GARBAGE CRISIS IN NAPLES

This year, the southern city's garbage crisis has become a recurring theme among the artists and craftsmen along the street, which is barely three meters wide.

And so it came to pass that the Madonna, St. Joseph and even the baby Jesus wear face masks to protect themselves from the stench of the uncollected garbage in Naples.
....

"I meant this to be a provocation to those who govern us. I don't think it's nice to put sacks of garbage in the manger near the baby Jesus but it was necessary," said Di Virgilio.

"We needed to get this message across," he said.

Gets your attention, all right. It seems the stench and sight of the garbage was not enough to get the mess cleaned up, although, according to the article, the historic city center is now clean. But surrounding neighborhoods are still piled with garbage.

From Reuters, which has as the main part of its story:

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange may be alone in jail in London, but in the traditional Neapolitan Christmas creches he is in good company -- with Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

Assange, who is depicted holding his trusty lap top, was created by Gennaro Di Virgilio, who each year chooses at least one contemporary character to sculpt and place near the scenes of the traditional story of Jesus' birth in a manger.

"I included him to poke a little fun at the world and have a good time," said Di Virgilio, 29, whose family has been making nativity statuettes and ornate creches since 1830.

To me, the story of the Holy Family wearing face masks is far more fascinating.

"FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS FOR OBAMA"

Healine in the email from the Borowitz Report:

Wealthiest .0000001% Hail Tax Deal

Billionaires Praise Obama Move

Of course, they do! And in a trickle down sort of way, we will all be the better for the passage of the bill.

Read the rest over there. You won't be sorry.

THREE WISE MEN FROM CHINA?

From USA Today:

The story of the Three Wise Men is one of the most familiar and beloved parts of the Christmas story. But for all of their popularity, the mysterious travelers from the East — known as the Magi — appear in only one short passage in the New Testament, following a star to the site of Jesus' birth and bringing gifts of gold, francincense and myrrh. Many religious scholars aren't even sure they really existed.

From Matthew 2:1-12

The Visit of the Wise Men

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.’ When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

“And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.” ’

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, ‘Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.’ When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Back to USA Today:

Now, a first-ever English translation and detailed analysis of a little-known eighth-century manuscript of a story probably written in the second or third century uncovers a far more substantial version of the wise men story.
....

[Brent] Landau's book, Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men's Journey to Bethlehem (HarperOne) describes the Magi as an ancient mystical sect descended from Seth, the pious and virtuous third son of Adam and Eve. From Seth they inherited a prophecy of "a star of indescribable brightness" someday appearing and "heralding the birth of God in human form." This same star had initially hovered over the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.

Among the book's other revelations:

The Magi are described as coming from a land called Shir, "located in the extreme east of the world, at the shore of the Great Ocean." In other ancient texts, Shir is referred to "as a place where silk comes from," says Landau, suggesting that the references were to China.

In Syriac, the word Magi means "to pray in silence." Landau says it has no relationship to magicians or astrologers, sometimes cited in stories today.

Landau translated the 8th century manuscript as part of his doctoral dissertation at Harvard Divinity School. Do read the entire article at USA Today. I found it fascinating to learn a bit about what 2nd or 3rd century Christians made of the story of the Magi. I'd like to read the book.

Thanks to Ann V. for the link.

GEAUX MARY!

From The Huffington Post:

Sen. Mary Landrieu, a conservative Democratic from Louisiana, lashed out Tuesday at President Obama's deal with congressional Republicans that allows tax cuts for the wealthy to be extended for two years.

Extending the tax cuts for those making more than a million dollars a year is borderline immoral, Landrieu charged. "I'm going to argue forcefully for the nonsensicalness and the almost, you know, moral corruptness of that particular policy," said Landrieu, walking into a meeting with Vice President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats. "This is beyond politics. This is about justice and doing what's right."
....

"It's what I'm calling the Obama-McConnell plan. We're going to borrow $46 billion from the poor, from the middle class, from businesses of all sizes basically to give a tax cut to families in America today, that despite the recession, are making over a million dollars. I mean, this is unprecedented. Unprecedented. I want to repeat that," she said. Landrieu added, however, that she had yet to make a decision on the final package and was speaking strictly about the extension of tax cuts for the wealthy.

Now this is a Blue Dog Democrat that I can love. Gosh! I wish we'd see this Mary Landrieu more often.

"This is beyond politics. This is about justice and doing what's right."

Amen! But shouldn't politics be about justice and doing what's right? Sometimes?

However you vote in the end, Mary, you've made me proud.

Thanks to Diane for the link.

COMPASS ROSE

Don't blame me. Blame Ann Larry Graham.

