Mars Attacks! (well, enters) Truro Cathedral

Truro Cathedral welcomes all and provides an enriching visitor experience through worship, music, events, arts and learning. We strive to create a sacred space, in which the holiness of God is encountered in an open and inclusive way, and offer common ground, where issues shared by the whole of humanity can be explored.

I love great Christian cathedrals and churches, old and new, as well as other worship spaces such as the breath-taking, minimalist Ismaili Muslim centre in Toronto. They are sacred places, often soaring archictecturally to enliven the spirit. Many of these structures that are hundreds of years old require expensive maintenance with diminishing congregations to pay for it all. In a more secular age people often walk past these buildings without a thought to ever entering in.

I've noted in this blog that there are increasing attempts to employ these spaces for contemporary displays and I just saw that one is underway and almost over within Truro Cathedral in Cornwall, Britain. Mars has left its orbit to enter into the sanctuary of the church and I know that if I was in the vicinity I would visit for the spectacle.

There is is, though. It is a spectacle, complete with tickets and accompanying musical events. Is this a form of evangelism or a gimmicky attempt to generate revenue? The argument can be made, a persuasive one, that we need to change with the times and welcome people in. But what is lost? I saw an opinion piece not long ago in which the writer reflects on their experience at one of these events. They wonder if the prayerful sacredness of the space is diminished by the quest for relevance and moolah and I wonder myself.  If Jesus could afford a ticket he might be a little surprised by what goes on in the places created in his name. 

Here is a BBC description of the Truro diplay: 

A 7m (21ft) wide sculpture of Mars on display at Truro Cathedral has been providing lots of school half-term fun.

The artwork called Mars: War and Peace was created by Luke Jerram and follows his Gaia installation, which was exhibited at Truro Cathedral in 2023.

The artwork featured detailed Nasa images of the planet and at an approximate scale of 1:1million, each centimetre of the internally-lit sculpture representing 10km (6.2 miles) of the surface of the planet.The piece is on show until 2 November, with tickets to it also offering free entry to the cathedral.

There has been a range of ticketed events and activities accompanying the installation, with a party due on Saturday to herald the end of the installation.

Other events include a organ performance of music from the movie Interstellar by Roger Sayer, the original organist on the film soundtrack, on 28 October.

Mr Sayer said: "The people who come to my events are often people who would never set foot in a church, but they are; and would never come to an organ concert, but they are."In a way it's sort of bridging that gap, and there is a sort of revival of younger people coming to the organ now."

                                   Poppy Immersive Light Show, Gloucester Cathedral

                                                  Gaia, Truro Cathedral, 2023

Dark Renaissance & Christopher Marlowe

 

First of all...Go Jays!

Now that I've expressed my bandwagon enthusiasm, on to today's blog entry.

I've just read a well-reviewed and intriguing book I'd never buy but was able to get through our wonderful library system. It is Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival by celebrated author Stephen Greenblatt. It's about 16th century playright Christopher Marlowe, brilliant and groundbreaking in his work. He was both a collaborator with William Shakespeare and his rival. 

The theatre was a primary form of entertainment in the period for both the rich and the poor and plays were often churned out by teams of writers to satisfy the demand. It's clear that the two authors, exact contemporaries, were well aware of the work of the other. Greenblatt, who has written extensively about Shakespeare, identifies that some of the significant developments in that writers style were likely influenced by his firsthand experience of Marlowe's work.

What struck me as I read is that this was such a dangerous time to live in England, in large part because of religion. Henry VIII not only created the Church of England, he viciously expunged much of Roman Catholicism and religious intolerance across the board was often meted out with violence and death. 

In many respects Britain became a cultural, theological, and scientific backwater, cut off from the rest of Europe. Those who challenged prevailing views about Heaven or the heavens were dealt with brutally and even conversations between supposedly friends could turn deadly. Challenging a literal interpretation of scripture or suggesting that our solar system was heliocentric could result in one's head on a pike. 

