Year: 2012

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Saint Valentine, Galileo and the silliness of Rome

Happy Valentines Day and an early Happy Birthday to Galileo!  It is a historical fact that the Valentine we celebrate today was martyred by the Roman Emperor Claudius II (known as Claudius the Cruel), on February 14, circa the year 278.  Though much of Saint Valentine’s history is clouded by legend, the story that seems most likely, is that Claudius was intent on keeping his Roman soldiers celibate in order to enforce strict discipline and keep the troops from pining for their families while stationed far from home. He therefore banned all engagements and marriages for the troops.  As a priest, Valentine, could not abide this order and continued to perform weddings for the secret lovers. When this was discovered by Claudius, Valentine was arrested and sentenced to death.  While in jail, he is said to have healed the daughter of the jailer, who was blind, and before his execution sent her a note inscribed, “From your Valentine.” A sweet and simple children’s book about Saint Valentine that you may enjoy is Robert Subuda’s Saint Valentine.

Tomorrow, February 15th is the birthday of Galileo, and it was on February 13, 1633 that Galileo was brought to Rome to answer charges of heresy for believing that the solar system was not geocentric (revolving around the earth), but rather, was heliocentric (revolving around the sun).  The Roman ecclesiastics could not abide such an outrageous idea, which somehow seemed to upset their notions of man’s importance at the center of the universe.  The Catholic authorities forced Galileo to renounce his beliefs and sentenced him to live the rest of his life under house arrest.

But this, of course was toward the end of his life, and by that time, Galileo had not only substantiated through careful astronomical observations that the earth did indeed revolve around the sun, but he had also  invented a thermometer, a geometric compass, a compound microscope,  and a pendulum clock; he perfected the astronomical telescope, measured the rotation of the sun, and designed a way to test precious metals.  He wrote laws about falling bodies and floating bodies.  He was also a lover of art and an accomplished artist himself.  He played the lute and enjoyed working in his garden.  Galileo was truly a Renaissance man.

I had the distinct privilege of working with Jeanne Bendick on her delightful biography of Galileo, featured here.  Jeanne Bendick, who is best known for her hugely popular book, Archimedes and the Door of Science, applies her fun and whimsical way with words and illustrations to the remarkable life of Galileo.  In honor of Galileo’s birthday, pick up a copy of this book and discover the life of one of history’s most curious, inventive and courageous men.

When the church authorities forced the kneeling Galileo to renounce that the earth revolved around the sun, it is said after his forced confession, that the aged man struggled up from the floor and whispered, “Eppur si muove,”–which means, “and yet, it does move.”

“I do not believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect, has intended us to forego their use.” –Galileo Galilei

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret

It isn’t too often that I enjoy a children’s movie so much that I am inspired to post on it, but one of the latest children’s book/movie combinations–The Invention of Hugo Cabret, (featured in the film Hugo ) is worth devoting some time to.  My daughter Katie and I have completely immersed ourselves in all things French this year, as we are spending some extended time in Paris this spring.  My eldest daughter and her husband are studying there for the year, so this is a perfect opportunity to take a Parisian field trip and explore this very special part of the world!  So besides studying French, Chopin, the Impressionists, reading Les Misérables,  The Hunchback of Notre Dame  and researching and writing on the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, it is our great luck that such a fine film based upon the Caldecott Medal winner of 2008 has appeared now as well!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret takes place in Paris, and features an orphaned boy (Hugo) who lives secretly in a Paris train station while caring for the station’s clocks.  His father was an horologist–one who studies or is proficient at the art of measuring time–and Hugo has inherited this love and skill from his late father.  Hugo lives secretly in order to avoid being sent to an orphanage.

The plot revolves around a mysterious, but broken automaton that Hugo’s father had discovered while working at a Paris museum.  His father had been working on it before he died, and Hugo is convinced that if he can only fix it, he will discover a message from his father. In the process of pursuing this mystery, Hugo becomes involved with a cranky old toy shop owner, his goddaughter Isabelle, and a well-plotted and intriguing series of events.  One more interesting tidbit, is that the film is an homage to one of the earliest French filmmakers, Georges Méliès.  The artwork in the book by Brian Selznick has components that make me think it also is an homage to Van Gogh, as there are certain perspectives that provoke that response.  Here is one of Selznick’s exquisite drawings and a self-portrait of Van Gogh.

