The Lion of the tribe of Judah

The author here is using the fifth chapter of the book of Revelation as a commentary on the Passion read during Good Friday. 

He has conquered! This is the news the sage was charged to make re-echo in the Church, just as the Church must make it re-echo throughout the world for all time: the Lion of the tribe of Judah has conquered! (The "Lion of the tribe of Judah" is the Messiah, so-called by Jacob in the book of Genesis 49:9, when he was blessing his son Judah). The Long-awaited event that gives meaning to everything has taken place. History can never go back. ...

That simple verb enikesen—"he has conquered"—contains the very principle that gives history a kind of absoluteness. It gives eternal and universal value to an event that took place at a given point in time and space. ... It represents for history what the principle of noncontradiction represents for metaphysics. It is impossible to go back to the previous state of things. Nothing and no one in the world, no matter how hard they might try, can change what happened—that is, that Jesus Christ died and rose again, that we are redeemed, that the Church was founded, the sacraments instituted, the kingdom of God established.

Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, The Power of the Cross

Desert Sky

Desert Sky by Edgar Alwyn Payne

Lent: Who Do You Say I Am?

From a long ago insert I wrote for our church bulletin. 

Who Do You Say I Am?

Filled with the holy Spirit, Jesus returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days, to be tempted by the devil. ...

Luke, chapter 4

The common practice today is to measure the Bible against the so-called modern worldview, whose fundamental dogma is that God cannot act in history—that everything to do with God is to be relegated to the domain of subjectivity. And so the Bible no longer speaks of God, the living God; no, now we alone speak and decide what God can do and what we will and should do. And the Antichrist, with an air of scholarly excellence, tells us that any exegesis1 that reads the Bible from the perspective of faith in the living God, in order to listen to what God has to say, is fundamentalism; he wants to convince us that only his kind of exegesis, the supposedly purely scientific kind, in which God says nothing and has nothing to say, is able to keep abreast of the times.

The theological debate between Jesus and the devil is a dispute over the correct interpretation of Scripture, and it is relevant to every period of history. The hermeneutical2 question lying at the basis of proper scriptural exegesis is this: What picture of God are we working with? The dispute about interpretation is ultimately a dispute about who God is. Yet in practice, the struggle over the image of God, which underlies the debate about valid biblical interpretation, is decided by the picture we form of Christ: Is he, who remained without worldly power, really the son of the living God? ...

The point at issue is revealed in Jesus’ answer, which is also taken from Deuteronomy: “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test” (Deut 6:16). ... The issue, then, is the one we have already encountered: God has to submit to experiment. He is “tested,” just as products are tested. He must submit to the conditions that we say are necessary if we are to reach certainty. If he doesn’t grant us now the protection he promises in Psalm 91,3 then he is simply not God. He will have shown his own word, and himself, too to be false.

We are dealing with the vast question as to how we can and cannot know God, how we are related to God and how we can lose him. The arrogance that would make God an object and impose our laboratory conditions upon him is incapable of finding him. For it already implies that we deny God as God by placing ourselves above him, by discarding the whole dimension of love, of interior listening; by no longer acknowledging as real anything but what we can experimentally test and grasp. To think like that is to make oneself God. And to do that is to abase not only God, but the world and oneself, too.

Joseph Ratzinger4,­ Jesus of Nazareth

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We are quite used to thinking of Jesus’ struggle with temptation as a scenario of the devil offering worldly methods which Jesus spurns while worshiping God. This often leads to us considering what we must struggle with or deny in order to follow Jesus.This is valid, however, we have seen this piece of scripture presented so many times that it can be easy to miss levels of meaning aside from struggle with physical desires and denial.

Therefore, it is startling to see Joseph Ratzinger boldly state that Jesus’ verbal battle with the devil is one of Biblical interpretation. It brings us down to earth with a thump. Moving to this different level of understanding scripture offers challenges to our easy doubts of God’s presence in our lives and in our world.

It is easy to doubt and to fall back on the well worn phrase “trust but verify.” Indeed, we have been taught this lesson by the world, where business and politics, to name merely two influences, have given us much reason to be wary, cynical and doubtful of claims we cannot see, touch, or prove scientifically.

However, we cannot use these criteria when it comes to friends, loves, children, spouses, or, most importantly, God. With these cherished relationships, we must learn in a way that cannot be quantified. We must release our need to control. We must listen. We must remain open. We must learn. We must trust.

We may not know what questions to ask in order to learn to love God better. Jesus came to bring us the answers before the questions were spoken. We can find them by being open to God’s living word and listening.

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1 Critical explanation or analysis, especially of a text.

2 The theory and methodology of interpretation, especially of scriptural text.

3 Psalm 91 is a prayer of someone who has taken refuge in the security of the temple. Verses 11-12 state, “For God commands the angels to guard you in all your ways. With their hands they shall support you, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” Read the entire psalm to see the statement of God’s promises therein.

4 Pope Benedict XVI wrote Jesus of Nazareth under his own name, Joseph Ratzinger.

Feeding Time

Feeding Time by Hans Andersen Brendekilde

A Movie You Might Have Missed #94 — A Tale of Two Cities (1935)

THE IMMORTAL STORY OF LOVE AND INTRIGUE DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION!

The exciting story of Dr. Manette, who escapes the horrors of the infamous Bastille prison in Paris. The action switches between London and Paris on the eve of the revolution where we witness ‘the best of times and the worst of times’ - love, hope, the uncaring French Aristocrats and the terror of a revolutionary citizen’s army intent on exacting revenge.

This was the final movie in our 1937 Oscar winner/nominees viewing. 

We saved the best for last, without realizing it. What a fantastic movie! I have to admit that my reaction is colored by the fact that I love the book. They did such an excellent job of telling the story that I am going to have to reread the book very soon.

