New things I learned Today

+ JMJ +

Portrait of Dante by Sandro Botticelli

Source:  Wikipedia

1.  Dante Alighieri

Mama read aloud "Dante and Beatrice" from the book, "Stories from Dante" by Mary MacGregor.  I learned that Dante was only 9 years old when he fell "in love" with this beautiful girl named Beatrice, whom he never spoke to at all except when she said "Hi" to him once.  She married someone else and then died.  He was heartbroken, then he made her his Guardian Angel in his "Divine Comedy."  

He was exiled from Florence by his enemies, who said he could return, but only as a pardoned criminal.  That hurt his pride too much, so he didn't.  He went from city to city instead, where he was invited to rich people's homes because he was a noble.  He never went back to Florence and died in Ravenna.

Source:  BSHS Travel Guide

2.  Science

Mama read aloud the first lecture in Arabella Buckley's book, "The Fairy-Land of Science."  I learned that Science can be compared to fairy tales.

Source:  Catholic Harbor of Faith and Morals

3.  St. John Gualbert (985 or 995 – 1073)

Mama read aloud St John Gualbert's Crucifix from the book, "Stories of the Saints" by Grace Hall.  He nearly killed somebody, then he didn't -- because his brother's murderer asked him for forgiveness, and at that moment, John saw a vision of Jesus on the cross, saying "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do."  So he forgave the man and ran to the church, where he asked God for forgiveness for nearly killing someone.  He saw that God forgave him when Jesus on the crucifix bowed his head to show that he was forgiven.

St. John Gualbert, pray for us!