Popes and Diatribes

"a theology which out of love, wants to know the beloved better." --God Is Love by Pope Benedict XVI

As many, such as the writer quoted below, would like to distort the state of the world's largest Christian denomination with splenetic diatribes-- in other words, puking guts and not much else, T. Sanderson of the National Secular Society writes today:
"Under Ratzinger [Pope Benedict XVI] the Vatican has become despised and resented throughout the world. He has played a major role in reducing the Catholic Church's popularity and its authority.
Catholics have deserted the Church at an increasing rate, repelled by the inhumanity of Ratzinger's  unbending adherence to what are perceived as cruel doctrines ..."

It is a display of regrettable ignorance that one would attempt to characterize 1.3 billion persons of the earth's population as such. Are these world-wide Catholics fools? Why do they keep coming? Why does the Church increase world-wide in numbers?
Think carefully, seek creditable news sources such as Catholic News Service, before you form an opinion about another faith based on something different from your own.

It is in practice the truth that while the Catholic Church is regulated from the top down, from the Vatican to the world; equally true is that the Church is local. She, the Church, is regulated by the average person in the pews and by the local Bishops every bit as much. And in the working of the Holy Spirit, it is so that faith based on what one can know but may not see is true, like the truth of the wind blowing upon one's face. And that while some members may be in commission of grievous faults, the Church, the body of Christ is composed of those same persons in the pews who live the greatest call to "love one another."

That leaves little room for scathing diatribes against humanity. The Church is present upon all continents and under all governments from the most liberal to the most repressive dictatorships, offering care and comfort to the human family. May those same blessings of the Spirit be yours and mine.

Rumi Basics

“Soul receives from soul that knowledge, therefore not by book nor from tongue. If knowledge of mysteries come after emptiness of mind, that is illumination of heart.” --Jalal al-Din Rumi

Some basics about the 13th century Persian (modern day Iran) mystic and poet Rumi, as he is most often called. First, in the book previously mentioned here, The Sufi doctrine of Rumi: Illustrated Edition by William Chittick it states that the text of this volume was first published in Tehran, Iran in 1974, the result of a doctoral dissertation; based on original research by its author, Chittick, who notes that his work on Rumi "is the best, primary English language source for entry into the rich symbolic world of Sufiism."

Chittick also notes that in his view, there have been a number of adept translations of Rumi's work into English, especially compiled as anthologies which have provided the English reader with a great variety of his work. While this has been a service, Chittick concludes that as for Suffism, many if not most, miss the mark. They fail to probe into the meaning of Rumi's words as an entry into the mystical world he illiminates. "They generally fail... to provide sufficient context to grasp what Rumi is actually saying." Chittick hopes his book will close the gap.

Already in the 14th century commentators were providing information as to Rumi and his meanings for those who wished to learn; unlike many Sufi poets Rumi does 'explain the meaning of his imagery and symbolism.'

Jalal al-Din Rumi is widely known in the Islamic world as Mawlana, our Master. He was born in Khurasan (a region of modern day Iran) September 1207; his father was a noted scholar and a Sufi practitioner. In 1219 the family fled, ahead of the advance of the Mongolian invasion; they resettled in Turkey.

In Turkey his father also held great esteem as a highly learned religious scholar. The family prospered there. For the young Rumi, who the West has come to know, at age 37 he met a wandering Sufi mystic, Shams al-Din of Tabriz, who likely became the greatest influence on his life. Learning at the hand of this Master, Rumi for the remainder of his life was transformed from an ascetic to a mystic poet. He was to train the great order of Sufis, the Mevlevi. He died in December 1273.

Recalling his father, Rumi, after his death, son Sultan Walad wrote:

Never for a moment did he cease from listening to music and dancing;
never did he rest, by day or night
he had been a mufti; he became a poet.
He had been an ascetic: he became intoxicated by Love.
'T'was not the wine of the grape; the illumined soul drinks only the wine of Light.