Thursday, October 7, 2010

Chartreuse, and Other Sacramentals...

So, yesterday was the Feast of St. Bruno, founder of the Carthusians. If you're more cinematically inclined than me, you'll probably know them best from that movie Into Great Silence. However, more importantly, they're known for making the liqueur Chartreuse. Despite 2 attempts to evict them from their motherhouse by ever-tolerant secular governmnets, and countless attempts to copy their secret recipe of 7 herbs and spices...I mean, 130 herbs, the Monks (and their product) remain a potent force in the Church. Please read more about it here...

Additionally, today is the Commemoration of the Victory at Lepanto, one of the largest naval battles in European (or world) history. Pitting the Holy League (not a Bowling club - that's the Holy Roman Empire, Venice, Genoa, and the Papacy...with some extras) against the Ottoman Turks, the battle was one that checked the progress of the Ottomans through Europe for decades. It was certainly a decisive moment in Church history, especially since the Pope (who, being a Saint, ought to know) credited the victory to Mary's intercession through the Holy Rosary. Now, prayer is mostly important not because it gets God to change His mind and get us what we want, but because it helps us to change our minds to conform to what He wants (through His grace). And yet, there have been times when God has chosen to vindicate the power of prayer through external signs, much like this one. God is capable of working signs and wonders, but (thankfully) He is not content at that. He will not rest until we rest in Him (Possibly over a bottle of Chartreuse, but no promises--I haven't seen any Cocktail menu from the Pearly Gates).

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