ALICE WALKER READS SOJOURNER TRUTH - "AIN'T I A WOMAN?"

Sojourner Truth (1797-1883): Ain't I A Woman?
Delivered 1851
Women's Convention, Akron, Ohio

Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say.

 Stolen shamelessly and with gratitude from my dear friend margaret who blogs at "leave it lay where Jesus flang it".

Collect of the Day: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Amelia Bloomer, Sojourner Truth and Harriet Ross Tubman, Liberators and Prophets, 1902, 1894, 1883, 1913

O God, whose Spirit guides us into all truth and makes us free: Strengthen and sustain us as you did your servants Elizabeth, Amelia, Sojourner, and Harriet. Give us vision and courage to stand against oppression and injustice and all that works against the glorious liberty to which you call all your children; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Ha ha.  Thanks, Doug.

CARAVAGGIO - "JOHN THE BAPTIST"

Caravaggio - "John the Baptist"
Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City

Caravaggio's painting at the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City caused me to gasp as soon as I walked into the gallery and spotted it. I made a beeline to it to get a closer look and read the details. I did not instantly recognize it as a Caravaggio, but I should have.  What a masterpiece!

The contrast of the light and shadow is superb, with the eyes and the background shaded and the torso, the arms, and one leg in the light. Then, there's the striking dark slash across the torso from the shadow of the arm and the contrast of the luscious vermillion (?) of the cloak. This is a pensive John the Baptist, wearing a colorful and elegant cloak (the likes of which he almost certainly never wore). Even looking at the reproduction causes me to catch my breath.

Caravaggio, Rembrandt, and Vermeer are included in my top ten list of painters I love.  I'd have to give a little thought to the rest of the list.

Thanks to my Facebook friend Richard, who reminded me that today is the anniversary of Caravaggio's death on in 1610 and inspired me to post again on the painting and artist whose work I love.

Image from Wikipedia. 

THE QUEEN SAYS YES

Her Majesty, The Queen, has given the Royal Assent and signed the marriage equality bill for England and Wales.

 Lovely. Thanks to my friend James on Facebook for the picture.

GROTTO ON BAYOU LAFOURCHE

How long the grotto in honor of Our Lady has been in place on the bank of Bayou Lafourche in Thibodaux, I have no idea, but, only the other day, when I picked my grandson up from day camp, did I first take note.  The grotto is on the main road through town, which makes it quite visible, and I wonder how I could have missed seeing it for however long it's been there.

The grotto stands next to a peaceful scene of Bayou Lafourche, which is a tributary of the Mississippi River. 

The opening to the left of the statue of Mary curves through to the side of the grotto, to what purpose I can't say.

The top photo shows the corner of the bench where visitors can sit and pray, or meditate, or simply rest a while.

Now that I've discovered the structure, I'd like to know something about when it was constructed and by whom.  I Googled, but I found nothing. 

The photo to the right shows the side opening of the grotto.  As you see from the green moss or lichen (or whatever) growing on the stones, the structure has been there a while.

To the right of the grotto is a paved area large enough to park two cars.  The entire concept is well-planned and well-constructed.  Now that I've discovered the grotto, I want to know more.

UPDATE:

Grotto

Our Lady stands
In the small grotto
Built by unknown hands
On the bank of the bayou
And prays in peaceful repose

(June Butler - 7/17/2013)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - EASIER

 

A bright yellow car would be easier to find when I forget where I've parked in a large parking lot.

OOPS!

Not my kitchen

Last Friday, we called the plumber because we had a slow leak under our kitchen sink.  Our plumbers installed the plumbing and drainage in our house 30 years ago at the time of construction.  The team is excellent, and the plumbers are now into the third generation of the family from when we built our house.   Since ours was not an emergency, we did not expect such a speedy response, but the plumbers arrived early this morning, before I was out of bed, layabout that I am.

I had planned to clear and clean the cabinet under the sink before the plumbers came, but....  The drainpipe under the kitchen sink was replaced a few years ago, so the cabinet was somewhat cleaned out of junk and dust, but the story is not over.  I'd noticed that the drainpipes under our bathroom lavatories were corroded in spots, so we wanted them checked out.  I was able to get to the cabinets before the plumbers to clear them of two waste baskets of junk, if not to clean the embarrassing amount of dust, which I've been meaning to get to - oh, I'd say for years - but it never happened.

As the plumbers checked around, they found that every drainpipe in our house except the kitchen needed replacing, including the lavatories in the bathroom upstairs and the sink in the laundry room.  One of the pipes in our bathroom was about to fall off.  Thank heavens for small favors like the slow leak under the kitchen sink, or we could have had a fast leak in our bathroom very soon, and eventually another from one of the lavatories upstairs, which could have resulted in major ceiling damage.  Shudder.

That the drainpipes lasted 30 years is a testament to the quality of the materials and workmanship of the plumbers.  We will receive a large bill, but we won't complain.  At least, I won't, but I expect Grandpère will, for he complains about every large bill.

Below is a picture my friend Eileen posted on Facebook this morning and which I shared, because it is so very true.

"FOR NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD "

Prayer For Social Justice

Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart and especially the hearts of the people of this land, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer)

LE PETIT PRINCE

As I reread Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince for the umpteenth time, I realize, once again, what a lovely story and charming illustrations the author offers his readers.  Alas, even after the many readings, I still must look up the occasional French word in the dictionary which follows the tale in the study edition pictured on the left.  I bought the book second-hand many years ago for a French class, and my copy is old and tattered.  The illustrations are in black and white, and not all are included in the inexpensive study edition.   

 
On the right is the beautifully illustrated (in watercolor)  English edition which I bought for my children when they were young.  The Little Prince is a tale for children and grown-ups, and, though my children enjoyed the book, none were quite as taken with it as I, for I never tire of reading the story over again.

Once again, I reread the story, and I loved the enchanting little prince even more than I remembered.

In the course of the tale, the little prince visits Earth from his home on the tiny Asteroid B-612, where he's left behind his flower and three small volcanos, two active and one extinct. He lands in the Sahara Desert, where he meets a fox who asks the boy to tame him.  The fox explains to the little prince, "Tu deviens responsable pour toujours de ce que tu as apprivoisé". ("You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.")  The boy tames the fox but eventually leaves to search for humans.  As the prince prepares to leave, the fox speaks my favorite words in the entire book: "On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux." ("One sees clearly only with the heart. What is essential is invisible to the eye.")

If you are unfamiliar with the book and want to know more, further information on the author, a description of the characters, and a summary of the plot may be found here.

ANGLICAN CATHOLICS BUT STILL ROMAN CATHOLICS

Pope Francis is letting baptized Catholics join the new church structure created to receive Anglican converts.

The "ordinariate," which functions like a diocese, was initially designed to enable Anglicans upset over the liberalizing trends of their church to join the Catholic Church while retaining some of their Anglican heritage.

And why not?  For all the talk of Anglican heritage, the people in the ordinariates are Roman Catholic converts with an Anglican flavor.  The ordinariates were set up by Benedict to self-destruct and eventually merge into the main body of the church, but this move by Francis gives the ordinariates longer life.  Baptized, but not yet confirmed?  And must one have fallen away from the RCC to join the ordinariate?  The rules seem strange to me.  The whole concept of the ordinariates seems strange to me, but who am I to say?

More at The National Catholic Register.

Image from Wikipedia.