John is beloved because he is a disciple who himself loves much - so much that he alone of the Apostles follows Christ all the way to Calvary and stands with the Blessed Mother and Mary Magdalene at the foot of the Cross. He is our model in loving discipleship.
Christ is King of All . . . Even The Holidays
Christ is King of All We know that Christ is "King of All," but do we know what that means? So Paul, standing in the middle of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I … Continue reading Christ is King of All . . . Even The Holidays
Giuseppe Sarti’s ‘Now the Powers of Heaven’ and Rublev’s ‘Holy Trinity’
Giuseppe Sarti Those of us in the West who have heard of the Italian composer Giuseppe Sarti most likely know about him through the tribute paid by another composer: in Mozart's Don Giovanni Don Juan listens to an air from Sarti's opera Fra i due litiganti il terzo gode as the old rake enjoys his … Continue reading Giuseppe Sarti’s ‘Now the Powers of Heaven’ and Rublev’s ‘Holy Trinity’
We’re Living in the Age of Esau
In pursuit of an illusory freedom we have cut ourselves off from the experience of our ancestors (racist, rigid, old, dead, etc.) and don't even seem to have noticed that at the same time we have cut ourselves off from reality. It's not all up to us. We can't invent ourselves, we can't, as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy notoriously opined, "define [our] own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life." A proper appreciation of what we have been given by our predecessors helps us understand our reliance on what has been given to us by God as well (which is one of the main ideas behind this blog). If, like Esau, we listen to our appetites of the moment and disregard everything else, we will lose our own birthright . . . forever.
‘Nisi Dominus’: Arrows in the Hand of a Warrior
Nisi Dominus from Monteverdi's Vespro Della Beata Vergine * Nisi Dominus: Unless the Lord Builds the House . . . Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) was probably the most important composer in the transition from Renaissance Polyphony to Baroque. This beautiful piece from his Vespers composition, Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610), is a musical setting for Psalm 127 … Continue reading ‘Nisi Dominus’: Arrows in the Hand of a Warrior
Monteverdi’s ‘Nisi Dominus’: Arrows in the Hand of a Warrior
Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643) was probably the most important composer in the transition from Renaissance Polyphony to Baroque. This beautiful piece from his Vespers composition, Vespro della Beata Vergine (1610), is a musical setting for Psalm 127 (sometimes listed as Psalm 126). This particular psalm (printed in full below the music video) has always resonated with me. … Continue reading Monteverdi’s ‘Nisi Dominus’: Arrows in the Hand of a Warrior
A Tribute Vice Pays to Itself, or, The Joy of Getting Gelded
The celebrated 17th century wit François de La Rochefoucauld once opined, “hypocrisy is a tribute vice pays to virtue”. In other words, we lie about what we are doing because we’re wise enough, at least, to be ashamed of it. What can we say, however, about an age that knows no shame?
Aborigines, Atheists, and the Authenticity of the Gospels
A few years ago I ran across an amazing story ("Ancient Sea Rise Tale Told Accurately For 10,000 Years") from Scientific American, detailing how aboriginal Australians have preserved, via oral tradition, accurate information about geographical features that have been underwater since the end of the last Ice Age, circa 10,000 years ago. The article is … Continue reading Aborigines, Atheists, and the Authenticity of the Gospels
Is it I, Lord? (Good Friday)
When Jesus says to them, "You will all fall away” (Matthew 26:31), he’s not speaking only to his Apostles, but to all of us who have been his disciples in the millennia since, as well as all those in the years to come.
Who Are Those Cheering People? Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday
There’s something a little unsettling about Palm Sunday. It appears that the same people who welcome Jesus as a victorious king at the beginning of the week are screaming for his death by its end. The liturgy reminds us of this incongruity by putting Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday together (at least in the Ordinary Form; … Continue reading Who Are Those Cheering People? Palm Sunday/Passion Sunday