Crazy going slowly

There's a nutty woman sitting next to me and deciding which scenes to use to cast a play.

This is a nice idea, of course, but I wish she'd decided to do all this longer ago. Auditions are tonight. Grr. I also wish I had time to get more things done, like blog. I'm running all the time now. College is nuts. Sheesh.

Bye.

Smell the color nine...

Sigh. School is such a drag. Classes, schedules, things like that...wow. It interrupts college life so very terribly!

On a lighter note, I've decided that living in a dorm with a bunch of girls is a lot of fun. We stayed up until almost 10 having a "hall meeting," which mainly consisted of making or drinking cappucino and all talking loudly at the same time. It was good. Of course, so was the prank call to our good buddy Joe, but that's a dufferent kind of good. It was rather a "is he laughing really hard, or did that sound more like a coronary?"

My theology professor greeted me before class with, "Ah, Miss P, you're the audiophile, are you not? Because I seem to have two copies of Bach's Christmas Oratorio in my colllection, and I have the extra in my car to give to you."

I love school. It adds so much to college life! The classes, the schedules. They're all so wonderful.

Figures...

When one wishes to unlock a door but has has only one hand free, the keys are in the opposite pocket. (Von Fumbles Law)

A door will snap shut only when you have left the keys inside. (Yale Law of Destiny)

When one's hands are covered with oil, grease, or glue, your nose will start to itch. (Law of Ichiban)

Your insurance will cover everything but what has happened. (Insurance So Sorry Law)

When things seem to be going well, you've probably forgotten to do something. (Cheney's Second Corollary)

When things seem easy to do, it's because you haven't followed all the instructions. (Destiny Awaits Law)

If you keep your cool when everyone else is losing his, it's probably because you have not realized the seriousness ofthe problem. (Law of Gravitas)

Most problems are not created or solved; they only change appearances. (Einstein's Law of Persistence)

You will run to answer the telephone just as the party hangs up on you. (Principle of Dingaling)

Whenever you connect with the Internet, the call you've been waiting for all day will arrive. (Principle of Bellsouth)

If there are only two programs on TV that are worth your time, they will always be at the same time. (Law ofWasteland)

The cost is always higher than one budgets for, and it isexactly 3.14 times higher, hence the importance of pi. (Lawof Pi Eyed)

The probability that one will spill food on one's clothes is directly proportional to the need to be clean. (Law ofCampbell Scoop)

Each and every body submerged in a bathtub will cause the phone to ring. (Law of Yes Now)

Each and every body sitting on a commode will cause the doorbell to ring. (Law of Ding Dong)

Wind velocity will increase proportionally to the cost of one's hairdo. (The Don King Principle)

After discarding something not used for years, you will need it one week later. (Law of Fatal Irreversibility)

Arriving early for an appointment will cause the receptionist to be absent, and if one arrives late, everyoneelse has arrived before you. (Law of Delay)

Do not take life too seriously, because in the end, you won't come out alive anyway. (Theory of Absolute Certainty)

Keephousing

Just a note to faithful viewers. Yes, I changed the sidebar majorly.

St. Joseph might come back.

He might not. I might pick a new saint to shepherd the links. Maybe the patron of golfers or something. I'm still deciding. For now, however, I've put a couple new blogs on the sidebar, a couple new real websites, and just generally cleaned house. If something doesn't work, email me your irate and screaming complaint, and I'll see to it within the next fiscal year. You know, the one that starts in September?

(-: Cheers. Don't look for much blogging from me after this. School starts Monday.

Catholicism is so cool!

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 10, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican Secret Archives may now be visited on the Internet. After selecting the language on the Holy See's site, a click on the Focus section of the home page offers a virtual walk through the archives' age-old halls amid frescoes and documents.

One may (virtually) page through documents such as the 14th-century Parchment of Chinon, which records the absolution of Pope Clement V of the leading members of the Templar Order. Also accessible are the proceedings of the trial against Galileo Galilei.

Among other treasures, the Vatican Secret Archives include key documents concerning the history of single nations. "Moreover, for some countries, the Vatican documents are the oldest ones, which even mark the beginning of their own national history," explains the Web page.

The archives include about 85 linear kilometers (52 miles) of shelves. The oldest document dates to the eighth century, while the archives have an almost uninterrupted documentation starting from 1198.

