NEW YEAR'S GREETINGS from The Thinking Housewife. May you have great hope and confidence in God during the year ahead. I will keep all the readers of this site in my daily prayers this year --- and every year. THANK YOU very much to those who have given to support this blog. This is a lovely carol based on the poem by Christina Rossetti -- and it's not bleak at all. IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER ----- By Christina Rossetti In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago. Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign. In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day, Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay; Enough for Him, whom angels fall before, The ox and ass and camel which adore. Angels and archangels may have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; But His mother only, in her maiden bliss, Worshipped the beloved with a kiss. What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Yet what I can I…

START your new year right by meditating upon the possibility that this will be your last year --- and that it won't end well. Unpleasant thought, for sure, but it could be just the thing you need. It is fearful to think upon the union of God's power, wisdom, and justice in producing this world of punishment, this wonderful, mysterious, and terrific part of creation, which is in its desolate mysteries as much beyond our conception as the joys of heaven are in their resplendency. Nevertheless we will leave the Great Evil, the loss of God, out of view, and all the horrible details of the cruelties of physical torture. Bating all these things, what sort of a life will the life in hell be, after the resurrection? It will be a life where every act is the most hateful and abominable wickedness. Read Frederick William Faber's essay "Heaven and Hell" in his book Spiritual Conferences.  

THERE'S lots of free content on the Internet. This site is essentially free too, but you can help keep it online by donating. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you very much to those who have given.

  IN THIS famous interview, Norman Dodd  explains the role of American tax-exempt foundations in preparing the United States to be merged with Communist Russia and create a world government.  

IS the Kremlin fomenting race war in the United States? Could the U.S. become as divided as the Middle East? With people like Rachel Maddow yelling "Russia, Russia, Russia," American patriots are misdirected and led to believe there is no substance to accusations of Russian subversion. Watch this interesting exposé of figures on the right and left.

CHRISTMAS II ---- George Herbert The shepherds sing; and shall I silent be? My God, no hymn for Thee? My soul's a shepherd too; a flock it feeds Of thoughts, and words, and deeds. The pasture is Thy word: the streams, Thy grace Enriching all the place. Shepherd and flock shall sing, and all my powers Out-sing the daylight hours. Then will we chide the sun for letting night Take up his place and right: We sing one common Lord; wherefore he should Himself the candle hold. I will go searching, till I find a sun Shall stay, till we have done; A willing shiner, that shall shine as gladly, As frost-nipped suns look sadly. Then will we sing, and shine all our own day, And one another pay: His beams shall cheer my breast, and both so twine, Till ev'n His beams sing, and my music shine.  

TWICE so far during this Christmas season, Jewish friends have come to our house to share in the happiness of the season, as they have come in past years. I cooked and cleaned in advance, and extended to them all the warm hospitality I consider normal and obligatory at this time of year and whenever they come to visit.

My friends apparently have not gotten the message from the Anti-Defamation League that people like me are to be shunned and treated like criminals. Or maybe they have gotten the message, but they ignore it. I don’t know. I only know that we like each other too much for such things to get in the way. “I will never forget what you did for me,” one of our friends said to me on a previous occasion. What did I do? Nothing really. Her husband lost his job through no fault of his own and I commiserated with her. I did not tire of showing her concern during her depression. And she has never forgotten and has always been warm and kind toward me. She knows about this blog but doesn’t seem to care. Another Jewish friend hugged me on December 23rd, and thanked me in a very heartfelt way for caring for his sick wife, apparently oblivious that I am an “anti-Semite” he should despise.

We cannot share the deepest and most important things in life, at least not yet, but we can share the adventures, hardships and absurdities of everyday living. Many Jews have a finely-tuned sense of humor when it comes to the latter, probably as a result of being outsiders for centuries. We laugh a lot, and part in friendship. But then our friends are not the sort of people for whom politics are a burning religion, so we can truly talk about other things.

I bring this up to make an important point.

I believe it is a moral imperative to criticize the Jewish persecution narrative and Jewish control over society today.  At the same time, I believe it is a moral imperative to show kindness and warmth to Jews — not some kind of calculated or patronizing acceptance, but a natural good will that comes automatically. (more…)

  "AT THAT TIME: Joseph, and Mary his mother, were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him. And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold, this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted: and thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed. And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asar; she was far advanced in years, and had lived with her husband seven years from her virginity. And she was a widow until fourscore and four years; who departed not from the temple, by fastings and prayers serving day and night. Now she at the same hour coming in, confessed to the Lord; and spoke of him to all that looked for the redemption of Israel. And after they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee to their city Nazareth; and the child grew and waxed strong, full of wisdom, and the grace of God was in him." (Luke ii. 33 - 40)  

