Thank you for the gift!

I've had my eye on this for some time.  I really love the whole Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series so it is natural that this book would be on my Amazon wish list. Imagine my surprise and delight yesterday when I ripped open an unexpected package and found this!

Not only do I have the delight of a new Bible study but it is so thoughtful of the giver. Since the advent of Facebook and Twitter, any long time bloggers can tell you that comments have gone way down. It's not a big deal in and of itself, but it does make things different than they used to be. Lately I've gotten some wonderful feedback which is priceless in itself.

A tangible compliment like this is delightful on a lot of levels. My sincere thanks to whoever went to the trouble and expense to give me this gift!

Genesis Notes: The New Covenant is Fulfillment of the Old

We're at the end of the Genesis study and amidst all the stories there has been a clear thread for us to follow — God's covenant with us.

Watching from the beginning of creation to the establishment of God's family through covenant  has given me a much better understanding of how the old covenant was achieved in the first place ... which then leads to a better understanding of how the New Covenant completes the old.

First Day of Creation (from the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle)

The New Covenant in which we live is not a different covenant but a fulfillment of the Old. God still is a Father who makes and keeps promises and who is building His family by covenant. The New Covenant is all the promises of the Old, wrapped up in one and sealed by the sacrament of Christ's death and resurrection. In it God promises:

1. To restore creation: not just turn back the clock to Genesis 2 but to replace the old with new life, His own life, a life that is greater than anything we could have hoped for without the Fall.
2. To defeat Satan, the Serpent who started the whole problem in Eden;
3. To save us from sin, as He saved Noah from the wickedness of the world before the flood;
4. To give us not just a homeland on earth but an eternal home in heaven;
5. To make us not a powerful earthly kingdom but a kingdom of priests, a royal nation that will encompass the whole world and be a blessing to all nations.

Best of all -- these are not only promised, they are offered together with the power we need to keep our part of the covenant, which is to love God with all our hearts and love our neighbor as ourselves; to be holy as He is holy. Only the divine nature flowing through us can accomplish that.

All quotes from Genesis, Part II: God and His Family. This series first ran in 2004 and 2005. I'm refreshing it as I go. For links to the whole study, go to the Genesis Index. For more about the resources used, go here.

Worth a Thousand Words: Top Dog

Top Dog, Karin Jurick

Ryan Gosling and Papyrus

From the SNL premiere comes a piece that could have been tailor-made for our household. Remember, we're the people who loved the documentary Helvetica.

Well Said: Religion, Prayer, and Bubbles of Protection

This quote has been coming to mind repeatedly as one violent act after another are committed upon innocents. I am emotionally reeling and the worst thing is that I last posted this quote in July 2017 for the same reason. However, it continues to give me much needed perspective. He is with us through everything.

Only bad religion promises that if you pray enough, give enough or serve enough, God will put a bubble of protection around you ... That’s what got virgins thrown into volcanoes and it’s what gets TV preachers rich. It’s still a lie, though, no matter how loudly or piously you say it.

What good religion teaches instead is that there is a Power at work in the world that is greater than the power of the world. It’s a power that renews and restores. It heals ... It gives life ...

George Mason, Lakewood Advocate

George Mason is the pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church which is only a few blocks away from my house.

We never miss reading his column in our area newspaper, The Lakewood Advocate. As Tom says, this man preaches to every Christian with his common sense, sensitivity, and understanding of living Christian faith. Believe me when I say that Tom doesn't bestow that praise lightly or often.

Click through and read the whole piece for a sample of why we like him so much.

Worth a Thousand Words: Windy Autumn

Windy Autumn, by Remo Savisaar

To Light a Fire on the Earth by Robert Barron and John L. Allen, Jr.

Secularism is gaining influence and increasing numbers of people see religion as dull and backward. Robert Barron wants to illuminate the beauty, intelligence, and relevance of the Catholic faith.

Touching on everything from Jesus to prayer, science, movies, atheism, the spiritual life, the fate of Church in modern times, beauty, art, and social media, Barron reveals why the Church matters today and how Catholics can intelligently engage a skeptical world.

I loved this book. It's a quick read that left me enthusiastic about spreading the faith and inspired in my own faith. In fact, within one day of beginning to read I was quoting it around the house and changing my own actions based on the inspirations. I expected to learn more about Barron's life and ministry but not that it would begin to change me.

That's the quick take. Here's the longer version.

I'm a fan of Bishop Barron's homilies and his Catholicism documentary series which was shown on PBS stations around the country. But what he's really known for, and where he got his social media start, is his YouTube videos where he talks about everything from baseball to movies to Catholic doctrine. This has drawn an audience ranging from faithful Catholics to angry atheists. So he's a pro at discussing the beauty and truth of Catholicism with a diverse crowd.

