December 29, 2009 — St. Thomas Becket

     Thomas Becket was born in London in 1118, the son of a former sheriff of London. He was educated and served Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury. He was appointed Chancellor by King Henry II, and in 1162, at Henry's behest, he was made Archbishop of Canterbury. In that position he became a vigorous defender of the freedom of the Church from royal interference — a major issue being the right of the clergy accused of crimes to be tried in ecclesiastical courts rather than civil courts. On December 29, 1170 he was killed  in Canterbury Cathedral during the service of Vespers by four knights who had journeyed from France, where the king was, thinking that the murder was what the king desired.

     Within three years St. Thomas was canonized, and the shrine containing his remains became a place of pilgrimage from all over Europe, with many reported miracles of healing taking place there. The name Thomas, little used before then, became very popular from then on. When Henry VIII was declared supreme head of the church in England, having pilgrimages to the shrine of a martyr for the liberty of the church from royal interference must have seemed a little awkward. The shrine was destroyed and the bones scattered; and the numerous pilgrimages and reports of miracles ceased.

     During a family trip to England in 1987, I visited Canterbury Cathedral. The bloodstains were faintly visible at the spot where St. Thomas fell a short distance inside one of the side doors. As I was leaving the area where the shrine had been and going down the steps into the nave, a tour guide was pointing out the massive rood screen which separates the nave from the choir. He remarked that when the Puritans came to power they destroyed the statues which it had held and added "So if you're Church of Scotland, you have a lot to answer for." To which, having just left the site of the destroyed shrine, I thought, "And if you're Church of England, you have even more to answer  for," but somehow I restrained myself from saying it. Maybe the guide was planning to use such a line when they got to the site of the shrine anyway. I hope so. But in fairness it should be noted, as Wiki points out, that the Church of England also venerates Thomas as a martyr, and the Archbishop of Canterbury conducts a service at the site of the former shrine, where a candle is kept burning.

     The Wiki article looks like a pretty good summary and includes part of the account by Edward Grim, who was present and wounded as he attempted to shield the archbishop from the first sword blow of the knights. Here's Grim's full account.

Welcome — December 27, 2009

     There are a number of new followers I've been meaning to welcome; and I'm surprised it's a month and a half since I've done so. And in that time, one or two have become followers and dropped off before I got around to welcoming them. My apologies if they were disappointed by the lack of recognition. But you should all realize that I appreciate followers' interest, even before I mention them. Now, more or less in the order they began following, here are my new followers.

     Southwood. Southwood's profile is blocked, so I can't tell you if he has a blog or not. From the titles of the other blogs he follows, I gather he is Christian. Southwood, if you have a blog and would like me to follow or post a link, please let me know.

   Lonely Boy. He describes himself, in part as "a closeted irish bisexual 18 year old who struggles his way through life."He also says he loves Gilbert and Sullivan, which definitely makes him someone I want to know. His blog is titled "Life sucks.....stick to theatre."  If you haven't yet seen it, take a look.

     Ryan O. He's a 24 year old gay guy living in Manchester, England. He started his blog "One Fine Gay" (love that title) last month. I've neglected to become a follower, but at a glance, it seems to be a journal type blog, which is always of interest to read. So why not take a peek and see what's going on in one man's corner of Mancs.


    the immigayrant says, "Hi there! Call me Pangudi. I am a 22-year old guy who recently completed an undergraduate degree in Melbourne, Australia. My dream is to live an openly gay life in an accepting society." As I understand it, he's an immigrant to Australia. His blog is titled "Gay and Away." He began posting in August and has posted once each month through November. So I'm not sure how much more we'll here from him, but you can see what's there, and maybe a comment or two would encourage further blogging on his part.


     Corve. Corve DaCosta is 22 and a marketer, who wants to share his experiences and thoughts. Corve DaCosta's Blog — as he sensibly titles it — contains thoughtful opinions about current events and the entertainment world. Worth checking out.


     buffguy_83. does not seem to have a blog or a profile available. But from his links, it seems he's interested in sports. buffguy_83, if you have a blog and want me to follow and link, please let me know.


     LX.  His screen name is Alex Murdy, he's 23, lives in Australia (Melbourne, I think) and is struggling to be faithful to God and find love. His blog is called "The Andron," and he asks the question, "Can I be Gay and still be Catholic?" to which I answer a definite, "Yes," but maybe I define the term "gay" differently. Anyway, it's a touching blog.


    Welcome to all of you. I hope you find my blog worth reading.


     There are four other new followers who show some of the same porn blogs, so I assume it's one blogger looking for followers, rather than anyone who is at all interested in the content of my blog; so I'm blocking them. If "they" really care about my blog, "they" can read it of course. but I don't care to be a direct conduit to "their" blogs.

Merry Christmas

     Warmest best wishes for a very Merry Christmas to all who read this post. Even if you aren't a Christian I hope you will have a great day. And for Christians, we have the added joy of remembering the birth of the one who came to bring us eternal life by uniting humanity with God in his own person and redeeming us from our sinfulness.

     I've already helped out at my parish's 4:00 Mass, and I plan to be at the Midnight Mass and at the 11:00 a.m. one. My brother who is visiting from Boston and I will exchange presents, and open a few from outside the house, around 7:30 a.m. At 2:00 p.m. we'll join our aunt and three of her friends for dinner. Since I won't have any leftover turkey, I'll cook a rib roast for dinner for my brother and me on the second day of Christmas, aka Boxing Day, aka St. Stephen's Day.

     Here are a few views of the decorations at the Naturgesetz place.

Wreath beside side door.

Wreath on front door.

My Christmas tree on the mantel. Including the base, it's about 21 inches tall. You can see a portrait of my dad reflected in the mirror. It was painted when he was about 45 for my grandfather. We got it when Gramps died. If the place looks a bit cluttered, that's because it is.

Quilt on the side door.

Japanese picture from brother and sister-in-law, hung on wall scroll in entry hall.

