Corpus Christi at Chartres

Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres

The north transept rose window in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres

This is my photo of June 26, 2011.   The weather was perfect.

(the north transept runs to the left in the picture)

The feast of Corpus Christi holds some memories for me: it was on this feast in 1972 that I was the principal celebrant and preached at my first Mass.   On another memorable feast of Corpus Christi I found myself at the Sunday morning Mass in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Chartres, one of the great Gothic cathedrals in France.   Chartres has been a sacred religious site for millennia, a place where a pre-Christian people prayed for a healthy harvest and for safe childbirth.  Now the huge Cathedral of Our Lady dominates the town,  a structure of beauty commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ in the flesh through the body of the Virgin Mother Mary.   The Mass was just starting when I entered the nave of priceless stained glass, of soaring stone and organ music.  It overwhelmed me.

Of course, the Body of Christ at Mass might find a home in places of natural beauty, too; there are natural spaces in so many locales in which one feels close to God. I am sure that people have celebrated Mass, for example, overlooking the Grand Canyon to great consolation.    Jesus could well enjoy the beauties of God’s creative powers.  

But I suspect that Jesus welcomes more the celebration of Mass in churches fashioned by the creative hands of the human spirit.   In the Cathedral at Chartres, for example, artists refined the natural beauty of stone and glass to make a palatial home for Mary and her Child.  

Jesus finds himself welcome there because the builders created not simply a memorial to their God-given skills, skills like those developed by Jesus in his own life.    But more to the point, the builders created a fitting place for Mary and Jesus to be present to the faithful, a place, too, in which we can be at home with them.   Such are the medieval Cathedrals, refuges from war and plague, from hunger and illness.

TRINITY SUNDAY 2016

Andrei Rublev' s  "Icon of the Holy Trinity:  (1425)

TRINITY SUNDAY  2016

When considering the Trinity, Saint Ignatius in the Spiritual Exercises instructs us to view the triune God on the throne of Heaven.  See the Divine Persons looking at us human beings and at all of the sin and sadness that overwhelm us, hearing how we speak ugly words to one another and so on.   And likewise hear what the Divine Persons are saying, “Let us work the redemption of the human race.”    And see what the Divine Persons are doing, that is, working out the Most Holy Incarnation. 

Ignatius is clear in the Exercises that we should place ourselves in scenes like this not simply as journalists looking for a story. Rather here in this meditation each person should imagine that the scene of the Divine Persons takes place simply for him or her even if he or she were absolutely alone on this difficult earth.   I imagine that there are human beings of over-sized egos who wish to be first and consider themselves worthy of God’s undivided attention.  But even for the shy person such attention becomes welcome when understood as available to anyone in search of meaning.

An analogy:  If I thought, for example, that Google’s investment in talented personnel and billion-dollar infrastructure was made simply for the unlimited use of my own gmail account, I might be a little embarrassed and say something like “You really shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble.”  But there are 900 million of us with the same unlimited access to this investment.  You go, Google!

OK, God.  Look me over, save me, give me unlimited access.   I readily join with the love that you share with everyone in the human race.

Mars at Wernersville, 5/19 and 5/31 (update)

THE NEARLY FULL MOON ONLY ENHANCED THE PLANET MARS, THE SMALL RED-YELLOW DISK ABOVE THE TREES OUTSIDE MY WINDOW.   

MARS ON MAY 30, 2016 WILL BE AT ITS CLOSEST POINT TO THE EARTH, ITS PERIGEE.

This photo taken on May 31 at about 9 PM.   No other planets or stars greeted the naked eye in this view over the east cloister.

Saint Joseph's University Graduation 2016

Saint Joseph's University Graduation 2016

Front:  Paul & Margaret Hondros, President Mark Reed, Jane Golden, Rev. Tmothy R. Lannon, S.J., Daniel J. Hilferty, III

President Reed and the Board of Trustees presented honorary degrees to the five people in this front row.

Paul and Margaret Hondros, founders of the SJU Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support.

Jane Golden, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program

Rev. Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., University President, 2003-2011

Daniel J. Hilferty, III, (SJU, 1978), President and Chief Executive Officer, Independence Blue Cross

Mr. Hilferty presented remarks to the students.   They included a reference to Pope Francis's question directed to all interested in his visit to Philadelphia, a visit that Hilferty helped arrange:

"What about you?  What are you going to do?"

Pope Francis was quoting an earlier Pope who addressed these questions personally to Katherine Drexel, the future saint,  encouraging her to give her life to the service of education of under-served Negroes and Native Americans.

Hilferty also encouraged us to "tear down walls", to "shatter glass ceilings" and to "reach across ideologies."  His were powerful remarks filled with references to his own Jesuit formation.

Gesu Gala 2016 honorees: Fr. Thorne and Peter Gould

President Bryan Carter, Robin Potter, Peter Gould, Fr. Stephen Thorne and Principal Sr. Ellen Convey

Father Thorne addresses the Gala about his work with the eighth grade boys of Gesu School.  His theme is always: "walk with the understanding that you have some place important to go."

The annual Gesu Gala on May 5 was a stunning success.   Peter Gould (joined by his wife Robin Potter) and Father Stephen Thorne received  Gesu Spirit medals.   Both gave wonderful, thankful presentations.   Father Thorne showed us the love that he brings each week to a class with the eighth grade boys.   Peter talked about the value of scholarships for young people in need.  He talked of his own mother whose desire for a college education was made possible by someone who was a stranger to her.

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Cuadrado visit Jesuit Center

Adam and Megan under the weeping beech tree on a damp day.

Adam and Megan Cuadrado are only six months married but they have known each other for years since their student days at Saint Joseph's University.   (I think they graduated in 2011.)   I met both of them there and enjoyed being at their wedding.   They were delightful guests at the Jesuit Center and, living in the heart of University City, they enjoyed some contrasting scenes on a tour of the Lebanon Valley countryside from the Pagoda to some nearby farms.   We came across even four wild turkeys.

La Missa con Escuela de Evangelizacion San Andres

Escuela de Evangelizacion San Andres met at the Jesuit Center last weekend.  My friend, Father Wiesenbaugh,  celebrated Mass with them and invited me to concelebrate.   The music was lively and the homily focused on what more we are to do to imitate the Lord.  These joyful, generous people made my day.