Grape Vine Rootstocks of D.O Montsant

Grape Vine Rootstocks of D.O Montsant
taken by Barcelona Photoblog

I just love this glorious photo. I can almost hear the bees buzzing, feel the warm sun and wind, smell the fragrant blossoms. I want to go to there.

How does the Holy Spirit refashion us?

[The Holy Spirit] is the Author of spiritual regeneration. ...

Everyone singly is created anew, refashioned by the Light. If this most wise and loving Spirit takes possession of a shepherd, he makes him a psalmist, subduing evil spirits by his song and proclaims him King. If he possess a herdsman and dresser of sycamore-figs, he makes him a prophet. Call to mind David and Amos.

If he takes hold of a good youth, He makes him a judge of elders, even beyond his years, as Daniel testifies, who conquered lions in their den. If he takes possession of Fishermen, He makes them catch the whole world in the nets of Christ, taking them up in the meshes of the Word. Look at Peter and Andrew and the Sons of Thunder, thundering the things of the spirit. If of publicans, he reaps profits of them for discipleship, and makes them merchants of souls. Witness Matthew, yesterday a publican, today an evangelist. If of zealous persecutors, He changes the current of their zeal, and makes them Pauls instead of Sauls, and as full of piety as He found them full of wickedness.

St. Gregory Nazianzen, Oration 41, On Pentecost

I love, love, love this look at how the Holy Spirit works in people. I already knew how these people had changed but never connected all of these things with action of the Holy Spirit regenerating them to be their best selves. Each is a very distinctive individual and, yet, each of them is part of God's tapestry. Who am I in that tapestry if I cooperate with the Spirit?

Coreopsis, Near San Antonio, Texas

Coreopsis, Near San Antonio, Texas by Julian Onderdonk, 1919.
via Wikipedia

Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies)

I liked this so much. In many ways it reminded me of Kathal where a police investigation is entertaining and interesting while weaving serious topics into the story without heavy-handed moralizing.

When two identically dressed brides, with requisite scarves covering their faces are grabbed by the wrong groom at different train stations, how will they be restored to their rightful places? Especially when neither can remember the name of their groom's hometown?

I fully expected this to be the story of each bride learning to love the new man she is around, but this story did not go there at all. Add the complication of a Bandit Bride who pretends to get married in order to steal the wedding jewelry, and you've got a captivating set of circumstances. The writing and directing was good, the acting wonderful, and it left us feeling good. What more can you ask for?

The Comtesse d’Egmont Pignatelli in Spanish Costume

The Comtesse d’Egmont Pignatelli in Spanish Costume (1763).
Alexander Roslin (Swedish, 1718–98).

The dress! Just look at that glorious dress! I could look at it all day long.

This is via Books and Art where they said this about the painting

The countess’s glowing gown of white satin has sleeves slashed and woven through with ribbons and pearls, in the Spanish style, a reference to her husband’s ancestry. A talented musician, the countess played the guitar for her Spanish guests. She spent her days studying history and literature and conversing with artists and poets. The book she is holding may be a work by the philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

The Resurrection

Matthias Grünewald, detail from Isenheim Altarpiece, c. 1515

I borrowed this from Lines and Colors where various images of the altarpiece and this resurrection image are featured. I agree that it is one of the most striking resurrection depictions ever. Simply fantastic.

Notes on Mark: Jesus' Assault on the Powers of Darkness

Exorcism, Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld

MARK 1:21-28

I knew all these facts, of course, but until reading this concise summary of Jesus' announcement of the kingdom and his attack on evil, it never all came together being shown a planned progression (so to speak). But once I was shown, it was so obvious. So it is not Mark that is simple, it is my reading of his work. (That's a tune we'll be singing throughout the book ... he's a much smarter cookie than he gets credit for.) I like the points made in the reflection also because it makes me think of Jesus as our shepherd. He appears on the scene and begins swiping the wolves away from his sheep. And we clearly need it.

The call of the first disciples is followed by Jesus' first miraculous work, an exorcism. By this act Jesus' announcement of the kingdom (v. 15) becomes dramatically perceptible and concrete. Throughout the public ministry mark shows Jesus' progressive dismantling of the powers of darkness, the advancement of his assault on Satan's kingdom that began with the temptation in the desert (1:13; see 3:23-27).

[...]

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION: The story of Jesus' first exorcism portrays the forces of evil in a way that may appear to readers today as strikingly personal. For Mark, as for the whole New Testament, evil is not an impersonal force but is concentrated in invisible, malevolent beings who are bent on destroying human beings and hindering God's plan of salvation. These evil spirits are responsible for various mental and even physical maladies (7:25; 9:17-27; see Matt 12:22; Luke 13:11). Some exegetes, nothing that the Gospels do not always clearly distinguish between illness and demonic possession, have concluded that the references to demons are simply a mythical way of symbolizing the misfortunes to which human beings are prone. The Church has always taught, however, that demons are real spiritual beings, fallen angels who were created by God but became evil by their own free choice (Catechism, 391-95). Anyone tempted to dismiss accounts of demons as fables does not have to look far to see evidence of their influence today. Such phenomena as "racial cleansing," group suicides, and the sexual abuse of children show a more than merely human malice at work, seeking to destroy the image of God in man. But as frightening and real as is the power of demons, the authority of Christ is infinitely superior. Through his cross and resurrection, Christ definitively conquered the powers of hell. For the present time, however, their malicious actions are permitted by God, who is able to good out of every evil (Rom 8:28). The grace of baptism affords us protection from demons and the strength to resist their seductive influence.

