Something Fishy about GOD

There seems to be something ‘fishy’ about God.  It’s right there in Genesis.  God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures.”  Voilà – there they are - the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves and swarms in the waters.  God saw it and declared it good.

Even the ancient Greeks were into fish. The Greek word for fish is ichthys which first century Christians used to create the acrostic Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter, which stands for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.”  They also used the fish symbol to designate Christ. The word ‘fish’ has plenty of other theological overtones. Christ fed the 5,000 with two fish and five loaves and called his disciples ‘fishers of men.’ 

It is one thing to know the Christian origin of the fish symbol but did you ever swim with fish?  Have you been privileged to touch the sleek body of a dolphin or a tiny baby stingray?  Have you been close to a shark or had a manicure compliments of a Scarlet Cleaner Shrimp?  I have.

Scuba diving does not have to be your forte to experience any of the above thrills.  Forget about Hollywood’s amnesic fish in Finding Dory and the grouchy, seven-legged octopus Hank. As entertaining as the movie was, even in 3D, it just didn’t feel as if you were right there in the midst of God’s awesome fishy creation.

Recently, visiting Ripley’s Aquarium in downtown Toronto filled me with awe!  Now, that is a totally different fish story.  Although not in the deep oceans, it was an invigorating way to spend a July afternoon with my friends. Ripley’s is home to an awesome miniature version of the Creator’s ‘waters teeming with swarms of living creatures.’

Ripley’s features several mesmerizing aquatic exhibits, my favourite being the incredible walk-through tank. Visualize a stingray leisurely gliding along just above your head within arm’s reach, its glistening white belly in stark contrast to the nearby steel grey shark. Fish swam above and all around me. I was enveloped by 5.7 million litres of marine and freshwater, seemingly sharing the habitat of some of the most exotic critters from across the world. Literally gawking, in awe and wonder, we meandered through exhibit after exhibit teeming with these innumerable exquisite sea and freshwater jewels. I was intrigued by the octopus, Hollywood Hank’s real life relative. Did you know God gave this startlingly strange creature three hearts and a good mind? 

Overwhelmed, I sat and pondered, humming the familiar verse of Daniel’s Canticle, “All creation, bless the Lord, seas and rivers, bless the Lord. Dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.” I felt blessed in the presence of God’s magnificent creation.  God was palpable in this sacred space. In this kaleidoscope of vibrant colours, I sensed God’s luminous face. The memory lingers, the gratitude remains. 

Guest Blogger: Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps

The Return of the Stone Age?

Prior to a recent meeting, I was opening my note book and observed that the paper was made of stone. This aroused my curiosity.  On the back cover, it stated that stone paper is:  “recyclable, durable, grease resistant, tear/scuff resistant, water resistant and never turns yellow.” Some of the women attending this same meeting, tried writing on the paper to experience what it was like.  The pen seemed to glide along the page.  A certain ink took a few moments to dry.  The paper looked very white and felt smooth to the touch, strong and thick. I began to wonder if stone paper is a viable option when searching for school supplies or purchasing wrapping paper and wallpaper. Being a lover of nature, who is alarmed by the devastation of the forests, I was hopeful.  

Travelling the information highway, I discovered further enlightenment. The internet told me that this “flexible, mineral-based medium” is growing in popularity. It is argued that stone paper is a better alternative to the pulp-based standard since trees, water, chlorine acids and petroleum are not used in its production nor does its creation cause air or water pollution.  Only half the energy needed to produce normal paper is required for this process.  Stone paper is made primarily from calcium carbonate, a very common element which is the principle component in many types of stone, including limestone and marble. On mining and quarry sites, enormous amounts of calcium carbonate are scraped away in order to get at precious minerals. This excess material can be put to use in the paper industry.  Stone paper is made in Canada. 

Along with crushed stone powder, stone paper products are made with a non-toxic and recyclable binding agent called “High Density Polyethylene.”  Although logging would be reduced, an alarming fact I read stated that, “if all paper were replaced by stone paper, global plastic production would increase by up to two-thirds.”  Some environmentalists claim that the recycling potential of stone paper is a controversial topic. The producers say that stone paper “can be reused in many areas such as construction”, others note that the “plastic and stone components are leached out during recycling and end up in our wastewater” causing pollution.  In order to be decomposed, stone paper needs to be exposed to “direct sunlight.” It is suggested that “unbleached recycled waste paper” is a better alternative.  Stone Paper … hmmm … it is not a clear cut way to go! 

Kathy O’Keefe CSJ 

One Square Inch of Silence

While meandering through a mall, with ambient canned music polluting the air, have you ever said to yourself, 'I can't hear myself think?' We are constantly being bombarded by noise. Silence is a luxury. Now, imagine how man-made noise even impacts animal life, whales, birds and tiny crickets in the great outdoors. Nature’s creatures are no longer able to hear warning signals or mating sounds due to human noise pollution. What harm noise is causing them and us!

