Image from Wiki.
Have a safe and happy Halloween, everyone!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Eucharistic Theology - I Am Orthodox, Or...
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| You scored as Orthodox You are Orthodox, worshiping the mystery of the Holy Trinity in the great liturgy whereby Jesus is present through the Spirit in a real yet mysterious way, a meal that is also a sacrifice.
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Winchester Cathedrel Choir At St. Thomas
High Altar, reredos, and stained glass at St. Thomas Church, Fifth Avenue, New York.
On the Monday morning in New York, I visited the Guggenheim Museum. On my way back to the hotel, I rode the bus and got off near St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue. I had passed the church many times before riding in taxis, but I had never gone in. Since I was on foot, I decided to stop in.
Am I glad I did! The high altar and reredos are a magnificent sight. The stained glass and even the floors are lovely. The website, linked above, offers a virtual tour of the church in which are many beautiful sights. Look at the gorgeous sight of one of the organs and the rose window above the entryway. I'm determined to go back to St. Thomas, because from the virtual tour, I see that I missed several of their treasures.
While I was there, I came upon a notice about a concert the next evening - the only free evening I had left - by the boys' and men's choir of Winchester Cathedral. I bought a ticket as soon as I could find the office.
The choir performance was excellent. I watched the stillness of the young boys as they sang in their lovely voices and followed attentively the promptings of the choir director, and I tried to picture my grandsons in the mix. It didn't happen. My rambunctious crew of five would not fit into the picture. One grandson, who attends Jesuit High School in New Orleans and is learning a bit of military-type discipline, along with politeness, is moving in the right direction.
Among the selections that I most enjoyed were, "Komm, Jesu, Komm", BWV 229 by J. S. Bach, which was splendidly performed, just before the intermission. Following the intermission I enjoyed especially, "The Lamb" by John Taverner, words by William Blake, "Laudi alla Vergine Maria" by James MacMillan, "Salve Regina", by Poulenc, and, the finale, "God Is Gone Up" by Gerald Finzi, which includes nearly the whole second half of the program. The choir made a joyful noise unto the Lord.
From the translation to the words of "Komm, Jesu, Komm" by Paul Thymich:
Come, Jesus, come,
My flesh is weary,
My strength doth fade e're more and more,
For now I yearn
To reach thy stillness;
This bitter path doth me oppress!
Come myself to thee I'll offer;
Thou are the proper way, the true way and the true life.
An old newspaper, The Evening Telegram from Aug. 8, 1905, is on display in the narthex. The article tells the story of the fire which destroyed the third St. Thomas Church, with the headline, "St. Thomas, Centre Of The Social World In Ashes".
Altogether, it was a lovely evening, listening to the beautiful music in an equally beautiful setting.
The reredos are a sight to behold, containing over 80 carved figures and measuring 43 ft. wide and 80 ft. high.
On the Monday morning in New York, I visited the Guggenheim Museum. On my way back to the hotel, I rode the bus and got off near St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue. I had passed the church many times before riding in taxis, but I had never gone in. Since I was on foot, I decided to stop in.
Am I glad I did! The high altar and reredos are a magnificent sight. The stained glass and even the floors are lovely. The website, linked above, offers a virtual tour of the church in which are many beautiful sights. Look at the gorgeous sight of one of the organs and the rose window above the entryway. I'm determined to go back to St. Thomas, because from the virtual tour, I see that I missed several of their treasures.
While I was there, I came upon a notice about a concert the next evening - the only free evening I had left - by the boys' and men's choir of Winchester Cathedral. I bought a ticket as soon as I could find the office.
The choir performance was excellent. I watched the stillness of the young boys as they sang in their lovely voices and followed attentively the promptings of the choir director, and I tried to picture my grandsons in the mix. It didn't happen. My rambunctious crew of five would not fit into the picture. One grandson, who attends Jesuit High School in New Orleans and is learning a bit of military-type discipline, along with politeness, is moving in the right direction.
Among the selections that I most enjoyed were, "Komm, Jesu, Komm", BWV 229 by J. S. Bach, which was splendidly performed, just before the intermission. Following the intermission I enjoyed especially, "The Lamb" by John Taverner, words by William Blake, "Laudi alla Vergine Maria" by James MacMillan, "Salve Regina", by Poulenc, and, the finale, "God Is Gone Up" by Gerald Finzi, which includes nearly the whole second half of the program. The choir made a joyful noise unto the Lord.
