Saturday, December 29, 2007

For the Holy Innocents

This is from a sermon by Quodvultdeus, Bishop of Cathage, on those slaughtered by Herod, who in some ways were the very first little martyrs to the faith.

"They cannot speak, yet they bear witness to Christ. They cannot use their little limbs to engage in battle, yet already they bear off the palm of victory."

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Mary the Dawn

I love Mary, and my feelings for her lie somewhere between the extremes expressed by some of my Catholic friends and by too many of my Protestant friends. This devotion (from the Dominican Sisters of Summit) I think rightly navigates the extremes, presenting Mary's right position as the great herald of her Son.
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Mary the dawn, Christ the Perfect Day;
Mary the gate, Christ the Heavenly Way!

Mary the root, Christ the Mystic Vine;
Mary the grape, Christ the Sacred Wine!

Mary the wheat, Christ the Living Bread;
Mary the stem, Christ the Rose blood-red!

Mary the font, Christ the Cleansing Flood;
Mary the cup, Christ the Saving Blood!

Mary the temple, Christ the temple’s Lord;
Mary the shrine, Christ the God’s adored!

Mary the beacon, Christ the Haven’s Rest;
Mary the mirror, Christ the Vision Blest!

Mary the mother, Christ the mother’s Son
By all things blessed while endless ages run.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Movie Review

Bella (2007), PG-13. Producers include Stephen McEveety, a producer on The Passion of the Christ.

Tag line from the poster: "True love goes beyond romance"

A tragedy ends the career of an up-and-coming soccer star Jose' (Eduardo Verástegui) on the way to sign his million-dollar contract. Years later, working in his brother’s restaurant, Jose' and waitress Nina (Tammy Blanchard) discovers something that Nina is unprepared for. An impetuous act by Jose brings them together during an extraordinary day. Nina is facing a tough decision and when Jose' shares a tragedy that changed his life and how his family helped him cope, Nina also transforms.

Bella is strongly pro-family and pro-life, but both in such subtle and organic ways that there is never a hint of the film being pushy.

And I dare you to not weep at the ending.

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

A hymn for the season

By Josiah Holland
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There's a song in the air! There's a star in the sky!
There's a mother's deep prayer and a baby's slow cry!
And the star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

There's a tumult of joy over the wonderful birth,
For the Virgin's sweet boy is the Lord of the earth.
Ay! The star rains its fire while the beautiful sing,
For the manger of Bethlehem cradles a King!

In the light of that star lie the ages impearled;
And that song from afar has swept over the world.
Every hearth is aflame, and the beautiful sing,
And we greet in His cradle our Savior and King!

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

A Terrific Musician

I hereby make Bruce Cockburn the offical musician of the Itinerant Iconoclast site. He is a man who deals with real world issues and sings about them from a persepective of one who knows there is a God. He has never been a part of the "Christian" sub-culture, which allows him to sing about hard issues and air his struggles in an honest way. The above-referenced site includes comments by Cockburn about his songs, tour info, etc . . .

BTW, Cockburn's album "Christmas" is simply the best seasonal album out there, a combination of original, traditional, and obscure Christmas songs.