This book looks at both Barron's life and his philosophy behind "proclaiming the Gospel in a secular age." It is the result of twenty hours of interviews conducted by John L. Allen, Jr., who is an acclaimed Catholic author and journalist. I was really looking forward this book — and it lived up to my expectations. As you can see from my opening paragraph here.

Barron discusses leading people into a "space where they may be ready to hear and embrace those truths" by remembering that what you're trying to do is introduce them to friendship with Jesus. He talks about the fact that his enthusiasm is because he's trying to bring something positive into people's lives - that he's so on fire about the truth of Catholicism that he can't stop from sharing it because he wants everyone to have the goodness he experiences. He talks about finding the role God has designed for us in life, much as a character in a novel finds they are key to the plot even if they aren't a "main" character. And there is is love of Scripture, of how beauty shows truth, and much more.

All these things resonated with me and some of them were vivid reminders at times when I needed a pick me up or a good point in a discussion with a friend.

I think you'll find those things in here too. Highly recommended.

What do we do in the face of great evil?

Like everyone, I was shocked and distressed at the massacre at the church in Sunderland Springs. I can't get it out of my mind.

There have been so many killings lately it not only boggles the mind but leads to serious questions of the sort Job threw at God when he suffered disaster on every front. "What the heck, God? Are you there or what? Because I could use some explanations here." (Generously paraphrased.)

Like Job, we receive no clarifying answer because maybe God can see the causes of evil, but we can't. And we certainly have no control over it.  Jesus' death on the cross shows he understands our pain and bewilderment and suffering more than we know ... and that he can use it to bring about victory over evil.

But, that's hard to see from our human standpoint.

So what do we do?

We help directly if we can.

We remember that those victims were received by Jesus at the moment of their death. He has conquered death and they are his sheep. Their lives were cut cruelly short but they are now in the place we all hope to be in the end.

We pray, always. For the souls of the victims, for their families and friends in the midst of shock and grief, and even for human soul who did evil's work. (That last is a hard one, but necessary for my own soul. I don't know how God metes out justice but I know that I'd be terrible at it. So that prayer is necessary for me to be able to trust God with it.)

We live our own lives fully and with confidence in Christ and for Christ. Every ripple for good we make in our own bit of the world helps Jesus enter the world with healing, making lives whole again. And it helps defeat evil.

Saint Michael Archangel,
defend us in battle,
be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil;
may God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God, cast into hell
Satan and all the evil spirits
who prowl through the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Well Said: I have been bent and broken ...

Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but - I hope - into a better shape.”

Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

No wonder I love him. He tells the truth. This isn't one we want to think about in our own lives, but when we've gotten done hearing Dickens tell it ... we understand that truth a little better.

Worth a Thousand Words: Bullfinch

Bullfinch, Remo Savisaar

Genesis Notes: The Significance of Numbers

GENESIS 46
Jacob is moving the entire clan to Egypt and Genesis stops here for another of those endless lists of who is going along. Except, that it isn't so endless when you realize the significance of the numbers ... then it becomes very interesting.

Joseph and family moving to Egypt

The author of Genesis takes the occasion of this move to Egypt to record a list of all the descendants of Jacob. To the Hebrews, 70 was the ideal and complete number: it is the number of descendants of Noah after the flood, corresponding in the ancient world to the 70 nations of the world; it's also the number of elders of Israel and of the disciples of Jesus...

Not long ago, the family was just Jacob and Rachel and Leah. Now they are 70: the number of completeness, suggesting a complete development in God's plan. Why is this list here? This is the rootstock of the nation of Israel. As there are 70 nations in the world, there are 70 tribal units in Israel. Later on when Moses records all the family groups of the new nation, no one is mentioned who is not on this list. God is accomplishing His plan to form a nation, and we see here that the foundation has been laid.

[To come up with 70, the author takes out Judah's two dead sons (vs. 12) and adds in Joseph and his two sons already in Egypt and Jacob himself. He ignores the entire third generation except for Joseph's sons, who will become heads of two tribes in Joseph's place. The total is not "the descendants of Israel, who came into Egypt (vs. 8)" on that particular trip, but all the family who ended up settling in Egypt.]

All quotes from Genesis, Part II: God and His Family. This series first ran in 2004 and 2005. I'm refreshing it as I go. For links to the whole study, go to the Genesis Index. For more about the resources used, go here.

Worth a Thousand Words: Chase

Chase, Remo Savisaar

Thank you, Mellie!

I don't have a way to do it through Amazon, but your kind gift made my day ... as well as the note you enclosed. Many, many thanks!

More is More - Prom Night

Hannah & Rose discuss prom dresses, wardrobes, and everything not to do when trying to catch crazed stalkers as they celebrate Prom Night (2008).

Are we ready to both laugh and scream? Of course - because we want more!

