The year 2020 wasn't all bad. I had more time to read. Here are my favorites:
I'm talking to God. I want You as a friend. I want you as a constant companion. You were familiar with Adam and Eve. Can you talk to me as we walk in the garden?
Moses even dares to bargain with you to not destroy the city. I guess I dare, too.
But I want more. As I age will my ears hear You better? As I slow down, will I listen more?
I keep reading how much You love us. "As much as the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love." John 15:9.
You want to be friends, too. We are all called to be "friends of God, and prophets." (Wisdom 7: 27)
So, for my resolution for the New Year, 2021, I want God to be my closest friend. The Holy Spirit gave us the Bible as a manual to do exactly this. B=basic, I=instructions, B=before, L=leaving, E=earth. I'll post my progress on this blog. Pray for me.
These were some things that came to my mind when I observed some of the reactions since getting slammed by the corona virus:
Souls walking inside a shell
souls talking about heaven and hell
some with the fear of God, others praising devils
All types of worshiping to saints and sinners,
souls asking souls
"which ones are the winners"?
And then came covid upon all the souls,
things got quiet behind the walls.
Those souls who love zombies got to see them
first hand, but not on TV ,
you see, these were their friends.
They were sick, they were frail,
some couldn't breathe,
now all of a sudden,
people offered God's speed.
Souls who went out from behind the wall,
never came back for
the count time call.
Some loved Jesus others loved the devil
others care less about hell or heaven.
No doubt there was
fear in all these souls,
especially for those whose shells went cold.
Souls alive inside a shell.
Shells been ravaged by
a virus
that doesn't know identity.
Gasping for breath, fighting for life,
no taste no smell,
now wondering,
about heaven and hell?
The questions,
the fear, some pretending they don't care.
Souls walking inside a shell,
not prepared for where this will end.
I choose Christ and his Blessed mother
and the communion of saints
who know me like no other
I guess it doesn't matter how we feel the
Lords presence coming to us,
its what we do with it now!!
Have a Peaceful and Blessed Christmas,
and here's wishing you all a Bright Healthy 2021!!!
Have you seen Queen Elizabeth's Christmas message? She is unabashedly evangelizing. Of course, she has an audience I can only dream of attaining. May God bless the queen!
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21 Fathers,[a] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22 Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
4 Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.
Prayer is so important that the first thing St. Dominic did was set up a monastery of nuns to pray for the foundation of his Order.
Prayer is so important that St. Theresa is considered a patron of missionaries even though she never left her convent. She just prayed.
Saint Mother Theresa of Calcutta had two Orders, one contemplative and the other active sisters.
Pope Francis' encyclical, Fratelli Tutti, makes it perfectly clear that capital punishment is unnecessary.
268. “The arguments against the death penalty are numerous and well-known. The Church has rightly called attention to several of these, such as the possibility of judicial error and the use made of such punishment by totalitarian and dictatorial regimes as a means of suppressing political dissidence or persecuting religious and cultural minorities, all victims whom the legislation of those regimes consider ‘delinquents’. All Christians and people of good will are today called to work not only for the abolition of the death penalty, legal or illegal, in all its forms, but also to work for the improvement of prison conditions, out of respect for the human dignity of persons deprived of their freedom. I would link this to life imprisonment… A life sentence is a secret death penalty”.
Just the fact that murder is still being committed proves that the threat of capital punishment doesn't prevent a murder from happening. Even St. Augustine argued,
During the trial of the murderers of two priests, Saint Augustine asked the judge not to take the life of the assassins with this argument: “We do not object to your depriving these wicked men of the freedom to commit further crimes. Our desire is rather that justice be satisfied without the taking of their lives or the maiming of their bodies in any part. And, at the same time, that by the coercive measures provided by the law, they be turned from their irrational fury to the calmness of men of sound mind, and from their evil deeds to some useful employment.
Putting perpetrators to work is a better idea than prison. They could work and the money they make could go to the victim's family and the state. Any idea would be better than killing people and/or locking them up for life.
Although it was a beautiful Christmas tree—tiny
white lights sparkled between bright colored balls and various decorations—Susie,
the Elf on the Shelf, was happy she was sitting comfortably between books, more
or less in the shadows of the top shelf. The atmosphere was festive, with
jingle bells and music in the background.
Yes, for sure the holidays had begun. The children ran around excitedly, sometimes
running over furniture and pushing each other—until they caught sight of Susie,
or Moshe, the mensch on the bench. Then
the children walked gently, talked politely, and acted more like little angels
are supposed to act.
Moshe winked at Susie. Moshe is a mensch which means he’s a nice
guy. And he is sweet but his unkempt
beard was a turn-off to Susie. She hated
facial hair. She preferred a clean cut look, much like Stanley, who lived in
the book on the bottom shelf of Susie’s bookcase.
