Scribblers' Video

 My writer's group is Franklin Senior Scribblers.  We wrote a book and we video taped our book release.  Enjoy:

Soul Cakes

 

WHAT ARE SOUL CAKES?

Soul, Soul, a soul cake!
I pray thee, good missus, a soul cake!
One for Peter, two for Paul,
three for Him what made us all!
Soul Cake, soul cake, please good missus, a soul cake.
An apple, a pear, a plum, or a cherry, any good thing to make us all merry.
One for Peter, two for Paul, & three for Him who made us all.

Traditional British song

Soul Cakes are a cross between a scone, biscuit, and a cookie.  Traditionally, they are given to children on All Souls Day.  Children would go door to door, singing this song.  

Sounds like our "Trick or Treat."  

 

 

Understanding Grows

 Today my "cloistered brothers" were discussing puzzling scripture passages.  We concluded that our understanding grows much like love.

Think about it.  As a child, you loved your parents and friends.  But once you fall in love, as a young adult, that's another dimension.  Then when you have a child, love grows exponentially.  

We figure that understanding grows like love.  When you first read the Bible you have a rudimentary understanding.  As you mature, understanding scripture is different and better since you understand more.

Justice or Mercy or Both

 

This is the centerpiece of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.  It is a mosaic of Christ in Majesty.

The two friends I went to the Rosary Pilgrimage at the Basilica, had an argument over it.  One loved it and thought it depicted Christ in Judgement.  My other friend thought it was a terrible depiction of Jesus because He looked angry.

We searched Google and found out that the mosaic shows both the Justice of Christ and His mercy.  

The mosaic is not only a picture of Christ’s power and might; it also portrays His profound mercy and sacrifice. While one of His eyebrows is raised in judgment, the other is relaxed, revealing his mercy and kindness to His children. Additionally, de Rosen’s design shows Christ on a rainbow throne, a symbol of pardon and reconciliation, harkening to the Lord’s promise to Noah in the Old Testament. His right shoulder is bare to show His wounded side, demonstrating His humanity and the blood of His sacrifice.

 In fact, put your thumb over half of Jesus' face.  One side is softer than the other. You'll see Christ honored throughout the basilica, but this mosaic is the crowning piece.

Better the Second Time Around

 Michael Casey's Sacred Reading/The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina is a "how to do" Lectio Divina.  This is the second time I've read it.  I don't often read books twice, but when I do, I underline in different colored inks.  If you were to look at this book, Sacred Reading, you would see that the pencil underlined sections (as opposed to the first time reading's ink) by far outnumber the first time's read.  

The first time I read the book, I didn't know anything about Lectio Divina, and this book was an introduction.  I don't remember being impressed with the book or learning anything.  I must have though because I persisted in trying Lectio Divina.

Since then, I taught Lectio Divina to a parish's adult faith formation.  I essentially showed videos explaining the steps. Then along came the Order of Preacher's 800th anniversary and I contributed to their Lectio Divina Project. We participants were taught the usual steps: Lectio, Meditatio, Oratio, and Contemplatio, with one more step that was very Dominican--Studium.  I loved this step.  Studium explained many questions.  Finally, somewhere along the way, I was taught to add a final step--Resolutio.  This made sense.  What could is praying if it doesn't change you?  Lectio Divina is praying while reading.

The author, Michael Casey recommends reading the scriptures and church fathers.  This makes more sense than sitting in a lotus position and humming.  We should get as close as we can to praying as Jesus taught his disciples.  Casey lists books to read, as well as his personal reading lists.  Plus, his notes are just as interesting as the book, itself.

I'm glad I re-read this book.  It has helped me tremendously.  I do recommend it.

  

Fray Luis De Cáncer - Protomartyr

 Father Luis de Cancer is a martyr.  He was beaten to death trying to evangelize Florida in 1549.  The Spanish Conquistadors had raped and razed the land so badly that the natives were murderously hostile.  

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Servants of God Antonio Cuipa and companions
Roberto, one of the martyrs of La Florida
Died	Spanish Florida
Venerated in	Catholic Church
Feast	October 3

The Martyrs of La Florida (d. 1549–1706) were a group of Native American and Spanish Catholics killed in Florida during the Spanish Empire's colonial expansion into North America. The group of 86 individuals includes a number of priests and laypeople, killed by Native Americans and subjects of the British Empire.^[1] The lead martyr of the cause is the Native American layman Antonio Cuipa. Fr Luis Cáncer, OP is among the others killed, alongside a number of Dominicans, Jesuits, Franciscans, and various laypeople.^[2][1][3]

Their cause for canonization was opened in 2015 by Bishop Gregory Parkes of the Diocese of Pensacola–Tallahassee, along with support from bishop representatives in the dioceses of St. Augustine, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Palm Beach and Venice. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has also endorsed the cause.^[4]

  A Protomartyr is the first to be martyred.  Like St. Thecla is the first woman to be martyred and St. Stephen is the first male.  St. Peter of Verona is the first Dominican to be martyred.  Here's a list from Wikipedia.

What's Wrong with the Golden Rule?

 Supposedly, every religion has the golden rule.  The golden rule says to treat others as you would want to be treated.  Mark 12: 31-34 and Luke 6:31. The problem is, many people don't want to be treated like you want to be treated.  For example, when my husband was undergoing heart valve surgery, I requested prayers for him.  I know that I would want all the prayers I could get.  Not him, he was mortified.  He said, "It's none of anyone's business!"

So, the Golden Rule isn't absolute.  

Another way that Jesus summed up our duty as Christians is in Mark 12:30-31 where He says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

But who is your neighbor?  My culture says everyone, but others think their neighbor is people in their tribe, only.  How else would you explain the hutus and tutsis?  Or Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland? The wars the Native Indigenous People had with each other?

In conclusion, the Golden Rule just doesn't fit all cultures.  One rule doesn't apply to everyone.