Christmas Houses with music

A new concept has evolved over the last 15 years especially at Christmas time. The lighting of houses and  having them synchronized with music. This incredible show of close to 24 minutes is absolutely spectacular. Unfortunately it’s not all seasonal music,  but you will enjoy the exceptional synchronization with lights, lasers and even fireworks. The timing of the music with the lights is just outstanding. Be prepared for some John Williams film soundtracks. At 20:00 you will hear one of the most popular Christmas melodies over the last 15 years, ‘Wizards in Winter’ by the Trans-Siberian orchestra. Thanks to Tom BetGeorge for producing this spectacle for everyone to treasure. Enjoy the show.

A New York Christmas

Where Christmas decorations are concerned, few surpass the atmosphere created around Rockefeller Center in New York City, with a magnificent tree above the golden statue of Prometheus, and ice-skaters skidding in the rink below, plus plenty of lights, highlighted by a few angels with trumpets. The shop windows are also spectacular and months of planning takes place to grab the attention of shoppers during the entire month of December. In the suburbs where I was stationed for 22 years in various parishes, the houses are always in competition with one another as they attract visitors from everywhere. The second photo shows just one such house from my first parish in New Hyde Park, NY.

The Styrofoam Nativity

This Nativity is more than 60 years old, made from Styrofoam, also known in Malta as Jablo. It was made by students (teachers in training) of the old St. Michael’s Training College which was close to our home in St Julian’s. It was crafted by various teachers and was set up in the then-parish of St. Julian’s, the old church, where it had stayed over the years. Always with a purplish light, it creates a haunting effect as it displays the various characters of the nativity story. I am sure past and present sacristans took great care of these pieces which are so fragile. But they look just as new now, 60+ years after they’ve been crafted.

Old Christmas cards

As we continue to approach Christmas, now a week away, may I share with you today three samples of old-fashioned Christmas cards, popular in Malta and Europe. These were painted in watercolors by a Maltese artist George Apap, and he placed his work in a box with cut-outs of the different figures and background of each particular scene shown here. The first one shows the Nativity of Jesus. 

The second one shows an altar boy preaching at the midnight Mass, a custom that is still popular in most parish churches. And the third one shows two children on a sofa reading the Christmas story among decorations all around their room. In the exhibition I saw a few years ago there was a collection of over 30 boxes with different Christmas scenes all painted in watercolors and placed in a box to create a 3-dimensional effect. (click on each photo to enlarge)

Francis and Baby Jesus

Today Pope Francis celebrates his 88th birthday, and I offer to you an image which he will be focusing on next week on Christmas Eve and Day. It's the image of the Bambino, baby Jesus which the Pope will carry towards the altar for the Christmas Mass. It will be prominently displayed in front of a copy of a calligraphed manuscript of the Bible with some gorgeous illumination, as you can see from this photo which I took from a TV transmission. An ornate table and two angels cradle the Bible and everything is surrounded by white flowers. Pope Francis was born as Jorge Bergoglio on December 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires. He was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969, and bishop on June 27, 1992. He was elevated to Cardinal on February 21, 2001. He was elected Pope on March 13, 2013 taking the name of Francis. Ad Multos Annos Francisco !

Doing without

An American family bought a nice house in Mexico, and packed all their belongings and drove from Texas into Mexico. When they arrived, they all helped unpack and carried every item into their new house, furniture, fridges, computers, bookcases, microwave ovens, television, and many other indispensable items for an American family. A neighbor of theirs, a Mexican gringo, saw them and came over to welcome them. He told them ‘if you have any trouble with your appliances and need any help in repairing them, just let me know, and I’ll be happy to help you.’ The father thanked him and asked him ‘oh, you know how to repair these items?’ ‘No,’ was his answer, ‘but I can teach you how you can live without them!’

The Beauty of Joy

Pope Francis 10 years ago, just after being elected Pope issued a long letter, called an Apostolic Exhortation, called Evangelium Gaudium (The Gospel of Joy) which is filled with warnings, encouragement, and challenges, all rooted in a pastor's love for the flock. He speaks in general how our religion, our Gospel is one of joy. These are some extracts from it:
“I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting Him encounter them.“

“People should seek to abandon the complacent attitude that says: ‘We have always done it this way’. I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities.”

