The League of Bearded Catholics

Corpus Christianum!

The Virgin with Angels - William Bouguereau

It's a bit late, but it seemed appropriate - on this Feast of the Assumption - to announce that some time ago, I joined the ranks of Corpus Christianum;

...an international Private Association of the Faithful, open both to men and women, dedicated to praying for a renewal of Christendom

I joined, as I say, some time ago, but did not feel I deserved to make much of the association publicly, as my prayer discipline has never been anything to write Rome about. I joined less to lend my prayers to the effort, and more in the hope of finding some meaningful structure and motivation for my prayers. I hoped that joining would be an aid to my daily prayer routine, and this has, in fact, happened... by increments. Baby steps.

Being a part of Corpus Christianum means making a commitment to praying the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and also to praying the Rosary daily, with specific intentions for each decade. This I have failed in, but... I continue to make progress, which can only be by the grace of God.

The Little Office has been a challenge and great source of growth. It has made me pray for greater understanding of our Holy Mother, and I think those prayers have been answered, to the capacity I am able to understand.

One thing that came to me on this feast day is that God did not just choose Mary to be the Mother of His Son (though we often speak that way)... He created her for that purpose. He was emphatically not drawing names from a hat.

"Chocolate Eggs and Jesus Risen..."

There is a stage in a child’s life at which it cannot separate the religious from the merely festal character of Christmas or Easter. I have been told of a very small and very devout boy who was heard murmuring to himself on Easter morning a poem of his own composition which began ‘Chocolate eggs and Jesus risen.’ This seems to me, for his age, both admirable poetry and admirable piety. But of course the time will soon come when such a child can no longer effortlessly and spontaneously enjoy that unity. He will become able to distinguish the spiritual from the ritual and festal aspect of Easter; chocolate eggs will no longer seem sacramental. And once he has distinguished he must put one or the other first. If he puts the spiritual first he can still taste something of Easter in the chocolate eggs; if he puts the eggs first they will soon be no more than any other sweetmeat. They will have taken on an independent, and therefore a soon withering, life.

-C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms

Guest Host Grab Bag

As the blog author is presently tremendously busy with art projects of various kinds, TLBC blogging duties will be sporadically assumed by leaguer J. Harold Bootstrap, world renowned philatelist and adventurer of note. Thank you.

And now, a guest post by J. Harold Bootstrap...

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First of all, my heartfelt apologies. I had hoped to post on the following items yesterday, but was deeply occupied with my plans to gain entry to the Guinness Book of World Records by counting down to zero from infinity. My counting skills have always been very solid, even before I entered kindergarten, and I am in peak physical condition. I must admit, however, that I have been having the devil's own time getting started.

I have now turned the question over to some highly qualified mathematicians and scientists, having e-mailed a number of prominent names in the field. Though there seems to be some sort of technical problem with my internet service provider (I haven't received any replies to my e-mails, as yet) I expect to have a workable solution in hand very soon.

In the meantime, allow me to direct you attention to the following items of interest.

Sincere thanks,

J. Harold Bootstrap, esq.

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Father Ben Hasse writes,

 Let not this auspicious day pass by, as I posted on Facebook:

Today is a joyful day for all bearded brethren. In the Office of Readings, no less authority than St. Hilary of Poitiers, commenting on that favorite psalm of the bearded, 133, states that "A beard ADORNS a man of mature years." I, at least, have a beard!

Let these encouraging words go out to the brothers whose chins do not face the bitter winter wind unprotected, yeah, they are not only protected but ADORNED!

http://www.universalis.com/20100201/readings.htm

God Bless,

Fr. Ben

 

Father Ben was also kind enough to send along this photo of him and some of his bearded brethren.

 
I must admit, these brothers' facial forestation makes my own appear rather anemic in contrast. Achieve instant notariety by sending photos of your own chin growth!

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From Randy Beeler's blog The Catholic Comedy, a rumination on today's trifecta of celebration; Candlemas, The Feast of the Presentation, and Groundhog Day.

 

Blogger Jennifer Pierce (aka Blog Nerd) is always a joy to read, especially in her continuing series Chesterton 15 Minutes At A Time and other posts in the category of Chesterton and the Inklings.

 

The   Tolkien Library provides all the Tolkien titles (and upcoming titles) in which one could hope to contentedly wallow, including word on the soon-to-be-released The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun.

 

*And just for fun, The Crescat is unfailingly worthwhile, because in addition to her varied and occasionally lucid thoughts on other topics, she posts some very lovely artwork... interspersed with some of the most eye-gougingly awful religious art that any sane mind could conceive. Viewing some of these pieces, I'm convinced, may reduce one's time in Purgatory, as the act involves a certain mental self-flagellation.

TLBC will be expanding our links soon. Send in your suggestions!

Real Men Honor Mary

Immaculate Conception - Peter Paul Rubens, circa 1628

 

This is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception... get thee to a church!

Also, visit this splendid blog if you can;

MaryVictrix - Marian Chivalry for the Modern World

St. Nicholas Night

Tonight is St. Nicholas night, as well as the second Sunday of Advent.

This is the night when we traditionally leave our shoes out to be filled by St. Nicholas with this or that... treats or coins. The legend is that The Bishop of Myra handed out bags of coins to poor households, tossing them through an opened window or leaving them on the doorstep.

No overhead, no receipts, no committee and no tax deduction... just love for the poor.

Long Live Christ the King!

This is a bit behind the curve, unfortunately. Yesterday was Christ the King Sunday, and if anyone can remain unmoved during those readings at the Mass, they have a heart of stone.

We can forget at times that all of our earthly associations - government, business and social ties - are strictly provisional and temporary, because we are already the subjects of our King, and ever will be, and being the lowliest subject in his Kingdom beats the tar out of everything the world could possibly offer.

At Mass last night, it occurred to me that the Feast of Christ the King ought to have a real holiday Feast attached to it, and it is maybe even a gross oversight that it does not. Of course it is a Holy Day, but it darn well ought to be a holiday, as well. It needs a traditional feast and a party. It is, after all, the last day of the Christian year.

Something like Rex-mas?