What Does The Prayer Really Say?
W D T P R S

I went to see Prince Caspian, the next movie in the Narnia series.

There were good moments.

But there were times when I asked myself if something was going to happen, if it was going to end.

The special effects were great.  However, there were moments when they were very obviously effects.

Also, I really wanted more in WWII England. And didn’t get it.  I feel cheated.

Script: I think the book was Disneyed.

Actors: Well… they had to use the same actors.  I am thinking perhaps we may see Edmund and Lucy again.  I think little Lucy is the most talented of the young people. 

Lucy… light… Dante…. hmmm… I digress.

The sort-of bad guys, Telmarines ("over the far away sea", right?), obviously mislead by a guy with an Islamic sounding name "Miraz", need conversion.  They eventually get it, but… the imagery…  the imagery….

They are dressed sort of like Conquistadors.  Problem, right?  They are Spaniards and with a strong Moorish influence, or so it seemed to me.  They bear a symbol, and 8-pointed star, which could be Christian or Muslim. 

What is going on?  Organized religion gone bad?  Disney intervening?  Dunno.

So, what are we dealing with here: natural religion of happy trees and animals, being "spiritual", as opposed to some religions which is more established?  More organized?

I’m just asking. 

I will be glad to read your own comments on the movie. 

See it if you want.

But if Ironman is showing at the same cinema….

In your kindness please pray for Rev. Mr. Jeffrey Moore, who tomorrow will be ordained a priest.

I would love to have been there, but just couldn’t manage. 

However, as St. Augustine said, where there is charity there are no distances.

I have caught a better shot of Mr. Indigo, not to be confused with Mr. Indigo Jones of Shakespeare’s time, methinks.  This is Mr. Bunting, Passerina cyanea.

He seems to be object of Mr. Chirping Sparrow Spizella passerina’s envy.



Hmmm… about which would Catullus have written, I wonder?



Also, we have had a visit from Mr. Brown-Headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater, who doesn’t seem to give a damn about anything but eating.

Today is Friday in the Octave of Pentecost, or at least it ought to be in in the Novus Ordo as it is in the older, Traditional Roman Calendar. 

This is the fifth PODCAzT for the Pentecost Octave. 

Thanks to your feedback for the last couple days.  Stats dropped yesterday, so this may be the last one.

Today we will look at some customs associated with Pentecost, very beautiful.  These customs informed the rhythm of people’s lives for centuries.

Then we will drill into the image of the dew of the Holy Spirit (which some bishops sadly think people are too thick to understand and therefore want to eliminate the image from liturgical translations…).  To help we enlist the help of a very wise Bishop, the great Ambrose of Milan (+397) who always tried to explain hard things to his people rather than make them out to be too stupid to get the point.  Ambrose wrote a work On the Holy Spirit in which he explains the dew that descended on Gideon’s fleece in the Book of Judges.  So, we will hear Judges 6 and 7 and then Ambrose allegorical commentary.  Fascinating stuff, I can tell you.

This reading from Scripture and the patristic commentary, gives you a sense of how some of the Father’s worked with Scripture and how their reflections can be useful for us today.

Of course, I have lots of comments along the way.

For music, we have an antiphon for Pentecost in Gregorian chant, and a bitter sweet song Dancing at Whitsun, a folk song, which speaks of the rhythm of our lives and the challenges we endure.  There is a Fastasia super Kom, Heiliger Geist BWV 651 by J.S. Bach on the pipe organ, which Holy Church recommends above all other instruments.  We hear a haunting Byzantine Communion for mid-Pentecost, in other words this very week and at the end a real change of pace, which you can listen to yourselves.

Again, your the listening stats and your feedback will determine if I make another tomorrow.

 

 08-05-16: Pentecost customs; St. Ambrose on the dew of the Holy Spirit [53:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download