22 weeks story here, movie making here and pre-teaser is here
Father’s day
I don’t have many memories about my father, and all of them, except two, are dark and rather terrifying.
The bad
1. Fear. My father running around the dark wooden table with an ax, chasing my mom, yelling and threatening to kill her. I am in my bed, somewhere around 2-3 years old. I cry very loud, I scream from fear of loosing my mom, my world, the only known safety. Everything is collapsing around me. I can’t control my breathing, my throat hurts, an my heart pounds very hard. The thoughts of loosing my mom and possibly loosing my life leave me paralyzed. I can’t move, I can’t run, I can’t do anything, except scream uncontrollably.
2. My father takes me to the bar. I don’t know what to expect. When I go in, I see few tables. The smell of the cigarettes chokes me, the smoke lingers everywhere. It’s very loud. Every table is surrounded by few men, drinking mostly beer, at this time of the day, early afternoon. The beer glasses are sticky, drinks are spilled everywhere. Loud conversations between not quite sober men, sliced in between with the few shouts of those who can’t control their tone of voice any more. I sit on a chair by one table. My father introduces me to his friends. He seems to be quite proud of me. They ask me questions, but I can’t understand all of them, they are mumbling plus the noise around kills the sound of their voices. They are drinking beer. I feel like I don’t belong to this world, where my father feels comfortable. He wanted to take me out somewhere, and I don’t remember nothing except this steamy, sleazy atmosphere on one common afternoon.
3. My father ringing the door bell. My grandmother lets him in, and he collapses in the hall. He is so drunk, he can’t even talk. My mom looks at him with disgust, my grandmother just pulls him inside, so she can shut the door. He lays there, smelling bad, not conscious, maybe sleeping. I am looking at him and I am glad he can’t hurt us tonight. We go to our rooms and we close the doors, hoping that we will not have to deal with this situation till the morning. Just another night…
4. My father tells me a story: “When the children are not good, then a bad, old man comes to the door, carrying a huge sack on his back, and he puts the naughty kids inside and carries them away”. I wonder if he made that story up, or if he heard it from someone else. I know it’s not true, but I am afraid of the unknown. I think about this story often afterwords.
photo by Smodger
The good
I couldn’t remember nothing positive about him. One time, when I was about 20, I asked God to bring to my memory at least one joyous moment connected with my father. Immediately, and quite unexpectedly I remembered it.
It was in our room. (We lived in one room, my grandmother in the other, and we shared the kitchen). Suddenly I see a bright sunlight spreading around the room. My father is laughing out loud, throwing me in the air, and catching me in his arms, when I fall down. This is the only memory, when I don’t fear him, when he is sober, and when his eyes are crystal clear blue. Like mine. I laugh out loud, falling gently into his arms. This is the first moment in my life, when I can thank my Father in heaven for my earthly father.
My father was an alcoholic. He left me and my mom, when I was few years old. Since then I saw him twice.
In my early twenties I visited him. But that’s another story…
Today I don’t even know if he is alive.
prayer meetings to elect Obama
People amaze me. Here is someone organizing a prayer meeting for Obama, with an understanding that he is the answer from God for this time for USA:
“to unite our nation and take change to the next level - to the heavens.”
based on the 2 scriptures that talk about repentance and unity.
How about organizing first a prayer meeting to change Obama’s heart according to the very scriptural commandment: “Thou shall not kill”. I am not trying to be mean, but real. If he claims to be a Christian and having a “cloudy understanding” about when the life really begins, let’s pray that he will have a biblical understanding. One can’t bend the principles, to accommodate and elect even the most likable person, as someone, who will govern according to his consciousness, if it is not realigned with the fundamental truths of life and death.
I believe in the power of prayer more than in anything else. So pray. May God’s will be done. Pray for Obama to encounter the living God, giver of life.
hands and feet chopped off and then burned
“I am very frightened,”
said Patson Chipiro, head of the Zimbabwean opposition party in Mhondoro district, after learning about his wife’s death by mutilation and fire.
“They want to kill me. But I have no alternative. My presence here as a leader is very important. If I leave, everyone else will leave. I intend to fight the battle, from here.”
I am numb, speechless. What are men capable to do to their fellow humans?