Even though Stanley was flat, OK, extremely flat,
Susie was infatuated with him. Of course
he was flat, he lived in a book. But he
was handsome, literate, and well-traveled.
Susie knew all this because her vocation was to
listen and observe. She was an expert on not only her families’ lives but
also on the lives of all the characters in the books in the book case, the
children’s stuffed animals, and dolls.
This was her world.
Moshe is a good listener, too. He’s good at everything, because, well just
because he’s a good guy, a mensch. He
sits under the menoraeh on a bench and watches and listens. You should see his eyebrows go up when the children
get rowdy. When the children remember
that Susie and Moshe are watching and listening, they get quiet and behave
better.
When the children quiet down, Moshe winks at Susie.
This is what Susie doesn’t like. That
wink is too familiar. She doesn’t want
to be rude to the mensch but she doesn’t want to be rude to a mensch, but she
doesn’t want to give him the impression that she wants to have more than a
working relationship with him.
Why can’t Stanley wink at her? Flat Stanley lives in
the children’s book, Flat Stanley by
Jeff Brown. And the idea of Stanley traveling the globe to promote reading, writing,
and good will was the idea of Dale Hubert. Children mail Stanley to relatives
and friends and ask them to take a picture with Stanley, write a letter and
send him back.
Stanley tells the most interesting stories of places
he has visited and the friends he has met. I’d introduce you to him, but (sigh)
he’s traveling again.
And so the holiday festivities continued with the
children dancing around Susie and Moshe. Hanukah and Christmas came and went. Susie
had hoped Stanley would have come back home for the holidays, but he didn’t. He must have been delayed. The mail around
the holidays is notoriously slow.
Still.
Then came the day when the father was reading the
newspaper and he read some devastating news.
He told the family to gather around and listen while he read an
obituary:
Flat Stanley died suddenly after
hiking the Warner Trail in Wrentham, MA.
He was born in a book by Jeff Brown and was a proud friend to all and
enjoyed being mailed all around the globe. He will be missed by everyone,
especially by young readers in the first grade.
A funeral Mass will be held at
St. Mary’s. His internment will be
private. In lieu of flowers, donations
may be made to the Literacy Project.
Susie was distraught! She fell off the shelf! No one noticed.
The children took the opportunity to express the
wish that they wanted the sequel to the book, Flat Stanley—Pancake Patti, as a
Hanukah or Christmas gift.
Moshe, ever the mensch, was already making room on
the bench for the new book.
Susie was on the floor, having been pulled off the
shelf by a heavy heart. Moshe’s heart
went out to Susie and when all was quiet, he went over to Susie and helped her
up to his bench.
And that’s how the family found them in the
morning. Susie’s head was resting on
Moshe’s shoulder and his arm was around her.
They made the perfect couple.
The lesson in teaching the Mass is the altar linens. Remember we are playing Mass and making do with what's hanging around the house.
Altar -- folding card table Corporal -- white placemat Purificator -- Grandpa's hanky
Altar cloth -- table cloth Lavabo towel -- white towel Paten -- dessert plate
Chalice -- parfait glass Candles -- candles Altar Crucifix-- desk cross
This lesson is just setting up the altar and explaining that it's the Last Supper. We are setting the table.
Shocked! I was shocked! Here I've been talking to my granddaughters about religion for around ten years now, and I never realized that they didn't know that we Catholics call our priests, "Fathers."
What a failure I am! Something as simple as that.
We were at La Salette Shrine, looking at their magnificent display of Christmas lights when a priest walked by.
"Good evening."
"Good evening, Father" Both girls heads spun around. "You called him Father?? Why???
Because that's a title we give to priests.
Lazarus calls out, Father Abraham have pity...
The Prodigal Son says, "Father I have sinned against God and against you."
It is just customary since a priest takes care of his people's spiritual needs as a parent takes care of his family's physical needs.
How could I have ever neglected to teach them something as simple as calling a priest, Father! Failed Again.
A complaint I often vocalize is "I'm a magnet for the needy."
My mother would say that's because I'm a sucker.
I feel it's a character/personality defect where I want everyone to love me. So I marry everyone. You know what I mean? I cozy up to people and act like we're the best of friends. I don't fake this; it's how I am. I treat everyone as though we're good friends.
This results in people thinking that I am their closest BFF. They are always calling me and asking for favors. It drives me crazy and makes me feel guilty that I can't do what they ask.
For example, Years ago, a hurricane hit us. The governor declared an emergency and told everyone to stay home. During the hurricane, the electricity went out. Soon, there was a knock on the door and it was two of my most needy friends. They're sisters.
I said, "What are you doing? There's a state emergency. You shouldn't have left your home." They responded, "We don't have any electricity." "Neither do we," I said.
