What Does that Prayer REALLY Say?? (Morning Edition)

Father John Zuhlsdorf, an American Roman Catholic priest, writes an excellent blog (What Does the Prayer Really Say?) about all sorts of things related to the Church.  It's probably one of the most prominent Catholic blogs out there.  When I first discovered his blog, I would go through and pick out the posts about "juicy" stories, like the conflicts between the American bishops and the LCWR (an organization of primarily liberal and rather un-nun-like nuns,) the "culture wars" in the U.S., ripping apart the silliness of the National Catholic Register (which he calls the "Fishwrap") etc.  These are good (and often entertaining) posts.

A Roman Missal (from Wikipedia)

Yet more recently, I've been taking a closer look at some of his other posts.  I started off by following his recommendation and listening to some excellent recordings of Gregorian chant (the Divine Office recorded every day - Latin text with English translation facing is provided); then started carefully reading some of his posts about certain prayers said during Mass (mostly the Collects, see "WDTPRS 21st Ordinary Sunday: the smoke of Satan v. invisible love," for example) and then his commentaries on some of the Saints (see "Beheading of John the Baptist," for example.)  I realized that there is a rich source of information in these which brings out the beauty of the prayers and the stories of the Saints.  (For any lovers of Latin or grammar, they also include grammatical and lexical analyses of the Latin texts.) He has many similar commentaries on other Catholic topics.

From what I gather from the name of the blog, this was the original  purpose; up until very recently, the English translations of the Latin prayers were grossly oversimplified often to the extent of loosing much of the meaning.  He would make his own faithful translation of the Latin, comment on the meaning, and compare it to the emptiness of the English translation then in use.

Then in 2011, something important happened; the world's English speaking bishops (together with the Vatican) created and approved a new translation which was much more faithful to the original.  Comparing these new translations to his "slavishly accurate liturgical translations" there is often very little difference.

When this happened, I remember one commentator asked, "What are going to call your blog now that they fixed the translations?"

Yet, Fr. Z (as he calls himself) continues to have the same name for his blog, and continues to post his analyses and comparisons of the prayers.  Why?  I can't answer for him, but I suspect that it's at least partly for this reason:

Even though the translations are fixed, there are MANY, MANY people who may listen to the words in Mass and give them little thought (this is often my case, I have to admit).  Even when we do pay attention, there are intricacies and depth in the words and phrases that are not immediately grasped.  The first time I carefully read one of his commentaries on a Collect prayer, its meaning had an entirely new depth in Mass that Sunday, it's beauty and truth stood out that much more profoundly.

Coming from a fairly intense Evangelical-style Protestant background, I am constantly reminded by those around me to avoid "vain repetitions."  When repeated or prescribed prayers are understood in the way they are by Fr. Z, they are anything but vain, and hold true beauty and depth.  If anyone is battling the tendency to simply repeat or read out a prayer without giving thought to the meaning, it Fr. Z in his commentaries.

So, even though the translations are fixed, we still need to know What the Prayer Really Says.  Fr. Z's title and original purpose is as relevant as ever.

If you are Catholic, I suggest that you before you go to Mass on Sundays (perhaps sometime during Saturday) look through his posts for the last week for his commentary on the Collect (I'm not sure if he always does one.)  Whether you are Catholic or not, take a look at one of his commentaries on the Saints and read through them carefully and slowly.  They're worth it.

A New Title, a New Look for LIVING IN MEXICO

Like returning to a home you haven't been to before ...

Exactly one year ago, I wrote a post about some changes in this blog (A New Direction.)  I had tried writing a blog about religion, and it didn't work. I was no longer only a Canadian living in Mexico, but also a Mexican living in Canada. (Last year was the beginning of an experiment of living in Canada for the summers and Mexico for the winters.)  Also, the blog had gone beyond its original scope of being only about my discoveries while living in Mexico as an expat. It was also about family, neighbors, our experience returning to Canada and rediscovering the Mennonite community as well.  After cancelling my blog about joining the Catholic Church, it also grew to include not only my observations on Mexican religion, but also my own personal experience with religion both in Mexico and Canada.

