as those who always have a great many things to do. ... But you are always standing in the line of battle and are constantly being hit, so you need more medicine. For not only does your spouse irritate you, but your son annoys you, and a servant makes you lose your temper. An enemy schemes against you, a friend envies you, a neighbor insults you, a colleague trips you up. Often a lawsuit impends, poverty distresses, loss of possessions brings sorrow. At one moment success puffs you up; at another failure deflates you. Numerous powerful inducements to anger and anxiety, to discouragement and grief, to vanity and loss of sense surround us on every side. A thousand missiles rain down from every direction. And so we constantly need the whole range of equipment supplied by Scripture. ...

Since many things of this kind besiege our soul, we need the divine medicines, so that we might treat the wounds we already have, and so that we might check beforehand the wounds that are not yet, but are going to be, from afar extinguishing the missiles of the devil and repelling them through the constant reading of the divine Scriptures. for it is not possible, not possible for anyone to be saved who does not constantly have the benefit of spiritual reading.

St. John Chrysostom
via The New Jerusalem Bible Saints Devotional Edition

This quote above is only part of a longer piece. It is down to earth, pithy, and full of common sense. I always like seeing things that show our lives are not as different in the basic as we think they are. This one's full of reminders.

I really love this Saints Devotional Bible. It's got quotes that I haven't seen elsewhere but which are perfectly matched to the scripture being commented upon. I also really love Saint John Chrysostom. Every time I read something he's written, no matter where I come across it, I can see why he's called "Golden Tongue." I'm going to have to find a longer work and settle down to taking in his writing.

From the Terrace (The Boston State House in the Distance)

Abbott Fuller Graves - From the Terrace (The Boston State House in the Distance)
via Gandalf's Gallery

Click the link above to see the picture full screen. It's just lovely.

Sin can't completely obliterate the image of God in man

Sin has not been so powerful that it could completely obliterate the image of God in man, but only "soil it, deform it and weaken it. It was able to wound his soul but not annihilate it. It was able to darken his intellect but not destroy it. Sin managed to open a way for hatred, but not to eliminate man's capacity for loving. It twisted man's will, but not to such an extent as to make rectification impossible" (F. Suarez). This is why, although man tends towards evil when he lets himself be led by his fallen nature, he can nevertheless, with the help of grace, overcome those disordered passions and possess and communicate to others the peace Christ won for us.

Francis Fernandez, In Conversation with God, vol. 4

This is a great reminder that to never give up, never surrender!

Divan Japonaise, Duckomenta

VOLKER SCHÖNWART (interDuck): Le Divan Japonais

This art is one of the Duckomenta paintings (see the book below for more background.) I love them so much.

Here's the original painting for comparison.

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec - Divan Japonais

Here is where I discovered Duckomenta.


Die Duckomenta by interDuck

I received this as a gift long ago and looking through it recently I fell in love all over again. The only flaw is that I can't read German, but the art speaks for itself.

Classic art, from caveman days forward, documents a mysterious tribe of ducks known as the interDucks who once lived very public lives in a society parallel to that of mankind. (I picked this up from the website.)

My letter to the Wall Street Journal - published today

 Last week there was an opinion piece "The Human Cost of Restricting Abortion" in which the author asserted that unwanted children  are "prone to" social and emotional disorders. Therefore, they are better off never having been born because of the difficulties they will face in life. 

Her final summary of the cost of abortion took into account only one of the two people actively involved:

None of this is to suggest that abortion should be taken lightly. It can pose its own emotional burden on women, and I recommend that women considering it take the time to process their feelings and conflicts before making a decision.

This attitude haunted me and the lapse in considering both sides of the story was upsetting. Therefore, I wrote a letter and was surprised and happy when it was published today.

All the other letters make great points. I liked that mine appears at the end, as a sort of overall punctuation point.

