Feast of St Thomas Becket and I presided at Eucharist in the Don Rua community this morning. Yesterday it rained all day again, and this morning we had flurries. No matter. I spent a good deal of time in the University library trying to trace some group that are mentioned in the biographies of Francis de Sales and John Bosco. I was successful, but only after several hours. I was like pulling wires, gently trying to find the source without ripping out the one I had in my hand.
Now how will any of this fit in the book I'm preparing? Maybe I'll be able to add a footnote.
In any case, I continue with the reading and research today as I tune into Vatican Radio, which is playing a wonderful selection of Christmas carols. That's what's nice about Catholic tradition. Christmas goes until the 6th of January.
The other nice things about the Tradition is that it is not afraid to integrate new expressions as it reflects on Gospel. Handing on (traditio) goes in both directions, after all. And so this morning Vatican Radio broadcast a reflection on Thomas Becket and then ended with a meditative prayer. While the radio announce read the prayer, the station played soft music in the background. Nothing strange, except as the prayer spoke to God of "Your great mercy and love," the background melody was "White Christmas".
I suppose to Italian ears the melody conjured images of gratitude to God. I could have thought of it as a conflict of sacred and profane… and yet? I guess White Christmas is as prayerful as any other melody if one's heart is centered on God. And doesn't the Incarnation mean that God takes on our flesh? Can anything human really be automatically profane any more?
As the prayer moment was ready to sign off, the music switched to an instrumental of "Let it Snow…" And so those prayers were answered too: it is snowing lightly.
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