On difficulties we have to face, Pope Francis writes: “Let us not say, then, that things are harder today; they are simply different. But let us learn also from the saints who have gone before us, who confronted the difficulties of their own day.“

On Mercy he says - “Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy.”

He speaks about Joy - “Sometimes we are tempted to find excuses and complain, acting as if we could only be happy if a thousand conditions were met. To some extent this is because our ‘technological society has succeeded in multiplying occasions of pleasure, yet has found it very difficult to create, enhance and engender joy’.”

He speaks also of people going to confession..... “Penitents may not be joyful when they enter a confessional but possess boundless joy when they leave. Such is the working of grace.“
There’s a lot more to digest but these are just a few sentences that struck me as worth chewing on.

Never judge the outside

Clara Wersterfer didn’t know how to drive and so her husband drove her daily to work and then at the end of the day she would wait for him in the car, as he finished one hour after her. While she was waiting a beautiful blue car drove by and parked next to her. The man driving goes out and went for an errand while the woman in the passenger seat waited for him. She looked beautiful to Clara, with blue eyes and nice hair. She would smile at Clara and even waved at her before they left. After a few days meeting in the same place, Clara started to get jealous of that beautiful woman. She wondered where they lived, which restaurant they went to, and if they had any children. One day she got the answer to all these questions. Her husband came to her and opened her door as he got to the back of the car and brought out a wheel-chair. She had one prosthetic leg and walked with crutches, until she sat in her wheelchair. Clara felt sorry for her and yet her feet looked perfect on the outside. Clara’s husband told her that he knew her husband, and also knew his wife’s story. Clara would smile at her before they left. Apparently when she was 12 years old, she was with her parents when their car was hit by a train. Both  parents were killed and the girl suffered multiple injuries, that left her handicapped. The train company gave her a substantial amount of money, by which she could renovate her house to make it handicap-accessible. Clara kept meeting this lady frequently and became friends. But she also learned never to judge a person by what they look like on the outside. She thanked God that she had feet to walk and her good health to live independently without the help of others. Let us learn from this story to appreciate the gifts we have before desiring what others may have.

Malta Republic – 50 years

Today Malta celebrates the 50th anniversary when Malta became a republic in 1974. Malta has been ruled by a long line of foreign countries: the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, Knights of St John, the French, the British, until Malta became Independent in 1964. Then on May 1, 2004, Malta became a member of the European Union. Various festivities are being held today, starting with a solemn Mass in the Cathedral, the giving of honors to various people, military parades and other presentations with the participation of various talents of Maltese artists.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The original tilma in the Cathedral of OL of Guadalupe.

The miraculous coat known as tilma which St Juan Diego was using the day of the apparition has been examined and tested various times. It hangs in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and today, on her feast day, thousands of Mexicans will visit and pray in front of this image. The tilma shows Mary as the God-bearer - she is pregnant with her Divine Son. Since the time the tilma was first impressed with a picture of the Mother of God, it has been subject to a variety of environmental hazards including smoke from fires and candles, water from floods and torrential downpours and, in 1921, a bomb which was planted by anti-clerical forces on an altar under it. There was also a cast-iron cross next to the tilma and when the bomb exploded, the cross was twisted out of shape, the marble altar rail was heavily damaged and the tilma was...untouched! Indeed, no one was injured in the Church despite the damage that occurred to a large part of the altar structure. In 1977, the tilma was examined using infrared photography and digital enhancement techniques. Unlike any painting, the tilma shows no sketching or any sign of outline drawn to permit an artist to produce a painting. Further, the very method used to create the image is still unknown. The image is inexplicable in its longevity and method of production. It can be seen today in a large Cathedral built to house up to ten thousand worshipers. It is, by far, the most popular religious pilgrimage site in the Western Hemisphere.

18 Nativities

A typical presepio I did for the John Day children

When I was in St Elizabeth of Hungary parish in John Day, Oregon, back in 2004, I had a very small church, and we were limited with the amount of decorations we could display, but the Nativity or presepio in front of the altar, brought everything together, and which I insisted, should be the focus of the church, the birth of Jesus. Then during my Religious Ed classes, I introduced the children to the craft of crib-making, and even invited them to help them create one themselves. But since they were so eager and enthusiastic in seeing one that I made for myself, I came up with another idea which became a huge success. So I asked them if they could provide me with a base of plywood each and I would make a presepio with the figurines they brought with them. I had to see the figures, so that I would make the cave to scale. And I had a marathon of presepio-crafting, ending up with 18 in total. I did not have the glue they used in Malta, but I used flour instead, and worked just as good. I had collected some brown paper bags which I used to form the cave. I worked in the parish hall and a few people who came to check them out were mesmerized by what they saw – something which they’ve never seen before, because for them Christmas is all about Santa Claus, deer, snow and robins. People would just place the nativity characters on a table, and never bothered to create a presepio, so popular in other cultures.

