100 years of Marshall McLuhan

July 21 today is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Marshall McLuhan, media theorist (The Medium is the Message).

"I am I hope a very real, practicing Christian, I try to be." 

Associated with the origin of terms such as the "global village."

A picture of Mr. McLuhan's The Gutenberg Galaxy from Wikimedia Commons.

Interview with Marshall McLuhan as it appears in Encounter.

Tares

The warning is real.  We may in our present day culture look upon this with either a self-help perspective, or simply think that we "know better", but the warning is real.  The message is clear.

"Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn." Matthew 13:30

The Enemy Sowing Seeds c. 1540.

Solemnity of Saint Benedict

Today the church celebrates what is known as the Solemnity of Saint Benedict (of Nursia).

Yellow Climber

Yellow climber from the garden (our garden!) - nothing to do with Saint Benedict, but a beautiful flower. Don't you agree?

The Benedictine medal like the one below (found on Wikimedia Commons) contains the initials VRSNSMV

"Vade Retro Satana, Nonquaum Suade Mihi Vana" (Get away from me, Satan, don't give me your vanity - or words to that effect).

And also, S.M.Q.L./I.V.B.
"Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas" (What you offer is evil - drink your own poison!)

Good for a Jeopardy quiz someday?  Maybe in the category of "Acronyms on Ancient Coins and Medals"?

Saint Benedict Medal

Comparison of yields

Today we in our family celebrate a birthday.  Our pastor preached today on the famous parable of the sower from the Gospel of Matthew.  What I learned today is that some of the "hearers" may have been expecting a seven-fold or a ten-fold yield.  Those ratios were evidently considered good yields for crops in Jesus' day.  Yet for the one who "hears and understands" the yield can be much more than that, says our Lord.

"...this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." Matthew 13:23

From a 19th century illustration on Wikimedia Commons of the parable of the sower.

This is a beautiful, but rather stark portrayal of the sower who seems isolated and alone in a large expanse of terrain.  Notice the birds ready to snatch away the seeds.

A more colorful and close-in representation of the parable, this time from an Romanian icon found also on Wikimedia Commons.


Happy Birthday and may you hear and understand!

Cathari - bon hommes

The Cathars (or Cathari) were people belonging to a medieval movement sometimes described as heretical, even ghnostic, sect of Christianity, sometimes described as simply non-Christian altogether.  Much of the historical actions appears to have occurred in Languedoc, a region in France.

The term Cathar comes from the Greek catharsis, relating to purity through purging.  It is thought the Cathar referred to themselves as bon hommes, or good men, or good Christians.


This is a panel by Berruguete (15th century) representing the disputation between St. Dominic and the Albigensians.  This debate is thought to have occurred in 1203.

The picture on the right depicts the Cathars being expelled from Carcassonne in 1209.

There is considerable intrigue associated with the Cathar.  In 1208 Pierre de Castelnau, sent by Innocent III to engage the Cathars, was murdered.  The Albigensian Crusade and aspects of the so-called "inquisition" followed this murder.






This is a rich and complex set of events, ideas, and people.  I suspect much evil and suffering were visited upon many during this time.  It is worth noting that the Cathars were said to be of the opinion that they wished to restore "original" Christianity.  I do not intend to use a broad brush for all who claim this and paint them with the same colors as the Cathars; nor do I condone the actions of the Roman Church herein.  As I said the events reflect a complexity of hearts and minds of real human beings.  This is a subject worthy of much more reflection.  The summary observation and assertion I offer is that true orthodoxy survives in spite of the failings of both institutions and populism.

Quiz - who was David's father?

Tonight a simple post.  We read in 1 Samuel that Jesse, at King Saul's request, sent his young son David to Saul:

"And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul." 1 Samuel 16:20

From Wikimedia Commons, Jesse - David's father.

Hearing - From my desk

On my desk I have a copy of selected writings of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux.  Tonight I pick up the volume and find the following statement from Bernard:

"The voice of the Lord offers and presents itself to all men, proposing itself even to the unwilling soul."

And further,

"Nor do we have much difficulty in hearing this voice; the difficulty is rather in stopping our ears from hearing it."   From the Sermon On Conversion: A Sermon to Clerics.

Bernard of Clairvaux from Wikimedia Commons

The Great Fact

I have lately been reading Biblical Theology by the Reformed writer Geerhardus Vos.  This is an interesting text that is divided into three parts: the Mosaic epoch of revelation, the prophetic epoch of revelation, and the New Testament.  As I was reading in the third part, I came across a striking phrase:

"...He is the great fact to be expounded."

 From Wikimedia Commons, Geerhardus Vos

Who is this "great fact"?  Why do we regard this person as a "fact"?  Moreover, why is this fact something to be expounded, something to be reckoned with, a kind of cornerstone?  I believe this person is the fact that enables all meaning.

Obeying

I was not going to write tonight.  For reasons I will not disclose.  I had already selected the verse, the one from 1 Samuel from this morning's readings:

"...to obey is better than sacrifice." 1 Samuel 15:22

and again,

"...stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry..." 1 Samuel 15:23

The dialog was between Samuel and Saul, who had spared Agag in battle against the Lord's command.

Don Camillo, statue in Brescello, from Wikimedia commons.



But I thought late tonight of Don Camillo and his Little World.  Don Camillo often had trouble obeying as well.  Don Camillo was stubborn.  Christ was always able to make his way into the heart of the stubborn Don Camillo, though.  May our Lord do the same with me - and with you.  May the Lord smile on us.

Yoke Sunday

Maybe this day could be called "yoke Sunday."  It is the day that the beautiful passage from the Gospel of Matthew is read in many churches:

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matthew 11:29 (KVJ of course)

From Wikimedia Commons: Strongman Competition









This may make no sense to you.  Perhaps you don't even know what a "yoke" is - much less why, after seeing the strongman picture, it would be "easy."  The gentleman in the photograph appears to be about to demonstrate how strong he is.  He would appear to be quite strong - and the yoke not "easy" at all.  Well, this is just something to tuck away and think about someday.

We are now in the green season, ordinary time, the season of Pentecost.  I know what a yoke is.  I have seen them, I think, unless my memory is playing tricks on me.  I have certainly seen pictures of them.  I have read about them.  They were used on farms - and still are I'm sure.  I visited farms as a child.  My parents - your grandparents - were raised on farms.  But you were not.  I was not.  The photograph truly depicts a yoke, but is it not the kind used on farms.  This is an example of how words and their usage change over time.  This is an example of something from the present inferring something from the past.  This is an example of the present re-purposing the past.  This is also an example of an enduring symbol.  I believe this symbol is part of a message pointing to the future.

Whether you know about yokes that were used for agriculture or yokes for strongmen competitions, there are important things that you need to know - period.  What you know "matters."  How can it matter what we know about "yokes" or farms or strongmen?  You have a yoke "upon you" as it is.  Did you know that?  Perhaps you disagree.  Perhaps you agree, but think it is possible to remove your yoke with enough of the right kind of effort.  If you are a strongman, you can just step away from your yoke.  Can't you?

What purpose is your yoke serving?  If you think you have no yoke, to what purpose do you expend your energy, your time, and your talent?  If there is no yoke to harness your effort, then what good is your effort?