The story here.
you can buy a bride in Egypt for $ 8,000
According to BBC NEWS, a 92 old man did not receive permission to marry 17 year old girl, because the gap between the spouses must be no bigger than 25 years. Like always, there is a loophole. If you are foreigner, and want to marry someone who is more then 25 years younger then you, just pay $8,000, on her account in the bank, and she is yours. Last year there was 173 happy Egyptian, young and rich brides taken to God knows where…
If this is not legalizing human trafficking, what is it? It is a fact, that poor rural families will “sell” their young daughters to whoever wants to pay. And with the Muslim societies obsessed with virginity, men will pay a lot of money… unfortunately.
100th post
Congratulations to me on my 100th post. Vote below for the type of posts you read here:
honor killing in Basra
The girl was a 17 year old student at the University. She was killed by her father and her two brothers, because she was seen talking to a foreign soldier. Her father’s only regret is, that he did not kill her right after birth. He was arrested, congratulated by police officers and released after 2 hours.
“I don’t regret it. I had the support of all my friends who are fathers, like me, and know what she did was unacceptable to any Muslim that honours his religion”
“I have only two boys from now on. That girl was a mistake in my life. I know God is blessing me for what I did”
After his release he was given money by a local politician to dissapear for some time, until the case will be forgotten. This became a custom for the last 30 honor killings since January 2008.
His wife and mother of the girl, decided to divorce her husband and is in hiding, fearing for her life. She was severly beaten by her husband, after delivering the news about wanting a divorce, her arm is broken as an effect.
“Now, my lovely Rose is in her grave. But, God will make her father pay, either in this world … or in the world after.”
I thought that the honor killings are executed only in the case of adultery, fornication, but not after a talk. if the same law would be measured toward the man in Islam, there would be real shortage of men. The craziest thing is that the whole society is set for these types of situations, so the murderers will not be persecuted, but protected by others, including government officials. Somebody do something!!!
Read more: Facebook can kill you
Update from Ellen R. Sheeley in the comments below: the mother of the victim was murdered in the mid May.
Freedom of Choice Act by Obama - unrestricted abortion
According to LifeSiteNews.com, Obama is planning to implement unrestricted abortion in the USA by signing Freedom of Choice Act, which would nullify any state or federal laws blocking or restricting abortion and invalidate any limitations the Supreme Court has put on abortion. Read the whole article here:
Obama’s Abortion Bombshell: Unrestricted Abortion Over Wishes of Individual States a Priority for Presidency
Barack Obama (in his Statement on 35th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Decision):
“Throughout my career, I’ve been a consistent and strong supporter of reproductive justice, and have consistently had a 100% pro-choice rating with Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America.When South Dakota passed a law banning all abortions in a direct effort to have Roe overruled, I was the only candidate for President to raise money to help the citizens of South Dakota repeal that law. When anti-choice protesters blocked the opening of an Illinois Planned Parenthood clinic in a community where affordable health care is in short supply, I was the only candidate for President who spoke out against it. And I will continue to defend this right by passing the Freedom of Choice Act as president.
Senator Obama is a co-sponsor of the FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act).
More:
hard to kill
Gianna Jessen, an abortion survivor, is sharing her story of consequences of her mother’s decision, forgiveness, faith in Christ and being not a victim, but a servant of God. Her birth certificate states: born during saline abortion, and is signed by an abortionist. Shocking.
Mr Obama voted in the past for leaving such babies as Gianna, to die. Gianna, 31, is not voting for Obama. Roman Catholics for Obama (not an official Catholic site) are trying to diminish the abortion issue, and portray Obama as the man of the hour. I call it deception.
Read one nation under Obama and Obama - the voice of the Joshua generation
If you are a Catholic, planning to vote for Obama read this.
Quotes from Gianna’s web site:
| ” I’m not going to let you down “….
- President George W. Bush- upon meeting Gianna on August 5, 2002 |
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| “Thank you very much for coming to address our meeting in Parliament….we were pleased that so many people came to hear you. I know many people were impressed by your humour and warmth and we have had many positive responses from all who attended.” - Member of Parliament - London, England - December 12, 2005 |
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| “Gianna told me to rise….Tears come to my eyes when I think about how long I have been wasting my life, not caring. It took 18 years and 7 months for someone to say something I really thought was worth listening to. Thanks to her I will forever be rising.” - 18 year old event attendee |
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| ” God is using Gianna to remind the world that each human being is precious to Him. It is beautiful to see the strength of the love of Jesus, which he has poured into her heart. My prayer for Gianna, and for all who listen to her, is that this message of God’s love will put an end to abortion with the power of love.” - Mother Teresa |
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| “It is an honor to meet you.”
- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, S.C. Citizens for Life Rally, Jan. 13, 2007 |
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polygamy in the USA
I’ve just finished the book “Escape” by Carolyn Jessop, former Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) member, who escaped with her 8 children, after many years of terrifying life with a man, who was one of the leaders in the FLDS.
She grew up in a polygamous household, and had to marry 50 year old man, being only 18 years old herself and becoming the forth wife. She was abused sexually, physically and emotionally throughout the marriage, not only by her husband, but by her sister-wives also.
Carolyn is the first top on the left, here with her husband and sister wives
The whole system of FLDS keeps the women as a subject to the men-powered world, which existence is based on perversity and control. They are degrading women’s lives, by diminishing them to working slaves, playing with their minds constantly to keep them vulnerable and subjected to the men’s wishes. Brain washed by the group’s leader’s, constantly abused, kept without educational opportunities, mentally tricked and emotionally drained, sooner or later, they become mentally unstable, depressed and mostly give up.
Carolyn found her strength by caring for her children, and was granted a full custody of her children after her escape from the brutality of the system, which promised heaven, but delivered hell on earth.
Very disturbing recollections of a young woman’s journey from a total believer in the cult’s religious teachings, to the world of freedom and reason.
Carolyn’s position on the Texas court ruling (children returned to FLDS)
Obama - the voice of the Joshua generation
This morning I felt impressed to check the news at CBN. Guess what I found.
Joshua Generation project will be launched by Barack Obama soon. It will target young Evangelicals and Catholics, groups which could potentially move toward his side, despite the dramatic differences on issues like abortion. This article on CBN news estimates that through this campaign he might get even 40% of Evangelicals votes!!!
On June 28th, 2006 Obama delivered speech in Washington D.C, titled “Call to renewal” about his personal journey to God and church, politics and religion and the discussion surrounding his controversial position on sensitive topics. If you are not familiar with it, it’s a must read. This speech was recognized by many as probably the most important speech on religion and politics in 40 years.
On March 7th, 2007 Obama gave a speech, commemorating Selma Voting Rights March. Very inspiring, spiritually connecting to all the Christian values, uplifting and invigorating all of your patriotic left over feelings that you did not even know you had. He used the story of Moses and Joshua as the background for his speech. Few quotes:
If you want to change the world, the change has to happen with you first and that is something that the greatest and most honorable of generations has taught us, but the final thing that I think the Moses generation teaches us is to remind ourselves that we do what we do because God is with us.
I’m here because somebody marched. I’m here because you all sacrificed for me. I stand on the shoulders of giants. I thank the Moses generation; but we’ve got to remember, now, that Joshua still had a job to do. As great as Moses was, despite all that he did, leading a people out of bondage, he didn’t cross over the river to see the Promised Land. God told him your job is done. You’ll see it. You’ll be at the mountain top and you can see what I’ve promised. What I’ve promised to Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. You will see that I’ve fulfilled that promise but you won’t go there.
We’re going to leave it to the Joshua generation to make sure it happens. There are still battles that need to be fought; some rivers that need to be crossed. Like Moses, the task was passed on to those who might not have been as deserving, might not have been as courageous, find themselves in front of the risks that their parents and grandparents and great grandparents had taken. That doesn’t mean that they don’t still have a burden to shoulder, that they don’t have some responsibilities. The previous generation, the Moses generation, pointed the way. They took us 90% of the way there. We still got that 10% in order to cross over to the other side. So the question, I guess, that I have today is what’s called of us in this Joshua generation? What do we do in order to fulfill that legacy; to fulfill the obligations and the debt that we owe to those who allowed us to be here today?
I don’t blame him. What else can you do with that charm, magnetic personality, smooth vocabulary transporting us to the world of our dreams. Is there anyone else who can preach better and awaken America? Is there anyone else who can voice out our desires? Is there anyone?
Personally, I like the guy. I think he is extremely intelligent, has magnificent charisma surrounding his person every time he appears. Media love him, so the crowd, he know how to inspire, unite and fuel people up, even if his direction is not clear enough and lacks concretes.
I believe he is sincere and truly believes in the ideas he proclaims to stand for, if he’ll become the next president. Undoubtedly, he is the best preacher for this season, and his faithful come from all backgrounds, feeling that his cause is bigger than ever and has the chance for real change. He has become the voice of the next generation, promoted by no one else but the people.
