February 25: Today is Ash Wednesday; start giving thought to penitence… which is not a bad thing. The impenitent heart is self-deceiving — in fact, if you have no regrets, you have no heart.
February 11: Our Lady of Lourdes (with Bernadette)
December 24: The wait is over. From Isaiah this evening:
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom, a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as men make merry when dividing spoils.
For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster, you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.
For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames.
(That one sentence actually gave me chills – not for the first time – as our lectress read them.)
For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests.
They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.
A child is born.
December 21: The fourth week of Advent is here; today in church we sang, “For you, O Lord, my soul in stillness waits…”
December 14: And now it’s the third week of Advent already; today’s Gaudete Sunday. Traditionally the priest will wear a pink vestment… although our dear, late pastor of many years refused to, grumbling during one Gaudete homily that he didn’t want to look like “a maiden aunt’s draperies”, and stuck with purple.
December 12: This date is set aside to celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe, a stunning appearance – and beautiful, baffling, miraculous image – of Mary to a native American (Aztec, in this case) back in 1531: “Let not your heart be disturbed…. Am I not here, who am your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? …Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything.” This is my most favorite and dear of all her most famous appearances.
December 7: Moving into the second week of Advent already…
December 6: This is the feast day of St. Nicholas – the real-life bishop and saint who is forebearer of present-day “St. Nick”, “Santa Claus”, et al. The real man was a model of kindness and generosity… and this much of him, at least, has not been forgotten. (And if you’re German, or Scandinavian, you woke up this morning to find candy in your shoes – if you had the forethought to set them out by your door last night, that is.)
November 30: Advent begins; our pastor, a reverent man of notable girth, admitted that each year when this first Sunday of Advent comes around, since the priestly vestments (colored according to season and certain events) are now purple, he begins to feel a lot like Barney. And, yes, there is a resemblance; his remark gave us a great laugh.
November 23: Blessed Miguel Pro; que me permitan rezar…
November 22: Saint Cecilia
November 7: This is a detail from a classic illustration of the Biblical account (one of two) of Jesus feeding the multitude; I put it here to tie in with the theme of Spartacus’ supplied topic (and content) of Jesus as social activist… i.e., socialist.
November 5: Jessie Jackson’s reaction in Chicago last night at Barack Obama’s victory-speech… says it for me, too. We have overcome. And we have just started.
November 4: Courtesy of modern cell-phone technology, this is a photo of part of my touch-screen ballot just before I cast my vote, about 9:40 this morning. (I’ve edited out names and details of local and state initiatives.) Vote, people! Or… shut up. Thank you.
November 3: On the eve of the USA national (and state, and local) election of 2008, it is only a coincidence – though an intriguing one – that the saint whose life is celebrated today is Martin de Porres. St. Martin was born of a white Spanish father, and a black former-slave woman, and so has been called “the first black saint of the Americas“.
