Transfiguration

"Transfiguration" by Raphael

We celebrate today the feast of the Transfiguration, the occasion when Jesus appeared with Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. With them were the apostles Peter, James and John. After Jesus was surrounded by a cloud of bright light, Peter uttered a phrase that has remained quite significant and controversial in some ways. He was instantly overcome with a state of euphoria, and wanted to somehow crystallize himself in that moment, when he said to Jesus “Lord, it’s so good for us to be here, let me build three booths here, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 
We act like Peter sometimes when we’re enjoying life and going through a stress-free period of our life. We are on vacation, enjoying a beautiful trip, a spectacular scene, spending time with friends, and we don’t want it to end. We feel on Cloud Nine and want it to last forever. But reality is different, just as it was different with Peter and the other disciples - there was much work waiting for them, especially after Jesus went up to heaven. It is the same with all of us. Vacation time will soon be over, and many people will be back to work, back to their normal routine. Hopefully the joyful euphoria they experienced will help them spread a spirit of happiness and joy around them, as was the case with the apostles after the took over the baton from their Master and led Christianity through its first few years.

Waiting for the cops

There's a guy from Ireland driving through Europe and an English guy driving in the opposite direction.  Early one morning with no other cars on the road they hit each other head on and both cars were severely damaged.  The Irish fellow manages to climb out of his car and survey the damages. He looks at his twisted car and says, "My goodness, I am really lucky to be alive!"
Likewise, the Englishman scrambles out of his car and looks at his wreckage. He too says to himself, "I can't believe I survived this wreck!"
The Englishman walks over to the Irishman and says, "Hey man, I think this is a sign from God that we should put away our petty differences and live as friends instead of questioning who’s to blame for this wreck !”
The Irishman thinks for a moment and says, "You know, you're absolutely right! We should be friends. Now I'm gonna see what else survived the wreck."
So, the Irishman pops open his trunk and finds a full-unopened bottle of Paddy Powers Irish Whiskey. He says to the English fella, "I think this is another sign from God that we toast to our new found understanding and friendship."
The Englishman says, "You're absolutely right!" and he grabs the bottle and starts sucking down the Irish Whiskey. After putting away nearly half the bottle, the Englishman hands it back to the Irish fellow and says, "Your turn!"
The Irish fellow twists the cap back on the bottle and says, "Nahh, I think I'll wait for the cops to show up."
   

St John Baptist Vianney

St. John Baptist Vianney (1786-1859)

The patron saint of priests, St John Marie Baptist Vianney, whose feast we celebrate today, was meant to be a holy priest, even though he had a very tough time in his studies, especially Latin. When he was ordained, he was sent to a little town in France called Ars, which was very liberal and had no faith at all. However he gently changed the whole town as people went to confession, attended Masses and with his patience and holiness, transformed a simple town into a pilgrimage site. He was made the patron of all parish priests during the Year of the Priest, proclaimed in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI. These are some of his popular quotes:
'Never forget that it is at the beginning of each day that God has the necessary grace for the day ready for us. He knows exactly what opportunities we shall have to sin, and will give us everything we need if we ask him then.'
'Prayer is nothing else than union with God. When the heart is pure and united with God it is consoled and filled with sweetness; it is dazzled by a marvelous light.'
'Man has a noble task: That of prayer and love. To pray and love, that is the happiness of man on earth.'
'When we pray properly, sorrows disappear like snow before the sun.'
"I tell you that you have less to suffer in following the cross than in serving the world and its pleasures."
"Prayer is to our soul what rain is to the soil. Fertilize the soil ever so richly, it will remain barren unless fed by frequent rains."
"Prayer is the inner bath of love into which the soul plunges itself."
"When our hands have touched spices, they give fragrance to all they handle. Let us make our prayers pass through the hands of the Blessed Virgin. She will make them fragrant."
"When we go before the Blessed Sacrament, let us open our heart; our good God will open His. We shall go to Him; He will come to us; the one to ask, the other to receive. It will be like a breath from one to the other."

God speaking

Sunrise over Bend, Oregon on August 1st, 2014

The musical "Fiddler on the Roof" had a song entitled "Sunrise, Sunset," and I've been thinking about that particular song lately, as our sunrises and sunsets have been spectacular, mostly because of the recent fires we've had in these three volatile states, California, Washington and our own Oregon. This is fire season and many lightning strikes spark off wild fires wherever the grass is dry, which is just about everywhere. 

