Fickle Fortune

 Circe by Madeline Miller is a fictional, embellished account of the Greek god, Circe.  Wait.  How can a fictional god, who is fiction in the first place, be "fictional and embellished"?    Well, the author is skilled and inspired.  Madeline Miller weaves a tale that holds your interest and curiosity to continue to read.

The story is about the birth of Circe by Perses, her mother, and Helios, her father.  Perses is a niad and Helios is god of the sun, which makes Circe, a nymph.  All these gods are dysfunctional.  They are very fickle.  Circe seems different.  She tries to be compassionate and fair.  Eventionally, however, she crosses the line when she turns her sister into a sea monster.  For this, she is sent into exile, forever.

Turning her sister into a sea monster was the first time that Circe learned that she had a talent for witchcraft.  Exiled to an island, she honed her craft.  A few sailors come to her island.  One of them is Odysseus and she has a child by him. The child grows up and inadvertently kills his father.  His brother and stepmother come to the island and the four of them live together.

Athena, who was patron of Odysseus comes to offer his legitimate son, a kingdom.  He doesn't have the temperament to want it.  Circe's son claims it. 

Yes, the book is a hit.  It is well written.  But I hate these Greek gods.  Even though I'm reading a good story, I can't help but feel that I am wasting my time reading about fickle gods.  Thank God, I have the One True God who loves me.  I trust Him to turn all the bad into good.  He is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent.  You couldn't trust those Greek gods.  My Trinitarian God is the One, True, God.

Mercy and Justice Are Coterminous

 LECTIO: James 2:13

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy; yet mercy triumphs over judgment.

STUDIUM:

It is an act of love for God to give us this Eucharist.  His love for us sinners anticipates the adoration we need to exchange with God.  He has given us this Eucharist because He has mercy on us.  And mercy trumps judgment. 
     Does it, really?  I feel James 2:13, is a bit misleading. If God isn’t about justice, then our hope for true justice is in vain.  We can see that there is no true justice, here on earth.  It is obvious that life isn’t fair.  Only with God will we find true justice.
     If God desired justice after the fall of Adam and Eve, we would all be sentenced to hell, forever. Then I wouldn’t be here in front of the monstrance, would I?  Luckily, God is also all merciful.  Hence, Jesus’ atonement on the cross.

MEDITATIO:

I am driving myself crazy!  This is a hard lesson for me, Lord.  It is against the culture I live in.  Usually, mercy means forget about judgment.  You didn’t forget about Adam and Eve’s sin.  Jesus atoned for that. You gave us this Eucharist, I see before me. How can I judge and be merciful, at the same time?  As you often told St. Catherine, “You are God; she was not.” 

Ugh!  I give up.

ORATIO:

I thank you Lord, that You are not a fickle god like the pagans worshipped, or even the non-Christian religions that worship a god that disregard justice to showcase their mercy.  My One True God is omniscient and satisfies the demands of justice with mercy because He is love.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Come, Lord Jesus!  You are God, I am not.

RESOLUTIO:

Never again will I judge my neighbors.  It’s above my pay-grade—way above.  

Treat Others As God Would

 Isn't praying enough?

No, it isn't.  You must love your neighbor.

I do.

Prove it.  Just praying without helping your neighbor is hypocritical and Isaiah tells us that it makes God very angry.

"What are your endless sacrifices to me," says Yahweh.
"I am sick of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of calves.  I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats...

When you stretch out your hands I turn my eyes away.  You may multiply your prayers, I shall not be listening...

Learn to do good.  Search for justice.  Discipline the violent.  Be just to the orphan.  Plead for the widow."  (Isa. 1: 11, 15, 17)

You know nothing of God if you don't work towards justice in this world.

Worthy of Praise

 LECTIO:    Revelation 7: 11-12

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

"Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!"

STUDIUM:

Who are the four living creatures? According to the New International Version Application Study Bible, the "four living creatures" represent the attributes of God. His attributes are symbolized in animal-like features.  Majesty and power are the animal-like appearance of the lion, faithfulness (the ox), intelligence (the man), and sovereignty (the eagle).
        According to Charles T. Chapman, Jr., The Message of the Book of Revelation, Liturgical Press, the "four living creatures" symbolize the four classes of living creatures, and also the all-seeing guardian protectors of all living creatures. 
       Lastly, in the Collegeville Bible Commentary on The Book of Revelation by Pheme Perkins, the "four living creatures" are first mentioned in Ezekiel 1: 4-20 and may have been taken from Babylonian signs of the zodiac.  The ox, Taurus, is earth, the lion, Leo, is fire, the man, Scorpio, is water, and the eagle flies in the sky or the air.  
       However, my parish church has the four evangelists surrounding every column in the nave and under their feet are the "four living creatures": the angel/man is Saint Matthew, the lion is Mark, the ox is for Saint Luke, and the eagle is Saint John.
       It seems clear that these "four living creatures" summarize all living things.  Thus, all the angels, elders and all living things are prostrating themselves to worship God.

