Reminiscing

 My sister died a month ago.  A sibling dying is not an inconsequential event, for anyone.  For me, it was deep.  You see, she was ten years older than I, so she was also a mother figure for me.  Actually, she was better than a mother.  I'll give you an example.

When I was ten years old, I told my sister about a boy I liked (Not to my mother!)  We looked his name up in the phone book.  (How's that for a nostalgic journey?)  We found his family name and address.  We got in the car and drove by his house.  That's it.  That's all.  But what mother would do that? Only sisters do those things.

Another favorite memory I have of my sister is a Christmas memory.  We both loved to color.  Whenever I was sick, she bought me a new coloring book.  It seemed I was always sick with measles, chicken pox, asthma, colds, and even a ruptured appendix!  And of course, Santa always brought new crayons and coloring books. Christmas night, we loved to put all the lights off in the living room, except for the Christmas tree lights.  Then we would crawl under the Christmas tree and color with our new crayons and books.  

It was magical!

Before dementia stole my sister from me, we sent each other birthday cards.  Since my birthday was a couple of weeks before hers, whatever type of card she sent me, I would reciprocate by bumping it up a notch.  If she sent me a lovey-dovey, mushy Happy Birthday Dear Sister, I would send her the most grandiose "lovey-dovey", mushy card.  If she sent me a funny card, I reciprocated with a real zinger.

Recalling old memories leaves a sense of warm nostalgia.  Reminiscing leads me to tell you something important.  

School starts in a couple of weeks, and when I took my grands to buy school supplies, I found myself staring at all the Crayola products.

Mmmm.  Yes, I did it.

I bought the biggest box of crayons the store sold, and an adult coloring book.  While we checked out our purchases, I took out my personal items and brought them home.  

As I colored that night, I thought of the many types of prayers that everyone offers.  And I thought that sometimes... sometimes, the best prayers are those that are offered up in color. 

IN LOVING MEMORY OF Elizabeth "Bette" Donovan

IChThYS

 ICHThYS is an ancient "password" for the early Christians.  When the early Christians couldn't worship publicly, they went underground--to the catacombs.  The password to enter was to draw an IChThYS--in Greek (ΙΧΘΥΣ) .  

This would be a fish because Peter and some of the other apostles were fishermen.  It was called IChThYS the Greek Word for fish. 

I — Iēsous (Jesus)

CH — Christos (Christ)

TH — Theou (of God)

Y — Huios (Son)

S — Sōtēr (Savior)

Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior

Early Religion

 
Philosophy was the noun early Christians used when referring to religion. They called it philosophy, after the philosopher, Philo,  who lived in Alexandria.  He wrote about politics and religion.  He maintained that the first Bible, the Septuagint and Jewish law were a blueprint for current theory.  He harmonized the Torah with Greek philosophy.  His allegorical exegesis was important to the Church Fathers.

That's what the Church Fathers called theology, and religion.  Here is an Imaginative illustration of Philo made in 1584 by the French portrait artist André Thevet

By André Thévet - André Thevet (1502-1509): Les vrais pourtraits et vies des hommes illustres grecz, latins et payens (1584)https://archive.org/details/lesvraispourtrai01thev, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12233681

And You Thought Libraries Were Dull?

 This probably is the last book in the series of The Library of the Dead.  However, the book ends with the mother pregnant again with another ancient scribe.  So?  I'm writing about The Keepers of the Library by Glenn Cooper. Will Piper, the supposedly retired NY cop/FBI agent, is the protagonist.  His teenage son runs to a girlfriend, in Scotland.  They met online.  Unfortunately, her family keeps him.  Will takes off to get him back.  As usual, in Cooper's books, the action is crazy fast.  The armies of three countries get involved.  They are all after the library.

The library continues past the dates, everyone thought was the end of the world.  Even more surprising is the diary of Benjamin Franklin, which the family had.  Evidently, Franklin was there three centuries ago.  Franklin was concerned with the American Revolution and set up of a new government.  Will saves Franklin's diary too.  