Meanwhile, my husband was behind me. He said right in front of them. "Tell them to go to the police and close the door."
I was embarrassed. I couldn't close the door in their faces.
But that's what I did. I said, "I'm sorry." And I closed the door. I also felt terrible! All they wanted was companionship which is exactly what my husband didn't want to give them. He calls them the "biggest pain in the ass in the world," because they're always calling me.
But you know something, if I didn't have my husband I'd have a house full of homeless people, ex-cons, and other needy people. (I pray I die before him.)
I often wonder what God wants me to do for them. I am not a counselor. I have no money. I don't have the where-with-all to help anyone. What am I suppose to do with all these people who hang on me?
Then I read, "God between the lines." It is the story of a missionary explaining his spiritual journey. He sometimes feels that he has nothing to help his people. So he dismissed the people with their problems. There was no way he could help them. But he came to a reflective solution, " From now on, I'm going to try my best just to listen, because even if I have no solutions, I have ears, a heart and hope."
Me too. I have ears, a heart and hope. I can just listen.
It is a mouthful. The repetition may read nicely in your mind, but it is difficult to read aloud, at least in NAB.
This morning I was praying the Office for the Dead for Milt and came across the same reading. It's different enough to be more readable. Compare:
53 For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility and that which is mortal must clothe itself with immortality. And when this which is corruptible clothes itself with incorruptibility and this which is mortal clothes itself with immortality, then the word that is written shall come about...
v.
This corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, this mortal body with immortality. When the corruptible frame takes on incorruptibility and the mortal immortality, then will the saying of Scripture be fulfilled..
Which do you prefer?
Good Time in prison parlance:
A: Good time credit is earned for “good behavior” described in law as “exemplary compliance with institutional disciplinary regulations.” Good time credit reduces a prisoner’s actual time in Bureau of Prisons (BOP) custody. This time off is also called “good conduct time.” The law governing good time can be found at 18 U.S.C. § 3624(b).
Plenary Indulgence in church parlance:
A: Definition of plenary indulgence
To do good, and to distribute, forget not; for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Hebrews 13.16
O you who love festivals,
Come gather and sing the praises of the fair beauty of bishops,
The glory of the fathers,
The fountain of wonders and great protector of the faithful.
Let us say: Rejoice, O guardian of the people of Myra,
Their head and honored counselor,
The pillar of the church which cannot be shaken.
Rejoice, O light full of brightness
That makes the ends of the world shine with wonders.
Rejoice, O divine delight of the afflicted,
The fervent advocate of those who suffer from injustice.
And now, O all-blessed Nicholas,
Never cease praying to Christ our God
For those who honor the festival of your memory
With faith and with love.
—0rthodox Liturgy
From the Winter Pascha by Thomas Hopko
This is John T. Faris. He lived 1871-1949. He was a writer, a Presbyterian minister, and a magazine publisher. This is a good meditation he wrote.Almost fifteen years ago I bought a book of Advent Meditations by Father Peter Stravinskas. I haven't looked at it since today. On Friday of Week 1, Year B, he wrote:
During this season our minds are often focused on getting the right gift for the right person. What about the right gift from the right person? For example, have you thought about asking the Lord for a Christmas gift?
In line with today's readings, I intend to ask for understanding and sight, which produce insight. And I am confident that Almighty God will grant this request because it is asking for the right gift from the right Person.
I wrote a notation after this reading that I was asking for health. Fifteen years ago when I last did these Advent Meditations I was suffering from Cronkhite Canada Syndrome. Here's a description.
Ask and you shall receive. Today, I am thanking God for my health.
Me in
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While turning pages this morning, I came across "The Mirror of Faith" by William of Thierry. I was looking for "The Statement of Faith" by St. John Damascene. I read both.
I prefer William of Thierry's. William talks mostly about the Holy Spirit and I can readily understand what he is talking about.
...If when he comes he finds you humble, silent and trembling at the words of God, he will rest upon you and reveal what God the Father has hidden from the wise and prudent of this world. You will then begin to understand the things holy Wisdom could have told his disciples on earth, but which they were unable to bear...
That's my experience, also. How many people have been educated in religion, yet do not know God, or worse, think they know God and turn away from Him? These people haven't listened to the Spirit.
St. John Damascene, seems not to have encountered the Spirit but was blessed. to have always have been born into Him.
O Lord, you led me from my father's loins and formed me in my mother's womb. You brought me, a naked babe, into the light of day, for nature's laws always obey your commands.
St. John Damascene's experience is unique.
Joan and I hiked a new trail today. Since Joan is 90 years old, it took awhile to walk a mile and a half. It took 90 minutes to be exact. Joan cracks me up. Every time she talks, she stops. She can't talk and walk, at the same time.