THE other day I saw an interesting and bizarre outfit. A girl who was about 19 was wearing her short winter jacket so that it fell dramatically off one shoulder. It was similar to this except the jacket was a little higher on the arm and she was wearing hardly anything underneath so that her entire shoulder, down to the elbow and including the upper chest and back, was bare. And it was cold outside. This look is a fashion, but it was the first time I had ever seen it. The girl was with her parents, who apparently were totally indifferent to the sin of immodesty and how it would affect their daughter. In that, they were no different from most American parents. Clothes are a curtain. They protect privacy. At their best (when they truly cover), they elevate personality by distracting from the body. This girl might have many good things in life but there is one thing I believe she will find hard to get. And that is, intimacy. Nakedness empties people. Intimacy is the sharing of depths. Animals are naked and they mate without intimacy. They have nothing to share, nothing hidden. Many men are not attracted to the immodest clothes women wear today. They make women less mysterious, less intriguing, less beautiful, less of a treasure to seek, less of a prize. But men will never say so. When women bare their bodies in public,…

  He who climbs never stops going from beginning to beginning, through beginnings that have no end. He never stops desiring what he already knows. –--   St. Gregory of Nissa  

THE EFFORT to turn Christmas into a celebration of universal peace and brotherhood has been underway for many years. This is the principal, and most successful, attack on Christmas in popular culture. It’s an enchanting concept. For who doesn’t want peace? Christmas as  a celebration of material well-being and Marxist justice is related to this Christmas as Peace Fest. See “Pope” Francis’s Christmas message.

The alluring and utopian concept of “peace on earth” is not, however, consistent with the real Christmas. When the angels appeared to the shepherds, as recounted in the Gospel of Luke, they did not herald an era of non-conflict.

And the angel said to them: Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy that shall be to all the people… (Luke, 2:10)

The good tidings are universal. They are meant for all, without exception. But what do the angels say of peace?

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying:

Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will. (Luke, 2:14-15)

Here we see the angels praying to God for peace, not predicting universal peace, and petitioning for peace among men of good will, not for everybody.

The Christmas story also involves the gruesome slaughter of babies, hardly a peaceful event. For when King Herod finds out that a child of royal lineage is born in Bethlehem, he is filled with jealousy and orders the death of all male children under two years old, as recounted in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 2. The famous English carol, The Coventry Carol, is an imagined lullaby sung by the mothers of the doomed children.

So here we find in the Nativity narrative, mothers mourning their murdered children! It is indescribably sad and painful. Darkness and conflict are inherent in the Christmas story, as G.K. Chesterton noted in his greatest book, The Everlasting Man: (more…)

  I SINCERELY WISH all readers of this site a joyous Christmas. May you and your families be filled with confidence and hope today. May the astonishing and beautiful mysteries of the Incarnation, of God born as a helpless child, deepen and grow in splendor for you. "Fear not. for behold, I bring you good tidings of exceeding great joy, that shall be to all people." Fear not, for God is truly with you. 'On this the Day which the Lord hath made darkness decreases, light increases, and Night is driven back again. No, brethren, it is not by chance, nor by any created will, that this natural change begins on the day when he shows himself in the brightness of his coming, which is the spiritual Life of the world. It is Nature revealing, under this symbol, a secret to them whose eye is quick enough to see it; to them, I mean, who are able to appreciate this circumstance of our Saviour’s coming. Nature seems to me to say: Know, O Man! that under the things which I show thee Mysteries lie concealed. Hast thou not seen the night, that had grown so long, suddenly checked? Learn hence, that the black night of Sin, which had reached its height by the accumulation of every guilty device, is this day stopped in its course. Yes, from this day forward its duration shall be shortened, until at length there shall be naught…

  YOU CAN help this small, independent blog stay online by donating. Your support, however small, is vital. Details are here. Thank you to those who have given. May God reward you for your kindness and generosity. I hope you enjoy this gentle medieval carol, Angelus ad Virginem, performed here by the Sixteen. The most terrible of all the enemies of Satan is a woman whose humility is unbearable to him. We have no cause to despair at the condition of our world. We have her to bring us closer to sublime reality and help us bear difficult truths. The angel came to the Virgin, entering secretly into her room; calming the Virgin's fear, he said, "Hail! Hail, queen of virgins: you will conceive the Lord of heaven and earth and bear him, still a virgin, to be the salvation of mankind; you will be made the gate of heaven, the cure of sins." More of the lyrics are here.

