A long line has formed in front of La Basilica de Nuestro Padre Jesus de Medinaceli, a Roman Catholic Church, specifically a basilica, located in central Madrid. The line is spread across several blocks. Dejected and chilled to the bone, the faithful waited for the sacristan to open the door of the temple so they might kiss the miraculous image and request favors.
The morning fog made it difficult to distinguish the point where this line of Jesus de Medinaceli joined another line a few blocks away from the church in which, at the same time, people were waiting for the famous shop of Doña Manolita to open so they might buy a Christmas lottery ticket.
During the night both formations, watched by the police, had waited silently; but in the early morning hours they began to move with intense anxiety and, although they surged forward in opposite directions--each line advancing to its destiny, these people sought the same miracle beneath the morning fog: some sought the miracle of chance, some the miracle of divine compassion.
For solving the problems of this wretched life, the powers invoked were interchangeable; so it wouldn’t have made a difference if the lottery tickets were sold in the church at the foot of the altar or if the image of Jesus of Medinaceli had been placed in the store of Doña Manolita.
Today, December 20th, general elections are being held. Until eight o’clock this evening, there will be other lines at the voting sites, which could be confused with the lines at stores offering state sponsored betting or the churches where people will go to pray. In this case too, the ballot, the lottery ticket, or the prayer to the saint of your choice are interchangeable.
But what is the most improbable: That you hit the jackpot? That Divine Providence comes to your aid? Or that the candidate elected fulfills his campaign promises?
The Church of Jesus of Medinaceli, the shop of Doña Manolita, the voting site around the corner: three votes for a hopeless dream.
(Translated from the Spanish by Louis Bedrock.)
News reports sonic booms and earthquake like shaking in NJ, NY, NE, when you posted this
New Jersey residents believed it was just another thunderous escape of gas from our flatulent Neanderthal of a governor, Chris Christie.
http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/lr1foau8zsxbsfjmjxli.jpg
Thanks for your concern, BB; however, I’m interested in your response to Manuel Vicent’s article. Mr. Vicent was writing about Spain—he’s from Valencia and has a regular column in El País; do his observations reverberate among residents of California and of the United States?
I think his equation of prayer, buying a lottery ticket, and voting for a candidate that peddles hope and change is valid.
I’d be interested in your opinion and in the opinions of anyone else who reads the piece. That’s why I spent the time and energy to translate it.
I’ll buy the Chris Christy gas story.
Yes, Vincent’s articles reverberate among many native Californians and some transplants, who were raised on and among strong Spanish influence, especially in the arts, and you may find it interesting, but this could also be said for those who live in the deep south, where both have a Catholic heritage that sustained North America’s wars resulting in the establishment of the US.
I think his equation is valid on the surface, the bigger picture, but where it fails is that lottery tickets come and go, while God does not, so the faith one puts into a lottery ticket goes directly into the can when other numbers come up, as the faith one puts in God goes into a deeper personal understanding when prayers feel unanswered, for prayers have a way of materializing in terms some refer to “miraculous”, being beyond the ability to reason, no scientic explaination, just this sensation that THERE MUST BE A GOD FOR MY PRAYER HAS BEEN ANSWERED. You don’t get that with a lottery ticket, even if you did win $5.
Elections are rigged top to bottom. The only reason I study candidates anymore is to see how to survive them.
Time and energy are more valuable than fed notes. Thank you for making the time and spending the energy sharing your passion.
And thank you, BB, for your thoughtful comments.
Como dicen en Mexico,
—Cada changa a su mecate.
(o—Cada perico a su estaca.)
No obstante, gracias por leer el artículo.
Sí,señora; o
—Sobre gustos, no hay nada escrito.