Snack with Fried Egg

Snack with Fried Eggs, Georg Flegel

Reading Scripture and entering into a conversation with God

One must not read Sacred Scripture as one reads any kind of historical book, such as, for example, Homer, Ovid or Horace; it is necessary truly to read it as the Word of God, that is, entering into a conversation with God. …

One must start by praying and talking to the Lord: "Open the door to me". And what St. Augustine often says in his homilies: "I knocked at the door of the Word to find out at last what the Lord wants to say to me", seems to me to be a very important point. One should not read Scripture in an academic way, but with prayer, saying to the Lord: "Help me to understand your Word, what it is that you want to tell me in this passage".

Pope Benedict XVI, Meeting with the Youth of Rome, 2006

This is something I have to keep relearning. It's a conversation and to listen to the Lord and to look for him through his Word.

Strawberries

Octav Bancila, Strawberries

Heresies and How to Avoid Them, edited by Ben Quash and Michael Ward

Ten top theologians, all practising Christians, tackle ten ancient heresies and show why the contemporary Church still needs to know about them. Christians need to remember what these great early heresies were and why they were ruled out, or else risk falling prey to their modern day manifestations. The book contains key scriptural passages relevant to each heresy, a glossary of terms, and summaries of historical Church documents in which these heresies were defined and outlawed.

This really is just like the book blurb describes it — reacquainting Christians with ancient heresies and how one might encounter them today. I was surprised to see that a tendency I really hate — to talk about the God of the Old Testament as a hateful deity and Jesus of the New Testament as correcting that OT god with his love and sweetness — is the ancient heresy of Marcionism. Aha! (The Trinity is three persons, ONE essence. As Jesus said, "Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.")

Anyway, some of the chapters are easier to understand than the others but all are good. Each begins with a quick summary of the heresy, followed by key scriptures which refute the errors. Each of the authors also took pains to point out that the heretics and their teachings were often well intentioned in desiring to clarify a misunderstanding about the faith. Often the heretics simply didn't go far enough in thinking things through and then dug their heels in when their theories were questioned and shown to be inadequate.

The generous attitude of the authors does not mean that they condone heresy. It does mean that they look upon it as "provocative stimuli, catalysts for energetic thought." Otherwise how can one counter it? That is how I have felt when encountering it, as I did very shortly after converting and innocently sashaying out to a bookstore to pick up books about Catholicism. I was quite surprised to see that there were a lot of divergent schools of thought about various topics in the Church. I quickly learned to educate myself in the why's and how's of the Church's dogma and doctrine so I could evaluate what I came across. Many such opportunities to dig deeper into our own faith are presented to us today and that "generous attitude" of one that I think is valuable to remember when we find ourselves confronted with heresy today.

The final chapter and the epilogue point out how dangerous heresy is and why orthodoxy is important. Both are excellent reminders of the importance that real truth makes to our relationship with God.

Broken Egg

Duane Keiser, Broken Egg

Just Plain Fun: Confess, Fletch; Honor Among Thieves; and Game Night

 Sometimes you just want to watch a fun movie that doesn't give you more than a good time. We recently saw three of them that were just plain fun and, as my mother said, silly in just the right way. They also strike me as highly rewatchable. I look forward to doing so.

Confess, Fletch

The roguishly charming and endlessly troublesome Fletch becomes the prime suspect in a murder case while searching for a stolen art collection. The only way to prove his innocence? Find out which of the long list of suspects is the culprit - from the eccentric art dealer and a missing playboy to a crazy neighbor and Fletch’s Italian girlfriend. Crime, in fact, has never been this disorganized.

This is a solid murder mystery like they don't make any more. Extremely entertaining, quick witted, funny, and keeps you guessing. Also, we need more Jon Hamm in humorous roles.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

A charming thief and a band of unlikely adventurers undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic, but things go dangerously awry when they run afoul of the wrong people. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves brings the rich world and playful spirit of the legendary roleplaying game to the big screen in a hilarious and action-packed adventure. It's an infectiously good-spirited comedy with a solid emotional core.

This captured the sense of the gameplaying while also being a good fantasy adventure movie for any viewer. As a Baldur's Gate game player it was distinctly weird to recognize town names and city buildings and spells and suchlike. 

You know the basic beats of who will grow in what way and what sorts of personal challenges they must face. But that frees you up to sit back and enjoy the show, letting the humor and quests take you on a very entertaining ride.

Game Night

Max and Annie's weekly game night gets kicked up a notch when Max's brother Brooks arranges a murder mystery party -- complete with fake thugs and federal agents. So when Brooks gets kidnapped, it's all supposed to be part of the game. As the competitors set out to solve the case, they start to learn that neither the game nor Brooks are what they seem to be. The friends soon find themselves in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn over the course of one chaotic night.

After watching Honor Among Thieves we discovered that the same team wrote and directed Game Night, which somehow I'd missed when it came out. This is another movie where the only goal is to entertain, which it does spectacularly.

