TV You Might Have Missed #18 — Devil Judge

Set in a dystopian version of South Korea, where courtroom trials are held through a live TV show, where the audience votes through an app if the guilty need to be punished or not. Chief Judge Kang dispenses cleverly appropriate but merciless justice, earning him the title Devil Judge.

After watching Beyond Evil we were ready to try something lighter. However, my attention was captured by this title and we stayed in a serious, dramatic world for our next series. It was really worth it since this multi-layered, fast paced story kept us talking about it in the days between watching episodes. At the heart of this exciting drama is justice — from a wide variety of vantage points. 

Viewed through the eyes of junior judge Ga On, we learn about Judge Kang Yo Han, the titular Devil Judge. At times he seems like Batman, a hero of the people who is dispensing appropriate justice for those who trample the lttle guy. At other times he seems like the Joker, wreaking havoc for no reason other than sheer entertainment. Ga On is undercover as he tries to determine just what Judge Kang is up to. 

There are a lot of plots in this but one of my favorites was watching Ga On become a humanizing influence on Kang and his sister, who are both quite antagonistic towards each other. The scenes where Ga On is cooking, playing games, helping them to see how to understand each other, and be a family are just lovely. And we see the payoff as the show continues.

The design, acting, pacing, and story were simply superb and kept us on the edge of our seats. We continually flipped over whether Judge Kang was Batman or the Joker. And just how did that church fire begin?

This was my favorite television show of the year. 

Immaculate Conception Novena: Day 6

Mother of God Oumilenie
(Affectionate Tenderness), Russia, XVth Century
via Icons Explained

MOTHER MOST AMIABLE

Next to the Lord, when he is nailed to the Cross stands Mary, John the beloved disciple, and some holy women. At this climactic moment the Lord speaks to the Blessed Virgin with words that have particular meaning for each one of us. He says to her: "Woman, behold thy son." Then He says to the disciple, "Behold thy mother." (John 19:27) ... It is moving to see Jesus forgetful of his own sufferings and loneliness during the anguish of the Passion ... The immense love he shows for Mary, whom he does not want to leave on her own, still moves us today. There, next to Mary, John personifies every single one of us. Christ gave us his mother to be our own.

On this day of the novena we can consider our own personal relationship with her. Do we approach her trustingly as St. John would? Do we often remember that she is at our side? Do we seek her intercession frequently, saying with all our heart: Mother, O Mother of mine...

In Conversation With God :
Feast Days July - December(vol.7)

Here is the novena for the sixth day.

Last Shot Boots and Dr. Pepper

Taken by my brother as he wended his way between Dallas and San Angelo in April of 2018. His occasional visits are always a delight, all the more so since it's usually several years between visits.

Immaculate Conception Novena: Day 5

Maternal Bond,* Timothy P. Schmalz

MYSTICAL ROSE

But Mary kept in mind all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:19) And his mother kept all these things carefully in her heart. (Luke 2:51)

The Blessed Mother treasures in her heart the events she is privileged to witness. She ponders the great and small happenings of her ordinary life in the light of faith. Her considerations, full of affection, colour her entire attitude toward the various occurrences of her life as they unfold. Mary gives us a supreme example of interior recollection. Her insistent prayer rises to heaven like the sweet perfume of the rose...

The Blessed Virgin shows us how to ponder the truths of the Faith in our heart. We also come to perceive the events of our life in the light of God's presence. Apparent disaster and success, the birth of a child and the death of a loved one, the difficulties that arise at work and in family life and the experiences of our friendship, all these will take on their deepest meaning before our contemplative gaze. Like Mary our model, we can habitually seek the Lord in the intimacy of our soul in grace.

In Conversation With God :
Feast Days July - December(vol.7)

Here is the link for the fifth day of the novena.

*Note: you may order replicas of the statue at the artist's website. 

Notes on Mark: Running to Jesus

I couldn't find good images of people running to Jesus, but this captures the mood.

MARK 6:53-56
I never noticed this before and certainly never thought about it ... but who would not run to see Jesus if he showed up nearby?

Have you noticed how in Mark's Gospel, when people heard that Jesus had arrived in a certain place, they ran to him. They did not walk to see Jesus, they ran to see him. They ran to the other side of the lake to listen to him (Mark 6:33), and when he returned, they ran to bring the sick to him (6:55). When he returned from the mountain where he was transfigured, the people ran to him again(9:15), and later, the rich young man ran up to him (10:17).

The people ran because they were powerfully drawn to Jesus. They saw that he was able to heal and to teach them, and it attracted them. They earnestly longed for what he offered: Words of hope and comfort, revelation about the love of the Father, and the power of a humble, surrendered life. They ran just to see him heal the sick. There was an urgency: We must go to Jesus now!