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

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Sources and Notes Index 

Julie has tried every seat in the cafe. Scott has had so much coffee.

  We discuss time travel, relationships and using thermal mugs — Time travel in a Japanese cafe. Episode 331: Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Bayeux Tapestry

I'd never even heard of the Bayeux Tapestry when my husband and I went to France after just being married a couple of years. He'd always wanted to see it and couldn't believe I'd never been told about it.

I remember the huge church where it had originally been hung and then the museum next door where you could walk around and view the entire thing. Which we did with a field trip of English school kids who had crossed the Channel to see this part of their heritage. I had no idea that English and French heritage overlapped (yes, I was just a touch ignorant). Or of the beauty of this hand-sewn tribute to the Norman invasion of England.

It was simply amazing.

Here's a wonderful book about it - which I may need to reread. 

This made me look at Wikipedia where you can look at the entire thing in one piece. This is really neat.

Individual scenes may be examined close up at this Wikipedia spot. Also neat.

Rereading — How to Pick a Peach by Russ Parsons

"Eat locally, eat seasonally." A simple slogan that is backed up by science and by taste. The farther away from the market something is grown, the longer it must spend getting to us, and what eventually arrives will be less than satisfying. Although we can enjoy a bounty of produce year-round -- apples in June, tomatoes in December, peaches in January -- most of it is lacking in flavor. In order to select wisely, we need to know more. Where and how was the head of lettuce grown? When was it picked and how was it stored? How do you tell if a melon is really ripe? Which corn is sweeter, white or yellow?

Russ Parsons provides the answers to these questions and many others in this indispensable guide to common fruits and vegetables, from asparagus to zucchini. He offers valuable tips on selecting, storing, and preparing produce, along with one hundred delicious recipes. Parsons delivers an entertaining and informative reading experience that is guaranteed to help put better food on the table.

This description may make the book sound clinical but Parsons infuses it with details and personality that make us relate to what he writes about. The argument about whether fat or skinny asparagus are better? Been there. Argued that. To reduce the heat of a pepper remove the ... no, not the seeds ... the ribs, which is where the capsicum is stored. Aha!

For each fruit and veg he provides a very basic preparation method that we might not have considered. Then he goes on to a few more interesting recipes for each. Not too many, but just enough to pique our curiosity and taste buds and make us want to come back for more.

I read this back in 2008 but picked it up again and have been thoroughly enjoying it. It's still as relevant as ever except for some of the comments about the state of modern produce. In some cases it isn't much different, but in others — like grapes — it is definitely better. The few recipes I'd tried all had "excellent" noted and I've now got a list of others to go with them.

Wandering Shadows

Peter Graham, Wandering Shadows, 1878

Man oh man. I want to go to there. (She said with striking unoriginality. But I do.)

Is the Lord Going to Prepare You as You Expect? Probably Not.

Is the Lord going to use you in a great way? Quite probably.

Is he going to prepare you as you expect? Probably not. And if you're not careful, you will look at the trials, the tests, the sudden interruptions, the disappointments ,the sadness, the lost jobs, the failed opportunities, the broken moments, and you will think, He's through with me. He's finished with me. When in fact He is equipping you.

Charles Swindoll

I need to be reminded of this all the time.

Storm

Johan Christian Dahl (1788–1857), Storm

We've had so many rainstorms lately. This leads to our usual spring hail or tornadoes, though luckily not anywhere we've been lately. I really feel for the poor Oklahomans though. They've had a lot of tornadoes in the last couple of weeks.

Americans Are Waking Up to the Homelessness Crisis. Here’s How to Fix It.

Neither strict nor lenient laws will end homelessness. But a systematic and community-wide focus on homelessness prevention measures just might. ...

They save lives, dignity, and dollars, and more communities should invest in them. In our experience, these programs succeed because they are personal and flexible: personally administered and rooted in Christian charity; and flexible in the assistance they offer—whether it’s repairing a car, paying a utility bill, or working directly with a landlord to keep eviction at bay.

Precarious living situations don’t fit neatly into bureaucratic boxes. And administrative layers add complexity to application processes, deterring the very people who most need help. Flexible funding, personally administered ensures that households in crisis get help as quickly as possible. The simpler the process, the more quickly we can stabilize families and entire communities.

This is an op-ed piece by John Berry (National St. Vincent de Paul Society President) that ran on Real Clear Policy. He discusses how becoming homeless is a contingent event, in other words, not one that’s inevitable or irreversible. It is very clear look at homelessness, the political arguments surrounding it, and how to help prevent it. 

Simply great. Go read the whole thing.

Notes on Mark: The Scribes

Ephraim Moses Lilien (1874–1925)
A scribe, wearing a traditional Middle Eastern costume of robe and turban,
sews together pieces of parchment of a Torah scroll.

