Holy Tuesday

 

So here we are in Holy Week, on our journey to the Cross and from there to the new life of the empty tomb, of resurrection. Part of this journey, for me, meant climbing into a mileage car this morning and driving from Dallas HQ to a place called "Bedford." 

No kidding. Nav out to Hampton, take a left on Singleton, behold the beat up ghetto strip malls as you do, then take a right on Mockingbird and wonder and its several rent-by-the-hour motels. 

You don't stop there, no, you ride on through to the I35/183 turn off. Be careful, it's a racetrack as you rev up the Civic and move hell for leather into the 183 aspect of this route. After that? Pretty much straight shot 'til you get to this place called "Bedford" and exit the highway onto Forest. And there you are, in Mid Cities suburbia, which is where our cathedral is.

Highway purgatory over, roll into the parking lot and go to Mass, our diocesan Chrism Mass or Mass of Collegiality. I was late, so didn't vest, but joined the clergy for the renewal of our ordination vows and at the Altar for the Eucharistic Prayer. Powerful stuff, and what a good, faithful body of men, always a pleasure to be with them. So what have we here?

The Cross, by way of Metrosprawl traffic, and Resurrection with a beautiful Mass and the good priests of our diocese. So there you have it. Safely back at Ma LSP's Compound, all's peaceful and in good order, and you'll be pleased to know she's watching some kind of show detailing the jewels of the Romanovs in their female aspect. Yes, they were spectacular.

On topic, do you think our current Bioleninist politics of envy and spite, aka socialism, started with the French Revolution? Perhaps so, though I'd argue the poison seed goes back to Luther, but that's me, we can parse the wicked Age of Enlightenment, see Age of the Raison, and its iniquitous fallout forever. Have at it.

In the meanwhile, we've got a war to win. D'ye reckon Don can pull it off? Money, as always, on the dam monkey.

Yours,

LSP

Holy Tuesday Reflection

The many art philosophers who read this lighthearted mind blog might enjoy the Visual Commentary on Scripture (VCS). Here's an excerpt on James 1:12-27 from the VCS Holy Week series:

Another letter—the Letter of James—also highlights a choice between pathways, and Clare Carlisle Tresch’s exploration of its first chapter with the help of three works of art returns us to a consideration of ‘light’. James’s hearers are to ‘put away filthiness’ (James 1:21) and receive the gifts that come from ‘the Father of Lights’ (v.17). 

The self-enclosure of Narcissus in Caravaggio’s baroque painting has led him to turn away from the light. He is mesmerised by his own reflection, captive in the black depths of a pool. By contrast, the contemporary work of landscape sculpture by David Wood faces upwards from the waters on which it floats, fully open to the light ‘from above’ (v.17). 

The third work, a Renaissance panel by Fra Angelico, envisages what Jesus’s followers may hope for at the end of the path well chosen: the reward of those who have become ‘children of light’. They have followed the way of the cross, ‘the wisdom of God’, by which the circle of self is broken open and an encircling glory offers its embrace.

An encircling glory offers its embrace. I love that.

God bless,

LSP