I considered many other titles, and after thinking I would just keep "Living in Mexico" for quite some time, finally exactly one year later I found the title returning to my favorite book from childhood and teenaged years.  The idea of the title and subtitle isn't a perfect match for the blog, but much better reflects the broad range of adventures and discoveries I like to write about.

The visual theme is also changed, from the former simple green and white to the map theme; ideal for the idea of journeys and discoveries.

No More Facebook (for now ...)

I've made a decision to cancel my Facebook account for a while.  I've been told that even if you deactivate, the minute you try to sign in again, it just reactivates everything the way it was before.  So, to make it a little harder for me to "get back into it," I'm also going to de-connect all of my friends; at least I'll have to start from 0 when I come back in.

(If you are a Facebook Friend, don't take it personally when I "cancel" our Facebook connection - I'm doing it to everyone.)

It's almost certain that this won't be permanent, but I do want it to be long enough to get myself out of the habit and un-addicted.

This evening, as I was viewing Facebook, I smelled the smoke of a backyard campfire coming in through an open window.  Why wasn't I at a campfire? Facebook.

I have about 1000 things to do that would be better ways of spending time than Facebook.  Some are big things, like family or religion.  Others are little things, like this blog.  I want to replace some of my screen-connections with real face-to-face connections.  When I am online, I want it to be something more productive.

There are things I hate about Facebook, like the adictive-ness, and the compulsion I've started feeling that sharing something on this public bulletin board actually makes some difference in reality. Sorry to say so, but I can't stand those ridiculous pictures people put up with the one-liner commentaries on life, politics, religion, or cats. And of course, those discussions we let ourselves get into are just so silly.  By far the worst, is the time I waste.

There are good things I like about it too.  I love seeing pictures of nieces and nephews or my friends.  It's nice to find out soon when something wonderful happens, easily offer some consolation to someone going through a hard time or simply be up-to-date with where people are and what they're doing. People have also shared many great articles on Facebook.  It's been a good way to re-connect with people I may not have otherwise found again. When I do get back onto Facebook sometime in the future, I look forward to enjoying these items again.

These are the things I first started using Facebook for. I started using it more, on a daily basis, to publicize this blog.  Ironically, it started eating away at my blogging time, little by little; now I'm on FB several times a day, but I write a blog post less than once a month.  Maybe I can start posting again regularly without FB.

Let's see if this little experiment works.

Mexican Mole Sauce, Nuns, Archbishops and Holy Grail

Next to Mescal, I would say mole ("mole-lay") is Mexico's best kept food/drink secret.  But the word is spreading.  Mole is now sold in my local supermarket here in Canada.  Here's a nice post from Mexico Today, all about mole and religion (or, at least why some people get so religious about mole!):

Mole: The Delicious Quest

I love mole. I think it’s heavenly. In fact my plan was to use the title, “Holy Mole,” for this story, but Chef Rick Bayless, the renown American chef of Mexican cuisine, beat me to it. I suspect he feels the same way I do about mole. It’s an appropriate title for a number of reasons, but before I get into that I should probably start with first things first.

One of the great mysteries of the world is why a dish so common and beloved in Mexico should be so little known in the United States.  By any measurement Mexican food is a smashing success in the U.S. Ask any American about tacos, enchiladas, tostadas and he can tell you about them.  But mole’s fate up to now has been less certain.

What is Mole? (Moe Lay)

Part of the reason mole hasn’t made the same impact in the US as other Mexican foods is it’s a little hard to define, although you certainly know it when you see it.  It always includes chiles. Most folks, though not all, agree it’s a sauce. I’ve never been served a bowl of mole by itself, it always enhances something. Many exotic locales in Mexico claim its origin and mole can be vastly different, especially from region to region. In fact mole isn’t just one thing, there are many moles.