This one's in the living room. You can see that it is thirty years old. It's homemade. I like thistles. If I were entitled to a floral badge, I think I'd choose the thistle. You can see the straps at the corners that hold the picture on the scroll.

Creche on top of TV.  Photo is one of my great grandmothers. She's working on a piece of embroidery which is framed on the wall above and to the right of this scene. The photo is in a frame made by my grandfather (her son-in-law). The vase is from Prince Edward Island, and I cut the roses a couple of months ago. (This great grandmother was not one of my PEI ancestors.)

Poinsettia from church.

Painting by fellow blogger Dean Grey , titled "Christmas Apple." Strictly speaking, it's not a Christmas decoration, since I'll have it visible all year. But I decided to include it because of the title and because it arrived in the mail today, December 24. In the picture, it is in a small wall niche. To the right is a bronze piece depicting St. Boniface which I probably got in Fulda in 2005. Since I took this picture, I have put the painting in a frame and moved it to my bedroom.

     Again, Merry Christmas to all.

Retreat Report & Photos

     The retreat went pretty well. As I said beforehand, I had wanted to strengthen my prayer life. Every "retreatant" was assigned a director. Each director had 4 or 5 retreatants to direct.I told mine what I was hoping for, and she did a good job of suggesting scripture passages for me to read and think about and pray over. So I think I ended up better off than I had started.

     Apart from meals and daily mass and our meetings with our directors, our days were pretty unstructured. So we could pray when we were ready, and relax when we wanted. Two of the days were nice enough for extended walks, and some of the neighborhood where I walked reminded me of the area where I grew up — large houses with extensive grounds.

     I found that I went to bed much earlier than I do at home — between 9:00 and 11:00 — and got up by 6:00 instead of 7:30.Obviously, with so much time, and so little else to do, I spent much more time praying and reading scripture that I could possibly do at home, but I find I am doing more now than I did before the retreat. So, so far so good.

     Here are some pictures.

The main house at dawn, as seen from my room.

The dormitory wing, where I stayed. My room is on the first floor. There are two near the middle with the curtain open. Mine is the one on the right.

Central portion of main building. In the middle of the second floor level is a sundial, with a legend at the top that reads, "Carpe Diem." The wall in the foreground really is curved — it's not some sort of illusion.

"Fireplace room." It occupies the ground floor of the wing nearer the dormitory. Above the fireplace is a copy of the "Old Testament Trinity" icon by Rublev — showing the three angels who visited Abraham. The first part of daily Mass and the conclusion took place in this room. The doors open into the glassed in one-story conservatory area visible in the picture from my room.

Central foyer. The liturgy of the Eucharist took place around the table. The bread and wine were offered and consecrated, and the people received Communion. We then went back to the fireplace room for the concluding prayer and blessing. You can see the advent wreath (suspended from the ceiling).

Blessed Sacrament Chapel, in the other wing of the main building.

My room.

My room.

Sunrise.

Niles Pond, which separates Eastern Point from East Gloucester. A narrow strip of land on each side of the pond separates it from Gloucester Harbor to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The retreat house is on Eastern Point. This view is toward East Gloucester. There is some ice on the pond in the middle foreground.

Retreat

     Last spring my spiritual director recommended I take a directed retreat. Here's how the website of one retreat house describes it.

     The directed retreat focuses on an individual’s experience of God at a given time in their faith-journey.  The length of time given to this kind of retreat varies, from six days to 30 days.

Central to this retreat is the role of the director who meets with the retreatant, usually daily.  Retreatants talk over with their director what is happening as they seek to open themselves to God and become sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit deep in their hearts.  The director offers material and suggestions for the follow day’s prayer.

Although the entire day can be considered a time of prayer, the day itself is best divided into certain periods of formal prayer, ordinarily adding up to between three to five hours.

Secondly, there are times for reflection following each period of formal prayer; the retreatant reflects on what was going on in the prayer (what was God like? What was I feeling: what is God saying to me? etc., etc.)

Thirdly, there need to be periods of relaxation and rest, for very little is attained in an atmosphere of strain and weariness.  These periods of relaxation are intended to provide a helpful change of pace; still, care needs to be taken, by continuing to observe the retreat silence, not to lose the taste and desire for prayer.

A quiet, peaceful and prayerful atmosphere is essential so that each may hopefully find their own daily rhythm of prayer, reflection and relaxation in an atmosphere of peace and calm.  It is in a climate of silence and simplicity that one can best be alone with God and experience the gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit.

In addition to the desire to pray, the directed retreatant must have a capacity and willingness to be open with the director in expressing and sharing what is going on during prayer.  This, of course, can be difficult, particularly if this constitutes a new experience for a person, since one’s prayer is a very personal thing.

The director has no preconceived goals or expectations regarding the retreatant’s prayer. For those seeking to find God in prayer and to dispose themselves as well as possible for God’s self-communication, there are no preconceived norms of success or failure.  The retreatant simply seeks to be open to the Lord.

Meeting individually with their directors, retreatants look comtemplatively at the movement of their spirit in their prayer and reflection.  These meetings ordinarily take place daily.  The Liturgy of the Eucharist is the only scheduled communal gathering during these retreats.

     The purpose is basically to jump-start my sluggish prayer life. I hope it works. This is the first such retreat I've ever been on, so it's a little bit scary. What if God tells me something I don't want to hear? But there's also the hope of deepening my relationship with him, which is what prayer is about. So I'm also hopeful.

     Anyway, I'll be away for a few days. And along with everything else I'll certainly pray for all of you and everybody else I've met over the internet.

     See you soon. Hang in there. And don't do anything I wouldn't do.

What Does St. Paul Say — No. 2: 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Paul begins by saying that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Then he warns those who hear his letter not to be deceived and tells them, in Raymond F. Collins's translation, "Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor perverts, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the avaricious, not slanderers, not the greedy will inherit the kingdom of God." See my post from last summer for other translations.

The first point I'd make is that the list contains a number of things which I think very few would have trouble calling sinful — idolatry, adultery, theft, avarice, slander, and greed. And it's not all about sex either, for whatever that's worth. My opinion is that the things in the list are all things which Paul is clearly calling wrong, so wrong that they keep us out of heaven.

