Whack a god

more about “Japanese beat poverty Video – Yahoo! …“, posted with vodpod

Jesus Christ Kabuki Star

REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

From Japan Today

The actor in the role of Jesus Christ performs at the final dress rehearsal of the kabuki version of “Jesus Christ Superstar” in Tokyo. A rickshaw, women in elaborate brocade kimonos, the echo of bamboo flutes, and Jesus of Nazareth, his face painted white with the flaring red lines, all share the stage at Gekidan Shiki, one of Japan’s best-known theater troupes, in its revival of the hit rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar“—with some very Japanese twists. For showtimes and further info, visit here

If you go to the link above for the official site you can also watch a promo video.  Just click on enter and you will see a big play button on the right side of the screen, click it and the video will open in a new window.

After watching the promo all I can say is that was really really weird  and surreal.

Ash Wednesday

It is a rainy start to Lent here in Tokyo.  I will go to mass in the evening so the lateness of the mass and the rain answer the question how long do you leave your ashes on for?  Not long!  So what am I giving up for Lent?  I will try to spend less time on the computer and instead read the Bible, possibly the whole thing, and read other religious books as well.  I am interested in the  diary of St Faustina so that’s on my to read list as well as Chesterton and… we`ll see!  I am also going (to at least try my best) to say the Rosary everyday.  I had been saying it once a week, or more, up until December /January but since then nothing zip zero, so to go from zero to everyday is more daunting than giving up chocolate!  For those who don’t say the Rosary or even the chaplet of Divine Mercy try the chaplet first.   All about the chaplet and how to say it here.  It only takes about seven minutes to say, you can count on your fingers if you don’t have a Rosary, and it never mentions Mary once if you have any issues with her.

Ex Finance Minister Nakagawa Misbehaved at Vatican Museums.

Earlier this week a news story broke about the behaviour of the now former finance minister Mr.  Shoichi Nakagawa at a post G7 press conference on Feb 14.  He acted drunk.  His excuse was cold medicine.  There are lots of videos of this press conference on youtube, and it was all over the news here.  Today the 21 it has now come out that after the notorious press conference  Mr.  Nakagawa had a pre-arranged visit to the Vatican museums.  There were other officials and a  museum guide accompanying him.  The news says that he touched objects that aren’t supposed to be touched, opened a door that wasn’t supposed to be opened thus setting off an alarm, climbing over the barrier around the famous 2000 year old statue of Laocoon and His Sons and then sitting beside it.  Here is an article about his behavior however what I have stated is what is being reported in Japanese.

What do I think?  I think he was drunk and that he needs Alcoholics Anonymous!  Other reports article here have surfaced this week of drunken behavior in the past by Mr. Nakagawa so this is not the first time.   I hope that this will cause him to get help.  Politics aside its too bad for him that he acted like an idiot at the Vatican Museums.  I have been there and they are incredible.   Mr Nakagawa however was so drunk though he couldn’t even begin to appreciate all the wonders around him.  I have said a prayer for him that he will get help and I hope others will say a prayer for him as well.

St. Francis Xavier`s Relative

From japanprobe

Did you know that a blood relative of the Saint Francis Xavier is currently living in Japan? Saturday night’s episode of Sekai Ichi Uketai Jyugyou introduced him to television viewers in a short trivia segment:

click to go to their site to watch the video and read a short summary of it.  I had never heard of Fr Izumi before and think it is amazing as well as very daunting for him.  I cant imagine what it would be like to have a saint among my ancestors!

Japanese Mass Video

A while ago a reader asked if I knew of any audio or video of mass in Japanese and after searching I could only come up with the following video.  It is a compilation of clips from a mass on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  One of my goals this year is to record and put up on youtube my own video of the mass I just have to remember to take my camera to church one of these days.

Pope Says go to Confession

Of course he would urge us to go to confession he is the pope after all it is his job to do that but I also urge everyone to go at least once a month.  I know it is hard to go and I used to like going about as much as having the dentist drill my teeth, which is to say not at all, but I`ve learned to appreciate  the sacrament.  Sure it isn’t always easy however it is always worth it so get going.

Scorsese to Film Endo’s ‘Silence’

NAGASAKI–Acclaimed director Martin Scorsese is expected to begin shooting later this year for his film adaptation of Shusaku Endo’s novel “Chinmoku” (Silence), a moving story of Christian martyrdom in Japan.

Filming will start in New Zealand as early as August, and will be in theaters in autumn 2010. Whether some scenes will be shot in Japan remains to be decided.

full article

I dont expect much from this movie for two reasons.  1 I am not a fan of Scorsese.  He might do well with this movie (I hope) but so far I havent watched anything of his that I like.  2 I read Silence over five years ago when I was a lapsed Catholic and I didn’t really like it at the time.  I have changed though so maybe I would like it more now but currently I’m not a fan of the book either.  With that said will I watch the movie?  Of course I will I just have low expectations.

Japanese Sculptor Found the Faith by Studying Antoni Gaudí

I saw Mr Sotoo on tv around a year ago on a show about Sagrada Familia so although this article is a couple of years old I thought it was interesting.

RIMINI, Italy, AUG. 23, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Fascinated by the works of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí, Japanese sculptor Etsuro Sotoo discovered the Catholic faith while working in the Church of the Holy Family, in Barcelona.

On a visit to Barcelona in 1978, Sotoo was fascinated by the expiatory Church of the Holy Family, the unfinished masterpiece of Gaudí (1852-1926), and requested permission to remain in the Catalan city to work as a sculptor. Gaudí’s cause for beatification is under way.

“To understand Gaudí, it was necessary to know what he wanted to do with those sculptures, with that marvelous building, which was not just a work of art,” explained Sotoo.

“I tried to get inside him and I questioned the stones,” the Japanese sculptor said. “I wondered what Gaudí would have done in my place. It was necessary to discover what was behind this stone.”

God’s collaborator

Sotoo did not find answers to these questions until he understood that he did not have to “look at Gaudí, but in the direction in which Gaudí looked.”

article here

This site has a couple of rough video interview with Mr Sotoo in English that will play on real player.

Feast day of St Paul Miki and Companions all Martyrs

Today is the feast day of St Paul Miki パウロ三木 and twenty five other Catholics who were crucified in Nagasaki in 1597.
This day causes me to think, as all who call themselves Catholic should,  if the time came and someone said “renounce your faith or die” what would I do?  Even in my daily life can I admit I am a Catholic to others even  though it may mean losing friends?  Will I keep saying yes to Jesus even when it is not comfortable for me?  Am I in a state of grace so that I need not fear death as we know not the day nor the hour.

26 Martyrs memorial official site