The straw for children to place in the manger

All the children were delighted to have their own presepio, a custom which St George Preca insisted that all children should have. I know that many of them kept it from year to year, as they felt it was something special, just as they keep their Christmas tree ornaments and hang them up every year. Over the years I introduced other Maltese customs and traditions, which parishioners always welcomed. Meanwhile the church glistened with lights and we placed two Christmas trees, sprayed in white and with many little lights, which we placed one on each side of the tabernacle behind the main altar, and really looked quite nice. Christmas Eve and Day were very busy as I reached out to my two mission churches after I did my Masses in John Day. As usual I played Silent Night on the flute, with the congregation joining in the second and third verses, even accompanied by the organist. I also started another tradition by inviting the children, in preparation for Christmas, to place a piece of straw in the manger, when they do a good deed or are obedient at home. But all the children in John Day were delighted to have a Nativity of their own, and I wonder how many of them, 20 years later, are still being displayed. 

Roselle

Michael Hingson with Roselle

On September 11, 2001, Michael Hingson and his guide dog, Roselle, were on the 78th floor of the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Michael had been blind from birth. Roselle, a Labrador Retriever, was his trusted companion, there to guide him each day. On Sept. 11, 2001, Michael arrived at the WTC Path Train Station from Westfield, NJ, preparing to host a seminar in their offices at 1 World Trade. He had ordered a big breakfast platter for his guests, and after setting up the conference room, he sat back down at his desk, getting ready for his presentation. Then, right at 8:46 a.m., a loud boom shook the building. A Boeing 767, American Airlines Flight 11, had struck the North Tower, cutting through floors 93 through 99 at a speed of 500 miles per hour. It was an instant inferno. Roselle woke up and looked around. It was clear to Michael that she did not sense any immediate danger. Determining that elevators were no longer safe, Michael and his colleague walked their guests to the staircase, came back and swept the office for any stragglers, and began making their way down the gruelling 1,463 steps to safety. In the staircase that morning, he recalls the distinct smell of jet fuel. As people filed into the stairway, it was a mostly quiet scene. They all kept to the right. There was no pushing, no shoving. And, though they still had no idea what exactly was happening, they knew their best chance at survival was to move forward, one step at a time. Michael recalls “All the way down the stairs, the fact that I kept telling Roselle what a good job you’re doing helped a lot of other people.”

Though tired, thirsty, and still in disbelief of what had happened less than 30 minutes prior, Michael, Roselle, and their five guests all made it out of the North Tower alive close to 9:15 a.m. When they got down to the lobby, both were met by a nearby NYPD officer — who warned them of the Towers’ imminent collapse — instructing them to run for cover. As they ran, Roselle guided Michael through the dust-filled streets of Lower Manhattan, eventually ushering him to safety inside a subway station. “She did exactly what she was supposed to do,” Michael said, reflecting that Roselle stopped by the stairs of the Fulton Street station to help them escape from the cloud of dust and debris after the towers fell. To this day, Michael says that Roselle was one of the most easy-going dogs that he had ever known. She played when she could, and worked when she had to. And she always took her job seriously. Looking back, Michael says he is grateful for his four-legged guide dog, the one who kept him and others calm, while guiding all the other people following her down 78 gruelling flights of stairs. Roselle lived until age 14. She died in the summer of 2011.

