Of Mice and Men



We have so many plans... and they all come to nothing.

I was hoping to blog, off and on, this past week on St. Patrick of Ireland, and various St. Patrick things. Along with that I have several green photos to post. Like the one above.

All came to naught.

Then there was the four-leaf clover. I remember in college, my science professor explaining to us: "four leaf clovers are a genetic impossibility". Well, I believed him. Someone said: "yeah, but I've seen one before" to which he replied, "yes, but they don't exist."

Well, anyway, several years ago I found a four leaf clover in my wife's parent's front yard. I kept it... but I didn't keep it very well. I should have pressed it between something and something else, and then mounted it somehow - behind glass would have been nice.

Anyway, yesterday when I was cleaning up my desk, I came across that special four-leaf clover buried under dust. It had been utterly neglected, and actually forgotten. Well, I put it someplace un-dusty while I was cleaning, and told myself: "self, remember it is there, and don't accidentally destroy it." It was very brittle you see.

Well, guess what?



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Yes. Unfortunately tonight I inadvertenly crumbled my four leaf clover while trying to grab something from a tiny shelf in my desk in the dark.

I hope that isn't the end of my good luck. :)

Plus, there is the existential problem of actually inadvertently destroying my rare and exotic four-leaf cover on the very week of St. Patrick's holy day.

But really, from a different perspective: a four-leaf clover is an abomination, since what St. Patrick is actually famous for (although few realize it) is the fact that he used the clover as an example to talk with people in Ireland about the Holy Trinity.

Well, so from that perspective, I should have destroyed this four-leaf abomination the very moment I discovered it.

Of course, that would be utterly silly. A four leaf clover is a rare and special thing, unique in all God's kingdom, and as such, bears testimonly to the uniqueness of our Heavenly Father.

Regards,
Basil

Holy Tradition

My buddy James has posted a most excellent article on "Why we keep on doing the things we do" in the Orthodox Church. Check it out. It's good stuff.

Meanwhile, my thought for the day:


Willow Morning
by Basil

St. Patrick of Ireland

In honor of that great Saint of old, I will be quoting from St. Patrick over the next several days.

The complete text of St. Patrick's confession is located here. There's a different translation here (but how can you trust someone who doesn't put it on a green web page?)

I was struck this morning by how similar the following passage is to the Nicene Creed (at least the first part - the part adopted at the Council of Nicea).


From The Confession of St. Patrick of Ireland

For there is no other God, nor ever was before, nor shall be hereafter, but God the Father, unbegotten and without beginning, in whom all things began, whose are all things, as we have been taught; and his son Jesus Christ, who manifestly always existed with the Father, before the beginning of time in the spirit with the Father, indescribably begotten before all things, and all things visible and invisible were made by him. He was made man, conquered death and was received into Heaven, to the Father who gave him all power over every name in Heaven and on Earth and in Hell, so that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, in whom we believe. And we look to his imminent coming again, the judge of the living and the dead, who will render to each according to his deeds. And he poured out his Holy Spirit on us in abundance, the gift and pledge of immortality, which makes the believers and the obedient into sons of God and co-heirs of Christ who is revealed, and we worship one God in the Trinity of holy name.


Regards,
Basil

Coffee Hour

A visual celebration of our food and fellowship time after Liturgy.

The Pass


A Quiet Corner


~basil

All Photos Copyright (c) 2004 Basil Miller

Photo of the Day
for
March 13, 2004

"Daff"



~basil