Sunday, March 24, 2013

Halleluyah, here He comes!

Newcomer Enbrethiliel said this in a recent post:

"But . . . we don't sing the Alleluia during Lent!"

True.

But now we can!
For we are now officially in Holy Week.

I hadn't really intended to go all religious all of a sudden.
Apart from a few posts documenting the important milestones of our Lenten season, I had no intention of dwelling on the pious.

Until a certain old man decided to resign...
And after that (almost) all my thoughts turned heavenward.
(Which is not a bad thing, of course).



Palm Sunday always brings about a sense of childish excitement for me.
Especially in the last few years (since the loss of someone special) it has become a bitter-sweet kind of day.


In some parts of the world, Easter is considered a more important celebration than Christmas. I might even postulate that the Universal Church agrees with this sentiment.

I always get a 'coming home' feeling at this time of year.
Even though I am often far from home on this day most years.

In some countries I am familiar with, Easter is synonymous with 'going to the mountains'.
As someone whose origin is precisely in 'the mountains', I know this sentiment all too well.
As we speak, relatives are preparing to leave whichever corner of the world they normally find themselves in, to descend upon a big mountain they call 'home'.

I shall be on a different mountain.
But strangely enough, that would also be 'home'.


Home might be where the heart is, but for some, home is very much where you go to die.
Our Lord may have had a triumphant 'home-coming' of sorts when he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.
But shortly afterwards, he was to die...on a mountain (or at least in all the films depicting His Passion and crucifixation, Golgotha appears to be some sort of high altitude area).


I am inexplicably thrilled that we can legitimately say 'Alleluyah' again.
And I am particularly excited that we now have a leader to take us through Holy Week.
I had visions of no 'Ubi et Orbi' this Easter.
Why, that would be...scandalous!
Imagine that!
Perish the thought. :-)


Whatever mountain we all find ourselves on at the end of this week, I hope and pray that it is home.
After all the soul-searching, penance, and renewal rites of Lent, it is time to celebrate something accomplished.

Getting home.

In whatever sense we would like it to be.

Physically.
Spiritually.
Emotionally.
Mentally.
Psychologically.
Whateverly.



Peacefully.



Speaking of peace, Cristina Piccardi seems to exude it when she sings Mozart's 'Laudate Dominum' below.
And she has this uncanny ability to pass it on to her audience.


Her high notes particularly bring out my synaesthesia to unparalleled levels.
I really do see rainbows at the end of this one :-)

Enjoy.

And have a wonderful Palm Sunday.







Hm...it seems Mozart is the flavour of the month. :-)
Here is our dear Pope Emeritus Benedict enjoying Hilary Hahn's stellar performance of the third violin concerto.

We shall miss you, Papa Benedict.
Take good care of yourself, and enjoy your retirement!







Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Viva il Papa (Sud) Americano!

Habemus Papam :-)

At last, white smoke.
And the winner is.....

Jorge Mario Bergoglio...

Never heard of him until today.
But I like him already.

There's something irresistible about a man with one lung...

:-)

His favourite football team is called 'The Saints'.
Sense of humour...check.

He is South American.
This is fair, I think.
The world's largest collection of Catholics lives in South America.
So it is indeed fitting that we are led by someone from that continent.
This can only be good for The Church.

Although...he is the son of an Italian. But let's keep that quiet for now. :-)

Today is South America's Day.
So, in tribute...



I doubt he would be into whisky and soda and rock and roll...
But you just never know. :-)

By the way, he became a priest at the age of 32!
32?!

Um, is priesthood just one of the options of MGTOW, I wonder?
Serious question...

Our New Pope is a Jesuit. The first ever Jesuit Pope!
Seeing as I come from a Jesuit parish, I can confirm that there are a lot of happy people where I hail from. :-)




The one word emerging from all quarters regarding this new Pope is...'humble'.

The one word that characterised Pope John Paul II was 'charismatic'.
The one word that described best Pope Benedict XVI was 'academic'.

This Pope rides the tube (subway/metro to the Americans among us).
He flies economy.
I didn't even know this was possible for a high-up man of the cloth.

Here is a Pope who will live like Our Lord himself lived.
Leadership by example.
I like that.


And what's our New Pope to be called?

Taking his cue from St. Francis of Assisi...a saint who epitomised humility...

Francis the First.
Francesco I.
Franziskus I.
François I.


Or to us simple folk, Papa Frankie!

Another tribute:


Hahahahahahahahahaha!

I have no allusions, delusions or illusions that I am high in the pecking order of Papa Frankie's religious harem.
But hey, a girl can dream, no?

For the record, I still love Papa Ben.
Plenty of room in my heart for two (living) Popes :-)


Well done, South America!
Well done, Argentina!

Viva il Papa!