The archives are primarily used by the Pope and the Roman Curia. In 1881, by decision of Pope Leo XIII, part of the archives was opened to be consulted by scholars, "thus becoming the most important center of historical research in the world."

photo: Charles IV (1355-1378) crowned by the legates of Innocent VI (1352-1362)

Can she bake a cherry pie?

Yes, she can, evidently, to her great shock and surprise. It's sitting up there on the stove, looking very cherryish. One can only hope that it tastes cherryish. We'll see later, when the ravening horde (okay, there's only two of them) of family members arrives to taste the wares. The final test...the final countdown.

I want to watch Star Wars again.

In honour of Danica...

"Nuttall, my lad, just one other little thing. Do you think you can find me a good stout piece of timber? About so thick and so long?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Then do so and lash it to your spine - it needs stiffening."

~Captain Blood

In honour of Joseph...

'Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem." ~President Ronald Reagan, 1985

In honour of Zach...

There are two sides to a trumpeter's personality: there's the one that lives only to lay waste to woodwinds and strings, leaving them lying blue and lifeless along the swath of destruction that is a trumpeter's fury.

Then, there's the dark side...

Lèctio sancti Evangèlii secundum Marcum...

'And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased." '

Pope Denounces Culture of Death

VATICAN CITY, JAN. 8, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI administered the sacrament of baptism for the first time in his pontificate to 10 newborns, and urged a "no" to the "prevailing" culture of death.

Today, on the day the Church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus, the Pope resumed Pope John Paul II's practice of baptizing infants on the liturgical feast that closes out the Christmas season. John Paul II had been unable to carry out the baptisms the last two years because of his declining health.

The sacrament was administered before Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" in the Sistine Chapel, the same place where Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Bishop of Rome on April 19. The Holy Father addressed a spontaneous homily to the parents, godparents and families of the 10 Italian newborns, five boys and five girls. One of them received the second name Karol, in Polish, in memory of the late Pope.

"With baptism, this child is introduced in the company of friends who will never abandon him in life and in death, and this company of friends is the family of God, which bears in itself the promise of eternity," said the Pope.

Benedict XVI noted: "None of us know what will happen on our planet, in our Europe, in the next 50, 60 or 70 years, but there is something of which we are certain: that the family of God will always be present and that those who belong to this family are never alone, but have the sure friendship of him who is life."

Because of this, coherence with baptism calls for saying "yes" to Christ and to life, and "no" to evil and death, the Pope said. "We can say that also in our time a 'no' is necessary to the prevailing culture of death, an anti-culture that manifests itself, for example, in the escape in drugs," he said.

"Escape from reality in the illusory, in a false happiness that manifests itself in lies, in fraud, in injustice, in contempt for others, for solidarity, for responsibility vis-à-vis the poor and the suffering," he stated.

The culture of death, the Holy Father continued, "manifests itself in a sexuality that becomes pure gratification without responsibility, that makes of man a thing, so to speak, as it no longer considers him as person, with a personal love, with fidelity, but turns him into merchandise."

"To this apparent promise of fidelity, to this pomp of an apparent life which in reality is no more than an instrument of death, to this 'anti-culture,' we say 'no' to cultivate a culture of life," he continued. Benedict XVI added that the "yes" of the culture of life is pronounced with fidelity to the Ten Commandments, "which are not prohibitions, but a vision of life."

He explained: "They are a 'yes' to a God who gives meaning, in the first Commandments; 'yes' to the family, Fourth Commandment; 'yes' to life, Fifth Commandment; 'yes' to responsible love, Sixth Commandment; 'yes' to solidarity, social responsibility and justice, Seventh Commandment; 'yes' to truth. This is the philosophy and culture of life that becomes concrete, possible and beautiful in communion with Christ."

Therefore, "baptism is a gift of life and a challenge to live life," saying "no" to the "attack of death, which presents itself in the disguise of life," the Pope said. In the prayer of the faithful during the Mass, amid the cries of newborns, prayers were raised for families, that the "prodigy of love" be renewed in them daily, and for the 10 newly baptized infants, that they be "witnesses of the Gospel."

Dixit domine...

I'm not sure why that particular snippet of Latin is the title of this post. Mainly, it just sounded cool. Latin is that way sometimes. It sounds very cool. I see much Latin in my future.

Christmas break is winding down for me. Next weekend, I'll be back at school, frantically searching for all the rest of my books, making sure I know what classes I'm even registered for, and getting used to all those school people again. (Schnykies...the 'o' button on my computer is really dying now. It hardly works at all.) I'll also be moving furniture again, if all goes well. So far, my roommate (or roommates) and I haven't managed to return from a single break without in some way, shape, or form, rearranging the woodstuffs in our room. I don't just mean the little bookcases or something like that, either. I'm talking about the big Correlian ships; beds, dressers, desks, etc.

