Yet in the 1.2% difference in DNA, we can see immense differences in our looks, capabilities and behaviors.  The bonobos are said to be very social and playful, whereas chimpanzees, another close relative, exhibit far more aggressive behavior and have been known to kill monkeys in a rampage.

Below are African Wild Asses.  I know they look more curious than wild, but I was told at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park that they can be pretty wild at times.

The giraffe’s tongue is incredibly long, which enables it to feed on leaves of certain plants with long thorns.

The tongue is black which protects it from sunburn due to prolonged exposure to the sun when the giraffe is feeding.  Some humans can touch their nose with their tongues, this giraffe was able to completely clean his nostril with his tongue – I saw him do it.

Some animals use their coloring as a form of camouflage.  Zebras for example are said to stand in herds because it makes it difficult with their stripping for predators to tell where one animal begins and the other ends or which direction the animal is facing.

Don’t know that rhinoceros stand together to confuse would be predators, but sometimes one cannot tell where one beings or the other ends.

Some animals are said to have signals they send to predators – like one might curl its tail which indicates to the predator that “I have spotted you and am aware of your presence.”  But the signal might also indicate, “but note my neighbor’s tail isn’t curled!”

Of course some don’t  show their tails and butts to predators but rather offer their impressive horns as a warning that I’ll butt your tail.

The tiger remains my favorite animal – it is so beautiful.  The tiger has several different types of growls, one is a “churl” which is thought to be a friendly growl – “I see you, and I am curious.”

Curiosity can change into stalking with a tigress.

Sometimes we anthropomorphize with animals and attribute to them human characteristics.  As I watched the flamingos racing in their pen, it reminded me of photos I’ve seen of the beginning of a marathon race.

There is a beauty and grace observable in nature, though I know better than to romanticize about it for there are also predators and prey.  Yet when I see nature in action, I am thankful for the world that has been created for us.

I also see in nature beauty,  created by nature itself not of intention and of which it remains consciously unaware.

Sometimes it is good just to lay down on the ground and look at the clouds and imagine what could be.

You can find links to all of my photo blogs at  My Photo Blogs.

The book is interesting, reads like a novel at points, but also for my interests had way too much detail about each of the characters involved in the plot.  However, that detail brought to light the story of one German intelligence officer who ultimately may have been intentionally working to undermine the German war machine.   Macintyre writes:

“BARON ALEXIS VON ROENNE appeared, on the outside, to be the consummate Nazi intelligence officer: a veteran of the First World War, a wounded war hero, holder of the Iron Cross, loyal to his oath, and the Führer’s favorite intelligence analyst.  ‘Hitler had implicit faith in Von Roenne and in his reasoning ability, and seems to have liked him personally.’”   (Kindle Loc. 4201-4)

Macintyre claims that despite the early work he did to help the Nazis and to win Hitler’s trust, von Roenne was actually secretly working against the Nazi regime.

“Von Roenne was a secret but committed opponent of Nazism, living a double life. He detested Hitler and the uncouth thugs surrounding him. He was an old-fashioned monarchist with a military cast of mind…  His Christian conscience had been outraged by the appalling SS terror unleashed in Poland. Quietly, but with absolute conviction, he had turned against the Nazi regime. From 1943 onward, he deliberately and consistently inflated the Allied order of battle, overstating the strength of the British and American armies in a successful effort to mislead Hitler and his generals.”  (Loc. 4218-24)

“Whatever his reasons, and despite his reputation as an intelligence guru, by 1943 von Roenne was deliberately passing information he knew to be false, directly to Hitler’s desk. Von Roenne’s finest hour would come with the invasion of Normandy in 1944. In the buildup to D-day, he faithfully passed on every deception ruse fed to him, accepted the existence of every bogus unit regardless of evidence, and inflated forty-four divisions in Britain to an astonishing eighty-nine. Without von Roenne’s willing connivance, the entire elaborate net of deception woven for D-day might have unraveled.”  (Loc. 4229-35)

Macintyre attributes von  Roenne’s actions to his Christian beliefs.  Von Roenne was not directly involved in the plot to assassinate Hitler in 1944, but he was friends with those who were and so was arrested by the Gestapo, tried and executed.  Macintyre reports that the Nazi records indicate:

“In his own defense, von Roenne simply declared that Nazi race policies were inconsistent with Christian values. On October 11, 1944, with other alleged conspirators, he was bound hand and foot in Berlin-Plötzensee Prison, hung on a meat hook, and left to die slowly. In an additional exercise in barbarity, Hitler ordered some of the executions to be filmed for his viewing pleasure. On the eve of his death, von Roenne wrote a martyr’s epitaph to his wife: ‘In a moment now I shall be going home to our Lord in complete calm and in the certainty of salvation.’ Von Roenne undoubtedly helped the Allies to win the war, but his precise reasons for doing so are an enduring mystery.”  (Loc. 4240-46)

Macintyre believes von Roenne intentionally misled Hitler and the German military leadership.   Whatever role he played in helping the Germans in the early part of the war was reversed by his intentional effort to subvert the Nazi war machine.  Whatever mixed motives may have guided him, it seems that in the end his Christian conscience over ruled his patriotism and his belief in belonging to an elite class of people.  Because of his Christian beliefs, he died witnessing to Christ in the face of complete evil.

“It’s an epiphany for him, and in a funny, upside-down way, he is singled out by Jesus much as Jesus was singled out by God at his own baptism. Jesus, at his baptism, is identified as the son of God, and beloved; so Zacchaeus is called on by name, a name which means ‘innocent’ or ‘clean’ – not at all how he is perceived by those around him – and clearly, he gets the message that he is beloved. From that sense of beloved-ness comes his change of heart, his metanoia. It is left for us to imagine what comes from that change. But I can only think that it will ultimately change the heart of the rest of Jericho, as well. That this change of personal fiscal policy on the part of the chief tax collector is going to change the attitudes of those around him.” (Sister Katrina – Nun of New Skete, GOSPEL REFLECTIONS, pg. 46)

See also Zacchaeus – A Change of Heart

Jesus said, “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.”  (Mark 7:20-23)

One of the therapeutic goals of the incarnation is the healing of the human heart.  As Christ noted the heart is where all evil comes from.  Christ came to heal the heart and restore it to God – to give peace to all humans on earth.

The peace which Christ brings to us is reconciliation with God, but it is not withdrawal into oneself.  We are to share God’s peace with our fellow humans.  Olivier Clement writes:

“Nevertheless, this peace is not a withdrawal into oneself.  Man is called to share in the very life of the Trinity.”  (quoted in FOR THE PEACE FROM ABOVE, p 348)

The Gospel lesson of Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) is a lesson about repentance that brings about reconciliation with God.  Thus Zacchaeus’ repentance brings him peace with God, but also reconciliation with his fellow humans/believers – he promises to restore fourfold what he has falsely taken from others and to give half his wealth to the poor.  (But note the reaction of the crowd to Zacchaeus, they show no signs of willingness to be reconciled to him, even though Christ has declared that salvation came to Zacchaeus).  Zacchaeus has found peace with God through Christ.   As a result Zacchaeus also desires peace with his neighbors and fellow believers in God – he desires to be reconciled t them whereas before he was not concerned about his relationship to them or of them to him.  Again Clement says:

“The key text here is the Beatitude about the peacemakers, those who work to make peace – who ‘shall be called sons of God,’ adopted in the Son, therefore literally ‘deified.’   Thus, the disciples of Jesus are ‘to be at peace with one another’ and with all men.”  (FOR THE PEACE FROM ABOVE, p 348)

Jesus says to all:  Today salvation has come to his house.  Zacchaeus is no longer at enmity with God, but has come to be at peace with God accepting God’s lordship and rule.

“The peace of Christ comes to birth in man’s heart, it flows forth, becomes responsible and creative love, acquires a social dimension.”  (FOR THE PEACE FROM ABOVE, p 350)

The Gospel lesson of the repentant Zacchaeus tells us that the time of Great Lent, our time of repentance, is but a few weeks away.   Great Lent is a time for us to imitate Zacchaeus, to bring about this change of heart, to come to peace with God, and to bring the peace of God to our hearts so that we become peacemakers with others.  Salvation – peace with God – is given to us so that we might learn how to live with all people.

See also Zacchaeus: A Contagious Change of Heart?

San Diego Sunrise

Though I don’t do it often enough, I was able to take a few days of rest, going to San Diego. It was for me a photo-safari to a city which I had never previously visited.

The California Tower in Balboa Park

The Spanish and Mexican culture can be seen in the architecture around the city.  Balboa Park is a magnificent park, maybe one of the best city parks I’ve ever seen.

Colonnade in Balboa Park

It was “winter” – at least Southern California style – and during my days there were two “winter” storms which hit, one which brought in 1/4″ of rain!  Of course that was stretched out over a day, so the clouds hung on and it was “chilly.”