The most famous moles come from Puebla and Oaxaca.  In Puebla, mole poblano, as it is known, is a rich, dark, spicy, sweet, sour, nutty, and savory sauce that can be made from upwards of 30 ingredients like onions, tomatoes, and chiles, but also raisins, almonds, fennel seeds, tortillas, and chocolate to name a few.  Traditionally it is served with turkey, but commonly it’s served over chicken or even vegetables.  Certain mole types are served with fish.  In Oaxaca, at least six distinct types of mole are identified mostly by their colors-such as colorado or red and verde or green-which reflect differences in ingredients.

Another likely reason moles are rarer in the US is they are difficult to make and even more to perfect.  Just the number of ingredients makes mole a labor of love. But in addition, getting the ingredients right isn’t enough, the proper roasting, frying, straining, simmering, and cooking of the ingredients is critical to a successful mole, so just adding them all to the pot won’t work.

I suspect another reason moles have been slow to spread in the States is it may have been difficult, until very recently, to simply find each and every ingredient folks needed to make mole the way their mamas did back home.

So Why Holy Mole?

Well, first it’s just so divinely yummy, and the best moles give the same type of pleasure the complexity of well-aged wines do!  Then there’s the legend.  Growing up in Mexico, popular legend had it that the poor nuns at the Convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla prayed for help in providing a meal to the visiting archbishop. After praying about it they basically threw everything at the problem, save for the kitchen sink-spices, fruit, nuts, chiles, vegetables, chocolate- and it was a hit.

Lastly, and more to the point, the best moles, with their complexity, depth, richness, and exotic, roasted flavors are just heavenly, which means searching far and wide throughout Mexico for my favorite is like the quest for the Holy Grail. It’s all about the delicious journey.

¡Buen Provecho!

If you would like to see or even test your culinary chops on a yummy, traditional mole recipe from Puebla, here’s a link to a post by one of my Mexico Today colleagues, Brad Johnson, who shares his favourite mole recipe from a restaurant in Puebla.

Most importantly, here are some mole festivals; if you happen to be in any of these areas, do go and explore the wonderful world of mole:

And here are a few leads in your quest for Mole, both in the US and Mexico:

• In Puebla, The International Mole Festival is aimed at foodies, tourists, cooking professionals, and students from the more than 20 culinary schools in Puebla. English and Spanish simultaneous translation will be available. Look for it near May 5th each year.
• In San Pedro Atocpan, the National Mole Festival (Feria Nacional del Mole) in October, from the community where reportedly 60% of the mole consumed in Mexico is now made.
• In Los Angeles, CA, La Feria de los Moles (The Festival of Moles) takes place on Olvera Street and continues growing each year.  This year is the 5th annual event and takes place on October 7th, 2012.  Check out www.feriadelosmoles.com for more details.
• In Querétaro, the Feria del Mole y Tortilla (The Mole and Tortilla Festival) occurs in July.
• In Coatepec de Morelos, Zitácuaro, Michoacán, Feria de Mole (Mole Festival) in April.
• In Chicago, the 4th annual mole cook-off and street festival entitled Mole de Mayo took place on May 26th-27th and takes place in May each year.

 (Thanks to the Mexico Report for the link!)

"He was never really my friend ..."

When a friend turns against us, abandons us or fails us in a most serious way, our most common reaction (in my experience) is to explain the action as the former friend's true nature; "I guess I never knew what he was really like. Now I know what kind of a person he was all along, and he sure wasn't my friend."

We assume that the worst of what the friend demonstrates is his "true nature;" we were fooled and deceived, and now this act of treachery sheds light on reality.

Yet, why is it that we choose to assume that the worst in a person is that person's true nature? Why can't we assume that in the past, that person had true friendship with us?

