Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Magical Idealism


Was ihn aber mit voller Macht anzog, war eine hohe lichtblaue Blume, die zunächst an der Quelle stand, und ihn mit ihren breiten, glänzenden Blättern berührte. Rund um sie her standen unzählige Blumen von allen Farben, und der köstliche Geruch erfüllte die Luft. Er sah nichts als die blaue Blume, und betrachtete sie lange mit unnennbarer Zärtlichkeit. Endlich wollte er sich ihr nähern, als sie auf einmal sich zu bewegen und zu verändern anfing; die Blätter wurden glänzender und schmiegten sich an den wachsenden Stengel, die Blume neigte sich nach ihm zu, und die Blütenblätter zeigten einen blauen ausgebreiteten Kragen, in welchem ein zartes Gesicht schwebte.

But what attracted him with full force was a tall, light blue flower at the very center that touched him with her broad, glossy leaves. Around them stood innumerable flowers of all colors, and a delicious scent filled the air. He saw nothing but the blue flower and looked at it for a long time with inexpressible tenderness. Finally, he tried to approach her, and she began at once to move and change. The leaves were shiny and clung to the growing stem, and the flower leaned after him, the petals displaying a wide blue collar, in which floated a lovely, tender face.
                                                                               --Novalis, Heinrich von Ofterdingen


The idea that we not only can, but we must, transform ourselves and the world around us by the power of our imaginations.  Everything becomes richer, clearer, more meaningful and profound when seen through the mirror of imagination, and this vision, when ripe, is expressed poetically.  Once again, we return to the center where the whole universe meets, all times and places and things, all our feelings and spiritual aspirations.  This is the birthplace of wisdom, of art, and of communion between ourselves and others; between ourselves and nature as well.  Die blaue Blume . . .

Friday, April 10, 2015

Protesting Against the Death Penalty

El Pasoans Against the Death Penalty holds demonstrations in front of the county courthouse on days when Texas executes an inmate.  Yesterday Texas carried out the first of four executions scheduled for this month.  Texas continues to lead the nation in executions and has recently executed both mentally ill and developmentally challenged persons (as well as at least one potentially innocent person), among the hundreds systematically murdered by the state.



Sunday, April 5, 2015

Easter 2015


Christ's resurrection is not an event of the past; it contains a vital power which has permeated this world.  Where all seems to be dead, signs of the resurrection suddenly spring up. It is an irresistible force.  Often it seems that God does not exist: all around us we see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty.  But it is also true that in the midst of darkness something new always springs to life and sooner or later produces fruit.  On razed land life breaks through, stubbornly yet invincibly.  However dark things are, goodness always re-emerges and spreads.  Each day in our world beauty is born anew, it rises transformed through the storms of history.

                                                                 --Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (Joy of the Gospel)