CCC 2510

 I've wasted a little time wondering what I would do if the Gestapo came to my house looking for Jews.  It's a given that I would be hiding a Jewish family.  How do I mislead the Nazis without telling a lie? It's silly; I know.  But such is the moral dilemmas I occasionally put myself through. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church ended this train of thought.  Deo Gratias.

CCC 2510

The golden rule helps one discern, in concrete situations, whether or not it would be appropriate to reveal the truth to someone who asks for it.

Golden Rule

Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.

Mercy

Today is Mercy Sunday. The homilist today told this story about Napoleon, that I made a point of remembering, so I could tell you about it.

A mother begged Napoleon to have mercy on her son.  This was his second offense, so Napoleon said that he didn't deserve it.  Justice demanded the death penalty.

The mother said that she wasn't looking for justice.  She begged for mercy.

Napoleon said, "He doesn't deserve it."

That mother said, "It wouldn't be mercy if he deserved it."

I wondered if the son was spared.  This afternoon, I tried to find this story.  It was easier.  I found it in Preaching Today.

Napoleon had mercy on the son.

Show Don't Tell

 I am working on objective correlatives.  An objective correlative is a literary theory used to explain how symbolic language evokes an understanding that is deeper, than using the obvious words.  For example, one could say Lady Macbeth felt guilty, rather than Lady Macbeth’s frantic washing of invisible blood off her hands. In other words, objective correlatives show, not tell.

The earliest place the term is  found is in the lectures of Washington Allston, a 19th century painter.  He used it to show the relation between the mind and the external world.  This idea was further developed  by George Santayana in 1900, in his book Interpretations of Poetry and Religion.  

T.S. Eliot used objective correlatives often and popularized the term.  Ezra Pound and Edgar Allan Poe, are also known to have used them. Recall Poe’s The Raven, to symbolize death and loss.  Here, listen to this stanza from Ezra Pound’s poem, The Return, about the pagan gods returning with diminished power, without telling you that these gods have lost their power:

See, they return; ah, see the tentative

Movements, and the slow feet,

The trouble in the pace and the uncertain

Wavering!

 I like using objective correlatives.  For fun, I’ve written a paragraph about an incident that happened to my husband.  First, I’ll read the stated event.  After, I’ll read the exact same incident, using objective correlatives.   

                                                ___________________

He turned on the computer and heard a strange noise.  A sign appeared, stating that federal authorities have noticed that his computer had a virus, and to call them.  He did, and all the trouble began.

                                        ____________________________

It was a windy day.  The dark clouds sped over our house, controlling the light from the sun. Hubby sat down at his computer.  Suddenly, an annoying screech erupted from the screen.  Jolted from his normal routine, he discovered a blinking notice, informing him that his computer had been compromised.  The notice also stated that they were federal authorities and had detected disturbing activity on his computer. He was advised to call them.

       Alas!  My law-abiding husband obeyed.

Ebenezer Moments

 The account of Ebenezer is found in 1 Samuel 7: 10-12. The Israelites were in a period of spiritual renewal and repentance under the leadership of Samuel. After suffering defeat at the hands of the Philistines and losing the Ark of the Covenant, the Israelites turned back to the Lord. Samuel called the people to gather at Mizpah, where they fasted, confessed their sins, and sought the Lord's favor. The term "Ebenezer" means "stone of help." IOW, God intervened and helped. 

Following divine intervention, the Israelites pursued and defeated the Philistines. In commemoration of the victory and as a perpetual reminder of God's help, Samuel set up a stone, naming it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us" (1 Samuel 7:12). 

I recall my Ebenezer moment at a healing Mass.  What was yours?

CCC 2434

 This morning I read the catechism # 2434, and thought of this parable.

The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard

20 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2 He agreed to pay them a denarius[a] for the day and sent them into his vineyard.

3 “About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4 He told them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.’ 5 So they went.

“He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6 About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?’

7 “‘Because no one has hired us,’ they answered.

“He said to them, ‘You also go and work in my vineyard.’

8 “When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.’

9 “The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10 So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11 When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12 ‘These who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.’

13 “But he answered one of them, ‘I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? 14 Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15 Don’t I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?’

16 “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”

I know this parable is encouraging for those who come late to Christ, but the Catechism of the Catholic Church, in # 2434, concludes with " Agreement between the parties is not sufficient to justify morally the amount to be received in wages."

Am I not justified in serving this landowner a grievance?

Objective Correlatives

A much used Bible.  

Lady Macbeth's hand washing.

A withered rose.

Stormy sky,

Wind blowing.

Duck Boats and Donkeys

 That stupid grin on my face has persisted, all day.  I can't wipe it off. My pastor today was sermonizing on Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem: Matthew 21, Mark 11, Luke 19, John 12.  

I found it immensely humorous.  I still do. He started by telling us how heroes were treated by a celebration, which included a parade.  Since Boston is blessed with many sports' teams that have winning seasons, we have celebratory parades, with the team paraded in duck boats, through the streets of Boston.  Back in the day (Jesus' day, to be exact), heroes were paraded on horses.  Jesus being Jesus, chose the donkey.