Orangutan expressing dismay at the rain

Many of the animals at the San Diego Zoo were taken off display due to the inclement weather.  Even some of the rain forest animals showed displeasure at the rain.  Apparently they have adapted to the normally sunny skies.

Two rain forest orangutans keeping the rain off

Despite the rain, I found many of the residents to be very friendly and to show a welcoming smile.

Signs of the rain were obvious – rain drops clinging to leaves and plants. I had to record this for those who say it never rains in southern California.

I also visited the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and took one of the safaris which I found totally enjoyable.   But though the SD Safari Park has more different species, and has some big cats, I will say that I think Ohio’s The Wilds is even better for a safari (see my blog A Safari to the Wilds).

Where does a full grown male lion sleep?

Of course I went to see some sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.

Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve

I wasn’t disappointed, though the winter storms did rain on my hopes a bit.

La Jolla

Thanks be to God for the great beauty He has placed on this planet.

Oceanside Pier

I did manage to take a whale watching tour as well, and that is about the end of my tale… tail.

Grey whale tail

You can view a set of my Favorite San Diego Photos.  Once you get to that page, just click on the “Slide Show” button above the thumbnail photos and you will be able to view a slide show of the full sized photos.

You can find links to all my San Diego Photos at San Diego Collection.  Click on any one of the thumb nail photos to enter the listed set of photos, then click on the “Slide show” button.

You can find a list of my other photo blogs with links to them at MY PHOTO BLOGS.

Yours is the day, and Yours is the night;

You created the light and the sun.

 (Psalm 74:16)

Yours is the day,

and Yours is the night;

You created the light

and the sun.

 (Psalm 74:16)

You can find a list of my other photo blogs with links to them at MY PHOTO BLOGS.

3 Holy Hierarchs

“But I must explain myself a little more clearly. A good many men do not draw their conclusions from the very nature of reality, but merely consider the way men have lived before them; and so they fall completely short of an accurate judgment about reality, and they take, as their criterion of what is good, irrational custom instead of sober reason. Hence they force their way into political office and power, they make a good deal of merely external show since they are unaware of the fact that all this will come to an end after this life. For custom is no sure guarantee for the future, for very often this may lead us to the goats and not to the flock of sheep. My meaning will become clear if you will consider the words of the Gospel. If you consider that which is proper to man, that is, his reason, you will despise the force of custom as irrational, and you will never choose as good that which brings no advantage to the soul. We must not then seriously consider the footprints of those who have gone before us like so many cattle leaving their trace upon the world. For what is best to choose is not clear from sense phenomena – nor shall it be until we depart from this life; then we will know whom we have followed. The man then who merely follows in the tracks of those who have lived before, and takes the custom of this world as his guide in life, and does not distinguish good from evil on the basis of actual reality, very often makes a mistake, and in the day of that just Judgment he becomes a goat instead of a sheep.” (Gregory of Nyssa, From Glory to Glory, pg. 161)

“And afterward Joshua read all the words of the law, blessings and curses, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the aliens who resided among them.”  (Joshua 8:34-35)

Jean Danielou in his book FROM SHADOWS TO REALITY: STUDIES IN THE BIBLICAL TYPOLOGY OF THE FATHERS notes that for Origen (The most prolific biblical commentator and theologian of the 3rd Century –  some of his teachings were condemned in later centuries by the Church as heresy) there is a typology in the Joshua 8:34-35 passage.   This typology if very obvious in the Septuagint which refers to Joshua as Jesus, using the same name that is applied to the Christ:

“Joshua reading the law is the type of Jesus explaining the Law and the Prophets to his disciples at Emmaus, and it brings home to us that we understand the Law only when Jesus himself explains it and we find him in it: ‘I think that when Moses is read to us, the veil of the letter is lifted by the grace of the Lord and we begin to understand that the Law is spiritual…’” (p 282).

Origen understands Joshua’s “reading” not as simply reading aloud but as explaining the meaning of the text for the people to enable them to actually keep Torah.   Reading Torah – explaining its meaning and offering help for keeping Torah - was the didactic purpose of rabbis.  The conflict of Jesus as rabbi with the other rabbis comes over Christ’s interpretation of Torah.  [Jesus asks the teachers of Torah:  "have you not read...?  (Matthew 12:3, 5; 19:4; 22:31).   He is not asking them about reading aloud, but rather is asking 'how do you understand and what do you teach about the text....?"].   Christ is ‘reading’ to His disciples Torah whenever He teaches them.   Origen accepts the typology  already common in his day which sees Joshua being a type of Christ:

