Messiah: the Advent

If I were lost on a desert island and could only have one recording with me, it would have to be Messiah by Handel. (Ok, never mind that I wouldn’t have electricity.) For me, it’s like a greatest hits album. I happily sing along to them all, and it’s really funny when I try to do bass arias in the same key. Anyway, I sang so many Christmas concerts with the Portland (ME) Symphony Orchestra back in the ‘80s that to this day if you wake me out of a sound sleep, I can still sing the Hallelujah Chorus from memory. 

Part One begins with the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah and, since this is the first week of Advent, I thought I’d treat you to a rendition of Comfort Ye My People / Every Valley by one of my favorite opera singers Juan Diego Florez.

Enjoy and have a blessed Advent.

John Donne: Holy Sonnets

You may have heard the phrases “No man is an island,” “For whom the bell tolls,” and “Death be not proud.” All were written by John Donne (1572 – 1631), the former two from Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, Meditation XVII, and the latter from Holy Sonnet X. “Death be not proud” is one of the most famous sonnets ever written and it is superb.  One of my favorites though is Sonnet XIV, “Batter my heart.”

The speaker in the poem seems to have lost his way, even his faith, and asks God to be violent with him in order that he may reclaim it. He does love God but can never be free from “the enemie” unless God batters his heart. His Reason is supposed to defend him, but “proves weake or untrue.” Therefore, the speaker asks to be “enthrall[ed]” and “ravish[ed]”. The passion here is not physical, but spiritual, a complete spiritual overtaking.

Robert Oppenheimer, “father of the atomic bomb,” named the atomic test site “Trinity” after this poem, referring to the “three-person’d God.” At the end of the first act of John Adams’ opera Doctor Atomic, the character of Oppenheimer, expressing his anxiety and doubts, sings the aria “Batter my heart, three-person’d God.” The aria’s lyric is the sonnet, almost intact.

While the language and spellings are from the 16th century, the poem is well worth delving into, especially in times that can make even the strongest confused and anxious.

XIV

BATTER my heart, three person’d God; for, you
As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend,
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow mee,’and bend
Your force, to breake, blowe, burn and make me new
I, like an usurpt towne, to’another due,
Labour to’admit you, but Oh, to no end,
Reason your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,
But is captiv’d, and proves weake or untrue.
Yet dearely’I love you,’and would be loved faine,
But am bethroth’d unto your enemie:
Divorce mee,’untie or breake that knot againe,
Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I
Except you’enthrall mee, never shall be free,
Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee.

Exploring Helpful Links Part 2

It’s often difficult to find reliable media coverage of world and local happenings. Who do we trust? Is anyone telling us the truth? The media are usually biased in one direction or the other and everything is reported from a personal point of view. We are human beings, after all, and cannot be totally impartial. In fact, a good Catholic always needs to be biased in favor of the laws of God.

Here are some pretty reliable sites for your news. Remember, your mileage may vary.

The Catholic World Report – moving from a print magazine several years ago, CWR is, according to their website, “a free online magazine that examines the news from a faithfully Catholic perspective.” They go on to say of themselves: “CWR provides full coverage of the news and events affecting the Church around the world, offering in-depth analysis while exploring issues the mainstream media avoids. It features exclusive interviews, covers a host of relevant topics, and offers an unwavering commitment to the truth in light of the Gospel.” CWR is associated with Ignatius Press and has links to their site to purchase the reviewed books from that publishing house.

The National Catholic Register – founded in 1927, the NCRegister has been continuously publishing for over 90 years, changing hands along the way and now owned and operated by EWTN News, Inc. It has both print and online versions. The NCRegister has Edward Pentin as their Rome correspondent. He’s one of the best and clearest writers on the goings-on at the Vatican. I keep referring to the paper as NCRegister because there is another NCR out there – the National Catholic Reporter – that is conspicuously absent from the links section. Stick with the Register.

The Remnant – first cousin to The Wanderer, The Remnant involves itself more with the Traditional Latin Mass. Both are good news sources and it just depends on your preference. 

We’ll cover more links in a future post.