Marlowe was a lowly cobbler's son whose intellectual brilliance resulted in unlikely scholarships that took him to Cambridge and a Masters degree. The assumption was that this would lead to his ordination in the Anglican church but there is evidence that he just didn't accept the religious strictures of his time. He may have been an atheist, although to say so openly was a capital offence. His ground-breaking plays allowed him to express ideas through characters as entertainment that could have landed him in the Tower of London if offered elswhere. 

As I read this intriguing book I had my moments of dismay over how often religion, including Christianity, has been weaponized through the centuries. It has been used to squelch freedom of expression as well as honest exploration of many essential facets of life. The hypocrisy and brutality were a disgrace to the gospel of Jesus Christ wrapped up in the guise of religious fervour and devotion. And yes, this still happens, and close at hand. 

Greenblatt argues persuasively that Christopher Marlowe was an important figure in "breaking open the rigid carapace that had constricted the English creative spirit." I can't do the book justice in a few paragraphs but it opened my eyes to this era in which Francis Bacon declared that "knowledge is power." 

We wll never know how Marlowe's art and scope would have developed if he hadn't been stabbed to death at age 29, perhaps an assassination. He was a victim of the intrigue of the time and his own sometimes reckless embrace of innovation. 

The Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan Continues

Jesus, you bless the peacemakers and comfort those who mourn.

We pray to you for all people affected by the conflict in Sudan.

May there be hope for healing in the region.

Console with your presence all who are fearful, exhausted, and grieving.

Jesus, you were carried into Egypt in your mother’s arms, in search of safety.

We pray to you for those crossing into South Sudan to escape the violence.

May they have food, water, support and a secure place to stay.

Shelter with your love all who have had to leave their homes and face an uncertain future.

 Jesus, you challenge us to love our neighbour, to do good, and to seek justice.

We pray that those who have the power and resources to act will turn their attention to this crisis.

May the supplies and assistance that are so desperately needed come quickly.

Strengthen through your spirit all who are pursuing peace.

Amen

Most of us have been well aware and horrified by the crisis in Gaza where tens of thousands have died and many thousands more are contending with insufficient food aid and even starvation. I've seen suggestions that this is the worst humanitarian situation on the planet but while what is happening in Gaza is terrible there is another crisis, a civil war which has unfolded in Sudan over the past three years or more, that doesn't get the attention it deserves. Huge numbers of people have been displaced because of the conflict and, again, thousands are dying due to starvation.

 Now there are reports of mass killings by rebels. Here are a few paragraphs from a Globe and Mail article yesterday by Geoffrey York: 

Massacres of civilians in Darfur this week have become so extensive that the pools of blood in the streets can be detected from space, an analysis of satellite images has found. 

By Tuesday morning, more than 2,000 unarmed civilians – mostly women and children – had been killed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after its capture of the besieged city of El Fasher, according to a coalition of Darfur militia forces affiliated with the Sudanese army.

The Sudan war, which erupted in 2023 after a power struggle between Sudan’s army and the RSF, is considered the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. It has forced 12 million people from their homes, killed hundreds of thousands and left 30 million people in need of emergency aid.

A humanitarian agency, Médecins sans frontières (Doctors Without Borders), screened 165 children who fled from El Fasher last week and found that 75 per cent were acutely malnourished. “This shocking rate is a testament to the horror unfolding in El Fasher,” it said in a report.

It's hard not to feel helpless in the face of so many needs. We know that in Canada there is a growing resistance to welcoming refugees and migrants. We seem to be adopting a "charity begins at home" mentaility, although Canadians are less inclined to compassionate giving anywhere these days. We musn't turn away and as Christians we can't flag in our commitment to stay informed, to pray and to act as we are able. 

Here is a BBC explainer about the situation in Sudan: 

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/simple-guide-happening-sudan-150049278.html

Hurricane Melissa & The Derangement

 

9 

Proclaim this among the nations: 
Consecrate yourselves for war;  stir up the warriors.
Let all the soldiers draw near; let them come up.
 Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears;
    let the weakling say, “I am a warrior.”

 

Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.
 The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

    The Lord roars from Zion and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
    and the heavens and the earth shake.
But the Lord is a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

                                                Joel 3: 9-10, 14-14 NRSVue 

Derangement 

the state of being completely unable to think clearly or behave in a controlled way, especially because of mental illness. 