PRAY FOR ELIZABETH EDWARDS

Elizabeth is nearing the end of her battle against cancer. She's a lovely lady and set a fine example to us all of courage and grace under pressure.

"Elizabeth has been advised by her doctors that further treatment of her cancer would be unproductive. She is resting at home with family and friends," the Edwards family says in a statement to PEOPLE.

On Monday, Edwards, 61, posted a Facebook message to her friends.

"I have been sustained throughout my life by three saving graces - my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of resilience and hope," she writes. "These graces have carried me through difficult times and they have brought more joy to the good times than I ever could have imagined. The days of our lives, for all of us, are numbered. We know that."

May God the Father bless you, God the Son heal you, God the Holy Spirit give you strength. May God the holy and undivided Trinity guard your body, save your soul, and bring you safely to his heavenly country; where he lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

From the comments:

Murdoch Matthew said...

Word came at eventide that Elizabeth Edwards has died.

May Elizabeth rest in peace in the loving arms of God and rise in glory.

May God give comfort, consolation, the peace that passes understanding to keep the minds and hearts of all those who love Elizabeth.

May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest, Elizabeth.

EASY OPTION

I'm not that good at live & let live, she
told me, when it's just as easy to avoid &
then I don't even have to think about it.

From StoryPeople.

PS: This one is mine.

XMAS GIFTS FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE BRITISH ROYALS

The British royal family in 1968.

From the Telegraph.

Queen's undergarments' to be auctioned

The monogrammed item reportedly came into the possession of notorious Miami playboy named 'Baron' Joseph de Bicske Dobronyi more than 40 years ago, according to the celebrity website TMZ.

He received the garment from a friend after it was left on a private plane used when the queen visited Chile in 1968.

After Dobronyi's death in June aged 88, his estate began planning to auction off the royal garment which is expected to sell for £6,000.

If you must, you can see a photo of the knickers at the TMZ website, but I advise you not to look. I think how I'd feel having my much less elegant used undies displayed to the eyes of the world.

Thanks to Ann for pointing me to the story. In the subject line of her email was "TMI". Indeed!

And the next item:

 

 

Click on the text to enlarge.

From ACORN Online.

FURTHER UPDATE ON AILEEN

Tis' the season for miracles, tonight after not being awake and not responding for four days Aileen squeezed my hand with BOTH of hers and was able to move her right hand from the pillow next to her over to her tummy. Then she was able to track me with her eyes. Thats my fighter!!---Mike

Thanks be to God, the medical staff, Aileen's family, and all who care for her and pray for her. I don't know about you, but this news gladdens my heart and, along with Mike, Aileen's husband, makes me think of miracles, too. Please continue your prayers.

Aileen's story is here.

R. I. P. COLIN SLEE

Sermon by the Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans, at the funeral of Colin Slee, Dean of Southwark Cathedral.

I didn't know Colin Slee. Until his recent death, I didn't know anything about Dean Slee, but after reading Jeffrey John's lovely sermon at his funeral service, I wish I'd known him or, at least, known a bit more about him.

One of the last things Colin said before he died was, ‘I am surprisingly un-scared’. It could have been the motto of his whole life. Colin was always surprisingly un-scared. Unlike the rest of us, he never did let fear or self-consciousness or embarrassment to stop him reaching out to the most unlikely and needy people, or doing and saying what he thought was right and true. All the frightened, careful people said Colin was risky, indiscreet, unreliable – ‘the most dangerous man in the Church of England’ said one, to Colin’s deep delight. But he was not dangerous or indiscreet or unreliable - certainly not in anything that mattered. He was just surprisingly un-scared.

If you ask why he was so un-scared, I think the answer is as straightforward as he was. He really did believe. He really trusted in a good and loving God as Jesus came to make Him known to us; and that confidence set him free to be the astonishingly life-giving, brave, generous and joyous person that he was.
....

The papers and his detractors always portrayed Colin as an arch-Liberal, as if he were the leader of a faction obsessed with a secular agenda. It was never true, and it misses the whole point. For Colin it began and ended with God. The truth is that he was a traditional Catholic Anglican, thoroughly disciplined and orthodox in his faith, a man of profound prayer and penitence. His idea of inclusiveness was not that ‘anything goes’, but that we are all equally in need of healing, and therefore the Church must equally be a home for all. Colin welcomed people because Jesus did. (My emphasis)

Amen, and amen, and amen!

I'm baffled that, all too often, it seems difficult for certain of my brother and sister Christians to understand that one can be "thoroughly disciplined and orthodox" in one's faith and still welcome everyone because Jesus did. How is it arch-liberal or secular to look to Jesus in the Gospels as the model for how we are to "do unto others"?

From the website of Southwark Cathedral.

Photo from the Guardian.