Next, although I listed sins — idolatry, etc. — Paul lists types of sinners. So it can be understood that he is talking about people for whom these are a way of life: the person somehow is characterized by the sin; it's not just an uncharacteristic lapse or a one-off.

But if it is true that those who fit these categories are not part of the kingdom of God, it is important to know just what Paul means by the words here translated "perverts" and "homosexuals." The former is μαλακοι (malakoi) and the latter αρσενοκοιται (arsenokoitai). The basic meaning of "malakoi" is "soft." According to Collins, in his commentary in the Sacra Pagina series, it "is a term that was pejoratively used in Hellenistic Greek to describe passive partners, often young boys, in homosexual activity." "Arsenokoitai" seems to be used here for the first time in writing. Collins explains it as follows, "The neologism may derive from the prohibitions cited in Lev 18:22 and 20:13." The reason for thinking so is that it is a compound of the words in the Greek Septuagint of those verses meaning "male" and "bed," so it means "those who bed males." Collins continues, "It came to denote male homosexual activity, which was, in the eyes of Jewish authors such as Philo, Josephus, and the Pseudo-Phocylides, a sign of Gentile moral depravity. Paul apparently shared the Jewish prejudice on the sexual mores of Gentiles."

Occasionally, one comes across the argument that the meaning of "arsenokoitai" is somehow unclear, based on it's being new with Paul. But given the fact that it is a compound of the terms from Leviticus, I think it is obvious what Paul has in mind. The fact that the same meaning is there in later writers' use of the word corroborates that understanding.

The argument is also raised that, because Paul was in agreement with Jewish opinion, this is nothing but a cultural matter, like what he said about hair and hats. Perhaps if Paul had only mentioned it once in passing, it might be possible to see it as a culturally conditioned expression of an underlying general principle. (And what would that principle be?) But considering the force of his condemnation, as well as its consistency with his writings elsewhere on the topic, I see this as part of the inspired teaching of the scripture.

 I'd also note that, while these verses are not just about sex, the reference leads Paul to a discussion specifically about sexual morality in the course of which he says "For the two are, it is said, one flesh," referring to Genesis 2:24. And, as I have previously noted , I see that verse as showing us heterosexual marriage as God's plan for sex from creation.

What Does St. Paul Say — Note on the Status of My Project

     Those of you who were reading my blog last summer will recall that I began a project late in June in response to another blogger's (feetxxxl, by screen name) claim that scripture does not say homosexual conduct is a sin. His main focus was some passages in the epistles of St. Paul. I titled my project, "What Does St. Paul Say." So far, I have published seven posts in the series:
          Introduction , on June 25
          Introduction, Part 2 , on June 26
          No. 1 , on June 28 — here I listed three passages in which St. Paul deals explicitly with the topic
          No. 2: A Note About Interpreting Scripture , on July 1
          No. 2: Romans 1:26 , on July 3
          No. 2: Romans 1:27 , on July 16
          No. 2: Other Passages , on August 11

     The numbers correspond to the numbers of the items I set forth in the first post. And in my last post I got ahead of myself and mislabeled it. I still have to deal with the second and third passages which I quoted in "No. 1." Those are 1Corinthians 6:9-10 and 1Timothy 1:9-10. Those will complete Section 2. The "Other Passages" post blends Sections 3 and 4. Finally, in Section 5 I will deal with the passages cited by feetxxxl and his interpretation. That will probably require more than one post.

     So if you care about the topic and you haven't seen these posts before or want to refresh your memory, you can follow the links. I expect to be getting to Corinthians soon.

Happy Thanksgiving

     My turkey is stuffed and in the oven. It should be ready to eat in about three hours (it's just under 12 pounds). My brother has just arrived. In a couple of hours it'll be time to start the potatoes and squash. Meanwhile I also need to make the cranberry sauce and I want to whip some cream for the pumpkin pie which will have to bake while we're eating the turkey. The mince pie is already baked, and I've got some sage cheese to go with it. Gravy, of course, gets made once the bird is out of the oven and resting on the platter.

     So now, while I have a moment, I want to wish all my American readers a Happy Thanksgiving; and of course I also extend best wishes to all readers around the globe. We all have our struggles and sorrows, some much more than others, but today let's also try to be aware of all the good things that we enjoy.

     Here's a video of the Catholic Church's ancient hymn of Thanksgiving, "Te Deum Laudamus," chanted by the monks of the Grande Chartreuse Abbey in France. It was sung by Columbus when he made land on his first voyage. For more information and a translation (from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer), see the wiki article. Also, when I have some more time, I'll try to get a video of the magnificent baroque version by Marc-Antoine Charpentier and post it on my music blog. But now I'd better get back to the kitchen.

     Happy Thanksgiving, everybody !


     edit: I've posted the Charpentier videos on my music blog. 

Out at College — Not!

     A couple of weeks ago Gauss Jordan made a post titled "Out @ College – Recapped" in which he told of a weekend at his old alma mater (I think he graduated about 5 years ago) with a bunch of friends from his college days. Over the course of the weekend he came out to them, and they were cool with it.

     It got me thinking about how things have changed since the early '60's. No doubt if someone were to come out while still in college today, in most cases the reaction of friends would be similar to what Gauss Jordan got, although maybe the wider community would not all be so welcoming. But I asked myself what would have happened if I had come out to all my friends in college, and the answer is that I think it would have been a disaster. I did come out to a guy I had a crush on who was pressuring me to room with him and demanded an explanation why I wouldn't. And I came out to a gay guy in the class behind me who had latched onto me. And I came out to the priest I went to to try to get help. But that was it.

     There was a guy who got elected to Student Council freshman year, who had effeminate speech mannerisms, and he was consistently mocked in the weekly campus paper. He dropped out of the college after the year was over.

