22Feb/090
…and to Dust You Shall Return
Tweet ThisA very young couple (the husband was 26 and the wife 24) and the baby that they were expecting were killed yesterday here in Granite City. It's such a sad - but unfathomably common - story: the accident in which they lost their lives involved two other vehicles, both driven by drunk drivers.
I didn't know either of them personally (the man, for example, was a year younger than my sister), but reading through their Facebook walls (linked above), I now see how many mutual friends we had. And the beautiful life they shared with those around them.
Ash Wednesday is this Wednesday, and we probably won't hear the words "Remember that from dust/ashes you came, and to dust you shall return." We'll more likely hear the more commonly used (in modern days) Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel."
The point, though, is that Lent is a time to re-evaluate.
We simply don't know when we'll be called from this life to the next, or under what circumstances, so we must always be ready.
In addition, though, sometimes we don't realize how closely connected we all are. Seeing the shared friends I had with this couple, I realize they may have even been at a wedding, or a dinner, or something else I may have attended at one time or another.
All of the people to whom we are so close without even knowing - the people we may inadvertently show anger at while driving, or cut off with our cart in the grocery store line. The people we take when we act irresponsibly, getting behind the wheel of a car when we're in no shape to drive.
So this Lent, let's remember to be faithful to the Gospel - Jesus' Good News of salvation, and that we will return to Him. Sometimes sooner than we know, or think that we would like.
Hug each other.
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21Feb/090
How people found Bread Alive
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To the person who found Bread Alive by searching for "being down the list on hubby's priorites", I'm saying a prayer for you and your husband, that he finds the grace to move you up on his list of priorities - right under God. As long as you both shall live.
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "granite city youth center"... goodness, you might be my neighbors! What do you think about the youth center project?
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "how to make fluffy gooey butter cookies", could you find a way to get me a dozen when you get them ready? Thanks
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "mormon stockpiling food", I'm Catholic, but our household stockpiles food too. And our stockpile has gotten a bit bigger in recent months.
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "churched", it's a great book and I give it two thumbs up. Read it.
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "lampitt priest peoria", he's a great man and an even better priest. If you're interested, I have some funny stories from when we were in grade school and boy scouts together.
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "beverly scroggins" "mark lull", they're great people, aren't they? You and me and Suzanne probably acted in a play together at one point, so "hi!"
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "cursive dying", Sister Mary stanley is on her way to your house right now to correct your misunderstanding of the importance of cursive. Watch out.
To the folks who found Bread Alive by searching for "matthew the tax collector jokes", I can only imagine... are you a priest or deacon running really low on homily ideas? Do you just have a really dry sense of humor? Are you an accountant looking for happy hour jokes for with your coworkers? Aha! I bet that's it.
To the person who found Bread Alive by "the ends of marriage", you're in my prayers tonight. I hope you find reconciliation, rekindle your love, and find each other once again, before it's too late.
Good night, all. And God bless.
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21Feb/090
Blog of the Week: Art of Manliness
Tweet ThisThe first blog featured in this new series - Blog of the Week - is going to be one of my favorite sites/blogs on the web.
But first, an introduction - I'll post a Blog of the Week each weekend, with a suggested site for you to check out. In fact, I'd recommend you subscribe to it as well. Every site I feature as a Blog of the Week will be one that I've enjoyed in my RSS reader for some time, so I personally find a good value in the site.
Brett McKay, a law student in OK, publishes Art of Manliness. You can read a Q&A about his work on Art of Manliness here.
Art of Manliness features great recent articles like 12 Tools Every Man Should Have in His Toolbox and 5 Gut Busting Conditioning Drills from the Gridiron and How Martial Arts Can Supercharge Your Man Spirit.
And with classics like:
How can you really go wrong? It's a great center for all things for the classic man, for whom Mens Health and GQ really don't cut it.