Acoustic ecologist, Gordon Hepton, in love with nature’s music, has made it his life’s work to capture the vanishing sounds and silences of nature. Over three decades, he has witnessed their drastic decline or total disappearance. In his prologue of the co-authored book, 'One Square Inch of Silence' Hepton poignantly states, ‘Silence is not the absence of something but the presence of everything.’ In our times of never ending noise, we would do well to find and treasure those rare moments of silence where we can hear ourselves think and perhaps hear once again the still, small voice of God whispering in our hearts.

Click HERE for an interview with Gordon Hepton

Sr. Loretta Hagen, csj, Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps, Sr. Nancy Wales, csj

One Square Inch of Silence

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly about Mary Magdalene

What on earth, you may rightly ask, has the 1966 Western, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly to do with Mary Magdalene? Nothing much really. However, while I was cogitating about her new status among saints, Ennio Morricone's haunting theme song sprang to mind. Instantly, I knew there must be some connection. The lasting legacy of this movie's well known theme song, regarded as one of the best of all times, speaks to me of the legacy of Mary Magdalene - of the good, the bad and the ugly written about her. Did I mention that Morricone’s composition was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009? No, I did not; neither did I mention Mary Magdalene finally being given her rightful place by dear Pope Francis - her induction into a different sort of 'Hall of Fame.' Half a century ago, this year, we first heard the instantly recognizable theme music of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. The good, the bad and the ugly about Mary Magdalene, on the other hand, has been widely proclaimed for nearly 2000 years.

At times it is helpful to turn things upside down. So let me start with some of the prolific ugly written about Mary of Magdala, (also referred to as the red head, the courtesan, the prostitute or even the vamp) and then work my way through some of the bad. I'll keep the good for last. We all know her story from Sacred Scripture. In more recent years, however, a glut of books about Mary Magdalene, spawned in part by Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, has flooded the book market. Brown's 2003 mystery-detective novel involves a battle over the possibility of Jesus Christ having been married to Mary Magdalene.

Have you heard of Mark Adamo’s ambitious opera The Gospel of Mary Magdalene? Sadly, at the end of the central scene in the first act he chose to have Mary Magdalene take Jesus to bed. Then there are the movies. Like the novel, the film The Last Temptation of Christ depicts the life of Jesus Christ and his struggle with various forms of temptation including lust, and shows a sexual relationship between Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Enough said.

In her book The Friendship of Women, Joan Chittister notes that, “Mary Magdalene is the woman whom scripture calls by name in a time when women were seldom named in public documents at all. She is, in fact, named fourteen times.” Yet, even in biblical scholarship perhaps, no figure has been the subject of more controversy and debate than Mary Magdalene. Amidst all of the conjecture regarding the identity of Mary of Magdala there are important details that do emerge from all four Gospels: she is the only woman besides Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is mentioned by name in all four texts. She is also always the first listed when there is mention of the women present at an event. And, most essentially, we know that Mary Magdalene is the first to see Jesus Christ resurrected from the tomb. It is

because of this that she is considered the “apostle of apostles,” called so by Thomas Aquinas and even by Augustine, who was a bit of a misogynist. Yet, the fact that Mary Magdalene was freed from the possession of seven demons has resulted in great focus on the perceived stigma of her past, especially by the sixth-century Pope Gregory the Great. Thankfully in 1969 the Church officially repealed his labeling of Mary Magdalene as a prostitute.

Now, much to my delight and that of all those who hold her in high esteem, Pope Francis has further elevated her status by raising the celebration of the memorial of the ‘Apostle to the Apostles’ celebrated on 22 July to the dignity of a liturgical Feast. Pope Francis made this decision precisely in the context of the Jubilee of Mercy to signify the importance of this woman who showed such great love for Christ and was much loved by Christ. One can only hope that this finally puts an end to all the ‘bad and ugly’ that has been said about Saint Mary Magdalene for far too long.

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar Mary Magdalene proclaims:

I've been changed, yes, really changed.

In these past few days when I've seen myself

I seem like someone else. I've been changed, yes, really changed.

In these past few days when I've seen myself

I seem like someone else.

May we follow Magdalene’s inspiring example. She was no ‘vamp’ but a woman who loved Jesus deeply. May she, who attested to the Resurrection of Jesus with her proclamation: “I have seen the Lord” (John 20:18) inspire us to love as she loved.

Guest Blogger: Sr. Magdalena Vogt, cps

 

Painting by renowned South African artist, Shirley Howells

First Profession of Sister Mary Anne Larocque

The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph in Canada are pleased to announce the First Profession of Sister Mary Anne Larocque on August 11. 2016. Sister Mary Anne professed vows of poverty, chastity and obedience during the Rite of Religious Profession at Mass in the London Residence. This first celebration of Profession for the new Congregation was indeed a joyous occasion for all of the Sisters.