Morally Immaculate

Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord. (Luke 1:38)

How can we extol the beauty of Our Lady? She looks gorgeous, speaks eloquently, moves gracefully, smells sweet.

Her mind courses with sublime concepts, with memories of magnificent vistas, with fond feelings for everything worthy, and with quiet reflections on the most profound ideas. The honesty of her mind makes everything in it clear as the morning, perfectly harmonious, well-ordered, and solid as the bedrock of the earth.

Her eyes shine with this pure honesty, and they burn softly with tenderness. She breathes delicately, patiently. She holds her hands with consummate modesty, but also with deft readiness to help. She smiles on everything wholesome; she gazes at everything illuminating, and she bows her head before the endless divine mystery.

No poet or troubadour could ever capture the beauty of the Blessed Virgin in words or song. No sculptor or painter could produce the living image. The most skilled actress could never portray her with adequate luminosity.

Having said all this, we still have not touched on the most decisive aspect of the Blessed Virgin’s beauty—the all-important center of it, in fact.

Pumpkin Carriage for Butler, Paean for Mary

The Spanish Steps, the heart of Roman Christmas shopping

Cinderella never even got a glass slipper yesterday.  She couldn’t make her lay-ups. And Greg Monroe kept getting the rebound.  Hoyas 7-0!!!!!

…The Holy Father gave a beautiful talk yesterday at the Spanish steps about the Blessed Virgin Mary. Please read.

…Now the Redskins are cutting Shaun Suisham for missing ONE field-goal. He was basically the whole offense for the first half of the season. He is the most reliable kicker the Deadskins have ever had.  Not fair, not fair…

Immaculately Quiet

The Church greets Mary, the Mother of God, as “Star of the Sea,” Ave Maris Stella.

Human life is a journey. Toward what destination? How do we find the way? Life is like a voyage on the sea of history, often dark and stormy, a voyage in which we watch for the stars that indicate the route.

The true stars of our life are the people who have lived good lives. They are lights of hope…Who more than Mary could be a star of hope for us?

With her “yes” she opened the door of our world to God himself.

–Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi 49

…I am a neat man. Neat and clean in my environs, I mean. Some people say I am kind of a Nazi about it.

On the rare occasions when I have guests in my private quarters, they invariably say, “Father, your room is immaculate!”

The immaculateness of my room can be perceived by the senses. You can see, smell, and feel that the room is clean and orderly. You could even try to taste the cleanliness, but that would be kind of gross.

Our Lady’s soul is immaculate. Its immaculateness cannot be perceived by the senses. Its cleanliness and orderliness are invisible. In the things that she said and did while she was on earth, we see signs of the invisible immaculateness of the Blessed Virgin’s soul.

What about hearing? How do you hear immaculateness?

Wouldn’t it be the absence of all noise? Wouldn’t it be the perfectly clean sound of silence?

Our Lady was preserved from sin on December 8. On March 25, fourteen or fifteen years later, her silent soul was listening attentively.

We can be sure that when the Archangel Gabriel came to our Lady, he spoke very quietly.

She heard every word, contemplated every word, and said yes.

…Some people call Butler the “Cinderella” of the NCAA.

Call me an evil stepmother, but here’s hoping that midnight comes early tonight.

Conscience?

Judge John T. Noonan

This is the man who spoke before President Obama at Notre Dame University’s commencement exercises yesterday.

Judge Noonan agreed to speak in lieu of Ambassador Mary Ann Glendon. Out of principal, she declined to accept the University’s Laetare Medal because a pro-abortionist was to speak at the ceremony (President Obama).

When Judge Noonan agreed to speak in Mrs. Glendon’s stead, I anticipated a subtle, invigorating talk. I thought to myself: This man just might have the moxy–the spretzaturra–to outman and outfox the orator-in-chief.

Papal Ermine

The Holy Father laying a bouquet of white roses at the feet of the Virgin

I would just like to say this: When the Pope wears the fur-lined shoulder cape, like Popes wore in the good old days, it makes me very happy.

Pope Benedict XIV, reigned 1740-1758. Voltaire wrote little poems about him.

I get cold easily, too. If I were the Pope, I would be wearing that thing all the time.

I think we all want our Holy Father to be nice and warm.

The Pope was here in Washington in April during the Easter season. So he wore a white silk fur-lined shoulder cape, as well he should.

Ermine-lined papal shoulder capes are the kind of thing that make this world a wonderful place.