The Black Madonna

I was watching an episode of Star Trek: Voyager tonight when Jeri Ryan’s character offered up a serviceable definition of “romantic love”:

An attraction based on sexual desire – one that facilitates procreation.

Since this was a point of debate over at Steve Gershom, I wanted to note it for reference, but I don’t want to restart the conversation in that thread – so here will have to do.

What I find funny in this is how it conforms to magisterial teaching. It implies the unitive facet of sex, and states the procreative aspect outright. And in a way simple enough that even a Borg can explain it. God bless the missionaries who will inevitably preach the Word in the Delta Quadrant in the 24th century!

“And it came to pass that in those days there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This enrolling was first made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria. And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city.
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem: because he was of the house and family of David. To be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child.
“And it came to pass that when they were there, her days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger: because there was no room for them in the inn.
“And there were in the same country shepherds watching and keeping the night watches over their flock. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by them and the brightness of God shone round about them: and they feared with a great fear.
“And the angel said to them: Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people: For, this day is born to you a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger.
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest: and on earth peace to men of good will.’
“And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: ‘Let us go over to Bethlehem and let us see this word that has come to pass, which the Lord has showed to us.’
“And they came with haste: and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child. And all that heard wondered, and at those things that were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

I was reading an article from the front page of New Advent the other day…

Okay, first an aside. New Advent is annoying. It’s the Drudge Report for Catholics: nothing but an almost-bare page of links, and unless you’re familiar with the name of every writer and website they might link to, you have no idea what’s going to come out the other side. Sometimes, it will be orthodox, uplifting, and informative. Other times, you wish you’d stayed in bed. I feel like I get more of the latter than the former, but that may just be because I let the latter get my goat.
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Three weeks and counting.  Now I know how the TLM crowd felt just before Summorum Pontificum.

Though maybe not so much – they didn’t know for sure it was coming at all, nevermind when.

I feel like we’re standing at the shore and a new ship is ready to sail us off to parts unknown, a glorious adventure.

Tripped across this somewhere today. I dearly love Francis Cardinal Arinze – courageous, blunt, orthodox. (Not necessarily in that order.) And through it all, filled with joy and love.

As a political conservative, I’ve recognized the intelligence and wit in South Park for a long time. But I had to learn about the libertarian background of the creators of the show to really understand its political and social commentary. Long before that happened, I was disgusted by its vulgar references to religion and its offensive language and crude attempts at humor. There are times – such as the excellent and relatively tame spoof of World of Warcraft – when I overlook its history, but I’ve never exactly recommended it.

(Full disclosure: I seem to have been partially healed of my leprosy – I now agree more with Mr. Giovino than Fr. Martin.)

That won’t change now, as some people have decided that Lent would be a great time to make fun of religion in angelic terms.

As we begin a new version of the blog and a new season of Lent, let us bring our problems, our hopes, and our service to our patroness:

Our Lady of Częstochowa, pray for us.