Dante's 750th Birthday, Pope Francis and Some Good Reading

On the eve of the extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, the Holy Father expresses his hope that during this year the figure of Dante and his work will also accompany us on this personal and community path. “Indeed”, he remarks, “the Comedy may be read as a great itinerary, or rather as a true pilgrimage, both personal and interior, and communal, ecclesial, social and historical. It represents the paradigm of every authentic journey in which humanity is called upon to leave what Dante defines as 'the threshing-floor that makes us so ferocious' to attain a new condition, marked by harmony, peace and happiness. And this is the horizon of every true humanism”.

“Dante is, therefore, a prophet of hope, herald of the possibility of redemption, of liberation, of the profound transformation of every man and woman, of all humanity. He continues to invite us to rediscover the lost or obscured meaning of our human path and to hope to see again the shining horizon on which there shines in all its fullness the dignity of the human person. Honouring Dante Alighieri, as Paul VI has already invited us to do, we are able to enrich ourselves with his experience in order to cross the many dark forests still scattered on our earth and to happily complete our pilgrimage in history, to reach the destination dreamed of and wished for by every man: 'the love that moves the sun in heaven and all the stars'”.

That's not all Pope Francis had to say so just click over to the Vatican Information Service for the whole scoop.

How Dante Can Save Your Life: The Life-Changing Wisdom of History's Greatest Poem by Rod Dreher

I recently got interested in rereading The Divine Comedy because of Rod Dreher's new book.

However, before I get to that book I have a couple of others I'm interested in. Why I feel I need to read them first I don't know. I'm just going with the (internal) flow on this.


Heaven and Hell: Visions of the Afterlife in the Western Poetic Tradition by Louis Markos

I really enjoyed Louis Markos' On the Shoulders of Hobbits. Having begun this I'm hooked. The way Louis Markos examined the Hebrew and Greek views of the afterlife are insightful and exciting. Dante's Divine Comedy takes up the middle of the book and I'm looking forward to that part quite a bit.

You'll be seeing excerpts from this show up soon as daily quotes.

Also it didn't hurt that he gives my favorite John Ciardi his endorsement as best Dante translation and notes. In fact: "Ciardi is really the only guide you need to Dante." (I've been so beaten up for not preferring other translations that Markos' recommendation was balm to my wounds.) Not that he doesn't comment on many other translations also. When the bibliography is as invitingly written as this, then you know the book's got to be good.


Reading Dante: From Here to Eternity by Prue Shaw

I can't remember where I came across this. Possibly from my pal Garry Wilmore on Goodreads. He began learning Italian in order to read Dante in the original. That's how much he loves his writing.

So when he gave this 5 stars I knew it had to be good.


The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri

Ultimately, I'd be remiss not to include the actual book itself. We don't want to forget in reading about The Divine Comedy that ultimately it is a book we should read for itself. I'm not going to ever get into a translation battle because I don't know enough to advise others. I do know what worked for me, though, and on that basis I can highly recommend John Ciardi's translation with the excellent notes.

As I mentioned above, Louis Markos has a few words of recommendation also, which I'll include here. Because Markos does know about translations.

Many great translators have turned their sights to Dante, but I still think that the best English version of the Divine Comedy (Inferno, Purgatory, Paradise) is by John Ciardi. In addition to his excellent and powerful translation, Ciardi supplies a wealth of notes that help make the work come alive; he even teaches us how to pronounce all the Italian names properly. Indeed, Ciardi is all you need to understand Dante, for his notes draw together much of the best criticism. The introductions and afterwords to all three editions are particularly good.

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne


This was a great book. It was very different from The Scarlet Letter style-wise with lots of description which set mood, tone, and gave layers of additional meaning. Luckily, I've been reading so much Dickens lately that I was able to recognize when to abandon my usual "don't bore us, get to the chorus" reading style and sink into those layers. Hawthorne also does eccentric characters who you learn to love in a way that is Dickens-worthy also, including (but not limited to) a family of chickens.

It has plenty of mysterious, haunted atmosphere but isn't without comedy. I already mentioned the chickens, of course. The urchin who comes daily to Hepzibah's shop to buy gingerbread cookies was a delight. Indeed, Hepzibah's efforts to set up her "cent shop" were both humorous and touching in the way that the best writing can be.

Here's the way the back of the book description began: "The House of the Seven Gables is one of Hawthorne's defining works, a vivid depiction of American life and values replete with brilliantly etched characters." And it goes on through "lives caught in the common fire of history."

