oh, by the way--Merry Christmas!

We of wandering ways once wished worthy writings whilst Wassail was wetting whistles--

sadly swift celebrations seem surreptitiously to have snatched seasonal salutations,

till tardy tribute-bearing takes the task of tendering true tidings to tide you 'til tomorrow's time.

Toodles!

Closely Crypt Secret

Anagni Expedition, Part I of II.

Saturday five of us embarked on a southwards trip about an hour from Rome, to the Medieval city from which came four Popes and became associated with many Saints, including Thomas Becket from England.

Most remarkable is the cathedral, begun in 1072 and completed in 1104.
















Originally Romanesque, portions were remodeled as Gothic in the 1200's.


The gem of the church is the crypt, where the frescoed ceilings date back to the 11 and 1200's.




















One of the funnest series depicts scenes from Revelation.









You can't quite make it out in this shot, but the lamb, surrounded by the four creatures and worshiped by the 24 elders, has 7 eyes: Rev 5:6-14.



The fresco to the left of the one above shows the lamb who was slain, with the martyrs below the altar: Rev 6:9.















Up to the right is the angel with the incense: Rev 8:3.



And of course you can't leave out the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse: Rev 6:1-8.

















For good measure, the ceiling to the right shows the fallen angels being cast out of heaven: Rev 12:7-8.




















I'd like to show all the frescoes, because they were so great, but I'll just include Abraham and Elijah.














Here the fully armored Abram returns from battle and gives his tithe to the priest Melchizedek, who offers up bread and wine: Gen 14:14-20.



Here Elijah, on his way up to heaven, tosses his mantle back to Elisha: 2 Kings 2:9-12.













Notice Elijah again at the lower left being fed by the raven: 1 Kings 17:1-6.


To be continued . . .

"Call if Ya See 'im" Colosseum

So Elena wins First Place for coolest shot of Father Avram this year . . .

That's the Colosseum in the background, and I'm the one in the sunglasses and the clerics.

Peals of Joy

There is a feel of exuberance when church bells ring: an ecstatic enthusiasm that bolts out of the sky. Today being a feast day (Happy Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception!) there was an air of cheer in the air itself as different liturgies marked their launch with the pealing of bells. I was awoken this morning by bells, and it certainly has a more cheery sound than the digital electronics that normally terminate slumber.

Somehow I haven't noticed the abundance of bells on Sundays, which swell the standard weekday count (perhaps I'm out and about more on Sundays), but this Saturday morning I heard the feastday succession from my room, where several floors up the bells seem to arrive at my same altitude. The city of course is always a cacophony of noise: the whine of the scooters, the clash of delivery trucks, the shouts and the honks and the conversations en masse.

But the resonance from bell towers bursts forth as a reminder: be lifted up--see more than what crowds the narrow streets.

Today's feast corresponds to that exultation as we step into these early days of Advent. Even as our downward-turned world seeks to take over even the Christmas prequel as a time for fulfillment through more things, Advent lifts our eyes toward grace: new life is breaking into the world, you don't have to live by your old standards anymore!

Mary embodies the Advent season, even as she gave body to the Savior. Why are we still measuring our lives by the standards of the world, when the channel by which the Messiah broke in shows that a new standard of eternity already applies here?

Today's solemnity reveals that the hope breaking into the world is far higher than we have allowed ourselves to recognize. The soil where the seed from heaven falls is utterly transformed: Mary was not vandalized by Satan even at the first moment of her life. As the daughter of Eve turns to crush the head of the serpent, his initial victory is now shown to have utterly collapsed. Even as we struggle with our own sins and wearily doubt that we shall ever overcome them, today we see again that God means business when he starts cleaning house.

Protestants don't understand Catholics' enthusiasm for Mary: if there's anything they're allergic to, it's the Church's love for the whole community of saints led by Mary. More than anything this reflects their birth in the modern age--as humanism takes a turn towards individualism, knowledge turns towards rationalism, Protestantism emerges with a sanitized form of Christianity which forgets our Jewish heritage that ushered in the new ecclesia, the kingdom of heaven alive in our world.

I was able to concelebrate Mass today at the church of Santi Apostoli--beautiful, beautiful choir--which commemorates the initial 12 called by the Son of David to found his new kingdom. Cardinal Battista Re presided, and the packed church was met by a sanctuary full of priests. The image of the Immaculate Conception showed Mary with the crown of twelve stars spoken of in Revelation (the basis for the flag of the European Union, by the way, even as it tragically severs itself from its heritage), echoing the innumerable stars which unveil the descendants of Abraham in untold numbers, brought in from the four corners of the world by the newborn king.

In a few days the bells will be pealing for Midnight Mass. As your eyes are drawn toward the one star, which led the wise to what was neglected by the intelligent, lift up your brothers and sisters who are still cast down. The din of modernity's messages demands instant agitation; the Prince of Peace lifts us from the turmoil into the new life he has brought. Perhaps we still feel uncomfortable around the new family members he has brought us to; perhaps we still hear echoes of outside's chaos. Today we can cast our cares aside as we respond to a hope shining from above.

Youth 2000

Coming to a parish near you . . . (that is, if you're in Northern California, which I'm currently not), the youth retreat of the millennium! Our diocesan youth site just posted this information on our Youth 2000 retreat right outside of Redding! Open to ages 13-30, this January 11-13 retreat offers a life-changing encounter with Christ with hundreds of other young people. Keep the weekend in your prayers!

Powered by ScribeFire.

Advent Vespers

Me being totally cool and all that, I was able to get passes for the Saint Andrew's crew to go to the First Vespers for Advent at Saint Peter's with Pope Benedict.

It was a beautiful service, with the Pope lifting our hearts to hope during his homily--referencing his just-released encyclical Spe Salvi.

Benedict spoke of God's intimate connection to our lives: Dio conosce il cuore dell’uomo. Sa che chi lo rifiuta non ha conosciuto il suo vero volto. "God knows the human heart. He knows that the one who rejects him has not yet truly known him." [for the text of the homily in Italian, click here : ) ] Ultimately, a rejection of God is a rejection of our own selves, and conversely, the return to God is a return to everything we were meant to be. Benedict reminded us that we have a distinctly invigorated hope that we are called to rediscover: Advent is a time to meditate on la bellezza e la profondità della speranza cristiana, "the beauty and profundity of Christian hope."

After vespers we had one of those classic Italian dinners in a nearby restaurant, with the pastas of all sorts . . . a satisfying end to the day.












Vigil of the First Sunday of Advent, Somewhere in Rome

Advent, the Season of Hope

Pope Benedict's New Encyclical, released on the feast of Saint Andrew, leads us into the time of Advent. Recommended reading for our new season!