underground thoughts

eli eli lema sabachthani!

The Pulley
by George Herbert

When God at first made man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) pour on him all we can;
Let the world’s riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.

So strength first made a way;
Then beauty flowed, then wisdom, honor, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
Rest in the bottom lay.

For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts instead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature;
So both should losers be.

Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlessness:
Let him be rich and weary, that at least,
If goodness lead him not, yet weariness
May toss him to my breast.

also

my mother is a beautiful woman.

useful saints: Joseph of Cupertino

I've decided to compile a list of useful saints, that is, patron saints of everyday things, saints whose particular intercession normal people need frequently. The term "useful" isn't mine -- it came from a friend when I asked him about a patron saint of awkward social situations. "I do not know the patron saint of the socially awkward," he told me. "Such a saint's intercession would be extremely useful, much like St. Anthony's." I think this merits, at the very least, a list. And so we begin.

St. Joseph of Cupertino, patron of test-takers
Patron Saints Index bio
EWTN bio

St. Joseph of Cupertino had a horrible time trying to learn to read and they almost didn't let him join the Franciscans. The only thing he could really remember was one line from Luke, on which he could talk rather eloquently: "Beatus venter qui te portavit." He had to pass a test in front of the bishop and, in the sort of coincidence that is clearly the grace of God, the bishop asked him to talk about that line from Luke.

After St. Joseph was ordained, he had to undergo another exam. One by one, down the line of priests, the bishop asked quesions and one by one, the priests gave fantastic answers. The bishop was so pleased that he decided to cut the exam short and several priests -- including our good friend St. Joseph -- didn't even have to answer.

He seems to be patron of general academic luck, and it honestly, that's exactly what we need sometimes.

Prayer to St. Joseph of Cupertino (linked from patron saints index)

O Great St. Joseph of Cupertino, who while on earth did obtain from God the grace to be asked at your examination only the questions you knew, obtain for me a like favor in the examinations for which I am now preparing. In return I promise to make you known and cause you to be invoked. Through Christ our Lord. Amen. St. Joseph of Cupertino, Pray for us.

smile

this one's for you, roommate

My brain hurts. I think it's going to ferment and drool out of my ears. As soon as I pick up my Latin, my brain says "no!" I can't even look at the page without my brain throwing fits. It's like a two-year-old throwing a tantrum. "I don't want to do Latin," it whines at me. "Well, brain," I say, "I'm sorry, but sometimes you just gotta do stuff you don't want to do." It writhes some more and screams at me: "No!" I wish it would drool out of my ears. That way at least it could flail around freely on the floor instead of in my head, flapping and smacking against my skull. "You haven't even read one sentence yet," I tell it, but my voice is like a lance in the side of an angry bull. "I have too been reading!" my brain whines. "I read all afternoon Saturday. I read all afternoon Sunday. And you made me get up early today and I read this morning, too. And you hardly gave me a break before going to class and taking that quiz. And you forced me to pay attention the entire time." It's been several hours since class and I haven't done any Latin since, but I've tried. I can't look at the text without my brain wilting into a pile of its own waste. "Come on, brain, let's get back to work. If you focus now, I'll let you sleep longer tonight," I say. It jerks away and smashes against the inside of my skull. "No!"

But by the grace of God I will win this war! Else I think I will make a horrible mother...

chicken soup with rice

I love feeding people.

Now I need to be Mary.