However, my mother didn't know the story and couldn't quit talking about it, saying the next morning, "That movie simply blew me away." So it isn't just Dickens fans who liked it.

Wikipedia says: The film is generally regarded as the best cinematic version of Dickens' novel and one of the best performances of Colman's career. I believe it. I've never seen Ronald Colman in anything but he was simply terrific. With his somewhat disheveled look and his subtle acting style, he seemed very modern. They say that he was so determined to play this role that he agreed to shave off his mustache. Wise choice. 

The movie that won in 1937 was The Great Ziegfeld. Until now we were ready to call that a good choice. No longer.

This is the movie that should have won the Oscar.

At a Book

At a Book by Marie Bashkirtseff

I mean, my hair isn't that elegant, but otherwise this is how I spend a lot of my time. Obviously!

Guide to Catholic Devotions

 This is a really complete guide to Catholic devotions, ranging to Lent and Advent to more obscure things like chaplets and devotion to the Sacred Heart. 

If the whole of Scripture were to start talking at once ...

Jesus suffered and died freely, out of love—not by chance, not out of necessity, not because of some hidden catalyst or misunderstanding that took him unawares or against his will. To assert such would be to nullify the Gospel, to remove its soul, because the Gospel is nothing other than the good news of God's love in Christ Jesus. Not only the gospel but the entire Bible is nothing other than the news of God's mysterious, incomprehensible love for people. If the whole of Scripture were to start talking at once, if by some miracle the written words were transformed into speech, that voice would be more powerful than the waves of the sea, and it would cry out: "God loves you."

Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, The Power of the Cross

I'm reading this book during Lent, and it is a powerhouse of reflection. He has been the papal preacher for three different popes over 4 decades. This is a collection of his Good Friday homilies, 43 of them from 1980 - 2022. It is truly amazing to see how many different topics are found in the same collection of readings every year.

Onions and Oleanders

Onions and Oleanders by Wada Eisaku

No special reason for this one except that I love it.

Baked Salmon with Horseradish Mayonnaise

 This is our family's favorite way of having salmon and perfect for a Friday in Lent! Pick it up at Meanwhile Back in the Kitchen.

Also, I didn't share the link for last week's recipe, which is another one we enjoy on many Fridays during the year. My mother's Creamed Tuna. The nutmeg, Parmesan and walnuts raise it a bit above the usual recipe.

China Trade and Concourse — Two Mysteries by S.J. Rozan

I first read these in 2016 where they wound up on my Best Books list for the year. I was browsing my "Best" lists and picked them up to try again. They were still very pleasing and I recommend them to you!

(Lydia Chin & Bill Smith, #1)

"Lydia. You're still like that, huh?" He shook his head, smiling. "You're still like that."

I wasn't completely sure what it was I was still like, but I knew I was still like that.

Lydia Chin is an ABC (American Born Chinese) living in New York's Chinatown with her mother. She's also a private investigator and we follow her on a case tracking down stolen porcelain from a small, private Chinese museum. Thus we get first-person insight into life in Chinatown, Chinese gangs, Chinese mothers (and brothers) and many other details of daily life in this unique environment.

Lydia often partners with Bill Smith who provides both brains and muscle to complement Lydia's own particular skills. The partnership contrasts work well both for mystery solving and as a story telling device.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and was interested to see that the next book is one of Bill Smith's cases, told from his point of view. So I dove right in.

(Bill Smith & Lydia Chin, #2)

"Dealing with him was distasteful," she said. "He was similar to some of our donors. Outwardly quite charming, but I don't value charm. There are other qualities I value, such as perseverance and honesty." My face must have changed. She smiled again. "You have a right to disbelieve that, after what you've heard, but honesty is a complicated virtues." "I always thought it was one of the simpler ones."

"None of the virtues are simple," Margaret O'Connor told me. "Only the sins."

I now understand why people say that the first book about Lydia Chin and Bill Smith was good but this one blew their socks off. Yes. It is a powerfully written book, from Bill Smith's point of view this time, and one that somehow has a different feel and style. The mystery is similarly labyrinthine, it is filled with interesting characters (some we loathe and some we love), and it held my interest the entire way through.

When Bobby Moran's son is killed working in his security firm, Bobby hires Bill Smith to investigate. Bobby was Bill's mentor and Bill knew the victim growing up so this one's personal. The murder was during a run-of-the-mill assignment at an elegant retirement home that is in the middle of a badly deteriorated neighborhood. With Lydia Chin working backup, Bill wades through the clues while additional murders pile up.

Interestingly, we get a nuanced look at urban blight which ranges from the victims to the exploiters to the non-profits trying to help. Not what I expected from investigating a murder in a senior community, but it was really well done.

Scott and I discussed this in episode 147 of  A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Notes on Mark: Tempted in the Wilderness

Christ in the Wilderness by Ivan Kramskoy, 1872

MARK 1:12-13

Jesus faces the same ordeal that Adam and Israel endured in the OT (CCC 538-540). He is thus tempted by Satan among the wild beasts, as the first Adam was tempted amid the beasts in paradise. He likewise retraces the steps of Israel, being led into the wilderness by the Spirit and tested for forty days as the Israelites marched in the desert for 40 years of testing. In the end, Jesus succeeds where Adam and Israel failed by resisting the devil and proving his filial love for the Father. This initiates an extended campaign against demons, death, and disease throughout the Gospel (1:25, 31, 34; 2:11; 3:5; 5:13, 39-41).

Morally: (St. John Chrysostom, Hom. in Matt. 13), Jesus endured temptation to train his disciples how to overcome the devil. No one should be surprised, then, that after our own Baptism the tempter assails us more aggressively than before. Victory is assured if, like Jesus, we commit ourselves to fasting, wait upon the Lord with patience, and have no desire for things beyond our need.

