For Sunday: from Ethiopia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZ3uPVJlFhM

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Decline and Fall

Of the American Empire, that is :   http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peteroborne/100077625/how-will-america-handle-the-fall-of-its-middle-east-empire/#

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One of my new icons…

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Hubris and Impiety

Very fine musings from Jerry Salyer: 

http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2010/08/12523/

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Beyond Satire

I wrote last week of the rise of partisanship, which eclipses all thought. It has gotten so bad that it would be challenging to be a writer of political satire; I mean how can you top reality?

A case in point: Sarah Palin criticizing Michelle Obama for promoting breastfeeding.

The first things I learned about Sarah Palin, when she suddenly appeared on the national scene, was that she was the mother of many children, a homeschooler, and a member of Feminists for Life. So my initial reaction to her was positive.

Then she opened her mouth.

And she hasn’t shut it since. The irony of a homeschooling mom who calls (or called) herself  a prolife feminist denouncing someone for pushing breastfeeding is beyond satire.

Of course I am sure that the critics will insist that what they are criticizing is governmental involvement in such a personal issue, like tax credits for breast pumps. Oddly, these same critics have no problem with tax credits for corporations, or tax breaks for the rich.

And poor Michelle Obama; she no doubt thought that starting a campaign for breastfeeding would be even less controversial than the one she began for better childhood nutrition. But she underestimated her opponents. She could come out in favor of clean underwear and brushing your teeth and get flack for it.

There are substantive criticisms of this administration to be made, but they will not be heard if the opposition insists on making itself  look stupid.

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On Mystery

Father Charles Pope and I were friends at Mount St Mary’s Seminary, many years ago. This is one of his very fine meditations:  http://blog.adw.org/2011/02/what-you-see-is-only-part-of-what-you-get-a-meditation-on-the-magnificence-of-mystery/

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A Georgian icon of Jesus Christ by contemporary iconographer Lasha Kintsurasvili, whose work can be seen here:  http://www.chaganava.com/gallery_icons_lasha_kintsurashvili.html

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Georgian Musical Renaissance

I have only recently discovered the beauty of Georgian sacred music, and was very pleased to read that it is being revived in its homeland: http://www.cnewa.org/default.aspx?ID=3521&pagetypeID=4&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1

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Music from Heaven

Here is an example of Georgian chant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pObK-uXvI8

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Today is the Feast of the Finding of the Head of St John the Forerunner.

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