One of our neighbours on our suburban court is originally from Jamaica and still has family there. If I see him out and about I'll ask after their wellbeing in light of the ominous advancement of  what is described as "catastrophic hurricane Melissa." We can hear the term Category 5 and realize that it means devastation but here in Canada we are not in the direct path of a storm of this magnitude and hope that we never will be. The experts tell us that Melissa could be the worst storm event for Jamaica in the 175 years that records have been kept and that climate change is without doubt a contributing factor. 

What is in store for us in this country given that we are already seeing significant changes in weather and climate with milder Winters, drought, and intensifying heat? And why do we seem incapable of changing our destructive ways? 

I'm in the final pages of the latest novel by venerable and lauded Ian McEwan. Reviewers are describing it as his best book in a while and I would agree. The plot is not easily described although an essential thread is the academic and physical sleuthing of two English professors who are living in the early 21st century. They are determined to unearth a series of missing sonnets by a celebrated poet of our era, poetry that has shaped the outlook of a post climate apocalypse society even though the works are known only by reputation. 

This Britain of the future still functions but as with the rest of the planet it does so in a drastically diminished way.  There is still an internet and Artificial Intelligence which is important because so much of the physical heritage of nations has been destroyed by catastrophic -- there's that word -- weather events and the seas have risen as predicted. The British Isles are now a series of archipelagos created by what is termed The Inundation. Travel is limited and dangerous. 

There is another term, The Derangement, which is used a number of times. This is what appears to be, from the vantage point of the next century, the willful ignorance of the scientific evidence about what is unfolding until the tipping point of no return. 

Are we deranged? I am moving toward dismay as I watch our newly minted Prime Minister Carney commit billions of dollars to military spending, enthusing about becoming an "energy superpower" (aka increased fossil fuel production), and stepping away from his previously stated climate commitments. And he is supposedly the adult in the room of Canadian politics. Despite the calm demeanour it seems like madness to me.  

One of today's lectionary readings is from the book of the prophet Joel and it contains strong warnings to move away from militarism or there will be dire consequences.  There is a note of hope in these verses. Accept God as our refuge and turn from foolish ways. Our Prime Minister is a practicing Roman Catholic so he might read scripture and heed the teaching of Jesus who said "those who have ears to hear, let them hear"

Over the Rainbow, Best Jewish Song Ever?

  

By the rivers of Babylon—  there we sat down, and there we wept
    when we remembered Zion.
 On the willows there  we hung up our harps.

For there our captors asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
    “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

 How could we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?
 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither!
 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy.

                                                          Psalm 137:1-6 NRSVue

There are lists of best songs from the 20th century that put Somewhere Over the Rainbow at the top. I once listened to a music wonk explain how the progressions in the song brilliantly convey the message of the lyrics and draw the listener in. It's hard to argue with these accolades. I even managed to learn Somewhere Over the Rainbow on the mandolin and there is a wonderful version by the late, great Hawaiian musician Isarael Kamakawiwoʻole. 

How about Somewhere Over the Rainbow as the best Jewish song ever written? I heard a fascinating interview from a week ago with Stephen Colbert and Rabbi Angela Buchdahl. She points out to the audience that the song was written by two Jewish musicians, composer Harold Arlen and lyricist Yip Harburg.  She suggests that it is essentially a story of longing for return from exile, an essential biblical theme. The song was written in 1938 as the mass persecution of Jews was underway in Germany before World War II resulted in the horror of the Holocaust/Shoah. 

We know Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz film and it became Judy Garland's signature tune. Studio executives didn't like it because it was too sentimental and why would Dorothy be singing a schmaltzy ballad in a farmyard.  It was almost cut from the picture.

There is an introduction to the song that didn't make it into the movie but the opening lines reflect the stormy reality of Europe at the time. 

When all the world is a hopeless jumble
And the raindrops tumble all around
Heaven opens a magic lane
When all the clouds darken up the skyway
There's a rainbow highway to be found
Leading from your window pane
To a place behind the sun
Just a step beyond the rain.

