Disinterested service and personal responsibility

 I recently finished The Judgment of the Nations, by Christopher Dawson, "the greatest English-speaking Catholic historian of the twentieth century" (according to his Wikipedia page).  In this book, he wrote about how England can survive as a nation of free people:

It is only by strengthening the element of vocation both in the State and in society generally that these evils can be avoided.  ... It is remarkable that when in the first half of the nineteenth century a great French writer set out to portray the principle of duty and disinterested service against the motive of power and ambition and military glory he chose an English admiral who was his country's enemy as the embodiment of his ideal. ... It is easier for the English to accept the idea of social duty and disinterested service with a sense of personal responsibility.  If this spirit can be applied to the new conditions of mass society, it is conceivable that a planned society might be created without the destruction of freedom either by impersonal bureaucracy or by inhuman tyranny.

From Strength to Strength

In From Strength to Strength, Arthur C. Brooks describes his realization that he would become, as he aged, unhappy unless he changed his priorities.  The book reviews research that has studied how productivity and success declines due to aging in many fields, from athletics to geology, due to a decline in fluid intelligence, “the ability to reason, think flexibly, and solve novel problems.”

Brooks discusses the concept of “The Second Curve,” which relies upon crystallized intelligence, “the ability to use a stock of knowledge learned in the past.”  This second curve increases as one ages, and his key recommendation is that one should move to this second curve at some point in life by finding work that exploits this strength (instead of working harder and becoming unhappy futilely trying to stay successful). 

This is difficult, however, because most people don’t want to leave the familiar and are addicted to the successes that they have had previously.  He recommends abandoning the desire for worldly successes and then reducing the scope of what one wants.  To compensate, one must strengthen one’s relationships with family and close friends who have the same values. 

Although Brooks is a Catholic, the book relies on philosophical insights from many traditions around the world.  He recommends nurturing an interest in religion (or other spirituality) and spending the time needed to explore and learn about that which is transcendent, for it provides the strength to move to the second curve.

In some ways, moving to the second curve sounds a mid-life crisis, but Brooks states that this change doesn’t have to be a “crisis.”  He recommends identifying what you truly want; finding work that is inherently rewarding, interesting, enjoyable, and meaningful; and then making the jump.

 He concludes with “seven words to remember”:

 Use things.  Love people.  Worship the divine.

The title refers to a section of Psalm 84:

Blessed are the men whose strength is in thee, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength; the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

The Unexpected Basilica

Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, Dyersville, Iowa

 During our trip to the Midwest this summer, we visited three baseball fields: Wrigley Field (Chicago), American Family Field (Milwaukee), and the Field of Dreams (Dyersville).  After visiting the last on a beautiful early summer day, we headed into town for lunch.  After lunch, we were surprised to find the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier, a spectacularly beautiful, historic church that is indeed a minor basilica.  A gentleman mowing the lawn outside gave us a brief overview of its history and encouraged us to tour the interior.  The photo included here is from the choir loft.  The parish website has good information about its history and the church building.

Also in Iowa is Hawkeye Point, the state's high point, which Mike Warner described in a post on his blog.

Saint Ignatius Church at Port Tobacco

St. Thomas Manor (left) and St. Ignatius Church (right)

Saint Ignatius Church (and Saint Thomas Manor) at Port Tobacco is a notable site in American Catholic history, founded soon after the first Catholic settlers arrived in Maryland on the Ark and Dove.  The parish is "the oldest continuously active Catholic parish in what is now the United States" (according to a guide available from the parish website).  Saint Thomas Manor was the farm run by the Jesuits there; the two-story manor house was built around 1741.  The church was built in 1798.  In the 1990s, parishioners and others created needlework to adorn the kneelers in 56 pews.  Near the church is a historical marker that lists the local Knights of Columbus councils; in the parking lot across the street is a sign explaining the different parts of the building.  The view from the ground between the church and its historic cemetery overlooks Port Tobacco and the Potomac River.

Anerio's Venite ad me omnes

Venite ad me omnes is a motet written by Felice Anerio (1560-1614), an Italian composer and priest who studied under Giovanni Perluigi da Palestrina.  In his article in the November/December 2021 issue of Touchstone, Anthony Esolen explained that this motet is for eight voices in two choirs who respond to each other "as if the choirs were competing with one another in power and feeling and joy." (Perhaps like the crowds of supporters at a basketball game chanting "We've got spirit" at each other?) In particular, note that all eight voices sing "Omnes" together in the first verse (0:17).

According to Esolen, the piece (which is three minutes, fourteen seconds long) includes the following verses:

• Come to me all ye who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will refresh you, says the Lord (Matthew 11:28).
• The bread that I shall give is my flesh, for the life of the world (John 6:51).
• Take and eat, take and eat (Matthew 26:26).
• This is my body, which shall be given up for you; do this, do this, in memory of me (Luke 22:19).
• Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him (John 6:56).
  

Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin

 

Rogler van der Weyden, Saint Luke Drawing the Virgin, 1435-1440.
(Image: Web Gallery of Art)

Saint Luke is the patron saint of healers and artists, and, in this 15th century masterpiece, he is drawing the Blessed Virgin Mary as she feeds the infant Jesus.  Luke is working with concentration, attention, devotion, and tenderness.  According to Sebastian Smee, in this painting, van der Weyden "cunningly integrated Christian symbolism into images that were spatially unified and consistent with reality." Mary's position on the step of the throne is a symbol of her humility, and the enclosed garden represents her purity. 

Pursuing the goal of perfection

 In his article about stories about the lives of the saints, Robert Louis Wilken included this observation about the variety of ways that God may call one to follow:

The lives, then, do not present a single ideal of virtue, nor do they offer one paradigm of holiness. They recognize and recommend different ways of pursuing the goal of perfection, focusing less on traditional virtues than on the unique qualities of a particular person. By displaying how a single person can respond to new and varied situations, they implicitly suggest that there is no single standard, no one catalogue of virtues, no one way to serve God.

A story in the Lausiac History makes the point. It tells of the two sons of a Spanish merchant. When their father died, they divided the estate, consisting of five thousand coins, clothes, and slaves, and deliberated as to how they should deal with this wealth. Neither wanted to be a merchant. Each wanted to live a holy life, but they disagreed as to what form that should take. So they went their separate ways. Paesius gave everything he had to churches, monasteries, and prisons, learned a trade to provide for his own needs, and devoted himself to a solitary life of prayer. Isaias kept the wealth, built a monastery, took in some brothers, and welcomed the poor, setting three or four tables on Saturday and Sunday. When they died, a dispute arose as to who bad chosen the better way. Some claimed Paesius excelled because be had hearkened to the command in the gospel to “sell all you have” and follow Jesus (Luke 18:22); others said that Isaias was the greater because he had served others. But Pambo, a wise old monk, declared that “both are equal,” and he told of a dream in which he “saw both of them standing in paradise in the presence of God.”

Giovanni Bellini's St. Francis

 

Giovanni Bellini, St. Francis, c. 1430 (image from Web Gallery of Art)

According to Sebastian Smee, this painting of St. Francis of Assisi "is regarded by many as the most beautiful painting in America" (it is in the Frick Collection in New York).  The painting shows the saint in a Tuscan setting that resembles the mountain where he fasted for 40 days, but plants and animals (including a donkey, a heron, a rabbit, and sheep) are present throughout the work.  Smee observed that this masterpiece has "a minty freshness, as of vegetable patches at dawn or tulips breaking through frost, and on a spiritual level, a sense of dazzling profusion and potential, like the heart of a person at morning prayer."

Among the Sierra Nevada

Albert Bierstadt, Among the Sierra Nevada, California, 1868

Albert Bierstadt created numerous paintings of the American West, including this masterpiece, which is six feet high and ten feet wide. It is now part of an exhibit at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Bierstadt took his paintings on tours in which he would dramatically unveil them to audiences.

Field with poppies

 

Vincent van Gogh, Field with poppies, 1888

In 1888, Vincent van Gogh moved to Arles, France, where he was extremely prolific.  This painting is from that period.  According to his Wikipedia article, "The portrayals of Arles are informed by Van Gogh's Dutch upbringing; the patchworks of fields and avenues appear flat and lacking perspective, but excel in their use of colour." 

In 2013, we were fortunate to visit the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, where we saw many works by this talented artist.  We brought home a postcard of this work (one of many with bright red poppies); the postcard has the following information: Vincent van Gogh 1853-1890 Field with poppies / Arles, May 1888, oil on canvas, 24 x 35 cm / Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation).

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

 

 

Palma Vecchio, "Assumption of Mary," 1512-14 (Image: Web Gallery of Art)

Rose and Joe's Road Trip: Pennsylvania

This 24-day itinerary, planned and tested personally by Joe & Rose Herrmann, is a driving tour of the mid-Atlantic, including nine nights near Hershey, Pennsylvania.  This trip begins and ends in San Antonio, Florida.  (All quotes from Joe Herrmann's correspondence.  Facilities open in 1970 may be unavailable today.)

Day 1 (526 miles): North on I-75 past Gainesville and on I-85 past Atlanta to Tugaloo State Park "on the shores of Lake Hartwell" where "everything is peaceful and quiet" and there are "no gnats, mosquitoes, or flies."    [Taking U.S. 129 and U.S. 441 through Athens (and bypassing Atlanta) saves 29 miles but adds 4 minutes.]

Day 2 (365 miles): North on I-85 through Charlotte and Durham to South Hill, Virginia.  Stay at the KOA Campground at Lake Gibson, where the campground has a swimming pool, although "the lake is clear as crystal and should be a good place to swim."

Day 3 (311 miles): North on I-85, I-95, and I-83 through Richmond, Arlington, Washington, Baltimore, York, and Harrisburg to Hershey ("Chocolate Town, U.S.A."), which is part of Derry Township.

Day 4: Visit Hershey, including the Hershey Hospital, and the surrounding countryside. 