He has become an icon for something fresh and new, even if we don’t know exactly how it will shape our future. He has taken USA by storm, and he is intending to convince the last bastion of doubtful, that he can represent them. And most of people intuitively trust him.
I like a lot of his ideas. I would probably vote for him, if not for this one issue:
Supports a Woman’s Right to Choose:
Barack Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women’s rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court’s decision in that case.
Wake up, people. We need to pray that his heart will change or that someone else will become the Chief.
One nation under Obama explains it all. And below one of Obama’s quotes:
picture from Southern Appeal
Update on Joshua Generation, June 11th from here
The program is the tip of an intensive, months-long outreach effort by the campaign. On Tuesday, in advance of its debut, Obama met privately in Chicago, Illinois, with about 30 evangelical, Protestant and Catholic leaders. They included Bishop T.D. Jakes, the megachurch minister, and Douglas Kmiec, an influential law professor who opposes abortion rights.
prostitution behind the veil
Again Iran, again women, again hopeless. It’s a story about 2 young mothers, heroin drug addicts, trying to survive in a male dominant, Allah prescribed society. The world is full of stories of prostitutes who can’t come out of the circle of addiction, and are trapped in the hell of prostitution. What’s the difference here then? Well, neither the government, neither Allah is opposing what’s happening to the young girls, being exploited beyond belief.
Iranian revolution started as a dream for the society, but became another dictatorship system, operating under religious laws.
The reality of a “temporary marriage” (sighe), blessed by Allah, which can last from 10 minutes to 99 years is shown in this documentary in a very disturbing way. Perfectly legal contract, where a man owns a woman for a certain time, and pays her money. Legalized prostitution, I call it. The girls are treated by the law as grown women in Iran, since they are 9 years old, and they can be married, permanently or temporarily, at this age. They are often abused physically, raped, beaten and after the legal time of marriage is over, left alone in a society, where a woman can’t survive.
This documentary was made by an Iranian woman, Nahid Persson,who escaped right after the revolution begun and lives now in Sweden. She came back 17 tears later to witness the changes in her country and was shocked of what she has found so far.
Watch it here. You will see incredible footage, nothing you can expect in an “official” documentary.
women in 20th century Iran (under Shah Pahlavi and Khomeini)
I like to know about any recommendations for the books which are a “must” from others. I do read book’s reviews at Amazon and other sites (especially homeschooling stuff, it saved me from purchasing many over-marketed books), then I check them out from the library.
The last 2 weeks I’ve read 2 books, memoirs written by Iranian women who lived throughout the Shah and Khomeini times. You will become familiar with the culture, traditions and customs of the people of 20th century Iran as well as meet 2 women who went against the flow of the times, had to learn how to survive, live and tell the story.
“Prisoner of Tehran: a memoir” by Marina Nemat, tells you a story of a girl imprisoned as a teenager, surviving execution, forced to be married to her captor. Fascinating and powerful, one night read. You can’t put it away, every chapter draws your attention to the next. Vividly portrays the prison life, emotional and spiritual turmoil, painting them on the canvas with the background of her life before. As a Catholic believer, she was under even greater scrutiny, but her faith gave her courage and she had few encounters that clearly proved her God to be the One who loves, cares and remembers.
“Persian girls: a memoir” by Nahid Rachlin, starts as a story of a girl who was given by her mother to her barren aunt, and then taken back. She takes you through her family’s events, rather tragic, through the moment that changed her life, going to school in the USA. She struggles to keep her identity and to fit into her new lifestyle, which she expected to be different.
Both of these books dismantle the idea that Shah’s western ways of life, promoted so heavily during his reign, were of a help to the Iranian women. You see the position of a women coming from an era of superficial freedom under Shah, who controlled the society for his personal benefits, to the place of religiously imposed laws, not giving them any other options to chose from.
Can’t Allah forgive? part 2
continuation of Part 1
Forgiveness is stronger
The Old Testament endorsed the stoning of adulterers (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22) and fornicators, including a monetary fine and stoning, depending on the circumstances (Ex. 22:16-17; Deut. 22:23-26; 28-29). But there came a moment in the human history, when the law was fulfilled in a Man, who’s words brought healing instead of stoning.