The Gospel of Mark
(The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)
by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch

I just love all those parallels between Jesus' temptation and the Old Testament. So obvious when pointed out but so hard to see when I am just reading along.

Also it is a good reminder that if Jesus suffered from temptation, so then will I. It is much easier to take when we see what is pointed out here.

No sooner was the glory of the hour of the Baptism over than there came the battle of the temptations. One thing stands out here in such a vivid way that we cannot miss it. It was the Spirit who thrust Jesus out into the wilderness for the testing time. The very Spirit who came upon him at his baptism now drove him out for his test.

In this life it is impossible to escape the assault of temptation; but one thing is sure -- temptations are not sent to to us to make us fall; they are sent to strengthen the nerve and the sinew of our minds and hearts and souls. They are not meant for our ruin, but for our good. They are meant to be tests from which we emerge better warriors and athletes of God.

The Gospel of Mark
(The Daily Bible Series*, rev. ed.)
by William Barclay

* Not a Catholic source and one which can have a wonky theology at times, but Barclay was renowned for his authority on life in ancient times and that information is sound.

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Sources and Notes Index

Lent: A Preparation for New Life

This is from a series of  bulletin inserts I wrote for our church, waaaaay back in 2008. 

It's good for reflection now that Lent is underway and my initial fervor may have flagged. I'm just sayin' ... it could be that I need a Lenten booster!

Lent: A Preparation for New Life

1430 Jesus’ call to conversion and penance, like that of the prophets before him, does not aim first at outward works, “sackcloth and ashes,” fasting and mortification, but at the conversion of the heart, interior conversion. Without this, such penances remain sterile and false; however, interior conversion urges expression in visible signs, gestures and works of penance.231431 Interior repentance is a radical reorientation of our whole life, a return, a conversion to God with all our heart, an end of sin, a turning away from evil, with repugnance toward the evil actions we have committed. At the same time it entails the desire and resolution to change one’s life, with hope in God’s mercy and trust in the help of his grace. This conversion of heart is accompanied by a salutary pain and sadness which the Fathers called animi cruciatus (affliction of spirit) and compunctio cordis (repentance of heart)....

1439 The process of conversion and repentance was described by Jesus in the parable of the prodigal son, the center of which is the merciful father:37 the fascination of illusory freedom, the abandonment of the father’s house; the extreme misery in which the son finds himself after squandering his fortune; his deep humiliation at finding himself obliged to feed swine, and still worse, at wanting to feed on the husks the pigs ate; his reflection on all he has lost; his repentance and decision to declare himself guilty before his father; the journey back; the father’s generous welcome; the father’s joy — all these are characteristic of the process of conversion. The beautiful robe, the ring, and the festive banquet are symbols of that new life — pure worthy, and joyful — of anyone who returns to God and to the bosom of his family, which is the Church. Only the heart of Christ who knows the depths of his Father’s love could reveal to us the abyss of his mercy in so simple and beautiful a way.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

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Most of us do not look forward to these 40 days of penance. Perhaps this is why the Church, in Her wisdom, mandates it for us. We would never seek this on our own.

A time of deprivation. A time of suffering. A long, gray, dreary time of doing without the little things that make life worthwhile ... coffee, chocolate, a favorite television show. This is all too often the attitude of dread that we bring to Lent.

The Church also strongly recommends that we do something additional during this time to show penance. Prayer, fasting, and service to others are among the recommended activities that we may resolve to take on. These also do not sound very attractive and often are dropped during the 40 days.

Yet it is that very attitude that is skewed from reality, as we see if we read the Catechism about interior penance. We are going about it all backwards if we merely focus on the outward sign, on what we are “giving up” or “adding on.”

This is not about outward signs and empty gestures. Lent’s purpose is to deepen our knowledge of ourselves and of what we need to come closer to a more loving relationship with God. This is the hunger that should be propelling us into Lent. This is the true change of heart and new life which God longs for us to have. The outward signs should be merely the visible supports to our inward changes.

With this in mind, we can examine our Lenten plans while asking God what He would like us to do to come closer to him. He knows our hearts better than we do ourselves. He will guide us in how to link our “giving up” and “adding on” to help us gain the interior knowledge we need.

Perhaps instead of giving up coffee altogether, we can give up the daily morning visit to Starbucks. The fifteen minutes that is saved, could be spent in prayerful reading of scripture, for which we would usually never have time. Possibly we may give up watching our favorite television show and spend the time with our families playing a game, reading aloud, or just talking. Maybe we feel called to volunteer to spend time with those in need. In that case, giving up surfing the internet may allow us to do other tasks in order to have the needed time later on.

Regardless of the outward signs, let us be sure to take full advantage of this opportunity to dig deeper, change our hearts, and grow closer to God.

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Footnotes

23 Cf. Joel 2:12-13; Isa 1:16-17; Mt 6:1-6; 16-18.
24 Cf. Council Of Trent (1551): DS 1676-1678; 1705; Cf. Roman Catechism, II,V,4.
37 Cf. Lk 15:11-24.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church can be found online.

The novel and the truth

He asked her what book she was reading.

"The Idiot, do you know it."

"No. What's it about?"

"It's a novel."

"I'd rather read the truth," he said.

"It is the truth."

Bernard Malamud, The Assistant

I came across this in the Kindle sample of The Novel, Who Needs It? by Joseph Epstein. I now can't wait to read it except the library doesn't have a copy. Which I find really surprising. It seems as if every library would automatically want several copies of this one.

Art Critics

Art Critics by Michael Ancher, via JR's Art Place

Painters Laurits Tuxen and P. S. Krøyer discussing an artwork in Krøyer's studio at the artists' colony in Skagen, Denmark.

Woman with Geraniums

Woman with Geraniums, Caroline A. Lord

This reminds me of my mother-in-law and how she loved to have flowering plants around.

