7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 58)

1. Oh my, what a difference a space heater makes! Instead of 54 degrees, my apartment is now about 72, meaning I can actually manage crawling out of bed in the morning (or early afternoon, as I’m still on break).

2. Have you ever been familiar with an artist but not particularly liked them, and then all of sudden, all their music seems amazing? I’ve been going through that with Oasis this week. I’m still not sure what a wonderwall is, but I like it.

3. People have been reporting mysterious booming noises for a few days. I haven't heard any, but then again, I'm a hermit who tends to ignore the outside world, apparently even if it's falling in around me. The local news gave some weather-related explanation and then casually mentioned that the sounds have been reported recently in other countries. Unless Tennessee and the Netherlands are experiencing the same warm front, I don't see how those two facts line up. Weird. Until I hear an explaination that makes more sense, I'm going with government experiments with warp drive gone wrong.

4. School starts next week, but only on Thursday, so I don’t think that counts. And then I have Monday off for Martin Luther King Day, but I have every Monday off this semester, so I don’t think that counts either.

5. Slightly related note, business school book prices suck. Three textbooks bought off-campus? That’ll just be $400. I used to be able to get five or six communications textbooks on Amazon for less than $150.

6. Valentine’s Day candy is already on the shelves, and since Lent starts before Valentine’s Day this year, I’m going to go ahead and take advantage of the candy now. Planning ahead, like a good Scout.

7. Hey, Christmas is still going on! Though I admit, after Epiphany, I always forget. That’s because there isn’t a song called the 19 Days of Christmas (though maybe there should be). 

St. Bonaventure

St. Bonaventure at the Council of Lyon

St. Bonaventure gets my vote for coolest name, so future children or pets should be weary. He was actually baptized as John, but the name change occurred sometime in his childhood before he joined the Franciscans and went to study at the University of Paris. At this time there were many divisions among Franciscans, and Bonaventure worked to bring more uniformity to the order by following the old Rule and steering the order in an intellectual course.  In 1260, he wrote on the life of St. Francis, which became the standard biography. In 1246, he founded the Society of the Gonfalone, one of the earliest confraternities of the Church. He wrote extensively on philosophy and theology, and by the age of 27, he was already a highly respected scholar.

In 1273, Bonaventure was rather unwillingly made cardinal-bishop of Albano. It is said that when he was brought his cardinal’s hat, he was busy washing dishes and instructed the messengers to hang the hat on a nearby bush so that anyone who wanted it could take it. His promotion to cardinal was done partly so he could help run the Fourteenth Ecumenical Council in Lyon, which took place the following year. He was specially charged with discussing the schism with the Greek representatives. Bonaventure died while the council was still in session, and it suspected that he was poisoned. 

He was declared a saint in 1482 and made a Doctor of the Church in 1557.In 1562, his shrine was plundered by Huguenots, who publicly burned his urn. His head was preserved by the superior of the order, but it disappeared during the French Revolution and has not been found.

St. Bonaventure's writings sound really interesting but, like many of the Doctors of the Church, intimidating. I want to read more of Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Bonaventure, but I feel inadequately rooted in philosophy to just delve in. I need the Summa for Kids edition. Hopefully, I can start slowing working my way through the rich academia of the faith. I like knowing that my religion has such a strong, deep intellectual history. I will never run out of things to learn.

Gifts of the Magi

There were many Magi that came to visit the Christ child, but we often only think of three because they brought three gifts. Sometimes, we dismiss the gifts as fancy-smancy gifts from kings to a king, but really, the gifts are a large part of the Magi’s story. The gifts point toward what this little child would become. And they show that the Magi did not travel out of mere curiousity; the wise men knew what Christ was: a king, a priest, a sacrifice worthy of adoration. St. Irenaeus also added that the gifts signified virtue (gold), prayer (frankincense), and suffering (myrrh).

Gold is the metal of rule. Throughout history, people have regarded gold as important and valuable. It has represented power, wealth, and perfection. Gold represents Christ the King. While He never displayed earthly power and wealth, Christ is the most powerful of rulers, the king to whom kings bow. Gold is still used in churches and icons as a symbol of Christ’s reign. 

Frankincense is used in incense for thousands of years. In fact, the English word comes from French franc encens which means “quality incense.” It is and associated with purity and Temple sacrifices and known for its pleasant smell (hence sacrifices making a pleasing smell to the Lord). Frankincense represents Christ’s divinity and His priestly role. 

Myrrh is an ointment used for embalming. Myrrh represents Christ’s death. Emblaming ointment isn't your typical baby gift. It shows that Christ was already headed to the cross, "born so that no more may die." Also, in contrast to frankincense, represents Christ’s humanity. It was also used in incense at the Temple. Incenses used in churches today often have a combination of frankincense and myrrh (and other scents). Chrism, anointing oil, also contains myrrh.

As ever, the Church loves physical relics, so myths about the gifts naturally arose. The Bible never mentions what the Holy Family did the gifts. Stories include: the gold was sold to finance the family’s flee from King Herod, the myrrh was saved and used at Christ’s burial, the gold was stolen by the same thieves who were later crucified beside Christ. The Monastery of St. Paul of Mount Athos has a golden case that supposedly contains a Gift of the Magi.

The gifts remind us why Christmas is important: Christmas is the start of a larger story. It is the beginning of the priest, prophet, and king on earth. God comes incarnate to be both human and divine, to suffer and to reign.