The Hermit in the Woods

 Louise Penny's fifth novel, The Brutal Telling is another page turner.  Although I loved it, I don't love it as much as the others, that I've read.  Maybe because I don't want the Olivier to be guilty.  I liked the character.

What am I talking about?

The village of Three Pines has another murder.  This time no one knows the victim.  He was a hermit who lived in the woods.  Only Olivier knew him.  Olivier did take advantage of him by paying for the hermit's work, not what they were really worth.  And Olivier lied and lied.  And Olivier moved the body and tried to blame his business rival. Hey, nobody's perfect.

There also were many new characters that were added, that I think may be in future stories.  Olivier's rivals, the Gilberts and their parents, also the Czech workers, and a new detective added to the team, Paul Morin, are new characters in Three Pines.

I can't forget that Ruth's duck, Rosa, flew away.  Now what!!!

Even though all the evidence pointed to Olivier, I, like his partner, Gabi, don't believe it.  I'm hoping future novels prove Olivier's innocence.

Besides, we never do learn the hermit's name, nor his story.

Regardless, the story keeps you involved, if not satisfied.

Holding Hands

 

Remember the Beatles' song "I want to hold your hand"?  Hand posture is another debated topic among Catholics.  I understand that most priest don't like it, or want it, but don't say anything, probably they don't want to offend the people who like to hold hands.

I think the hand posturing comes from the charismatics.  They like to raise their arms and hands in the air, "Alleluia," and put their hands on people, praying for healing.  Charismatics are very friendly--overly friendly, whether you want their hands praying over you, blessing you, or holding hands, or not.  Others have continued the hand holding during the praying of the Lord's Prayer.  But you don't have to do it.  I always think that if there's any place one should hold their neighbor's hand is during the Eucharistic Prayer, but most people are in solemn praying within themselves to notice their neighbor wanting to hold their hand.

Then COVID 19 came along and no one wanted to hold hands.  I think everyone is still germ conscious and not so ready to hold hands.

This position is called orans.

Again, priests prefer people not to adopt this posture, but they don't correct the people, not wanting to offend.  Actually, the directions don't say the people are forbidden to use orans.  The directions don't say anything about the people's position, only the priest's.  Quite a few people copy the priest's orans during the Lord's Prayer.  Maybe they feel, it's as close to holding hands as they can come in this germ phobic time.

Just pray.  Don't worry about posture, pray and pray.  

Celebrating

 

This is the Epiphany Party I went to, today.  It was a good time and plenty

of food.  It ended with us going to Mass.  How's that for a celebration!

See the Magi or Wise Men made it.  King Herod gave them directions, but they didn't go back that way.  Herod was a jealous king.  If Jesus was the King of the Jews, then what was Herod?  Herod ordered all the boys under two to be killed; he thought that would make his throne safe from other kings.  

The Proclamation of Easter

 In 325 BCE, the Council of Nicaea set the date for the Easter for the Sunday following the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox — the start of spring.

Theoretically, the Paschal full moon is the first full moon occurring on or after the spring equinox. However, this day can be figured in different ways. One way is by looking at the sky, which yields the astronomical spring equinox. But since this shifts from year to year, most people follow the calendrical spring equinox, which is calculated as March 21.

On the Gregorian calendar (the one that we use), Easter is the first Sunday after the Paschal full moon, which is the first full moon on or after March 21. Easter thus always falls between March 22 and April 25.

Now, to find Palm Sunday (the sixth Sunday of Lent) you start with the date of Easter and back up one week: It is the Sunday before Easter Sunday.

To find Ash Wednesday, you start with the date of Easter Sunday, back up six weeks (that gives you the first Sunday of Lent), and then back up four more days: Ash Wednesday is the Wednesday before the first Sunday of Lent.

You will hear these dates announced this Sunday on the feast of Epiphany.  

On the Epiphany of the Lord, after the singing of the Gospel, a Deacon or cantor, in keeping with an ancient practice of Holy Church, announces from the ambo the moveable feasts of the current year according to this formula:

"Know, dear brethren, (brothers and sisters,) W - - - that, as we have rejoiced at the Nativity of our  Lord Jesus Chri - so by leave of God's mercy we announce to you al- so- the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Savior.  On the fourteenth day of February will fall Ash Wednesday,- and the beginning of the fast & of the most sacred Lenten sea son. - - On the thirty first day of March, you will celebrate with joy Easter Day - the Paschal feast of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Posture is Important

 At one of the last holiday's ecumenical services, I was sitting in a pew where the kneelers weren't fixed.  When I went to cross my legs, (sorry to my physical therapist daughter), I accidentally kicked the kneeler up a couple of pews.

I got up and brought the kneeler back.  As I did, the lady behind me rolled her eyes and made some derogatory comment about the kneelers (not me).  I didn't say anything but I've been thinking about it.

Bishop Coyne explains that posture is important and he's not talking about sitting straight, of walking balancing a book on your head.  Posture is especially important when attending a sacred service.  Your posture should be appropriate, why else be there?

When we stand, think of the saints standing around the throne of God. We are joining the saints in offering our worship to God.  Think of all the times we stand at the words, "Let us pray."

In the United States we kneel twice:
       *at the Eucharistic Prayers
       *and reception of the Eucharist.

This is not a universal posture.  For some reason, our American bishops have asked our dioceses to kneel.  Mmmm, maybe that's why the lady behind me thought kneelers were ridiculous. I think kneeling is the most respectful posture.  Don't we kneel to respect popes, royalty, and to beg?

I will always kneel to my God.

A Chalice Chipper

 Get ready to learn.  Do you know what a "chalice chipper" is?

It is someone (Nowadays, someone) who deters a man from becoming a priest. 

Yes, it's meant to be a derogatory term.  

Perspective in the Other's Eyes

 This picture of the snake being crushed by Mary, the Mother of Jesus is fearsome, isn't it?  We have a statue of this in my parish church.  When one of my granddaughters was about three years old, I brought her to church, during the day, when no one was there.  Bishop Robert Barron teaches us that people are attracted to the Catholic Church because of its beauty. So here I am showing her how beautiful everything is.  But when I bring her to the statue of Mary and say "Look, at the beautiful lady...".  She starts walking away with a look of horror on her face!  I follow the gaze of her horror-strucken eyes.  At her eye-level is this snake!

This is a lesson on perspective.  Think of the other's perspective when you explain.