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July 8, 2007
Carmelite Convocation
A weekend in Chicago that started on Friday morning with, naturally enough, a walk from the Hotel (the very lovely Palmer House Hilton, located two blocks from the lake) to the Field Museum--a trek of about a mile. The temperature was in the high sixties, or thereabouts, and the vistas, once you reached the lake, quite lovely. Getting to the lake entailed passing by the "Taste of Chicago" festival, which closes down a number of near-lake streets for a week or more. Must be a trial to native Chicagoans, but those at the festival seemed to enjoy themselves.
The Field was as I remembered it with a magnificent display of Egyptian artifacts and one of the best dinosaur collections in the country. Predictably annoying were the various signs that announced global warming. Several were annoying in a way that only condescending, agenda-driven curatorial signs can be. For example, heading up the entrance to an Ancient Americas exhibit hall was a sign that said something like, "Diversity and change, NOT progress." And all i could think to myself is--yes--not progress--Native Americans no longer die of small-pox--no progress. Mexican natives no longer pull the beating hearts out of living people and tumble bodies down the steps of the pyramid--NOT progress: I could go on, but you can make up your own points. Additionally, the signs were all politically correct in chronicling the disaster of European colonization; the truth is ugly enough without falling all over ourselves with other supposed depredations. Somehow, I just don't see the sidelining of cannibalism (in some places) and torture as particular negative. However, handing over blankets infected with small pox and some of the other European tricks are not matters to be passed over lightly either. However, to say that life in the Americas has only changed, not progressed is evidence of a kind of post-modern sensibility that makes nonsense of the word sensibility.
The second provocative sign was one upstairs near the hall of evolution which stated that 27 (or 24) species on Earth had become extinct since that morning. Who was counting and watching so carefully? This is another example of pseudo-science and statistics masking itself as environmentally correct wisdom. Sheer and utter nonsense--how do they know? On what basis is this statement made? Once again, unsubstantiated nonsense. It was followed by some statistic that noted that the "typical pattern" of extinction was one species in four years. Once again, on what basis is that decided. There should be a commission put together to prohibit wayward curators from broadcasting their appalling and unsupported agendas to a public with insufficient scientific literacy to question the pseudo-facts that are presented to them. However, even questioning these facts puts me in the camp of the eco-destoyers and fundamentalist conservative "stewards of the Earth." TSO, among others, would be willing to tell you how close that is to reality--as I've annoyed many with my ecological ruminations and thoughts.
But Sue was there--body downstairs, overweight head upstairs in an annoying high-reflectivity plastic case which made getting a decent photograph nearly impossible. Fortunately, I had been able to spend some time relatively close up while the fossil was being prepared in Dinoland, Animal Kingdom, Disney World.
The other dinosaurs were spectacular. Equally wonderfully, but unfortunately not bruited as much as it could have been were fossils from the Solnhofen limestone (most famous for the seven extant Archaeopteryx fossils--the fossils included some fish and some invertebrates. However, appropriately given the close proximity of the fossil site to Chicago, the Mazon Creek Fossils got a great deal of play and I was able to linger over Tullymonstrum gregarium for a good fifteen minutes.
Returning to the Hotel, I passed through the noise, sounds and smells of "Taste of Chicago" and enjoyed the ambience greatly.
But to the point--why I'm here in the first place. The Convocation occurs about every two years. This is a particularly important one because during it the Lay Carmelites have been able to bid farewell to our present Prior General, who will be leaving office as soon as the General Chapter votes in a new Prior General. Fr. Joseph Chalmers has been a great prior general and a real friend and spiritual guide to the Lay Carmelites. He saw us through a very difficult period of redirection and refocusing, and continue to encourage us to our vocations. His keynote address was at once witty and touching given that it will be the last he will give as Prior General to the Lay Carmelites of the Provinces of The Most Pure Heart of Mary and St. Elias.
I have to say that the first talks on Saturday morning put me off a bit. They continued the very important theme of social justice that has begun to be made much of in recent years; however, they were more like scoldings or lectures than they were helpful guides as to how to enact social justice. However, the workshops were extremely helpful in thinking through ways in which we can enact social justice without merely haranguing those around us.
Today is the end of the convocation. There are two major talks about Carmelite Prayer and the final Mass of the convocation. I leave with unalloyed good feelings. The first two talks, initially disorienting and perhaps off-putting, have been placed in a reasonable and coherent context, and the final talks promise to be useful guides to continuing our Carmelite journey. One of them will be given by Dr. Keith Egan, who yesterday led a brilliant workshop on Silence and Solitude.
I probably will not report more about this; however, I wanted to say how pleasantly surprised I have been by the friendliness and pleasantness of the city of Chicago, how very much I've enjoyed my stay in the city, and how wonderful, worthwhile, necessary, helpful, and fulfilling the convocation has been. Perhaps the experience will provoke me to post some of the fruits of the convocation in later days.
Posted by Steven Riddle at 7:55 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
July 9, 2007
Deceased Equines
Once again, I exhibit my inability to refrain from unconscionable behavior directed at deceased equines--this little bugbear being amongst my favorites.
I don't know why I haven't noticed before this intercession from evening prayer of Monday of Week 2--but whatever the cause, it reminded me to assault the world once again with the "Dare we hope that all might be saved."
from Intercessions of Evening Prayer Monday Week 2Lord Jesus, grant that all men be saved,
and come to the knowledge of the truth.
