A combination of dark rainy days, and constantly remembering the death of my Rosemary on 9 December 2020 have left me with little desire to do anything. The loving and constant attention of my two cats, Niño and Niña have lessened the melancholy but not enough to stop my bed rotting and crossing the little walk to my oficina.
But finally a while ago I decided I had to start.
When I sit for my supper at the dining room table this particular lithograph by John Snow stares at me. It is called Window and it features the Three Wise men in the manger.
I bought the lithograph for little money many years ago and it wasn’t until today that I found out that John Snow was a famous artist:
John Harold Thomas Snow, born in Vancouver (1911-2004) was renowned for his lithographs. A WWII veteran, he created 410 lithographs, earning the Alberta Order of Excellence. John Snow died peacefully on August 23, 2004 at the age of ninety-two, after several years of failing health.
I went to a Roman Catholic boarding school, St. Edward’s in Austin from 1958 to 196. I received a fantastic education from my teachers who were Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross (the same as in Indiana’s University of Notre Dame.
The man who taught us theology was my long-time friend (he even met my Rosemary before he died some years ago) Brother Edwin Reggio, C.S.C.
I will not reveal my very private religious views here. But it is sufficient to state that my knowledge of the Roman Catholic Doctrine is most detailed. It was Brother Edwin who told us that the second sacrament after the better known Baptism is Confirmation. It makes the person who receives it “a soldier of Christ”. Brother Edwin stressed that it had nothing to do with wielding swords but being able to explain one’s beliefs to curious strangers.
I have an Argentine relative who is an extreme-right-wing-Catholic. For him the world is made up of white heterosexual males and females, all Roman Catholics. His idea of a good politician (not important if the politician is a thief or a rapist) is one who does not condone abortion.
My relative knows enough not to discuss Roman Catholic Doctrine with me because I can talk circles around him.
Now what is the significance of the Epiphany (Tres Reyes or Three Wise Kings Day)? Catholic missals of the last century had a numerology dictation the importance of the feast days. We would all suspect that Christmas and Easter were important. The latter specifically if Christ had not risen His whole doctrine would have been a sham.
The Epiphany is as important. Why?
I have yet to meet a person who will tell you what I will write below. And remember that my religious views are personal and what I will state is an objective explanation as given to me by Brother Edwin.
In the Old Testament, God made a pact with the Israelites that if they obeyed the Ten Commandments and behaved they would ascend to paradisiacal heaven. The rest of mankind, not being Israelites would go to a place called limbo.
When the three wise men came to the manger (and were accepted) they represented that other humanity, the limbo humanity. They were now able to be part of the fold. Why?
Here is Brother Edwin’s clincher of an explanation. Gaspar, Balthazar en Melchior were that other humanity. They were “unclean” heathens.
What was unclean heather? Why an uncircumcised one!
And that ushered in the New Testament.
And today I specially celebrate the feast day as I am suput (or supot) which is Tagalog for uncircumcised.