 

The only benefit of this is the smoke in the air creates more orange hues and cloud formations that add to the beauty of our mornings and evenings, as the sun appears or disappears. The morning of August 1st was especially fascinating as rays from behind the clouds created quite a heavenly spectacle. Enjoy the beauty of the morning, and hear God speaking to you through this particular sunrise.

St Peter Julian Eymard

St Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868)

Born in France in February 1811, Peter Julian Eymard worked at his father's trade as cutler until eighteen when he went to the seminary at Grenoble. In spite of his poor health, he was ordained a priest in 1834. He served as a parish priest for several years, then in 1845 he joined the Marists where he worked as a well-respected spiritual advisor with seminarians and priests. He worked with  other lay organizations promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and to the Eucharist. He rose to the position of Provincial of the Marist Society at Lyon in 1845. In 1856, due to disputes with the Marists, Eymard left them and founded the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament and 2 years later founded the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament, a congregation for women.
The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament began working with children in Paris to prepare them to receive their First Communion, even though this custom was only approved in 1909 by Pope Pius X. It also reached out to non-practising Catholics, inviting them to repent and begin receiving Communion again. Eymard was a tireless proponent of frequent Holy Communion, another idea approved by Pope Pius X in 1905. 

A statue of St Peter Julian Eymard

Eymard overcame a number of difficulties to reach his goals, including poverty in his family and in his community, his father's opposition to his only son’s desire to be a priest, years of serious illness and pain, and the difficulties of getting diocesan and papal approval for his new Order. Eymard was a contemporary and a friend of other saints including Peter Chanel, John Vianney and Marcellin Champagnat, the founder of the Marists.
The French sculptor Auguste Rodin received counsel from Eymard when Rodin entered the Congregation as a lay brother in 1862, having giving up art after the death of his sister. Eymard recognized Rodin's talent and advised him to return to his vocation. Rodin later produced a bust of Eymard. St. Peter Julian died on 1 August 1868. He was beatified in 1925, and canonized by Pope John XXIII on 9 December 1962. His Order runs a church in New York City where they have perpetual adoration of the Eucharist.

Old St Francis School

A metal sculpture outside old St Francis School

Transformation, adaptation and clever interior decorating! That’s what happens when an old school gives way to a newer school, built here in Bend and opened in 2000, as part of my parish. The old school, which opened in 1936 and closed in 2000 was sold to a corporation that transformed it into a hotel, restaurant, movie theater, spa and an all-around historic attraction, which finally got my attention to discover a little bit of its history. 

So a few days ago, I went around the entire complex when I thought everyone was still sleeping at 6 AM, and started taking some photos of the stenciling and sculptures on the outside of the complex. Lo and behold, at 6:15 AM, one of the employees spotted me and after introducing myself as the pastor of Saint Francis, she gave me the grand tour of what is now McMenamins. These are just a few of the photos I took on the outside. To see more historic photos as well as historic information, check our parish blog at www.stfrancisbend.blogspot.com which will be downloaded over the next few weeks.

The Old St Francis School back in the 1940s

The Spa inside the hotel, owned by McMenamins

St Ignatius of Loyola

St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556)

St. Ignatius was born in the family castle in Guipúzcoa, Spain, the youngest of 13 children, and was called Iñigo. When he was old enough, he became a page, and then a soldier of Spain to fight against the French. A cannon ball shattered his leg and subsequently, a series of bad operations ended his military career in 1521. While St. Ignatius recovered, he started reading the Bible and the lives of the saints, and decided to dedicate himself to becoming a soldier of the Catholic Faith.
Soon after he experienced visions, but a year later suffered a trial of fears and scruples, driving him almost to despair. Out of this experience he wrote his famous "Spiritual Exercises". After traveling and studying in different schools, he finished in Paris, where he received his degree at the age of 43. Many first hated St. Ignatius because of his humble lifestyle. Despite this, he attracted several followers at the university, including St. Francis Xavier, and soon started his order called The Society of Jesus, or Jesuits.
He was a gifted spiritual director, and was very active in fighting the Protestant Reformation and promoting the subsequent Counter-Reformation. St Ignatius died at the age of 65. He was canonized on March 12, 1622.  There are 38 members of the Society of Jesus who have been declared Saints. So many other Jesuits have become Cardinals, Bishops and great writers. And since March 2013, we even have the first Jesuit Pope, Jorge Bergoglio, our beloved Pope Francis.

