Addendum to my Christmas Present

A few days ago, one of “my cloistered brothers” with good eyesight discerned what the last two words were on my Miraculous Medal. The word on top was Sterling. OK!  I'm referring to my post My Christmas Present.

The medal is sterling silver, I can see that. The word underneath Sterling wasn’t a word but letters or initials—H M H.

?????????

What do you think?

His Most High?
Holy Majestic High?
The jeweler’s initials?
The company?

I googled H M H.  One of my choices was a company in the next town—a company that made religious medals.  BINGO

Christmas Day, Happy Day

My Christmas Present

A Christmas present to myself.





















When I was a child, the movie, Song of Bernadette was around and everyone was wearing a miraculous medal.  I don't really remember the movie but the beautiful medal left an impression on me.  It wasn't just a silver or gold medal; it was blue.  I have always wanted one.  I have many silver medals but not one with blue enamel. Well, this Christmas, I bought one for myself.

The front of the medal is exactly as Catherine saw Our Lady, standing on a globe, with dazzling rays of light streaming from her outstretched hands. Framing the figure was an inscription: “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”  All these words are hard to distinguish, but they're there.

The detail on the back is even harder to see. The vision then seemed to turn to show the reverse of the Medal: the letter M surmounted by a cross with a bar at its base; below this monogram, the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced with a sword. This is there.

However, on the back, at the very bottom are at least two words that are indecipherable.  I guess the words are telling us where the medal was made.

This medal is called the Miraculous Medal because of so many miracles that occurred when people wore it.  I was attracted to it as a child, and now, once I saw that the back has the Sacred Heart of Jesus on it, I was determined to get one for myself. Why?

The story of the Miraculous Medal is here.    

A Dog's Tale

That's tale not tail.  The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein has a dog narrating the story.  Enzo the mutt is at the end of his life and tells the story of him and his master, Denny.

It is different.  It is fun.  It is an easy read.  It is enjoyable.  Denny got Enzo as a pup.  Enzo is an extraordinary animal. He can watch TV and thoroughly enjoys it.  Since Denny talks to Enzo, Enzo understands most of what is going on in their lives.  Denny loves cars and aspires to be a race car driver but he needs to work and so works as a mechanic and a counter technician and when he can, he enters a race. What Denny is known for is how to race in wet conditions, hence the title, The Art of Racing in the Rain.

Denny practices "that which you manifest is before you."  IOW, if you think you can then you can.  At least that's my interpretation.  And Enzo practices Mongolian theology.  IOW, when a dog is finished living his life as a dog he is reincarnated as a man.  Since the story told by Enzo is a review of his and Denny's life, Enzo is looking forward to becoming a man. Enzo got this belief from a TV program (I mentioned Enzo watched TV).

Enzo takes us, readers, through Denny's courtship with Eve. They marry and have a daughter, Zoe.  But Enzo being a very perceptive dog can smell that Eve is sick, very sick.  Eve's parents step in to help but are a big interference.  In fact, when Eve dies, Denny has a nasty custody battle over Zoe with Eve's parents.

Enzo is there to tell all.  The story continues and Enzo's Mangolian belief is manifested before the readers' eyes.

The Plot is a Plot

This is my first Eleanor Roosevelt Mystery.  I didn't even know they existed. St. Mary's Book Club chose The White House Pantry Murder by Elliott Roosevelt for January.  The setting is Franklin Roosevelt's White House and the time is set for Christmas 1941 just as the US entered WWII.

I didn't know that Eleanor was a major character and that she would be involved in solving the crime, nor that there are other mysteries with her as the sleuth, either.  I learned that after reading.  I also thought the story was true or at least based on actual events because the author gives a biography of a few of the interesting characters.  I had to look at the ISBN page to make sure it said FICTION.

The plot is a plot.  The enemy, the Nazis, have infiltrated the White House.  I won't spoil the suspense but you never know if the bad guy has been caught, or are there more.  And whomever you suspect may or may not be guilty.  I was right and I was wrong.

The purpose of the plot was to kill Franklin, Churchill too, if possible, and/or cause as much mayhem as possible.  To highlight the danger, let me tell you that this was a suicide mission.

I enjoyed the interaction with Churchill.  From what I've read, heard, and have seen in movies, Churchill's characterization was accurate.  He was stubborn, impetuous, a voracious reader, liked to take baths and took the time to craft and practice speaking his speeches.

I was surprised at how much everyone smoked and drank.  But that was a different era.  It was an easy read and since the setting was Christmas and that hectic time was made even more hectic with murders and murderers running around the White House, it made me exclaim, "And I think my Christmas season is busy!"

Pope tells his elderly peers the prayers of the old are powerful

Pope tells his elderly peers the prayers of the old are powerful: VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- On the eve of his 83rd birthday, Pope Francis met with a group of his peers -- although many were a few years younger -- and told them that their contributions to society are very valuable.

Do You Think They'll Come Back Next Year?

Today my parish had Lessons and Carols and quite a few non-Catholics attended.  How do I know?  Well, they didn't bless themselves when Father gave us a blessing but there was one other telling posture.  You see this choir loft in the picture.  It's in the back of the congregation.  That's how the acoustics in Catholic Churches are arranged.  The music and singing are not considered entertainment; they are part of the prayers of the Mass. 

The non-Catholics didn't know what was going on and wanted to turn around to watch, as if the Lessons and Carols were entertainment.  Lessons and Carols is a church service of scripture readings recounting the Fall, the Messianic promise, the Incarnation, and the commission to Evangelize spreading the Good News.  I guess some people thought it was a concert.