This year I'm thinking about the coincidence of Ash Wednesday (March 1) with the day when the US carried out massive nuclear tests on Bikini Atoll. (See Why People Want a Pacific (and World) Free of Nuclear Weapons.) Considering that nuclear ban talks go forward in a few weeks at the the UN, I'm wondering - will church leaders step up to call on all of us to repent our nuclear folly during Lent?
(And I wonder: will banning nuclear weapons will be on the program when world leaders gather at Westminster Cathedral on March 13 to recognize "2017 - A Peace-building Commonwealth.")
I'm also thinking about another type of ashes and dust . . . .
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| Anthracite Fields in performance. |
Sunday night at Cal Performances, I saw a performance of the earth-shattering oratorio Anthracite Fields. There is a good summary of the piece on Wikipedia.
I've written a lot about my anthracite coal miner Grandaddy Melker:
I wish every person who has ever worked could have their labors commemorated in a piece as moving as Anthracite Fields.
You can listen to all five movements on Youtube. But start by watching this video that gives an overview of the whole project:
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UPDATE 2/28: There are now twenty (20) co-sponsors on the bill to rein in presidential first use of nuclear weapons. Please use this script to call and get YOUR representative on that list!
More updates ... 3/2: twenty-one co-sponsors ....
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