Sunrise, Sunset

Bend sunrise on July 29

With a few fires in and around Oregon state, the recent sunrises and sunsets have been quite spectacular, adding a little color, a touch of brighter orange, a few disgruntled clouds, and rays emanating from underneath the clouds, creating quite a heavenly touch. Enjoy these few recent sunsets, including the first one from yesterday morning's sunrise.

Bend sunset of July 16

Saint Martha

"Saint Martha" by Vincenzo di Campo

I always had a soft spot for St Martha. She was criticized by Jesus for not sitting down at his feet and listen to Him as her sister Mary did. Poor Martha was respecting the rules of hospitality, and having such an honored guest, she was probably preparing some snacks to serve when Jesus arrived, possibly unexpected. This painting gives Martha a lot of reason to complain, as she had a quite a meal to prepare. Of course it may be exaggerated, but is funny in a way. But whenever I look at it, and see Jesus talking to Mary in the background, I always feel sorry for poor Martha. She would have said “Hey Lord, first things first - let’s just prepare a few snacks for us all, and then we can sit and chit-chat, while nibbling on the snacks, or the big meal that Martha probably prepared.” St Martha is the patron saint of housekeepers, housewives and waitresses.

More of Malta's churches

The main altar at St Philip's church, Zebbug, Malta

Since so many people seemed to like yesterday’s photos of the St Philip church in Zebbug, I thought of sharing a few more from the same church. If some of the local parishioners find out about these photos and the exposure their church is getting, they will absolutely go crazy and feel honored, as they love their churches, as you can obviously see, and would be so proud that foreigners, visitors and compatriots are showing appreciation of their beloved churches. 

The silver statue of Saint Philip inside the church

Most of these baroque churches are 300 to 500 years old, and during the respective village festivities, the statue of the local titular saint is brought out from its niche and displayed inside the church, then taken out in procession through the streets of the village, on Sunday evening. The walls of the churches are decorated with tapestry, and chandeliers are lit up to the maximum power, while Masses and services are held every evening, leading to the climactic moment at the Sunday evening celebration.

During Solemn Vespers, on Saturday evening

The grand organ located in the back of the church, in the choir loft

Malta churches at their best

St Philip's Catholic church in Zebbug, Malta

Many visitors to this blog have told me how much they enjoy my photos from Malta. Every Sunday in 3 to 5 different parishes a special festa is held with a procession with the statue of the titular saint of that particular parish. While I was in Malta recently, I visited one such parish in Zebbug, where they were celebrating the feast of Saint Philip. 

A side altar in the same church dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary

These are just 4 photos I took of this beautiful church, adorned at its best, dressed at its finest, and with all their gold and silver on display. Of course there are many more to show you, but I don’t want to dominate this blog only with Malta photos, although it seems most people like them, especially those in the USA, where nothing like this can be seen in any of our churches. Churches are not always decorated like this, but only during the week leading to the festa. However, churches are always a gem to admire even on any ordinary day, especially when they are filled with devout Catholics.

Mostly silver church paraphernalia displayed on a side table

The belfries of the St Philip's Church, Zebbug, Malta

Saint Joachim and Saint Ann

Today being the feast of the Blessed Mother's parents, Saint Joachim and Saint Ann, I share with you a prayer for grandparents, written by Pope Benedict XVI.

Lord Jesus, you were born of the Virgin Mary,
the daughter of Saints Joachim and Anne.
Look with love on grandparents the world over.
Protect them! They are a source of enrichment
for families, for the Church and for all of society.
Support them! As they grow older,
may they continue to be for their families strong pillars of Gospel faith,
guardian of noble domestic ideals, living treasuries of sound religious traditions.
Make them teachers of wisdom and courage,
that they may pass on to future generations the fruits
of their mature human and spiritual experience.
Lord Jesus, help families and society
to value the presence and roles of grandparents.
May they never be ignored or excluded, but always encounter respect and love.
Help them to live serenely and to feel welcomed
in all the years of life which you give them.
Mary, Mother of all the living, keep grandparents constantly in your care,
accompany them on their earthly pilgrimage, and by your prayers,
grant that all families may one day be reunited in our heavenly homeland,
where you await all humanity for the great embrace of life without end. Amen!