Wait, were you trying to get me to NOT read it? Luckily I was lured into reading so that I could listen to SFFaudio's discussion of it a year ago. That may not be enough to lure you so I will try to do a little better.

The Pyncheon family lives in a mansion built on land wrested from Matthew Maule after Colonel Pyncheon accuses him of witchcraft. Maule laid a curse on the Pyncheons before his death, that they would choke on their own blood. Of course. And many of them have in the generations since then. Also of course.

The family has dwindled to aged spinster Hepzibah and her mentally disturbed brother Clifford. When they are helped by sprightly, young cousin Phoebe and then threatened by rich, malicious cousin Judge Pyncheon the house's ghosts begin to descend on the cursed family. And there is a mysterious lodger. Also a family of chickens.

Now THAT'S a story I'm going to read. And you should too.

Help a prolife couple struggling under difficult circumstances

Baby Olive was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. A debilitating and lethal genetic syndrome that has a .027% chance of existing in a healthy 27 year old woman. This coupled with the fact that Olive’s heart is only half developed, and due to a hernia, her stomach is in her chest cavity; stopping her lungs from developing, is sealing our daughter’s fate.

We will only have mere minutes to spend with Olive when she enters this world.

This expectant mother is a high school friend of my daughter's. She and her fiance are facing what it means to be prolife under difficult circumstances.

They were already struggling greatly with the expenses of an unexpected pregnancy, as they found out that their baby has trisomy 18: Edward's Syndrome. She will not survive to term, and will die in their arms a few minutes after her early birth. They are persevering, but it is pushing them to the edge of bankruptcy.

Read the whole story and donate at the link. Bonus: you'd be supporting an Iraq war veteran!

Worth a Thousand Words: The Proposal

William-Adolphe Bouguereau, The Proposal, 1872

Today's art is in honor of a real life event in our family — our oldest daughter Hannah became engaged yesterday.

We are thrilled. Hannah's fiance, Mark, is a wonderful young man who is a great fit with our family (always a nice bonus!). Most importantly they seem perfect for each other. We look forward to much future happiness as they begin planning their life together.

Worth a Thousand Words: Im Schlossgarten

Im Schlossgarten
(on the estate of the Schloss Charlottenburg, in the gardens…)
painted by Edward B. Gordon

Happy Birthday, Dear Tom!

This is from Wikipedia because
I forgot to take a photo of mine, which looked just like this,
except it had sliced strawberries.

As we know, I take birthdays very seriously, especially when it is that of the love of my life.

We'll have been married thirty-one years next month and, as has become a habit for me more and more,  I have been realizing the happiness that comes from spending so much time with one person. I should say, with that one person who is practically perfect for me in every way.

We'll be feasting on Chinese food at a favorite restaurant in Richardson's Chinatown. I am making our new favorite, Pavlova with Strawberries, which is just like eating a cloud. A delicious, delicious cloud.

No gifts I get him can ever express my love adequately ... of course! But I have a few offerings which will attempt to fill the gap.

Happy Birthday, dear Tom!

Well Said: The live current and the flow of love

The love Christ means is a live current that comes from God, is transmitted from person to person, and returns to God. It runs a second cycle reaching from God to an individual, from the individual to his neighbor, and back through faith to God. He who breaks the circuit at any point breaks the flow of love. He who transmits purely, however small a part of that love, helps establish the circuit for the whole.

Romano Guardini, The Lord

Audible's Daily Deal Today is a Ray Bradbury Classic

Something Wicked This Way Comes is only $3.95 on Audible today. It's one of my favorite Ray Bradbury novels.

Worth a Thousand Words: Autumn Through Kitchen Window

Raleigh, NC, Home
taken by the blue hour

Perhaps I should explain that I was looking at the photos taken in the home pictured below and a gentle, contemplative piece by Andre Previn came into my earbuds. It seemed fated that this picture with the contrast between stark, modern architecture and the autumn woods should capture my imagination.

Check out the blue hour's post for all the photos from this spread of a Raleigh, NC, home.

Worth a Thousand Words: The Big Trail

John Wayne, The Big Trail, 1930

I was listening to You Must Remember This, a wonderful podcast in which Karina Longworth explores the secret and/or forgotten histories of 20th Century Hollywood.

Her series on Hollywood stars during World War II, cleverly called Star Wars, has gotten to an episode on John Wayne. She's examining why he didn't sign up for the war but I was more captured by her recommendation to look at stills from his first movie. Oooo la la! This ain't the Duke of popular memory!

