When Pope Committed a Cardinal Sin, Helping Pope is Also a Sin

Excerpt from Dante's "The Divine Comedy".

As Dante and The Poet Virgil descended into Inferno 27, The Circle 8 of the Hell, where the sinners were tormented by locking their heads inside the holes of rocks, a familiar voice of Italian tone coming out the Inferno.

Torment of sinners at Inferno #27.

"I was a man of arms, and then I was a cordelier," trusting, thus girt, to make amends; and surely my trust had come full but for the Great Priest, whom ill befall! who set me back into my first sins; and how and where­ fore, I will that thou hear from me. While I was that shape of bone and flesh which my mother gave me, my works were not leonine, but of the fox. All wily practices and covert ways I knew, and I so plied their art that the sound went forth to the end of the earth. When I saw me arrived at that part of my age where every one ought to strike the sails and coil up the ropes, what before was pleasing to me then was irksome to me, and I yielded me repentant and confessed. Ah wretched, alas! and it would have avail . " The Prince of the new Pharisees having -war near the Lateran,'-and not with Saracens nor with Jews, for every enemy of his was Christian, and not one of them had been to conquer Acre, or a trafficker in the land of the Soldan,-regarded in himself neither his supreme office, nor his Holy Orders, nor in me that cord which was wont to make those girt with it more lean; but as Constantine besought Sylvester within Soracte to cure his leprosy,' so this one besought me as master to cure the fever of his pride. He asked counsel of me, and I kept silence, because his words seemed drunken. And then he said to me: 'Let not thy heart mistrust; from tills time forward I ab­ solve thee, and do thou teach me to ac·t so that I may throw Palestrina to the ground. I can lock and unlock Heaven, as thou knowest; wherefor the keys are two, which my predecessor held not ..."  Canto 27

Guido da Montefeltro, the military strategist who helped Pope sack the Colonna family, thus also committed a cardinal sin.

The voice came from Guido (c. 1220-98), a military strategist who had led many victories for the ghibelline (pro-emperor party and army) military campaigns in central Italy. In the 1270s and the early 1280s he scored decisive victories over guelph and papal forces before suffering defeat in 1283 at Forlí (in Romagna). Excommunicated, he later captained the forces of the Pisan ghibellines against Florence (1288-92); in 1296 Pope Boniface VIII rescinded the excommunication as part of a political strategy to remove the dangerous Guido from the scene. Guido later retired and became a Franciscan friar hopping that he would relieve all his sins against the church in his earlier career. Pope told Guido that he (The Pope) could pardon Guido's sin if Guido could help Pope a military campaign against the Colonna family to whom the Pope had already made a promise of amnesty. Pope Boniface did not keep his promise; with Guido's help, the Pope sacked his enemy and killed all members of the Colonna family. Because of this, Dante condemned both the Pope and Guido to Inferno 27.

Pope Bontiface committed a cardinal sin by breaking his promise of amnesty and sacked his enemy, the Colonna family. Dante also condemned the Pope to Inferno #27.

Dante's writing on this part had a great influence on Protestant Reformation movement. It inspired Martin Luther (1483-1546) to reject teaching and practice of Roman Cathodic Church that freedom from punishment because of sin could be purchased with money; or could be redeemed by serving the Pope for the wrong cause.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) influenced by Dante's writing, started a church reform movement in the 16th century. The Europe began the Renaissance since the movement.

Francesca and Paolo; Do they deserve punishment in Hell?

Francesca and Paolo. Excerpt and Story from Dante's "The Divine Comedy". Did Francesca deserve punishment to endure the torture?

Dante was guided by the poet Virgil (70-17 BC) on a tour of Hell. On the stop of Circle-II where all the 'lustful' sinners were tormented by violent storm, blowing the souls of those sinners all over the place. One of them was Francesca who had been an acquaintance of Dante. Seeing him touring her tormenting place, she made a comment and complaint to Dante.

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321 AD)

Poet Virgil (70-17 BC)

Francesca and Paolo was in love. The jealous husband Gianciotto (in the background) took the sword and killed both of them. Dante condemned both Francesca and Paolo to Hell for lustful love.


