Do you know what love is?

Rocker Courtney Love.

Do you know what love is? You might get many different answers if you spent an afternoon asking "What is love?" to people walking down a busy street. Using the model of God's love, here is how St. Paul describes it.

1 Corinthians 13
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 4Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 13So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

Good Samaritans

Somehow, for all these years I had missed the detail that there are still Samaritans out there. I came across that information when reading up for yesterday's Sunday School class. I was aware of at least one other unusual group of adherants to Israelite religion (the Ethiopian Falasha), but now here is another. They are not very numerous--only about 150 in 1900, and about 600 in 2000. They are a very conservative bunch. They don't usually marry outsiders. They only accept (their version of) the Penteteuch. They follow the Torah very strictly. Unlike rabbinical Judaism, they also have their own priesthood and offer animal sacrifices at Gerizim.

Samaritan priests at Gerizim (above) c. 1900. The Samaritan Torah (below).

My favorite winter games

Here is a little slideshow of my favorite events in the Winter Olympics. Downkill skiing is the only one I've done personally (though certainly not at 80 mph). I'd love to go curling sometime.

Macho Italiano

And so begins the games of the XX Winter Olympiad. I noticed the high testosterone level of the Italian presentation of the opening ceremony. From the rollerbladers on fire to the supermodel with the Italian flag to the Olympic Ferrari to the man striking the anvil which produced the particularly. . . ahem, er, manly flames . . . the ceremony told us these Olympic games are meant to invoke passion, and I'm passionately awaiting the downhill skiing, ski jumping, bobsled, luge, and (believe it or not) curling.

Why?

For those of you who may be serious Pink Panther fans like me, you are probably looking at the new "prequel" Pink Panther starring Steve Martin released today and asking, "Why?" I cannot necessarily make it morally justifiable to you, but Professor Matkin can explain why it makes sense that it has happened. I'm sure for us it would be hard to watch the new film without sharing the sentiment expressed by Roger Ebert in his review, ". . . at every moment in the movie, I was aware that Peter Sellers was Clouseau, and Steve Martin was not." How did this new film get made? It is a matter of simple arithmetic:

* MGM (now owned by Sony) desperately needs money and money-making films, so the rebirth of a successful film franchise is a promising way to stay in the black.

* Family films are increasingly rare, so any film you can take the kids to ends up earning a good return. Expect the new Pink Panther to do the same.

* Steve Martin is apparently making movies for his kids to watch. Think of this as the French slapstick version of Cheaper by the Dozen. I've heard it is decently funny.

* It's no mistake that the director of this Pink Panther, Shawn Levy, also directed Martin in the Cheaper by the Dozen films. Stars and directors collaborating together get any film made.

* Sony wants to build up the drawing power of singer and co-star Beyonce Knowles among pre-teens. This movie is a great vehicle to do so.

* By releasing the movie, it renews interest in the old films and boosts the DVD market. Did you notice how all the old films and cartoons were just rereleased on DVD?

* Blake Edwards gets a fat royalty check and doesn't have to do any work.

Add it up, and you will see why it makes sense . . . and even more cents.


Steve Martin and director Shawn Levy (above).
Martin as Inspector Jacques Clouseau (below).

As an interesting note of trivia, Martin is the fifth actor to play Clouseau, and the seventh to play the lead role in the Pink Panther series. Peter Sellers played Clouseau in the first two films (The Pink Panther, and A Shot in the Dark) and then came back for three more films (Return..., ... Strikes Back, and Revenge...) with a fourth made posthumously with deleted footage (Trail...). Alan Arkin played the inspector in the third film (Inspector Clouseau). Clouseau was played by an impersonator in brief, dimly lit shots needed for plot exposition in Trail of the Pink Panther and Curse of the Pink Panther. I have never been able to find out who that was. My hunch is that it was Rich Little, who entirely dubbed the voice of the aging David Niven in Trail and Curse. The last actor to play Clouseau was Roger Moore (billed as "Turk Thrust II"), in a brilliant performance. After Clouseau, Ted Wass played the American detective drafted to find the missing Clouseau in the Curse of the Pink Panther (I seem to be the only person on earth who liked that movie). And the comic genius Roberto Benigni had a hit-and-miss outing as Officer Gambrelli (Clouseau's illegitimate son) in the Son of the Pink Panther.

Timely wisdom from the Office

Our lesson for Morning Prayer at our school chapel was relevant to the current headlines and the previous post. It is unfortunate that the worst examples from any group of people are the ones that get all the attention. What is the solution? St Paul would say it is to try to outdo one another in doing the right thing. That is the Christian response to outrage.