Anyway, this week I get to visit the dentist and buy a new notebook and things like that. Little items of housekeeping before the long hard road to May is embarked upon. My sister, I think, will in some small way be glad I'm gone. Maybe then I'll stop borrowing her clothes. All her socks have holes in them, by the way, and I didn't put them there. My brother will be glad, in some small way, because it means the keyboard will be at home once more and he can get back to writing music. I don't know about my parents. I haven't asked yet. (-:

Prayer of St. Ambrose

(in preparation for Holy Communion)

Lord, Jesus Christ,I approach your banquet table

in fear and trembling,

for I am a sinner,

and dare not rely on my own worth

but only on your goodness and mercy.

I am defiled by many sins

in body and soul,

and by my unguarded thoughts and words.

Gracious God of majesty and awe,

I seek your protection,

I look for your healing;

Poor troubled sinner that I am,

I appeal to you, the fountain of all mercy.

I cannot bear your judgment,

but I trust in your salvation.

Lord, I show my wounds to you.

I know my sins are many and great,

and they fill me with fear,

but I hope in your mercies,

for they cannot be numbered.

Lord Jesus Christ, eternal King, God and man,

crucified for mankind,

look upon me with mercy and hear my prayer,

for I trust in you.

Have mercy on me,

full of sorrow and sin,

for the depth of your compassion never ends.

Praise to you, saving sacrifice,

offered on the wood of the cross for me

and for all mankind.

Praise to the noble and precious blood,

flowing from the wounds of my crucified

Lord Jesus Christ

and washing away the sins of the whole world.

Remember, Lord, your creature,

whom you have redeemed with your blood.

I repent my sins,

and I long to put right what I have done.

Merciful Father, take away

all my offenses and sins;

purify me in body and soul,

and make me worthy to taste the holy of holies.

May your body and blood,

which I intend to receive,

although I am unworthy,

be for me the remission of my sins,

the washing away of my guilt,

the end of my evil thoughts,

and the rebirth of my better instincts.

May it incite me to do the works pleasing to you

and profitable to my health in body and soul,

and be a firm defense

against the wiles of my enemies.

Amen.

courtesy of Women for Faith and Family...

Oh, crumbs.

It has happened. I dreaded the day, and now it's here, and I don't know where to turn. I'm lost, I'm alone, I'm helpless, and there isn't a sympathetic or understanding shoulder within 699 miles.

John was right.

Ugh.

He said to me once that writing was something you disciplined yourself to do--each day you have to make up your mind to just sit down and write something, anything, but to do it whether you felt like it or not. He was right. As long as I had a deadline for posting those twelve days of Christmas, I was on the ball. I was there. I was ready. I was willing.

Now, there's no pressure. And there's also no post. I don't have someone standing over me, asking about the next day, so I'm just resting on my proverbial laurels (I'll be darned if I've figured out where they are, though) and doing nothing. John was right. Ugh.

Adoremus!

Middle panel of a triptych The Adoration of the Magi; c. 1560; Oil (?) on panel, 167.5 x 179 cm; Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

The baby Jesus is sitting on the lap of his mother, the Virgin Mary. He is holding his hand up in a blessing. Before him kneels a king offering a gift of gold. This is Melchior, the oldest of the three kings who came to pay homage to the infant Christ. Behind Mary, in a red gown is her husband Joseph. According to tradition, Jesus was born in a stable. The donkey, the ox and the shabby straw roof remind us of this. The scene takes place against the background of a ruined palace with marble columns and steps. This refers to King David, a distant ancestor of Jesus. The ruin is symbolic and represents the old world: Jesus represents the new, Christian world.

Pieter Aertsen painted this large, colourful panel in around 1560. It is a varied scene with many attractive details such as the rather homely basket of clothes beside Mary and the king's entourage with camels on the left of the background.