The type of movie is familiar so we could relax and go along for the ride, enjoying the twists on the familiar beats. There were so many familiar, favorite actors that it was the icing on the cake to have both Jason Bateman and Kyle Chandler in the film together. And it was really fun to see Chandler playing against type.

Ketchup

Ketchup, Edward B. Gordon

Vintage

Vintage
by James Neil Hollingsworth

The Demands of Despair ... and of Hope

Despair demands less of us, it's more predictable, and in a sad way safer. Authentic hope requires clarity — seeing the troubles in this world — and imagination, seeing what might lie beyond these situations that are perhaps not inevitable and immutable.

Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark

I never would have thought to label despair and hope in this way but, of course, this cuts to the heart of the two emotions.

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

We all know the basics of this story. On a cold and snowy night, a mysterious traveller shows up at the Coach and Horses inn. His face is swaddled in bandages, he never removes his dark glasses, and he always wears gloves. The curious villagers have various theories for these oddities but it is generally assumed he is an accident victim. When the truth is revealed it is almost incomprehensible — he is an invisible man. As he struggles to survive and discover the antidote, we follow his progress in a story that is funny, exciting, and alarming. 

I have liked this book as a scary tale ever since I first read it many years ago. As I've grown older and wiser I increasingly appreciated H.G. Wells's skill, both as a writer and as an observer of human nature. This book does a lot in relatively few pages. It tells a story that we don't expect to be truly scary because it is so old and well known. However, by the time that Kemp was fleeing from the invisible man, seeking asylum in a bar, and everyone was worried about which doors they forgot to lock, I felt real chills of terror.

H.G. Wells asks the question, "What would you try to get away with if you were invisible?" We've seen a lot of super hero movies look at this sort of issue but this early piece of science fiction is one of the most effective. It also serves as a nice corrective of the modern tendency to give every villain a sympathetic back story. The invisible man actually has a story that you can feel sympathetic about at the beginning. Very quickly, however, the reader is disabused of any tendencies to think him misunderstood, put upon, or simply different.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this again.

Scott Danielson and I discuss the book in episode 311 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.

Juli (July)

Juli (July), Theo Van Hoytema

 

30 Days with Married Saints by Kent and Caitlin Lasnoski

30 Days with the Married Saints will help you to pray with a variety of holy married men and women of the Church from well-known couples like Mary and Joseph to lesser-known couples like Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi (the first couple to be beatified together). Each day contains vivid portraits of heroically virtuous married saints as well as prayers, moving reflections, questions, and practical suggestions to enrich your marriage and inspire you and your spouse on your journey of sanctity.

I picked this up because my husband and I are the Spiritual Directors for an upcoming marriage enrichment retreat. I'm so glad I did because otherwise I would have missed this wonderful devotional.

I was impressed by the range and variety of the married couples presented for our contemplation. In some cases, both spouses were saints. In many more, as one might expect, one was a saint and the other was along for the ride, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. For example, we're all familiar with Saint Monica whose husband was violent, faithless, and unfaithful to her. However, after twenty years of marriage he was baptized shortly before his death.

On the other hand, Blessed Frederic Ozanam who founded the Saint Vincent de Paul Society had a loving, supportive wife. They both worked to keep their marriage full of small, daily reminders of affection. This is despite the fact that he was incredibly busy as a professor, journalist, and helping poor households as a member of the Saint Vincent de Paul society.

Many of the couples merit several chapters. The chapters in this small book are never longer than three or four pages which have been a good amount for my husband and I to read together every day. Each chapter has an opening prayer, modern illustrations of living the examples found in the saints' lives, points for reflection and a closing prayer. I tend not to like reflection prompts but the ones in this book are thoughtful and often highlight angles I might not have considered.

Highly recommended.

The Complete Home

The Complete Home: An Encyclopedia of Domestic Life and Affairs. 1879.
via Books and Art

This is a really glorious book cover. I can only imagine how proud Mrs. Julia McNair Wright must have been when it was published. I also like the beauty implied by the flowers and ornaments, which would be the beauty that a purchaser would hope to bring to their home with the helpful tips inside.

The Wolf-Leader by Alexandre Dumas

Often cited as the first werewolf novel ever written! From the author of adventure classics like The Three Musketeers and The Count Of Monte Cristo, a lost tale of revenge, wishes fulfilled, and a ravenous nature that will take a bite out of you!

Drawing from his own youthful experiences of folklore, Alexandre Dumas tells the story of Thibault, a young man who makes a pact with a talking wolf who promises to grant his wishes. Though he is promised revenge against those who wronged him, Thibault's life only gets worse. His vengeance lays itself bare, but the villagers suspect him to be a werewolf as well!

This is pushed as a werewolf story but it is really a Faustian tale. I know of Faust only by reputation but my impression was always that he was a bit of a clever fellow. Thibault is not. It's fun watching this unfold, especially with the unusual nature of the devil's request for each wish granted. As Thibault progresses in his desires, he encounters different situations that gradually move up through the social strata. This leads to a lot of amusing situations strewn amongst the Faustian choices that are made.