     One of my friends asked my roommate sophomore year, "Do you think Naturgesetz is queer?" and the roommate answered, "No. He's just not interested in girls." Well I wasn't queer in the sense of having sex with guys, but I was in the sense of being interested in them; and I don't think people would have been comfortable around me if they had known that. I'm sure I never would have been invited to the Bananas' reunion that I wrote about last year

     And if I had come out to them five years after graduation, I don't think they'd have been as cool with it as Gauss Jordan's friends. Maybe it was something they suspected, or knew at an unconscious level. But it was not something to bring out into the open.

     Today, if an occasion arose, I might actually tell the ones I've been in sporadic contact with, and I think they'd be okay. But those of you who are under 30 are really lucky to be living at a time when large segments of society are accepting of homosexuals. You don't have to come out unless you want to, but you don't have to stay in the closet either. You can get support if, like me, you believe that you ought to remain celibate. There are groups that help you deal with issues that you face. And if, despite my advice and urging, you decide to enter a sexual relationship, you don't have to skulk around in the shadows.

My Maps

visited 17 states (7.55%)
Create your own visited map of The World
The countries I've visited.



visited 22 states (44%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

The states I've been in.


But I must admit that I've only "visited" the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Utah in the sense of being in airports on my way to and from other places. Similarly, my "visit" to Belgium was only while driving from Trier to Aachen. And New Jersey and Delaware were only visited as I went to and from college. None of those were destinations.


I found the link to the site that lets you make these maps in this post on X's blog "To Engineer Love" (not to be confused with xthecouragex).

November 11 — Veterans Day — Followers

     This morning I attended my town's Veterans Day ceremonies in the auditorium of the Town Hall. The event was conducted by the town's Veterans' Agent. It began with the flags being advanced. There were prayers, speeches, the reading of the names of all veterans in town who had died in the past year, selections sung by the high school chorus, and the playing of "Taps." At the end of the ceremony the flags were retired.

     It lasted about 45 minutes and was was well attended — more people there than in prior years I think. And I was very impressed to see a number of high school age people there, including three guys in gray t shirts who knew enough to put their hands over their hearts during the playing of "Taps" and the singing of the national anthem.

     Today I have on new follower to welcome, Lazy Taco, who has the eponymous blog.  When you go there, you find that the profile for Lazy Taco gives the name Mexico Grandpa, a retiree living south of the border, who has a blog also called Mexico Grandpa. It seems he has been posting since July, but rather infrequently — about 6 posts so far, most of them talking about what Mexico is like. It looks like a worthwhile blog, so why not drop by and check it out?

     Surprisingly, I also "gained" a follower whose two blogs had nothing but pornography. And I don't mean pictures of guys in speedos, I mean videos of guys having sex. I can't imagine why he would want to follow my blog, unless it's to have his profile picture appear and get occasional new readers from people who decide to check out who he is. If he wants to follow my blog because he finds my content worthwhile, that's fine; but I don't intend to let my blog be a direct conduit to a pornographic blog.  So I've "blocked" him as a follower, which I hope will make him invisible in the followers gadget on my front page.

Oops! Blog Birthday Remembered

     By the time I finished writing the previous post, I had forgotten about the "Blog Birthday" part. Well, actually my first post was on October 31, 2008. So there you have it.

     And as long as I'm doing that sort of thing, this is post No. 139. I hit the century mark with my first post in July. It was "Happy Canada Day," with a link to the national anthem.

Welcome — November 6, 2009 / Blog Birthday

     I have several new followers in the past couple of weeks, whom I want to acknowledge. I hope all of you will find this blog interesting and worthwhile reading. Welcome, gracjc, Cooper , Fernandez , and You Tube Boys - The Boys Of You Tube.

     Cooper's blog is called Cooper's Corner. He lives in Florida, and he describes himself like this: Let's see I'm 30 something gay male with no life. I thought I would write my life and thoughts down here. I will write about my past and things going on in my life. I hope I don't bore anybody that might read this. He started in October, and despite a bit of foolishness, the blog so far is focused on his personal struggles. Worth reading, IMO.

     Fernandez has a blog titled Cada Um Na Sua, which looks as if it means "to each his own" in Portuguese. It has a lot of music videos with his comments. His self description begins, "Down to Earth, genuine, warm, sincere, affectionate person, love to talk, comunicate, make new friends, affection, hugs." He discusses interpersonal relationships and concludes, "Just Be Yourself." I think the blog can make for enjoyable viewing with food for thought.


     Judging from the profile pic, You Tube Boys - The Boys of You Tube , is a blog from our friend David DelaCruz. It is just what the name implies, with the terms of use we are familiar with for You Tube. A variety of types.

Dreadnought

     I've just discovered this blog, Dreadnought, which has been around since 2004. The blogger is a young Aussie lawyer, writer, and lecturer named John Heard. His blog became so popular and got so many comments that he had to disable comments. But he has a Facebook group where you can discuss his ideas.

     You should all go and check it out. He gives texts of lectures and discussions of various questions (e.g. why he doesn't like "reparative therapy"), and there are links to various columns he has written and radio and TV interviews he has given.

     He discusses the Catholic Church's position on homosexuality in a very learned and knowledgeable way. This makes it must reading for any Catholic, any cradle Catholic, any "recovering Catholic," and any former Catholic. It is also must reading for everybody else who wants to know or to discuss what the Catholic Church says on the subject.

     I could go on talking about him and the blog, but there is no substitute for looking at it yourself. So check it out. And join the Facebook discussion group if you want to talk to him about these things.

     BTW, I've added a link in the bloglist on the left. I may also put a link in with the recommended sites.

All Souls Day — November 2

     Having celebrated all saints yesterday, today the Catholic Church prays for all those whose sanctification had not been completed at the time of their death and whom God is purifying of their remaining imperfections and sinful attachments.

     Here is such a prayer in the form of a beautiful song by Franz Schubert, sung by one of the finest singers of this form of music of the 20th Century.