It was a beautiful day. We were walking the grounds around the Sisters of Mercy. They have a rehabilitation center, a school, and offices. The woods are called Mercy Woods.
Father Rocco's homily today included a story.
A monkey was riding on the back of a panda. They were comfortable ambling along, when the monkey asked the panda, "Is the destination more important than the journey?"
What do you think?
Well, the panda replied, "Neither."
"It depends on the companion."
When I arrived home, there was a package waiting for me. It was from an old friend, that used to belong to my hikers' group, Lowell Whitlock. He sent me the above Dominican Cross. It was such a surprise that I'm still marveling over it. I haven't seen Lowell for a few years. He was in my Spanish class and cribbage class, at the Senior Center. Then he moved to Texas--never to be seen or heard from, again. So I thought, until this morning.
Isn't it a godsend to hear from old friends?
My son came for lunch, carrying a Christmas kissing ball. It smells wonderful.
The characters in Walker Percy's "The Moviegoer," are the first time I've never liked any of them. None of them had any redeeming features. Well, what do I know. It's only a story.
The main character, Binx, was a dud. I keep thinking that there should be more to this story but if there were, I missed it. It was an easy read. I liked the descriptive detail, especially when Percy was describing a person. His diction is precise. I really got a flavor of the south in the 1960s.
I guess that's why this book is considered an existential classic.
Lectio:
2 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.[a] 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers[b] and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days.
Studium:
2:1 The Third Day. Interesting. Jesus for the first time will manifest His glory on this "Third Day," as He manifests His glory three days after His death. Why three days? The third of these wedding celebrations? Three days after calling some of His apostles?
Also note that John doesn't call Mary anything other than the Mother of Jesus. And why would she be so concerned about running out of wine? Who would notice that? Well, a relative of the wedding party would, wouldn't she?
And I've heard many times that Jesus calling His mother, "Woman," 2:4, was not rude. It just would be rude today.
2:5 Mary knew Jesus would do whatever she asked, her tone is assurance. "Do whatever He tells you." are the last recorded words of Mary. One of my "cloistered brothers" calls this incident the first catechism, i.e., just obey Jesus!
2:10 Jesus transforms water into wine, just as He transfigures wine into His Precious Blood at every Mass.
Finally, Jesus' attendance at this wedding is the basis for sanctifying a wedding into the sacrament of marriage.
Meditatio:
Wowza! Jesus starts His public ministry giving us a sacrament and an introduction to Mary, changing water, and impressing everyone, especially His disciples. But Mary knew He would. Does she feel sorry that this is His beginning of leaving her?
Oratio:
Thank you, Jesus, for sanctifying marriage. Thank you, Jesus, for changing water into wine to prefigure the Eucharistic celebration. Thank you, Jesus, for showing us that this wine looks forward to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
Contemplatio:
I am awed by Your care for us.
Resolutio:
I will work towards spreading the glory and power of God.
Let's face it, these are tumultuous times for all of us. Time in which I find myself often gazing from my cell window and wondering, what it might be that you yourself are seeing from your own window? For me, I see a co-mingling of sorrow and joy. The leaves are changing and so are we. Colder weather is moving in, and the ways in which we now interact with one another are dramatically altered. So much suffering abounds, often it is difficult to know how best to help. Many have become cynical, fearful, disillusioned, and stress and anxiety and frustration can get overwhelming. I get it, I have my moments too. However, the longer I gaze out my window, the more deeply I feel drawn to go deeper within myself.
From this vantage point, the window of my heart, my Advent journey is beginning. I can see that many of us have grown older, more infirm, are struggling to make ends meet, and are wrestling with the innumerable uncertainties life now challenges us with. Many more of us are also grieving the losses of both loved ones and the way life used to be. In the windows of my own nostalgic moments, I fondly recall your face and the many memories we share from our vibrant Bethanian communal days. It is the memory of your face, like a shining star to me, that brings me both solace and hope. Comfort knowing that we may be separated, but we are far from being apart.
For a few moments, I had wished to turn back the hands of time. Then a realization struck me, Advent calls us forward, not backward. We have grown since last we met, and each of us is on a journey now to transcend who we are at this moment. Like the Wise folk of old, who took a risk, took off their masks, and dared to follow that bright shining star into an uncertain future, so too are we called to do the same, to step out in faith. Advent journeys are about learning to trust, and about learning to see through the darkness and into the Light. Often it is one baby step at a time. Advent feeds us the nutrients we most need to bring new life in us. Christmas dispels the dark, transcends the fear, in the humble gathering where we meet once again at the manger of Christ and together are fed. May we be starts for others along the way to the Celebration. See you at the manger of Love! Your "cloistered brother," Phil.
Father John linked the Old Testament to the New, in this morning's homily. Today's homily was about Mary's visit to Elizabeth....
