Our Universal Desire For God - "As a deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God." (Psalm 42:2)

The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God. (Catechism of the Catholic Church #27)  

1. Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? Why do I need to struggle to achieve my goals?  

These questions of human existence reflect an inner longing for God.  God has planted in every human heart the hunger and longing for the infinite, which is nothing less than God. 

"Our heart is restless until it rests in you."  Saint Augustine  

2. How is our quest for God awakened?  First God pursues us, this spurs us to search for Him for whom we were made.  

3. Where do we find God?  Through His creation.  Which is subject to change, but He who made all is not subject to change.  

"The heavens declare the glory of God." (Psalm 19:2)

"Ever since the creation of the world his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made."  (Romans 1:20) 

The fact that all visible things come to be and eventually pass out of earthly existence points to an eternal Creator who has no beginning and no end and who sustains all that he has created.  (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 32) 

4. Where do we find God?  Through our human person. 

 "That I may know myself, that I may know you." Saint Augustine 

"I praise you, so wonderfully you made me." (Psalm 139:14) 

5. Why are so many uninterested in finding God? a. The presence of so much suffering and pain in the world disheartens them.  b. They have never heard the good news.  c. Scandalous behavior by some believers, priests and bishops drives honest seekers away. d. Personal sinful conduct weakens many and they hide from God. e. Some resist acknowledging God because they do not wish to follow His commandments. f. Others may just be distracted with all the clutter and noise of life.  

6. What causes one to once again search for God?  Secularism proves unsatisfactory.  God never ceases to pursue us. Only in God will we find the truth, peace, and happiness for which we never stop searching.  Created in God's image, we are called to know, serve and love the Lord. 

"God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us to love." Saint Augustine 

"As a deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God." (Psalm 42:2) 

Walk for Life San Francisco 2020

The following is a montage of photos and videos from the 16th Annual Walk for Life San Francisco January 25, 2020.  With the numerous volunteers and the help of the SFPD, this walk was a peaceful procession down Market from the Civic Center to the Embarcadero. Much different than our last experience in 2012. 

We arrived early in the day.  But by the time the speakers started the Civic Center Plaza was packed wall to wall.  

San Francisco City Hall 

Security watching from surrounding buildings. 

SFPD checks for bombs. 

Fr. Frank Pavone and Georgette Forney of Priests for Life lead the Silent No More Awareness Campaign.  

Mother Tabitha a speaker who regrets
 her abortion and will be Silent No More 

Most powerful speech of the day.  

Walk for Life in Pictures 

Feast of the Epiphany - Catholic Tradition to Bless the Lintel of your Front Door for the New Year

Adoration of the Magi - Domenico Ghirlandaio 

The Epiphany of the Lord
We Three Kings of Orient Are

 We three kings of Orient are

Bearing gifts we traverse afar

Field and fountain, moor and mountain

Following yonder star

O Star of wonder, star of night

Star with royal beauty bright

Westward leading, still proceeding

Guide us to thy Perfect Light

Adoration of the Magi - Peter Paul Rubens

To orient ourselves means to get our bearings, to know where we are, or to find ourselves. Today the Church celebrates the Epiphany of the Lord, the day when Tradition tells us, that Magi bearing gifts traveled from the Orient following a star seeking the “newborn king of the Jews” in Bethlehem. As they gazed upon this newborn king, the baby Jesus, they “found themselves” suddenly aware that what they were witnessing, what had been “made known” to them, was the manifestation of Christ not only to themselves, but to all peoples. The Magi had experienced an epiphany; or rather they experienced The Epiphany.

Adoration of the Magi - Hieronymus Bosch

House Blessing on the Epiphany

It is a Catholic custom to gather as a family and ask God’s blessing on their home on the Feast of the Epiphany by marking the lintel of the front door with chalk blessed by a priest.

We were first introduced to this at Mass in Winters, California in 2012.  It is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home, our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, our joys and sorrows all year long.  It has been our tradition ever since.

Use white chalk blessed by your parish priest, and write the numbers and letters 20 + C + M + B + whatever the year is on the lintel of your front door frame. This year we write 20 + C + M + B + 20.  Then offer a simple prayer to God asking for His blessings such as:

Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of thy law, and thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.  And may this blessing remain upon our home and upon all who enter or dwell herein.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

The letters C, M, B have two meanings:

They are the initials of the traditional names of the three magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. 

They also abbreviate the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless this house.”

The “+” sign represents the cross and the number the year, 2020. 

May God bless you and yours during this new year. 

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Religious Art - Public Domain

Adoration of the Magi

“Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other.” (CCC 1160)

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Adoration of the Magi - Giorgione (1477/78 - 1590)

Matthew 1: 1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?  We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage."  When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.  They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: 'And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel.'" 

Adoration of the Kings - Gerard David (1460 - 1523)

Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.  He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child.  When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage."  

Adoration - Jan Gossaert (1478 – 1532)

After their audience with the king they set out.  And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.  They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother.   They prostrated themselves and did him homage.  Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and Myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

The Adoration of the Magi - Peter Paul Rubens (1577- 1640)
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Picture Source - Public Domain

The Role of Religious Art in Faith Formation - Month of December 2019 Index

Annunciation to the Shepherds / Adoration of the Shepherds in Religious Art

“Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other.” (CCC 1160)

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Annunciation to the Shepherds - Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem (1620 - 1683)

Luke 2: 8 -14 

Now there were shepherds in the region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock.  The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear.

Annunciation to the Shepherds - Abraham Bloemaert (1566 - 1651)

The angel said to them, "do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For today in the city of David a savior has been born to you who is Messiah and Lord. 

The Adoration of the Shepherds - Hugo van der Goes (c 1430/1440 - 1482)

And this will be a sign for you:  you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."     

Adoration of the Shepherds - El Greco (1541 - 1614)

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Picture Source - Public Domain

The Role of Religious Art in Faith Formation - Month of December 2019 Index

The Birth of Christ - Sandro Botticelli (c. 11445 - 1510)

“Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other.” (CCC 1160)

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The Birth of Christ - Sandro Botticelli (1500)

Known as the Mystical Nativity, this portrays Mary, the ox and the donkey watching over Jesus while Joseph is sleeping.  The three men in long gowns kneeling to the left of the stable are the Maji.  The shepherds are kneeling to the right. The angels carry olive branches symbolizing peace and the heavens are opened up to the stable below.  In the corners demons can be seen running from the scene.  

Luke 2: 6 - 7 

While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

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Picture Source - Public Domain

The Role of Religious Art in Faith Formation - Month of December 2019 Index

For church supplies and  gift items

related to the Catholic Church

please visit Lynn's Timeless Treasures 

The Nativity in Art (Andrea Sabatini / Rogier van der Weyden / Lorenzo Lotto / Geertgen tot Sint Jans)

“Christian iconography expresses in images the same Gospel message that Scripture communicates by words. Image and word illuminate each other.” (CCC 1160)

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The Nativity - Andrea Sabbatini 

The Nativity (part of the Bladelin Altarpiece) - Rogier van der Weyden

The Nativity - Lorenzo Lotto 

Nativity by Night - Geertgen tot Sint Jans 

Luke 2: 6 - 7 

While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son.  She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

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Picture Source - Public Domain

The Role of Religious Art in Faith Formation - Month of December 2019 Index

For church supplies and  gift items

related to the Catholic Church

please visit Lynn's Timeless Treasures