From the translation to the words of "Komm, Jesu, Komm" by Paul Thymich:
Come, Jesus, come,
My flesh is weary,
My strength doth fade e're more and more,
For now I yearn
To reach thy stillness;
This bitter path doth me oppress!
Come myself to thee I'll offer;
Thou are the proper way, the true way and the true life.
An old newspaper, The Evening Telegram from Aug. 8, 1905, is on display in the narthex. The article tells the story of the fire which destroyed the third St. Thomas Church, with the headline, "St. Thomas, Centre Of The Social World In Ashes".
Altogether, it was a lovely evening, listening to the beautiful music in an equally beautiful setting.
The reredos are a sight to behold, containing over 80 carved figures and measuring 43 ft. wide and 80 ft. high.
What we missed - "A Grave Affair"
Picture stolen from Ormonde.
Because of my travels and settling in at home, Grandpère and I missed "A Grave Affair" on Sunday. And I missed seeing Ormonde, from Through the Dust, and meeting his family. And it was at my church!
We got the date mixed up and failed to show. I'm disappointed, because I enjoyed the event last year and because I missed a chance to have a chat with my fellow Louisiana blogger and his family.
Maybe next year.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Off You Go, And Rightly So
From the Daily Comet:
A 6-year veteran of the Thibodaux Police Department was dismissed Monday in connection with charges arising from his display of a rope tied in the shape of a noose from the rear-view mirror of his personal car that was parked on city property.
....
...[Michael] Rodrigue expressed disagreement with the decision and plans to appeal to the city's Civil Service Board.
That's the proper decision. I hope the Civil Service Board does its job and supports the police chief.
A 6-year veteran of the Thibodaux Police Department was dismissed Monday in connection with charges arising from his display of a rope tied in the shape of a noose from the rear-view mirror of his personal car that was parked on city property.
....
...[Michael] Rodrigue expressed disagreement with the decision and plans to appeal to the city's Civil Service Board.
That's the proper decision. I hope the Civil Service Board does its job and supports the police chief.
Feast Day Of Simon And Jude
From James Kiefer at the Lectionary:
On the various New Testament lists of the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13), the tenth and eleventh places are occupied by Simon the Zealot (also called Simon the "Cananean," the Aramaic word meaning "Zealot") and by Judas of James, also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus. ("Judas" in New Testament contexts corresponds to "Judah" in Old Testament ones.
Beyond those references, we don't know much about Simon and Jude. There's speculation, of course, but few facts.
What I liked about Kiefer's post is his take on "invocation of the saints".
In the first place, the expression, "praying to Saint X" is misleading and unfortunate. In older English "pray" simply meant to request politely.
....
That was a preliminary comment on terminology. Now to the question. Undoubtedly asking one's fellow Christians in heaven for their prayers is something that can be abused. It can readily degenerate into the notion that getting what you want from God is a matter of knowing what channels to go through, what strings to pull. One ends up thinking of heaven as a place like the seat of a corrupt government (whether Washington or Versailles), where favors are traded and deals are made by influence peddlers.
....
Do I spend a significant fraction of my prayer time asking various Christians now in heaven for their prayers. No, just as I do not spend a lot of time asking my fellow Christians here on earth for their prayers. But I do ask for, and value, the prayers of my fellow Christians, living and dead; and I delight in the knowledge that when I praise God, my voice is part of a great chorus of praise in which angels, glorified and perfected saints, saints still on their pilgrimage, and even (in ways befitting their natures) beasts, plants, and inanimate objects join together. "Let all things praise the LORD." Amen.
I think that's quite good. Kiefer expresses my view of the purpose and use of the invocation of the saints.
READINGS:
Daily Office:
AM: Psalm 66; Isaiah 28:9-16; Ephesians 4:1-16
PM: Psalm 116, 117; Isaiah 4:2-6; John 14:15-31
PRAYER
O God, we thank you for the glorious company of the apostles,
and especially on this day for Simon and Jude; and we pray
that, as they were faithful and zealous in their mission, so we
may with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
On the various New Testament lists of the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16; Acts 1:13), the tenth and eleventh places are occupied by Simon the Zealot (also called Simon the "Cananean," the Aramaic word meaning "Zealot") and by Judas of James, also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus. ("Judas" in New Testament contexts corresponds to "Judah" in Old Testament ones.
Beyond those references, we don't know much about Simon and Jude. There's speculation, of course, but few facts.
What I liked about Kiefer's post is his take on "invocation of the saints".
In the first place, the expression, "praying to Saint X" is misleading and unfortunate. In older English "pray" simply meant to request politely.
....
