Life is good, or life as a rose

"And now," in the immortal words of Monty Python, "for something completely different" as regards our Friday traditio, namely links to two posts by Suzanne over at Come to See:

First 50
and
Asian Christian Art

Also, over on The People of St. Mary Magdalene, our parish blog that has suffered neglect at the hands of a (too) busy schedule, there are three links to outstanding articles by our Judicial Vicar, who is one of my mentors and priestly patrons, Fr. Langes Silva, JCL, JCD. Also, a final post for this year on the RCIA blog, Admirers or disciples? There is also a post that links Spirituality, which we discussed in our penultimate (this is the premiere for this word on Καθολικός διάκονος) session, with Discipleship.

I would also like to draw attention to my revised header statement, as well as to some newer links. Under the Communion & Liberation section you will find a link to the blog Naru Hodo, the author of which is Marie. Under Spirituality there is a link to Fr. Tom's blog and, also under Spirituality, is the link the Bethlehem Monastery of the Poor Clares, which is located in Virginia, on which you can find a great page on the practice of lectio divina. There is also a link to the blog of the Abbess of Bethlehem Monastery, Clare-Light on the Mountain. Finally, rounding out the additions to Spirituality is a link to the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament, an oversight that I am long overdue in rectifying.

Random point number, oh, who's counting- A good film for this weekend is La Vie En Rose, a biopic, for which French actress, Marion Cotillard, won the Academy Award for her portrayal of legendary French singer, Edith Piaf. It is a stunning film about a remarkable and deeply troubled woman. This is why she is so remarkable and, in a very deep way, a testimony to God's infinite (i.e., unbounded) love for us. Edith Piaf became part of my music rotation and entered my community of the heart during diaconate formation, when I was taught about her life, her troubles, and her unfailing devotion to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the Little Flower, to whom she became devoted through the prostitute in whose care she was left as a little girl by her father. This helps us to recall, quoting Archbishop Niederauer, that "what probably bothered the Pharisees most about Jesus Christ [was] His awful taste in people! Their exact words were: 'This man welcomes sinners and eats with them'"! So, to conclude what has become a rather lengthy traditio, here is Edith singing Hymne á l'Armour

The last line of the song, "Dieu réunit ceux qui s'aiment!", en anglais, says: "God reunites those who love each other". There's a lot of eschatology packed into that line.