Bread Alive is specifically about my journal in Catholic manhood, married life, and fatherhood. Art of Manliness is more generally about manhood, and very darn good at it.
Check out Art of Manliness and let me know what you think.
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21Feb/090
How Do You Look Dumm?
Tweet ThisTry to cram writing a post in-between putting one son down for his nap and the other one waking up from his nap.
Give it a title with a misplaced apostrophe.
"Do You Know Who Own's Trader Joe's"
C'mon, Halbrook. You're smarter than that.
I'm going to remove the offending apostrophe, having noticed it ~9 hours later. But wanted to go ahead and own up, so I don't get accused of changing history.
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21Feb/091
Do You Know Who Owns Trader Joe’s
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I didn't.
We love Trader Joe's. We fall into the category of people who wish there was one closer (now, there's no good way to get to & from the one at Brentwood, with the I-64 closing/construction, and the other in STL is too far.)
I was floored - in a good way - learn about who really owns Trader Joe's. Literally floored.
A hint: It's "A huge German discount-grocery chain best known in the U.S. for no-glamor stores often located in marginal neighborhoods."
And they plan to open 75 more Trader Joe's in the U.S. this year.
Branding the experience is everything in business.
Find out who owns Trader Joe's.
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20Feb/090
The Greenhorns: Yeah, I Want to See this Too
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Okay, so apparently after a few years of avoiding them (or just generally not finding any that seemed of interest enough to sacrifice the time), movies are going to become my new thing. Or someone finally hit the "GO" button on movies that would interest me.
Enter The Greenhorns.
From PSFK:
Ever since the slow food movement came to prominence in the 90s, there has been a general shift in the way we perceive food and how we expect it to be produced. First, there was the whole fair trade thing, then it was all about being organic, now, it's all about being local - and one of the latest trends we've been noticing is young urbanites taking matters into their own hands, and growing their own food.
From the film's site:
A documentary film that explores the lives of America's young farming community - its spirit, practices, and needs. As the nation experiences a groundswell of interest in sustainable lifestyles, we see the promising beginnings of an agricultural revival. Young farmers' efforts feed us safe food, conserve valuable land, and reconstitute communities split apart by strip malls. It is the filmmakers's hope that by broadcasting the stories and voices of these young farmers, we can build the case for those considering a career in agriculture--to embolden them, to entice them, and to recruit them into farming.
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20Feb/090
Holy Martyrs of Japan: The Movie
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Last month, I wrote about the importance of the Feast of St. Paul Miki and the Holy Martyrs of Japan to me personally, because of my family background.
Today, I'm excited to pass along the fact that Martin Scorcese will direct a movie about those martyrs.
From Zenit's Hollywood feed:
An Academy Award-winning director is planning a movie on Japanese Christians martyred in the 17th century.
Martin Scorsese will film the movie in New Zealand and release it in 2010, according to the Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun. Names of actors linked to the project include Daniel Day-Lewis (pictured on the left), Gael García Bernal and Benicio Del Toro.
Scorsese is known for his work on films including "The Age of Innocence," "The Departed," "Gangs of New York," "Casino" and the controversial "The Last Temptation of Christ."
The film on the Japanese martyrs is based on the book "Chinmoku" (Silence), by the Catholic Japanese author Shusaku Endo. The novel tells the story of a Portuguese missionary in Japan at the beginnings of the 17th century. "Silence" refers to the silence of God before the cross of Christ, in telling of the missionary's forced apostasy in the midst of horrendous torture.
Endo (1923-1997) was baptized at age 12. His novels reflect his effort to show Christianity reconciled with Oriental culture, as well as his vision of human weakness, sin and grace. Among his other writings are "A Life of Jesus" and "Deep River," in which he tries to present Christianity to the Asian mentality.
Last Dec. 10, almost 200 Japanese martyrs from the same era as the plot of "Silence" were canonized. Japan is today less than 1% Christian, of which only about 450,000 are Catholics.