St Juan Diego

                          

Juan Diego was born in 1474 in the ward of Tlayacac in Cuauhtitlan, north of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City). On December 9, 1531, the native Mexican Juan Diego rose before dawn to walk fifteen miles to daily Mass in what is now Mexico City. Juan lived a simple life as a weaver, farmer, and laborer. That morning, as Juan passed Tepeyac Hill, he heard music and saw a glowing cloud encircled by a rainbow. A woman's voice called him to the top of the hill. There he saw a beautiful young woman dressed like an Aztec princess. She said she was the Virgin Mary and asked Juan to tell the bishop to build a church on that site. She said, "I vividly desire that a church be built on this site, so that in it I can be present and give my love, compassion, help, and defence, for I am your most devoted mother . . . to hear your laments and to remedy all your miseries, pains, and sufferings." The Bishop Zummaraga was kind but skeptical. He asked Juan to bring proof of the Lady's identity. Before Juan could go back to the Lady, he found out his uncle was dying. Hurrying to get a priest, Juan missed his meeting with the Lady. The Lady, however, met him on his path and told him that his uncle had been cured. She then told Juan to climb to the top of the hill where they first met. Juan was shocked to find flowers growing in the frozen soil. He gathered them in his cloak and took them at once to the bishop. Juan told the bishop what had happened and opened his cloak. The flowers that fell to the ground were Castilian roses (which were not grown in Mexico). But the bishop's eyes were on the glowing image of the Lady imprinted inside Juan's cloak or tilma. Soon after, a church was built on the site where our Lady appeared, and thousands converted to Christianity. Our Lady of Guadalupe was declared the patroness of the Americas.  Juan Diego died on May 30, 1548, at the age of 74.  Juan Diego deeply loved the Holy Eucharist, and by special permission of the Bishop he received Holy Communion three times a week, a highly unusual occurrence in those times. He was beatified in 1990 and was canonized on July 31, 2002 at the Basilica of Guadalupe, Mexico City by Pope St. John Paul II.

Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Conception by Esteban Bartholome Murillo

Just imagine the millions of Christmas cards being exchanged right now, going across the globe, many of which are images of the Blessed Virgin Mary, frequently with baby Jesus and St Joseph. Just imagine the thousands upon thousands of nativities being set up and displayed around the world with the Holy Family taking center stage for the Advent and Christmas season. We don’t need any proof of how dominant she still is in the Catholic church and in Christian culture around the world. And when I think that more than half of the parishes in my home country of Malta are dedicated to the Blessed Mother, it shows the devotion people still have towards her. Many were also the classical works written in sacred music, starting with various Gregorian chants melodies and continuing with the Magnificat, Salve Regina, Vespers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and so much more by many great composers. They all get their inspiration from the image of Mary, conceived without sin, a privilege that was only granted to her and no one else. Just as Jesus was considered the new Adam, so Mary is considered the new Eve. In 1760, Pope Clement XIII authorized the celebration of the Immaculate Conception in the Catholic church. But it was only in 1854 that Pope Pius IX, after consulting with all the bishops of the world, pronounced and proclaimed the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception. This was a rare event and it took another 96 years to have another Dogma proclaimed, this time the Assumption of Mary in 1950. Then another event happened that affirmed the Immaculate Conception of Mary, only 4 years later, when in 1858, the apparition at Lourdes took place, Mary revealing herself to Bernadette Soubirous as the Immaculate Conception.

Declaration of the Immaculate Conception dogma by Francesco Podesti (Vatican Museum)

The Encyclical Ineffabilis Deus that proclaimed the Dogma proclaims that the Blessed Virgin Mary, “in the first instance of her conception, by a singular privilege and grace granted by God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.” I encourage you not to look at Mary as if she was a statue or an image in a painting, or even a card we receive for Christmas from friends. Look at her as a living person, who consoles us when we are depressed, who keeps us company when we feel lonely, and who gives us the value of patience when we are about to fly off the handle, or get upset. She is always close to us, praying with us and for us. She cleans and purifies our lives from the junk and filth that often accumulates. She offers hope when we are on the verge of despairing and giving up, and she refreshes us when we seem to dry up spiritually. She can set our compass straight when we appear like we’ve lost direction in life.

From the Crib to the Cross

One of the most meaningful photos I took was back in 1993, when I was stationed at St Anthony of Padua parish in Rocky Point, New York. I was preparing my Christmas cards for that year and thought of connecting the nativity with the crucifixion, the beginning and the end of Christ’s life. So I placed the figures of Mary and Joseph in the foreground with the crucifix out of focus in the middle, set at a distance. The result was very meaningful and I share this photo with you today as we meditate on the journey Jesus was prepared to take, from the crib in the stable at Bethlehem to the Cross on Calvary, 33 years later.