That was a preliminary comment on terminology. Now to the question. Undoubtedly asking one's fellow Christians in heaven for their prayers is something that can be abused. It can readily degenerate into the notion that getting what you want from God is a matter of knowing what channels to go through, what strings to pull. One ends up thinking of heaven as a place like the seat of a corrupt government (whether Washington or Versailles), where favors are traded and deals are made by influence peddlers.
....
Do I spend a significant fraction of my prayer time asking various Christians now in heaven for their prayers. No, just as I do not spend a lot of time asking my fellow Christians here on earth for their prayers. But I do ask for, and value, the prayers of my fellow Christians, living and dead; and I delight in the knowledge that when I praise God, my voice is part of a great chorus of praise in which angels, glorified and perfected saints, saints still on their pilgrimage, and even (in ways befitting their natures) beasts, plants, and inanimate objects join together. "Let all things praise the LORD." Amen.
I think that's quite good. Kiefer expresses my view of the purpose and use of the invocation of the saints.
READINGS:
Daily Office:
AM: Psalm 66; Isaiah 28:9-16; Ephesians 4:1-16
PM: Psalm 116, 117; Isaiah 4:2-6; John 14:15-31
PRAYER
O God, we thank you for the glorious company of the apostles,
and especially on this day for Simon and Jude; and we pray
that, as they were faithful and zealous in their mission, so we
may with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and
the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Red Beans And Rice And Bishop Katharine
When I saw the post at OCICBW about Bishop Katharine, the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, mentioning red beans and rice in a sermon in Dearborn, Michigan, I thought surely that it was a joke, but, indeed, it is not.
From Episcopal Life via MadPriest:
The Executive Council is meeting in a hotel not too far away, and usually when we meet in hotels we're not the only group there. When we met in Chicago last year there was a convention of North American Roman Catholic nuns. This time it's a missionary Baptist gathering. I was walking through the convention center yesterday morning, and some of the doors to the meeting rooms were open. One group was hearing about family ministry, and from another room came a booming voice talking about prayer. He said, with the wonderful cadence of the best of Baptist preaching, "fasting and prayer go together like red beans and rice."
And of course, he's right. Fasting is enriched and made meaningful through prayer, and prayer becomes deeper when it's connected to some kind of fasting. And the combination of beans and rice is significant -- in order to get a complete protein, you have to eat them together -- either one alone is incomplete, and a healthy diet needs both. The same is true for prayer and fasting.
But the more I thought about that image, the richer it became. There's a wonderful irony in comparing fasting to eating. Particularly when you think about the emotional aura around red beans and rice -- it's not just survival food, it's the kind of comfort food you bring out for a feast, like those great and abundant images of the heavenly banquet. In a deeply real sense, we can't know the gift of either fasting or feasting without the other -- the feast that comes at the end of Lent is a greater joy when we've really fasted. The daily evening feast in the month of Ramadan is spiced by the discipline of fasting through the sunlit hours. Prayer is deepened through fasting, both the prayer of desire and hunger, and the prayer of gratitude at being filled.
Then, Bishop Katharine continues on to preach about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I'll let you go to Episcopal Life to see how she connects one to the other.
Now MadPriest believes that this sermon is conclusive proof that the PB is a secret reader of OCICBW. Again, stooping to quote myself, I said this in the comments over there, with only the barest trace of irony:
Of course, the Baptist preacher and her visit to New Orleans had nothing to do with the PB's forming the rich image of a heavenly banquet consisting of red beans and rice. It is definite confirmation that she reads OCICBW.
The PB's recipe is surely not for eating.
Yes, please, do not eat the red beans, if you use the recipe for cooking them in the cartoon over there.
From Episcopal Life via MadPriest:
The Executive Council is meeting in a hotel not too far away, and usually when we meet in hotels we're not the only group there. When we met in Chicago last year there was a convention of North American Roman Catholic nuns. This time it's a missionary Baptist gathering. I was walking through the convention center yesterday morning, and some of the doors to the meeting rooms were open. One group was hearing about family ministry, and from another room came a booming voice talking about prayer. He said, with the wonderful cadence of the best of Baptist preaching, "fasting and prayer go together like red beans and rice."
And of course, he's right. Fasting is enriched and made meaningful through prayer, and prayer becomes deeper when it's connected to some kind of fasting. And the combination of beans and rice is significant -- in order to get a complete protein, you have to eat them together -- either one alone is incomplete, and a healthy diet needs both. The same is true for prayer and fasting.
