Nuclear Jesus

I have passed it many times over the years.... The bizarre glow always catches my eye as I zoom by in my car. Tonight, however, was the night that I actually grabbed the camera and tripod and headed out to the little church. I have always been intrigued by nuclear nativity scenes... I don't know what it is about the soft glow that seems to always be emitting warmth and welcome on cold and frosty winter nights...... I stood with my camera for a long time looking at the glowing faces that silently tell a miraculous story............ I don't actually know how long I stood there before I looked up and noticed that right next to the nativity scene stood another (more gruesome) scene from the life of Christ (that is always located there). The glowing face of the baby was now that of grown and bloodied man who seemed to have compassion and wisdom in His eyes and in his hands. Standing there on the side of the road in the light of the nativity and in the shadow of the cross, I was silently reminded that the story does not end in Bethlehem... and it does not end on the cross.........


The nuclear nativity scene...





Nuclear Jesus











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Today's Random Pic...

Taken at sunset







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Croagh Patrick

Croagh Patrick is a beast of a mountain that towers 2,510 ft over the surrounding area. This mountain has been a holy site for over 5,000 years, and is still an active site for pilgrimage and penance. I am headed out today to climb it with a friend... if I make it back I'll be sure to post some pictures!






(The line on the mountainside is the pilgrims' trail)




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"Mary in the window"

I took this photo last week while on a short walk (not too far from the donkey and farmer picture below). The thatched cottage was beautiful, but it really was the little statue of Mary looking down at me from the tiny window that caught my eye.








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The third day...

'When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back - it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and the were alarmed. And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here.'"
Mark 16: 1-6






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In honor of it being Good Friday...

"It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent!" And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things."
Luke 23:44-49






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A few days away...

We are back from spending a few days with our friends in the capital. Sorry that I have not been able to update much this week. Something was wrong with our internet connection over there, and I was a bit lost not being able to check my email! We had a great time with our friends, and were really sad to see them leave.

While they were here we were able to explore an ancient monastic site called Monasterboice. This monastic site was founded in the fifth century and contains some of the best examples of Irish High Crosses in Ireland. As you know - Irish High Crosses (10th century-ish) were the 'stained glass' of the Middle Ages. These massive stone crosses had Biblical scenes carved into them so that a largely illiterate culture would be able to see and remember the stories.

Here are a few pics of the first High Cross. It is known as "The Cross of Muiredach".

(the panels from the bottom to the top show - Jesus being arrested, Doubting Thomas, The Risen Christ as the ruler of the world, the crucifixion)




(detail of the crucifixion section)





(on the back side of the cross - Adam and Eve/Cain killing Abel)




(the back side of the cross showing Christ judging the souls of men. The center shows Christ with David playing a harp on the left and an angel with a book to his right. The left side shows the redeemed being led by an angel playing a trumpet. The right side shows the souls of the condemned being pushed away by demons kicking them (and one caring a pitchfork) .




Here we are - This gives you some idea of the massive size of the cross.




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Today's Random Pic...

"Courage"





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Winter pt.3

Dee and I took this pic while we were out on a walk yesterday... it almost looks like it should have been taken on Halloween... in reality it was a very sunny point in the day!

Today's Random Pic...

In honor of Good Friday...

In the News....

It is time to straighten up and fly right!

I don't know if this has made the news in the USA, but it is all over the news here. The pope has added to the infamous 7 deadly sins. The original list has been around for a long time and consisted of such things as:
lust
gluttony
avarice
sloth
anger
envy
and pride.

These sins are considered to be mortal sins – the gravest kind, which threaten the soul with eternal damnation unless absolved before death through confession or penitence. Sitting here and looking at that list I wonder (and you might also) what else can be added? These really cover a lot... most of which are matters of the heart... Well, because you asked... The new list consists of:
polluting
genetic engineering
being obscenely rich
drug dealing
abortion
pedophilia
and causing social injustice

I am not trying to be sarcastic... after all... these are all things that I am against! But there is part of me that does not really understand a couple of them. After all.... what does it mean to "pollute"? Does having a SUV now damn people to an eternal hell? Or is someone who works at a polluting factory guilty of the sin.................? "Genetic engineering"........? I'm not sure if I could commit this sin even if I wanted to! "being obscenely rich"....? I'm not sure that I understand this one too...... after all... I have been to Rome...... I have seen the obscenely rich treasury of the Vatican..... I have seen the millions of dollars tied up in their art collection.... I've seen the extravagance of St. Peter's...... Is this not obscenely rich? if not... what is???? These are just a few of the questions that a friend and I came up with over coffee this morning... Is there anyone else out there that is as confused as I am?