Because stoning as a form of punishment was recognized and ordered by Mohamed in the hadiths, there is still a strong base for it’s validation. In my comparison list between Mohamed and Jesus, the two worlds, according to their teachings and life examples, collide in many areas, and the stoning reveals one of the aspects of a quite different Word of God they preached and practised.
stoning in Afghanistan
When Jesus came, He changed the world upside down. He revealed the truth about His Father’s heart. In the Sermon on the Mount, which is Christianity 101, He touched upon the sins of adultery and lust in a way that changed the perspective on men’s righteousness completely.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matt. 5:27-28
This statement was soon followed by an incident which we can read about in the Gospel of John, chapter 8. The smart and intelligent scholars (teachers of the law) and the religious leaders (Pharisees) caught a woman in adultery. In reality they were preying on Jesus, trying to corner Him and expose His luck of, according to their way, cohesive teaching. But the whole story turned into something unexpected, life changing, mind bugling. After dragging her to Jesus’ feet they left the power for her life and death in His hands. Jesus replied:
“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
adulterous woman scene from the movie “The Passion of Christ”
The verdict which was expected to be imposed upon the fallen woman, was turned upon the accusers’ consciousness. There were probably few things that could happen then, but the most bizarre happened, and it was recorded in the Gospel. One by one, they all left. Was it, because the spoken Word penetrated their hearts? Was is because they realized their hypocrisy? Was it because they decided they can’t win their tricky game this time? was it because the fear of God fall upon them? Was is because they had a glimpse of God who is just and merciful?
This one moment changed the universe forever. The power of forgiveness was installed in the human race. It was cried out not in a moment of speech or preaching, but in the moment where someones destiny was about to be overturned.
“Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”
Jesus spoke to a condemned woman. That was a shocking reality by itself. The question He asked was for her to realize, that the accusers lost their ground. There were no more threats. And then comes the punching line, that is the quintessence of God who is Justice and Mercy at once.
“I do not condemn you either, go, from now on sin no more.”
This is the way to a human heart and the root of the sin. The spiritual solution is forgiveness without condemnation, with the encouragement. Later on, Jesus fulfilled the law by taking the penalty for our sins on Himself.
How different from Mohammed’s form of justice - stoning and flogging. Did these kinds, still used in some countries as a “Muslim way” of dealing with the criminals, ever work? As far as I am aware, in Judaism, there is no more stoning imposed as a punishment for the sins or committed crime. Christian based judicial systems are not allowing such cruelty. But in Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Nigeria, it’s still a different story. It just torns families apart, deprives the children of the parent, causes damage to the child’s life, brings shame without resolution, drives the sin underground, does not offer any healing to the families or the society. If it would work in theses controlled societies, is the sin purged out of the hearts of people?
Can’t Allah forgive?
More:
PBS Frontline story about Saudi princess executed for adultery (1980)
obiecanki cacanki
zakrwawione resztki godnosci
niewyjasnione zakamarki dni minionych
wygrzebane znikad uniesienia
rozkojarzone i prowadzace donikad
wyciskaja ze mnie soki racjonalnego myslenia
kresu nie widac
horyzont niebezpiecznie daleko
gdzie jest ta prostota wiary
obiecanki cacanki
dobij nie zabij
szybciej niz wolniej
dobierz sie do mnie
zanim zmatwieja poranne dotkniecia
najgorsze jest zapomnienie
Piwonie
This morning was sunny and bright. I opened the window and the air had a smell of the spring rain. Suddenly another aroma joined the air. The fragrance of peonies, which my daughter brought from the garden and placed in a glass vase.
I don’t know why, but the scents bring me instantly to the places associated with them, playing games with my brain, activating the memories otherwise not recollected and somewhat fogged down.
The sweet smell of just one single red peonia, standing motionless in front of me, transported my occupied mind in a split of a second to the festive day of Corpus Cristi processions (Boze Cialo). I could almost touch the flower’s petals in my basket, which I carried a small child during the Corpus Christi procession. I would gracefully throw in front of the priest carrying Eucharist, and hundreds of the parish believers would follow behind.
The next memory was of the sense of unrestricted imagination associated with the coming spring carrying unexpected adventures. The feeling of growing expectations, untamed and unbalanced, carrying the vigor of the surely bright and fulfilling future was sweeping me away. Nothing less then life with it’s highest possibilities and confidence in the upcoming times, trusting forward, forgetting the former, throwing myself into almost unreachable layers of fantasies - all of these thoughts were swirling around, not wanting to be caught by a categorically established rules of things to be. Possibilities of loss or suffering on the way were out of the picture. The sense of hope was ruling and drawing my already tickled soul into the risky ventures of the familiar, and at the same time unknown feelings mingled with reality. Where was I and were was the world. The only sensible thing to do in my mind then was to unquestionably jump off the cliff and eagerly experience what was not lived yet before.