MARK 1:21, 22
Having seen how the Torah was viewed, we can now see why the scribes were so important. Someone had to tell everybody what was right and wrong for everyday living. After reading about how the scribes' systems worked it is clear why Jesus' teachings were so startling.

To give this study [of the Torah] ... a class of scholars arose. These were the Scribes, the experts in the law. The title of the greatest of them was Rabbi. The scribes had three duties.

(i) They set themselves, out of the great moral principles of the Torah, to extract rules and regulations for every possible situation in life. Obviously this was a task that was as endless...

(ii) It was the task of the scribes to transmit and to teach the law and its developments. These deduced and extracted rules and regulations were never written down; they are known as the Oral Law. Although never written down they were considered to be even more binding than the written law. From generation to generation of scribes they were taught and committed to memory...

(iii) The scribes had the duty of giving judgment in individual cases; and, in the nature of things, practically every individual case must have produced a new law.

Wherein did Jesus' teaching differ so much from the teaching of the Scribes? He taught with personal authority. No Scribe ever gave a decision on his own. He would always begin, "There is a teaching that ..." and would then quote all his authorities. If he made a statement he would buttress it with this, that, and the next quotation from the next great legal masters of the past. The last thing he ever gave was an independent judgment.

Reading about how the scribes gave the decisions made me flash on all the times that Jesus would say, "You have heard it said ... But I say to you..." and then give his own personal teaching with a definite air of authority. No wonder everyone was blown away!

All excerpts in this post are from: 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 

God does not ask all souls to show their love in the same way

God calls all the souls he has created to love him with their whole being, here and thereafter, which means that he calls all of them to holiness, to perfection, to a close following of him and obedience to his will. But he does not ask all souls to show their love by the same works, to climb to heaven by the same ladder, to achieve goodness in the same way. What sort of work must I then do? Which is my road to heaven? In what kind of life am I to sanctify myself? Apart from the universal calling of all of us to perfect love, to holiness, to the following of Jesus, and obedience to his will in everything, however small, a calling at the last to heaven, what is the particular and special vocation that he puts before me and you and each one of us? ...

We do not "choose a vocation" but seek to find our vocation, to do all we can to hear the divine voice calling us, to make sure what he is saying — and then to obey him. Where vocation is concerned God speaks, calls, commands: man has not to choose but to listen and obey.

Blessed Charles de Foucauld

Well, that's the $64,000 question, isn't it? What am I being called to and am I obeying?

Marie Spartali Stillman - Self-Portrait

Marie Spartali Stillman, Self-Portrait, 1871

A Shepherdess with Her Flock

A Shepherdess with Her Flock, Verboeckhoven

 

The unforeseen consequence of the Lord as our shepherd

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

St. Augustine, Sermon

Thinking of Jesus as the good shepherd or the Lord in the psalm that we all know so well, we tend to forget to think of the logical consequence of this reality. That means we must trust him. And obey.

On the road again ...

 My husband and I are taking a road trip through central Texas, to explore little towns and see what we can see. I love road trips together where we have so much time that our thoughts and conversation range much further afield than is ever possible during everyday life.

I'll be back online Monday!

Julie and Scott learned instruments for this episode. ...

 Jon Batiste says he doesn't need either a kazoo or a tambourine in the movie, thank you very much. 

We discuss the Pixar movie Soul in episode 330 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast. After all, it's darned hard to find a kid's movie featuring old fashioned astral transmigration displacement. That's gotta be talked about!

Daisy Trio

Daisy Trio
by Belinda Del Pesco

No Reason to be Unfair to God

"Just because you don't like the way things are," said Jean Valjean, "that's no reason to be unfair to God."

Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

I like that reminder that blaming God for everything we don't like means that we don't understand God or his creation.

The modern world is not evil; in some ways the modern world is far too good.

The modern world is not evil; in some ways the modern world is far too good. It is full of wild and wasted virtues. When a religious scheme is shattered (as Christianity was shattered at the Reformation), it is not merely the vices that are let loose. The vices are, indeed, let loose, and they wander and do damage. But the virtues are let loose also; and the virtues wander more wildly, and the virtues do more terrible damage. The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and are wandering alone. Thus some scientists care for truth; and their truth is pitiless. Thus some humanitarians only care for pity; and their pity (I am sorry to say) is often untruthful.

G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

I am continually surprised by how this guy nails it ... from 100 years ago.

Portrait of Michelangelo

Portrait of Michelangelo by Daniele da Volterra

I've seen so many pieces of art by Michelangelo but never thought about what he himself looked like.

Ghiberti

Lorenzo Ghiberti on the Paradise Gate ot the Baptisterio (Florence) self portrait

Doesn't he look so modern? Just like someone you might run into today.

What today we term "the West" is less Christianity's heir than its continuation.

Already, by the time that Anselm died in 1109, Latin Christendom had been set upon a course so distinctive that what today we term "the West" is less its heir than its continuation. Certainly, to dream of a world transformed by a reformation, or an enlightenment, or a revolution is nothing exclusively modern. Rather, it is to dream as medieval visionaries dreamed: to dream in the manner of a Christian.

[...]