Crushing Temptations

Obviously from a couple of years ago, this is a good reminder to me of my own Lenten realization.

In Mel Gibson's movie The Passion of the Christ, in the very first scene in the garden, as Jesus is praying in agony, he sees a snake creeping up to him. The instant he sees the snake, he crushes it, he stomps on it, he has no mercy toward it and no second thoughts, no hesitation. That's what we all have to do with temptations: stop them at their very source, their very first beginnings, the very first thoughts.

Peter Kreeft, Food for the Soul, Year C First Sunday of Lent

I must say that one of my personal advances during this Lent is to recognize some temptations when they occur. This might sound obvious, but most of my temptations creep up for sins that are habitual. That makes sense. Sometimes I am fighting myself and sometimes I'm being assaulted by enemy barrages. When I'm in the middle of the battle, do I stop to ask where the blows are coming from?

Too often I don't. But having had the grace given to ask myself the question, "What if this is a temptation?" I've been able to simply say, "Go away!" I'm not always good at repeating it too many times, but sometimes just knowing it might be coming from outside is enough. Now, part of my morning prayer is to ask Jesus to show me when I'm being tempted so I have that extra help.

It strikes me, having read the quote above, that another part of my battle needs to be the immediate crushing with no second thoughts. Too often I feel as if it is natural to have a long battle with temptation, which I may win or I may lose. But the times when I've crushed the thought and refused to allow it entry, however many times there is a knock on the door — those are the times I've won.

Sin and trampling on people

"I've done so many things that I thought I would never dare do because they were sins. But I didn't realize then that the consequence of sin is that you have to trample on other people."

Sigrid Undset, Kristen Lavransdatter

I'm slowly rereading this book and it is loaded with little gems like this, amply illustrated by Kristen's life, unfortunately. 

The Catechism Lesson

The Catechism Lesson, Jules-Alexis Muenier

I hear about my daughters' teaching their students on Sunday and I feel as if this fits right in. Especially when you throw in the RCIA classes that are going on as we head toward Easter.

Kumoi Cherry Trees

Kumoi Cherry Trees, Hiroshi Yoshida

We've got flowering trees and it feels so much like spring - or even summer with temperatures hitting 90 today.  We've also had a really bright moon lately. This all is evoked so well in the painting.

Notes on Mark: The Baptism of Jesus

Stained glass window of Jesus's baptism by Tiffany

MARK 1:9-11

I'm so used to reading these passages and accepting them as matter of fact when, of course, there is nothing matter of fact about them. First, Mark sets it in a time when everyone could bring it to mind. It makes me think of how we say now, "This was before 9/11" or "That was during the pandemic." No more need be said to set the scene. What a huge uproar there must have been over John the Baptist to use just a few code words. 

9 It was in this setting

Literally, "in those days." The translation is free but also accurate. In Mark's day ordinary people did not use a calendar. They dated events in rleation to who happened to be in authority at the time or some cyclical event, such as the Olympiads. Mark is saying, in effect, "You want to know when Jesus burst upon the scene? That dates back to the time when there was that widespread religious reawakening of people going out to the desert to see John."

The Memoirs of St. Peter by Michael Pakaluk

Then we have the actual baptism of Jesus to think about. The "simple" fact of Jesus' baptism carries a wealth of information that affects us deeply, as we can see. This not only helps me understand the great power of our own baptism, but how intricately interwoven everything is in the balance of salvation history and our own relationship with Christ.

Jesus' coming up out of the water (anabaino) is answered by a coming down (katabaino) of the Spirit from above. According to the Old Testament, sin creates an insuperable barrier, distancing humanity from the holiness of God (see Isa 59:2). God would "come down" to his people only after they had been cleansed of impurity (Exod 19:10-11). The Spirit's descent upon Jesus foreshadows his descent upon the Church at Pentecost, after sin has been removed by the cross.

The whole cosmos is impacted by Jesus' act of humility. The heavens are not gently opened but torn asunder--a sign that the barrier between God and man is being removed. Israel had pleaded for God to intervene decisively in human events: "Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down" (Isa 63:19). Now that plea is answered! The same verb "tear" will reappear at a crucial point near the end of the Gospel, when the curtain of the temple is torn from top to bottom at Jesus' death (Mark 15:38), completing the reconciliation of heaven and earth that began at his baptism.

Gospel of Mark, The
(Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Mary Healy

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Sources and Notes Index

Psalm 41 — Prayer for Healing

When many are poor and needy and you wish to show pity for them, on the one hand acknowledging the generosity of some people, and urging others on to similar deeds of mercy, say Psalm 41.

Athanasius, On the Interpretation of the Psalms

This has been described as a liturgy for the sick. Deserted by even his closest friends, the psalmist comes to the temple for healing. After a few words from the priest, the psalmist asks for healing and for relief from the friends who abandoned him and now gloat while they wait for his death.

Jesus himself quoted this psalm during the last supper, expressing his own deep sorrow. 

I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, "He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me" (Jn 13:18).

I'm always knocked over when we see Jesus quoting scripture like this. And I'm not the only one. From early Christian times, this psalm has been studied as a prophecy of the plot against Christ.

We could hardly ask for a more appropriate psalm to consider as we approach Lent next week.

Tile panel with a verse from Psalm 40 (in the Vulgate), 1716,
by Policarpo de Oliveira Bernardes;
in the Igreja da Misericórdia, in Évora, Portugal.

Saint John Paul II has a meditation on this psalm as part of the series he did covering the prayers of the evening in the liturgy of the hours. Read the whole thing here if you like. I share this bit which points the way from gloom to a dawn of hope.

An Invitation to Meditate on the Saving Passion of Christ

Our bitterness is profound when it is the "friend" we trusted, literally in Hebrew: the "man of peace", who turns against us. We are reminded of Job's friends: from being his companions in life, they become indifferent and hostile presences (cf. Jb 19: 1-6). In our prayer resounds the voices of a crowd of people forgotten and humiliated in their sickness and weakness, even by those who should have stood by them.