Mark: A Devotional Commentary
(The Word Among Us)

===== 

Sources and Notes Index     

Immaculate Conception Novena: Day 4

Thirteenth century Madonna with Child in the Italo-Byzantine style

Lord our God, you were pleased to bring joy into the world through the Incarnation of your Son. Grant that we who honour his Mother, the cause of our joy, may always walk in the way of your commandments with our hearts set on true and lasting joy in you. (Prayer over the Gifts, Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

Christ is our principal reason for happiness. He removes every trace from sadness from our hearts. Our Lady is truly the Cause of our joy, since her cooperation in the economy of salvation makes it possible for Christ to enter into us.

...The Blessed Virgin can show us how to be the cause of joy for others in our family life, at our place of work and in all our social contacts, our most casual encounters with acquaintances, our interviews and business trips. The brief duration of our meeting with neighbors does not matter ... Our own original source of joy is God, to whom the Blessed Virgin leads us.

On this fourth day of the Novena in honour of the Immaculate Conception we can examine the quality of our joy. Can others find God through our cheerful disposition? Are we uplifting -- do we bear charm not harm for those with whom we come into contact every day? Today we can offer Our Lady a firm and sincere resolution: May we make the way lovable and easier for others, since life brings enough bitterness with it already. Our cordiality is a way of imitating the blessed Virgin, who smiles on us from heaven as we brighten up the way of holiness for our fellow men. She encourages us to discover her Son in others.

In Conversation With God :
Feast Days July - December(vol.7)

Here is the novena for the fourth day.

Julie and Scott break the curse and boldly face the 8 gods. Then they spend the rest of the book doing everything they can to avoid sainthood.

 Scott and I discuss What Monstrous Gods in episode 368 of A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast. Join us!

24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People Who Lived There

What was it like to live in one of the ancient world's most powerful and bustling cities—one that was eight times more densely populated than modern day New York?

In this entertaining and enlightening guide, bestselling historian Philip Matyszak introduces us to the people who lived and worked there. In each hour of the day we meet a new character—from emperor to slave girl, gladiator to astrologer, medicine woman to water-clock maker—and discover the fascinating details of their daily lives.

This book really lives up to the "entertaining and enlightening" claim. I like the author's sly sense of humor which he uses just enough, without ever making fun of how they lived long ago. It's about the situations, not the people.

I especially like the way that each hour-long section leads to the next with an overlap of people in a scene or one occupation necessarily leading to the next. By the end of the book, we've seen some of the ones from the beginning woven into the later stories. It gives the overall day a sense of richness and completion.

Mostly I like the little things I am learning. I've read several books about life in Rome, ancient travel, etc. This is surprising me with bits of new information and presenting it in a very appealing way as we see these people's lives.

Immaculate Conception Novena - Day 3

Mary and Jesus Under a Palm Tree (Middle Eastern)

 

HANDMAID OF THE LORD

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; because He has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid (Entrance Antiphon, Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

...The Blessed Virgin gives us a perfect example of how to fulfill the Will of God by our complete availability. How unfortunate it would be if, in one way or another, we were to try to exercise our own caprice in the matter. We can best cooperate with the Lord through our complete dedication when we allow him free rein in our life.

In Conversation With God :
Feast Days July - December(vol.7)

Here is the novena for the third day.

 

Arabic Madonna and Child by Albert Aublet, 1898.

Immaculate Conception Novena: Day 2

Mary and Jesus (Chinese)

 

HOUSE OF GOLD

Before God made known his coming into the world in the fullness of time, He prepared Mary as the suitable creature within whom He would dwell for nine months, from the moment of his Incarnation until his birth in Bethlehem. Evidence of God's power and love show forth in his creation. Mary is the House of Gold, the new Temple of God, and is adorned with so great a beauty that no greater perfection is possible. The grace of her Immaculate Conception, including all the graces and gifts God has bestowed on her soul, are directed towards the fulfillment of her divine maternity.

St. Thomas Aquinas quoted in
In Conversation With God :
Feast Days July - December(vol.7)

Here is the novena for the second day.

Virgin and Child with angels by Le Pho

Immaculate Conception* Novena: Day 1

As has become tradition over the years, let's say the Immaculate Conception Novena together to get us in the proper frame of mind as we approach that feast day.

I always like to begin this novena with images that remind us about some of the happiest mother-child moments — tickling and giggling together.

Master of the Winking Eyes, Madonna and Child, ca. 1450

Mary's purpose is to show us her Son. She always points the way to Him. I have never known her to fail me whenever I have asked her to show me Jesus. I will be posting something each day as this is a very worthy Advent contemplation.

Mary constantly showers down graces and favours on the faithful, and so has won the prerogative all-powerful intercessor. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Christians know that they can reach God through his Mother. She is our shortcut — the most direct path to God for us. Our love for her is shown in our continually coming up with new ways of expressing affection for her. We begin the Novena leading to the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception by trying to offer Our Lady something special each day.

In Conversation With God :
Feast Days July - December(vol.7)

DAY 1: MORNING STAR

Our Lady's appearance is the first ray of dawn that shines forth in the world. She rises over the horizon and is the forerunner to the brilliant splendour of salvation that will enter the world through Jesus Christ.

Paul VI quoted in
In Conversation With God :
Feast Days July - December(vol.7)

Here is the novena for the first day.