All Saints Day — November 1

     The Feast of All Saints goes back at least to the Fourth Century, when several writers spoke of a celebration of all holy martyrs. Eventually the celebration was extended to all others who have achieved their goal of eternal glory and joy in God's presence; and in the Western Church it is celebrated on November 1. (I believe it is in May in the Eastern Churches, but I'm not sure about that.)

     Today we are reminded that saints aren't just the great people whose names and lives have remained familiar through the ages — people like Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, Augustine, Thomas Becket, etc.

The saints also include a vast throng of ordinary people, many of whom we have never heard of, but others of whom are our own ancestors, relatives, friends, and acquaintances who have gone before us. So we rejoice in the way God's grace has worked in them, we ask them to intercede for us before the throne of God, and we take encouragement for our own struggle in life.

Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan

  I stole the title of this post from a book by the late 19th Century author Lafcadio Hearn. Now that I have a digital camera, I'll post pics from time to time. But as with other viewing matter, if you don't like it, you don't have to look. I'll put them in the order they were taken, rather than anything thematic.

  This is the first picture I took with the digital camera. The gray building houses the store where I bought it. The green structure at the top carries the tracks for the train I rode to get there.

  The inner gate and courtyard of the Kanda Shrine. It is an important one for Shinto believers in Tokyo. They have a major procession through the streets every other year.

  This is the Kanda River, near the shrine, looking toward the area where I bought the camera.. I took the shot because at first glance the little buildings on the left reminded me of "Little Venice" in Bamberg, Germany. But Bamberg doesn't have such large, modern buildings behind the small ones. Enclosing the rivers in channels is standard practice in Tokyo. The bridge in the background is for one train line and you see a subway crossing at the bottom in the foreground.

  Two photos from the Nihombashi area. Top — a shot of the bridge. The green thing above is the viaduct for a automobile expressway which is built over the river which the bridge crosses. If you build the expressway over the river, you don't have to tear down any buildings. Bottom, the streetscape looking north from the bridge. The building on the left is the world-famous Mitsukoshi department store.

  Three pictures from the Shinagawa area. Before modernization and the expansion of Tokyo, Shinagawa was the first stop on the Tokaido, the road from Edo (as Tokyo was then called), where the shoguns lived, to Kyoto, where the emperors lived. Top — Shinagawa Central Garden. Middle — a traditional-style house. Bottom — a bit of the old Tokaido in the area near the old station. The paving is modern, of course, as are the buildings. But it looks like a typical commercial street in a residential neighborhood. And the street is said to be the same width as the old Tokaido.

  Two shots of a Buddhist temple near where my brother lives. Top — the main building. Bottom — a hall to the left, facing the courtyard. There is another building to the right, also facing the courtyard. It looks similar in style to the main building, but smaller in size.

  The Grand Kabuki Theater.

  Sister-in-law and brother at lunch in their house, my last day there on this trip. (Please don't copy this.)

  BTW, the cat in my profile pic (for now) is theirs.

Back Again and Busy

I'm just in from Colorado, where my brother and I went for a funeral. Our cousin's husband's mother died about a month before her 101st birthday would have happened. She had 11 children, six of whom predeceased her. My brother and I flew out to Denver yesterday afternoon, drove a rental car to Pueblo, and then went to the funeral in Avondale this morning. We had to leave at noon to catch our 4:00 flight back to Boston. I wish we had been able to be there longer and spend some time visiting with the family, but they were very happy that we made the effort to be there.

It may seem extravagant, but five years ago, when my mother died, we told this cousin on a Sunday evening. They and their youngest son got in their car and drove from just East of Pueblo the my home near Boston in time to arrive during the wake on Tuesday evening. (I don't think they could have afforded plane tickets.) That was over 2000 miles and 33 hours of driving. If they took 8 hours to sleep along the way, they'd have had to leave at about 2 a.m. on Monday. Each hour later leaving is an hour less to rest.

And now, I've got a cousin from PEI due to arrive Tuesday evening, and I've got to tidy up the mess before she gets here (in addition to my routine activities). So again, you may not see much of me for a while. But I'll post and comment when I have time to stop and draw a breath.

Welcome — October 15, 2009: Praise Page, goleftatthefork, OGM

Several followers have joined recently. First was Praise Page. His name is Jonathon and he  describes himself as, "Just A Teen On A Mission. God Is My Hope And Christian Music Is My Life." Those of you who frequent Davis's "Small Town Chat" will probably recognize a familiar face. His blog is titled "Praise Page ~ Christian Music Videos," which describes it very well, from what I've seen. Check it out for some spiritual uplift.

Next is goleftatthefork, who probably needs no introduction to most of you. He remarked that he had thought he was already a follower. His blog is titled "Go Left At The Fork." (No big surprise there.) Now that I notice it, I'm not sure I approve of the caps on "at" and "the" in the title. Apart from that, it's interesting reading. He's 39 (or was when he started the blog, married 15 years, with two kids, and interested in guys.

Most recently, OGM, who says "Back in the dark ages of 1947 a brand new baby boy poked his head outside the comfort of the womb. He liked what he saw and so he decided to give life a try," about himself, decided to follow. (He's almost as old as I am.) His blog, "Diary of an Older Gay Man," has personal observations and remembrances, illustrated with pictures and videos — no porn. Check it out.

Welcome aboard guys. Sorry for being so slow with the welcome. I hope you continue to see something worthwhile here.

October 12, 2009: Columbus Day, Culture Day, Thanksgiving Day

 "In fourteen hundred and ninety-two / Columbus sailed the ocean blue," as we learned in grammar school. Although there were others who came to the Americas from Europe before him, it was his voyage that truly set off the age of exploration and colonization of the New World. He was a very devout Catholic, and at his first landfall he had the traditional hymn of thanksgiving, the "Te Deum," sung. All of us whose homes are here as a result of the European settlement of the Americas or of the subsequent events which depended on it ought to honor the intrepid "Admiral of the Ocean Sea" who set the events in motion. October 12 was the actual date of Columbus' arrival at Hispaniola. The United States now celebrates Columbus Day on the second Monday of October. This year, happily, the holiday falls on the actual date.