Antigone and the Moral High Ground

What would you do if the government were mandating, at the pain of death, that everyone had to follow its edicts even if they went against the teachings of God?

Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, faces this dilemma in the play by Sophocles.

Her brothers Polynices and Eteocles kill each other in Polynices’ failed attempt to take over Thebes. Creon, their uncle, ascends to the throne and decrees that while Eteocles has a proper funeral because he defended Thebes, Polynices will be left in the open to be ravaged by wild dogs. Anyone attempting to mourn or bury this traitor will himself be killed. Antigone, obeying a divine law, buries her brother and incurs the wrath of Creon. She is sentenced to death.

While Antigone doesn’t worship a Christian God, she maintains that Creon is angering the gods Thebans do worship with his order. Even the pagan gods teach a divine law of right and wrong.

The prophet Tiresias also warns Creon that his arrogance and stubbornness will lead to disaster for him and his family. Indeed, his niece, his son, and his wife all commit suicide and Creon is left to live with the consequences of opposing divine law. 

Sophocles wrote this play around 441 B.C., but the themes and truths make it timeless, a hallmark of great literature. What can we learn from this ancient story about decisions we face today? How do we render unto God things in His province while rendering unto Caesar the things of this world, especially when they seem to be at odds? Who will we worship and obey, God or Caesar?

The Last Sunday after Pentecost

Sunday is not one of my usual post days, but I wanted to share with you the Epistle for today, the 24th Sunday after Pentecost.  St. Paul prays that we might be touched by the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we can focus on the Kingdom of Heaven and not worry about this kingdom below. This translation is from the Douay-Rheims Holy Bible. Colossians 1, 9-14.

Therefore we also, from the day that we heard it, cease not to pray for you, and to beg that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdom, and spiritual understanding: [10] That you may walk worthy of God, in all things pleasing; being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God:

[11] Strengthened with all might, according to the power of his glory, in all patience and longsuffering with joy, [12] Giving thanks to God the Father, who hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light: [13] Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, [14] In whom we have redemption through his blood, the remission of sins;

Might I also recommend today’s Gospel: Matthew 24, 15-35. St. Matthew talks about end times, an appropriate thing to contemplate on the last Sunday of the liturgical year. This is also from Douay Rheims.

When therefore you shall see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place: he that readeth let him understand.

[16] Then they that are in Judea, let them flee to the mountains: [17] And he that is on the housetop, let him not come down to take anything out of his house: [18] And he that is in the field, let him not go back to take his coat. [19] And woe to them that are with child, and that give suck in those days. [20] But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the sabbath.

[21] For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. [22] And unless those days had been shortened, no flesh should be saved: but for the sake of the elect those days shall be shortened. [23] Then if any man shall say to you: Lo here is Christ, or there, do not believe him. [24] For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive (if possible) even the elect. [25] Behold I have told it to you, beforehand.

[26] If therefore they shall say to you: Behold he is in the desert, go ye not out: Behold he is in the closets, believe it not. [27] For as lightning cometh out of the east, and appeareth even into the west: so shall the coming of the Son of man be. [28] Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be gathered together. [29] And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven shall be moved: [30] And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all tribes of the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with much power and majesty.

[31] And he shall send his angels with a trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of them. [32] And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. [33] So you also, when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the doors. [34] Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. [35] Heaven and earth shall pass, but my words shall not pass.

Are you Hezekiah or Manasseh?

Every few years I read through the entire Old Testament (the rest of the time I read the New Testament as well as the Psalms). I always find something new or something to interpret in a new way.

This time I found Kings and Chronicles to be especially interesting and pertinent. The stories about the kings of Israel and Judah have a common theme: do what is right in the eyes of the Lord and things are good. Don’t, and nasty things happen.

David walked in the way of the Lord – with the exception of having Uriah killed and taking his wife Bathsheba. Even so, their son Solomon obeyed God and was the one who built the great temple in Jerusalem. (Proving again that God can bring good from evil.) Solomon’s son Rehoboam wasn’t so obedient and lost to Shishak, king of Egypt. 