Consider an (imaginary) strong man who roamed the wilderness, killing wild animals with his bare hands for his food, not only surviving but thriving in all kinds of weather.  One day, the land where he lives is invaded by people who attack him and try to drive him away.  As a fearless and ruthless warrior he fights off one attack after another, until finally his invaders begin to prevent him from getting food and tire him in endless harassment. Finally, tired and weakened he succumbs in battle and is killed.

No one would doubt that this man was at one time physically very strong.  Yet that changed. (Don't take this story as an "allegory" for friendship, it is only demonstrating one isolated point.)

Few (if any of us) are as strong in friendship and in love as my imaginary warrior was in hunting in battle; even if a friend succumbs after the second or even first turbulence hits a friendship, that doesn't mean he never truly cared for us.

The same is true of religion; when someone abandons or renounces the religion we adhere to, our first reaction is often to assume that the person never truly believed it in the first place.  That person was fooling others, and possibly themselves - true belief never existed.  But who's to say that they didn't believe it authentically in their heart at one time?  The onslaughts of life can shake even the firmest of human strength.

In friendship, relationships, religion, family roles, etc. we all have the free will to do right and wrong, and to react to others in a right or wrong way.  This means that even the strongest of love and the strongest of faith can fail - especially if we are so proud to think that we have some special strength so that we could never unjustly turn on a friend or abandon our faith.

Deceptions and revelations of people's "true nature" do happen; but I think at times we are too willing to write off the battles, the victories and the defeats of life to an oversimplified explanation, rather than to allow them to be simply what they are.

A Different (and Wonderful) Kind of Gift for Families with Newborns!

For parents of newborns a meal they don't have to cook is a great help!

3 weeks ago, my twins were born!  Since then, we've had many visits from family, friends and neighbours.  Besides the pleasure of seeing people and the joy on their faces when they held our babies, almost everyone also brought gifts. We are very thankful for all the gifts and - most importantly - the love and support so many people have shown us!

Yet, there's something different that happened this time.  Anglo Canadians, like Mexicans, bring gifts of clothes, toys, bottles, diapers, soothers, etc.  All very helpful and useful items, and all received with gratitude! However, something new for both me and my wife was the kind of gift that the our Old-Colony Mennonite (also known as Mexican Mennonites or Low-German Mennonites) friends, neighbours and relatives have been bringing us; they bring meals! (Sometimes in addition to the other kind of gifts.)

The first (Mennonite) family that visited us - some new friends who we've been getting to know this summer - called us one day shortly after the twins were born and asked if they could bring supper over around 5 pm.  All of us being over tired and not in the mood for cooking, we were delighted with the idea.  My mother-in-law (who has flown in from Mexico City, just to help out) and I hurried around to see if we could find enough dishes for the guests.  When they arrived, they passed dinner to us, and we asked them to come in.

"No, it's OK," they answered, "we just wanted to bring supper.  We'll be on our way and come to see the babies in a couple of days when you aren't so tired."

(They did come back in a couple of days, and we weren't so tired.)

At first we thought it was just a one-time idea that a friend had thought of; but as the weeks went on and neighbours we hardly know started bringing us dinner, we realized that this must be some sort of custom; we have no idea if all Old Colony Mennonites follow this custom or if it's just a local thing.  In any case, it really is a great idea.

(As a complete side note, I noticed that the meals all included [delicious] home-made chicken noodle soup; in Mexico, people believe that eating chicken soup is good for the mother of newborns.  Perhaps these people - most of whom spent most of their lives in Mexico - believe the same thing?  It was delicious - I hadn't had this kind of soup in a long time. The rest of the meal varied greatly, from Mexican-style stuffed peppers to fried chicken.  All very tasty!)

Over the next few weeks (in fact, right up to today) we've had neighbours bring us supper about 3 or 4 times a week.  It's incredible how much this has helped us.


Next time someone who lives nearby has a baby, we're going offer to cook a meal or two for them ... and "Thank You" to all of our friends, family and neighbours who cooked for us!