Just Look At This!

Jim Naughton at the Episcopal Café calls our attention to a letter from "A group of Episcopal rectors and cathedral deans, fresh from a retreat in Canterbury".

The first two paragraphs read as follows:

We are members of a clergy colleague group enjoying a retreat at Canterbury Study Centre in the Second week of Easter. While here, we have appreciated the hospitality and history of Canterbury Cathedral itself. Surely this holy place represents the graceful strength and broad wisdom of the entire Anglican Communion of churches. We are proud to locate our own history in this spot, and we are glad that our own ministries are refreshed by our time here.

We can say gratefully and humbly that our own congregations represent centers of faithfulness, outreach and documented growth, something not always reported about mainstream Anglicanism in North America. We believe our growth has something to do with our own practice of invitation and hospitality in the one Lord. We are deeply committed both to the Anglican Communion, and to gays and lesbians as integral members of our communities.

It's way past time that Archbishop Rowan hears from groups such as this. At times, he has seemed truly out of touch with and unaware of the existence of large numbers of priests and parishioners of the Episcopal Church in the US.

Thanks be to God for the voices of these priests.

I'm no theologian, nor am I a Scripture scholar, but when folks tell me that I am wrong in my thinking that all baptized members of the Episcopal Church should be welcomed into the full life of the church, I tell them, "If I make a mistake, I'd rather make it on the side of inclusion, with the Jesus of the Gospels as my model."

Attitude Of The Heart

At church today the appointed readings from the Bible included a favorite passage of mine from the book of Revelation:

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, singing with full voice,
‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!’
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor and glory and might
for ever and ever!’
And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshiped. Rev. 6:11-14

Why would such a fantastic vision of John's arouse such admiration? To me, it's perfect imagery to describe the proper attitude of the heart when we gather together to worship God. It's not the case that every Sunday I present to God this perfect and pure attitude of the heart, but every time I read the passage, it reminds me of how it should be. From time to time, by the grace of God, it happens, and it's a gift and a wonder to me.


From Psalm 33:1-3,

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous.
Praise befits the upright.
Praise the Lord with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.
Sing to him a new song;
play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

....

Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

God is God. We are his creatures. Acknowledgment is due. God doesn't need the acknowledgment; we do. As the Psalm says, "Praise befits the upright."

UPDATE: We capped the service off with a favorite hymn of praise:

Alleluia! sing to Jesus! His the scepter, His the throne.
Alleluia! His the triumph, His the victory alone.
Hark! the songs of peaceful Zion thunder like a mighty flood.
Jesus out of every nation has redeemed us by His blood.

All in all, a lovely morning.

"Si, Mi Chiamano Mimì" - Atto Due

In the comments to my previous post, about heading out to hear "La Bohême" Allen said, "ma il suo nome non è Lucia." He is correct. My name is not Lucia. The line that follows, "They call me Mimi," in the opera is, "But my name is Lucia." My grandchildren do call me Mimi. I answer to that name, and that's all I'll say, Allen. My real given name is "out there" in the ethers of the internet, if you search diligently. Weren't you the one who ferreted out my church parish, my ferret friend?

Also in the comments, Dennis said, "how was it?" It was wonderful! The principal artists sang beautifully. Mimi and Rodolfo's voices soared to heavenly places when they sang duets. Marcello's baritone was outstanding.

All of the principals were terrific actors, too. Musetta's acting was superb. The production moved along at a pace which left not one dull moment. The sets and costumes were traditional, but quite pleasing.

I believe that producers and directors of opera sometimes focus on the music to the extent that they forget that an opera is a musical drama. In this instance, they remembered well.

All in all, it was a lovely evening, pure pleasure.

As Mimi was dying, my cursed tendency toward irony (which sometimes intrudes at the most inappropriate moments) kicked in, and I found myself thinking that for a dying lady, Mimi was in very strong voice.

The good news is that the Mimi who writes this blog did not die of consumption, and remains in good health, but for feeling a little sleepy because of a late night out.

"Si, Mi Chiamano Mimì"

I'm heading out to a performance of "La Bohème" at Tulane University with a young friend. It's one of my favorite operas. Romantic that I am, I like the operas that are filled with beautiful melodies and arias. The number of talented artists performing in the relative hinterlands is always an amazement to me. I hope for the best today.

"Si, mi chiamano Mimì". Arrivederci, amici.