This book explores what it was that made Christianity so subversive and disruptive; how completely it came to saturate the mindset of Latin Christendom; and why, in a West that is often doubtful of religion's claims, so many of its instincts remain—for good and ill— thoroughly Christian.

It is — to coin a phrase — the greatest story ever told.

Tom Holland, Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind

I was given this several years ago and am just now getting around to it. I had been reading a philosophy series where I enjoyed the author's even handedness when it came to various religions. Then he got to the exploration of the New World, slavery, and colonialism and cracks began to show in his veneer — specifically about issues our modern world has ruled upon, without giving proper context to how it would have been viewed. It kind of broke my heart a little to hear how half-heartedly that context was being given.

So, I turned to Tom Holland who has turned out to be much more even-handed. When he talks about Catholic or Protestant events, he really isn't judging for better or worse. He is examining how their actions affected the Western world at large. He also is very good at showing how they thought about things without bringing any modern commentary.

This has been one of the fairest books toward Christianity that I've read. Having read a number of Catholic histories I know a lot of the saints and their contributions to church doctrine and historical developments in the West. However Holland comes at these from different angles that show me new things altogether.

For example, I know that the Church has respected women, marriage, and the family since the beginning. However, I didn't realize Catherine of Siena's strong influence on bringing it to public consciousness. I've always seen her lauded for her influence on the popes of the time. That does get mentioned but not as a main feature. This is a refreshingly different angle against which to view what I already know.

Holland turns this clear-eyed view on a number of unexpected topics as he works his way through history into modern times. It is welcome because he is so unwaveringly honest throughout. He continually stressed how revolutionary and unexpected the Christian values are. And he's right. I already had this viewpoint in that I knew that the values we cherish are a direct result of long-embedded Christianity. Many of the problems we have today come because in our modern culture those values have come unanchored from their Christian roots. We have a lot of mercy without justice and vice versa. The imbalance often leaves us floundering. The reminder of just how unexpected the Christian point of view is was a welcome reminder because I, too, tend to forget that part.

I was surprised, as I have mentioned, by some of the topics and their results that Holland examined. But it was a welcome surprise at meeting someone who valued truth and didn't care who knew it. Simply a fantastic book.

Notes on Mark: The Law

An opened Torah scroll

MARK 1:21, 22
It is important to understand what perspective the Jews had that they heard Jesus' teachings as such a revelation ... and not like the scribes. First we must look at how they viewed the Torah (the Law).

To the Jews the most sacred thing in the world was the Torah, the Law. The core of the law is the Ten Commandments, but the Law was taken to mean the first five books of the Old Testament, the Pentateuch, as they are called. To the Jews this Law was completely divine. It had, so they believed been given direct by God to Moses. It was absolutely holy and absolutely binding. They said, "He who says that the Torah is not from God has not part in the future world." "He who says that Moses wrote even one verse of his own knowledge is a denier and despiser of the word of God."

If the Torah is so divine two things emerge. First, it must be the supreme rule of faith and life; and second, it must contain everything necessary to guide and to direct life. If that be so the Torah demands two things. First, it must obviously be given the most careful and meticulous study. Second, the Torah is expressed in great, wide principles; but, if it contains direction and guidance for all life, what is in it implicitly must be brought out. The great laws must become rules and regulations -- so their argument ran.

All excerpts in this post are from: 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 

Alphonse Mucha, Self Portrait

Alphonse Mucha, Self Portrait
via WikiPaintings

I love the expression on Mucha's face.

I also love the fact that we know him for work that is very different than the portrait style above. As you can see below. If we hear Alphonse Mucha, it is likely that a style doesn't come to mind for most people like me. One look though, and we know his style very well.

Van Gogh: Self Portrait on the Way to Work

Vincent van Gogh, The Painter on the Road to Tarascon, 1888,
reportedly destroyed during World War II

Atonement Is Not Meant to Placate God

Paul wrote that "God put forward [Christ] as a sacrifice of atonement" 9Rom 3:25), but the atonement or expiation is not directed to God; it s not meant to satisfy or placate God. Instead, it is directed to sin, that in its being satisfied it will be eliminated. "it can be said that it is God himself, not man, who expiates sin. … The image is more like that or removing a corrosive stain or neutralizing a lethal virus than that of anger that is placated by punishment" (James Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle).

Raniero Cantalamessa, The Power of the Cross

I love this image! I've never had the problem of worrying about an "angry God" but this is the perfect clarification for those who do.

"I would like to insist on this idea ..."

I would like to insist on this idea. Refusing to let God enter into all aspects of human life amounts to condemning man to solitude. He is no longer anything but an isolated individual, without origin or destiny. He finds himself condemned to wander through the world like a nomadic barbarian, without knowing that he is the son and heir of a Father who created him through love and calls him to share his eternal happiness. It is a profound error to think that God came to limit and frustrate our freedom. On the contrary, God comes to free us from solitude and to give meaning to our freedom. Modern man has made himself the prisoner of reason that is so autonomous that it has become solitary and autistic.

Cardinal Robert Sarah, The Day is Now Far Spent

Again, here is a view of human freedom that would surprise many who mistakenly believe that God wants to keep us under his thumb. Not so. He gives meaning to our lives and opens them to true freedom.

