tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149590042024-03-08T06:14:36.783-05:00Deus Meus et OmniaStriving for a balance in daily life complicated by humanity, simplified by God; remembering that we are to be in this world, not of this world.PCanonDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871978415569875683noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14959004.post-24852523344683394442013-06-13T22:20:00.002-04:002013-06-13T22:22:24.876-04:00G.K. Chesterton and Shadows of Our Lives<style>@font-face {
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On the Calendar
today we recall the gifts of Gilbert Keith Chesterton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to his biography in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Holy Women, Holy Men:</i></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">Born in 1874, Gilbert
Keith Chesterton was one the intellectual giants of his day, and was known for
his writing that spanned fields as diverse as literary criticism, fiction and
fantasy, satire, and Christian apologetics. Chesterton often blended elements
of such genres together, as indicated in his famous novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man Who Was Thursday</i>, which combines a mystery plot with
Christian imagery<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and symbolism.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=14959004#_edn1" name="_ednref1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[i]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Gospel
for today is from Saint John<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=14959004#_edn2" name="_ednref2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[ii]</span></span></span></span></a>
and tells of Jesus calling Phillip, “Follow me,” says Jesus to Phillip who
immediately tells Nathaniel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Can
anything good come out Galilee?” is Nathaniel’s guarded response.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Come
and see,” responds Phillip.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Follow Me. Come and see.</span></i><span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> These are
powerful invitations. When we look at ourselves in the mirror, do we see
Nathaniel staring back at us or do we see Phillip? Never mind that almost
immediately Nathaniel matches Phillip in his enthusiasm for the Son of God, the
King of Israel. Rather it’s his gut reaction compared to that of Phillip’s that
garners my fascination this evening. What in my spiritual life causes me from
answering the call to follow Jesus in those moments when I see Nathaniel
staring back at me from the mirror? Browsing my local public library yesterday,
I wandered as I always do, into the audio collection and came across a new
release CD by sing-songwriter Spencer Day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">While
I am known for relying on my instinct and my love of tech things, there are
certain things for which <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still hold an
affinity for holding and experiencing the whole of idea. I am this way very
much about books and CDs. I am glad I checked out this particular CD. There are
a number of songs, most of the lyrics of which Day wrote himself or
collaborated on. One such song that has quickly enamored itself to me is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shadow Man.</i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Anywhere
that I try to run </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My shadow’s
runnin’ too <br />
Anytime that I find the sun </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He clouds
my sky of blue <br />
Any place that I go to find a little piece of mind <br />
You can bet that my shadow man is never far behind <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Whether
it’s day or night <br />
Whether I flee or fight <br />
He is as constant as the dark side of the moon <br />
<br />
He’s always haunting me <br />
Until I learn to be with him <br />
He’ll never let me be <br />
So I’ll find the door and turn the key <br />
I’ll step into the darkness </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And I’ll
set my shadow free<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Everyone
got a dirty secret somewhere deep inside <br />
Everyone got a Jeckyll hidden underneath their Hyde <br />
We take a look at our past and all the monsters we became <br />
We been hidin’ in the shadow and the shadow is to blame <br />
<br />
Whether it’s day or night<br />
Whether I flee or fight<br />
He is as constant as the dark side of the moon <br />
<br />
He’s always haunting me <br />
Until I learn to be with him <br />
He’ll never let me be <br />
So I’ll find the door and turn the key <br />
I’ll step into the darkness <br />
And I’ll set my shadow free <br />
Step into the darkness and I’ll set my shadow free <br />
Step into the darkness and I’ll set my shadow free<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=14959004#_edn3" name="_ednref3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[iii]</span></span></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I am pretty confident that G.K.
Chesterton, given his love of the power of the pen is smiling down on these
particular lyrics. When I look in the mirror and acknowledge the hesitation of
Nathaniel staring back at me, I know it is because of the shadow in my own
life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As I listened to the CD <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mystery of You</i>, I read the liner
notes. Spencer Day notes “the making of [this cd] and the past few years that
led up to it, have been a profound, strange, challenging and wonderful time.”
