Mass on the Back of a Whale

This is a picture I took while visiting the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown, MA.  The explanation simply said it was Mass celebrated on the back of a whale.  I googled Mass on the back of a whale and couldn't find enough information to satisfy me.  I learned that there is a legend, from the 9th century, of St. Brendan (Celtic saint) who celebrated Mass on the back of a whale.  When St. Brendan elevated the consecrated host, all the fish in the sea, who were swimming around the whale, stopped, stuck their heads out of the water to reverence the Lord, and turned around and swam in the opposite direction.

Like all myths and legends, the truth is lost.  However, there is some truth, or the myth would never have initiated in the first place. 

I find it interesting that Mass would have been celebrated on the back of a whale.  I'm not surprised at the actions of God's creatures towards their Creator.  It's the location of the Mass.  Why the whale?

Living on Cape Cod, I know the history of whaling here.  I know the livelihood of many depended upon the whale.  But does that warrant its use as an altar? 

In a way, I can see it.  Whales were sacrificed, so to speak, so that man may live.  You could say that like Jesus, whales gave their lives, so that others may live.  The difference, however, is that Jesus willingly gave up His life, whereas the whales didn't. 

Vive la difference!

Thoreau on the Beach

Today hubby and I met a Park Ranger on Coast Guard Beach who re-introduced us to Henry David Thoreau.  Of course we were introduced to Thoreau, back in the day.  However, today, thanks to Brent Ellis, we met up with the transcendentalist, again.  Ellis was on fire about Thoreau.  We were talking about beach grass.  He told us that the first vegetation you encounter on the beach is beach grass, and then beach rose (rosa rugosa), beach plums, and bayberry.  The beach grass is important because it anchors the sand and helps to keep it from blowing adrift.  Brent would often quote Thoreau.  Here's what Henry David Thoreau said about the importance of beach grass to Cape Cod.

Thus Cape Cod is anchored to the heavens, as it were, by a myriad little cables of beach-grass, and, if they should fail, would become a total wreck, and ere long go to the bottom.

Towns even plant beach grass to slow down beach erosion.  It's rather futile, but it's better than letting mother nature have her way.  She eventually always does, but until that happens, we humans can enjoy the beach, a little while longer.

Too Busy To Post

My own rule to always write at least something, every day, may be broken this week.  The weather is just too nice.  Hubby and I went on a hike in Nickerson State Park.  We went on a picnic.  Then we went to a winery in Truro.  On the way home, we stopped at Coast Guard Beach and signed up for a hike, tomorrow.  Besides, the internet is getting sketchy.  I did some research and found out that dust may be inside my laptop.  When my computer gets too hot, it shuts down.  Maybe that's what's happening.

Maybe I just need a new computer.

So if I don't post, don't worry.  I'm just having too much fun.

Sunday Snippets -- A Catholic Carnival

Sunday is almost over and I almost didn't get to post my Sunday Snippets -- A Catholic Carnival post.  This post is a weekly link-up with other Catholic bloggers where we summarize our weekly post on R'Ann's blog, This And That And The Other Thing.

First, to answer the question about what I remember from my First Communion.

I'm sorry to say I don't remember much.  Mostly because I met Ricky Jerome.  He followed my sister and me home from First Communion class.  My sister noticed the boy following us, and when I turned around to look, I saw someone jump into the bushes.  That's all.

But the following week in church, he came up and introduced himself.  From then until high school, we were boy friend and girl friend.  That's what I remember from First Communion.

This is what I remember from this week:

Monday --  Advertised for World Communication Day.

Tuesday -- Book Review of The Voyage to Alpha Centauri

Wednesday -- Silliness

Thursday -- Sex sells.

Friday -- The Pope is a compassionate pastor.

Saturday --  Internet Service was out.

Sunday -- Homily inspiration.

For more blog post, click over to R'Ann's.

God, Learning and Fun

What does Spring mean to you?  That was the question Fr. Bernie asked at Mass this morning, at Our Lady of the Cape Parish.  Some answers were:

• crocuses 
• daffodil
• spring training
• Mother's Day
• opening day at the Red Sox

The answer for Fr. Bernie was the Herring Run in Brewster.  There is a famous one in Brewster, and you know the herring are here because of all the sea gulls hanging around for dinner.

My hangout is Falmouth, MA, and we have a Herring Run, also, at Truck River.  The River is rife with sea life, which is why it's such a good place to see the ecology, biology, and marine life.

The herring are important in the food chain, which is why they are monitored.  Their health and well being reflect the overall state of well being of the coastal ecosystem.

Isn't Catholicism a great religion?  Not only do you receive Jesus in the Eucharist, but you learn about herring.  God, learning, and fun, you can't get any better than that.

Grace Trumps

The Church should bestow the grace of God not bureaucratic obstacles


Text from page http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/05/08/pope_francis:_the_church_should_bestow_the_grace_of_god_not/en1-797492
of the Vatican Radio website 

I can just picture my "cloistered brother," Dennis, getting bent out of shape over this sound bite.  And that's all it is: words taken from a larger talk (sound bite).  And it's also out of context.

People have to realize that Pope Francis is quoted all the time, and the quotes are cherry picked to:

• get attention
• sell

Most of the time Pope Francis is speaking pastorally.  He is not speaking ex cathedra.  As the headline intimates, "grace" trumps.  And that's not news to me.

How to Get Attention in the Emergency Room

The day was perfect.  We saw a chirping swallow, a gold finch, and heard an oven bird.  A harmless garter snake slithered across the path.  We screamed because of the surprise of suddenly seeing something move, but no one was frightened.  Our bridge was washed away, but we just walked around.  Nothing spoiled our hike.

During conversation, I heard a funny story.  It's tick season, so that was the subject we were discussing.  Kevin told us a story about a man who found a tick in his armpit, when he was showering.  Deer ticks can be tricky, and this one couldn't be reached safely.  So the man and his wife decided to go to the emergency room, even though they didn't want to sit and wait, and wait, and wait.  The wife said to tell them you must have picked up the tick having adventurous sex in the woods.  "That'll get their attention, fast!"  They both laughed.

Once in the emergency room, they gave their insurance and history.  When the recorder asked, "What's the problem?"  The man said, "I have a tick in my armpit."  But the wife piped up, "We were having adventurous sex in the woods!"

There was no response.

But they were seen immediately.  And as they walked down the corridor to their assigned room, doors opened and heads popped out to look.

BTW,  the tick was expeditiously removed.  He's fine, so far.