Arkady Rylov: Self-Portrait (with a squirrel!)

Arkady Rylov (1870–1939), Self-Portrait

Paul Claude-Michel Carpentier: Self-Portrait with Family in the Artist’s Studio

Self-Portrait with Family in the Artist’s Studio, Paul Claude-Michel Carpentier
Dallas Museum of Art

I look for this painting whenever I visit the DMA. This loving portrait shows a man's love of his family, especially in that his wife isn't particularly beautiful but she has a warm, loving expression.

Reassurance That the Drink Isn't Poisoned

What do you do to reassure someone that the drink you're offering contains no poison? You drink it yourself first, in their presence. This is what God did for humanity. God drank from the bitter cup of suffering in the Passion. If, before our eyes, God himself chose to drink it, human suffering cannot be a cup of poison; it must be more than just negativity, loss, and absurdity. At the bottom of the cup, there must be a pearl. We know the name of that pearl: resurrection!

Raniero Cantalamessa, The Power of the Cross

This is an interesting answer to the question of human suffering.

Claude Monet: Self-Portrait with a Beret

Self-Portrait with a Beret, Claude Monet, 1886
via Wikipaintings

And here I thought I liked his nature paintings best. I like the rather startled gaze. Or perhaps it's a gaze of fierce intensity. Odd how I can't decide which it is. I'd never have thought of them being interchangeable until this moment.

Death, Solitude, and Euthanasia

 Perhaps the most frightening aspect of death is the solitude with which we must face it. We face it alone. Martin Luther said, "No man can die in another's place; each must personally fight his own battle against death. No matter how hard we cry out to those around us, each one of us must face it alone." But this is no longer entirely true. "If we have died with him, we will also live with him" (2 Tim 2:11). It is possible to die with someone!

This demonstrates the gravity of the problem euthanasia presents from the Christian point of view. Euthanasia deprives human death of its link to Christ's death. It strips it of its paschal nature, changing it back to what it was befor eChrist. Death is deprived of its majectic awesomeness and becomes a human determination, a decision of finite freesom. It is literally "profaned"—that is, deprived of its sacredness.

Raniero Cantalamessa, The Power of the Cross

This brings euthanasia into a sharp focus for me, reveals its "wrongness" afresh.

Anthony van Dyck: Self Portrait with a Sunflower

Anthony van Dyck (1599–1641), Self Portrait With a Sunflower, Private collection

I always enjoy seeing the personal touches that artists put into self-portraits, especially in the more flamboyant pieces, such as the one above.

Which. I. Love.

Notes on Mark: The Synagogue

Ancient synagogue in Magdala, Israel.

MARK 1:21, 22
I read this and realized that I have a tendency to think of the synagogue as just the local version of a church with the Temple being the big "headquarters" in Jerusalem. Not so at all as William Barclay points out.

There are certain basic differences between the synagogue and the church as we know it today.

(a) The synagogue was primarily a teaching institution. The synagogue service consisted of only three things -- prayer, the reading of God's word, and the exposition of it. There was no music, no singing and no sacrifice. It may be said that the Temple was the place of worship and sacrifice; the synagogue was the place of teaching and instruction. The synagogue was by far the more influential, for there was only one Temple. But the law laid it down that wherever there were ten Jewish families there must be a synagogue, and, therefore, wherever there was a colony of Jews, there was a synagogue. If a man had a new message to preach, the synagogue was the obvious place in which to preach it.

(b) The synagogue provided an opportunity to deliver such a message. The synagogue had certain officials.

• There was the Ruler of the synagogue. He was responsible for the administration of the affairs of the synagogue and for the arrangements for its services.
  
  
• There were the distributors of alms. Daily a collection was taken in cash and in kind from those who could afford to give. It was then distributed to the poor; the very poorest were given food for fourteen meals per week.
  
  
• There was the Chazzan... He was responsible for the taking out and storing away of the sacred rolls on which scripture was written; for the cleaning of the synagogue; for the blowing of the blasts on the silver trumpet which told people that the Sabbath had come; for the elementary education of the children of the community.

One thing the synagogue had not and that was a permanent preacher or teacher. When the people met at the synagogue service it was open to the Ruler to call on any competent person to give the address and the exposition. There was no professional ministry whatsoever. That is why Jesus was able to open his campaign in the synagogues. The opposition had not yet stiffened into hostility. He was known to be a man with a message; and for that very reason the synagogue of every community provided him with a pulpit from which to instruct and to appeal to men.

All excerpts in this post are from: 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.

 ===== 

Sources and Notes Index 

Rose-Adélaïde Ducreux: Self-portrait with a Harp

Rose-Adélaïde Ducreux (1761–1802, Self-portrait with a Harp
Source. Seen first at Lines and Colors.

Polite Society

"I am the fury!"

Martial artist-in-training Ria Khan believes she must save her older sister Lena from her impending marriage. After enlisting the help of her friends, Ria attempts to pull off the most ambitious of all wedding heists in the name of independence and sisterhood.

Really enjoyable, with a fresh, fun feel that made me think of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and The Man Who Feels No Pain. With a touch of a Get Out vibe. 