My brother tells me that in Japan, this is Culture Day. It was the Meiji Emperor's birthday. He was the one who took power back from the shoguns.

And in Canada, I understand, it is Thanksgiving Day.

So celebrate as many of these as you can. 

Back

Back from Japan a couple of days ago. Before I went I was wondering what I would do. I really had no ideas other than a day tour out to the area around Mt. Fuji for a close-up look. My sister-in-law had found and forwarded information on a bus tour with English-speaking guides — the sort of thing you sign up for at your hotel, but I could come aboard at their last stop in the city. So I brought plenty of books to read and was expecting to spend a lot of time sitting around the house.

Well …

At the spot (TCAT, if you know Tokyo) where my brother met me he found the Handy Tokyo Map and Handy Tokyo Guide, and I found some interesting looking stuff. And my sister-in-law had a couple of suggestions. My brother suggested how to get where I wanted on the subway and train system each day. And I never took the Fuji tour because it was cloudy and rainy most of the time I was there.

Thursday, my first day, I went to Akihabara, where the electronics stores are concentrated, and bought a digital camera with a lot more bells and whistles than I need (e.g., smile detector!). Then I walked around the area and nearby Ochanomizu, looking at some of the spots in the Tokyo Guide. Got lunch in a restaurant which featured little clams in its miso soup — by pointing at the picture in the menu. S-i-l's mother joined us for dinner.

Friday — they said my other brother and my nephew had both enjoyed the Edo-Tokyo Museum which displays models and artifacts from when the shoguns made it their capital and then shows how the city was modernized after the emperors resumed power and made it their capital with the name Tokyo (and how it was destroyed by the 1923 earthquake and the 1945 firebombing). After that I planned to see the Tokyo National Museum. But I spent almost five hours in the Edo-Tokyo Museum and that was enough time on my feet. I had lunch at the adjacent station and went "home." Dinner at a neighborhood restaurant.

Saturday I decided to see the Nihombashi region. There was a model in the museum showing how it looked in the early 1600's, and I wanted to compare. Nowadays it's a bustling commercial district. Then I would go to Shinagawa, where the Guide said you can see the area of the first of the 53 stages (rest stops) on the ancient route from Edo to Kyoto (the Tokaido). My brother suggested that while I was in Nihombashi if I had time I might like to take a peek inside the Mitsukoshi department store. I went in, found Christmas presents (2010 diaries/planners) in the book department for bro, s-i-l, and nephew, pictures for my wall scrolls, and an amazing exhibit of traditional crafts — I concentrated on the wooden items. On to Shinagawa. It was maybe a mile from the main station to the Tokaido stage area, Shinagawa Shuku (or Syuku, as the Guide spells it). I was disappointed that apparently the actual building travelers would have used 400 years ago wasn't there, but the street was still there — a typically narrow street lined with shops — buildings two or three stories tall. So I got to walk a portion of the historic route. Almost back to the station, I stopped for lunch at a place where there is a vending machine. You put your money in and press the button for your selection, and you get a ticket for it which you present at the counter. Dinner was at my s-i-l' brother's little apartment. He's a good cook.

Sunday — day of rest. Brother showed me a Buddhist temple he had discovered about a half mile from their home. Joined s-i-l for a 30th anniversary Mass at the Gregorian Institute, which is one place where she teaches organ. Dinner in another neighborhood restaurant.

Monday — s-i-l had pulled up stuff from the internet about the Kabuki performances. I went for the matinee, which lasted, with three intermissions, from 11:00 a.m. to after 3:00 p.m. Fortunately they have earphones for rent which give English explanations and large chunks of the dialogue. There were three major stories, and a snippet which began with the debut of the three year old son of one of the actors. At the outset of that piece, the actors took turns noting the debut. The last to speak said that he was very pleased to be part of it because the boy's great grandfather had been very kind and helpful to him when he began his acting career. Another machine ticket lunch, and dinner prepared by s-i-l, who is also a very good cook.

Tuesday s-i-l pointed out that the Tokyo National Museum (the one I didn't have time for on Friday) had a special exhibition of artworks from the imperial collections, also divided into sections from when they were in Kyoto and since they moved to Tokyo. Lots of screens and painted hanging scrolls — also vases and other furnishings from the Tokyo period — beautiful and fascinating things. Again I spent hours walking through it and through the nearby regular display. In the evening I took them to a neighborhood restaurant for dinner.

Wednesday, packed and took the train to the airport. Good flights (same on the way over).

So it was a great visit — no days sitting around the house; and except Sunday and Monday I spent about five hours on my feet each day and arrived "home" pretty footsore. Thanks to my brother's advice I did fine on the subway and train system. And I enjoyed everything I saw. Looking forward to my next visit.

Yom Kippur & Succoth; Break

It's still before sunset here as I write, so I can still wish all Jewish readers a good Yom Kippur. And then may you have a joyful Succoth.

Well, I'm not going to be posting much, if anything for the next ten days or so. So please don't think it's anything personal if I don't comment. And don't worry if you don't see any activity from this quarter. (But if it gets to be October 11 and there's still nothing, you can begin to be concerned — not that there's any reason to anticipate trouble: all is well, I'm just going to be otherwise occupied.) 

Welcome — September, 26, 2009: Glorfindel

My newest follower is Glorfindel, who actually joined several days ago. There are two blogs for you to check out, Jugendfest, and Victory of Faith. Jugendfest has pictures of young boys (innocent, from what I've seen), and Victory of Faith has thoughts on Popes, monarchs, and Aryans, from what appears to be a fairly traditionalist point of view. I spent a fair amount of time following some of the monarchist links. So, you might like to check them out. Some of the blogs that are linked on Victory of Faith appear to have a pro-Aryan or anti-Israeli point of view.

Welcome, Glorfindel. I hope you continue to find worthwhile material here.

September 21, 2009: St. Matthew & Welcome — Secretly Gay

I don't want to bury either of these items, so this post's a twofer.