More Pics from Barcelona...

In the Cathedral...

Brittany, France (Cont. - Cont.)

I have a really bad cold right now... so please pardon the fact that I am not posting a lot of written posts this week. Here are a few more pics from our time in Brittany.


A Celtic Monk





Another Gargoyle

Brittany, France (cont...)

A few random pics by Dee...

More Pics from Brittany...

We are back from our little trip to France.... But we took a ton of different pics... I plan on posting a few of them over the next couple of days. Enjoy!



Gargoyles:

Nollaig Shona!

Dee and I wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. We are having a great Christmas season. We are so thankful for our local friends and this time that we get to spend with them! Our Christmas Eve started with a coffee with friends and then a quick shoving match... I mean shopping trip for some last minute food needs. We are planning on spending the day baking, listening to Christmas music, and visiting with friends. I truly am grateful for this time... and for our community.

Children here are getting ready for Santa.... and the big guy has even made some appearances around town over the last few weeks. Living here has taught me a lot about the big man from the North Pole. He goes by many different names. Here he is referred to as 'Father Christmas' or 'Santi'. He looks a lot like he did when I last saw him in America, but he seems much older and thinner here. He even walks with a walking stick. The coolest thing is that he can even speak Irish Gaelic ( a feat that he does with amazing fluency). Children don't give him long lists of presents, but usually ask for a modest gift and a surprise. The most interesting thing is that Santi has not always been the patron saint of children. At one time St. Nicholas was the patron saint of sailors. This fact is still evident in most of the old port cities of Ireland. It is very common for the ancient churches of these seafaring towns to be dedicated to St. Nick. I was reminded of this fact only last week while Christmas shopping. I was walking around a Christmas market set up in the shadow of an ancient church named, "St. Nicholas". There above one of the doors is a twelfth century mermaid... a reminder of Santi's nautical history...

Today's Random Pic...

My favorite... Rome

We had a lot of great times in Rome. To be honest with you my favorite moments were just the times hanging out with my friends. It amazed me to be able to just sit in the shadow of ancient temples and to be able to laugh together as we ate.

If I were to pick one (or two) places in Rome that were the most amazing I would have to say #2 would be the catacombs. These ancient burial places for early Christians were chilling. Seeing the simple Christian carvings on the walls and seeing the places where some of them were martyred were awe inspiring. My #1 spot would have to be the Mamertine Prison. This ancient prison was a damp, dark, hole in the shadow of the Roman Forum. It was also the site where (according to tradition) both the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter were held before they were executed. It was in this dark room that Paul probably wrote many of his letters. He sat here in chains next to other prisoners, guards, and in filth writing about joy and hope. A bronze plaque hangs on the wall recounting how both of the apostles shared their faith with the guards and how they used the simple well to baptize them. This 'death row' prison was almost always empty, and we were able to spend some personal time there reading Paul's letters and reflecting on how passionately he followed Christ. This little prison - a symbol of obedience and simple faith - stood in drastic contrast to the lavish Vatican. I found it refreshing and challenging to be in such an important spot, but I also felt disappointment and heartbreak for the other tourists who popped in and out of the room unaware of its significance.

Reading Paul's Letters

The spot where Peter & Paul were chained & the well used to baptize their guards

Peter & Paul in the prison

The Vatican...

Well..... Vatican city was not really what I was expecting.... and to be honest with you I was disappointed. Hear me out....


We started our day there in the Vatican museums. The amount of artwork was truly overwhelming. At first I found myself looking intently at every carved stone and painting, but I quickly realized that I was simply walking around hardly looking at the priceless pieces of art all around me. There was no way to see every exhibit (We would have been there for days), and a few of the galleries were closed. There really isn't any way to explain how it felt going through room after room of amazing artwork... And I enjoyed the museums, but I found myself wondering at the incredible amount of wealth contained in the halls. I found myself thinking about the billions of people living in poverty.... suffering with HIV... needing clean drinking water... and I found myself wondering about the good that could be done if some of the artwork was sold and and the money was invested in hurting people. I know... I know... someone out there is going to tell me that is crazy, that there is nothing wrong with a charitable organization (that is what a church is... isn't it?) owning billions of dollars in artwork while the world suffers... But I found myself haunted by these thoughts (sorry to be a downer).

