October 21, 2008

Calendar Stories

Round about today, but in 1555, two protestants, Ridley and Latimer, were burned at the stake in England, hoping to quash the protestant church that was trying to take hold. Bloody Mary, the daughter of Henry VIII, is called bloody for her intense persectutions of protestants. Men, women, and children, were put to death for their faith. She was determined to make a public spectacle of the two's executions, but the martyrdoms only intensified Protestant zeal, having the opposite effect.

Today is the 8th day, the last day, of the Feast of Tabernacles, Succot(h)/Sukkot, or Tabernacle of Booths. I'll say it again, I highly recommend you watch the movie "Ushpizin". The Galileo quote I just posted would be a hard one to 'practice' with the two rascals who show up expecting hospitality! I love seeing how Jerusalem streets get filled up with temporary 'forts'.

Forty years the Israelites wandered, living in tents, and God was faithful. Sukkot reminds us of the temporary nature of this life. The movie's themes are universal.

The end of Sukkot is called Simkhat Torah. I'll post about it tomorrow.

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