"...Love, which quickly lays hold on gentle heart, seized this one for the fair person that was taken from me. Love, which quickly lays hold on gentle heart, seized this one for the fair person that was taken from me, and the mode still hurts me. Love, which absolves no loved one from loving, seized me for the pleasing of him so strongly that, as though seest, it does not even now abandon me. Love brought us to one death. Caina awaits him who quenched our life."

Francesca was married to Paolo's brother, Gianciotto ("Crippled John"). Francesca's soul told Dante that her husband should be destined for punishment in Cain--the infernal realm of familial betrayal named after Caina, who killed his brother Abel (Genesis 4:8)--for murdering her and Paolo.

Dante's view on Hell

Here is the romance and punishment story between Francesca and Paolo.

Francesca was engaged to Gianciotto for political reasons. Gianciotto was a crippled, ugly looking-man. Giaciotto's brother, Paolo, on the other hand, was a very good looking, handsome young man. On the day of meeting face-to-face, (The dating of the Dark Age Era.), Gianciotto afraid of being rejected by Francesca, asked his brother, Paolo, to meet her instead. Looking at this handsome, good looking man mistaking Paolo as her fiancee, she was very happy that she would eventually marry to such a good-looking person.

On the night of wedding, the truth was eventually revealed; Francesca felt deeply deceived and betrayed. Meanwhile, Paolo fell in love with Francesca, who also loved Paolo in return without any restraint.

One night Gianciotto caught both of them in bed. Gianciotto was very angry. He took his sword and was trying to kill his brother. Francesca attempting to save Paolo's life, stood in between Gianciotto and Paolo and was killed.Gianciotto  then killed his brother Paolo. Both Francesca and Paolo's souls were condemned and were sent to Hell, Circle -II for eternal torment of the violent blowing winds.

Francesca told Dante, the one who should be brought to Hell was her husband, not her or Paolo. The punishment for Caina (Biblical story, Caina killed his brother Abel) should also reserved for her husband who killed his brother.

Who should be punished? The story-teller would like to hear the opinion from you.

An Ape and A Firefly

An Ape and A Firefly

A Philippine folk tale.

Background:  Pope Francis made a historic trip to Philippine, January, 2015.  To celebrate this historical event, I searched and found a folk tale of Philippine.  I am sharing this folk tale with friends.  Enjoy the story.

Long ago, an ape, weighing approximately 400 pounds, met with a firefly, weighing less than an ounce in a forest.  This ape is notorious about his bully habit to other creatures.  In meeting with the firefly in the forest, he sneered at her, purposely lowering his voice to show off his authority over her.

"Hey, you, firefly.", said the ape.

"Hello, Sir.  What can I do for you?", answered the firefly politely.

"Why do you always carry a lantern wherever you go?" , challenged the ape.

"Because I do not want to bump into a mosquito in the forest" , said the firefly.

"No. You carry the lantern because you are scared of the darkness.  Firefly, Firefly, Scary fly." , the ape, sneered and laughed with a menacing manner and walked away.

The sneering of the ape did not stop there. He went to the village and told everyone he knew that the firefly he met was a scary fly.

One day, the firefly visited the village and found out everyone in the village sneered at her.

"Firefly, firefly, scary fly."

The firefly was furious; she went directly to the ape's hut.  The ape was asleep.  The firefly flew over to the front of the ape's eyes, flashing her light over ape's eyes, waking up the ape.

"What are you doing here? Don't you see I am asleep?", asked the ape.

"Because you told everybody that I am a scary fly.  It is bad when you say bad things about me behind my back; besides it is not true at all", said the firefly.

"Oh, yeah." , the ape sneered at her again and  said, "Do you want to fight?"

"Yes, I will fight you to restore my reputation." , said the firefly.

"Ha, ha, ha.  You, tiny creature want to fight me; ha, ha, ha.  You better have million of your friends to help you." , said the ape, "by the way, where and when do you want to have a fight?"

"I will fight myself; you better to have hundreds of your friends to help you." , said the fly, "Tomorrow, we fight on the open area in front of the forest when the clock strikes 3.

On the next day, 10 minutes before 3 PM, the firefly presented herself alone, while the ape had assembled hundred of his friends, each one brought a club to help.

"Hey, the scary fly.  Do you still want to fight?" , sneered the ape.

"Yes, when the clock strikes 3.", said the fly.