Day 5: Visit Hummelstown, the Hershey Motel, and Cocoa Avenue, "where all the street lamps are made in the shape of chocolate drops."

Day 6: Ride the Hershey Monorail, visit the Hershey Chocolate Factory, which "is a quite interesting trip, showing the highlights of chocolate and cocoa making and the packaging and canning of the many products put up in this plant."  Have lunch at the Cocoa Hotel Restaurant and visit the Hershey Community Theatre, the Hershey Department Store, and the Hershey Museum.

Day 7: Visit the Airstream Rally talent show and hobby show.

Day 8: Driving tour of the countryside, with "wild flowers of every type, color, and description all along the roadways."  Visit the Hershey rose gardens, the Hershey Hotel, the Hershey Homestead, and Catherine Hall.  Attend concert at Hershey Park.

Day 9.  Visit the Dutch Country Store in Middletown and tour Indian Echo Cave, which is "a cool 52 degrees." Attend ball at the Arena.

Day 10.  Watch parade, attend photo, painting, and flower arrangement displays.  Visit Hershey Park and ride the roller coaster.

Day 11.  Visit Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church.  Attend the amateur skit program.

Day 12 (148 miles): West on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, lunch at the top of Blue Knob Mountain, then north to Altoona, "a rather large town" where "the streets are mostly narrow and lined with duplex houses."

Day 13: Visit Horseshoe Bend, "where the engine almost meets the caboose, and trains are going both north & south at the same time."  Drive up the mountain to Gallitzin.

Day 14: Hike up the trail and admire "many gorgeous wildflowers of every size and color" and pick some blueberries.

Day 15 (173 miles): North to Tyrone and then south "thru miles and miles of coal strip mines" to Shartlesville.

Day 16 (20 miles):   Visit Roadside America ("It is truly fantastic what one man and his family can do, when they set out to do something worthwhile").  South to Reading. 

Day 17: Visit the Bavarian Summer Festival at the Lakewood dance hall in Barnesville, the "theme being BEER, B E E R, B E E R, and more BEER, as long as it is Bavarian beer." 

Day 18: Visit Stony Creek Mills.

Day 19: Visit the Caloric factory in Topton, where they make "150 to 180 gas ranges each hour."  Drive through Pottstown, "where Mrs. Smith has the largest Pie Factory in the country," have lunch in Phoenixville, and visit the Linette Candy Factory in Reading, where "tender loving care goes into every part of the process."   Have supper at Zinn's Diner, with Pennsylvania Dutch home cooking.

Day 20: Rest.

Day 21 (74 miles): South to Bel Air, Maryland.  Visit Ephrata Cloisters.  Have lunch at the Pennsylvania Farm Museum.

Day 22 (419 miles): South "thru the Tobacco Belt of Maryland and Virginia," with "a great many unpainted tobacco barns," to York Hill, North Carolina.

Day 23 (226 miles):  South on I-85.  Visit the South Carolina Tricentennial Exposition in Greenville.  Spend the night in Commerce, Georgia.

Day 24 (495 miles): South on I-85 and I-75 to San Antonio, Florida.

Bach's Actus tragicus

J.S. Bach composed the cantata Gottes Zeit is die allerbeste Zeit ("God's time is the very best time") around 1707, when he was a young man.  As Ken Myers observed in his column,

[It] is both a musical and theological tour de force. In this 20-minute-long work (also known as Actus tragicus) Bach organizes biblical texts, Lutheran melodies, and instrumental textures to convey the comforting message of the gospel in the face of death. ... This remarkable and confidently assuring work should be much better known than it is. So now: go hear it. Be comforted and amazed.

See, for instance, this video of a performance by the Netherlands Bach Society.

B.E. Murillo, The Two Trinities, 1675-1682.  (Image: Web Gallery of Art)

Today is Trinity Sunday.  Murillo (1617-1682) was a Spanish Baroque artist who painted many hopeful, beautiful religious paintings despite his harsh life and the difficult times in which he lived.  This image combines the Holy Trinity (the three Persons who are one God) and the Holy Family.  According to the Web Gallery of Art:

The Christ Child is raised on a dressed stone, both a compositional device to set him at the apex of a triangle in the centre of the painting and symbolic: 'thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion...a precious corner stone, a sure foundation' (Isaiah 28:16). As the clouds part to reveal the divine light, their shadows temper the bold red and ultramarine blue, the apricots, pinks, gold and white of the highlights to a wonderful overall harmony, a haze of grey, sky-blue and saffron.

The Ascension of the Lord

John S. Copley, Ascension, 1775 (Image: Wikipedia).

From Acts 1:9-11:

When Jesus had said this, the apostles saw him lifted up, and a cloud caught him away from their sight. And as they strained their eyes towards heaven, to watch his journey, all at once two men in white garments were standing at their side. Men of Galilee, they said, why do you stand here looking heavenwards? He who has been taken from you into heaven, this same Jesus, will come back in the same fashion, just as you have watched him going into heaven.