Notre Dame restoration

It was miraculous that the Notre Dame Cathedral did not collapse when a huge fire engulfed it in terrifying flames on the evening on April 15, 2019. President Macron had promised it will be restored in 5 years, and after an amazing collaboration between architects, stone masons, carvers, builders, and many artisans and craftspeople, it will be officially reopened on December 8, 2024. Close to 1 billion Euros were raised by generous donors to complete the massive job of restoration, but especially the cleaning of the walls, sculptures and gargoyles covered in soot and grime. The priceless stained-glass windows were also saved, but had to be cleaned. I invite you to watch this 8-minute video that explains the restoration process that took place. The Notre Dame de Paris was built between 1163 and 1345. Since the entire ceiling was destroyed, there was a critical discussion as to replace with with modern technology, but it wisely decided to rebuild it as it was originally built, with large beams of wood. The expensive organ was also restored over the last 5 years.

Aero Dili

The country of Timor-Leste, which Pope Francis visited recently, has only one airline. It is called Aero Dili, and was founded in July 2017, and started operations in August 2018. The only plane available is an Airbus A320 and has a fleet-age or life-span of 17 years. I believe the plane transported Pope Francis from Timor-Leste to Singapore, as is the custom of the local airline transporting the Pontiff to his next destination. On the plane there is a prayer written on a cardboard which adapts itself to all religions, Islam, Catholic, Protestant, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. This is the Catholic prayer: ‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. We ask you Lord, to give us a good journey,  and good weather. Give us the guidance of the your holy angels, including the crew on this plane, so that they can lead us safely to our destination. We pray also that our families, whom we left behind us, may be consoled with peace, until we make contact with them very soon. Blessed be your name, forever and ever. Amen.’ Timor-Leste is predominantly Roman Catholic, some even say 100%.

Watercolors displayed

I was surprised but very honored to see one of my watercolors displayed in an American home. It’s a Christmas scene I did a few years ago, one of a few I often share with many of my American friends. As you can see it is mounted on a board and displayed next to the family photos. 

The second photo shows the original painting itself done in 2018. The Laubachers of Bend, Oregon follow my blog regularly and when their daughter was married I did a personal watercolor of their wedding, all lined up in front of St Francis of Assisi historic church. I painted this scene in 2020, at the height of Covid! 

The painting I did for Bethany and her husband in 2020

Some people feel my paintings are ordinary and simple, but others call them charming with my own style, as I come up with different ideas, since I am self-taught, also adding occasionally some of my calligraphy. (click to enlarge each photo)

St Francis Xavier

Polyptych by Japanese artist (c.1600) with St Igantius and Francis Xavier

Francis was born in the family castle of Xavier, near Pamplona in the Basque area of Spanish  Navarre on April 7, 1506. He was sent to the University of Paris in 1525, secured his licentiate in 1528.  There he met Ignatius Loyola and became one of the seven who in 1534, at Montmartre, founded the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits. In 1536 he left Paris to join Ignatius in Venice, from where they all intended to go as missionaries to Palestine (a trip which never materialized.) He was ordained a priest there in 1537, went to Rome in 1538, and in 1540, when the pope formally recognized the Society, was ordered, with Fr. Simon Rodriguez, to the Far East as the first Jesuit missionaries. King John III kept Fr. Simon in Lisbon, but Francis, after a year's voyage, six months of which were spent at Mozambique where he preached and gave aid to the sick, eventually arrived in Goa, India in 1542 with Fr. Paul of Camerino an Italian, and Francis Mansihas, a Portuguese. There he began preaching to the natives and attempted to reform his fellow Europeans, living among the natives and adopting their customs on his travels. During the next decade he converted tens of thousands to Christianity. He visited a large part of India, New Guinea and the Philippines as well as Japan. In 1551, India and the East were set up as a separate province and Ignatius made Francis its first provincial. In 1552 he set out for China, landed on the island of Sancian within sight of his goal, but died before he reached the mainland. Working against great difficulties, language problems, inadequate funds, and lack of cooperation, often actual resistance from European officials, he left the mark of his missionary zeal and energy on areas which clung to Christianity for centuries. He was canonized in 1622 and proclaimed patron of all foreign missions by Pope Pius X.

True Freedom

True freedom is the ability to say ‘no’ to ourselves and accept whenever life says ‘no’ to us, rather than the illusion that we can have it all, all the time.

True freedom is accepting to do what we can do, and humbly renouncing what we are unable to.

True freedom is acknowledging that it is only what we lovingly give that is and remains truly ours. Having it all, all the time is pure illusion.