Saint James

The apostle Saint James

We can easily say that St. James was at least Jesus’ third favorite apostle. Why? When Jesus raised Jairus' daughter when all thought her dead, he only allowed James, John, and Peter to come with him. Even more important when he went up to the mountain to pray, he wanted James, John, and Peter to go with him. And it was there on the mountain they were privileged to witness what no one else had seen -- Jesus transfigured in his glory, speaking to Moses and Elijah. And with Simon Peter, James and John were the only ones of the apostles that Jesus gave a special name: Sons of Thunder.
It's no wonder then that James, along with John, felt that he had the right to go to Jesus and ask him to give them whatever they asked. When their mother asked Jesus to give them preferential treatment, they didn't see the cross in his future, but an earthly throne. But despite all these misunderstandings, it was still James, Peter, and John that Jesus chose to join him in prayer at the Garden of Gethsemane for his final prayer before his arrest. It must have hurt Jesus that the three of them fell asleep on this agonizing evening.

Inside the Cathedral of Santiago de Campostela

James did drink of the cup Jesus drank of, all too shortly after the Resurrection. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that James was one of the first martyrs of the Church. King Herod Agrippa killed him with a sword in an early persecution of the Church. There is a story that the man who arrested James became a convert after hearing James speak at his trial and was executed with him. James is called James the Greater because another younger apostle was named James. St James evangelized in Spain before he died and the cult of St James in Santiago de Campostela is well known as people make a long pilgrimage to visit his Cathedral in northwest Spain.

Encounters with the wild

A  live bald eagle in the High Desert Museum, Bend, OR

Wildlife in Central Oregon is quite impressive, as I discovered over the past 11 years. Animals abound in such variety that it baffles me. This week I went on a little trip looking for animals, birds and anything that moves. I even went to a local Museum, called the High Desert Museum with some endangered species that were visible, although not always easy to photograph. 

A very friendly chipmunk

However, after seeing these photos, you will agree that I was very lucky or patient in waiting for the right shot, one of which took me 3 hours, because the animal in question was sleeping, waiting for him to wake up. Enjoy these photos of a wildlife encounter.

A lynx, resting at the High Desert Museum

A Blue Jay in the wild

A bobcat, waking from an afternoon nap

St Bridget of Sweden

St Bridget of Sweden (1302-1373)

Born of a wealthy family in 1302, Saint Bridget, also known as Birgitta, she was related to many members of the royalty. In 1316, at the age of 14 she married Ulf Gudmarsson to whom she bore eight children, four daughters and four sons. Six survived infancy, which was rare at that time. One daughter is now honored as St. Catherine of Sweden. Bridget became known for her works of charity, particularly toward Östergötland's unwed mothers and their children. When she was in her early thirties, she was summoned to be lady-in-waiting to the new Queen of Sweden. In 1341 she and her husband went on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, in Spain.
In 1344, shortly after their return, Ulf died at the Cistercian Alvastra Abbey in Östergötland. After this loss, Birgitta became a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and devoted herself wholly to a life of prayer and caring for the poor and the sick.
It was about this time that she developed the idea of establishing the religious community which was to become the Order of the Brigittines, whose principal house at Vadstena was later richly endowed by King Magnus IV of Sweden and his queen. One distinctive feature of the pre-Reformation houses of the Order was that they were double monasteries, with both men and women forming a joint community, though with separate cloisters.
In 1350, a year of jubilee, Bridget braved a plague-stricken Europe to make a pilgrimage to Rome accompanied by her daughter, Catherine, and a small party of priests and disciples. This was done partly to obtain from the Pope the authorization of the new Order. But since the Pope was living in Avignon, France at that time, she had to wait until he returned to Rome.
It was not until 1370 that Pope Urban V, during his brief attempt to re-establish the papacy in Rome, confirmed the Rule of the Order, but meanwhile Birgitta had made herself universally beloved in Rome by her kindness and good works. Save for occasional pilgrimages, including one to Jerusalem in 1373, she remained in Rome until her death on 23 July 1373. She was canonized in the year 1391 by Pope Boniface IX.

Saint Mary Magdalene

St Mary Magdalene, after seeing the Risen Christ

Mary Magdalene, whose liturgical feast we celebrate today, is mentioned as one of the women who ministered to Jesus. The same passage also refers briefly to an act of exorcism performed on her, on an occasion when seven demons were cast out. These women, who earlier "had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities", later accompanied Jesus on his last journey to, and were witnesses to the Crucifixion. She was also the privileged first person to see Jesus risen from the tomb, an honor that was not given to any of the 12 apostles, but only to Mary Magdalene, probably in a way of thanking her for staying with Jesus till the end at the foot of the cross. This is the last mention in the Gospels of Mary of Magdala, who now returned to Jerusalem. She is probably included in the group of women who joined the Apostles in the Upper Room in Jerusalem after Jesus' Ascension and may have also been with the Blessed Mother at Pentecost.

Tradition as early as the third century identifies Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and with the woman sinner who anointed Jesus' feet, even though she remains unnamed. The identification of Mary Magdalene with Mary of Bethany and "the woman who was a sinner" is reflected in an influential sermon Pope Gregory I gave in 591, which said: "She whom Luke calls the sinful woman, whom John calls Mary of Bethany, we believe to be the Mary from whom seven devils were ejected according to Mark. 
Mary had been looked upon as a great sinner, but Christ knew the circumstances that had shaped her life. It was He who had lifted her from despair and ruin. Seven times she had heard His rebuke of the demons that controlled her heart and mind. It was Mary who sat at His feet and learned of Him. It was Mary who poured upon His head the precious anointing oil, and bathed His feet with her tears. Mary stood beside the cross, and was first at the tomb after His resurrection. It was Mary who first proclaimed a risen Savior.

According to Eastern traditions, she retired to Ephesus and there she died. Her relics were transferred to Constantinople in 886 and are there preserved.  Most importantly we honor today a woman who remained faithful to Jesus until the very end of her life.

Slow Dance

Jan Steen "The Dancing Couple"

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.

Do you run through each day on the fly?
When you ask, “How are you?” do you hear the reply?
When the day is done, do you lie in your bed,
with the next hundred chores running through your head?
You'd better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
 
Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow?"
And in your haste, Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die,
Cause you never had time to call and say,'Hi'
You'd better slow down. Don't dance so fast.
Time is short. The music won't last.
 
When you run so fast to get somewhere,
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away.
Life is not a race. Do take it slower.
Hear the music. Before the song is over.

Cycling in Bend

It's not exactly the Tour de France, but cycling is pretty popular here in Bend, Oregon. This weekend special races are being held in downtown Bend, including a criterium, which puts together around 200 cyclists as they circle around an enclosed area for 45 minutes, until a winner is declared. I watched the semi-professionals yesterday evening and was utterly impressed with the speed of these cyclists. 

Earlier, races for youth and women were held along the same track. The main streets of downtown Bend, which are usually abuzz with visitors, tourists and beer samplers, were closed off for the race. These photos are just a sample of a few others I took of the last race held last evening. Since I follow the Tour de France regularly, I had no idea the speed of such professional races, and the dedication of these cyclists.

Balloons over Bend

A quiet, calm morning turned colorful, spectacular and picturesque as a number of balloons took off from the Old Mill District in Bend, Oregon, to the delight of sightseers, tourists, local residents and photographers. They are hot-air balloons operated by heat from propane-fueled flames. It was around 6:30 AM when the first balloon took off skimming over the pines trees and the 3 smoke-stacks in the Mill District, as well as local homes, whose residents were probably still sleeping on a lazy Saturday morning, only to see these colorful balloons hover over their heads and homes. Enjoy these few photos I took to share with you. To see more photos look at www.stfrancisbend.blogspot.com

Stores, Shops and Markets - part 2

A vegetable stand in  market in Zejtun, Malta

A few more photos of various stores, open-air markets and shops from Malta, colorful as always, intriguing to say the least and always surprising of what you might come across.

A typical green-grocer with just about everything you need

The market in Zejtun offered an interesting photo, besides clothing

"Saddles" - a well-known bar in St Julian's

An old-time landmark in St Julian's - Dick's Bar

Stores, Shops and Markets - part 1

A typical Maltese Bar named Bellusa (The Satin One)

Today and tomorrow I will share with you some of the shops, stores and markets that are popular in Malta, of course from some of the photos I took recently. We do have a few supermarkets, but nothing like a Walmart or Costco that Americans are used to. But most stores and shops are small ones nestled between houses and sometimes in busy commercial streets like the ones in the capital city Valletta and busy towns like Sliema and my hometown of St Julian’s. 

A street vegetable vendor in the town of Mellieha

Greengrocers are quaint and peculiar in a way as their grocer owners go around in a van or truck and display their vegetables and fruits around the van while shoppers stroll around, pick and choose and then pay for their products. But most of these vegetable are guaranteed to be fresh, possibly picked from fields and gardens earlier in the day or the previous day, nothing beyond that.

Souvenir shop in Valletta

And something typically Maltese

More photos of front stores, shops and markets to appear tomorrow