Best Jewish song ever? I don't know the genre well enough to comment but I enjoyed Buchdahl's perspective. She and Colbert sang it together (their conversation is on Instagram). You can understand why she was a cantor for years before she was named the Senior Rabbi of the Central Synagogue, the first woman and the first Asian-American in that position. She has written a book about her experience of being a stranger and moving toward belonging and I imagine it's worthwhile. 

Voices of Fire & O Canada

 

                                                          Voices of Fire Gospel Choir

I have long been perplexed by the singing of national anthems at North American sporting events. When did this start and why does it happen when the people on the field or rink are playing a game? It doesn't make sense and even less so when the crowd responds with boos or jeers as has happened since the tensions between Canada and the United States began to increase. My inclination is to consider when the start of the game is to officially begin then tune in a few minutes later.

This was a mistake Friday night as the Toronto Blue Jays met the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of the world series. The anthems were sung by a gospel choir called Voices of Fire and now that I've seen the moving clip of their performance I figure it must have been a religious experience for the 45,000 in-stadium fans who sang along as well as folk watching from home. 

Voices of Fire, formed by Grammy winning musician Pharell, was augmented by orchestral instruments and Canadian singers and a Maple Leaf flag was formed on the field. Voices of Fire performed at the Vatican in September and now in Toronto. They were magnificent on Friday night. Hey, who doesn't love a good gospel choir? Do I hear an Amen? 

Some pundits figured the Jays didn't have a prayer against the might Dodgers yet they vanquished their opponents. Divine intervention? After last night we could use a little more. Happiness would be a third Blue Jays World Series win. 

                                                  Voices of Fire at the Vatican in September 

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Harvesting Olives as a Form of Prayer

 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”  He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be grieved and agitated. Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.” And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not what I want but what you want.”...

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people.  Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him.” At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.”[b] Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.

Matthew 26: 36-39, 47-50 NRSVue 

On World Food Sunday at the beginning of this week I mentioned the challenges Palestinians face in harvesting their olives because of harrassment and physical violence from settlers in the illegal towns of the West Bank. Sometimes trees are knocked down by the bulldozers of the Israeli army, destroying a traditional source of income and violating a biblical injunction not to destroy fruit-bearing trees, even during conquest. 

I have on several occasions been on Jerusalem's Mount of Olives and in the Garden of Gethsemane, an ancient olive grove, the last and undoubtedly final time two years ago. This was the place where Jesus and his disciples "slept rough" while in the city during Passover and where he was arrested the night before he was crucified. Some of those trees may date back to the first century.

It hadn't occurred to me that these trees still produce olives but the harvest is underway and the Roman Catholic priests and nuns who are custodians of the tiny orchard along with volunteers are doing the picking. The name Gethsemane means "olive press." 

I came upon an article from the Associated Press with the headline: "On Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed, monks and nuns keep harvesting olives." I find it meaningful that the harvesters continue their age-old task as a trust and a form of prayer. Here are a few paragraphs from the piece

For Dalla Gassa and the other mostly Catholic congregations on the hill, harvesting olives to make preserves and oil is not a business or even primarily a source of sustenance for their communities. Rather, it’s a form of prayer and reverence. “To be the custodian of holy sites doesn’t mean only to guard them, but to live them, physically but also spiritually,” he added. “It’s really the holy sites that guard us.” 

Early on a recent morning, Dalla Gassa traded his habit for a T-shirt and shorts — albeit with an olive wood cross around his neck — and headed to the terraces facing Jerusalem’s Old City. The bright sun shone off the golden dome of Al-Aqsa Mosque, visible above the walls encircling the Temple Mount — the holiest site in Judaism — alongside the bell towers of Christian churches.

Dalla Gassa and some volunteers, ranging from Israeli Jews to visiting Italian law enforcement officers, picked the black and green olives by hand and with tiny rakes, dropping them onto nets under the trees.Once they filled a wheelbarrow, Dalla Gassa put on ear covers and got the loud, modern press humming. Soon, the fragrance of freshly pressed green oil filled the air. It takes up to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of olives to make one liter (34 ounces) of extra-virgin oil.