True freedom is gratefully accepting whenever and whatever life gives us, rather than wanting it all, here and now.

True freedom is serenely living with what we receive rather than by what we achieve.

True freedom is discovering that life is a pure gift to be humbly and gratefully embraced rather than a project to be accomplished.

True freedom is the ability to constantly, through thick and thin, say ‘thank you’ for what life gives us and say a liberating ‘goodbye’ to what life takes away from us.

A hopeful Advent

Just this morning, after celebrating one of my three Masses at the Naxxar parish, I came across this house with a touching façade that speaks volumes to me, as some people go over and above to make sure the Christian message is spread in our neighborhoods. Over the last few years I've noticed also that the street lights and illuminations are increasing year by year. Besides starting advertising for Black Friday in late October, at least the majority of the people recognize the real reason for this beautiful season. This is the season of hope, awaiting good things, but let's not forget those who lost everything, loved ones, old jobs, friends, but especially the poor people of Palestine and Ukraine. May the 4 words that guide us during this Advent season make a strong effect on our lives and of those close to us Watch, Prepare, Rejoice and Behold. May peace reign during this festive season, but also throughout the New Year. 

Saint Andrew

Sibling rivalry is not often mentioned in the Gospels, but we know that John and his brother James were always trying to impress Jesus, while their mother spoke in their regard so that they get preferential treatment in heaven. Then there was Peter who had his brother Andrew close to him, both fishermen, but Jesus had the soft spot for Peter, while Andrew stayed in his shadow.  Andrew became a disciple of the great St John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. He was actually the first apostle Jesus called at the Sea of Galilee. At first the two brothers continued to carry on their fishing trade and family affairs, but later, the Lord called them to stay with Him all the time. He promised to make them fishers of men, and this time, they left their nets for good. It is believed that after Jesus ascended into Heaven, St Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel, as well as along the Black Sea. He is said to have been put to death on a cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Various countries have chosen St Andrew as their patron saint, among them Russia, Ukraine, Romania and Scotland. In fact Scotland has incorporated his X-shaped cross in their flag, repeated again in the Union Jack, the British flag. Relics of the Apostle Andrew are kept at the Basilica of St Andrew in Patras, Greece; the Duomo di Sant'Andrea, Amalfi, Italy; St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland; and the Church of St Andrew and St Albert, Warsaw, Poland. There are also numerous smaller reliquaries throughout the world. The painting reproduced here was an altar piece in the famous church San Andrea della Valle in the heart of Rome. Thankfully they allowed photography in the church, and I was able to take a few photos in May 2012. The church is featured in the first act of the opera Tosca by Giacomo Puccini.

A colorful Friday

We’ve been bombarded with adverts about Black Friday since early November. This is something pretty new to our dear Malta, but copying the recent tradition started in the USA the day after Thanksgiving, when everybody goes shopping, may I suggest a different perspective of this day. Make it colorful. Instead of the negativity, the horrendous traffic jams that a day like this creates, besides the lines of people waiting at the check-out counters in stores, just try to look positive and happy. Smile more, be cheerful, be courteous to people who seem in a rush, that is 99% of those shopping today, and be kind to those who appear frustrated or angry. Try to look at colors in your life, the beauty of a rainbow, a vegetable stand, varieties of candy and ice-cream, a watercolour tray, just browsing through your dress closet. Even colored pencils can make you happy, like those in this photo of pencils created out of twigs, a photo I took on my only visit to San Francisco in 2015. You can also watch any cartoon, which are usually very colorful, to change your mood, after a day shopping, thus making it a very colorful Friday.

My first Thanksgiving

My first Thanksgiving in 1981 was a memorable one, as I went to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York City. It was a glorious day with thousands of people watching the floats of Snoopy, Spiderman, the Smurfs and Kermit float by in the cold autumn air. I thought I would spend the rest of the day visiting some stores in Manhattan, but everything was closed! So I headed back to New Hyde Park where I joined the Donohues, one of the families in my parish for a delicious turkey dinner. Things have changed over the years as some stores started to open in the evening to beat the Black Friday rush of customers storming the stores for early Christmas shopping. But it’s a shame that commercialism and materialism has tarnished this otherwise religious and meaningful holiday. But even as many Americans watch the balloons, football games and enjoy a turkey dinner, as well as some pumpkin pie (at least for those who like them) let us also be thankful to God for giving us another year of blessings and graces. I am grateful for my health, my family close by, staying busy with plenty of work, Masses, articles to write, homilies to prepare, flute melodies to transcribe and play, soups to cook, photos to take, PowerPoint talks to prepare and share, interviews for our Catholic newspaper, my daily blog seen by hundreds, as well as some new water color projects. A Blessed  Thanksgiving to everyone.