Secretly Gay is my newest follower. His blog is called A Secretly Gay Teen Boy Blog. He lives in England, describes himself as working class, and writes about things that are going on in his life and his hopes for self-improvement. Maybe you can offer some good advice. Maybe you'll just like hearing about what he's doing. Why not check out the blog?

Glad you've decided to follow, Secretly Gay. I hope you find it worthwhile.

Today is the Feast of St. Matthew, the tax collector who answered the call to become one of the 12 apostles. One of the four gospels in the Bible bears his name. His profession of tax collector for the Romans meant that he was despised by his fellow Jews as a collaborator. Furthermore, it was a job which gave copious opportunities for extortion and fraud. So when Jesus and his disciples were joined by a large group of tax collectors and sinners for dinner the pharisees didn't like it. Table fellowship implied a considerable degree of closeness, and they thought that good people should have nothing to do with sinners. When they questioned Jesus' disciples about how he could do that, Jesus replied, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." Matthew 9:11-13

Because I worked for the IRS, I consider Matthew to be one of my patron saints. But more generally, I think we can realize both from the fact that Jesus chose him and from the reply to the pharisees that God does not reject people. If we realize that we have been doing things that are wrong, that doesn't mean that we can't get back to God. God still wants us and he'll help us to do better if we let him. 

Welcome — September, 17, 2009: Charlie S

A warm welcome to my newest follower, Charlie S, a high school student. I noticed that I had a new follower a couple of days ago, but when I clicked on the icon , I got nothing back.* Now, he has commented on one of my posts, and I've found his blog.

The blog is titled Boyintree, and it contains some wonderfully evocative writing. In trying to think how to describe it further, I thought of some of the slow movements in Beethoven concertos: there is great beauty combined with a deep sense of longing that is almost unbearable at times — I think of it as longing for heaven. Sometimes it is explicitly sad, and sometimes it is calm. Anyway, check it out and see for yourself. As of now, there are not many posts, so you can easily read it all.

* Edit 3:35 p.m., Sept. 17 — Thanks to Baz for pointing out that when I followed blogs, the same problem occurred and thanks for also pointing out the solution. Now everybody I follow can find me, and if you're as much a technological neophyte as I am, you might find the link helpful too.

September 15 — Our Lady of Sorrows

On September 14 the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of  the Triumph (or Exaltation) of the Cross. The following day (which it still is in this time zone as I write) it remembers Our Lady of Sorrows — the mother of Jesus, who stood by the cross as Jesus died. (The day was also called the Seven Sorrows of the BVM.)

In the Middle Ages popular devotion, encouraged first by the Servite and later by the Passionist orders, discerned and contemplated seven especially sorrowful moments in the life of the Virgin Mary: 1:) the prophecy of Simeon at Jesus' Presentation in the Temple, that a sword (understood figuratively) would pierce her heart in association with the opposition to Jesus; 2.) the flight of the Holy Family into Egypt to escape the murderous intent of King Herod; 3.) the incident in which Jesus was lost in Jerusalem at the age of 12; 4.) her meeting with Jesus as he carried his cross to Calvary; 5.) her standing beside the cross; 6.) her holding of his body when it was taken from the cross — the popular "Pietà" subject of sculpture and paintings; and 7.) the burial of Jesus.

For the Mass of the day, the sequence (a hymn to be sung between the epistle and gospel readings) Stabat Mater was composed. When I was a boy the hymn was sung to a fairly simple chant melody during the popular Lenten devotion called the Stations of the Cross — one stanza for each of the 14 stations. (Something similar happened with the sequence "Dies Iræ," which was originally written for the first Sunday of Advent, when the scripture readings referred to the final judgment at the end of the world. Bu it came to be used in Masses for the dead — Requiems — and as part of the Requiem it has received notable treatment by many composers, most spectacularly Berlioz, Verdi, and Mozart, IMO.) As wiki notes, the hymn has been given musical settings by numerous composers, famous and obscure. One of the most notable is that by Pergolesi in the early 1720's. (I think Abbado takes the tempo a bit on the slow side in the link, but you can find others, such as Scholl and Bonney, in the links to the video.) I'll put links to examples from other composers (and my Latin joke) in my music blog.

The name Dolores means "Sorrows," and is clearly a reference to Mary under the title Our Lady of Sorrows.

The prayer for the Mass of the day — which reads "Father, as your Son was raised on the cross, his mother Mary stood by him, sharing his sufferings. May your Church be united with Christ in his suffering and death and so come to share in his rising to new life, where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever." — might give us some pause if we think carefully about what we're asking for. But taking up our cross is no more than what Jesus says is required of all his disciples. We see Mary as leading us on the way, and we know that we all have our sufferings — it is just a question whether we choose to unite them with our following of the Lord so as to join Paul in filling up in our bodies what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, the church.

PEI Family Visit/Ball Game with Bob and Mark/Commenter's Block

Last week I went to Prince Edward Island for a brief visit. I flew there by plane and was on the ground for just over 72 hours. The first evening I had dinner with the family of the youngest of my second cousins. He and his wife have four children —one starting his second year at university, teen-aged girl, teen-aged boy, and a 14 month old son. After dinner, another cousin (I'll call her "Marian") took me to her place, and later we attended a singer's performance in a rural restaurant.

The next day, I visited the widow of my mother's first cousin (the mother of the second cousins) at the ancestral farm, and my mother's remaining first cousin in the city. Marian had me peel onions that were going to become part of a chow that some of her siblings and their mother would make the next day. We were visited for supper by a friend of hers and the two autistic boys the friend is caring for. Next another cousin dropped off her 12 and 10 year old sons for an overnight. We all went to a ceilidh (pronounced kaylee), a performance of traditional music with fiddling, singing, and step dancing. We met the friend and the autistic boys there. Marian says her nephews' regular bedtime is 7:30, but they were up until about 11:00 that evening.

The boys played in the yard in the morning and we all took a walk along a trail in the woods at before lunch. Then the mother picked the boys up.

My last morning there, Marian sent me to the Premier's office to pick up an item he was donating to her organization's auction.