Coming-of-age stories usually bore me to death but this lively movie leaves regular expectations far behind. I especially enjoyed Ria's two friends as a sort of Greek chorus who predicted both Lena's and Ria's plotline through the film. The fight sequences entertained me in a way they usually wouldn't since they allowed me to gauge Ria's real ability to do the stunts she's been practicing. And the fights that were during the wedding became truly beautiful as the gorgeous saris swirled during kicks and jumps.

 Finally, I defy anyone to watch Ria's "spa day" with her sister's mother-in-law-to-be and not laugh. It's a whole new kind of torture. 

I look forward to more from this director.

Reincarnation is an Enormous Misunderstanding

... reincarnation as presented in Western countries, is simply the result of an enormous misunderstanding. Originally, as in all religions professing it, reincarnation was not intended to be an extra installment of life but of suffering. It was not a cause for consolation but for fear. It was as if to say, "Be careful, if you do evil, you will be born again to atone for it!" ... In modern times, everything has been adapted to our materialistic and secularized Western mentality. Reincarnation, conceived before Christ's Resurrection, has become an alibi for people to elude the seriousness of both life and death.

Raniero Cantalamessa, The Power of the Cross

You know I never did understand why people would talk about reincarnation as something good — and they do. 

Throne of King Tut

Throne of King Tut (detail), 1350 B.C.

This is via Illustrated History, a fascinating site, where it is featured in their piece, Early Civilization.

The Power of the Cross by Raniero Cantalamessa

For over forty years, the Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, in his role as Preacher to the Papal Household, has delivered a yearly homily in St. Peter's Basilica during the Good Friday liturgy.

These insightful and moving sermons not only illuminate the mystery of the Lord’s Passion; they are also a precious instrument in view of a New Evangelization in “Spirit and power.” Cardinal Cantalamessa gazes on the cross of Christ in the light of our modern world, and the modern world in the light of Christ's cross.

This proved a powerful daily read during Lent. I am amazed that Father Cantalamessa has such different topics every Good Friday, with each so far providing good food for reflection. I guess that's why he's been the papal preacher to three popes over 40 years!

A secondary advantage to reading these is that they serve as an aide memoir to history itself. Beginning in 1980 and ending with the Good Friday homily from 2022, I was irresistibly pulled back into my own life during those years, as well as the history I have witnessed (even if only through newspapers and television). As Cantalamessa occasionally wove current events into his homilies, I would be jerked back into that time myself. It was salutary in considering how timeless is Christ's sacrifice and how powerful the Cross.

Highly recommended.

Yucatan Travel Journal

Yucatan Travel Journal
taken by Brian at the blue hour

Brian's photography is superb. Do go check it all out. It's almost painful to try to pick just one to feature.

Our Freedom and Our Nature — Dignitas Infinita on Human Dignity

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

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

Cardinal Robert Sarah, The Day is Now Far Spent

I came across the above excerpt in an old quote journal at the same time when I was reading the declaration “Dignitas Infinita” (Infinite Dignity) on Human Dignity. You could hardly come across a better summary of what the declaration discusses.

There are a couple of things where I wish the absolute statement of "no more war" or "no death penalty" could have been balanced by an acknowledgement that some circumstances make it regretfully necessary to impose them in order to defend the innocent. Just war and the death penalty are not intrinsic evils the way the other issues are that are addressed. 

However, overall it is precisely the sort of statement we need in order to clarify that what the Church teaches, she teaches out of love for each person's inherent dignity and freedom. I encourage you to read it for yourself. It is a welcome clarification which will serve as an anchor for the meaning of dignity, human freedom, and what we owe to each other. As we are reminded when we read it:

Even today, in the face of so many violations of human dignity that seriously threaten the future of the human family, the Church encourages the promotion of the dignity of every human person, regardless of their physical, mental, cultural, social, and religious characteristics. The Church does this with hope, confident of the power that flows from the Risen Christ, who has fully revealed the integral dignity of every man and woman. This certainty becomes an appeal in Pope Francis’ words directed to each of us: “I appeal to everyone throughout the world not to forget this dignity which is ours. No one has the right to take it from us.”

Notes on Mark: Choosing the Disciples

Ordaining of the Twelve Apostles, James Tissot

MARK 1:16-20
Why so many fishermen? It never occurred to me to think about that since everywhere Jesus went the place seemed to be crawling with them. In support of that observation, here is some interesting information about Galilee and fish.

There were many fishermen in Galilee. Josephus, who, for a time, was governor of Galilee, and who is the great historian of the Jews, tells us that in his day three hundred and thirty fishing boats sailed the waters of the lake. Ordinary people in Palestine seldom ate meat, probably not more than once a week. Fish was their staple diet. Usually the fish was salt because there was no means of transporting fresh fish. Fresh fish was one of the greatest of all delicacies in the great cities like Rome. The very names of the towns on the lakeside show how important the fishing business was. Bethsaida means House of Fish; Tarichaea means The Place of Salt Fish and it was there that the fish were preserved for export to Jerusalem and even to Rome itself. The salt fish industry was big business in Galilee.

There are also some very interesting observations about Jesus calling the disciples. I knew a lot of this but it is thought provoking to see these all listed here.