For me, this is definitive. If we dare not hope it, how can we be instructed by the Church to pray for it regularly. Is our prayer to be for futility? It seems clear to me that the Church is saying definitively that we may hope for all to be saved if only by the the logic that if we are forbidden to hope it, why then would we pray for it.
So, hoping it is, beyond question, permissible. Teaching it is equally beyond question impermissible.
An interesting convergence.
Posted by Steven Riddle at 8:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 10, 2007
From Morning Prayer
I suppose I should be ashamed to admit that with my decrease in blogging there seemed to come a decrease in the fervor and content of my prayer life. Why that should be, I am still exploring, but I think part of it may be that I often shared the fruit of my prayer here, thus extending the prayer and making it fuller and giving me time to reflect upon and internalize the personal message I was receiving, while, at the same time, sharing some of the truths of the faith in general. This was a good practice, one to which I hope to return in some little way.
And to start, this small passage from Morning prayer. While I have no real depth of insight into it, nor any profound revelation, it touched my heart while I was praying and I thought I would share it in the hopes that it might also touch your heart with a certain knowledge of the profound love God has for each of us.
from Psalm 65
You crown the year with your goodness.
Abundance flows in your steps,
in the pastures of the wilderness it flows.
Even where there is no ostensible sign of His presence, His goodness is there, making life possible, "the force that through the green fuse drives the flower. . ." as Dylan Thomas might say to us.
Posted by Steven Riddle at 7:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
New Critters
Sent by a friend, a link to a blog that is dedicated to the announcement of the discovery of new species.
Note: Harry Potter fans might be particularly amused by Dracorex hogwartsia a pachycephalosaur named by Robert Bakker. Had it been anyone other than Bakker, I would have thought, "Yeah, right!" But it seems just right coming from him.
Enjoy!
Posted by Steven Riddle at 8:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A New Link
Thanks to TSO, a link to a blog new to me For Keats' Sake.
Posted by Steven Riddle at 8:26 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 11, 2007
What a Difference a Day Makes
Happy St. Benedict's day.
Yesterday was a grinding, churning horror of a day in some many ways I can't begin to spell them out.
But today is another day at Tara and:
"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Hopefully reviews of three books coming as soon as I have a moment.
Posted by Steven Riddle at 9:11 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 12, 2007
Morning Praise
It's not much, but if it is the only thing I do in a day, it is well worth doing. From this morning's morning prayer (and yes, that is a deliberate echo of Hopkins):
Give thanks to the Lord, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
If each person who believed in God, who worshipped and paid homage to Jesus Christ as Lord and God would spend one moment each day in public acclamation of his glorious name, what might be the effect on the world around us? Not a moment of diatribe, condemnation, doctrinal ranting, triumphalist crowing, or any number of other things that we confuse with praising God, but just a moment spent looking at a flower and saying, "What hath God wrought?" A second with a friend or group of friends when we say, "Praise the Lord," and really mean it.
Sometimes we are too shy about our faith, almost apologetic. One word of praise each day can help the transformation of the world. The effort reminds us of God's nearness and makes us disposed to recognize it in all that is happening around us.
If the Gospel is good news, why do so many keep it to themselves? Praise the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever.
Posted by Steven Riddle at 7:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Praise God High and Low
Today was another really interesting day. It started off in a wonderful morning burst of creativity and was kept up by high-octane excitement and participation throughout the day until the very end of the day. Then came the crushing kick in the teeth.
And I wonder now, what God is telling me in the pattern of the day. And what I hear, whether valid or not is, "Praise Him anyway." Praise Him on the mountains, praise Him in the valleys and the pits. No matter how you feel praise Him and thank Him and ask Him to shine His light on the day--only in that way will it become clear what the lesson for the day is.
I still don't know it, but I can choose to wallow in emotive misery or I can choose to praise Him, and it seems that the latter choice is the better.
Posted by Steven Riddle at 7:13 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
July 13, 2007
Oh Lord, Open My Lips. . .
The other day, Tom, at Disputations, wrote beautifully of the prayer, "God, come to my assistance, Lord make haste to help me."
It is probably no secret that among my favorite Psalms to pray is psalm 51 which is prayed in full on Friday of each week except Easter week.
Yet, following an ancient tradition pronounced and sanctified by Jesus as one of the seven last words from the Cross, the Church has us prayer psalm 51 every day as the introduction to the Invitatory Psalm.
"Lord, open my lips/and my mouth shall declare your praise" occurs within the Psalm, a penitential psalm--the prayer of one who knows that she or he falls woefully short of the standard set. Every day we are reminded as we start to pray that we are sinners and the Lord sits in our presence and loves us nevertheless. He loves each person with an everlasting love--a love than knows no boundaries, limits, or restrictions. All have sinned and fallen short, but His expectations are not that we will ever find our way on our own but that we will continue to grow into His life. This is perfection--not every action executed flawlessly--not a life lived without error or fault, but rather that as any life progresses, it does indeed progress toward the wonder and joy of eternal life. Eternal life does not wait for tomorrow or the next day, or next year, or next decade--eternal life begins today with the understanding of God as loving Father and a prayer for an increase in desire to please Him.
Thus, the Church starts the day with a reminder of our sinfulness and of our need for perfection--for walking toward God always.
Praise God for the glory of Psalm 51
"For in sacrifice you take no delight,
burnt offering from me you would refuse,
my sacrifice, a contrite spirit.
A humbled, contrite heart you will not spurn."
Nothing extraordinary, the human person coming before Him in love and saying, "Once again I've failed, and I am sorry."
Posted by Steven Riddle at 6:45 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack