Lost Echos, Voiceless Mountains - Elegy to 2016

Weep for Adonais - he is dead

In a few hours, The Year of our Lord 2016 will pass into eternity. The history books a hundred years from now will record this as the year of one of the most bizarre U.S. presidential elections of all time. This most unpredictable, volatile campaign for the White House is at least partially credited with driving up the number of web searches for the term "surreal," to the point that Merriam-Webster has designated it its "Word of the Year." I'm sure these twelve months will be also noted for the continued rise of ISIS, the related terrorist attacks in Europe and the U.S. and, the Fall of Aleppo. There is the ongoing refugee crisis, Brexit and any number of other events that I'm sure that I'm forgetting, that the text books will mention. 

That the children of the early 22nd Century will learn that 2016 was the year David Bowie, Prince and George Michael died, let alone know who those people even were, is highly debatable. As Carrie Fisher, who passed this week put it once, "Celebrity is just obscurity biding its time." Having grown up in a show business family, she had witnessed the slow and steady decline of her mother's career before experiencing her own ups and downs, and so knew going in that fame is ephemeral. That her mother, Debbie Reynolds, died a day after Fisher, was a heavy emotional blow, even for a detached observer of the entertainment industry like myself. While theses celebrity deaths may not be as historically consequential as the Syrian Civil War, they represent so many more slings and arrows of outrageous fortune that earned 2016 the descriptive title of surreal.

For Baby Boomers and Gen-Xers, though, the passing of so many top musicians who came to prominence in the 1970's and '80's is significant. For better or worse we do associate with singers and musicians, as well as actors and athletes of our youth. They represent a more innocent time, a time of discovery. Back then we didn't know what came before, and for the most part we didn't care. This was our time, and the world began when we were born. No matter what the latest thing will be in 2017, for many of us who are middle aged and above, no one will sing better than George Michael, be as cool as Bowie or as all around awesome as Prince. In sports No quarterback will be as good as Joe Montana and no pitcher will compare to Nolan Ryan. When we were kids the movies were better, the bands rocked harder and the athletes were the real deal. The Lilliputians out there today are pretenders who'd never have hacked it back in the day. I mean autotune? steroids? You gotta be kidding me!

The emotional attachment can be so strong that their passing can be a great blow. It can be like a member of the family has died. In the U.S. celebrities, especially those who are on the mythical "A List," have assumed a place once reserved for the aristocracy. How many times have Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher been called "Hollywood Royalty," in the media reports of their deaths this week? I remember when Jimmy Stewart died in 1997. I was working summer camp, and one of our brothers in formation from South Korea picked up the copy of the New York Daily News that was sitting on a table in the staff cafeteria. The cover had a full page photo portrait of Stewart, with a headline that said something like, "It was a Wonderful Life." Br. John turned to me and asked, "Was he a president?" I said, "No, he was an actor." He didn't respond, but I got the feeling that he was a bit perplexed as to why an actor was getting the attention that, to his mind, should go to a head of state. Yes, we hold these pop culture icons up as, well, icons, if not idols. The adulation is too much, but I'll save that discussion for another day.

I guess, what I do what to say is that as we mourn, we need to remember to keep a certain perspective. There is a temptation to want to gloss over the more uncomfortable details of these celebrities lives and deaths. I certainly don't think now is the time to highlight scandals and bad behavior. But, at the same time, I'm not sure it's the time to look for lessons, or gain inspiration either. Some of those who died passed directly from drug abuse, others we will never really know how past drug use and struggles with addiction contributed to their deaths. Some suffered mental illness. There's no shame in that. But I'm still not sure what we can learn from how they "handled" their addictions and emotional traumas. This isn't because they were bad people or worse off than others, but they were different and their situations unique. 

They were, in general, sensitive, artistic people caught in an industry that demands profits. They were the "talent," the commodity, and the movies, shows and music they produce are the product. Keep the customers coming, buying tickets, or move on down the list, from A to B to "what's ever happened to?" I do believe that there is such a thing as an artistic personality, and those who are especially creative - geniuses, for lack of a better term, often border on madness. They see the world in a different way - not necessarily better or wiser - but at a different angle. They pick up other shades of meaning, dig deeper into a lyric, or find a nuance of a line that even the screenwriter may not have thought of. This is a glorious gift, but it can also be a curse, especially if you're the only one who seems to see things in that particular way. 

The popular artist can also suffer from great bouts of self doubt that expresses itself in perfectionism. That constant striving can be a great creative catalyst, but also a motive for self destructive behavior. Anyone who makes it is show business has to work incredibly hard, make tremendous sacrifices. Then, if they're lucky, they make it. Some can't handle the fame, others can't handle it when their star fades and the public recognition slips away. All these pressures can (but don't always, of course) contribute to whatever emotional instability or addictive tendencies they have. 

When I say that I'm not sure that there are lessons for the average person to learn from the plight of show business folk, it's not an insult or a personal judgment on the celebrity in question. Its just to say that the popular actors, singers or musicians face temptations and pressures that most of us can't begin to understand. We should appreciate their talents, be grateful that they shared their gifts. But see the big picture, not just the emotional connection, when trying to make sense of their lives. 

As for the historical big picture, the sad truth is that as time goes by the memories of the beloved figures will fade, and be replaced by new generations of stars. While technology has made it possible for their performances to be preserved for posterity, the entertainment industry is in constant need of new commodities, even as they seem obsessed with remaking the same product (again, a topic for another day). Don't blame 2016 for killing our heroes - some of it is the natural passing of time, some of it is the cruel reality of what happens when art, commerce, and cult of personality intersect with one another. 
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Just a few random notes

While celebrities die every year, it does seem like 2016 has seen more than the normal quota of musicians, in particular, who have left the building permanently. Some have claimed that the number of 2016 celebrity deaths is actually down from previous years. Others have argued that the American and British Idols of the '70's and '80's are getting to the age when death comes to most, so we should get use to it. Two years ago an Australian researcher concluded that pop stars live, on average, 25 years less than the average person. 

This string of doomed musicians, ranging in age from roughly 45 to 75, actually began at the end of 2015,when on December 3 Scott Weiland, 48, singer for Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver passed. His death was followed on the 28th by the legendary frontman and bass player of Motörhead, Lemmy Kilmister, 70. Then on January 10 the first real bomb of 2016 hit when David Bowie died at the age of 69. Later in the month Glenn Frey, 67, of the Eagles passed away. I'm not going to go through the entire list, but it seemed like every few weeks another pop music figure from the '70's or '80's was winding up dead.

We can argue science and actuary tables all we want, the number of big time rock stars dying does seem unusually high. In 1977 Elvis and Bing Crosby died two months apart, and in 1997 Frank Sinatra passed in May and Jimmy Stewart and Robert Mitchum passed a day apart in July. But 2016 definitely takes the cake. 

No Myth: A Reflection on the Feast of St. John

John and Peter approaching the Empty Tomb in fear and trembling

Contemporary culture abhors a myth. It is losing patience with fiction. We may tolerate legends, only because these quite often contain a seed of "truth" that the fantastic springs from. In general, though, our scientific age wants verifiable truth born from facts and data. This insistence on realism extends to our entertainment. Countless movie trailers today boast that the film being previewed either "IS the true story of" such and such, is "based on a true story," or at the very least is "inspired by true events," whatever that's supposed to mean. Producers are convinced that audiences are more interested in seeing "true stories" instead of fiction, which are increasingly regarded as well crafted lies - the very modern definition of a myth. 

In the area of literature, we had the James Frey controversy a decade ago, when the author tried to pass a work of fiction off as a memoir. As one commentator at the time put it, it only got published because the editors thought it had to be true, it was, in his opinion, such awful fiction: and it was only the idea that it was "all true" that got the book promoted by uber-taste maker Oprah Winfrey. 

I never read A Million Little Pieces, the book in question, but I did read, and appreciated greatly, Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. The 2003 novel about an Afghan refugee's journey from his home country to the U.S. after the Taliban takeover, reads like a memoir. In fact many confuse it for autobiography, though the author wasn't trying to deceive anyone on that point. Truth be told, I was about a quarter of the way through before I figured out it was a novel. Knowing that this wasn't a "true story" didn't keep me from finishing and enjoying the book, but in subsequent years I've heard more than one person mention that they loved The Kite Runner because it "really happened." Not one to burst bubbles, I keep my mouth shut at these encounters. But such an attitude does reveal  the prejudice of our age - that truth can only be conveyed through works of nonfiction, be they documentaries, docudramas or some form of journalistic or confessional prose. 