Episode 3 of More is More - a bad movie podcast.

Genesis Notes: Responding to the Test

GENESIS 42
What have Joseph's brothers learned in the time that they were parted from him? A lot more than I thought on a first reading. Digging beneath the surface shows how changed and repentant they are.

Benjamin being returned to Egypt">Add caption

A guilty conscience is worth little if it does not lead to change. A comparison of the two homecomings reveals that Joseph's brothers are not the proud, selfish, jealous brutes they were when they sold Joseph.

The first thing to notice is the increased sense of family. The brothers seem to see themselves as all in this together, no longer every man for himself. ... whereas before throwing Joseph in the pit they called him "this dreamer" and to Jacob they called
him "your son," now they call Joseph "our brother" and "the lad" and say to Joseph "we are 12 brothers." Even though Joseph is thought dead, they consider him part of the family.

Second is the lack of jealousy or anger at Jacob's favoritism. Even though Jacob obviously prefers Benjamin now that Joseph is gone, there is no sign of resentment among the brothers about this or that Jacob kept him behind or that his absence endangers them.

Perhaps most telling is the sons' honesty with Jacob. When they "lost" Joseph, they were heartless liars; now they are honest. ...

Finally, there is a genuine effort to make good. When Jacob accuses them of bereaving him of his children, Reuben doesn't just try to offer comfort, he offers his own sons if he fails to bring Benjamin back. His solution may not move Jacob, but he is at least trying to make things right. 

All quotes from Genesis, Part II: God and His Family. This series first ran in 2004 and 2005. I'm refreshing it as I go. For links to the whole study, go to the Genesis Index. For more about the resources used, go here.

Well Said: Duties toward parents

I remember when I first read the book of Sirach. I really love the practicality of the advice to fathers never to have a lattice going past their daughter's second floor bedroom. You're just begging for trouble!

I've also never forgotten the advice below, especially the part about honoring your father even if his mind fails in old age ... it shows that humans are the same then as now and we all need those reminders as we go through life. And it spells out just what that the commandment to honor your father and mother really means.

I remember when I realized that commandment actually comes before "thou shalt not kill" which tells you just how important honoring your father and mother is in God's eyes. Kind of blew my mind and helped keep my priorities straight.

Listen to me, your father, O children;
act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety.

For the Lord honors a father above his children,
and he confirms a mother’s right over her children.

Those who honor their father atone for sins,
and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure.

Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,
and when they pray they will be heard.
...
The glory of one’s father is one’s own glory,
and it is a disgrace for children not to respect their mother.

My child, help your father in his old age,
and do not grieve him as long as he lives;

even if his mind fails, be patient with him;
because you have all your faculties do not despise him.

For kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
and will be credited to you against your sins;

in the day of your distress it will be remembered in your favor;
like frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away.

Whoever forsakes a father is like a blasphemer,
and whoever angers a mother is cursed by the Lord.

Sirach, 3:1-5, 11-16

Worth a Thousand Words: Corner of the Church of San Stae

Corner of the Church of San Stae, Venice; John Singer Sargent

Well Said: Poverty and Freedom

He who is not capable of enduring poverty is not capable of being free.

Victor Hugo

The Three Godfathers by Peter B. Kyne

“What’s a godfather, Bill?” The Youngest Bad Man inquired. “What job does he hold down?”

“You’re an awful ignorant young man, Bob,” replied The Wounded Bad Man reproachfully. “A godfather is a sort of reserve parent who promises to renounce the devil with all his works an’ pomps.”

The Youngest Bad Man smiled wanly. “Well, Bill, all I got to say is that us three’re a lovely bunch o’ godfathers.”

This little novella has inspired at least five movies, two of them from the silent film era. The most famous is 3 Godfathers starring John Wayne and directed by John Ford, which inspired one of my favorite movies, Tokyo Godfathers. So the story has staying power even in modern culture and other lands.

This little story is the backbone of all those films. This is not the story of the Wise Men, it is the story of Bad Men, we are told on the title page. The three Bad Men are on the lam after a bank heist. Searching for water, they come upon a pioneer woman in labor and dying. Her husband is dead and the newborn baby is given into the care of the "three godfathers" who providentially showed up to help it be born. Their journey to get the baby to his relatives is the story of their struggles with their past and their possible redemption. It is heartfelt but also shows flashes of humor which I enjoyed a lot.

It is interesting to see how the films embellished the basics to give their own take and layers of complexity, which are all, nevertheless, still commenting on the basic story. You can get the book free at Project Gutenberg. I'm lucky because my library had it.

• The Three Godfathers free at Project Gutenberg
• My review of Tokyo Godfathers.
• Tokyo Godfathers discussion at A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Worth a Thousand Words: Girl at a Sewing Machine

Girl at a Sewing Machine, Edward Hopper