Convallaria majalis. Wikipedia tells me that it “is also known as Our Lady’s tears or Mary’s tears from Christian legends that it sprang from the weeping of the Virgin Mary during the crucifixion of Jesus.” I did not know that. I knew, of course, that our English translations of Song of Songs 2:1 (שׁוֹשַׁנַּת הָעֲמָקִים) seem to refer to this plant (although it is likely referring to another plant and this name of this one may derive from that verse) and that, to my mind at least, I often think of Luke 12:27 even though that isn’t strictly what it says. But mostly I just really liked this picture that I took in my backyard this afternoon.
From the backyard to Utrecht
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I have two recent posts on my PhotoBlog. The first was about taking pictures where you are and the second…well, is the same, except this past week where I was was Utrecht, Netherlands.
Being a/part
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Last night Chelsea beat Benfico 2-1 in the UEFA Europa League Final. I watched it from a hotel room in Utrecht and the game was played just a short train ride away in Amsterdam Arena, where just 10 months ago…
“Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.”
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I don’t usually post the speech I give at the Medals Ceremony, but this time the message was a bit different. Good afternoon scholars, Parents, and friends, trustees, President Erickson and Provost Pangborn. Congratulations to you all! Each one of…
Term of the Day: “Agentless Injustice”
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Today I was talking with a colleague about another tragic death of a young person. The runner collapsed and died during the Pittsburgh Marathon apparently with a “coronary artery abnormality.” No one was to blame for his death. He was…
How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? A lesson in argument
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From Dorothy L. Sayers. Again, I am struck by how contemporaneous and relevant her decades old criticism is. (Does that make me a romantic or her a prescient thinker?) A glib speaker in the Brains Trust once entertained his audience…
A vision of Heaven
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The following is my sermon from this past Sunday. As you can see in the first paragraph, I am somewhat apologetic about the fact that I cannot read and reflect on our current readings without thinking of Mack and our…
7th International Meeting of the International Organization for Targumic Studies Agenda
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For some reason Targum.info is not allowing me to update the site with new posts, so I will post the agenda here.
“The Game of Your Life”
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This wonderful poem was shared with us by Dan Sheerin on Mack’s site. It is “a Celtic soccer song by Irish poet Gabriel Fitzmaurice” and it is a poem of faith as well. The Game of Your Life Whatever way…