Roman 12:9-21 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be conceited. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." To the contrary, "if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Looney Tunes

I think most of us suspected that Europe would have something to awaken it to the seriousness of the dangers of radical Islamic fundamentalists. But I never would have guessed that it would come by reading the funnies.

It has been incorrectly reported that, according to Islam, Muhammed may never be depicted. That is not so (as is evident by the many depictions of him in Muslim art). However, he is only to be depicted with the utmost reverence, and there is a general preference against images in Islam overall. In a corresponding manner, the Easter Orthodox are known for their defense and use of icons--a practice which was fostered as part of their response to the Muslim charge of Christian idolatry in the use of images.

The political cartoons which sparked riots and the burning of embassies definitely depicted Muhammed in an irreverent manner. However, I believe that what caused the violent response was that the criticism expressed by the cartoons rings true. Muhammed had his peaceful period and his violent, conquering period. Both of these are reflected in the Qu'ran. Thus Islam has always had these two streams (peaceful and violent) within its tradition. The former produced a flowering of Arab culture which eventually blessed Europe with leaps forward in literature and science. The latter produced tendencies toward violent intolerance and conquest--especially among the Turks.

What is objectionable to modern Christians and other people of good will in today's society is that Islam requires of non-muslims the same devotion toward its tenants as it does of faithful believers, and will not tolerate any criticism by either. If I as a Christian in a country under Islamic law were to state the simple and obvious assertion of my own faith that Allah is not God and that Muhammed is not God's prophet, it would simply not be tolerated. Hence the great outrage at political cartoons that criticize Islam. This, despite the fact that Arab political cartoons seem to have no reservation about being brutally critical of infidels and outrightly anti-semetic.

I can only imagine what kind of response we would see if newspapers started running Jack Chick's fundamentalist gospel tracts aimed at Muslims like these. "Allah had no Son" (below)



"The Pilgrimage" (below)

General Synod

The General Synod of the Church of England is underway. I've enjoyed listening to some of the debate online. The issue getting the most attention this time around is considering the consecration of women to the episcopate. For those who are not aware, unlike the Episcopal Church in the United States, the C of E decided to act in stages because of a lack of widespread agreement--authorizing the ordination of women to only the priesthood in 1992.

One speaker (who was in favor of the measure, but thought it might not be the right time to make the change) made a point that I had not considered. He posed the rhetorical question about the problem of what if a female bishop ordains a male priest and then later on that priest comes to the point that he is not convinced that the ordination of women is God's will. There is no provision for him to be able to continue a priestly ministry in good conscience--by being either reordained or conditionally ordained. It would create a big mess. The speaker was illustrating that the measure has not been thoroughly thought through.

What the speaker did not go on to consider was the same problem on a church-wide scale. What if 50, 200, or 400 years down the road, the Church as a whole comes to the understanding that this innovation is not God's will in this process of "open reception?" Would we have created a bigger mess than can be cleaned up? Or would we simply fail to do the right thing because of being overwhelmed by the scope of the task involved?

With convention/synodical government in control of the Church and her laws, the unfortunate human compulsion to perpetually tinker with the system is fostered and given opportunity, but tinkering may not always a good thing.

Hail Carey

Dr. George Carey, previous Archbishop of Canterbury

Thank you, Lord Carey for telling it like it is. Here is the story from
the Jerusalem Post:

The former archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday he was "ashamed to be an Anglican" following Monday's vote by the Church of England to disinvest from companies whose products are used by the Israeli government in the territories. The February 6 divestment vote, which was backed by current Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, was "a most regrettable and one-sided statement," Lord Carey said, and one that "ignores the trauma of ordinary Jewish people" in Israel subjected to terrorist attacks. Lord Carey joined Jewish leaders protesting the vote by the General Synod, the church's legislature, to adopt a "morally responsible investment in the Palestinian occupied territories and, in particular, to disinvest from companies profiting from the illegal occupation, such as Caterpillar Inc., until they change their policies."

Please read the whole story here.

"For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you [i.e., Israel], for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: 'Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.'" Zechariah 2:8-9

Civility laid to rest?

Yesterday, civil rights leader Coretta Scott King was laid to rest. It did not take long for some to attempt to turn a solemn time of remembrance and an act of worship into a political rally.

The Rev'd Joseph Lowery, former head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which King helped found in 1957, gave a playful reading of a poem in eulogy of Mrs. King. He said, "She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism and war / She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar / We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there / But Coretta knew and we knew that there are weapons of misdirection right down here / Millions without health insurance. Poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor."