Yet the prayer of Psalm 41[40] does not end in this gloomy setting. The person praying is sure that God will appear on his horizon, once again revealing his love (cf. vv. 11-14). He will offer his support and gather in his arms the sick person, who will once again be "in the presence" of his Lord (v. 13) or, to use biblical language, will relive the experience of the liturgy in the temple.

The Psalm, streaked by pain, thus ends in a glimpse of light and hope. In this perspective, we can understand how St Ambrose, commenting on the initial beatitude of the Psalm (cf. v. 2), saw in it prophetically an invitation to meditate on the saving passion of Christ that leads to the Resurrection.

Indeed, this Father of the Church suggests introducing into the reading of the Psalm: "Blessed are those who think of the wretchedness and poverty of Christ, who though he was rich made himself poor for us. Rich in his Kingdom, poor in the flesh, because he took this poor flesh upon himself.... So he did not suffer in his richness, but in our poverty.

An index of psalm posts is here.

Sour Cream Pound Cake

 I first ran this recipe in 2004 and all these years later it is still my go-to pound cake. It isn't fussy but it is simply delicious. Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen!

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness

Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness. James Tissot.

As soon as [temptation] presents itself to us we should turn away from it and direct our glance towards Our Lord, who lives within us and fights at our side, who himself has conquered sin. … In this way temptation will lead us to prayer, to union with God and with Christ; it will not be loss but gain.

B. Baur, In Silence with God

Notes on Mark: Word Study - Repentance

St. John the Baptist Preaching by Mattia Preti

MARK 1:4

Repentance
Metanoia (Gk): literally a "change of mind". The word is used 22 times in the New Testament for a conversion of one's entire life to the Lord. Based on similar OT concepts, it involves a twofold movement of the heart: one who repents turns away from sin (1 Kings 8:35; Ezek 18:30) and toward God (Hos 6:1; Sir 17:25, 26; Heb 6:1). This entails genuine contrition for past failings and a firm resolve to avoid them in the future, and it may be accompanied by bodily disciplines like fasting (Dan 9:3-5; Joel 2:12; 2 Cor 7:10). Because repentance is a gradual process of transformation, God is patient with sinners struggling to make amends and redirect their lives toward holiness (Wis 12:10; Rom 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9). Repentance is inspired by the eternal life offered in Christ (Mk 1:15; Acts 2:38), and its genuineness becomes evident when lives are changed in accord with the gospel (Mt 3:8; Acts 26:20; Gal 5:22-24).

The Gospel of Mark
(The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible)
by Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch

Reading this I was really struck by the fact that "repentance is a gradual process of transformation". I tend to think of it as very cut and dried. I'm sorry, I won't do it again ... and then I should change my ways. Of course, often the sad fact is that I fail in changing my ways and lapse again. Thinking of it as a gradual thing is very helpful. A step forward here, a little improvement there ... and I am "in progress" rather than a total failure.

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Sources and Notes Index

The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold

I first read this in 2013 and then reread it six years later because it was the opening episode of Season 9 for A Good Story is Hard to Find. 

Here I am, rereading it yet another six years late. That must be my sweet spot for really getting a lot from this book. It was the perfect Lenten read, though I didn't plan it that way. Time to rerun my original review from 2013 in case you missed it or haven't reread it lately!

 

Two readers I trust, Will Duquette and Amy H. Sturgis, have strongly recommended both this author and book. I certainly am glad they did, although if Goodreads allowed it I would give it 4-1/2 stars instead of the full 5, simply because I feel the ending was rushed as if the author was ready to get this situation done and the book sent out. I felt this especially in the case of the romantic resolution for the protagonist.

However, overall I really enjoyed this tale of a bedraggled, galley ship survivor who, despite his best efforts to the contrary, finds himself in the middle of royal intrigue. If that weren't enough, he is also pulled into the the affairs of the divine as a result and this complicates his life as one might imagine. This is a land of various gods and strong, dark magic. It is, however, also a land where free will matters in the outcome of events.

I must admit that about 5 or 6 chapters into it I almost put this book down, thinking it was much of a muchness with other such tales. Luckily, Amy H. Sturgis picked that moment to comment that this was one of her favorite books. I was not going to be the one who quit on her after that. I respect her too much. I'd read to the end and either be bored by it or love it for the entire thing. Just about then was actually when it got more interesting, so if you find yourself in similar straits, just keep going.

The Curse of Chalion reminded me strongly in some ways of Barbara Hambly's Sun Wolf trilogy, especially in the author's examination of a mature man humbled by events and forced to learn who he is below the surface. However, Curse is altogether more layered and interesting.

How much did I like it? I gave the book's name to both daughters yesterday with the comment that I'd be looking forward to discussing it with them. 

Will Duquette's review of the sequel, Paladin of Souls, included this comment, which works pretty well for this book also:

See, this is a fantasy series, but it's almost what you might call theological science fiction. That is to say, Bujold has invented a theology (a very interesting one, I might add) and a religion to go with it--and then, having set up the rules, she's seeing where they take her.

Satan Tried to Tempt Jesus

Satan Tried to Tempt Jesus, James Tissot

Christ made us one with him when he chose to be tempted by Satan. … If in Christ we have been tempted, in him we overcame the devil. Do you think only of Christ’s temptations and fail to think of his victory? See yourself as tempted in him, and see yourself as victorious in him.He could have kept the devil from himself; but if he were not tempted he could not teach you how to triumph over temptation.