An ivory carving ca. 1275–1300 from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

* The Immaculate Conception is a belief in the Catholic church, as well as some Protestant denominations, that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was protected by God from the original sin during her own conception. Since she subsequently lived a life completely free from sin, this makes her perfectly pure. The idea of the Immaculate Conception is often confused with the doctrine of the Incarnation and Virgin Birth of Christ. The Immaculate Conception was defined as dogma by Pope Pius IX in 1854 and consecrated by Pope Pius XII in 1942. However, this tradition had existed within the Catholic church for more than a millenium. Eastern Orthodox Christians do not believe in the Immaculate Conception, because they have a different view of the original sin from Catholics, and in their tradition, it would be unnecessary for Mary to require divine purification from this. The majority of Protestants reject the idea because it is not explicitly stated in the Bible.  (Description from Olga's Art Gallery.)

What I'm Reading for Advent — The Art of Advent by Jane Williams

 

I really love Jane Williams' art/devotional books books and I've used this book for Advent off and on over the years. This year I'll be reading it again. (Others of hers I can recommend are Faces of Christ: Jesus in Art, Angels.) 

Every day of Advent I find food for thought and inspiration. Sometimes the art leads to other reflections than directly on the painting but it is the way that Williams opens up the art, connecting it with Advent, that I love most.

Here's a bit on the Holman Hunt painting, Light of the World.

Holman Hunt's picture is full of symbolism, all of it taking us more deeply into Advent reflection. There are three light sources in the painting, but they all cluster around Jesus. Behind him is the dawn light, struggling to make its way through the dark woods, towards that central figure. Then there is the lantern that Jesus is carrying, a bright, homely light to welcome wandering travelers. And finally, there is the light that shines around Jesus' head, his own inner brightness, from which the other lights take their meaning. Behind Jesus are threatening, twisted trees, shedding rotting fruit to the ground. They are the trees that Adam and Eve ate from, and the tree on which Jesus dies, and all our long family trees, waiting to be lit up and filled with life again. The lantern that Jesus is holding throws a reddish light back on to his cloak, which makes it look similar to the wood of the door. After all, Jesus said that he is the door or the gateway (John 10:7). So we have two doorways, facing each other, as we wait to see whether one will open to the other. ...

Advent Comes ... and With It Comes the New Church Year

The Son of Man is coming, and we are to look forward, get ready, and keep traveling the pilgrim way as we watch for the light, for our deliverance, for Jesus Christ. Advent begins on Sunday!

Interior Of The Mezquita Cathedral Virgin Mary Icon

Everybody knows, even those of us who have lived most unadventurously, what it is to plod on for miles, it seems, eagerly straining your eyes toward the lights that, somehow, mean home. How difficult it is, when you are doing that to judge distances! In pitch darkness, it might be a couple of miles to your destination, it might be a few hundred yards. So it was, I think, with the Hebrew prophets, as they looked forward to the redemption of their people. They could not have told you, within a hundred years, within five hundred years, when it was the deliverance would come. They only knew that, some time, the stock of David would burgeon anew; some time, a key would be found to fit the door of their prison house; some time, the light that only shows, now, like a will-o'-the-wisp on the horizon would broaden out, at last into the perfect day.

This attitude of expectation is one which the Church wants to encourage in us, her children, permanently. She sees it as an essential part of our Christian drill that we should still be looking forward; getting on for two thousand years, now, since the first Christmas Day came and went, and we must still be looking forward. So she encourages us, during advent, t take the shepherd-folk for our guides, and imagine ourselves traveling with them at dead of night, straining our eyes towards that chink of light which streams out, we know, from the cave at Bethlehem.

R.A. Knox, Sermon on Advent 1947
quoted in In Conversation with God, Vol. 1, Francis Fernandez

With Advent the liturgical year begins in the Western churches. We switch to a new book of the gospels for Mass reading. In this year (Year A) it will be Matthew who will instruct us every week.

Before Christmas we spend time in contemplation and preparation for the coming of Christ on three levels: as memorial of his incarnation as the babe in Bethlehem, to his coming with grace in our souls, and in looking forward to when he comes as the Judge at the end of time.

Those who celebrate Advent do so with various private devotions during this time. Some read a specific book to think about, some go to regular adoration, some try to avoid excessive focus on Christmas preparations, and such things.

I like this Advent Litany which may be helpful as we school ourselves to wait in patience to wait for Our Lord and contemplate what that means.

Advent Litany

Lord Jesus, you are the light of the world.
Come, Lord Jesus.

You are light in our darkness.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Son of God, save us from our sins.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Son of Mary, deepen our love.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Bring hope into the lives of all people.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Give your peace to all nations.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Be the joy of all who love you.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Bring unity among all who believe in you.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Bless us as we gather here in your name.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Lord Jesus, stay with us always.
Come, Lord Jesus.

Let us pray:

May Christ give us his peace and joy,
and let us share them with others.
All peace and glory are his for ever.

Amen.