Jesus and Moses

“Jesus it is who reads the Law, when he reveals the secrets of the Law.  We, who belong to the Catholic Church, do not reject the Law of Moses, but receive it if and when it is Jesus who reads it to us. For it is only if Jesus reads the Law in such wise that through his reading we grasp its spiritual significance, that we  correctly understand the law.  Do not think they have grasped the meaning who could say: ‘Was not our heart burning within us when he opened to us the Scriptures, and, beginning at Moses and the Prophets and expounding them all show that they wrote of him.’ … By linking Joshua’s reading of the Law with Jesus’ reading to the disciples of Emmaus, Origen … emphasizes the profound continuity of the Old Testament, the Gospel and of the interior Christ who instructs each disciple.”

It is Jesus who reveals to us the meaning of the Old Testament texts.  We cannot understand the Old Testament apart from Christ.  To be faithful disciples of Jesus we must read His Gospel teachings Christologically and Christocentrically.    Those denominations and scholars who advocate reading literally the Old Testament without any reference to Christ are in fact emptying the Old Testament Scriptures of their full power.  We have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) and should use it!

St. Paul with Old Testament Teachers of the Law

This petition in prayer is based upon an ancient Christian idea about what the Jordan River really is (and here we again see how theology takes us beyond any literalist thinking into the realm of poetic theological reality).   St. Gregory of Nyssa writes about the River Jordan (the reference to Jesus Son of Nave is to Joshua Son of Nun.  Jesus Son of Nave is how Joshua is called in the Septuagint and thus the Patristic writers readily saw Joshua as a type of Christ.  In our English translations of the bible we lose this typological reference because we use the name Joshua):

“For indeed the river of grace flows everywhere.  It does not rise in Palestine to disappear in some nearby sea: it spreads over the whole earth and flows into Paradise, flowing in the opposite direction to those four rivers which come from Paradise, and bringing in things far more precious than those which come forth.   …  Imitate Jesus, the son of Nave.  Bear the Gospel, as he bore the ark.  Leave behind the desert, that is, sin: cross the Jordan, and hasten to the life according to the commands of Christ; hasten to that land which brings forth fruits of joy, where flow, as was promised, milk and honey.  Overturn Jericho, your former way of life, and do not let it be built up again.  All these things are types for us, all prefigure truths which are now revealed…”

Jean Danielou commenting on the above quote of St. Gregory writes:

But there is another interesting point in St. Gregory of Nyssa.  The Jordan is shown in a new light.  It is no longer through as the river which flows into the Dead Sea, but as a mythical river, which encircles the whole world and is contrasted with the mythical rivers of Paradise.  We are brought up against the junction of the idea of the Jordan as the source of Baptism . . . the idea found in all Christian ligurgies that all baptismal water is the Jordan … Jordan, as the frontier between the world of the sense and the spiritual world…”   (Jean Danielou, FROM SHADOWS TO REALITY: STUDIES IN THE BIBLICAL TYPOLOGY OF THE FATHERS, pp  271-272)

Thus our Orthodox liturgical prayer preserves an idea that was common in the ancient Church.  When we pray over water to bless it in the Church we are praying that the water, and thus ourselves, might be lifted beyond this world into the world as God intended it to be.   This means freeing our thinking from the limits of literalism into the truth of theology. For theology reveals to us the spiritual world which is ever present on earth, yet often hidden from our eyes.

The Didache (1^st C  AD) teaches:

“Commit no murder, adultery, sodomy, fornication, or theft. Practise no magic, sorcery, abortion, or infanticide. See that you do no covet anything your neighbor possesses, and never be guilty or perjury, false witness, slander or malice. Do not equivocate in thought or speech, for a double tongue is a deadly snare…you must resist any temptation to hypocrisy, spitefulness, or superiority. You are to have no malicious designs on a neighbor.”

In the Epistle of Barnabas (2^nd C AD) we are taught:

“ Practise singleness of heart,  and a richness of the spirit….Abhor anything that is displeasing to God, and hold every form of hypocrisy in detestation. Be sure that you never depart from the commandments of the Lord. Do not exaggerate for your own importance, but be modest at all points, and never claim credit for yourself. Cherish no ill-natured designs upon your neighbor. Forbid yourself any appearance of presumption. Commit no fornication, adultery, or unnatural vice…Never be in two minds…Love your neighbor more than yourself. Never do away with an unborn child.” (Frances Young, Biblical Exegesis and the Formation of Christian Culture, pg.132)