Tuesday, February 9, 2016

What Does It Mean?

Big Frog & I joined a Lenten small group, and are reading How Dante Can Save Your Life, by Rod Dreher.  It is not a translation of the original Italian, it is Rod relating his experience of reading it at a particular point in his own life. But I like how it has "How to think medievally" inserts in each chapter, which reminds me a bit of Rowan telling the Rose that although his Faire-vorite things may not be technically from the Renaissance the way hers are, they certainly are at a Renaissance Faire.  We're so far from Dante's time that we can't see thru his lens, we can only see his lens thru our own lens.  In light of that:

"Suspend your disbelief.  Let down your defenses.  Disarm your critical faculties.   The Commedia is so vast and complex that it is impossible to say definitively what it "means".  For the new reader, it's better to let the poem pass through your heart, and reveal what it means to you."

~Rod Dreher, ch4 Rules of the Road

Friday, February 5, 2016

5-Finger Prayer

Pope Francis developed this prayer years before he was pope.  It's a mnemonic to remember who to pray for.

Thumb: those closest to you, including family and friends
Pointer finger: those who teach and mentor
Middle finger, the tallest finger: reminds us to pray for our leaders (my note: regardless of whether you voted for them or agree with them, pray for wisdom for them and for God's guidance)
Ring finger, the weakest finger: those in need, "the least and the lost"
Pinky, the smallest finger: yourself, humbly