Overall this was rather like infusing the hijinks of The Three Musketeers into a supernatural story with a moral center. It simultaneously was entertaining and thought-provoking as the story proceeded. Recommended if your taste runs in that direction.

A Portrait Of a Christian De Falb

A Portrait Of a Christian De Falbe, Anders Zorn

I'm a big fan of Anders Zorn, but I've never seen anything that looks like this. The combination of visual styles, contrasting between extreme realism in the dog and child with the much more impressionistic fabrics and background makes me think of Gustav Klimt in some ways.

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait with Daughter Julie

Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, Self-Portrait with Daughter Julie

During the 40 year period from 1778 to 1818 Vigée Le Brun painted 37 self portraits. 17 were originals and 20 were copies. We've got a copy of one of those self-portraits on the wall of our bedroom. Seeing it at The Kimbell Museum, she struck me as so sweet that I wanted one to take home. It never occurred to me that there would be more than one. I find this portrait with her daughter to be equally as sweet.

A Movie You Might Have Missed #85: U Turn (2016)

It's been 12 years since I began this series highlighting movies I wished more people knew about. I'm rerunning it from the beginning because I still think these are movies you might have missed.

Rachana, a young reporter, is dismayed at the number of illegal u-turns and resulting traffic accidents, and she wants to write a story about it. In pursuing a lead, she finds herself in the middle of a police case dealing with a series of murders. While freeing herself of false accusations, she becomes part of the investigation process. What is behind the mysterious deaths and how are they are all connected to the flyover road?

This thriller is perfect for the wind up to Halloween. One of the most shocking things about it is something that Western audiences will find inexplicable — to have the divider between opposite sides of a highway made simply of large bricks which anyone can move so they can do a U-turn anywhere they feel like it. This blew our minds.

It is the number of U-turns which the young reporter, Rachana, is investigating. Her theory is that this leads to a lot of accidents and deaths. She's right, but not in the way that she originally thinks. Strangely tied to a number of deaths, the unfolding mystery was really intriguing and well told. Keep your eyes open for the number of "U"s showing up, including the beginning where we are upside down and do a u-turn to see the road right side up. 

I can see why this movie is on so many "must see" lists. It is a great thriller and since it is Indian, it is also not too gory.

Note: a "flyover" is what we would call an overpass. That took us a little while to figure out.

Streaming on Netflix now. This is the original which is in the Kannada language. It has since been remade in three other Indian languages.

July

July, Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

More of the harvest; the sheep are being shorn and the hay is being reaped. The chateau behind them is that which formerly stood on the Clain at Poitiers. University of Chicago

Catechism of the Spiritual Life by Cardinal Robert Sarah

It seemed to me that the eclipse of God in our postmodern societies, the crisis of fundamental human and moral values, and its repercussions even in the Church, where we observe confusion on the subject of divinely revealed truth, the loss of the authentic meaning of the liturgy and a diminished understanding of priestly identity, forcefully demanded that a genuine catechism of the spiritual life be offered to all the faithful. ... This book is a catechism of the interior life. It intends to indicate the principal means of entering into the spiritual life; its purpose if practical, not academic.

This is a meditative, deep look at the sacraments and how they help to form and develop our spiritual lives. Cardinal Sarah's premise is that by following Jesus in the sacraments, like the Hebrews followed Moses in the desert, we will find the path out of our own interior wilderness to true closeness and joy in the Lord.

There's a chapter on each of the sacraments plus one on prayer. Sarah draws on the writings of theologians, saints, and popes (especially Pope Benedict XVI) in a way which is often reflective rather than instructive. This allows for slow, deep reading which opens up our own thoughts.

I was most intrigued when Sarah would comment on the modern world and the Church today. These were used not only as a reflection on the need for the sacraments but also on how to live our lives as Catholics in current culture. The answer, he tells us, is always personal conversion and a return to holiness, a return to a close relationship with Jesus.

Above all, Sarah's hope is that this spiritual catechism will help us reorient ourselves to see the beauty of God's plan for our lives. At the conclusion of the book, Sarah says of the interior wilderness:

In the wilderness, we understood that it is nor our job to take our interior life in hand. We have to let ourselves be formed. We have to let God form us. We have to let ourselves be led and instructed by God. Of course, we are not entirely passive. We have our part in the work. But our labor consists primarily in our willingness to be soft clay in God's hands, suited to be modeled according to his merciful plan.

Amen.

Tiger in the Snow

Tiger in the Snow, Katsushika Hokusai

I don't know what Hokusai was going for, but this tiger just looks so darned happy and maybe a little goofy. It definitely makes me smile. I also really love the way that the tiger's extended claws are echoed in the branch tips thrusting through the snow. The flowing body and shape the stripes make also are echoed in the shape of the bushes. What a great piece.