The truth is that all works of fiction, to one degree or another, are based on true events, or at least the perceptions of the author are drawn from lived experience. All fictional characters are based on someone, or a combination of personalities of people who walked planet earth. All historical works, even the most rigorous, are influenced by the point of view of the author. Most documentarians begin their work with a thesis, and build a case that supports it using their skills as film makers. Very few begin thinking one thing about their subject, and then have their mind changed radically by what they encounter during the course of production. They are advocates trying to sway an audience, not necessarily truth seekers on a journey. In other words, all fiction, at least all good fiction, communicates truth. All nonfiction, even the most well meaning and straightforward, will contain some lies, even if unintentionally so. 

This brings me back to the idea of myth. Today the word is used pejoratively. Myths are to be uncovered and rejected, in favor verifiable, scientific truth. But this negative judgment on myths is of relatively recent vintage. Up until about 1830 myths were simply defined as stories of the gods. The pre-Enlightenment mind had no problem with them. Not that people back then thought that myths were necessarily true in the scientific-historical sense, but that they contained a different truth about reality than what could be seen and measured. They took into account the spiritual realm of which the material world is a shadow. 

When we go back 2,000 years, we see that the Apostles and Evangelists came directly out of a world drenched in myths and legends. While they didn't share the negative attitude of the post-moderns, in their writings they anticipated the objections that many of our contemporaries make concerning the Gospel accounts of Jesus's life, death and Resurrection. Far from being well crafted myths, John tells us in his First Letter that:

Beloved: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life—for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete. (1 Jn 1:1-4)

John goes to great lengths to stress that what he and his companions are sharing are things that they saw, heard touched and, experienced directly. There is no doubt that the Gospel accounts are well crafted, and they aren't constructed with an eye toward chronological accuracy - at least not until we get to the Passion and Resurrection narratives. They do have a point of view, and a bias: that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of the living God who was incarnated, lived among us, died and rose from the dead. But this isn't something they made up, it was something they saw, heard touched and lived - now they are passing these experiences on so we may come to belief as well. 

Elsewhere, in 2 Peter 1: 16, we read the Apostle state quite directly that, "We did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty." 

On the Feast of St. John the Gospel passage proclaimed at Mass describes Peter and John inspecting the Empty Tomb on the Sunday of the Resurrection. (Though contemporary scholars believe they are separate people, the Church traditionally identifies John the Apostle, the Evangelist and, the Beloved Disciple as the same person. For the sake of clarity, I'll do the same.) What should strike the the reader is that John - as in the other accounts - only records what he actually saw. We get no description of the actual Resurrection, because he wasn't there to see it. All he knows is that the last time he saw Jesus he was literally dead and buried. Now the tomb is empty, the burial cloths folded neatly. Mary Magdalene told them so, but they had to see for themselves. In Mark Mary tells the Eleven that she had seen the Lord, but they don't believe her, due to the prejudice of the age against women as reliable witnesses. But he does see the tomb empty, and later he does see the risen Jesus when He enters the upper room through the locked doors. He reports what he sees. Nothing more, nothing less.

I have no problem with myths, as long as we understand that that's what they are. Like any form of communication, be it writing or art, the truth is transmitted in different ways, and understanding the form being employed tunes us in on how to take it in and analyze it. Myths, lab reports, social science studies, epic poems and haikus can all convey truth or spread lies. We can grasp this if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. Jesus used parables to communicate His teachings, and no one worried about if the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son or Lazarus and the Rich Man were real people, but Christ's listeners understood the truth when they heard it.