Commentary on the psalms by Saint Augustine, bishop

A (Time-Loop Thriller) Movie You Might Have Missed 93 — Maanaadu (Public Conference)

After flying in for a friend's wedding, Khaaliq stumbles across a plot to assassinate the Chief Minister  at a political rally (public conference). When he tries to stop it, Khaaliq is killed and unexpectedly wakes up on the airplane again. This second time around he's struck by a sense of deja vu and ultimately discovers that he's in a time-loop. Each time he comes across the plot from a different angle and struggles to stop the assassination attempt. And each time he is killed which returns him to the plane.

This is a really great time-loop thriller with fantastic action scenes and an unexpected twist that ratchets up the suspense and action.

As I was explaining this genre to my mother while we were watching, she asked, "But why is it happening?" And I realized that the time-loop genre doesn't bother to explain why. It is just how things are until the person is released. I mean, we all know why just from watching the story over and over. In Groundhog Day the person must mature. In Happy Death Day, she must figure out who murders her. And so forth and so on.

Maanaadu has an actual explanation that makes sense in the world of the movie (especially, one assumes, if you are Hindu). It gives all the more resonance to the reason Khaaliq wants to solve the problem and find his way to tomorrow.

I really enjoyed the pacing. Often time-loop films drag when they repeatedly show us what is happening or changing in each iteration of the day. This movie quickly gets you up to speed — and speed is the right word — because once we've gone through two or three versions of the day, the director begins each section right at the point where it went wrong before. It doesn't take long to catch on that this is happening and it speeds us right past all the repetitive bits.

The film is self aware enough to mention many time-loop movies and we especially enjoyed when one of the characters complained, "You are confusing me more than Christopher Nolan's Tenet." That Tenet was a confusing mess has never been more universally acknowledged than when it is zinged by a Tamil film. Thank you, Venkat Prabhu!

This is available now on Amazon Prime for $2.99 and it is money well spent.

Rereading — Art and Prayer: The Beauty of Turning to God by Timothy Verdon

I read this long ago, in 2014, and thoroughly enjoyed rereading it recently. I highly recommend this way of combining art and prayer.

There is an “art of prayer,” when faith and prayer become creative responses by which creatures made in the image and likeness of the Creator relate to him with help of the imagination. ... Richly illustrated, Monsignor Verdon explains that images work in believers as tools that teach them how to turn to God.

They had me at "richly illustrated." Over the years I have become more and more attracted to paintings as keys to helping me connect more honestly and deeply with God.

The book has many gorgeous pieces of art which are wonderfully explained and made personal by the text of the book. For example, looking at both the inset and whole painting of Piero della Francesca's Baptism of Christ, the author takes us through what the painter hopes to show us, the importance of the original setting for the piece and it's possible impact on the monks who would have seen it daily, and the importance of interior transformation for every one of us. He then uses the painting's landscape to segue into nature, Scripture, and imagination before moving on to the next piece for inspiration. All this is by page 6, by the way.

Needless to say, it is a thought provoking, eye opening, and inspirational gem.

The Church Window

"The Church Window" by Hans Baluschek, 1915.
Via J.R.'s Art Place

All we do know, and that to a large extent by direct experience, is that evil labours with vast power and perpetual success—in vain: preparing always only the soil for unexpected good to sprout in.

J.R.R. Tolkien, from a letter to his son Christopher in 1944

Linguine with Chickpeas and Zucchini

 The combination sounds odd but it is delicious — and meatless for Lent! Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

There is great joy to being a penitent

 This is for anyone who has had to endure the lukewarm homilies or RCIA classes as Lent approaches. They talk about not worrying about giving things up, about just adding things on — hey, those aren't mutually exclusive, by the way. Anyway, they reflect the spirit of the 1970's which is trying to make the Church easier and more fun. What they forget, or perhaps don't know, is that these are all to help you get closer to God. There's often little spoken of about that goal.

As a convert, I was intrigued by the rituals, the symbols, the sacraments, and, yes, the sacrifices. All contributed to the glories of the Catholic faith in one way or another. I never look forward to Lent but I take the proscribed penances seriously and I always give full consideration to what I'm "giving up." When Lent hits, I'm always surprised at how the struggles result in clearing away the cobwebs, opening the way to greater faith and a more personal experience of God.

All that is an introduction to why I loved this piece from Ed Condon at The Pillar. It ran a long time ago but is pertinent throughout Lent.

Happy first Friday of Lent friends, And enjoy your day of penance. I mean that.

Penance is one of those things which, at least in the West, has become an almost uniquely Catholic concept. The idea of a day of penance, let alone marking a whole season of it, strikes our wider society as maudlin, weird, and full of “Catholic guilt.”

And while it is neither maudlin nor weird, guilt — especially in the context of Lent — is a good thing, something to be embraced.

We all have a lot to feel guilty about, I am sure. Not just in the superficial sense of “I was so bad when I did that,” but in the much fuller sense of living in the light of an informed and well-formed conscience which is, or should be, our internal impulse to convert, to reorient ourselves to God, and to embrace the better nature we are called to have.

Penance, with its works of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, is uncomfortable, for sure. But it’s not meant to be miserable. Little actions, small offerings (or large ones) attune us to a right understanding of who we are, and who we need — God.

Modern social media psychobabble is full of talk about “mindfulness” and “being present,” which are themselves vacuous terms. To the extent they ever scratch the surface of human existence, they usually concentrate on “centering yourself in the here and now” to distract from the chasmous void at the heart of a human experience that knows not God, the unbearable weight of our imperfections without hope of redemption.

For us, Lent is the celebration of a great gift: the knowledge that our flaws, our jealousies, our petty vanity, and even what some might call our astonishing hubris, merit a great savior — one who is coming with power over the fear of death which rules and directs our baser natures.

Finding our place relative to that cosmic truth, and preparing to accept it, may not be a comfortable experience, but it can be joyful.

There is great joy to being a penitent when we are sure of His response, when each act of penance isn’t so much a plea for clemency before a wrathful master as a gesture of faith in the love of a Father whose nature we are striving to imitate.

