FEAST DAY
This morning after I read my daily dose from 365 Tao (Deng Ming-Dao) I turned as is my habit to my Vatican II missal for the readings for the first Thursday of Advent, (the run-up to the winter solstice, the return of the sun/son).  I rather like the liturgical calendars of both these traditions...and it is striking that in many of the Biblical readings (Isaiah, Proverbs, the Psalms, and the Gospels, not so much Paul) if you substitute "Tao" where it says "Lord" or "God" the meanings seem pretty much the same, spiritually, if not culturally.

Then I noticed that today is the Feast Day of Saint Frances Xavier, a Jesuit buddy of Ignatius Loyola, who despite his sciatica and troubles with solitude, went to India, Ceylon and Japan, to do the work of the church militant.  Sadly, this monk, the "Apostle to the Far East," who fastened the signatures from letters from friends to his robes to combat his loneliness, died of a fever at just 46, a reasonably long life in the 16th century, just before he was to enter China.  I don't mean to discuss Jesuit evangelism here, but there is some weird stuff surrounding this saint's life which makes for some bizarre storytelling, just like tales of Taoist immortals.

And it's my birthday, my personal feast day.  At least I've made it to China, receiving spiritual wisdom, not delivering it, and living at least a proper Chinese life cycle (12 animals, five times).  And I have my blogs, Facebook, three email accounts and a texting cellphone.  I'm far from lonely.  In fact I'm looking forward to a few days of more or less solitude to meditate and think about where I am in my own life journey.