When the clock struck 3, the fight began.  The firefly flew to a nose of the first ape.  The 2nd ape, lifted up his club, aiming at the fly, and took all his strength to hit the fly.  He missed the fly.  The fly flew away.  The club hit  the first ape so hard that the first ape collapsed and became unconscious.

Then the fly flew to the nose of the ape who had just knocked down the first ape.  The 3rd ape saw that fly sitting on the nose of his friend.  Again, he lifted up his club high in the air and used all his strength to hit the fly.  He missed again. However, the 2nd ape could not absorb all the pain from the hitting, he  collapsed too and became unconscious.

This went on for a while until the only ape standing, was the one who had bullied her The ape knelt down and asked for mercy.

"All right, I forgive you.", said the fly, " Listen, from now on, you should not bully other fellows  You should not say bad things behind other people's back.  You should not underestimate other fellows. Even a small creature like me knows how to defend herself."

After giving the ape the lesson, she flew back to the forest with her lantern.

Fair is foul, and foul is fair

Fair is foul, and foul is fair. Hover through the fog and filthy air. --Shakespeare, Measure for Measure

Be right, or be kind? If we have to choose, choose 'being kind'. --Deepak Chopra

Judge not that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounced, you will be judged and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Mathew 7: 1-2

2014 is the 450 year anniversary of William Shakespeare (1564-1616). Although not as educated as the other literature scholars (Shakespeare only received grammar school education in England), he had published 38 plays, numerous poetry, and other well-respected literature work. He was very keen in observing human's mind- a very complex mind. Thus he said, 'Fair is foul, and foul is fair'. Because of the complexity of a human mind, it is better not to judge. The Bible teaches us with the same message. So are the contemplative spiritual guru; when we have to choose between being right or being kind, choose being kind. The play, Measure for Measure, illustrates the importance of this basic philosophy.

William Shakespeare, 1564-1616

Measure for Measure-the plot

Vienna was in chaos- crime, prostitutes, gambling were rampant. The City had earned a reputation of a number 1 sin-city during the Dark Age of Europe. The Duke decided to ask his lieutenant, Angelo, to clean up the city.

Lieutenant Angelo had a reputation of being righteous, incorruptible, and religious; a disciple of God. The Duke told Angelo to be in charge while he was traveling to other cities. In reality, he did not travel at all. He just disguised to be a friar observing how Angelo cleaned up the City.

Angelo was determined to crack down irresponsible sex, he arrested Julieta and Claudio for having sex without marriage and condemned Claudio to death. This was too severe and out-of-proportion a punishment even by the Dark Age standard. Lucio, the jail keeper was sympathetic with Claudio, and informed Claudio's sister Isabella who was going to become a nun, to 'stay away from filthy human kind.' Isabella came to Angelo asking for mercy on Claudio. Claudio spoke highly on her sister, Isabella. " a prone and speechless dialect. Such as move men; besides, she hath prosperous art, when she play with reason and discourse and will she can persuade."

Isabella spoke to Angelo, "...go to your bosom.  Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know. That's like my brother's fault; if it confess a natural guilt such as his. Let it not sound a thought upon your tongue against my brother's life."

Angelo could not resist Isabella intellect and overall Isabella's sensual attraction. He asked Isabella to surrender her love to Angelo to save her brother's life. Isabella refused. She went to Claudio to tell him what was going on. Initially, Claudio praised his sister for refusal. After a while, thinking about his death was immediate, asking Isabella to think twice about Angelo's request. Isabella became very angry, scolding her brother, " O, you beast, faithless coward. Dishonest wretch. Wilt thou be man out of my vice? From thine own sister's shame?" " Die, perish. I will pray a thousand times for thy death. No word to save thee." She stormed out and swore never to see her brother again. Isabella showed no sympathy for her brother.

Isabella pleaded for mercy on Claudio

Angelo asked Isabella to surrender her love to him.

Isabella scolded her brother and showing no mercy for her brother.

The Duke was aware of what was going on. He came to Isabella and offered a 'Bed for Bed' trick on Angelo. Angelo has a out-of-favor girl friend, Mariana with body, face, and voice similar to Isabella. To this offer, Isabella agreed and said, " Show me how, Good Father. The images already gives me content." Isabella showed no concerns for possible shame of other woman.

