The Blog of Bee

Sunday, December 4, 2011

St Barbara

Today is the Feast of St Barbara although she was removed from the liturgical calendar of the Roman rite in 1969 by Pope Paul VI because there is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings. I grew up knowing that the 4 December is my 'Name Day' and it was always celebrated. This was down to the Austrian side of my heritage because in Europe, 'name days' are seen as being important.

There is a great deal written about St Barbara and she continues to be a popular saint in modern times. She is known to be the patron saint of artillerymen, military engineers, miners and others who work with explosives because of her legendary association with lightning and mathematicians.   Our association stops with mathematics as that was my worst subject and she did not help me in that area at all! It has also been said that she is the patron saints of masons.

Barbara was the daughter of a rich pagan named Dioscorus who kept her shut up in a tower in order to preserve her form the outside world. Unknown to her father, she had become a Christian and rejected the man that her father proposed be her husband. Legend has it that her father before leaving on a long journey had a bath house built for her. During her father's absence Barbara had three windows installed as a symbol of the Holy Trinity although only two were intended.

Upon her father's return she revealed to him that she was a Christian at which he pulled his sword to kill her. Miraculously through her prayers the tower wall opened and she was transported to a mountain gorge where two shepherds watched their flocks. Dioscorus pursuing his daughter was rebuffed by the first shepherd. The second betrayed her after which he was turned to stone and his flock, to locusts. Taken by her father before the prefect of the province, Martinianus, Barbara was cruelly tortured but she held onto her faith. During the night the dark prison was bathed in light and new miracles occurred, Every morning her wounds had healed. Torches that were lit to burn her immediately went when they were put near her and finally she was condemned to death by beheading. Her father carried out the evil deed but there was punishment for him. On his way home having beheaded his daughter, he was struck be lightning and consumed by fire was burned to death.   Barbara was buried by a Christian, Valentinus and her tomb became the site of miracles.

In the 12th century Barbara's relics were taken from Constantinople to the St Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery in Kiev where they were kept until the 1930s. They were then transferred to st Vladinimir's Cathedral also in Kiev.

Orthodox Christians including Anglicans have never ceased to venerate St Barbara although I think it's a little sad that she was removed from the 'official list'.

Artillery regiments throughout the world celebrate their patron saint on this day. The US Artillery Associations both army and air defence maintain the Order of St Barbara and in the mining town of Kalgoorlie in Australia, she is venerated in the annual St Barbara's Day Parade. St Barbara's Day is also celebrated throughout Latin America.

I don't look much look like her, do I??

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Secrets

Mag 93

Photo: Christine Donnier-Valentin

Courtesy of Tess Kinkaid, Magpie Tales

Soft cushions

To fall into

Sturdy arms

To throw legs over

Move the cushions

Find lost treasures

Hidden

Deep in the folds

Of worn out fabric

And

Tattered stuffing

Lovers coupled

In warm embrace

Children cuddling

Love worn teddies

Move the cushions

Find the secrets

Hidden

Deep in the folds

Of memories

If only

Walls could talk

Barbara M Lake ©
Trinidad WI
December 2011

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Christmas Cake Recipe

Some of you have asked that I share my 'fast and easy' Christmas Cake recipe again. So for those who like me, have left it until the last moment, here it is.

Enjoy!

Brandy Christmas Cake (some may prefer rum)

1 cup water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
Lemon juice
4 large eggs
Nuts
1 bottle Courvoisier VSOP Brandy
2 cups dried fruit

Sample the brandy to check quality. (I already sampled it.....several times to check the quality)

Take a large bowl, check the brandy again. To be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.

Repeat.

Turn on the electric mixer.

Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.

At this point its best to make sure the brandy is still OK. Try another cup...just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy.

Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Pick the fruit up off the floor.

Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the brandy to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something.

Check the brandy.

Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table.

Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.

Don't forget to beat off the turner.

Finally, throw the bowl through the window.