MEDITATIO:

Beloved, how often have I stared at the columns in St. Mary's and thought of the "four living creatures" telling the Good News of Salvation. They told the stories of Jesus.  The idea that You created all things, care for all living things, especially people, is beyond comprehension.  You created us; You redeemed us from sin; and You sustain us with Your Spirit. No wonder all angels and all living things praise You. 
       I wish I had the charism of speaking in tongues so I could praise You like the angels.

ORATIO:

Glory to You, my Lord, and my God. May I praise You with every breath and thought.  Let every creature and living thing praise You.

CONTEMPLATIO:

I long to praise You, forever.

RESOLUTIO:

I will use my talents to write of My Lord and God.  Amen!

Pray for a Peaceful Death for BXVI

Lord, Your Servant Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, is finishing his race.  Please be at the finish line to welcome him home.  May he cross over peacefully and joyfully.  I ask this is the name of Jesus, whom Benedict has served.   

Best Books 2022

 These are my own personal choices, read during the year.

Fiction  Top Six

State of Terror by Hilary Rodman Clinton and Louise Penny
The Farming of Bones by Danticat
Garden of the Last Days by Andre Duman III
A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
American Dirt by Jeannine Cummins

Non Fiction  Top 8

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The Spark of Faith by Fr. Wojciech Giertych
How to Pray by David Turkington
The Fisherman's Tomb by John O'Neill
Models of the Eucharist by Kevin O'Neill
Prison Journal, Vol. 1  by Cardinal George Pell
Prison Journal, Vol. 2 by Cardinal George Pell
Prison Journal, Vol. 3 by Cardinal George Pell

Learn to Pray

 Not that I'm a beginner at praying, but I'm no expert either.  I'm always want to improve.  Hence, I picked up David Torkington's book, "How to Pray: A Practical Guide to Spiritual Life".  Some things I knew and some I didn't, but in total, the book is an excellent guide for everyone, especially beginners. 

          If I were a spiritual director and a directee came to me because they wanted to pray better, I'd give them this book. He starts by stressing to keep trying.  IOW, fake it until you make it. He uses a memory job--Parousia:

     P -- Profess to God an address to Him

     A -- Adore him, tell God how wonderful He is.

     R -- Reconciliation, sorry for failings

     O -- Offer, praises, thoughts

     U -- Union, with God

     S -- Silence, listen to God's voice

     I -- Intercession, for your family and friends' needs

     A -- Action, resolve to be better.

Torkington gets deeper and deeper as the book progresses.  The reader will be meditating and contemplating by the end.

Rosary Pilgrimage

 Start planning.  The Dominican friars are planning a full-day event celebrating the Rosary on September 30, 2023.  It will take place at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. 

The day will include conferences on the Roasry preached by the friars, several hours of Eucharistic Adoration and Confessions, a recitation of the Rosary and Mass in the Upper Church, and a Eucharistic Procession.

The pilgrimage starts (spiritually) with a 9 month novena starting January 30, 2023.  You are invited to pray the Novena prayer on the 30th of each month between January 30 and September 30.  

Here is a promotional video. You can sign up there. 

Please pray for the evangelical fruitfulness of this event and help us promote it to everyone you know for the glory of God and the salvation of souls through increased devotion to the Holy Rosary.

Hope for Ukraine

 Read Jeremiah 32.  This chapter tells the story of the troubled times in which Jeremiah lived.  His country was occupied by the Chaldeans.  How's that for no future?  Think of the war in Ukraine.  Jeremiah's time was worse.  His country had lost the war.  There was no future, as far as human eyes can see.  Relate the situation to today's war in Ukraine.  Would you buy land in Ukraine?

You could probably get it really cheap.  There's that.  Are you that much of a gambler?

There's more.  Jeremiah was in prison.  Why?  He had upset those in power.  The details aren't necessary for my post.  My point being, how many bad situations can one person stand without becoming seriously depressed?  Anyone would be justified in feeling hopeless.

