elisi's humble abode

Happy Easter to all you out there who also celebrate! I wanted to share some thoughts (not my own, far more brilliant than mine) but I don't have the time to copy them down now, so they'll have to wait. Instead I give you this lovely Easter vid, that I snagged from zanthinegirl:



For those of you not of a religious persuasion, but who still want to celebrate spring, I give you a link to Springwatch's Spring's Out, the most wonderfully cheerful song I know. (Parents from the UK will be familiar with it. Children *love* it!)

I forgot to mention that we have *snow*! We've barely seen a snowflake all winter, and now suddenly everything's white!

I don't often talk about my faith here, because - well it's a fandom journal primarily, and also I try to keep most of my private life private. Anyway, I just happen to have to very different recs, but both relating to Catholicism:

First, stoney321 went to see the Da Vinci Code. The result is as hilarious as you can imagine. Very spoilery, *obviously*.

Now the other thing is a new 'reality programme: ''The Convent', the first part of which was shown last night on the BBC.It follows pretty much the same formula as last year's 'The Monestary', and is just as excellent. To briefly summarise: 4 (widely different) women spend 40 days (and nights! duh!) in a convent, and the results are fascinating. Or as the website puts it: A group of ordinary women make an extraordinary journey of self-discovery. Can joining a convent and adopting traditional values help solve their contemporary problems?

Last year's programme set in a monestary was one of the best programems I've ever seen - and a wonderful look at real Christianity. If there's anyone out there who'd like to see what faith is about, I cannot recommend it enough. And - thanks to the wonders of technology, it can be viewed online at the BBC's broadband site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbctwo/programmes/?id=convent

Also nuns are fabulous! :) (Trust me, I know many!)

Wishing a Happy Easter to you all! Or Happy Passover or just a great weekend - whichever fits. *g*

We went to the Vigil last night all of us (it was at 8.30, so manageable) and the children did very well (a few candles being the evening's only casualties). I do love the Easter Vigil, although it can be very long (2 hours yesterday), because there is such a great sense of history and occasion - you can almost reach out and feel those 2000 years coming together.

Anyway, will be busy most of today, so just wanted to pop in for a little hello - oh and the Cherub likes chocolate! :)

Why is it that days of quiet and contemplation make the children be 10 times noisier than usual? *sigh*

But - I thought that today might be a good day for posting a link to
Jesus Decoded.
It is a website set up to put right the bizarre claims put forth by 'The Da Vinci Code' - it's well put togther and with a nicely wry tone (thank you to wisemack for the link!).

( A few snippets: )

Anyway, that's probably the most religious I've ever been in my LJ - I hope you don't mind. Must go look after this family of mine again now...

This all began yesterday when I was unfortunate enough to see a fight between an Atheist and a Christian. What struck me most was that neither was a good representative for their viewpoint - mostly they just came across as quarrelsome and angry. Like Spuffies and Bangels shooting at each other on fandom_wank.

Now from that stray little thought came the notion of 'What if religions were fandoms/ships?' And off my brain went...
( This is VERY light hearted and silly. I mock because I love - and I'm very faithful really, but I think that Jesus had a wicked sense of humour! )

So they elected Ratzinger, huh? Or Benedict XVI I suppose I should say. Interesting. Or, as Darcy put it: "You don't put a man with a brain like that in a position like that and expect an easy ride!" (Meant as a compliment btw.)

Well, may God bless him and help him choose the right path.

Just finished watching the Pope's funeral a little while ago. And although very grand and spectaclar, with so many cardinals, heads of State and thousands and thousands of people, I found it very comforting and familiar. This is probably a Catholic thing - a Mass is a Mass no matter where it's said or whom it's attended by. It is so well known and intimate, that although mostly in a different language, it did not feel foreign at all. It was fitting and beautiful - there is great comfort in ritals and ceremonies, the way they lead you by the hand and pay respect to a life.

Last night our parish church held a requiem Mass for the Pope, and it was crammed full of people - it was really a most wonderful tribute. And we were given the prayer that the Pope wrote for his household before he died, almost a sort of last will:

A Final Prayer

Jesus said: "Abide in Me, and I in you... for apart from Me you can do nothing." JOHN 15:4-5

I leave you now with this prayer: that the Lord Jesus will reveal Himself to each one of you, that He will give you strength to go out and profess that you are Christian, that He will show you that He alone can fill your hearts. Accept His fredom and embrace His truth, and be messengers of the certainty that you have been truly liberated through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. This will be the new experience, the powerful experience, that will generate, through you, a more just society and a better world.

God bless you and may the joy of Jesus be always with you!


Since I can't seem to find any words of my own, I'll have to borrow some. fishsanwitt posted this article from The Washington Post a few days ago, and she very kindly said that I could copy it. It is, as she said, a wonderful overview of the Pope's life and accomplishments.

( Read more... )

The pope died. I have some thoughts maybe, but I'll wait until tomorrow.