The congregations on the hill do not have commercial productions, dedicating the vast majority of the oil to their own use, both in the kitchen and for sacraments. Many Christians use oil, blessed by clergy during an annual Chrism Mass, for rituals ranging from anointing the sick to blessing the baptized and new altars. 

For the religious brothers and sisters living among these trees, the harvest itself is spiritual and full of symbolism. “In picking the olives, we learn how we are picked. We go looking for that last olive — that’s what God does with us, even those who are a bit hard to reach,” said Dalla Gassa. 

Squeezing a plump green olive between his fingers, he also spoke of the sacrifice that comes with fulfilling one’s vocation of love for God and neighbor.

Loving God and neighbour, part of the teaching of Jesus. are spiritual aspirations in short supply in the oft-times un-Holy Land so this story can inspire us in a gentle way. 

                                              Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane -- Paul Gaugin 

The Virgin Mary in a Tehran Subway Station?

 

Iran's new metro station honours Virgin Mary

Tehran (AFP) – Shiite Islam may be the official religion in Iran, but entering Tehran's brand-new Maryam Moghaddas metro station, you could be forgiven for feeling as if you're stepping inside a Christian church.

I was surprised and intrigued when I saw this headline and wondered if was misleading or even "fake news", to quote a certain politician. Iran is a Muslim country, so why would a subway station honour Mary, the mother of Jesus? It's not widely known that Islam reveres Jesus as a prophet and holds Maryam or Mary in high regard as well. Both are featured in the station. 

According to a France 24 report:

In Iran, a vast multicultural country, Shiite Islam is the official state religion. However, the Constitution recognises Sunni Islam, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity as minority religions, each of which has its own representatives in the Iranian parliament.

Christianity was present in this part of the world long before the rise of Islam during the Arab conquest of Persia in the 7th century AD.

"This station recalls the divine woman who awakened the world through her purity and by nurturing a great prophet," said Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani on X.

He added that the building was designed to "showcase the coexistence of divine religions in Tehran."

Although it's difficult to establish exact figures for the number of Christians in Iran they may be as few as less than half a percent of the 94 million people. Those who are part of religious minorites in Iran must tread lightlly in daily life and there are reports of persecution, including executions. While this odd recognition of Mary may seem to be a positive step it isn't reflected in the way Christians and others are treated under this repressive regime.

I will not be putting a visit to Iran on my non-existent bucket list but it the metro station does rank high on the wacky world of religion list. 

The Pope & The King at Prayer

 So, a pope and a king go into a church to pray...

This is not the beginning of a joke but a prayerfully act of respect and ecumenical reciprocity between Pope Leo IV and King Charles III which took place today in Rome. Nearly five hundred years ago King Henry VIII of England broke from the Roman Catholic Church even though a few years before another Leo, X, had declared him Defender of the Faith. The psychopathic monarch formed the Church of England (Anglican) so that he could divorce his wife and marry again to produce an heir. Henry had a succession of wives, some of whom he executed, and his only son died young. 

The service of worship today was formal as these two leaders prayed together on behalf of their religious groups. This wasn't two Christians clasping hands, closing their eyes and hunkering down for a spontaneous heart-to-heart with God in Three Persons. It was liturgical prayer, scripted to mark this auspicious occasion. 

It isn't as though the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church haven't been in conversation before. It was King Charles’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who was the first British monarch since the Reformation to make an official visit to the Holy See, meeting with John XXIII in 1961.The late Pope Francis and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, travelled to Sudan to encourage peace. We do hope, though, that this symbolic act of reconciliation is one more step along the way of world-wide ecumenism and recognition of other expressions of faith. One silly critic has already huffed that Charles should abdicate for this egregious breach of duty to defend Anglicanism. 

King Charles and Pope Leo exchanged gifts with Charles receiving the chair pictured below -- perfect for watching television in the evening. Sauciness aside, It will, in fact, remain in the church. 

The Latin inscription Ut Unum Sint "that they may be one" is certainly appropriate for the occasion. If it seems vaguely familiar, the words Ut Omnes Unum Sint "that all may be one" have been inscribed on the logo of the United Church since the 1940s. We're always ahead of our time. 