I admit that there are portions of Scripture that raise questions, like the stories of Jonah or Tobit. Are these parables, like Jesus would have told, or meant to be taken as historical fact? What is more important for me in such situations is the theological truth God wants to communicate more than worrying about historical accuracy. But the Gospel accounts are very clear in their intentions: 

"Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received. (Lk. 1:1-4)

So no, my faith is not based on myths. Myths, legends, parables fables, and whatever other kinds of folktales there are are ok with me. But just in case you're wondering, I believe because I believe the witnesses. I believe because of what they saw, what they touched, which is what they testified to with their lives. Faith is a gift, a grace we don't merit, true. But we still wouldn't know what faith to ask for if it wasn't for John and Peter, Mary Magdalene and Luke, who passed the stories on. What they testify to is no myth, neither in the ancient sense, nor in its modern corruption. What they testify to is the Truth: the Word made flesh, who made His dwelling among us, dying to redeem us, rising in Glory. 

Bishop Barron on Christmas and the Prologue of John

Many priests choose to take the Gospel passage for Christmas Day Mass from either the Midnight Mass or from one of the other options; anything but the one actually designated for the Mass during the Day. This is because we're supposed to hear the Prologue of the Gospel according to John. It's a beautiful piece of poetry, which is also a dense theological reflection on the Incarnation. There aren't any shepherds, stars or Magi mentioned, never mind the Holy Family. It can be confusing to people, and a chore for the preacher to have to expound on. Add to that, he probably had to preach the night before, and it can be challenging enough to prepare an engaging, prayerful homily during such a hectic week, let alone trying to prepare two. I'm one of those stubborn ones who does proclaim the Prologue when I celebrate Christmas Day Mass. The other passages tell us what happened, John tells us what it means, and it shouldn't be passed by too lightly. 

For those of you who will hear the Prologue, here's a video from a few years back from Bishop Barron to help you prepare. For those who won't, at least you'll know what you're missing. 

Bishop Barron on The Genealogy of Jesus

Today begins the Great Days of Advent, which corresponds with the Christmas Novena. Up until now the Liturgy has concerned itself mainly with Jesus' future Second Coming, presenting themes of repentance and preparedness for that "great and terrible day," as the Old Testament prophets referred to the time of the Lord's appearance. Today the focus shifts to the events leading up to Jesus' birth. We will still hear from the Prophets, but the passages will refer to the coming Messiah who would redeem Israel, as opposed to the Lord's visitation at the end time. 

Today's Gospel passage is the genealogy according to Matthew. It's strange, hard to pronounce names and seemingly endless string of "begot's" can be off putting, and more than a few priests chose to proclaim the short form of the reading that omits Jesus' lineage. This is a great shame. Matthew knew exactly what he was doing when he included this list. As Bishop Barron (still "Father" at the time this video was produced) points out, the eternal Son entered into our history, filled with saints and sinners alike, and even the saints often had plenty of skeletons (do I have to give a run through of King David's foibles?) 

The Evangelists knew that Jesus' double claim of messiahship and divinity would be challenged because of the rouges gallery back in His family line. So he, and Luke, chose to put the issue on the table right from the start. Yes, Jesus had great heroes and patriarchs in his family - but also murderers and thefts - qualities sometimes embodied in same person. But it was into this human mess that the Second Person of the Trinity entered, not to judge it, but to redeem it. Bishop Barron says it better than I do, so I'll stop there and invite you to listen to his words of wisdom.

Parish Bulletin Letter: 4th Sunday of Advent 2016

This will appear in the December 18 St. John Bosco Parish Bulletin 

We have now entered into the final days leading up to Christmas, called the “Great Days of Advent.” Until December 17 we had been reflecting in a general way on the Second Coming of Christ and the need to repent in order to accept the Kingdom of God. Now our attention turns to the events leading up to Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. This great mystery, called the Incarnation, is celebrated to remind us that God loved us so much he actually took on human flesh (in caro in Latin), sharing in our human nature. 

In today’s reading Joseph is faced with a grave dilemma. He has heard that Mary, his soon to be wife, is with child. He knows that he isn’t the father, and he doesn’t know how to react. The law said that he had to right to dismiss her, exposing her to public shame, and possibly stoning. His heart tells him to break off the engagement, but not say why, protecting Mary from public condemnation. In doing this Joseph would look like a scoundrel who abandoned his wife and child. He, who was innocent in this affair, was willing to take the blame to protect someone else. God showed Joseph a different way. He enlightened his heart to accept the call to be foster father to the Savior. Joseph had faith to see that the child born to Mary was no ordinary baby – He was the Son of God who was to save the World. Because Joseph believed when it was difficult, and acted on that belief, he has received a place of honor among the Saints as patron of the Universal Church. As he was protector of the Baby Jesus on earth, he is now proctor of the Church on earth. 