It is naturally of the greatest interest to study the men whom Jesus picked out as his first followers.

(i) We must notice what they were. They were simple folk... they were fishermen. That is to say, they were ordinary people... A man should never think so much of what he is as of what Jesus Christ can make of him.

(ii)We must notice what they were doing when Jesus called them. They were doing their day's work, catching the fish, mending the nets... The man who lives in a world that is full of God cannot escape him.

(iii) We must notice how he called them. Jesus' summons was, "Follow me!" It is not to be thought that on this day he stood before them for the first time. No doubt they had stood in the crowd and listened; no doubt they had stayed to talk long after the rest of the crowd had drifted away... He said, "Follow me!" It all began with a personal reaction to himself; it all began with that tug on the heart which begets the unshakable loyalty.

(iv) Lastly we must note what Jesus offered them. He offered them a task. He called them not to ease but to service... He called them to a task wherein they could win something for themselves only by giving their all to him and to others.

All excerpts in this post are from: 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

Lotus Lilies

Lotus Lilies by Charles C. Curran, 1888

This seems unreal doesn't it?

The Church Seen from the Inside

If from the outside, you liook at the stained-glass windows of an old cathedral, you will only see pieces of dark glass held together by strips of black lead. But if you enter in and view it from inside, against the light, you will see a breathtaking spectacle of colors and shapes. It is the same with the Church. Whoever sees it from the outside, with the eyes of the world, will only see its dark and gloomy side. But from the inside, with the eyes of faith and a sense of belonging, you will see what St. Paul saw, a wonderful bulding in whom the whole structure is joined together, a spotless spouse, a great mystery!

Raniero Cantalamessa, The Power of the Cross

I've read this idea in at least one other place, but it is powerful each time. Cantalamessa puts it beautifully.

Total Eclipse in Dallas 2024

It was a cloudy day but enough holes happened that we saw most of the eclipse, except for the totality. There was a thick gray cloud over the sun for that 4 minutes, darn it!

However, that didn't matter much because we were enveloped in darkness. The birds completely stopped singing. There was no traffic at all on the busy street that we live near. We saw Venus come out.

It was so fast and so surreal. We are in the midst of an amazing creation, complete with mysteries like eclipses that bring us alive to the universe.

Waiting for the eclipse ... feeling like we're in the 1950s with 3-D glasses

The Totality — it really was like night fell in just a flash.

The view of our house as we looked in from the back yard — it was really dark in there.

We like a festive feel in the back yard so we have Christmas lights a la a Mexican restaurant.
They're on a light sensitive timer — and came on during the totality. It was so dark that 
we couldn't see the fence across the back yard. 

TV You Might've Missed 8 — The Fiery Priest

Nobody messes with Father Kim Hae Il. He's ready to bring the Holy Order to serve justice, one fist at a time.

This is a really fun K-drama action thriller about Father Kim, a priest with big anger management issues. Following the mysterious death of a beloved elderly priest, Father Kim attempts to bring the culprits before law. The journey in taking down the gangsters and corrupt officials in the city is both dramatic and funny. 

We were a bit worried about how the priesthood would be depicted. I'm happy to say that the show represented Catholicism well. We felt there must have been a Catholic adviser or writer. Even when a couple of women rhapsodized about Father Kim's good looks, it never went further than simply noticing and a bit of a crush, which eventually wore off and was never acted on. Father Kim's struggles to overcome his sins are real and we were impressed by the fact that many characters wound up in prayer or looking for divine help with their problems. 

That's not to say that it was spiritually deep or sappy. Most of the show is taken up with the investigation, plot twists, and character development. But it is a thread that is always just below the surface. The last episode blew us away and I even shed a few tears.

This was a really popular show that grew by word of mouth. It features parodies of popular movies and dramas which we obviously didn't get. However, you often could tell when they were happening. The drama was genuinely engaging, the mystery of who killed Father Lee was a great springboard for a lot of other plot points, and we especially enjoyed the Catholic parts.

A fellow reviewer on Letterboxd summed up well:

The depiction of "fiery/mad" priest is really genius. Something I never imagine, yet something that I NEEDED the most. Being a priest means being a leader, not a God. They hold a big community, but they're not a sinless bcs they're human after all. And anger is one of human nature. We should and needed to be angry for the sake of change the world and speak for injustice.

I personally love the endings. Sometimes we misinterpreted the terms of "forgiveness". Forgiveness doesn't mean we could run from our sin, but rather realize ourselves that we're wrong and we must atone it by fighting the evil inside us.

It is certainly a special action show that leads to such a review. And I agree with it.

Streaming/Viewing Notes:

This is streaming free on Kokowa. The show has 40 episodes, but don't panic. They are actually 20 hour-long shows which are broken into two pieces so they could put ads in the middle when it ran in Korea. Evidently, there's a law that you can't run ads except before and after shows. This is how some shows get around that law.

Just fyi, it sags in the middle and we almost stopped watching but decided to give it one more episode to prove its worth. It turns out that was the one where everything suddenly hit high gear and took off.  

Divine Mercy Novena: Day 9

Easter Saturday

"Today bring to Me
the Souls who have become Lukewarm...