 

Here's the text:

Whether children are wanted or unwanted, we cannot predict their future for good or ill. Each of us experiences pain, suffering and darkness at some time in our lives. Likewise, all of us experience wonder, joy, friendship and love. We all deserve the chance to see how to overcome our challenges and exult in life’s wonders.

Julie Davis
Dallas, Texas

Note: the links above give access to all the letters and the entire op-ed. You just have to wait a minute or two or swat away a "subscribe" offer before they show the whole thing.

Monks Playing Bowls

Monks Playing Bowls, Charles Hermans

Or, as we'd say, "playing ball." Of a sort because bowls is not really like any ball game we have.

I learned of this delightful painting at J.R.'s Art Place which you should definitely check out for all sorts of good art.

Barred Owl Chick and Mother

A Barred Owl chick nuzzles its mother after leaving its nest.

We were inspired to set up an "owl cam" near our birdbath after seeing a viral video of someone who discovered they had many owls stopping by for refreshment at night.

Lo and behold, we actually have a Barred Owl who stops by once or twice a night for a drink and to dip its feet. Great joy resounded through the household. It was made all the greater when last night a juvenile Barred Owl took a nervous dip and drink.

We knew we'd heard Barred Owl calls ("Who cooks for you, who cooks for you all") and figured there was a nest nearby, but this clinched it.

The bonus was that we haven't been seeing much rat activity. (The "owl cam" has been repurposed from one of our two "rat cams.") During the pandemic lockdowns, when restaurants were closed, we were inundated with huge rat populations that destroyed our tomato plants and so forth. It was crazy.

Now things are much more back to normal, but once the owls began taking evening refreshment in our yard the numbers have dropped to almost nil.

The photo above is from Wikipedia but we like to think it mirrors the reality outside our house at night.

Breakfast Still Life

Breakfast Still Life, Cornelis de Heem

 Considering our quote for the day, this seemed perfect!

The Medieval Mind of C.S. Lewis: How Great Books Shaped a Great Mind by Jason M. Baxter

What shaped the mind of this great thinker? Jason Baxter argues that Lewis was deeply formed not only by the words of Scripture and his love of ancient mythology, but also by medieval literature. For this undeniably modern Christian, authors like Dante and Boethius provided a worldview that was relevant to the challenges of the contemporary world. Here, readers will encounter an unknown figure to guide them in their own journey: C. S. Lewis the medievalist.

So — yet another book about C.S. Lewis. I was largely disinterested but heard enough about this one to make me try the sample. That hooked me. Author Jason M. Baxter has a real talent for showing what Lewis found attractive about the medieval mindset and transporting the reader there, even if only for a few minutes before our modern minds yank control again.

I am interested in the medieval mindset anyway and this book does a great job of showing how different it was, and also how logical which is not something the modern reader expects. Baxter is equally masterful at laying out the argument for how imbued Lewis's work is with medieval concepts and acting as a bridge between that time and our own.

One of the things I enjoyed most were Baxter's examples of how medieval authors would appropriate older works and rework them for their own audience. That was considered clever and if the author did a good enough job he was celebrated. The author then shows how C.S. Lewis did essentially the same thing by taking the essence of a tale's underlying themes and characters but using them as a springboard for an original work. What comes to mind is how I always felt The Great Divorce contains unmistakable themes of Dante's Divine Comedy. That didn't overshadow the story or distract me in any way. The book feels wholly original. 

I loved this book all the way through and can't recommend it highly enough, especially for those who want their Christian world enriched by more than one way of looking at the Truth.

Nordic Summer Evening

Nordic Summer Evening by Richard Bergh

Blogging Around — Persecution in Nigeria, Coach Jim Harbaugh puts it all on the line for life

 A couple of stories that moved me recently.

“How many more shall be killed before we know peace, security, and freedom in our own land?”

This comes from The Pillar where the email newsletter story caught my attention with this:

Calling what is happening to Christians in Nigeria “persecution” doesn’t really capture the reality. Christians there aren’t just being socially marginalized, or discriminated against. They are being killed, with brutal, unrelenting, metronomic regularity.