St. Catherine Monastery, Holy & God-Trodden

 

Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.  The glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud.  

Now the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the Israelites. Moses entered the cloud and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

                                              Exodus 24: 15-18 NRSVue

Can you think of personal "mountain top" experiences, actual and metaphorical?  I've had the pleasure of huffing and puffing my way up mountain trails in the Rockies as well as more modest climbs in other locations which offered meaningful vistas. Lots of them have been profound spiritual moments.

One climb I'd hoped for in my thirties, will never happen, although I'm okay with this. After my first visit to Israel I strategized with my travel agent mother about returning and including a visit to St. Catherine's Monastery in the Sinai Desert of Egypt. She had been there, flying in a small plane, not long after the Sinai was ceded back to Egypt by Israel. Officially known as the Sacred Autonomous Royal Monastery of Saint Catherine of the Holy and God-Trodden, it was built between 548 and 565, and is reputed to be the world's oldest continuously inhabited Christian monastery. It is under the auspices of the Greek Orthodox Church and is a United Nations World Heritage Site. 

Is this the actual Mount Sinai of Moses fame, the mountain he climbed to receive the Ten Commandments? Who knows. As I've mentioned before, in the Holy Land there seem to be multiple locations for every bibiical story. 

Just the same, visiting Sinai is said to be breathtaking. The monastery is at the base of the mountain but for many the holy experience is climbing to the top in the dark during the wee hours of the morning to greet the sunrise.I thought this would be be a spectacular natural and spiritual event but as a family guy at the time I just couldn't make the trip work, even as an adjunct to another tour I was leading. 

Why has this come to mind for me now? Egypt, the Greek Orthodox Church, and the state of Greece have been squabbling over Egyptian plans to develop the area for tourism. But after tense negotiations, Greece and Egypt have finalized an out-of-court deal that will be signed by the leadership of the monastery and the Egyptian authorities. According to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis the deal "guarantees the character of the monastery in perpetuity. Any conversion of the monastery as well as of the other places of worship is prohibited.”

I sense that the "mountain top" experience on Sinai has already changed considerably in the 35 years since I hoped to go, less of a pilgrimage and more of a social media event. I hope that efforts will be made to ensure that Sinai will remain holy and God-trodden.

Indigenous Artifacts Coming Home from the Vatican

 

Before the late Pope Francis visited several places in Canada in 2023 for a long overdue apology to Indigenous peoples a delegation went to the Vatican to discuss reconciliation. They had an opportunity to see some of the thousands of Indigenous artifacts in the Vatican museum, supposed gifts to popes of the past. They were given limited access to these pieces, many considered sacred to their original communities. Almost immediately and then following the visit by Francis there were calls to repatriate these treasures, most of which languished in store rooms. They are considered family members rather than artifacts in many Indigenous communities. 

                                                   Indigenous Delegation to the Vatican 2022

 During a later visit to the Vatican by then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau there was another request for repatriation. One of the more striking pieces in the collection was a skin kayak which arrived at the Vatican in 1925, perhaps transported on a whaling ship. 

Accorfding to a Globe and Mail article: 

Another high-profile artifact is a 229-centimetre-long wampum belt, which Vatican Museums catalogues say was “donated” to Pope Gregory XVI in 1831. The almost-200-year-old beaded belt, made from shells, is from Kanesatake, Que., and made a brief appearance at a Montreal museum in 2023 before being returned to the Vatican.

We've just heard that the Vatican is going to return many of these pieces, perhaps before the new year, and that for the time being they will be hosted  by the Canadian Museum of History.

Wampum belts were often created as visual representation of the treaties signed between Indigenous groups and the British Crown or. in some instances, the Roman Catholic Church. These treaties have been repeatedly violated by Church and Crown. Canadian governments continue to do so to the present day. The systemic terror of Residential Schools is a prime example of the way Christians betrayed both treaties and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

We can pray that the repatriation of these pieces will revive the conversation about what it means to live up to the treaties and to uphold Indigenous sovereignty which was never relinquished. 