The Hymnal at the Diocese of Wenchoster

I have been poking around at the website of the Diocese of Wenchoster again. The website includes such a bounty of riches, that I hardly know where to start whenever I visit. I decided to have a look at their Hymnody section, where I found extracts from the Cathedral hymnbook "Hymns Modern & Ancient". To my surprise, their hymnal includes a specially composed tribute to Alpha. Having recently completed five Alpha series sessions during Lent, I was delighted


18: O Church of Alpha, by whose word

(Tune: Dundee.)

O Church of Alpha, by whose word,
House groups are filled with food.
To fill their hearts and minds with faith,
A tactic rather shrewd.

Invite them round for wine and cheese,
Perhaps a large baked cod.
Then after all have had their fill,
You gently mention God.

....

Let all recall that we're not there
To give them free repast.
It's all a ploy to win their lives,
And make them join our caste.

©Pharisaios 2002


This next hymn is dedicated to priests who may visit and to lay persons who enjoy the spectacle of their priests parading in the splendor of liturgical vestments:

76: Priests need vestments that are pretty

(Tune: "Stuttgart" by C. F. Witt. 1660 - 1716)

Priests need vestments that are pretty,
So in state they may propel
Round the altar in procession,
And the Mass of Rome excel.

....

Eastern rites in all their glory
Make our worship rich and rare,
Oblivious to all the people,
Clergy persons make their prayer.

....

Ditching alb for fur-lined cassock,
Rural clergy bend the knee,
Trying to keep their butts from freezing
In the cold Epiphany.


©Pharisaios 2001

The hymns are wonderful, and I wanted to quote them in full, but there is "fair use" to be considered for copyrighted material. I hope I have not crossed the line there. If I have, the authorities at the cathedral know where to reach me to order a "cease and desist".

If you would like to read my impressions of the Alpha series, you can by going here, here, here, here, and here, but I really would not advise taking the trouble.

Enjoy.

This Article Hasn't Been Commented Yet.

Today, I checked out the website of the Diocese of Louisiana to see if my comment to Bishop Jenkins' response to the House of Bishop's "Communication" had been posted. I have already said that I think the comment will not see the light of day, and, indeed, it has not so far. My comment was not dated, but my post quoting it and the bishop's response went up on April 9, 2007.

At the website, above the space for posting a comment, is the notation, "This article hasn't been commented yet." Well, that's not quite true, is it? I'm fairly certain that mine was not the only comment that was sent in.

In addition, I had sent a letter concerning the plans of the Windsor bishops on March 5, 2007, and an email concerning his response to the HOB "Communication" on April 5, 2007, and I have not received a response to either of them.

The War Prayer

Saint Pat at No Claim To Sainthood has posted Mark Twain's "The War Prayer". It's a shocking piece of writing, which is well worth reading or rereading from time to time. Twain makes his point brilliantly. Although this wasn't published during his lifetime, it has lived on. He was a very wise man.

Peter and Thomas And God's Woman

Peter Denies Jesus

Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. The woman said to Peter, ‘You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?’ He said, ‘I am not.’
....

Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, ‘You are not also one of his disciples, are you?’ He denied it and said, ‘I am not.’ One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, ‘Did I not see you in the garden with him?’ Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed. John 18:15-17, 25-27

Jesus and Thomas

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’ John 20:24-29

God's Woman

Peter, Thomas, are you my kin?
I call you, "Brother". Are we alike?
You imperfect ones, a doubter, a denier,
Am I your sister?

"I tell you I do not know him!"
Three times your Lord denied.
Oh, Peter, when you heard the cock crow,
Your salty tears were bitter.

You, Thomas, to touch, to see was all.
"Me believe? When I see the nail marks,
When I put my finger in his side."
"My Lord and my God!"

You, my brothers, deeply, fully human,
You flaw-filled men of God,
You give me strength; you give me courage.
Perhaps I'll be God's woman, after all.

June Butler 4/18/07

Oncale's Restaurant

Grandpère and I went to eat at Oncale's Restaurant in Chackbay today. He had a yen for crawfish etouffée. I like my own crawfish etoufée recipe the best, and I told him that, but he retorted, "Well, you never cook it any more." Fair enough.

Anna Oncale, the proprietor of the restaurant, is 83 years old, and still does the cooking and works the tables. Her picture is above.