Who Would Dare to Love ISIS? (A Letter from the People of the Cross to ISIS)

As the world responds to the Islamic State with hatred and vengeance, there is one group that is responding differently. They are not allies with ISIS but enemies. And they have been slain by the thousands in the hands of ISIS. ISIS calls them The Nation of the Cross - The ones they have killed are bringing a message of forgiveness and hope. Declaring a love that they do not know - A love that reconciles even the worst of us and can make enemies into brothers.

We worked with several Arab Christians and Middle East Refugees to get their feedback. Also had it translated by an Arab Christian from Egypt.

This is powerful stuff from the heart of where Christianity lives and was born. The message of Christ's love ... from a group called MIGHTY.LA.

This reminds me that even while we strive to stop ISIS we must not forget to pray for them. If ever there were truly lost souls, it is these mistaken people.



The transcript of the video is at their site. It's going into my quote journal.

Via The Deacon's Bench.

Worth a Thousand Words: Waxwings

Waxwings
taken by Remo Savisaar

Blogging Around: Grab Bag

Daredevil, Catholicism, and the Marvel Moral Universe

The Netflix series has chosen to make religion a foundational aspect of Matt’s character, expressing his struggles with his faith through his actions, and weaving that inner turmoil with outer drama to build him into a hero. Because the show is infused with Catholicism—and actually enacts a certain type of theology, as opposed to simply utilizing imagery and shallow references—it’s able to create an interplay between the fictional world of the show and the real world of Catholic faith in a way that I haven’t seen on television…well, ever?

This piece at Tor.com is an in-depth look at all the things I love to find in entertainment. Unfortunately their description of the violence made me sure that it's not something I want to watch. At least not right now. I've got enough stuff going on that I am in my happy-watching mode. But that did leave me free to read the entire piece which has spoilers for the first season. And it left me really wanting to see it.

Bad Christian Art

I’m convinced that bad art derives, like bad literary theory, from bad theology. To know God falsely is to write and paint and sculpt and cook and dance Him falsely. Perhaps it’s not poor artistic skill that yields bad Christian art, in other words, but poor Christianity.

[...]

In short, if Christian novels and movies and blogs and speeches must be stripped of profanity and sensuality and critical questions, all for the sake of sparing us scandal, then we have to wonder what has happened that such a wide swath of Christendom has failed to graduate from milk to meat.

An insightful piece from Tony Woodlief at Image. I concur. Read it all.

Mental Illness: The Cold Reboot of the Soul

Thomas L. McDonald shares his personal story and reminds us that everything has a purpose, even mental illness. It is moving, inspiring, and informative all in one. Here's a bit. Then go read it all.

The interesting part of all this, and the reason I’m sharing it now when I very rarely write personal things, is that while it’s put pressure on my faith observations, it hasn’t damaged my actual faith at all. I don’t blame God for this and I accept it as my cross even though I’d really like to stop carrying it for a while any time now God.

Maintaining a regular prayer schedule is nearly impossible in this condition. I visited with some friends last night and spent some in their parish prayer chapel where the Eucharist was exposed. I was able to pray the 22nd Psalm and that was it. The rest of the time, I had hardly a single word in my head, not even the Jesus prayer which is usually my go-to meditation. I just sat silently staring at the sacrament.

And you know something? It was enough. My faith is always too much in my head. There’s a useful side effect to that: it’s very rarely shaken. Even when I don’t “feel” it I know that, intellectually, it’s still a rock to stand on. A faith that is too much in the head grows arid, but one that is too much in the heart is easily buffeted by emotional trauma.

Three Methods of Prayer That Will Change Your Life

From my inbox: Philip Kosloski has a good piece on methods of prayer.

How to Help Persecuted Catholics in Middle East

CNEWA’s mandate is to support the Eastern churches in Catholicism, meaning the Catholic communities scattered across the Middle East, Northeast Africa, India, and Eastern Europe that draw on Eastern Orthodox traditions. In recent years, that’s made CNEWA a prime mover in delivering aid to persecuted Christians in some of the world’s leading hot spots.

Today, CNEWA is among the largest providers of aid to Middle Eastern Christians anywhere in the world. Though it’s a Catholic organization, it helps Christians of all sorts.

This is from John Allen's piece which is quite good. I came to it via The Deacon's Bench where there are more links because Deacon Greg Kandra works for them! CNEWA looks like a wonderful way to support our persecuted brothers and sisters in the Middle East.