Honor Not Worship

 When Christianity was in its infancy, the Emperor of Rome was considered a god.  Around 45 BC the Jewish army helped Julius Caesar fight his wars, and so, the Jewish worship of Yahweh was tolerated.  However, the Jews insisted that these Christians were not Jews and weren't excused from worshipping Caesar, as god.  

The Christians acknowledged Caesar's authority to govern but would not worship him.  Remember Matt 22: 20-21, They would pray for him, honor him, obey him, but he is only a man who God appointed to rule.

                                                              Art from Catacombs

                                                                        Baptizing

Wagging Tongue

 She stopped in her tracks.

She looked shock.

Her eyes narrowed.

She turned and walked away.

What did I say?

I tried to think back.

Did I offend?

By her response, yes.

She was hurt, deeply.

If only I could silent my tongue.

God's Breath

                                                         God breathes life into Adam.
                                                         Newborns scream that same breath
                                                                           into their lungs.
                                                         Resuscitation breathes that same
                                                                           breath to life.  Again
                                                                           and again.
                                                         

We pray.

Early Christian Consciousness

 Our favorite author, Anonymous, wrote an Apology dissertation, known as To Diognetus.  It has been renowned for its resonance with current Catholic theology.  Mind you, it's dated 160-200 AD. I imagine there were all sorts of ideas running loose, so the apologists hammered down the Apostolic teachings.  

It criticized pagans, atheists, Jews, etc. Anonymous explains the nature of Christianity as "love."  How's that compared to the other early religions?  

Do you think the citizenry laughed at these Christians?  Probably some did, some still do, but actually, paradoxically, the followers of Christianity multiplied exponentially.

The Physician of Nineveh by Glenn Cooper has something for everyone.  It has history.  It has romance.  It is an action thriller.  It has fantasy.  It has science.  It has time travel.  It has a happy ending--for all.

The major characters are a physician from the seventh century, BC, and a scholar specializing in Assyriology, Kate Mayne, from the twenty-first century, AD. They meet through time-travel.

See, Mannu the Assyrian physician uses black magic to travel through time, to find a cure for King Ashurbanipa's favorite concubine.  He lands in London, where Kate finds him.  Kate, scholar, that she is, thinks her dreams have come true.  The drama comes in when the King's enemies follow Mannu to make sure he doesn't succeed in his quest.

The story is different, and like I said, it has everything.

Melito

 Melito was the first bishop of Sardis, in Asia Minor.  Sardis, once was capital of Lydia, a wealthy capital in modern day Turkey. It one of the Seven Churches of Asia, in Revelation.  King Croesus's wealth was known in Sardis.

Did you ever hear of it?  Keep that in mind and meditate that "All is passing, only God abides."  

Melito, as other evangelists, was writing Apologies, defending the faith in the second century.  Most of what he wrote is lost.  What remains is his Apology, or some of it.  From it, we understand that he mentions the existence of cooperation between the church and the Roman Empire.  One gets the idea that God predestined that the church was formed specifically to flourish during the Constantine era and after, giving rise to the Holy Roman Empire.  Do you want to call this political theology?

Scientific Find

 Popular Mechanics has an article that highlights Christianity, as early as the third century.  A skeleton was found in Frankfurt, Germany, wearing a religious medal--a cross.  The skeleton is dated 230-279 AD, which means that Christianity had spread as far north to Germany by that century.  During that time, the Emperor, Nero, was persecuting Christians.  So for anyone to wear a Christian symbol was very brave, if not foolish.  His or her, faith, must have been very important.

It is not only a cross; there is a Latin inscription, on it.  Translated: 

(In the name?) of Saint Titus.

Holy, holy, holy!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God!

The Lord of the World

resists with [strength?]

all attacks(?)/setbacks(?).

The god(?) grants well-being

Admission.

This rescue device(?) protects

the person who is

surrenders to the will

of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Son,

since before Jesus Christ

all knees bow: the heavenly ones,

the earthly and

the underground, and every tongue

confess (to Jesus Christ).