...and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. These souls wound My Heart most painfully. My soul suffered the most dreadful loathing in the Garden of Olives because of lukewarm souls. They were the reason I cried out: 'Father, take this cup away from Me, if it be Your will.' For them, the last hope of salvation is to run to My mercy."

Most compassionate Jesus, You are Compassion Itself. I bring lukewarm souls into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart. In this fire of Your pure love, let these tepid souls who, like corpses, filled You with such deep loathing, be once again set aflame. O Most Compassionate Jesus, exercise the omnipotence of Your mercy and draw them into the very ardor of Your love, and bestow upon them the gift of holy love, for nothing is beyond Your power.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon lukewarm souls who are nonetheless enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. Father of Mercy, I beg You by the bitter Passion of Your Son and by His three-hour agony on the Cross: Let them, too, glorify the abyss of Your mercy. Amen.

Source

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The Chaplet of Divine Mercy may also be offered each day
for the day's intention, but is not strictly necessary to the Novena.

Divine Mercy Novena: Day 8

Easter Friday

"Today bring to Me the Souls who are in the prison of Purgatory...

...and immerse them in the abyss of My mercy. Let the torrents of My Blood cool down their scorching flames. All these souls are greatly loved by Me. They are making retribution to My justice. It is in your power to bring them relief. Draw all the indulgences from the treasury of My Church and offer them on their behalf. Oh, if you only knew the torments they suffer, you would continually offer for them the alms of the spirit and pay off their debt to My justice."

Most Merciful Jesus, You Yourself have said that You desire mercy; so I bring into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls in Purgatory, souls who are very dear to You, and yet, who must make retribution to Your justice. May the streams of Blood and Water which gushed forth from Your Heart put out the flames of Purgatory, that there, too, the power of Your mercy may be celebrated.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls suffering in Purgatory, who are enfolded in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. I beg You, by the sorrowful Passion of Jesus Your Son, and by all the bitterness with which His most sacred Soul was flooded: Manifest Your mercy to the souls who are under Your just scrutiny. Look upon them in no other way but only through the Wounds of Jesus, Your dearly beloved Son; for we firmly believe that there is no limit to Your goodness and compassion. Amen.

Source

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The Chaplet of Divine Mercy may also be offered each day
for the day's intention, but is not strictly necessary to the Novena.

Divine Mercy Novena: Day 7

Easter Thursday

"Today bring to Me the Souls who especially venerate and glorify My Mercy...

...and immerse them in My mercy. These souls sorrowed most over my Passion and entered most deeply into My spirit. They are living images of My Compassionate Heart. These souls will shine with a special brightness in the next life. Not one of them will go into the fire of hell. I shall particularly defend each one of them at the hour of death."

Most Merciful Jesus, whose Heart is Love Itself, receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart the souls of those who particularly extol and venerate the greatness of Your mercy. These souls are mighty with the very power of God Himself. In the midst of all afflictions and adversities they go forward, confident of Your mercy; and united to You, O Jesus, they carry all mankind on their shoulders. These souls will not be judged severely, but Your mercy will embrace them as they depart from this life.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon the souls who glorify and venerate Your greatest attribute, that of Your fathomless mercy, and who are enclosed in the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls are a living Gospel; their hands are full of deeds of mercy, and their hearts, overflowing with joy, sing a canticle of mercy to You, O Most High! I beg You O God:

Show them Your mercy according to the hope and trust they have placed in You. Let there be accomplished in them the promise of Jesus, who said to them that during their life, but especially at the hour of death, the souls who will venerate this fathomless mercy of His, He, Himself, will defend as His glory. Amen.

Source

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The Chaplet of Divine Mercy may also be offered each day
for the day's intention, but is not strictly necessary to the Novena.

Divine Mercy Novena: Day 6

Easter Wednesday

" Today bring to Me the Meek and Humble Souls and the Souls of Little Children...

...and immerse them in My mercy. These souls most closely resemble My Heart. They strengthened Me during My bitter agony. I saw them as earthly Angels, who will keep vigil at My altars. I pour out upon them whole torrents of grace. I favor humble souls with My confidence. "

Most Merciful Jesus, You yourself have said, "Learn from Me for I am meek and humble of heart." Receive into the abode of Your Most Compassionate Heart all meek and humble souls and the souls of little children. These souls send all heaven into ecstasy and they are the heavenly Father's favorites. They are a sweet-smelling bouquet before the throne of God; God Himself takes delight in their fragrance. These souls have a permanent abode in Your Most Compassionate Heart, O Jesus, and they unceasingly sing out a hymn of love and mercy.

Eternal Father, turn Your merciful gaze upon meek souls, upon humble souls, and upon little children who are enfolded in the abode which is the Most Compassionate Heart of Jesus. These souls bear the closest resemblance to Your Son. Their fragrance rises from the earth and reaches Your very throne. Father of mercy and of all goodness, I beg You by the love You bear these souls and by the delight You take in them: Bless the whole world, that all souls together may sing out the praises of Your mercy for endless ages. Amen.

Source

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The Chaplet of Divine Mercy may also be offered each day
for the day's intention, but is not strictly necessary to the Novena.