In an unprecedented moment, former President Jimmy Carter took his turn in the eulogy at the funeral to launch another thinly-veiled criticism of the current administration, saying "It was difficult for [the Kings] personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated, and they became the targets of secret government wiretapping and other surveillance."

Thankfully, the funeral did not turn into the outright travesty that was the funeral-turned-political-rally of the late Senator Paul Wellstone. However, it seems that the expectation of "laying down your weapons" for occasions like this has gone by the wayside. The criticisms voiced at the funeral may be legitimate; however, there are times and forums for robust political debate--even for partisan sarcasm and attacks--but a funeral is not it. If I were invited to deliver a eulogy, I would not use the occasion to take jabs at someone else, especially not another speaker at the same funeral. In Anglicanism, we object to outright eulogies because the proclamation of Jesus takes priority over the praise of his servants. Perhaps we now need to go on the record to further state that a funeral is not the right time and place for political attacks. Has civility been laid to rest along with Mrs. King?

What do Anglicans believe? Part 6

Miss Evelyn Underhill--Anglican mystic, poet, and novelist

For a change of pace, I thought I would turn to a quote from a more "spiritual" writer on the Anglican faith. It is hard to find a piece of Evelyn Underhill's writing that is not worth being quoted. Here is an excerpt from a speech, titled "Sacraments and Mysticism," given to the 1927 Anglo-Catholic Congress in London. It answers some of the concerns of both puritanical protestantism as well as esoteric New Age religion and exhibits the Anglican and Benedictine value of moderation.

As, if we want to feed a living and growing plant, we must feed it through the soil in which it is growing and not root it up and shake it free of soil till it is "pure plant"--so it is dangerous and, indeed, impossible to shake the living soul free of all its bodily and physical attachments, and try to treat it as "pure" spirit. Our souls and our senses are closely allied, and the God who is the God of our most apparently spiritual experience is also the God of our sensory experiences . . .

Therefore, an arrogant refusal to recognize that God does come to us through things perceptible to the senses--here and not in some hypothetical "spiritual" world" only known in some abnormal state of consciousness--is bad mysticism and bad religion too. Just as bad as the opposite extreme, which distrusts all secret, inarticulate communion of spirit with Spirit--all invisible religion--and tries to limit God by his sacraments.

The task of a Princess

Left: Princess Alessandra Borghese on summer holiday at the Island of Panarea.
Right: serving the crippled who come to Lourdes to pray for healing.

Here's an interesting tidbit from Whispers in the Loggia. So many of our little girls want to be princesses, and look up to them when growing up. In America, I think our exposure to princesses has been very limited--mostly to Diana of Wales and some others in the British Royal Family as well as Grace Kelley.

Princess Alessandra, a member of the Borghese noble family of Italy, is a part of the royal court of the Sovereign of the Vatican City State. How does this princess spend her time? Hmmm . . . sponsoring religious, artistic, and cultural events, speaking out, looking pretty, and charming philanthropists, engaging in good works, encouraging devotion to Our Lady and the ministry of Lourdes, taking holiday, serving the Church and the Holy Father, etc. Not a bad role model.

From her bio: In 1990 she founded the Alessandra Borghese Culture Centre with which, over the years, she has organized very successful public events of a high standard in the art, cinema and music fields. At the same time, she worked on the restoration of a 17th Century family property near Montecatini Terme, transforming a farmhouse into a tourist centre. To promote the new complex, Alessandra Borghese organized two events called “Country art at the Medici farmhouse” (1995-1996). During the second edition, she set up an exhibition called “The Borghese family, patronage in 1996” working with major contemporary Italian figurative artists, followed by an international meeting on the theme of contemporary art patronage. She has also organized Eucharistic celebrations in the most famous Roman Basilicas, presided by Cardinals of the Clergy and accompanied by renowned international orchestras including the great Dresden Orchestra (2000), the Regensburg Choir (1999) and the Salzburg Chamber Orchestra (2001). Profits were devolved to humanitarian causes, including the poor in Rome and Afghan refugees. Alessandra has also raised funds for the Italian Cancer Research Association and for the Koscevo Hospital in Sarajevo through charity events. She was Roman Mayor Rutelli’s Special Counsellor for Culture and Tourism (a non political, fiduciary appointment) during the 2000 Jubilee, as well as a member of the Agenzia della Moda Board of Directors.

Princess Ale with Papa Benny on the papal plane returning from World Youth Day in Cologne (with Angelo Cardinal Sodano, the Vatican Secretary of State and Dean of the College of Cardinals, looking from the next row)

The Presentation of our Lord and the Purification of our Lady

Today we commemorate Candlemas, and I love the reading and five traditional prayers for blessing candles (below).