But the more I thought about that image, the richer it became. There's a wonderful irony in comparing fasting to eating. Particularly when you think about the emotional aura around red beans and rice -- it's not just survival food, it's the kind of comfort food you bring out for a feast, like those great and abundant images of the heavenly banquet. In a deeply real sense, we can't know the gift of either fasting or feasting without the other -- the feast that comes at the end of Lent is a greater joy when we've really fasted. The daily evening feast in the month of Ramadan is spiced by the discipline of fasting through the sunlit hours. Prayer is deepened through fasting, both the prayer of desire and hunger, and the prayer of gratitude at being filled.
Then, Bishop Katharine continues on to preach about the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. I'll let you go to Episcopal Life to see how she connects one to the other.
Now MadPriest believes that this sermon is conclusive proof that the PB is a secret reader of OCICBW. Again, stooping to quote myself, I said this in the comments over there, with only the barest trace of irony:
Of course, the Baptist preacher and her visit to New Orleans had nothing to do with the PB's forming the rich image of a heavenly banquet consisting of red beans and rice. It is definite confirmation that she reads OCICBW.
The PB's recipe is surely not for eating.
Yes, please, do not eat the red beans, if you use the recipe for cooking them in the cartoon over there.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
No Anonymous Comments
For now, I'm allowing only folks registered with Blogger to comment, because I'm being annoyed by anonymous comments. For a couple of you who do comment as anonymous and then sign your names, I'm sorry. I'll try turning the block off in a few days.
St. James In The Bronx
"The True Vine" by Louis Comfort Tiffany
On the Sunday before our Monday gathering of bloggers in New York City, several of us planned to attend the morning service at the church where Tobias Haller serves as vicar, St. James Episcopal Church, in the Bronx. I left about 45 minutes before the service from midtown. Big mistake. Definitely not enough time to get to the Bronx on a Sunday when subway services are reduced.
I found the station for the crosstown subway to take me to the No. 4 to the Bronx with no trouble, but - alas! - all the gates were locked. A few others came in, and then a nice couple from NYC took me and another out-of-town couple in hand and showed us the way to another station where the gates were not locked. They were getting off at the same station as I was, and they showed me the track to the No. 4. Once I was on the No. 4, I looked at my watch and knew I would be late for the service.
We began to speed through all the stops, and I began to worry that the train would not stop at Fordham Road, where I needed to get off, but when I expressed my concern to a gentleman near me, he said that it was an express only until it got to the Bronx - which, indeed, it was. When I got off, I knew to go left, but I did not see a church, so I headed under the el in the wrong direction until I asked directions and had the way pointed out.
Thirty minutes past the time for the beginning of the service, I arrived at St. James. Tobias was already preaching, as I slinked into a rear pew. If you think that Tobias does not use his thespian gifts in his preaching, you are wrong. He uses them with great skill, but he's not at all over the top. Here is the link to the sermon that he preached last Sunday. He said that I had missed only a few minutes of the sermon, and I see that is correct. I have long admired Tobias' sermons. They are simple and profound at the same time. He does not talk down to his congregation, yet his words are accessible to all. When he was preaching, especially on the story of Jacob wrestling with God, he used arm gestures that he may have learned in his acting days.
As though I had not made enough of a spectacle of myself by arriving 30 minutes late to the service, I had to go to the ladies room after the sermon was finished. I went outside and made my way around to the parish hall, but the doors were locked. I had to go back inside, walk across the rear of the church, then down the side aisle to the door to the parish hall.
The service was a sung Eucharist with smells and bells - lots of smoke from the incense. I suppose the cops on the beat in the area are familiar with the smoke wafting through the doors, or they'd burst in saying, "What are you folks smoking?"
Grandpère tells the story of a classmate of his who, with the first whiff of incense, would pass out cold, yet the powers-that-be kept insisting that he attend. In the Roman Catholic Church, where I spent most of my life, incense was reserved for solemn occasions or for the service of Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, which became rarer as I grew older.
Since the altar is attached to the wall, Tobias faces east as he presides at the Eucharist, with his back to the congregation during the Eucharistic prayers and the consecration of the elements. That brought back memories of my days in the RCC before Vatican II. However, I had forgotten how much of the time the priest actually does face the congregation to exchange responses.
The congregation at St. James is warm and welcoming. When they pass the peace, they pass the peace, with many walking all around the church to greet fellow parishioners and guests. During the announcement period, Tobias introduced us as a group of Episcopal bloggers from here, there, and everywhere. I thought that took a bit of courage. I wonder what the congregation thought of us. How many of them know what a blogger is? Not many of my parishioners know. The congregation is predominantly black, so we brought in a bit of diversity, since we're all white.