To me, the seminal moment in the film occurs when Hugo and Isabella are in the clock tower of the train station overlooking an illuminated panorama of night time Paris.

“It’s so beautiful,” said Isabelle.  “It looks like the whole city is made out of stars.”

“Sometimes I come up here at night, even when I’m not fixing the clocks, just to look at the city. I like to imagine that the world is one big machine.  You know, machines never have any extra parts.  They have the exact number and type of parts they need.  So I figure if the entire world is a big machine, I have to be here for some reason.  And that means that you have to be here for some reason, too.”

Brian’s Selznick’s work takes on transcendent meaning in this passage.  In a culture where lives are often considered dispensable merely because they’re inconvenient, seeing the importance of each individual life through this lens is powerful and moving.  The movie recently received the most Oscar nominations of any film of 2012, and the magic and wonder of it’s 3-d affects certainly makes it worthy.  But the true wonder of this film is the message that every life has an essential part to play in a beautifully orchestrated and perfectly designed universe.

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Albert Schweitzer–Reverence for Life

January 14th is the birthday of Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965), a gentle soul who blessed the world in countless ways, not only as a scholar and theologian, but also as a remarkable musician, organist, composer, and key organ conservationist during the 20th century. But even all of those talents would not be his greatest contribution to mankind.

The organ of Saint Suplice, where Schweitzer played along with Charles Louis Widor

He was born in Alsace, during the time that this part of France was under German domination.  Raised as a pastor’s son, he grew up in a rich theological and intellectual atmosphere.  His father taught him piano at age five; by age nine, he was replacing the organist in his father’s church.  Intently devoted to the work of Johann Sebastian Bach,  his youthful dream was to study in Paris under the most famous organist of the day–Charles Louis Widor.  At eighteen years of age, with much trepidation, he presented himself to Widor, who immediately recognized the genius of the young Alsatian lad and agreed to tutor him free of charge.  One can only imagine the magnificence of sitting in Saint Suplice Cathedral in Paris, while these two remarkable musicians played with such reverence the inspiring works of Bach.

After completing his theological studies at the Sorbonne, Schweitzer was appointed to serve as curate in Strasbourg and it was here that his life mission changed dramatically.  Always deeply burdened by the poor and suffering, Albert was struck with a deep conviction that the blessings he had received were gifts he must use in the service of others.  He made a sacred vow that he would study until he was 30 and then devote the remainder of his life to serving those most in need. An article in the Paris Missionary Society magazine captured his attention at this time, opening his eyes to the desperate plight of the people of the Congo. Then and there he vowed that he would devote his life to these people and serve them in the name of Jesus.

Forsaking all his previous successes as theologian, philosopher, author, preacher, and musician,  Schweitzer turned his back on all he loved so passionately, and headed back to the academy.  In order to effectively serve the people of the Congo, he must have a medical degree! Six more years of study and Schweitzer was ready to begin his life’s mission.

Schweitzer served the people of the Congo for  more than three decades.  His time in Africa saw him often seeing hundreds of patients a day and in his first nine months there, he ministered to over 2000 patients.  At Lambaréné, Schweitzer was doctor and surgeon in the hospital, pastor of a congregation, administrator of a village, superintendent of buildings and grounds, writer of scholarly works, commentator on contemporary history, musician, and gracious host to countless visitors.  His work there earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1953, and countless other honors and distinctions.  But what Schweitzer considered his most important legacy was his work on Reverence for Life.

About twenty years-ago,  I was first introduced to the life and work of Schweitzer through Hermann Hagedorn‘s wonderful biography, Prophet in the Wildernesss.  And it was here I first read his amazing perspective on the value and dignity of human life.  It isn’t surprising that against the backdrop of Hitler’s complete disregard for life, that Schweitzer was inspired to reinforce this most basic foundation of the Judeo-Christian ethic and to write so passionately about it.  Here are just a few of his thoughts:

Reverence for Life! And after twenty-five hundred years, scarcely a handful really believing it!  All the more reason to “stand and work in the world as one who aims at deepening men’s inner life and making them think.

