A Few of My Favorite Things 6 ~ why do I do this, some Stratozpheric portraits

I have developed a habit of searching out statues to duck behind, but not before I hand the camera off to Mosaic Woman.  I am not sure if I dig the statues or the hunt to find ones to duck behind ~ 

Stratoz with The Fawn by John B Flannagan
Rochester NY
2012

Atmosphere and Environment XII by Louise Nevelson
Philadelphia, PA
2012

Ceremonial Table of the Bontoc People
Reading, PA
2010

Cloumn of Peace Antoine Pevsner
Washington, DC
2010

John L Surra Landscape II
Olean, NY
2010

?
Rochester, NY
2011

In a candelabrum are resplendent gleams

... have led us to the point

of entering into ourselves,

that is, into our minds in which the divine image shines.

Now in the third place, as we enter into ourselves,

as if leaving the vestibule and coming into the sanctum, that is, the outer part of the tabernacle,

we should strive to see God through a mirror.

In this mirror the light of truth is shining before our minds

as in a candelabrum,

for in it gleams the resplendent image

of the most blessed Trinity.

St. Bonaventure

So we went into our ourselves and shared

memories of times with friends

and imaginined how hard it is for others,

who have witnessed horror to overcome their memories.

And that was Monday with three friends at Holy Trinity.

I throw something out and catch gleams as

they emerge from the memories of my friends.

Jacob's Ladder

I'm not sure if my time with Saint Bonaventure has been going amazingly well. The second class was canceled as a variety of reasons led to only one other capable of coming to the church, so instead I chatted with her and her husband at her house.

The first chapter had me hoping for a flow chart and I am not one to hope for such things. But so many things being divided into so many parts, and being doubled and then and then... my mind was swimming to see how everything was connected. And when I sat down with my friends at Holy Trinity... it made for a struggle.

But things linger. Like when he I read this out loud...

9. Since, then, we must mount Jacob's ladder before descending it, let us

place the first rung of the ascension in the depths, putting the whole

sensible world before us as a mirror, by which ladder we shall mount up to

God, the Supreme Creator, that we may be true Hebrews crossing from Egypt

to the land promised to our fathers; let us be Christians crossing with

Christ from this world over to the Father [John, 13, 1]; let us also be

lovers of wisdom, which calls to us and says, "Come over to me, all ye that

desire me, and be filled with my fruits" [Ecclesiasticus, 24, 26]. For by

the greatness of the beauty and of the creature, the Creator of them may be

seen [Wisdom, 13, 5].

At home I loved this paragraph's passionate call to have our soul, the image of God that resides within us, go out and seek God. However, "Jacob's Ladder" didn't resonate in my soul. It rang strangely in more than one friend as I read the paragraph, but another friend loved it. I opened my ears to her voice and then my imagination to the possibilities. Can you see yourself on that ladder climbing to God?

and then back to your life, family, friends, enemies, jobs, houses, neighborhoods...

Bonaventure hoped to inspire folk to take the first step. I can see myself climbing. My mind can recognize many who are climbing along with me. We ascend to God only to descend the ladder with what we are filled with as we climb.

...

after Ignatius, Bonaventure

I found it odd to be sitting in an easy chair watching a fire the day after the fire in my neighborhood. But I did as I rested my ankle.

We had just finished touring the Hildreth Meiere exhibit at St. Bonaventure University, and as Mosaic Woman made some purchases, I got intrigued by this guy...

St. Francis, a granite sculpture
by Beniamino Benvenuto Bufano.

But as we toured the University enjoying the architecture, my mind became curious about St. Bonaventure. I knew nothing about the man. So as I sat in front of the fire, I wondered if those, who lost so much in the fire, would ever enjoy watching flames; and I decided that I would bring St. Bonaventure to Monday nights at Holy Trinity in Lansdale.

So I have been reading about his life, and I just finished reading the prologue to The Soul's Journey Into God . and I may be moving in a good direction. we will see.