The Catholic star

Wendie Renard after scoring one of her goals

Wendie Renard is the football captain of  the women’s national team of France. She is 34 years old and became a professional football player at the age of 17, playing for Olimpique Lyonnaise. In her career, she won 10 national championships, 8 Champions League Cup, and took part in the World Cup as well as the Olympic Games. But she is mostly outspoken about her Catholic faith. She was born in Martinique, an island in the Caribbean, and lost her father when she was 8 years old. But her faith was always strong, and that’s where she found consolation in her loss. She said ‘when my parents took me to be baptized, I became a child of God. I received a big blessing and protection. My Guardian Angel was there to protect me and guide me. My faith is my compass. You can’t always win. You can fall once, twice, three, ten times, 20 times – what matters is that you get up at the 21st opportunity. My faith is strengthened by Mass on Sunday and even daily Mass when I can. I pray to St Therese, the Little Flower and to St Michael the Archangel. I feel like a great victory when I can lead someone else to Mass and to prayer.’ In 2021 she met the Pope and Wendie even took her mother with her – and this was one of the best days of her life. She recalls that he spoke to her in French, and then blessed them and blessed their rosaries.

The old car

Steve was proud that his daughter was graduating with honors in Anthropology. As a gift he told her, ‘Peggy, I want to give you as a gift my own car. It’s an old model but has served me for 40 years so far. It’s still very safe to drive and should give you at least another 10 years on the road. However, I want you to go to a car dealer and ask him what it’s worth.’ Peggy quickly headed to the nearest car dealer and their response was ‘we can give you $500 for it. It’s in good condition, but it’s an old model, and many drivers today look for fast cars.’ Her father told her not to give up, and suggested she should take it to the Collectibles Vintage Car Organization and see what they would offer. She did so and came back beaming with joy, telling her father ‘they offered me $50,000, since it’s a rare vintage car, and collectors go crazy for such a model!’ Steve looked at Peggy and told her ‘Remember my sweetheart that in life you’re gonna find people who will use you and then dump you. But whoever recognizes your true worth will appreciate you and treasure you for who you are. So when you feel unappreciated, never feel inferior to others. The problem is never you, but the perspective of those who cannot see beauty, talent, skills and gifts which you can give. So don’t try to please others. Just be yourself and take care of yourself, and appreciate the wonderful person you truly are. Trust always those who can appreciate you for who you are, and not for what fits their purpose.’ Obviously Peggy kept her father’s car and treasured it, and learned that only love can value the price and talents of a person.

Jesus' first steps

Luisa Roldan - The first steps of Jesus

I recently came across a beautiful and touching sculpture entitled Los Primeros pasos de Jesus, The first steps of Jesus. In a darkened corner of the Prado Museum in Spain, a depiction of the toddler Jesus that is remarkable in its poignancy, its humanity and its history. It shows the domestic rather than divine and shows a chubby, beaming infant ambling towards his equally beaming father. Its creator was the Spanish baroque artist Luisa Roldán who, despite becoming the first female sculptor to the royal court in 1692, is only now making her debut in the hallowed Madrid museum. The colored sculpture shows a scene reminiscent of many households when a year-old toddler makes his first steps, a massive achievement for any child and parent. With two angels giving thanks for this great milestone, Mary holds the infant Jesus with a cloth around his chest and below his arms, as he reaches towards his beaming father, waiting for approval.

Christ the King

The Solemnity of Christ the King is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year. It’s a day to honor our Savior as King, who leads us with love, kindness and compassion, unlike many other ruthless Kings and Emperors who lead with tyranny, oppression and cruelty, many of whom were deposed by their own people. The image of Christ the King has always been presented to us as if sitting on a glittering throne, with a scepter in hand and golden crown on his head. In actual fact, his throne was the cross on which he was crucified, the scepter were the nails driven through his hands and feet, and the crown was made of sharp thorns that were pushed on his head. The feast of Christ the King as we know it now was introduced in 1925, 99 years ago, to counteract the start of Communism in the world. The Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had taken the presence of Christ from the hearts of people, and the Church wanted to bring Him back into the center of their lives. The feast was celebrated on the last Sunday in October until 1969, when Pope Paul VI shifted this feast to the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, usually towards the end of November. Next year of course we’ll celebrate its centennial, with great celebrations around the Christian world. Christus Vincit, Christus Regnat, Christus Imperat (Christ will win, Christ will reign, Christ will rule.) 