In this sense, Lent is a time of relief, of rest, of remembering who we actually are, and for what purpose we were actually made — to know Him, love Him and serve Him in this world, and be happy with Him forever in the next, as we used to say.

I think the Meghan Markle crowd would call this “self-actualization,” or maybe “resting in your truth.” The Church calls it “conversion,” and it’s great.

Special Fish Fridays During Lent

A little help for those who aren't used to meatless Fridays during Lent.

Aw Shucks and Big Shucks Oyster Bar will be offering a weekly grilled tilapia special, featuring two fillets with rice and vegetable medley for $9, available on Fridays from February 16 through March 29. They'll also have soups: Maria's Clam Chowder, a New England-style chowder topped with bacon and parsley, or Caldo de Mariscos, a fish and head-on shrimp concoction with vegetables in a spicy broth. At all locations in Dallas, Richardson, Lewisville, and Frisco.

Dallas Culture Map

My Lenten Plans — 2024

I used to do a post like this every Lent and then gradually fell out of the habit, figuring that it wasn't really important to anyone but me. However, I recently found myself inspired to take up a few new practices by reading of others' plans, so I'll share mine in case it is similarly helpful to anyone.

As we mentioned last week, the marks of Lent are prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. I began Ash Wednesday by realizing I wasn't really taking Lent seriously. My reaction to remembering the all-day fast was an internal tantrum over the fact that I had to actually do it, not just think about it.

That made me realize just how much I need Lent.

• Prayer — I always intend to do daily intercessory prayer but often give myself a pass. JD Flynn at The Pillar talked about St. John Henry Newman's intercessory practices in a way that made me vow to fulfill my intention daily. I want to remember the people I'm praying for in a more personal way than I often do.
  
  I'm also going to try JD's idea of hand-copying Scripture. I've never heard of this before. I'm trying to figure out where I will incorporate it in my schedule. It may be a good addition to my morning prayer. As to what I'm going to copy, it will be Baruch. I'm not excited about this selection but when you aren't sure what to copy and flip your closed Bible open to see what pops up, sometimes you wind up with Baruch. (Especially when you flip to the same page two times in a row. Yeah, I tried to get out of it, but I also can take a hint.)
  


• Fasting — I've got two fasts this year. First, no between-meal snacking. I've slid into having something "just a little something" here and there in a practice of self-indulgence and comfort. I've noticed the trend lately in homilies for priests to act as if giving up something like ice cream or snacking as childish or not deep enough. Hey, sometimes we need grounding in the basics to remind us of how to make space for God. I need the spiritual discipline of not coddling myself so that I have the habit of making a small sacrifice when the need arises.
  
  I'm also going to fast from criticizing people to others. There are a lot of people that I can view charitably even when they annoy me — so I've made some progress over the years. But just recently I realized that, again, I give myself a pass on that for certain other people. It was a humbling realization and from my thoughts about how hard it is going to be I can see that it is much needed. I recently had occasion to remember my "Lord have mercy on me and bless [insert name here] prayer. (Read about it here.) I feel as if I'm going to be busting that out a lot.


• Almsgiving — During Covid we got out of the habit of picking up things for the food pantry every week. I'm going to start that up again. This is something that Zombie Parent's Guide reminded me of.
  
  
• Reading — Fiction: Last year I read 22 pages a day of The Lord of the Rings for my lectio divina. It was powerful in a way I didn't anticipate. In fact, I wound up reading fiction a lot of the year during lectio divina because of that — and it was also very fruitful. So I'm doing it again this year, of course!
  
  Nonfiction: I always read something spiritual in the morning after looking over the paper. This year I'm focusing on Lent with The Power of the Cross: Good Friday Sermons from the Papal Preacher by Raniero Cantalamessa. I really love his writing anyway, but Joseph at Zombie Parent's Guide reminded me of it in his 2024 Lenten post. Be sure to click through his link to his review.


• Movie watching — I haven't rewatched The Mill and the Cross or The Passion of the Christ for years. This is the year!

This looks like a lot of things but most of them fit a spot that's already in my schedule.

The Firefly

Shoen Uemura, The Firefly, 1913

King Cake

 Traditional for Mardi Gras this is only easier than I thought it would be, but it is absolutely delicious. Try it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen. 

I haven't remembered to get photos in previous years, but will do so this year. 

Tunnel of Roses

Anna De Weert, Tonnelle de rosiers (Tunnel of Roses, 1920).

This is just so gorgeous. I can only imagine how delightful it would be to stroll through it with the dappled sunlight and scent of the roses. Click through on the link to see it bigger.

The Mirror

Robert Reid, The Mirror, c. 1910

Gorgeous. It draws me back over and over to see the way the painting "reflects" the woman.

A Scarlet Tanager and the Glory of God

The red and black of a scarlet tanager almost elevates me physically; registering it in the midst of wet, green foliage that surrounds it as a cloak of mist and mystery does something to me that I don't have the verb for. Behind that coloration, in that multi-dimensional, infinitely patterned web of life, I witness God's eye for color, God's rejoicing in beauty, God's generosity in sharing that beauty with me. I return home from birdwatching bouncing with love and renewed vigor. I have received. I want to give. I re-experience my own life.

Danusha Goska, God Through Binoculars

Yes. Those moments are ethereal and yet solid. Goska puts flesh on the framework of my favorite psalm.

The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.

Psalm 19:1-4

Bacon, Pea, and Goat Cheese Frittata

This is absolutely delicious and makes a simple but taste-filled dinner. It's also darned good when heated up in the morning for a flavorful breakfast if your taste runs to goat cheese early in the day.

Of course, it's at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen!

West 11th Street Fence

West 11th Street Fence
painted by Andrew Jones

How to make an everyday thing lovely.