Worth a Thousand Words: Lahmacun

Lahmacun
taken by Eating Asia

Whatever you do, don't call it Turkish pizza!

Why? Find out at Eating Asia.

Well Said: Shaming and Public Disapproval

In this day of New Victorians and Neo Puritans, shaming and public disapproval have again become the weapon of choice for society at large. And it is a very effective weapon.

Because it hurts.

L. Jagi Lamplighter

I have to say that back in the day when political correctness became the new way to do things, I never saw this coming. I felt it was nice to consider other people's feelings and refer to them using respectful terms and so forth.

I  didn't foresee how far the pendulum would swing so that majority rule would conduct public shaming campaigns in the name of "tolerance." (They keep using that word. I don't think they understand what it means.)

In one sense it's fascinating because we're now seeing what happens when liberals get caught up in their own version of that famous conservative example which culminated in the Communist-hunting investigations.

In another sense, it hurts. Lamplighter speaks whereof she knows because her husband is John C. Wright who's one of the targets of the Hugo Awards public shaming debacle that's going on right now.

The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown

The Power of Vulnerability: Teachings of Authenticity, Connections and Courage by Brené Brown

“In my research,” Dr. Brown says, “the word I use to describe people who can live from a place of vulnerability is wholehearted.” Being wholehearted is a practice—one that we can choose to cultivate through empathy, gratitude, and awareness. Join this engaging and heartfelt teacher on The Power of Vulnerability as she offers profound insights on leaning into the full spectrum of emotions—so we can show up, let ourselves be seen, and truly be all in.

The best way to get an idea of this book is to watch Brené Brown's TED Talk on vulnerability. It was a real eye-opener for me and it went viral so I wasn't alone in loving it.

I was delighted to find this 6-talk series on Audible that I could use as a refresher.  Brown pulls together all her research to continue the vulnerability conversation on a deeper level.

Brown herself is so engaging and genuine that the sessions are easy to listen to. She freely shares personal stories as examples so you know you're not alone when you recognize some behavior being discussed. And she's funny. I will never forget her story about the three-dozen cookies.

Brown's work is like a secular look at the human condition and how to live as our most honest, fulfilled selves. She doesn't ignore spirituality. Indeed, her research found that is a key component of whole-hearted peoples' lives. I was fascinated when I realized how often  Brown's findings echoed personal discoveries I've made in 15 years of Catholicism. I look back at how far I've come and I see someone who has come into the light after spending much of my life in darkness.

One of the things I loved was when Brown said that if you feel shame then she can guarantee there are other people who feel that same shame. Again, a very Catholic teaching. As someone said to me the other day about the value of belonging to our parish, "I learned we're all broken. It's not just me. I'm not alone."

I didn't always agree with every single thing Brown said (and I bet she's ok with that imperfection!). However, those were usually the instances where she was making her own points instead of using research based information. My disagreement didn't come on many points and they didn't matter to the overall work.

Am I done? Of course not. We're never done, as Brown points out and as the Church also tells us. But Brown's work comes together wonderfully well for anyone who is striving for a more authentic life. (That's all of us, by the way.) I learned things that help me understand why I act the way I do. Over-functioning when stressed — right here! Will that change things? Not sure but it can't hurt to know it.

And it meshes wonderfully well with the Catholic faith which just validates both even more to me.

I'll probably be revisiting these talks occasionally for a refresher. Highly recommended for ... everyone.

Well Said: Christianity and ordinary life

Before I became a Christian I do not think I fully realized that one's life after conversion would inevitably consist in doing most of the same things one had been doing before. One hopes in a new spirit, but still the same things.

C.S. Lewis, Weight of Glory

I never thought about that at all, but yeah. Life goes on, but in a new spirit.

Worth a Thousand Words: Hepatica Flower

Hepatica Flower
taken by the incomparable Remo Savisaar

Before the Disney Mary Poppins, there were the delightful books

Here's a sampler of one of my favorite chapters, read for you at Forgotten Classics podcast.

Well Said: Did you grieve to hear of the afflictions he suffered?

"May I say," said Florence, " that you grieved to hear of the afflictions he has suffered?"

"Not," she replied, "if they have taught him that his daughter is very dear to him. He will not grieve for them himself, one day, if they have brought that lesson, Florence."

Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son

I may never have seen a clearer or more succinct summary of the Mystery of the Cross.