Now I'm ordering both books from Amazon to check them out in eager anticipation of the film. It may, in fact, be the first film Suzanne and I see since we saw National Treasure (yes, the first National Treasure.)
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20Feb/090
Rising Interest in Latin
Tweet ThisIn a fascinating column in The Catholic Thing titled Latin Rising, David Bonagura, Jr. explores a phenomenon of a resurgence in interest in the Latin language - both inside and outside the Church.
In the specific context of the Church, he suggests:
Today many young Catholics, conscious of the Church's catholicity and two thousand year history, perceive Latin as the means to reconnect the universal Church with her past, a past that is nearly inaccessible without it. The Fathers of the Western Church, the Middle Ages, and the Magisterium down to this very day communicated, taught, and worshiped in Latin. The traditional Latin Mass enables Catholics to worship in the same manner and in the same language as their ancestors had for many centuries. But Latin also provides linguistic unity in the present for a Church that spans all continents and includes all peoples. No one understands this better than the young, who, having witnessed firsthand the Church's universality at the World Youth Day celebrations, long for a shared articulation of the one faith that they all profess.
(My emphasis added.)
Now, when I suggest this at dinner parties and coffee with friends - which I have been known to do - I either get excited and emphatic "YES!" replies or dumbfounded "I can't believe you're suggesting that" stares.
But I always suggest it within a context of having worshiped - with the context of a Novus Ordo - in a liturgy in Latin, and it was a fully beautiful and uplifting experience.
For me.
I say that, because I fully recognize that it's not for everyone. In fact, when we went to a Latin Mass in the Tridentine form last fall, Suzanne came away perplexed that anyone would be much interested in that, mainly due to a lack of being able to have "full, active, conscious participation."
I read A LOT of commentary on both sides of this discussion - I feel that it is part of my responsibility as a music director and a member of a liturgy committee, advising our pastor on liturgical matters.
And I waver a lot. I would prefer to worship in a Universal tongue, or at least have most parts of the Mass in that Universal tongue. But I love the Novus Ordo and would prefer that form. I would enjoy keeping the Scripture readings in the local language. But I like the connection to the Universal ("Catholic") Church and her history and heritage that comes from growing in my understanding of her universal language.
But these are all "me" things, and being at Mass isn't about "me." It's about Christ. His presence. And how He chooses it's best to form me and the rest of the assembly into a more Christ-like body. And I realize that for most of the members of my community, that's likely not a Mass with very much Latin for right now.
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20Feb/090
Sirach 3: Love in the Family
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A lot of Sirach is read in the Church's liturgy throughout the lectionary and the Liturgy of the Hours, but Sirach 3 in particular is featured in readings for Sunday Masses at least on the Feast of the Holy Family each year (Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14) and on the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C (Sirach 3:17-20, 28-29), when the readings expose the love and characteristics between members of a family.
Sirach 3 talks about how we are to conduct ourselves in our families: both in our earthly family, and in our Heavenly family (since we have fathers and mothers in both.)
I truly love and believe the verses like:
Vs 5) He who honors his father is gladdened by children, and when he prays he is heard.
Vs 10) Glory not in your father's shame, for his shame is no glory to you!
12-13) My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate with him; revile him not in the fullness of your strength.
17) My son, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.
21) What is committed to you, attend to; for what is hidden is not your concern.
And, after the whole Chapter on how to behave between father and son, this beautiful promise:
Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.
He who does a kindness is remembered afterward;
when he falls, he finds a support.
(Vs. 29-30)
The good we do does have a dividend - in atonement for the flames brought on by our sins.
We reap what we sow.
Our family is ours to honor.
Our humility and kindness reap eternal rewards.
Related:
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19Feb/090
Coffee = Progress
Tweet ThisPretty cool thought that the switch from beer binging through the day in Europe to coffee binging and a coffeehouse social culture may have led to the Enlightenment, leading to the prosperity we have today...
Via The Anchoress.
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