These thoughts didn't leave me as we left the museum. In fact, they only intensified as we went to St. Peter's Basilica. This massive church (the second largest in the world) is the heart of the Vatican and is the seat of the Pope. The size of the place was awe inspiring. It was rebuilt in the 1500's and was one of the sources of major controversy in the Catholic church. Martin Luther, a German monk/priest/teacher, came to Rome in 1510 and came to a crisis of faith. While on pilgrimage up Pilate's stairs (an act of penance and devotion done on the knees while repeating prayers and the rosary), he became frustrated and stopped midway up the staircase. Luther became increasing frustrated with the lavish lifestyles of the church leadership and with the massive amount of money that was being spent on St. Peter's. He returned home but the frustration only grew as he watched people purchase indulgences (an "indulgence" is the remission of punishment because a sin already committed has been forgiven; the indulgence is granted by the church when the sinner confesses and receives absolution. When an indulgence is given, the church is extending merit to a sinner from its Treasure House of Merit, an accumulation of merits it has collected based on the good deeds of the saints. These merits could be bought and sold - (info from Wikipedia)). The sell of indulgences during Luther's day was financing the building of St. Peter's.

I couldn't help but think on these things as we walked around the massive (an understatement) church... and in a way it was because of it's beauty and extravagance that I found myself frustrated and disappointed.

Dee with a Dali Painting

Inside the Vatican Museum

The ceiling of Sistine Chapel
(from the left - The creation, the making of Eve, the temptation)

Us with St. Peter's Basilica in the background

Me - Seeing the light in St. Peter's

The front of St. Peter's Basilica.
I collected water from the fountain

So... you might be wondering... what did I love most about Rome? Stay tuned...

The Solstice...

Ok.... so, this is the last pic that I'll post from the solstice... But first an explanation:

Growing up in the southern USA I never knew how much the weather really affected people in other parts of the world. Don't get me wrong. We too had weather in the heart of Dixie... it was just hot and hotter. In Ireland the weather changes drastically with every season. Winter is brutal - windy, wet, and dark. The summer, however, is amazing - sunny, dryer, and long. It is easy to stay inside beside the fire on the short winter days and seasonal depression is rampant here. So when summer comes the people celebrate. This ritual of embracing the sun dates back long before recorded history. Ancient Celts worshiped nature and the sun above all else. It isn't hard to see/understand how the longest day of the year would have such importance and be a day of celebration. These celebrations go on today much like they did thousands of years ago. Each solstice is celebrated with a night of bonfires. All over Ireland people gather at huge fires for a night of dancing, singing, drinking, and revelry. I have to wonder how long this tradition has lasted in Ireland... It isn't hard to imagine (and I am certain that)people long before St. Patrick doing the exact same things. To be honest with you the whole thing disturbs me a bit, and it intrigues me a bit.

According to legend:
St. Patrick came back to Ireland in 432. He came to this land full of druids and often confronted the tribal leaders and druids with his Christian teachings. Often these confrontations were dramatic - such as cutting down a sacred tree in order to show that the tree held no power. One such legend tells of a time when Patrick confronted druids worshiping the sun. They had carved a circle to symbolize the sun on a large standing stone. Patrick denounced the worship of the sun and told all there that His God was the creator of the Sun the Earth, and the Heavens, and that they were not to worship the creation, but rather they were to worship the Creator. He then carved a large cross over the symbol of the sun as a reminder the even the sun is subject to Christ. This was the birth of the Celtic cross. A symbol that has endured through the ages.

Given the history, I thought this picture of a twelfth century Celtic cross on the summer solstice was appropriate:

Making History...

As you know, Northern Ireland has had some major problems over the years. The deep divides between Catholics and Protestants goes back centuries but the wounds are extremely fresh. You have to remember that many areas in Northern Ireland are still deeply divided and hatred can been seen in large murals painted on the sides of homes and in the large wall that divides Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods in Belfast. Today, however, was a major step forward for a lasting peace in Northern Ireland. As Tony Blair put it, today was a day to "escape the heavy chains of history" and to "make history anew". Today the Northern Assembly (or Parliament) was restarted. This "devolved government" is still under the watchful eye of England, still a part of the United Kingdom (The rest of Ireland is a free republic), but is made up of a power sharing coalition. Representatives of the Protestant party (the DUP) and the Catholic party (Sinn Féin) who once swore never to sit down together have now entered into a partnership that promises peace and equal treatment under the law. This latest step is just one of many over the past few years. In recent times militia groups on both sides (including the IRA) have destroyed or laid down their weapons in the hopes of peace.

Will this peace last? Only time will tell... but as long as these parties can work together the people of Northern Ireland will have a government of their own.