St. James is a beautiful old Gothic-style church built in the early 1860s. The building contains several windows by Tiffany, including the beauty shown below of The Last Supper. At the link, click on "Tiffany Windows" on the left-hand sidebar to see them all.
My church is actually older than St. James, dating to 1844, but much simpler and of the classical style. Both our congregations are aware that beautiful old churches are lovely to have, but are often in need of fixing, which costs money, money, money.
Altogether it was a beautiful service and well worth the trials and tribulations of getting there.
I met up with the other bloggers and had a walk around the church. Afterwards, we went to the parish hall for coffee and cake and a chat. Pictured below are the bloggers who were present at the service.
Mark, from the seminary, gave a lift to Klady, Terry, Gabe, and me after my looong, southern good-bye to the others. Meanwhile, Mark and his other passengers waited in the car. I'm sure they were thinking, "Will she ever come and get in the car?" Mark dropped us off around West 59th Street and recommended a restaurant nearby, which we chose to try. The four of us had a lovely brunch. Klady and I had spent quality time together, but, at lunch, I got to know Terry and Gabe. Both are delightful company. We had good conversation, which included many laughs, and I was sorry when the brunch came to an end. They had to go home to take care of their dog. Imagine! They preferred the company of their dog to Klady and me. People and their dogs! However, I confess that the company of a good dog is sometimes preferable to the company of certain people I can think of.
I had intended to put the group picture at the top of the post, but when I saw how lovely the "True Vine" window looked, I demoted us to the bottom. I love you, my friends, and you are beautiful, but just look at that window.
Thanks to Doug for the photo. In the back row: Klady, Terry, and Gabe. In front: Doug, Paul, Mimi, and Tobias.
UPDATE CORRECTION: The picture at the end of the post is there because I saved the best for last. We truly are more beautiful than the Tiffany window.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Cop Decorates Pickup With Noose
From the Daily Comet:
THIBODAUX - A Thibodaux police officer has been suspended and could face dismissal for displaying a hangman’s noose from the rearview mirror of his personal car while it was parked on city property.
Cpl. Michael Rodrigue was suspended Tuesday following complaints made to Thibodaux Police Chief Craig Melancon by other officers about the noose.
The noose had been seen dangling from the rearview mirror of the personal pickup Rodrigue regularly parked in the police department’s parking lot.
....
“I do not know what possible justification he could have for a symbol both you and I know is absolutely insulting,” Melancon said.
“It is not a shoe string. It is a piece of rope and it was hanging from his rearview mirror, and it was not difficult to see this hangman’s noose.”
I hope that they fire him, and quickly. The symbol is more than insulting. It is threatening. It is a reminder of terrible times in the past, and it shows that racism is alive and well in my town.
Burnell Tolbert, president of the Lafourche Parish branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said Thursday that he gives a good grade to Thibodaux officials, including Melancon, for acting swiftly on the matter. He also saw it as a good sign that other officers, both white and black, expressed distaste for the display.
But he also said the department moves much more slowly when it comes to complaints from civilians about alleged police misconduct.
The pay for policemen here is quite low. You can't hire the best people on the salaries offered. Nevertheless, that's no excuse. What idiocy! What meanness! Corporal Rodrigue must go.
THIBODAUX - A Thibodaux police officer has been suspended and could face dismissal for displaying a hangman’s noose from the rearview mirror of his personal car while it was parked on city property.
Cpl. Michael Rodrigue was suspended Tuesday following complaints made to Thibodaux Police Chief Craig Melancon by other officers about the noose.
The noose had been seen dangling from the rearview mirror of the personal pickup Rodrigue regularly parked in the police department’s parking lot.
....
“I do not know what possible justification he could have for a symbol both you and I know is absolutely insulting,” Melancon said.
“It is not a shoe string. It is a piece of rope and it was hanging from his rearview mirror, and it was not difficult to see this hangman’s noose.”
I hope that they fire him, and quickly. The symbol is more than insulting. It is threatening. It is a reminder of terrible times in the past, and it shows that racism is alive and well in my town.
Burnell Tolbert, president of the Lafourche Parish branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said Thursday that he gives a good grade to Thibodaux officials, including Melancon, for acting swiftly on the matter. He also saw it as a good sign that other officers, both white and black, expressed distaste for the display.
But he also said the department moves much more slowly when it comes to complaints from civilians about alleged police misconduct.
The pay for policemen here is quite low. You can't hire the best people on the salaries offered. Nevertheless, that's no excuse. What idiocy! What meanness! Corporal Rodrigue must go.
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