The Glory & Poignancy of Falling Leaves

 

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven:

 a time to be born and a time to die;
a time to plant and a time to pluck up what is planted;
 a time to kill and a time to heal;
a time to break down and a time to build up;
 a time to weep and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn and a time to dance...

                                    Ecclesiastes 3: 1-4 NRSVue

On occasion during my ministry a parent would come to talk with me about a child who was consumed with his or her mortality, and at times inconsolable. I knew this would pass but we would talk and sometimes pray. I had a couple of picture books to share with them about dying including one called The Fall of Freddie the Leaf which, strictly speaking, isn't a children's book. The author, Leo Buscaglia, was very popular at the time as a self-help motivational speaker. I appreciated the book as much for the lovely illustrations which took the reader from bud to falling leaf.

  Bon Echo Provincial Park 

We love the Fall, a poignant time of beautiful colour in our part of Canada. In the past few weeks we've travelled hither and yon and more hither, sometimes taking a canoe, in search of Autumn at its best. Recently we paddled across Mazinaw Lake in Bon Echo Park and climbed the 100-metre cliff for a panoramic view. 

 Yesterday we drove to Lodge Point in Sandbanks Provincial Park before we took part in worship at Trenton United. It was a windy day and we love watching the waves roll in from Lake Ontario. It's also an ideal "swishing" spot for fallen leaves. Kicking our way along the hardwood trail is nostalgic because the sound is evocative of childhood. It is also a form of contemplative prayer and a gentle memento mori  as we are somewhere between the Fall and Winter of our Earthly existence. We are both in pretty good fettle and quite active, praise the Creator, but we know we're gonna die eventually. We've become aware of the failing health of a number of our contemporaries and some are no longer with us.

The author of the book of Ecclesiastes knew of which he wrote. There is a time and season for everything and everyone. 

                                                                       Ruth in her swishing habitat

Our outing yesterday was all we had hoped for. We could hear the thrum of the waves well before we could see them. The wind was wildly tossing the tops of trees and the leaves drifted down in manic splendour. And we went swish, swish, swish. 

                                           Illustration from Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall -- Leo Yerxa

World Food Sunday

 

Creator,

Conspire with us
to create a world where all have access to nutritious and sustainable food sources,
and none live with scarcity or food insecurity.

Redeemer,
Save us from oppressive and unjust systems.
Mobilize us to be a part of a world response
that works in partnership with those of good will
to foster equitable resource sharing.

Sustainer,
Cultivate our resilience and expand our imaginations,
so that we might continually find new ways
to answer the call to end hunger—
until all may flourish.

Amen.

—A prayer for World Food Day by Alydia Smith

I know, wrong year and date for the poster above but the image is evocative. 

This is World Food Sunday in the United Church, always an optional recognition for congregations, an opportunity to consider how we are fed, who feeds us, and how we can support those who don't have food. The Prayer of Jesus phrase "give us this day our daily bread" can never be taken for granted. 

This year the UCC is focussing on the plight of Gazans who are starving in the midst of war. For months desperate people seeking food aid were dying in the jostle of distribution sites. Even though there is now a precarious ceasefire the United Nations is saying that at least 600 transport trucks carrying food need to be allowed into Gaza every day to begin to meet the need. 

We need to keep in mind that the war has meant that Palestinians have been unable to produce crops on what is already limited agricultural land in Gaza and so there is essentially a famine. In the West Bank farmers and orchard owners face harrassment and physical threat. 

While not every congregation chooses to recognize World Food Sunday we can all offer this prayer and ask that food aid reach those who are suffering. 

“Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, 

Source of all that is and that shall be, 

Father and Mother of us all, 
Loving God, in whom is heaven: 

The hallowing of your name echo through the universe! 
The way of your justice be followed by the peoples of the world! 
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings! 
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth. 

With the bread we need for today, feed us. 
In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. 
In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. 
From trials too great to endure, spare us. 
From the grip of all that is evil, free us. 

For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, 
now and forever.    Amen.”

New Zealand Prayer Book Lord's Prayer Paraphrase