What struck me from the visit is the sense of family and community — people taking care of each other, doing things especially for family members as a matter of course. This is not something I experienced growing up. Most of the family was too far away for easy contact. One grandmother and an uncle lived 15-20 minutes away, but I didn't observe a lot of back-and-forth. So I learned to be pretty much on my own, not expecting to be called on by relatives for help nor expecting to get much from them, resenting interferences in my routine. Coming to know these cousins as I have over the past four years has reminded me how self-centered I have become — something I need to work on if the second great commandment is to love others as I love myself.

Yesterday (Wednesday) evening I went to a Red Sox baseball game with Bob, who organized it, and Mark. I hadn't been to a major league baseball game for decades. It was thoroughly delightful. We met in Kenmore Square and went to a restaurant nearby (where I was recognized by the past commodore of my yacht club, who was with a group at the adjacent table). Our seats were high above left field, with a good view of everything except a corner of left field.

It was great meeting Bob and Mark, both nice guys. And we had such a lively conversation that I actually paid less attention to the game than if I had been at home in front of my TV. Of course, at the park, there's a lot more to look at than the small pice being shown on TV at any moment. And the experience of being there, just being part of the event (including singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch), felt exciting.

I sometimes wonder if I would like some bloggers I really like over the internet if I were to meet them irl. Well, with Bob and Mark, I was not disappointed. I like them just as much in person as I did in cyberspace and I'm sure I'd enjoy seeing each of them again.

I wouldn't recommend people under 18 meeting with adult bloggers, but for adults who have built up some degree of acquaintance and cyber-friendship, it can be worthwhile. Of course there is always an element of risk, as there is in any first encounter. The other guy could be an axe-murderer, someone who wants to out you if you're closeted, or just a jerk. And it's always wise to meet in a public setting for starters. But when you like what you know of someone from the internet, it can be worth a try, IMO. It certainly worked out very well for me. Just a wonderful evening with friends. And the Red Sox won!

Since I got back from PEI, I seem to be experiencing some commenter's block. I'll look at new posts on blogs I like and just not be able to come up with a worthwhile comment. There probably aren't many of you who notice when I don't comment on your blog, but if you have been missing my comments, let me assure you, it's not that I've stopped liking you or your blog. My feelings haven't changed since last month. But I have been thinking that I should cut down the time I spoend on the internet, and I should spend a bit more time at some websites I was a regular at before I discovered blogging. So maybe I won't have as many comments. But I'll be following you as I have been.

Welcome — August 30, 2009: Eirik; Away Briefly

I've been slow to welcome my newest follower, Eirik. He writes poetry, and he publishes some of it on his still-new blog. He also has an interesting new post on becoming aware of his orientation. Apparently his mother knew something was up before he did. So check it out. I think you'll find it interesting.

Also, I want to let you know that I'll be off the internet for a few days between now and next Friday, Sept. 4. So I won't be posting and I won't be commenting on your posts. I'll try to catch up, but I may miss a few things.

Hasta later.

August 28 — St. Augustine

St. Augustine (pronounced aw-GUS-tin, not AUG-us-teen) was born November 13, 354 in Tagaste (now the village of Souk-Ahras), in northern Africa, near the eastern border of Algeria. His father was a pagan and his mother a Christian. He had a classical education and followed the neo-Platonic philosophy of Plotinus; and he became a teacher of rhetoric. He had a son with a woman he lived with for 14 years but never married.

In keeping with the custom of the times, he was not baptized as an infant, but enrolled as a catechumen. While studying at Carthage he became a Manichean. It was his mother's prayer for years that he would become a Christian.

Having taught for a while in Tagaste and Carthage, he went to Rome in 383 and a year later got an appointment to teach rhetoric in Milan, where the influence of the bishop, St. Ambrose, led his questing soul to Christianity. He was baptized by Ambrose at the Easter Vigil, April 24-25, 387. (The ancient baptistry was rediscovered under the plaza just in front of the present cathedral during work on the city's subway system. I found it very moving to be able to visit there.)

Augustine then returned to Africa. Along the way his mother, St. Monica, who had joined him in Milan, died at Ostia, and is now buried in the church of St. Augustine in Rome. In Africa he began to lead a monastic life, but in 391 Valerius, the bishop of Hippo, ordained him a priest on the recommendation of the people. He was ordained bishop in 395 or 396 and succeeded Valerius. He remained bishop of Hippoi until his death in 430, while the city was under siege by the Vandals.

He left a large mass of sermons, letters, and commentaries on scripture, but he is probably most widely known for two works, the Confessions and The City of God. In the Confessions, written as being spoken to God, he tells of his spiritual journey and gives reflections of the nature of reality in relation to God. The City of God was written as a response to the pagan taunt, after the fall of Rome in 410, that "Rome has fallen in the Christian days" ahter eight centuries of pagan security. He observes the rise and fall of human cities, kingdoms, and empires through history, and describes the place of the Christian, whose true citizenship is not of this world. Thus the Christian is not a threat to earthly cities, but he cooperates in their task of trying to build justice and order in human society while looking forward to the true justice and peace of the City of God of which he is a citizen.

In the Confessions he writes (Book 10, Chapter 27)

"Too late have I loved you, O beauty so ancient and so new, too late I have loved you! Behold, you were within me, while I was outside: it was there that I sought you, and,  a deformed creature, rushed headlong upon these things of beauty which you have made. You were with me, but I was not with you. They kept me far from you, those fair things which, if they were not in you, would not have existed at all. You have called to me, and have cried out, and have shattered my deafness. You have blazed forth with light and have shone upon me, and you have put my blindness to flight! You have sent forth fragrance, and I have drawn in my breath, and I pant after you. I have tasted you, and I hunger and thirst after you. You have touched me, and I have burned for your peace." (Ryan translation, 1960)

He is called one of the four Western doctors (teachers) of the Church (along with Jerome, Gregory, and Leo); and he is probably the most original thinker and greatest mind among them and the most influential for subsequent thought.