Who is St. Titus? He was a disciple of Paul.  He carried Paul's letters and organized and helped Paul.  There is no description of how he died.  

Interesting is the award, Cross of St. Titus.  This award is given to chaplains, who offered "meritorious contributions to the unique and highly visible Unit Ministry Team Observer Controller Program. The award recognizes the great importance of realistic, doctrinally guided combat ministry training in ensuring the delivery of prevailing religious support to the American Soldier."
Wikipedia

  I guess the idea for the Cross of St. Titus was because of the companionship, support, dependability, and trust, that Titus gave to St. Paul.

                                                             St. Titus as Bishop of Crete.

Burdens

 Thank God, I'm here and now, not living during the times of the novel, The Calamity Club by Kathern Stockett. The depression era was hard, but the degradation Blacks, women, children, and those intellectually challenged, had to endure, broke my heart.  

The story in The Calamity Club tells it all.  The limited job opportunities, women had no choice, but to accept.  How orphans were treated. How Blacks were treated.  And I learned a new vocabulary word--miscegenation.  

Miscegenation: Derived from Latin miscere ("to mix") and genus ("race"); historically used in laws banning interracial marriage

The story begins with a little girl, Meg, being left alone.  Her mother didn't come home.  Eventually, she is sent to an orphanage, that must have been inspired by Charles Dickens.  The people in that town, the boss lady, Garnett, volunteers, Birdie and Frances, and the people who eventually adopt Meg, are all unforgettable people.  I loved all the characters.

In fact, I love everything about the book.  

The Apologists

 Apologist comes from the Greek language, meaning defense.  That's a different meaning to us, nowadays.  But the early Christians had to constantly be on the defense from the government, Jews, and pagans.  Why?  

At that time, God was Caesar and only worship of him, was allowed.
The Jews opposed the early Christians because the Christians preached that the Jews killed Jesus.
The pagans didn't like the morality of the Christians, who criticized many of their mores.

What were the Christians defending?

There are always prejudice against new ideas, especially if it involves changing lifestyles.
Misunderstandings of what the Christians were preaching.
Cannibalism--yes, because Jesus said "Eat my flesh, drink my blood," non Christians just didn't understand. John 6:53-56
Incest--again, misunderstanding of the teachings on love of our brothers and sisters. 1 John 4:21 and Romans 12:10.
Political subversion--yes, even today.  Christians must obey their well-formed conscience, not their government or illegal orders from authorities.

Add to the above, fear.  Fear and distrust generated the hatred of Christians and unleashed persecution against them.

 

Action Galore

 Nelson DeMille's The Cuban Affair is full of action.  The main character, Mac is hired by Cuban exiles.  He's told it's to retrieved hidden money that the exiles hid, when they left Cuba, in a hurry.  But actually, that was only secondary.  First, was the titles to the exiles' property, that they wanted to show the world in international court, that they still owned.  Also, the make sure Mac would take their paperwork, there was a trunk full of soldiers' bones, the Cubans had taken from Afghanistan and tortured and left to rot in Cuban prisons. Mac wanted to show Americans what they did and bring those troops home.

The reader isn't really sure if the paperwork and bones made it home.  The CIA picked them up from their boat, which the Cubans were chasing and shooting at. The CIA said their boat was blown up and everything was lost.  Well, that's what the CIA said.

Anyway, Mac found love, adventure, and a sense of what's important in life.  What else do you want?

The Catacombs of Priscilla

 Priscilla (Prisca) and her husband Aquilla are mentioned a few times in the New Testament, especially in conjunction with the Paul.  She and her husband are notable Christians.  Her catacomb is still visited in Rome.  A catacomb is a burial place, especially for the early Christians.  The early Christians, as Jews, kept the practice of burying their dead.  It's a good thing, too, because when Christianity was outlawed, that's where the Christians went to pray, attend Mass, and hide.  

The artwork in the catacombs is extensive, as well as interesting.  Early Christian symbols and depictions of the Last Supper or Mass, depict the Eucharist.

Gandhi's Seven Deadly Sins

 Wealth without work.