On his website, there is more extensive biography in which he talks about how
much of his lyrics have come both out of the dark periods of his life and the
periods in which he experienced the greatest feelings of hope. I find that in
my creative writing, much of best work has come out of the darkest periods of
my life. Both Day and I, in this regard, join the ranks of countless other
artists including such geniuses as Van Gough, Poe and others and many others
known and unknown – published and unpublished.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of the most profound resonations
of these lyrics is the acknowledgement that until we confront that shadow in
our lives, it will always be not only with us, but dominating us. And we don’t
leave the shadow. Rather once we acknowledge it, instead of a goal of
abandonment, our goal is to companion with it. Companion with the dark parts of
our life.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The times that I look in the mirror
and see Nathaniel rather than Phillip, I know it is a period of time when I am
trying to deny that part of me that I don’t like to admit exists. There are
times that I am impatient with people with less technological skills than I. I
forget that there are people with much better technological skill than I who
have immense patience with my learning. There are times that in an attempt to
purely look at a situation from a logical perspective, I gloss over someone’s
feelings too rapidly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I forget the
lessons that my favorite character in the Star Trek universe, Spock has long
strived to balance, the logical and emotional perspectives. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the times that I know I see my
shadow. I know I see Nathaniel in the mirror.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Come
and see,” Phillip tells Nathaniel. Phillip tells us. Can we acknowledge the
shadow in our lives? When we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do </i>acknowledge
it, then we will be able to “come and see.” Let us pray.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">-dmeo,
ww</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">O
God of earth and altar, you gave G. K. Chesterton a ready tongue and pen, and
inspired him to use them in your service: Mercifully grant that we may be
inspired to witness cheerfully to the hope that is in us; through Jesus Christ
our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for
ever and ever. Amen.</span></div>
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<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=14959004#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[i]</span></span></span></span></a> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints</i>.
Biography of G.K. Chesterton and Collect of the Day. Pages 424-425. Copyright
2010 by Church Publishing, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.</div>
</div>
<div id="edn2" style="mso-element: endnote;">
<div class="MsoEndnoteText">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=14959004#_ednref2" name="_edn2" style="mso-endnote-id: edn2;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[ii]</span></span></span></span></a>
John 1:43-51. Retrieved from Oremus at bible.oremus.org</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<div id="edn3" style="mso-element: endnote;">
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=14959004#_ednref3" name="_edn3" style="mso-endnote-id: edn3;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[iii]</span></span></span></span></a> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shadow Man</i> Lyrics courtesy Songs of
Concord. Copyright 2013 by Spencer Day. Used by permission. All rights
reserved.</div>
</div>
</div>
PCanonDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871978415569875683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14959004.post-67191596738045979482013-06-13T21:05:00.001-04:002013-06-13T21:05:07.683-04:00A little bit of Latin<i>Deus Meus et Omnia</i><br />
<br />
The name of my blog is a common Franciscan motto, "My God and my all". Over the years in my spiritual journey, I've explored the lives of several saints or "illuminated ones" as other religions may refer to people like Francis of Assisi who according to the catholic world is a blessed saint.<br />
<br />
My earliest experiences with monasticism were visits to Saint Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers, MI where I am blessed to continue this day as a member of the Confraternity. However back in 2006 I decided that my biggest inspiration was drawn from the son of a wealthy Italian merchant who threw money, clothes - his earthly possessions to the wind (well, actually to the much less fortunate) in an attempt to better follow God and Christ.<br />
<br />
I am currently an Aspirant to the Third Order of the Society of Saint Francis (www.tssf.org). By choosing to title my blog with a Franciscan motto doesn't mean that I believe that everyone should be Christian, let alone follow the specific path of Saint Francis. However for me, it works even (or especially so) with all my human failings.<br />
<br />
My posts here won't always be on religion. Those who know me can tell you that I have a million and one interests. Some of those other main interests are: politics, emergency medicine, community action groups, music, art, technology and cooking.<br />
<br />
So my posts here can be among any of those topics - and as those people close to me can attest, those topics often intersect.<br />
<br />
I sign off this post with a quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe..<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><b><i>In nature we never see anything isolated, </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><b><i>but everything in connection
with something else </i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: red;"><b><i>which is before it, beside it, under it and over it.</i></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="color: black;">-dmeo, ww</span></i><b><i> </i></b></span></div>
PCanonDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17871978415569875683noreply@blogger.com0