We live in trying times, and knowing the right thing to do can be difficult. In Joseph y we see the proper attitude. First off, Joseph sought the merciful path, even when it would have cost him his reputation. Secondly, he was open to the voice of God that led him to see another way.  We need to allow God into our hearts to see the possibilities. So here we have the two keys to understanding the true meaning of Christmas: to show mercy to others, as God has been merciful to us, and to trust God, especially in the difficult moments. 

Star of the New Evangelization - Our Lady of Guadalupe from Apostleship of Prayer

A Detailed Study of Our Lady of Guadalupe by Fr. Luis Fernando Castañeda Monter - Reposted

I posted these videos two years ago, and am posting them again, because the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is coming up on Monday, and this gives a rather detailed analysis of the religious and anthropological meaning of our Lady's apparition, and the image she left behind. You'll need time to watch them, but, whether you decide to binge watch or view them in segments, they're worth it. 

Feast of the Immaculate Conception from the Apostleship of Prayer

Parish Bulletin Letter: 3rd Sunday of Advent 2016

This Letter will appear in the St. John Bosco Parish Sunday Bulletin on December 11, 2016

During Advent we meditate on two extraordinary figures from sacred Scripture: John the Baptist and the Blessed Mother. As we listen to the Scriptures during Mass we must keep in mind that we are not only being asked to look backward at historical events. We are being asked above all to think about what those events mean for us today, and what they could mean for the future. If you’ve noticed, we’ve completed two full weeks of Advent and have yet to hear about the events that led to Jesus’ birth: these will come after December 17, when we enter into the “Great Days of Advent.” Right now the readings speak to us of John the Baptist, and how he prepared the way for Jesus’ public ministry. Tomorrow (December 12) we will celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which comes four days after the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. In these observances we are reminded of the how the Blessed Mother prepared the world for the coming of the Savior at His birth, and continues to prepare her children for the coming of Jesus into their hearts.

John the Baptist is a bit of a mysterious figure. Even though Luke tells us that he is Jesus’ cousin, the Gospel according to Matthew simply has him appearing in the desert, seemingly out of nowhere, preaching repentance. He must have been a very charismatic man, since so many came out to hear his words and be baptized. He had great powers of persuasion, but he didn’t use his gifts to promote himself. He had a mission to prepare the way for Jesus. He warned people that before they could enter the Kingdom of God they needed to reject sin and follow God’s way. His message of repentance is just as vital for us today as it was back then. Advent is a time to make an examination of conscience and celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we can be renewed in the Spirit and live more fully the Kingdom that Christ has placed within us.

The Virgin Mary was also given a great mission by God. She was able to say “yes” to God’s call because she was conceived without the stain of original sin. This singular gift of grace freed her to follow God’s will in a unique way. Because we still suffer the effects of our first parents’ disobedience it can be hard for us to do what God wants, even when we know what that is. Mary was able to say yes to God, even though it was hard to, because her intentions and will were pure. Mary continues her mission in the Church. Just as she gave birth to Jesus 2,000 years ago, she gives birth to Jesus spiritually to the world. At Tepeyac she appeared to St. Juan Diego as a pregnant woman ready to deliver her child. It was a sign to the people of Mexico that the faith in the true God was coming to their land. While John gave a stern warning to repent, Mary proclaimed a message of hope that the people did not have to live in fear: Jesus came to save them, not condemn them.

Both the Blessed Mother and John the Baptist have important messages for us today. We do need to turn from our sins, as John warns us, that we may live in God’s Kingdom of light. We should also be open to the God who loves us, as our Blessed Mother asks us, and be not afraid to accept the merciful Jesus into our hearts. May these two messages guide us on our journey through Advent.

In Glory: An Advent Reflection from the Apostleship of Prayer (12/2/16)