Since tomorrow is the Feast of the Presentation, Holst's "Nunc Dimittis" is an appropriate selection for Music Monday, here with Caravaggio's powerful depiction of "The Presentation" as the backdrop . "Nunc Dimittis" is the Latin name for the prayer the old man Simeon says when he picks up the Christ Child in the temple. It has … Continue reading Music for the Presentation of Our Lord: Holst’s “Nunc Dimittis”
Religion, Culture, & Politics: Which is the Foundation?
Religion, Culture, & Politics Religion, culture, and politics are all interrelated, but how? How important should politics be to a serious Christian? What is the importance of culture? I hit a bit of a hot button last week in my introductory post on this blog when I wrote: I promise to try not to get too … Continue reading Religion, Culture, & Politics: Which is the Foundation?
What I Learned: Evangelizing the Lukewarm
What I Learned What I learned . . . well, we can never tell when, or from where, we will find a valuable new discovery. I wrote an earlier version of the post below seven years ago. It started when I was picking absent-mindedly through some neglected looking books on the shelves of a retreat house. … Continue reading What I Learned: Evangelizing the Lukewarm
Crisis Magazine Has Homer’s Back
I'm just dropping a quick note to let you know about a great article by Paul Krause on the Crisis Magazine website called "Reclaiming Homer". Krause shows that the underlying theme of Homer's Iliad is forgiveness, and demonstrates that, once again, the Cancel Warriors don't have a clue. Don't miss it.
Ave Verum Corpus – W.A. Mozart
Ave Verum Corpus ("Hail, True Body") is a brief chant composed in the 13th century as a meditation on the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist (I've posted the words, In both Latin and English, under the clip below). It has traditionally been sung during the elevation of the Host at Mass. Numerous composers … Continue reading Ave Verum Corpus – W.A. Mozart
Laudamus Te, by Antonio Vivaldi
One of my purposes with this blog is to share some of the treasures from the enormous deposit of beautiful art and music, especially sacred art and music, that has been handed down to us. Take the delightful duet below, for instance, which was actually composed as a part of the Mass: it is the … Continue reading Laudamus Te, by Antonio Vivaldi
The Bigger They Come, The Harder They Fall: The Conversion of Saint Paul
“The bigger they come, the harder they fall.” How many times have we seen that the more formidable the opponent, the more dramatic the impact when he comes crashing down?
Don’t Let Them Muffle The Message of Life
This year's March for Life in Washington has been cancelled - or perhaps I should say "Cancelled" - who would have guessed? The first March for Life was a protest against the notorious U.S. Supreme Court decisions Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton, which together effectively wiped out all state laws restricting abortion. It … Continue reading Don’t Let Them Muffle The Message of Life
Our Hope is in The Lord (Forget the Tech Tyrants)
Our hope is not in politics, or programs, or policies, or in people: our hope is in The Lord: Spes in Domino est.
Mozart Mass in C: Gloria
Please take a few minutes to listen to this beautiful sacred music, the "Gloria" from Mozart's Mass in C. I particularly recommend the "Laudamus Te" (starting at 2:40): it absolutely soars. Mozart himself was a sincere, if imperfect, Catholic who composed c. 60 pieces of sacred music over his short lifetime. We'll be hearing from him again on this … Continue reading Mozart Mass in C: Gloria