Today is the feast of St Maria Goretti. In 1902 she was stabbed 14 times for not giving into the sexual advances of Alessandro, he stabbed her. She was 11 years old.
Have to run. Been reading RBB's blog.
Practice self-care: nourish your body and soul.
It had started a clear July Wellington Saturday but the southerly had strengthened with occasional showers. That meant RBB decided to put away the BBQ. The invite list was the usual suspects: me, RBB, plus TC and the two wives. The topic list is never set, but religion showed up faster than the assortment of cheeses.
RBB, host, mostly retired music teacher, and unapologetic devotee of the Greek pantheon. He reckons Poseidon owes Wellingtonians for all the ferry crossings ruined by southerlies.
TC, anti-catholic atheist, former wine salesman/manager, believes organized religion is humanity’s longest-running con. Doesn’t mince words.
Rob Catholic, goes to Mass in Lower Hutt, sometimes twice a day. Brings good altar wine and mandatory patience, even if he tries that of others.
Shelley RBB’s wife, keeps the peas hot and the arguments from boiling over.
Lynn TC’s wife, she’s heard TC’s spiel for 48 years and can disarm him with one eyebrow.
Lunch was roast lamb, mint sauce, and kumara mash. RBB had a little altar to Hestia by the kitchen window. No one touches it except RBB to dust, like his basses.
RBB carving: “Right. Before we eat, a crumb for Hestia. Keep the home safe, keep the arguments civil.” He flicks a bit of crust into the flame on a tea light. “Hospitality matters to the gods, lads. Zeus would smite a bad host.”
TC, already loading his plate: “Zeus would smite anyone he felt like, sparky. You’ve picked the soap opera pantheon. Meanwhile, the real damage down here gets done by the bloke in Rome.” He nods at me. “No offense, Rob.”
Rob, uncorking a pinot: “None taken. You’ve been offended on my behalf since 1974” He pours for Lynn first. “I’m here for lamb and company. If God wants to join us, He’s welcome. If He doesn’t, He’s still welcome.”
Lynn “TC eat before you lecture. You go sour on an empty stomach.”
TC mouth full, undeterred: “All I’m saying is, I don’t need a priest to tell me right from wrong. Or a god. Or twelve gods.” He waves his fork at RBB. “Yours at least had the decency to be flawed. Jealous, petty, sleeping around. More honest than ‘all-loving, all-powerful’ while there is so much pain in the world”.
RBB, grinning: “That’s why I like them. The Greeks never pretended the gods were perfect. They’re forces. You respect the sea, you don’t moralize at it. Poseidon doesn’t do pastoral care. He does tides and storms. You build a good boat and you pay attention. Same with Ares, same with Aphrodite. You think love is rational, TC? Did you read Rob's last blog?”
Shelley: “Careful, Richard.” But she’s hiding a smile.
Rob passing the peas: “I get the appeal, RBB. I do. The Greeks mapped human nature onto the sky and called it divinity. But I’m after something else at Mass. Not a story about why the world is messy. I’m there because I think there’s a way through the mess. Grace, forgiveness, praying for each other. Even for you, TC.”
TC “Forgiveness is great. Don’t need a cross for it. Don’t need a collection plate either.”
RBB, raising his glass: “To us, then. And to Dionysus, who made sure we had pinot.”
Rob, clinking: “To free will. You lot use yours to argue with me, and I’ll use mine to top up your glasses, try this Mission Chardonnay”
Lynn: “To lunch that’s still hot. Eat, you philosophers.” Lynn and Shellie look at each other and shake their heads.
Today the Yanks will celebrate breaking away from a little country in Europe. But was it a good thing?
Today is the third of July, the month named after Julius Caesar in 44 BC. It is the feast day of Saint Thomas. He said "my Lord and my God" after poking is hands in Jesus wounds. He was martyred in India by a spear.
Im back on cresche duty today.
I read about a schism in the Church by some Swedes . They follow Pope Pious and like the Latin Mass. Just don't receive communion of go to confession with them 'cause it wont be the real deal.
There was a bomb attack in Monaco. Evidently the son was a scammer. Cant work it out .
Plant seeds of kindness, they will bloom in unexpected ways. I suppose the opposite applies too.
The second of July. I got that date wrong yesterday. I did think it a bit odd that they waited until 44 AD to honour Julius. Google says he was born in his own month July 100 BC. Which seems a bit odd. Of course he died in March 44 BC. They call it the ides of March. TC might know why.
I got a break from the Creche today after moaning about it. "I'll do it myself then" she seemed to think. That'll teach me... not. I watched a first in a series of an Asian Netflex story about a government official who goes around beating up bullies at schools. You watch a bully picking on some poor hapless student for the first half and then the 'hero' finally appears pretending to be a teacher and beats the crap out of the bully and his mates as well as nearly burning down the entire school. He then gives advice to the student about how to cope with bullies. Meanwhile the bully's politician dad is humiliated for old sexual misconduct for not raising the bully right. They have it all covered. There must be big problems in Asian schools. Here I'm sure RBB knows how to take a naughty boy down a peg without beating him senseless!
Better run...
"Nurture your passions, let them bloom like blossoms in spring".
In 44 BC the Romans change it to July in honour of Julius Caesar; though I doubt TC would accept that as he thinks everything back then was myth. Around that time Luke had written the first account of the life of Jesus or was it Mark? The Monty Python crew wrote the life of Brian much later.
In the first reading at the Holy Mass Amos warns us to seek good and not evil that you may live.
"What do you want with us, Son of God?" shout the two demoniacs at Jesus in the Gospel. They plead that he doesn't send them to the abyss. So you still think there is no Hell? So what does Jesus do? He doesn't send them back to hell he grants them their wish! That's mercy.
I see TC has raised the old tired question of why God allows free will. He phrases it a little differently asking why Jesus allows war. Possibly it goes back to a choice Adam and Eve made. Remember the tree of life that God told them not to touch? The tree that would give them the knowledge of good and evil. What did they do? Yip, now they could do evil as well as good? Though in truth I can't explain it all. Maybe RBB, who got 70% on an Intelligence test recently can.
"Nourish your soul with the word of God; it is a lamp unto your path"
Jesus has the power to bring peace to our lives.
Peace is important. We all want it. What's the point of being anxious. Jesus rebuked the apostles for even being anxious when the boat is sinking. Wow. "Why are you so frightened, you men of little faith?"
Today I will maintain a peaceful calm. Don't worry, have faith, Jesus will sort it.
I'm off soon to pick up Tau, no she hasn't fallen over, and clean the Creche again.
Overalls would be ok if I had to wear good clothes underneath. But there doesn't seem much point wearing them over working clothes.
Better get going to Wainui.
Have fun. Its not the years in your life that count its the life in those years.