A week ago today, Fr. John Mark Cheitnum was abducted alongside Fr. Donatus Cleopas. They were taken from the rectory of Christ the King Parish, in the Lere region of Kaduna. On Tuesday, it was announced that Fr. Cleopas had managed to escape.

Fr. Cheitnum did not escape. After the abduction, the kidnappers forced the priests to run with them from the rectory cross country. They were concerned that Fr. Cheitnum was not fast enough, and he might slow the group down enough to be caught. So they shot him.

Read the story here and pray for Christians in Nigeria.

Coach Jim Harbaugh Tells Team Members He Would Help Raise Their Baby in Event of Unplanned Pregnancy

That's something you don't hear everyday, whether you know a sports coach or not. This is an example of living the faith to the fullest. Read the whole thing at National Catholic Register, but here's a bet to get you going.

In an interview with ESPN, Harbaugh shared how he has told his family, players, and staff members that if they found themselves in an unplanned pregnancy and could not take care of the baby then he and his wife would raise the child.

“I‘ve told [them] the same thing I tell my kids, boys, the girls, same thing I tell our players, our staff members. I encourage them if they have a pregnancy that wasn’t planned, to go through with it, go through with it,” Harbaugh said. “Let that unborn child be born and if at that time, you don‘t feel like you can care for it, you don’t have the means or the wherewithal, then Sarah and I will take that baby.”

He added, “Any player on our team, any female staff member or any staff member or anybody in our family or our extended family that doesn‘t feel like after they have a baby they can take care of it, we got a big house. We’ll raise that baby.”

A Movie You Might Have Missed #69: The Women's Balcony

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 women in an Orthodox Jewish community in Jerusalem are appalled when their synagogue gets a strict new rabbi. The ladies soon decide to fight back against his ultratraditionalist beliefs, while raising money to repair the "women's balcony" in the synagogue.

This film was a blockbuster in Israel and it isn't hard to see why. It is witty and intelligent while looking at realistic reactions to a complicated subject. Friendships are broken, marriages are stressed, and budding romances are tested as the moderate-extreme, male-female lines are drawn in this battle over something very dear to the hearts of all: how to practice their faith. However, it is all handled lightly and with good-natured humor.

One of the things I liked most was the sense of community and the ways the married couples interacted. It was interesting seeing how many universal themes there when looking at a situation about a foreign culture and different religion. That's because, of course, in the end we aren't all that different under the skin.

Perhaps the best praise I can give is that we all felt it was an equal to another favorite from Israel, Ushpizin. If you've seen that, then you know this is high praise indeed - and the sign of an entertaining film.

An Exciting Scene from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates

 

Illustration from p. 10 of Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates

Following the trail itself, Whispering Smith rode slowly.

Following the trail itself, Whispering Smith rode slowly.
Frontispiece from "Whispering Smith" by Frank H. Spearman; illustrator N. C. Wyeth

Hawaiian Waters

Taken by my brother when he was stationed in Hawaii a few years ago. Click through to see the photo in full beauty.

A strange between-time in whose tremendous hush the earth seems listening for a message from the sky.

As the sun goes down, a stillness falls over Egypt. Water channels that cross the field turn to the colour of blood, then to bright yellow that faces into silver. The palm trees might be cut from black paper and pasted against the incandescence of the sky. Brown hawks that hang all day above the sugar-cane and the growing wheat are seen no more and, one by one, the stars burn over the sandhills and lie caught in the stiff fronds of the date palms.

It is this moment which remains for ever as a memory of Egypt, a moment when day is over and night has not yet unfolded her wings, a strange between-time in whose tremendous hush the earth seems listening for a message from the sky. The fierce day dies and the sand loses its heat and all things are for a brief space without shadow.

H.V. Morton, In the Steps of the Master

Isn't this as good as a rest? Read it slowly, let your mind's eye place you there, and take it all in. H.V. Morton is superb at telling us the history and people of a place, but I have never seen anyone dwell upon his lyrical descriptions. They are scattered throughout the book and come to me almost with a shock as he suddenly stops talking about being a tourist and turns attention to the physical.

This book tracing Jesus' travels and In the Steps of St. Paul where he does the same with Paul are two of my favorites. They combine poetic, thoughtful travel writing with Christian reflections.

The road to hell is itself a living hell.

This was in the Mass readings yesterday. It is from Jeremiah who lived around 600 years before Christ was born. By now you'd think that I am over being surprised at how similar we are to the people from so long ago — but no. This could have been said today about Christians. We go after useless idols and turn our backs on God.

... you made my heritage loathsome.
The priests asked not,
“Where is the LORD?”
Those who dealt with the law knew me not:
the shepherds rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after useless idols.

Be amazed at this, O heavens,
and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD.
Two evils have my people done:
they have forsaken me, the source of living waters;
They have dug themselves cisterns,
broken cisterns, that hold no water.

I especially hit by the last statements God makes which point out that our sins submit us to a two-fold tragedy. We cut ourselves off from God who is the source of all joy and goodness. And we substitute empty things that lead to our ruin. These two comments from In Conversation with God drive the point home.

Sin means making a choice between nothing and the living water that springs up to eternal life. This is the greatest deception a man can fall prey to.

No wonder so many are unhappy without knowing what to do about it or maybe even realizing that they are unhappy. They are continually thirsty and nothing but God will suffice.

The solitude sin leaves in the soul should be enough to lead us away from it. The road to hell is itself a living hell.

As one who's been there, I can see how true this is.

Big Bend in the Haze

Jason Merlo Photography, Big Bend

This looks more like an impressionist painting than a photograph. Simply beautiful.

An Author You Might Have Missed - Elizabeth Cadell

 

Years ago, browsing the downtown library shelves I came across an incredibly large number of books by an author I'd never heard of — Elizabeth Cadell. I was soon hooked on these gentle, humorous novels. Sometimes there is also a mystery involved but they invariably have enjoyable conundrums of everyday living which must be figured out by the people in the books so that everything can come out okay in the end.

These novels are often called romances but they are much more than that. They weave everyday life, mystery, and romance with likable characters who you want to succeed. A fair number of them are set in Portugal which made me aware of that country in a new way. These are books for which you can often predict the story line but which you enjoy reading and rereading nonetheless. They fit into the whatever the category is where you'd find Cold Comfort Farm, Enchanted April, and Miss Buncle's Book.

I like the independent mindset always provided for at least one protagonist, although usually against what is generally considered to be "independent" in modern times. In the book Out of the Rain, for example, everyone keeps lamenting that the beautiful young widow is perfectly content to stay at home tending to her three children. She keeps asking these lamenters why being absorbed in her children is a bad thing. None of them can answer except to say she should be getting "more" out of life. This quote is from the widow's grandfather, who she lives with, but sums up the underlying mentality of the novel pretty well.

I can't help feeling that people ask too much [of life]. They don't keep up with the Joneses any more--they outstrip them. What people call happiness, today, isn't happiness. It's enjoyment. It's pleasure. And between happiness and pleasure there's a very large gap.

The question, I suppose, is what makes us genuinely happy. That is at the bottom of all Cadell's novels.

They are witty, well plotted, and leave you in a good mood. I return to them again and again for light reading.

The covers I've included are from some of my favorites but you can hardly go wrong. 

Many of them are now on Kindle and on Audible, some of which are narrated charmingly by Cadell's granddaughter.

Our Daily Bread

"Our Daily Bread" by Anders Zorn, 1886.

J.R.'s Art Place (see link) says: It depicts his mother cooking potatoes for workers on the family farmstead.

Wetland Delta

Wetland Delta, Remo Savisaar