  CELEBRITIES can be trusted to support the script. They are hired actors in a morality play. Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of George W. Bush and host of the Today show, is a major character in celebrity culture. She is pretty and talented, to be sure, but also willing to sacrifice her privacy and family for the cause. A recent interview of Hager on her return to her job after three months of maternity leave for the birth of her third child is a revealing look into the dictates of our rulers. Hager has two daughters, ages 4 and 6, and now a three-month-old son, whose childhoods will likely be almost as heavily exposed as the childhoods of the children of Prince William and Kate Middleton, Americans having as little choice over the royal lineage as the British do. The interview is a classic case of "Nanny-for-Me, Slavery-for-Thee" feminism. You need to go to the full magazine article to see the photo of Jenna in her daughters' bedroom, a scene of luxurious chaos with toys strewn everywhere and her husband, Henry Hager, lounging on a bunk bed, playing the part of the incompetent Dad which is now sadly the reality for the culture at large now that masculinity and the male provider have been so thoroughly demonized and trashed. He lies beneath a Communist-style framed poster of the head of woman and the words, "Women are Perfect." Jenna waxes on…

A RUSSIAN HACKER who has emptied bank accounts around the world and is alleged to have stolen hundreds of millions from UK victims alone lives in Moscow and has connections with Russian intelligence. From The Daily Mail: [Maksim] Yakubets is alleged to have run the operation since May 2009 from the basements of Moscow cafes. He is said to have employed dozens of people to steal money from victims in 43 countries using computer viruses that are designed to target only victims outside Russia. The ‘malware’ is downloaded when a victim clicks on an email attachment. It remains hidden on their computer to harvest their personal and financial data such as online banking details – which is subsequently used to drain their accounts. Operating online under the name Aqua, the hacker and his associates are accused of stealing at least £76 million. US treasury officials also say Yakubets has provided ‘direct assistance to the Russian government’ by acquiring confidential documents for the FSB. He was also said to be part of a scheme in which Russian intelligence agencies recruit criminals to hack national security targets.

  LEARN about Josquin des Prez, who was one of the most famous composers of the 16th century, here. Yet in spite of Josquin's colossal reputation, which endured until the beginning of the Baroque era and was revived in the 20th century, his biography is shadowy, and virtually nothing is known about his personality. The only surviving work which may be in his own hand is a graffito on the wall of the Sistine Chapel, and only one contemporary mention of his character is known, in a letter to Duke Ercole I of Ferrara. The lives of dozens of less revered Renaissance composers are better documented than that of Josquin.[9] Josquin wrote both sacred and secular music, and in all of the significant vocal forms of the age, including masses, motets, chansons and frottole. Here is his beautiful Ave Maria performed by the Hilliard Ensemble.  

FROM Thomas Mūller, on the election of Boris Johnson as UK Prime Minister: The giveaway is Boris Johnson’s pedigree of hardcore globalists and internationalists. Like Trump, he represents the right but is, in reality, a Trojan horse sent in to bring down the nation. Look for him to drop the ball on Brexit. The sistema is using the same Worldwide Wrestling formula with Boorish as with Trump: reality T.V. cult of celebrity personality. Asked why they support Boorish, a common reply among his voters was, “I’m voting for Boris because he is a laugh.” As prime minister, it will be Johnson who gets the last laugh.

SINCE the Renaissance, human beings have become progressively more fascinated with the human face. With the advent of digital technology, we are now surrounded by faces, faces everywhere. Some people have their picture taken many times a week. By the time a child is three, he is already the subject of a vast archive of photos.

Do we know ourselves better because we see ourselves in photos more?

For that matter, do we know ourselves better by looking in the mirror? I’d say, some things we learn. But not enough. Not anywhere near enough.

The camera does most justice to the human face when used by a craftsman, who employs the mechanical to capture the non-mechanical. The portrait of the nineteenth century Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Henry Edward Manning, (below) was made by the famous London photographer Henry Rose Barraud. We see here the thing most worth getting at in a photograph: the inner life. Judging from what we know of Manning and his piercing insight, it is a brilliantly faithful portrait. (View it more closely here.) With the effects of light, Barraud gives a sculptural quality to the face, as if it was molded from bronze. We see age, wisdom and the power of conviction.

Leonardo da Vinci, in his famous portrait of the 15th-century Florentine aristocrat Ginevra de’ Benci, conveyed far more than an ordinary camera ever could. In her pale, downturned lips; her directed gaze, falling just short of a trance; her wide, marble-toned forehead, we see the mystery of personality.

Notice how Ginevra is not concerned with pleasing the viewer. She is not pandering to you. From way back then, when women were supposedly slaves, we find an independent and pensive being able to make profound judgements and to match virtue with intelligence.

Thousands of amateur photos cannot portray what one picture well done can. Today, in our world of Faceburg, many people ironically don’t have one decent picture of themselves, worthy to pass on to posterity, but do have thousands of photos. The human face is losing its human qualities from over-exposure.

Do we know ourselves better? I’d say no. As the greatest portraits tell us, it is not the surface that matters but the powers of reflection. We know ourselves best not by looking at ourselves in photos but by reflecting upon and painfully gazing into that which is better than we are.

Then we see the truth — the truth that Manning and Ginevra saw, the truth that the artists who portrayed them saw. And that is, we are not much.

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