Finish the brandy and wipe counter with the cat

CHERRY MISTMAS!

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Advent and the New Roman Missal

Today is the First Sunday of Advent in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican calendars. Advent is the beginning of the Church Year for most churches in the Western tradition. It begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day, which is the Sunday nearest November 30 (the Feast of St Andrew the Apostle) and ends on Christmas Eve, 24 December. If Christmas Eve is a Sunday, it is counted as the fourth Sunday of Advent.

The word 'advent' is Latin for 'a coming or arrival' so Christians look on Advent as a season of preparation. It is a time to get ready for the birth of Jesus Christ.

Practicing Christians do special things to mark the holy purposes of the Advent season and many churches have weekly services with a lot of praise, joy and song.During the Advent season many families start making their own creche or manger scene. It has been said that St Francis of Assisi popularized the creche.

The Advent wreath is part of the long-standing tradition but the actual origins are uncertain. There is evidence of pre-Christian Germanic peoples using wreathes with lit candles during the cold and dark December days as a sign of hope in the future warm and extended-sunlight days of Spring. In Scandinavia during Winter, lighted candles were placed around a wheel, and prayers were offered to the god of light to turn “the wheel of the earth” back toward the sun to lengthen the days and restore warmth.

The symbolism of the Advent wreath is beautiful. The wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life. The laurel signifies victory over persecution and suffering; pine, holly, and yew, immortality; and cedar, strength and healing. Holly also has a special Christian symbolism: The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns, and one English legend tells of how the cross was made of holly. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found in Christ. Any pine cones, nuts, or seedpods used to decorate the wreath also symbolize life and resurrection. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who entered our world becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death through His own passion, death, and resurrection ( Thanks to Fr William Saunders - The History of the Advent Wreath - Arlington Catholic Herald).

The four candles that decorate the wreath represent the four weeks of Advent. Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken during this season and the rose candle is lit on the third Sunday marking the the midpoint of Advent. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world.

The light signifies Christ, the Light of the world. Some modern day adaptions include a white candle placed in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve. Another tradition is to replace the three purple and one rose candles with four white candles which will be lit throughout Christmas season.

Since Advent is a time to stir-up our faith in the Lord, the wreath and its prayers provide Christians with a way to augment the special preparation for Christmas. The tradition helps us to remain vigilant in our homes and not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.

For those of you celebrating this wonderful time of 'waiting' I wish you a joyful Advent season.

Sunday 27 November 2011 marks a huge step in the Roman Catholic Church with the advent of the New Missal. Not all Catholics are happy with this as they see it as a retrograde step and going against Vatican II. From today Catholic clergy, religious and laity will have no choice other than to use the translation of the Roman Missal for Mass. Many Catholics around the world have been questioning the merits of the New Translation, some saying it is 'clumsy' whilst others are welcoming the new word-for-word translation. The new Missal is not changing anything except the words we have used for the last forty years. There is new formality. The Mass will not look different but will sound different. In the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, there have been training sessions for Mass celebrants and seminars for the laity. Missal cards will be used by congregations until such time that people have familiarized themselves with the New Translation. The thinking behind the new translation in the Third Roman Missal is that there will be a new appreciation for a sacrament that is the summit of a Catholic's experience. There will also be a change in some of the music

This actually takes me back to a time when I had to get used to the Mass, post Vatican II being celebrated in English as I was brought up on the Latin Mass. Personally I see it as a retrograde step but I'm sure that many traditionalists are delighted that the Church has seen fit to return to the formality that once was.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Happy Weekend

With one thing and another it's been a pretty stressful week. Seems to be the norm at the moment.

So whilst I get myself together to write a blog on what's happening in this part of the world - State of Emergency continuing, alleged plot to assassinate the Prime Minister and three members of her Cabinet, bad weather with floods and mud slides in abundance, people losing their homes in the landslides and a general feeling of unease in this country, I wish anyone who pops in, a peaceful weekend.