JESUS AS MOTHER

MAES, Nicolaes - "Christ Blessing the Children" - 1652-53
National Gallery, London

Jesus, as a mother you gather your people to you:
You are gentle with us as a mother with her children;
Often you weep over our sins and our pride:
tenderly you draw us from hatred and judgment.
You comfort us in sorrow and bind up our wounds:
in sickness you nurse us,
and with pure milk you feed us.
Jesus, by your dying we are born to new life:
by your anguish and labor we come forth in joy.
Despair turns to hope through your sweet goodness:
through your gentleness we find comfort in fear.
Your warmth gives life to the dead:
your touch makes sinners righteous.
Lord Jesus, in your mercy heal us:
in your love and tenderness remake us.
In your compassion bring grace and forgiveness:
for the beauty of heaven may your love prepare us.

Anselm of Canterbury

From The Daily Office

Image from the Web Gallery of Art.

GLASTONBURY THORN TREE VANDALIZED

From the Telegraph:

Vandals have destroyed a historic tree whose roots can be linked back to the origins of Christianity nearly 2,000 years ago.

The Holy Thorn tree on Wearyall Hill in Glastonbury, Somerset, is regarded as one of Britain’s most important symbols of Christendom, and is said to be derived from the original planted by Joseph of Arimathea.

The tree is one of several Holy Thorns located around Glastonbury but is arguably the most significant because of its placing on the spot where Joseph visited.
....

Katherine Gorbing, director of Glastonbury Abbey, said: “The vandals have struck at the heart of Christianity. Like the whole town, we are shocked and appalled.

"The tree holds a very special significance all over the world and thousands follow in the footsteps of Joseph of Arimathea, coming especially to see it.

This is the most important tree in Glastonbury and is of exceptional spiritual significance.

Below is a picture of the tree before it was destroyed.



From the website of Glastonbury Abbey:

Arriving at Glastonbury, which was then a series of island hills rising from the flooded Somerset Levels, it is believed that Joseph of Arimathea climbed Wearyall Hill to plant the staff which once belonged to Jesus (which came into his possession at the time of his nephew's death - Joseph being Jesus' last surviving male relative). As the staff was pushed into the fertile soil of Wearyall Hill, it is recorded that it magically took root and sprouted branches and leaves - ecoming Glastonbury's famous Holy Thorn tree.

I love the story, as did many others. How sad that the tree is destroyed.

H/T to Nicholas Knisely at The Lead.

UPDATE: From a suggestion in the comments, I found the Celtic Tree Lore website from which I copied the following quote:

At dawn on Beltane a young woman who wants to remain beautiful for the rest of the year, can go bathe in the dew of the Hawthorn tree while chanting this rhyme:

"The fair maid, who on the first of May,
Goes to the fields at the break of day,
And bathes in the dew from the hawthorn tree,
Will ever strong and handsome be".

What if the lady is not beautiful at the beginning of the year? Does the dew from the hawthorn tree make her beautiful?

FOR ALL MY CRACKED POT READERS

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck..

One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full...

For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water...

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do ha lf of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.

'I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house.' The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?' 'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.' For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them. SO, to all of my cracked pot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path! Send this to any or all of your Cracked Pot friends and don’t forget the Cracked Pot that sent it to you!!

Thanks to the Cracked Pot named Suzanne who sent the parable to me.

Picture from guy-sports.com.

UPDATE: Thanks to Ann for the link to Leonard Cohen's "Anthem" video. Here it is. "There is a crack - a crack in everything.. that's how the light gets in."

HALLELUJAH! IN THE FOOD COURT

Nearly every blogger I know has posted the wonderful video, so I'll take my turn. Thanks to all who sent me the link.

AMUSING EBAY ITEM

Genuine Roman Pottery Tile Fragment With Dog Footprint

The item is available until Dec. 11.

Thanks to Lapin.

NOT THE BRITS!

From The Huffington Post:

LONDON — In Britain's worst political violence in years, furious student protesters rained sticks and rocks on riot police, vandalized government buildings and attacked a car carrying Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, after lawmakers approved a controversial hike in university tuition fees.

Demonstrators set upon the heir to the throne's limousine as it drove through London's West End shopping and entertainment hub. Protesters who had been running amok and smashing shop windows kicked and threw paint at the car, which sped off.

Charles' office, Clarence House, confirmed the attack but said "their royal highnesses are unharmed."

Police said it was unclear whether the royals had been deliberately targeted, or were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The couple arrived looking composed at the London Palladium theater, where they were attending a Royal Variety Performance. Their Rolls Royce limousine was left with a badly cracked rear window and was spattered with paint.

Protesters erupted in anger after legislators in the House of Commons approved a plan to triple university fees to 9,000 pounds ($14,000) a year.
....

The controversy has highlighted regional educational differences in the United Kingdom.

The Welsh regional government has pledged to subsidize the higher fees for any student from Wales who enrolls at an English university. Student fees in Scotland are just 1,820 pounds per year, sparking fears of a future stampede of bargain-hunting students from England. Northern Ireland's fees are capped at 3,290 pounds a year.

Tripling the fees from £3000 to £9000 is a hefty increase - very worrying for students and their families. Protests are fine, but violence is wrong and counterproductive, in my opinion.

THE PHELPS GANG RIDES AGAIN

From Pink News:

Fred Phelps' gang will picket Elizabeth Edwards' funeral service, because:

She was a supporter of gay rights and in 2008, while her husband was running for the presidency, declared that she believed in legalising gay marriage.
....

The church...released a statement condemning her for having fertility treatment and for questioning her faith after her 16-year-old son Wade was killed in an accident.

Westboro Baptist Church needs a name-change to Westboro Church of Stony Hearts or Westboro Church of No Mercy.

"YOU'VE BEEN ELEVATED TO DANGEROUS WOMAN STATUS"

As I perused my J. Peterman Owner's Manual, the item above caught my eye, not for myself, but as suitable especially for formal wear for clergy women. Picture the Cutaway Tuxedo Blazer, at $249, with a fine black silken clergy shirt, and fashionable black silk trousers in fabric of a heavier texture, and a clergy collar with a row of small, discreet rhinestones. Voila! The perfect formal attire for the dangerous clergy woman.

Since I believe in inclusivity, I'd not wish to restrict the wearing of the Cutaway Tuxedo Blazer to clergy woman. Without the clergy shirt and collar, the blazer is suitable for any of us dangerous women, as the manual says, "with a lacy cami underneath".

Wait! Is there such a garment as a as a lacy clergy shirt? How about black lace over black silk? If no such shirt is to be had, make your own, or have your seamstress do the job, and be the first to wear the lacy, silky clergy shirt for dangerous clergy women, along with the rhinestone-studded collar, topped off with the Cutaway Tuxedo Blazer.

JESUS AND SANTA

Thanks to Ann.

"CHARTRES" BY GLENN SHEA

The Belle Verrière (c.1180 and 1225)

The Writer's Almanac, with Garrison Keiller, posted a lovely poem titled "Chartres" by Glenn Shea. You may want to have a look. I think you won't be sorry.

Image from Wikipedia.