Pleasure without conscience.

Knowledge without character.

Commerce without morality.

Science without humanity.

Worship without sacrifice.

Politics without principle.

A Spiritual Will

 When someone dies, confusion, if not shock, overtakes the people you left behind.  That's why people leave Legal Wills.  Legal Wills tell people who gets your property.  Also important should be a Spiritual Will, to tell everyone what you want done with your body.  If you are Jewish or Catholic, there are rites the deceased may want observed. Don't let your family guess, or worse argue.  Leave instructions--a spiritual will.

Here's what my Spiritual Will will say, now.  It may be revised.

I already have a plot and stone.  Use my insurance money for my funeral. Since I am a Lay Dominican, I would like to wear black.  My white scapular and Dominican cross is over my blouse.  Obviously, this is open casket.  I want my faith visible, as my last catechesis, to show others that faith is serious.

I want a traditional Catholic funeral Mass.  My parish priest may celebrate.  I will list what music I want and Readings.  I also want certain people to be Lectors, not family.  I want my family to pay attention to the Mass, not freak out because they have to speak in public.  Family may bring up the Offerings.  No eulogy, just a reception following the burial.  Stories will be told there, at the reception.

I like a Mass celebrated for me, now and then, and a few prayers at my grave.

That's it.  See you on the other side.

My scapular and cross look like this, to be place over black clothing.  

Echoes of the Apostles

 Did you ever wonder why the Church Fathers didn't sign their names to what they wrote?  Who wrote the Didache?  Who was the Shepherd of Hermes?  

It seems that these writings are written with authority.  Their tone is unquestionable.  They wrote about the internal organization of the Christian communities of the times. They deal authoritatively with liturgical discipline, moral conduct, wavering faith, and correct teachings.  There seems to be no need to sign their names to their works.  The community accepted the teachings, as from the Apostles.

Lafayette College fresco Christ Among His Apostles · A&S 325: Museums Studies · Exhibits @ Lafayette College

Violence Begets Violence

 The Gate House by Nelson DeMille is a sequel to The Gold Coast.  I didn't read The Gold Coast, so the characters are new to me.  I don't usually read novels in order, except for Louise Penny's Three Pine mysteries.  Books call me by name at Library Book Sales, Yard Sales, free tables--here and there, gifts, and handed over, by friends.  My friends know I'm on a Nelson DeMille kick, now, so The Gate House was given to me.

I never quite got the geography of exactly where the gate house was located, on the estate.  But I didn't worry about it because I thought it was an unnecessary complication, in the plot.  I still think so.  The main character, John Sutter has returned home, after ten years.  A family servant, friend, and client has died.  John lived with her for a while, was her lawyer, and friend.

He had left, in the first place, because he was divorced from his unfaithful wife, who had murdered her lover, who was John's client, who was also a mafioso.  

Following?

Capice?

John is back.  It turns out that as soon as John and his ex see each other, they resume their relationship and plan to remarry.  However, if they do remarry, the in-laws will retract their financial support, which is considerable.  But that's minor, compared to the problem of the mafioso's son, who wants revenge.  

That's the plot.  It's a big book.  But I took my time reading the story and I did enjoy it.

The Shepherd of Hermas

 It was hard to keep the early Church, on the same page.  That's why Paul wrote so many letters.  Another person, known as the Shepherd of Hermas wrote an important treatise.  He, whomever he was, wrote of the problems in the Roman community.  Rome was the capital of the Roman empire and the Christians there were not always behaving.  What to do about that, is what the Shepherd of Hermas wrote about.  

He was stern and well, full of "hell fire and brimstone."  Hence, he was always haranguing about doing penance.  Hence, Church history shows the sacrament of reconciliation, or penance, commonly known as Confession, was offered as a chance for salvation for repentant sinners, not only once, or once a year, at Yom Kippur, but as many times as the penitent thought he needed. 

The Shepherd of Hermas was written in the second century, so it is not a canonical book, which are written by apostles and direct companions of the apostles,  However, it is an example of early Christian writing.