The Fest of the Adoration of the Magi

The visit of the Magi took place after the Presentation of the Child in the Temple (Luke 2:38). No sooner were the Magi departed than the angel bade Joseph take the Child and its Mother into Egypt (Matthew 2:13). Once Herod was wroth at the failure of the Magi to return, it was out of all question that the presentation should take place. Now a new difficulty occurs: after the presentation, the Holy Family returned into Galilee (Luke 2:39). Some think that this return was not immediate. Luke omits the incidents of the Magi, flight into Egypt, massacare of the Innocents, and return from Egypt, and takes up the story with the return of the Holy Family into Galilee. We prefer to interpret Luke's words as indicating a return to Galilee immediately after the presentation. The stay at Nazareth was very brief. Thereafter the Holy Family probably returned to abide in Bethlehem. Then the Magi came. It was "in the days of King Herod" (Matthew 2:1), i.e. before the year 4 B.C. (A.U.C. 750), the probable date of Herod's death at Jericho. For we know that Archelaus, Herod's son, succeeded as ethnarch to a part of his father's realm, and was deposed either in his ninth (Josephus, Bel. Jud., II, vii, 3) or tenth (Josephus, Antiq., XVII, xviii, 2) year of office during the consulship of Lepidus and Arruntius (Dion Cassis, lv, 27), i.e., A.D. 6. Moreover, the Magi came while King Herod was in Jerusalem (vv. 3, 7), not in Jericho, i.e., either the beginning of 4 B.C. or the end of 5 B.C. Lastly, it was probably a year, or a little more than a year, after the birth of Christ. Herod had found out from the Magi the time of the star's appearance. Taking this for the time of the Child's birth, he slew the male children of two years old and under in Bethlehem and its borders (v. 16). Some of the Fathers conclude from this ruthless slaughter that the Magi reached Jerusalem two years after the Nativity (St. Epiphanius, "Haer.", LI, 9; Juvencus, "Hist. Evang.", I, 259). Their conclusion has some degree of probability; yet the slaying of children two years old may possibly have been due to some other reason — for instance, a fear on Herod's part that the Magi had deceived him in the matter of the star's appearance or that the Magi had been deceived as to the conjunction of that appearance with the birth of the Child.

Read much more on the Magi at Newadvent, or more on the Epiphany Feast. Feliz fiesta!

On the twelfth day of Christmas...

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Twelve Drummers Drumming

The twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed: 1) I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. 3) He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. 4) He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. 5) On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 6) He will come again to judge the living and the dead. 7) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 8) the holy Catholic Church, 9) the communion of saints, 10) the forgiveness of sins, 11) the resurrection of the body, 12) and life everlasting.

Religion and Patriotism

From many sources there comes the prediction that the future will be far different from the past. Any old order or any new order, if it is to endure, must not ignore the origin, the dignity, the rights and the destiny of man. Church institutions teach and exemplify love of God, love of country, and love of fellowman. These three loves are essentials of religious doctrine, and we believe also that they are foundations of American democracy.

We know our obligations to our country. Gladly do we fulfill them and render our full contribution to the upholding and upbuilding of democracy. As loyal, patriotic, American citizens we have apprehensions of dangers to democracy, dangers from our avowed enemies beyond the confines of our land, and dangers from those within our borders whose concept of democracy is an arsenal of privileges for themselves.

This is a situation which evokes an important consideration. Before this present world war, and for some time preceding it, there were approximately 30,000 fewer French inhabitants in France each succeeding year. During the past decade in the United States the number of persons over sixty years of age has increased almost one-third, which is a great tribute to our doctors, to our scientists and our government. But what is vitally ominous is the fact that the number of children under fifteen years of age decreased and the trend is such that within the next generation there will be more people in this country over sixty years of age than there will be children under fifteen years.

This reflection and others of like import are pressingly ominous challenges to the domestic life of our nation. And they are challenges to our national life, for we cannot win the war for America if we lose the battle for the cradle!

~Francis Cardinal Spellman
The Road to Victory (1942)

On the eleventh day of Christmas...

On the 11th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Eleven Pipers Piping

The eleven Faithful Apostles: 1) Simon Peter, 2) Andrew, 3) James, 4) John, 5) Philip, 6) Bartholomew, 7) Matthew, 8) Thomas, 9) James bar Alphaeus, 10) Simon the Zealot, 11) Judas bar James. (Luke 6:14-16). The list does not include the twelfth disciple, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

On the tenth day of Christmas...

On the 10th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
Ten Lords A-leaping

The ten commandments: 1) You shall have no other gods before me; 2) Do not take God's name in vain; 3) Remember the Sabbath Day; 4) Honor your father and mother; 5) Do not murder; 6) Do not commit adultery; 7) Do not steal; 8) Do not bear false witness; 9) Do not covet a man's wife; 10) Do not covet a man's goods. (Exodus 20:1-17)