In accordance with the responsibility of which I am conscious, I myself have to decide how much of my life, my possessions, my rights, my happiness, my time, and my rest I must devote to others, and how much of them I may keep for myself.

Christianity has need of thought in order to achieve understanding of its own real being.  For centuries  it treasured the great commandment of love and mercy as traditional truth without recognizing it as a reason for opposing slavery, witch-burning, torture, and so many other ancient and medieval atrocities.  It was only when it experienced the influence of the thinking of the Age of Enlightenment that it was stirred into entering the struggle for humanity.”

An old Landmark title, The Story of Albert Schweitzer by Anita Daniels, is a good introduction for children to one of the 20th century’s greatest heroes. Though out-of-print, it is worth searching out on used book sites. Take some time to learn about this hero of faith, this prophet of truth and goodness during a time when the death squads of Nazism held the reigns of power and authority. Schweitzer’s timeless message is as imperative in our day, as it was in his.

Square Albert Schweitzer, rue de l'Hôtel-de-Ville, Paris, France
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Epiphany–the Visit of the Magi

The celebration of Epiphany occurs in the liturgical calendar on January 6th and marks the official end of the Twelve Days of

Christmas. The traditional Twelve Days of Christmas begins with Christmas Eve on the evening of December 24 and continues until the feast of Epiphany. The actual Christmas season continues until the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, which in many Western liturgical calendars is celebrated on the Sunday after January 6th. So given that we are (at least liturgically) still within the Christmas season,  I thought it would be nice to highlight some of my favorite children’s books dealing with the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. Probably no other aspect of Christ’s birth has gotten more attention than the visit of the Magi to the infant King.  While many of our fictionalized notions don’t bear much resemblance to the actual story, there are a few children’s books that I think really enhance the story in ways that reflects back upon the truth of how marvelous, transcendent, and numinous the story of this visit is.

The Other Wise Man by Henry Van Dyke is a fictionalized tale based on the Magi’s visit.  In this case an additional Magi is seeking the infant child in order to bring his gifts as well.  But along the way, the Magi encounters unfortunate souls that need his material help.  Despite being pressed for time and wanting to continue his journey, this Wise Man sacrifices his own wants to the needs of others.  The tale by Van Dyke has unfortunately been adapted and rewritten by a number of authors.  Be sure to get the original and curl up with a tale that evokes the meaning of a what constitutes a truly Wise Man.

This is the Star by Joyce Dunbar, and Song of the Camels by Elizabeth Coatsworth are both simple poems that describe the events surrounding the Star of Bethlehem using simple text paired with beautiful illustrations. The former uses the focus of the star to build the action in lovely rhyming verse, while the latter uses the perspective of the camels bearing the Wise Men to show another aspect of this transcendent night.

I’ve saved my favorite for last. Lizbeth Zwerger took O’Henry’s classic tale, The Gift of the Magi, to an entirely new level with her tender watercolors and keenly sensitive eye.  The story involves a very poor but happy young couple on their first Christmas as husband and wife. Living in a tenement house at the turn of the century, they each long to get one perfect Christmas gift to show their love for each other.  Their sacrificial gifts illuminate and reflect the profound lesson of the ultimate divine gift–the gift which costs that which is most dear.  No illustrator before Zwerger captured the pathos of this tale so evocatively and so completely in sink with the author’s exquisite tale.  Do add this one to your family library.  It will likely become a treasured Christmas (and perhaps Epiphany!) tradition.

I’ll close with O’Henry’s profoundly simple and childlike conclusion to this marvelous tale.

“The magi, as you know were wise men–wonderfully wise men–who brought gifts to the babe in the manger. They invented the art of giving Christmas presents . . . and here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed for each other the greatest treasures of their house.  But in a last word to the wise of these days let it be said that of all who give gifts these two were the wisest.  Of all who give and receive gifts, such as they are wisest.  Everywhere they are wisest.  They are the magi.