“Thus says the Lord, ‘You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.’”

2 Chronicles 12:5

Hezekiah was another king who was faithful to God and tried to clean up the messes from his father Ahaz and others before him. 

Hezekiah “did what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and the commandments, seeking his God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.”

2 Chronicles 31: 20-21

But then came his son Manasseh who “did what was evil in the sight of the Lord” by rebuilding the high places, erecting altars to Baal, practicing human sacrifice, and practicing “soothsaying and augury and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and wizards.” Although the Lord warned Manasseh and the people, they ignored Him. So, “the Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh with hooks and bound him with fetters of bronze and brought him to Babylon.” (2 Chronicles 33: 11).

Are we seeing a theme here? What is the Lord telling us about the perils of ignoring His commandments in this age? Will we be Hezekiah and prosper or be Manasseh and be dragged off to Babylon?

The Lord doesn’t force Himself on anyone but is always there to accept our repentance. He doesn’t really ever abandon us; we are the ones who turn our backs on Him, and walk off straight into Hell.

Note: All Bible references in this blog are from the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition unless otherwise noted.

Exploring Helpful Links Part 1

 I’d like to introduce some of the sites and organizations listed on the right side of the page you may not be familiar with. In no particular order they are:

Well Read Mom – this is a group I joined just last year, a book club that knows that time for reading is precious and difficult to come by. The website describes the group thus: “Well-Read Mom accompanies women in the reading of great books and spiritual classics to encourage personal growth, friendship, and meaningful conversations in order to explore the human condition and reorient ourselves to what is good, beautiful, and true.” 

The selections are well-thought out and follow a theme for each year. Some of them may be more to your liking than others, but sometimes reading something you might never have gone to on your own is a pleasant challenge. And, you don’t actually have to be a mom to join. Books we have read this year include Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, Antigone by Sophocles, and The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila. Later, we’ll read To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky.

Traditional Catholic – what a great site. You can get lost in this library forever. It can be a little difficult to wade through, but absolutely worth it. Some books have audio formats as well as pdfs or Kindle. Books by the Saints and Doctors of the Church are available. God bless the person who took the time to dig out all this information and provide it to us.

Project Gutenberg – you want great books? There are over 60,000 free ebooks here. The formats include HTML, plain text, and Kindle. While I prefer holding a book in my hands when I read, I’m more than willing to use my computer or Kindle when I can’t find what I’m looking for in a library or used book store or just can’t afford to buy.

There’s a start. We’ll continue looking at these sites in a future post.

Welcome

Welcome to Nearer My God, a blog which promotes Western Judeo/Christian culture from a Roman Catholic perspective. You will find selections from literature, poetry, music, art, and Holy Scripture, as well as links to Catholic/Christian sites to help us keep our culture from being distorted and destroyed.

We start with an excerpt from the encyclical E Supremi (On High) written by Pope Pius X and issued October 4, 1903:

 "For who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deep-rooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is - apostasy from God, than which in truth nothing is more allied with ruin."

Written over a century ago, Pope Pius X described something which has only gotten worse - in essence, turning our backs on God. How can a society or country survive? We’ve all encountered our slide into lawlessness with riots, looting, arson, violence, fraud, and a hatred that permeates every-day living. Our history is being erased and our rights are, one by one, being taken away. Some of us are still not allowed into our churches, even while we can shop, dine in restaurants, and go to the movies. It’s not just ignoring God, it’s a dedicated attack against Him and His faithful.

What can we do? First and foremost, pray. Especially for those who hate you. Fast and sacrifice. Fight back by educating yourself. Read the Bible. Read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Listen to some of the Masses and liturgical music written by the great composers. Visit museums virtually and view paintings and sculptures by the great Masters. 

Here at Nearer My God I will share some of my favorite books and poems, music and paintings. At the right of the page I’ll keep a list of helpful and interesting sites you can visit. My plan is to post something each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday – more or less. Comments will be allowed and encouraged, but, please, keep everything civil. I’ll read them before I allow them to be posted.

Let’s not lose our history and culture. Let’s keep them alive, at least in our little corner of the world.