Behind the restaurant is a large dance hall that was once a foot-stomping place back in the day, however the glory days are past. Anna showed us a framed copy of this article by David Jacobs in The Daily Comet, which tells of those days:

But Anna Oncale, 82, who said she founded the place with her late husband, Herbert, 60 years ago, remembers when patrons came from as far away as Grand Isle and Morgan City to dance, drink and, sometimes, get a bit rowdy.

“We had dances here for 31 years,” she said Thursday, standing near her empty wooden dance floor ringed with tables sporting plastic tablecloths. “Once we had 600 people here. Some of them had to stand outside.”

....

They had dances every weekend. She said New Orleans legend Irma Thomas performed there, but most, like the Bel-Airs and Billy Wray & Show Band Royale, are long forgotton. But the beer was cold, and there weren’t all that many entertainment options at the time.

They had a few bouncers, and Oncale herself would wield a big stick from time to time with folks who had one, or two or six, too many.

“You had to have something happening, or you wouldn’t have a crowd,” she said. “One might want to hit the other one, so you had to stop them. They would come back in holding each other by the neck.”

But she said they were mostly well-behaved, and the patrons in her many photographs don’t look like ruffians. The pictures are undated, with black-and-white shots of men in hats and ties and women in ankle-length dresses giving way to color photos of less-formal customers with shaggy hair.

Quite a few folks who grew up around here have told us that they met their spouses at Oncale's. The dance hall is a sight to behold. It's still in good shape, with its large wooden dance floor intact. The juke-box with the old songs on it still stands in the hall. It's a shame that it's not used any more.

She said she has turned down an offer of $100,000 for her building, which features several rooms, including her living quarters in the back. The numerous antiques, like the dusty piano, the clock over the bar featuring the Budweiser clydesdales, and more heavy furniture than she could possibly use, might be worth thousands to collectors as well.

MadPriest, if you are around, I think you would have loved the place in your - ahem - younger days.

Before Katrina, tour groups from New Orleans would stop and eat at the restaurant, but the tourist trade has dried up. While we were there, only two others were at lunch.

Chackbay and Choupic are small communities up the road from us. Just in case you don't know, choupic is also a fish. I have never eaten it, but folks around here fish for it and eat it.

I remember hearing that the fish must be cooked while it's fresh, so I Googled around and found this recipe at Landing Big Fish, which I thought was informal and amusing. It includes this cautionary advice:

...also try to fillet the fish fresh, that way the meat does not turn to "cotton". After you have cut the slab off lay it on a pan and try to pull out any loose scales. Don't worry if you don't get them all just watch out for them when eating.

A Somber Day

It's hard to know what to say on the day after the tragedy of yesterday. Add to that the sobering post by Juan Cole at Informed Comment in which he says this:

I keep hearing from US politicians and the US mass media that the "situation is improving" in Iraq. The profound sorrow and alarm produced in the American public by the horrific shootings at Virginia Tech should give us a baseline for what the Iraqis are actually living through. They have two Virginia Tech-style attacks every single day.

....

I[Cole] wrote on February 26,


' A suicide bomber with a bomb belt got into the lobby of the School of Administration and Economy of Mustansiriya University in Baghdad and managed to set it off despite being spotted at the last minute by university security guards. The blast killed 41 and wounded a similar number according to late reports, with body parts everywhere and big pools of blood in the foyer as students were shredded by the high explosives. '

That isn't "slow progress" or just "progress," the way the weasels in Washington keep proclaiming. It is the most massive manmade human tragedy of the young century. (My bolding)

To keep informed of the real story in Iraq and the Middle East, I read Professor Cole nearly every day.

How do we bear this state of affairs? Sometimes it's overwhelming for me. I do what I can do in my small way to try to change things. It's pitifully little; may God forgive my sins of omission.

And I pray.


From the Carmina Gadelica:

THE ROCK OF ROCKS
On the Rock of rocks
The peace of Peter and Paul,
Of James and John the beloved,
And of the pure perfect Virgin,
The pure perfect Virgin.

The peace of the Father of joy,
The peace of the Christ of pasch,
The peace of the Spirit of grace,
To ourselves and to our children,
Ourselves and our children.

And I look for a word from the Lord.


From the Lectionary:

Psalm 5:1-3

Give ear to my words, O Lord;
give heed to my sighing.
Listen to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

1 John 2:7-11

Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says, ‘I am in the light’, while hating a brother or sister,* is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person* there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer* is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has brought on blindness.