Take the Hint

 When I went to see Father Linus, this morning, we naturally started the conversation with the weather, which is pretty nasty.  It's a cold, rainy day, but we added at least "we don't have the horrible weather the mid-west is having.

Nor the earthquake in Myanmar.  

Not to mention the wars, the violent uprisings, and protests, every country seems to be having!

Also, our own personal turmoil."

Immediately, I thought of my own turmoil.  Yesterday, my husband was hacked.  He thought he was talking to the police, but it was a scam.  The bad guys got a lot of our personal information.  We are trying to sort it all out.  Please pray for us.

Reflecting upon what Father Linus said about the violent, upsetting situations in the world and our own personal lives, maybe God is trying to tell people to come to Him.  I know I have turned to Him.  I hope others do, too.

Ecclesiastical Prayer Group

 Overtime, I've belonged to a couple of prayer groups.  They've been in parishes and we prayed for various things.  We would pray for any intention.  Some prayer groups even had prayer lines dedicated to callers' intentions, which varied.

Anyway, I'd like to know why the prayer group, "Prayer League of Emperor Charles for the peace of the people," was given the designation an "ecclesiastical prayer group," in 1963 by Benedict XV.  It seems like any other prayer group, I have known, only more of them, world-wide.

When Charles was born, Austria was teeming with discontent.  Remember the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand set off WWI. As a child, a stigmatic nun prophesized that Charles would have much trouble in his life as emperor and as a father and leader.  A prayer group was set up specifically to pray for him, as he grew.

Countess Karolyi cursed Emperor Franz Joseph because he executed her son.  

"May heaven and hell blast your happiness! May your family be exterminated! May you be smitten in the persons of those you best love! May your children be brought to ruin, and may your life be wrecked, and yet may you live on in lonely, unbroken and horrible grief to tremble when you recall the name of Karolyi!"

Ah, a prayer group dedicated to praying for the future Emperor would be a good idea. Charles died age 35, leaving behind 8 children.  The prayer group then prayed for his beatification, which did happen in 2004.  Now the prayer group continues to pray for varia, especially peace.

Last Words

 Assist

Last words before execution are the final statements made by individuals facing death, often reflecting their thoughts or feelings at that moment. These words can vary widely, from expressions of love to declarations of innocence or peace.

 Wikipedia the-independent.com

Auto-generated based on listed sources. May contain inaccuracies.

I just spent some time reading some "last words," some have spoken.  I find them odd.  What were they really thinking?  Did they understand where they were going?

Anyway, one who did understand, was Jesus.  Being omniscient, He knew He was going to be executed, and what did He say?

 Do this in memory of me.

Gobsmacked

 This morning, my eyes nearly popped out of their sockets! I was reading CCC 2220, and saw "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure dwells in you."

Eunice is not a common name.  One of my good friends is named Eunice.  

I googled and found the reference for Eunice in 2 Timothy 1:5.

This morning, Eunice and I went to a Communion breakfast.  Guess who sat at our table.

Lois. Another not very common name.

God's humor is subtle.  

Lois

Eunice  with Father John.

Baptism

 

LECTIO:        Romans 8:8-11 

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh; 
on the contrary, you are in the spirit, 
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you, 
although the body is dead because of sin, 
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 
the one who raised Christ from the dead 
will give life to your mortal bodies also, 
through his Spirit dwelling in you.

STUDIUM:

Paul telling the Romans "who are in the flesh", he is referring to the fact that they haven't been baptized. They are still in "original sin." That fact will be corrected when they join the church in baptism.

MEDITATIO:

Our relationship with God was broken by Adam and Eve.  Now, because of Jesus' sacrifice, we are restored to the right relationship with the Father.  We now will rise on the last day because of our baptism.

ORATIO:

Lord, may all people come to know you.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Let Your spirit revive all people.

Grok is Kind.

 I’ve taken a look at your blog, "The One True Faith," and it’s clear you’ve put a lot of heart into it. As a Lay Dominican with a dual focus on cyberministry and prison ministry, you’ve created a space that blends personal reflection, spirituality, and a touch of poetry—pretty unique! The way you weave your faith into everyday experiences, like your “cloistered brothers” or your thoughts on prayer, gives it a grounded, authentic feel. It’s not just preachy; it’s personal, which makes it relatable.

Your posts cover a wide range—from meditations on saints like Charles de Foucauld to commentary on current events like the media frenzy around the pope’s health. That variety keeps it interesting, though it might depend on what your readers are looking for. The spiritual depth, like your take on John 19:30 or the Corporal Works of Mercy, shows you’re not afraid to dig into the meaty stuff. And the occasional lighter moments, like being told to “shut up” at a hockey game, add a human touch that balances it out.

Design-wise, it’s straightforward—classic Blogger vibes. It’s easy to navigate, but it’s not flashy. If you’re aiming to pull in a broader crowd, maybe a tweak to make it pop visually could help, though the simplicity suits the contemplative tone. Your passion for your faith and ministry shines through, no question. How long have you been at it, and what’s your goal with the blog? That might shape how I’d see it evolving. Overall, it’s a solid reflection of your journey—raw, thoughtful, and unapologetically you.

Free Will

 I enjoyed the last book I read by Percival Everett, so much, that I just finished reading (in two days), James.  The book Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain has just been reinvented by Everett.  James is the main character, who is Jim, from Huckleberry Finn.  The story is what could have happened if Jim escaped and his adventures, with Huck.

The history, emotional turnstile, and dialogue, kept me turning pages.  We hear Jim expound on his views of slavery and religion.  Jim is a well-read slave.  He can also write and does start to write his autobiography.  Jim pontificates about the morality and unfairness of slavery.  His religion is simple, or rather, not existence.  Thomas Aquinas would "answer that," God is not deus machina.  Man has free will and is free to choose evil.  Jim believes that if there were a God, there would be no slavery.

The two adventurers have little time to philosophize.  They get captured, blown up, sold again, Jim becomes a blacksmith, a tenor singer, and other assorted misadventures.  They also learn that the Civil War has started over slavery.  

Jim heads back South to his family.  Huck goes home, also and helps Jim locate his wife and daughter, who were sold.  Jim does find and helps them escape to the north.  Finally, free Jim becomes James.