Luke 2:27-35
27And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29"Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30for my eyes have seen your salvation 31that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel." 33And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35(and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

Prayers for Blessing Candles
O LORD, holy Father, almighty and everlasting God, who hast made all things out of nothing, and hast appointed that the labors of bees should be formed into wax by thine ordinance, who likewise on this day didst fulfill the prayers of thy righteous servant Simeon: we humbly beseech thee that thou wouldst vouchsafe by the power of thy holy Name, and at the intercession of blessed Mary ever-Virgin, whose festival we this day devoutly celebrate, and of all thy saints, to bless + and sanctify + these candles for the use of men, and for their protection both in body and soul in all perils of land or sea; hear, O Lord, we humbly pray thee, from thy holy heaven and from the throne of thy glory, the voice of this thy people that seeketh to bear them forth to thy glory and to sing thy praises; and we humbly beseech thee that thou wouldest have mercy upon all that call upon thee, whom thou hast redeemed with the precious Blood of thy dear Son; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who on this day didst suffer thy only-begotten Son to be presented in the temple and to be received in the arms of Saint Simeon: we humbly beseech thy mercy, that like as we thy servants, taking these candles do seek to light them and bear them to the glory of thy Name, so thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless + and sanctify + the same, that we being made worthy of offering them unto thee, our Lord and our God, and being enkindled with the holy flame of thy most gracious charity, may be found meet to be presented before thee in the temple of thy glory; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who art the true light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world: we beseech thee to pour out thy blessing + upon these candles and sanctify + them with the light of thy grace; mercifully grant that even as with their outward flame they scatter the darkness of night, so our hearts being inflamed with the inward brightness of thy Holy Spirit may be delivered from all blindness of iniquity, and that the eyes of our souls being so enlightened may discern such things as are pleasing unto thee and profitable unto us for our salvation, that finally after the darkness and dangers of this world we may attain in the end to light everlasting; through thee, O blessed Jesus, Redeemer of the world, who in the unity of the blessed Trinity livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who by the mouth of Moses thy servant didst command the children of Israel to bring pure olive oil for the lamps to burn always before thy face: we beseech thee to pour the blessing + of thy grace on these candles, that like as they shed forth on us their outward beams, so of thy bounteous goodness the light of thy Holy Spirit may never fail to enlighten us inwardly in our souls; through Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

O LORD Jesus Christ, who on this day appearing among men in the substance of our flesh wast presented by thy parents in the temple, whom Simeon in his old age, being enlightened by the light of thy Spirit, knew and blessed, taking thee in his arms: mercifully grant that we, being enlightened and instructed by the grace of the same Spirit, may know thee truly in our minds and love thee faithfully with all our hearts; who livest and reignest with the Father in the unity of the same Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Happy Groundhogmas

Ever wondered why someone would pay attention to a prognisticating groundhog? Here's an interesting note about the background from Wikipedia.

The tradition of Groundhog Day originated in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on February 2, 1887. In the United States, the tradition derives from a Scottish couplet:
If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,
there'll be two winters in the year.

This tradition also stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and Hedgehog Day. Candlemas is the feast of the Presenatation of Christ (the "Light of the Word") in the Temple and marks his recognition as such by the old prophet Simeon. Hedgehog Day was observed by the Romans during the Festival of Februa on February 2. It is believed that when a hibernating hedgehog emerges from its den on Hedgehog Day and sees its shadow, there is a clear moon and six more weeks of winter. This popular holiday in Europe was then copied by the original American settlers as Groundhog Day, replacing the hedgehog with a groundhog since there are no native hedgehogs in the Americas.

Although the date is often referred to as one of the four quarter days of the year (the midpoints between the spring and fall equinoxes and the summer and winter solstice), it is in fact one of the cross-quarter days and has roots in the pagan festival of Imbolc and the Celtic festival of Brigid. Indeed, bright, clear weather in a North American winter is often associated with very cold temperatures.

In western countries in the Northern Hemisphere the official first day of Spring is about six weeks after Groundhog Day, on March 20 or 21. About 1,000 years ago, before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar when the date of the equinox drifted in the Julian calendar, the spring equinox fell on March 16 instead. This was exactly six weeks after February 2. Assuming that the equinox marked the first day of spring in certain medieval cultures, as it does now in western countries, Groundhog Day occurred exactly six weeks before spring. Therefore, if the groundhog saw his shadow on Groundhog Day there would be six more weeks of winter. If he didn't, there would be 42 more days of winter.

In other words, the Groundhog Day/Hedgehog Day tradition may have begun as a bit of folk humor. As for my own prognistications, I predict that whether the weather is cloudy or sunny today, we'll still have no winter here in Texas.