Bed for Bed trick went well. Did Angelo released Claudio as he had promised? No. "Claudio will take revenge on me if he is released", Angelo said. Angelo ordered immediate execution on Claudio and he wanted to see Claudio's head the next day.

Lucio told The Duke about the execution; and the Duke, disguised as a friar offered another trick, Head for Head; using a dead man Ragzine's head substituting for Claudio's head. Lucio and the friar hid Claudio.

The Duke finally returned; all witnesses came out forward to reveal Angelo's cruelty and wrong doing. When Mariana came out to reveal the truth behind, Bed for Bed trick, Angelo finally confessed. The Duke first ordered Angelo to marry Mariana, then condemn Angelo to death. The Duke declared, "The mercy of law cried out most audible, even from his proper tongue. An Angelo for Claudio, Death for Death. Haste still pays haste, and leisure answers leisure; like doth quit like, and Measure still for measure. "

In the end, both Mariana and Isabella pleaded for mercy for Angelo, the tragedy became a comedy. Claudio appeared and was ordered to marry Julieta. while the Duke proposed to Isabella. No head was lost while everyone was either married for being proposed.

Measure for Measure --Character Analysis

Angelo: The religious, self-proclaimed righteous person was actually a heartless hypocrite. He sentenced Claudio's death for an irresponsible sex; yet he asked for sex with Isabella, then ordered immediate execution on Claudio. He is a bad guy by everyone's standard. Let's reflect what was his actions. Initially, he did show determination to 'clean up the city of Vienna'. However, he was not able to resist the lust over a very intelligent woman, and eventually committed a crime by his own definition. Afraid of being revenged by Claudio, he ordered immediate execution on Claudio. Thus one crime piled up on another, like a snowball. After committing the crime,he did show remorse about his action in his prayer. " What is this, what's this? Is this her fault or mine? The temper or the tempted ? Ha, not she, but I. O, fie, fie, fie, what are thou, Angelo? You want to exert your lust on someone who is good? ". When all the witnesses came up forward, he asked for death sentence from the Duke. " Good Prince. No longer session hold my shame. But let my trial be my own confession. Immediate sentence and sequent death is all the grace I beg." This is what Shakespeare had said, "Fair is foul and foul is fair."

Isabella: She first appealed to Angelo for mercy on Claudio and then pleaded to the Duke, mercy on Angelo. Is she completely a good person? Well, how little compassion she had on her brother, " O, you beast, faithless coward. Dishonest wretch. Wilt thou be man out of my vice? From thine own sister's shame?" " Die, perish. I will pray a thousand times for thy death. No word to save thee". When the Duke revealed Bed for Bed trick to Isabella, she did not show compassion for Mariana. " Show me how, Good Father. The images already gives me content." Again, Shakespeare said, "Fair is foul, and foul is fair".

The Duke: The Duke's Bed for Bed and Head for Head trick saved Isabella from being shameful and saved Claudio's life. Is he a good person ? Well, Vienna was in a state of Chaos under his rein for the past 14 years. Who was at fault ? This chaotic state forced him to release his duty to his lieutenant. But at the end, he punished his lieutenant for his wrong doing. Again, Shakespeare said, "Fair is foul and foul is fair".

The Duke twisted the plot from tragedy to comedy. No one was dead. But he was not flawless.


Conclusion: Human being is complex; and no one is perfect. It is not our duty to judge; but to have compassion, for we cannot love and judge at the same time. Choosing between being right, or being kind, let us choose being kind.

This essay was originated from Dr. Ting-Kai Chen's presentation on New Year's Day at New Jersey Taiwanese Pen Club Meeting.

THE WAY

Andy is a worker ant.  Being a worker, his duties are to search and carry food back to the Queen from dawn to dusk; 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.  His father and his grandfather did that; so are his cousins, friends, and sons.  This is THE WAY.  No one questions about THE WAY.  It is considered as the universal truth for all worker ants to follow:  THE WAY.

Andy was happy about THE WAY just like any other worker ants until one day, he noticed that there were more number of ants went out to work while fewer and fewer ants came home at dusk.

Andy stops another fellow worker ant and said,

"Something is wrong.  Didn't you notice that there were more ants went out from the nest than returning?"