Notes on Mark: The Beginning of the Good News

Beginning of the Gospel of Mark in Minuscule 1689

MARK 1:1

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ [the Son of God]

The first verse of the Gospel is a title to the whole work. Like Matthew and John, Mark opens with an echo of the book of Genesis. The beginning recalls the first line of the creation narrative in Gen 1:1, and  suggests that the good news that Mark is about to tell is a new beginning, a new work of God as original and stupendous as the creation of the universe.

[...]

Mark's opening line resonates with his excitement at the glad tidings he is conveying. He sees the coming of Jesus, preceded by that of John the Baptist, as the turning point in history, when God decisively acted to accomplish all that he had promised for so many centuries. At the time Mark wrote, the good news was beginning to explode upon the Mediterranean world, as the apostles and other Christians traveled throughout the empire, evangelizing in synagogues and town squares. Lives were being changed as people who had been lost in spiritual darkness and moral confusion came to know the living Christ and experience his love. Mark's evident joy at the tidings he has to share prompts the questions: Do we realize how good the good news is? Do we recognize that this news fulfills and far surpasses all the deepest longings of the human heart? Or have we settled of a diluted version of the gospel that has little power to impact our daily lives? God's entrance into human history in the person of Jesus Christ is news that is inexhaustibly new, as fresh and potent as on the day it was first proclaimed.

Gospel of Mark, The
(Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Mary Healy

This really made me take a new look at just what Mark was really saying. I have intellectually known for some time that the good news of Christ is exciting and explosive, but how long has it been since I really resonated with it? It also confirms what our priest has long said, that Mark is not the simple book people like to say it is, but rather is intricately constructed. We will see more proof of that as we move through the book. 

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Sources and Notes Index

Pigeon on Street Water Tap

Pigeon on Street Water Tap
taken by Barcelona Photoblog

As we are told, don't bother trying to feed this pigeon. It is street art so realistic that it fooled the photographer. More about this pigeon and this tap at Barcelona Photoblog.

To have a child

Many young adults these days eschew having children because it would take the attention off of them. I have a niece who willingly uses this excuse. But perhaps at the bottom of it lies this unacknowledged truth.

To have a child is to embrace a future you can't control.

Tom French, RadioLab, 23 Days 6 Weeks episode

What they can't know is that the lack of control brings rewards and joys that can't be imagined from their vantage point before parenthood. In this way, it is like obeying God when he asks something that is going to be uncomfortable. (And doesn't he do that a lot?) One must take on his task obediently only to find the surprise, the joy, the love that often is interwoven with the discomfort.

One must not be afraid of adventure. As Saint John Paul II said, "Be not afraid."

Portrait of a Knight of Santiago

Jusepe de Ribera, Portrait of a Knight of Santiago
The Meadows Museum

This is another of my favorite pieces from Dallas's best kept secret, The Meadows Museum.

Guess why?

Ok, it's true that I really like Ribera's work. Of course, it is the glasses. This knight had the latest tech and was going to show it off.

As Tom said, "Can you get my smartphone in this one? I want people to know I had the newest thing."

Notes on Mark: Mark the Lion

Martin Schongauer, The Lion of Saint Mark

I can never keep track of the traditional symbols of the four Gospel writers. Since we're launching into Mark, I wanted to find out just why he's represented in art by a lion. The Word on Fire Bible: The Gospels takes us to St. Jerome's wonderfully succinct reasoning which links each evangelist to the opening passage of its corresponding Gospel.

The man represents Matthew because his Gospel begins with the genealogy of Christ a device that emphasizes Jesus' humanity.

The lion is Mark's Gospel, comparing its opening passage—John the Baptist's urgent proclamation in the desert—to the roar of a wild lion.

The ox symbolizes Luke, whose Gospel narrative begins with the story of the temple priest Zechariah. Through this lens, the ox represents the sacrificial animals that were associated with priestly duties.

The eagle is John's Gospel, which begins by "flying upwards to the heights of the theological realm in its spectacular prologue: "In the beginning was the Word..."

I like that key to the symbolism! Let's see if I can keep it straight the next time I'm trying to identify who's who in stained glass windows!

The winged lion of St Mark at the Scuola Grande di San Marco, Venice.

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Sources and Notes Index

God Likes Matter. He Invented It.

There is no good trying to be more spiritual than God. God never meant man to be a purely spiritual creature. That is why He uses material things like bread and wine to put the new life into us. We may think this rather crude and unspiritual. God does not: He invented eating. He likes matter. He invented it.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

I think this is such a wonderful way to remind us that all the things of everyday life matter.

Palazzo Albrizzo

Palazzo Albrizzo, Antonietta Brandeis
via Lines and Colors

Isn't this incredibly lovely? I can't stop looking at it. 

Tandoori Chicken Sandwiches

 A flavor explosion that doesn't involve hot peppers! We're trying to actually make some of the many recipes we've clipped over the years. This one is the first of the New Year that's been a real winner!

Get it at Meanwhile, Back in the Kitchen.

God Will Fit You for Your Work

Cast yourself with confidence into the arms of God. And be very sure of this, that if he wants anything of you he will fit you for your work and give you strength to do it.

St. Philip Neri

Never have I had greater proof of than than in my volunteering as a St. Vincent de Paul Society advocat. Whew!

Jewess with Oranges

Jewess with Oranges, Aleksander Gierymski

 

If a NFL coaching legend quotes scripture in a press conference, does it make a sound?

 The excellent Get Religion, which sadly will be stopping publication soon, points out that John Harbaugh read from the Bible during his post-win press conference. C.J. Stroud gave praise to Jesus in a brief intro during his post-game interview. Secular media ignored both, going to far as to edit Stroud's comments.

C'mon what is everyone scared of? That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow? Would that it were so.

Read the whole thing. And be sure to watch the videos they included.