The above painting is by Irene Thomas. Christ is the King of Creation and the universe, represented by the starry background as well as the angelic, invisible world. The painting shows Him seated on a throne of angels. Upon His robe is painted every flag of today’s world, because Christ is the king of all past, present and future nations. The second photo shows even the flag of Malta in the center, on the left side of His robe. The US flag is also visible. (click to enlarge both photos)

2 mission churches

St Katharine Mission church, in Long Creek, Oregon

I go back 20 years today as I was settling down in St Elizabeth of Hungary parish in John Day, Oregon, where I served between 2003 and 2005. This parish had a total area of 4,800 square miles. In this territory I could fit 38 Maltas! And besides the main church, I also had 2 mission churches, which I had to reach weekly. The first one was run by the Walton family and was dedicated to St Katharine, a modern church, very spacious with a parish hall underneath, which unfortunately was hardly ever used. In fact I remember using it twice, once for a baptism of a Walton grand-child, and the other time for the funeral of Bud Walton, the father, with a reception that followed in the hall, and plenty of cowboys in attendance. Bud himself was a cowboy as were his two sons, who ranch over a thousand cows in different pastures. They had lots of property, probably one-third the size of Malta. Next to the church, they even had a small cemetery, mainly for family burials. Father George Murphy the first pastor, and friend of the Waltons was buried there, and he had dug up his own grave in the ground. Moreover he had crafted his own casket which he used as a bookshelf while he was still alive. I enjoyed saying Mass there, in spite of the small congregation, and I embellished it further by buying a few icons for the walls, which were pretty bare and empty. And when the grand-children of Bud showed up for Christmas and Easter, the crowd would double at least.

St Anne's mission church in Monument, Oregon.

Another mission church I had was in Monument dedicated to St Anne, but this was actually a trailer transformed into a chapel, which was perfect for the 6 to10 people that would show up once a month. Monument itself was very small, next to the John Day river, which made the surroundings very green and lush. Besides, along the river they had various orchards that grew cherries, apricots, peaches, pears and apples. I used to enjoy picking bunches of cherries off the trees and the Thomas family who ran them gave me abundant apricots and other fruit when they were in season, normally in the summer months. This little hamlet is out of the way and to reach it you have drive through the only road that goes through it. Unlike other towns and hamlets which are on the main road, these little places hardly get any attention and visibility. But they somehow survive, and the people probably prefer it that way, so that they will be left in peace and quiet.

St Cecilia

St. Cecilia is one of the few martyrs whose name we know, along with St. Agnes, St. Agatha, St. Sebastian, St. George, and St. Lucy, among others. She was martyred by Emperor Marcus Aurelius between the years 176 and 180 AD. Cecilia was arrested and condemned to be suffocated in the baths. She was shut in for one night and one day, as fires were heaped up and stoked to a terrifying heat - but Cecilia did not even sweat. When the Emperor heard this, he sent an executioner to cut off her head in the baths. The executioner struck her three times but was unable to decapitate her so he left her bleeding and she lived for three days. Crowds came to her and collected her blood while she preached to them or prayed. On the third day, she died and was buried by Pope Urban and his deacons. St. Cecilia is regarded as the patroness of music because she heard heavenly music in her heart when she was married and is represented in art with an organ or organ-pipes in her hand. Officials exhumed her body in 1599 and found her to be incorrupt, the first of all incorrupt saints. She was draped in a silk veil and wore a gold embroidered dress. Officials only looked through the veil in an act of holy reverence and made no further examinations. They also reported a "mysterious and delightful flower-like odor which proceeded from the coffin." That year, Cardinal Paolo Sfondrati built a church to honor her and ordered a marble statue in the catacombs to be crafted. A few musical compositions were written in her honor. Among them are the ‘Ode to St. Cecilia’ by Henry Purcell, a cantata by Georg Frederic Handel and ‘Hymn to St. Cecilia’ by Benjamin Britten. Paul Simon also wrote a song in her honor, entitled ‘Cecilia.’