"No.  You must be dreaming.  Everything is well and sound.  Besides, one of our friends has found a big pool of honey.  It is a gold for us as ants.  If we carry honey home, our Queen will be very, very happy.", said Andy's friend and walks off to find the honey.

After few days, he found that those ants who carried honey all collapsed on the way home; then there is a funnel descended from heaven and sucks them off and sending them to death.

Andy stops another ant who happens to be a soldier ant.

" Please stop other ants from rushing to carry honey home; for I see the DEATH with my own eyes.  I saw a funnel coming down from heaven and sucking them to DEATH."

" You must be very, very crazy and disgusting.", said the soldier ant. 

" It is your duty according to THE WAY as a worker ant to carry the honey back to the Queen.  If you disrespect your duty, death will be upon you."  

Here it goes.  Andy saw the danger; yet no other ants saw it.  Andy cannot stop THE WAY, even THE WAY leads them to death.

Karma-what goes around, comes around

A Miserable Angel

Ikay was an angel sent by the heaven; but he did not look like an angel.  He did not have wings; naturally, he could not fly.  His body was made of ice; he could float on water, but could not swim. He did not have any magic. His body was covered with rugged clothes.   He was seen bare-foot all the time walking on the ice and snow.  He did not have parent.  In fact, he looked clumsy, and awkward. He occasionally showed up at school and often he was bullied by other kids.  He was a miserable angel.

One day, Ikay was bullied again by a group of 5-6 kids.  They teased and verbally insulted him, threw rocks, ice at him and was physically rough on him until an old gentleman, O-Li-San came by to stop the abuse of Ikay from other kids.

O-Li-San Came to Rescue

"You rough kids should be ashamed of yourself.  If you don't stop harassing, just wait to see what I will do to you."  said the O-Li-San and showed off with few Martial Art movement.  The kids retreated and left.

After the bullying kids retreated, O-Li-San asked the bare-foot kid,

"What is your name?  Where do you live?"

" My name is Ikay.  I don't have a home."  said Ikay.

" Why don't you come to my house?  I have a place for you to stay in my house."

Ikay followed the old man and walked into his small hut.  The old gentleman lived by himself.  Although the hut was small, it was quite clean.  O-Li-San cleaned up a place for Ikay to sleep and gave Ikay a warm meal to which, Ikay happily enjoyed the meal.

The old gentleman made a living by making and selling masks.  His hut was cold.  O-Li-San burned the firewood inside a stove to make the hut warm.

"Come to the fireplace.  You look cold."  Said the old gentleman.

"I am quite ok with the cold.  My body will melt if I come near the fire."  Ikay confessed to the old gentleman that he was made of ice.

Ikay and the old gentleman lived happily together.  O-Li-San prepared meals for Ikay while Ikay played beautiful flute music to entertain.  Ikay was a gifted musician after all.

Snow Storm

One day, the old gentleman said to Ikay,

"The firewood is getting short.  I should go to the wood to pick up more to warm the hut."

After O-Li-San left for the firewood, the weather suddenly changed to the worse.  First, the black clouds appeared; the howling wind followed; then there was a blizzard so bad that Ikay had never seen before.  

Five hours had passed and O-Li-San did not come back.  Ikay got worried.  He decided to trace the old gentleman's routes to find him.

Ikay called out 'O-Li-San' as hard as he could; and found no responses.  He walked through bushes, snow piles, in hope finding the gentleman.  After 2 hours, he found the gentleman collapsing on a pile of snow.

Ikay Gave His Life to Save O-Li-San

Ikay secured the gentleman on his back and slowly walked back to the hut.  The gentleman suffered severe hypothermia, but was still alive.

Quickly, Ikay made a fire and brought the gentleman close to the fire to warm up the gentleman.

The gentleman finally woke up and said,

"What a dream!  Where am I?"  

Then he found out he was in the hut.  Then he called out Ikay, and found no trace of Ikay.  Ikay was made of ice; once he touched the fire, he melted.  Ikay was gone.  He went back to the heaven.

The old gentleman rescued Ikay from the misery. Ikay paid him back with his own life to save the old gentleman from being frozen to death.

What goes around, it came around; this is the universal truth.  This is Karma.