SFX and the crab
November 29, 2018 |
Amidst December’s hectic chill, I found this week a warm and welcome break in the semi-annual Flame. Our First-Year Seminar students shared with me (and many others) their new insights on diverse topics—from the ethics of human enhancement to rival predictions for the Anthropocene. One, in a casual aside, even caught me up on the shocking sporting news on everyone’s mind.I hope that within this semester-end crush, you too will find moments that remind you of the meaningfulness of our common endeavor. Or, at the very least, moments of brief peace.
Let me suggest an occasion for the latter—one straight from our university’s heritage: the December 3 holiday of Saint Francis Xavier. You may choose to mark it with mass at Bellarmine chapel, or perhaps by accepting the open invitation to the Jesuit residence for lunch.
This year I’ll recommend an additional way: drop by the new stone chapel to admire the visage of SFX himself in the stained glass window. (Thanks to Greg Rust for the photo.) There you can ponder the characteristics of our university’s namesake and meditate on the mystery of … the crab.
Yes, the crab. Why is there a rose-colored crustacean lurking in the saint’s ambit? Good question. You might ask one of our resident biologists. Or seek out the story through a little light reading. (Purist? Then try this version, vol 2.1, pp. 689-94.) Too busy? Ok. Just google it.
May the old legend bring a smile to your face, inspire your next meal, or even spur you to work “holy crab” into your next conversation. I’d like to think SFX would approve.
