Today the Catholic Church celebrates the liturgical feast of the Transfiguration. The story is told in the three synoptical gospels. Luke 9, 28-36, is one example in which the author includes the episode immediately preceding Christ's systematic fortelling of His passion and death. The glimpse of Christ's divine glory in that unexpected mystical experience of His three closest followers on the mount that day did little to change their cowardice and desperation when it all hit the fan. Seeing is not always believing...
Sixty years ago today the first atomic bomb used in war was detonated over the city of Hiroshima, Japan. The Enola Gay unloaded "Little Boy" and, both immediately and as a result of the fallout, over 120,000 lives were taken with the deployment of a single weapon. The military tells us that the atomic bombs in today's arsenals make "Little Boy" look like... well, kid stuff. I hope we never find out just how advanced those weapons really are.
On this date in 1978, Pope Paul VI died after one of the most tumultuous periods in modern Church history. A scholar, a diplomat and, for many, a saint, he took on the daunting challenge of bringing the Church fully into the postmodern world. The upheaval of Vatican Council II aged him quickly. Thus the scenario was 'prepared' for John Paul II...
Andy Warhol, Robert Mitchum and Lucille Ball were all born on this fateful day.
As was the Exorcist. I'm 45 today and could think of nothing better for tonite's post than the ol' this-day-in-history ruse. How lame is that?Lame or not, it's time for some Jack on ice and an Excalibur, two delicacies I've been saving for just such a moment.
Thank you and good night.