Another memory was of my grandmother’s garden with lots of peonies everywhere. They would bloom shortly, but furiously, giving their beauty to the world, and quickly dying, envied and missed by many till the next season of life would come around. I could almost feel the smoothness of them under the palms of my hand, stroking it gently, imagining rich, pleasant velvet and royal beds from the ancient times covered with luxurious muslin.
All if this happened in a split of a second. How did God made a human mind to do THAT?
The conquest of the Bride
“The conquest of the Bride” is the title of 12th chapter from “Heart from Heart of the World” by Hans Urs von Balthasar. H. U. von Balthasar, a Swiss theologian, was called “perhaps the most cultured man of our century” by pope Benedict 16 and one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. His writings, over 1,000 books and articles, were based upon theological studies of the Scriptures and the works of the church fathers. I am enjoying reading some of his books during the last year or so, and found this excerpt on CERC.
Read the whole chapter here or download it from my “I share” files (in the sidebar). Here are few fragments, an oracle of God to His church-Bride. It’s dogmatic and transcendental substance coexists with the lyrical, but meaningful finesse of revelation, reaching to the depths of God’s heart and revealing His anguish and desires.
by januaryman
You will be a sign of contradiction among the peoples, and no one will even as much as whisper your name, O my Church, without shuddering.
Over you men will have to part their ways, for many will love you and squander everything for you, but very many will hate you, and these will swear an oath not to rest until they have exterminated you from the land of men. And you will be despised like no man or thing, except myself, has ever been despised on earth. They will stand in line for the privilege of spitting in your face, of wiping off on your garments the mud from their shoes.
Your administrators stingily dole out through well-run pipe-systems and institutions the precious liquid of my grace. The bark of the tree which once blossomed in the wild has now turned to cork. You have become such an established household that even the catastrophic storms of the times, and persecution rattling at your gates and windows, can hardly awaken you from sleep, and a slap in your face can elicit from you but an embarrassed smile. Disgrace covers the length of you, all the more poignantly as you try to deny it, pretending nothing is amiss.
It is with you, my Body, that I am forever fighting the great, apocalyptic battle.
The inglorious weakness with which, in this century of collapse, you stand before the world unable to transform it: this weakness is already a part of the mystery of my own inglorious weakness, for when was I ever strong enough to renew the face of this exterior world?
Bind yourself to me so irrevocably that I will be able to descend to hell with you; and then I will bind you to myself so irrevocably that, with me, you will be able to ascend to very heaven.
And so, in spite of everything, you will be my sign among the nations. To them you will remain a very implausible thing, so much so that they will daily prophesy your death. And you will indeed die after a fashion. But see: we live, you and I, for I have died once, and whoever eats of my death will live eternally and I will awaken him on the Last Day — - and each day is the last.
names day
Today is my names day. In Poland and some other European countries, celebration of “names day” is more elaborate than a birthday. You get presents, flowers and you party. In most calendars, almost every day has few first names mentioned in it. For example, on May 23rd, people with names: Iwona, Emilia, Dezydery, are having their names day. On that day, every person named with this first name celebrates a names day.
Names day’s origin comes from Christian church calendar, where on certain days of the year certain saints are mentioned. This tradition comes from an early church, when believers wanted to remember the martyrs who gave their life for Christ.
There are names, of course, which are repeated few times in a calendar during the year, because there was more than one person with given first name, who ended up being recognized as a saint by a Catholic church.
Your first given name should be picked by parents after some saint, whom they believe, will watch over you thorughout your life.
Meaning of my name comes from the root “iv” - “yew”. The strongest bows were made from this tree for centuries, so it symbolizes strength. It is an evergreen tree, so it symbolizes eternity.
As for the saint patrons. That would be probably John Baptist Rossi, but there are 2 of them. One was a Carmelite General, who recognized the call on Theresa’s of Avilla life, and encouraged her to start more monasteries.
The other one was a priest from Italy in XVII century, who took care and preached to the poorest of the poor, and one of the greatest confessors during this time.
The other option for my saints patron would be saint Ivo of Chartres, bishop and teacher, imprisoned for opposing king’s attempt to abandon his wife.
So… check the Saints Calendar by date or Saints calendar by name, pick a date, learn about your patron, and feast.
Keith’s blog site
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