While in prison, Jeremiah was visited by his cousin, Hanamel.  Hanamel needed money.  Maybe he wanted to emigrate out of Judah.  I would think that it is quite common for people to convert their valuables into cash when their country is in crisis.  The Torah of obligation says that family takes care of family.  Jeremiah had a familial duty to purchase his cousin's land.  So he did.

Jeremiah is in prison.  Who knows when or if, he will ever get out?  Maybe the Chaldeans will kill him?  Maybe he will be deported like the rest of his people?  Who would buy land which the enemy may claim at any time?

Jeremiah is a prophet.  Maybe he knew the future.  I am thinking he didn't know the future like a fortune teller.  He interpreted his present times and prophesized them.  He probably knew like you and I do, that nothing lasts forever. Only God abides.   He was hoping that better times would be coming.

Proof that Jeremiah did hope for a better future was what he did with the deed of purchase.  He made a copy of the original deed. That deed was filed where legal documents were registered in those days.  The other copy was placed in an earthenware jar to protect the scroll from drying out and disintegrating.  Some of the famous dead Sea Scrolls were found in such jars. 

What an affirmation of hope!  People may think that Jeremiah just did what he was obligated to do.  I prefer to think that Jeremiah trusted God.  He knew that God turns bad into good.  What a disastrous situation Jeremiah's country was in.  Jeremiah's king didn't listen to his warnings.  He was arrested.  And his cousin needed money.  He was a failure.  His country was a failure.  Jeremiah's statement of faith and trust and hope looked absurd.

But we know the end.  Good triumphs over bad.  There is always hope.

A Cozy Story

 The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman is the latest book to be read in my book club. Originally, I thought the premise of a bunch of amateurs solving unsolved crimes was ridiculous until I read a story of exactly that happening.  The Vidocq Society does exactly what the Thursday Murder Club theorizes, for real.  The group of volunteers helped solved a case from 1957.  The author, Richard Osman, must have heard of groups like The Thursday Murder Club and used it in his novel.  So I took the novel more seriously, after reading about The Vidocq Society.

The setting is an upscale retirement home.  The place was once a convent with a cemetery.  The sleazy developer had plans to move the cemetery and build on that land.  The people were upset. At a  meeting between the residents and the developer, the developer was killed.  This was a fortunate happenstance for The Thursday Murder Club.

The club was started by a retired detective, who now was comatose.  Her husband spent his days at her side.  There's a priest who isn't a priest.  There's Elizabeth who's the leader.  Joyce chronicles everything. Ibrahim is a former psychiatrist. Ron whose son, Jason, is a suspect.

They manage to have the police help them, not the other way around.  There are secrets kept, which may be not kosher, but sometimes the means justifies the end.  As long as the bad guy is caught.  

It's a cute idea.  It's a cozy story.  The book club will enjoy it.

State of Terror

 I belong to a book club, “ Argonauta,” named after the first book the club read, Gift from the Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindberg.  Argonata is a chapter in Lindberg’s book.  Argonautas are female seashells, really delicate egg casings that drift here and there, living an adventure, for whom knows where the sea may take them.

Such is this book; I want to tell you about.  It is State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny.  I put off reading it until the last days before Argonauta met.  I had mistakenly thought it was nonfiction.  I pictured a boring explanation of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's performance, a defense of what she had done, or a commendation on her successes.

Not so.

The book, State of Terror, is an argonauta sea shell that will take you on an adventure in a sea of political gales.  Dramamine won’t help.  You can’t get off the story.  You are reading a whirlwind of intrigue, word play, politics, and John Donne (the poet).  (There are a lot of figures of speech employed, {which I enjoyed very much,} because one of the major characters was a former high school English teacher.)  The English teacher, Betsy, and the main protagonist, Ellen Adams, the Secretary of State, use a personal secret code that only they understand, using figures of speech, for example:

An oxymoron walked into a bar…and the silence was deafening.

An argonauta was tossed from a wave into a bar and found herself in a State of Terror.

Thus the reader finds herself flying home in Air Force 3 from the Secretary of State’s first foray into diplomacy.  It was a disaster.  As the president, Doug Williams had known it would be.  Ellen the Secretary of State was set up, by the president.  They do not like each other and it was a surprise that the president even picked Ellen to be the Secretary of State. She and we readers can see that her role is going to be the scapegoat.

Then attention from Ellen’s debacle is drawn to a series of bombings throughout Europe. Chaos ensues trying to figure out what was going on.  Who, why, and who’s next are questions that make everyone frantic. Eventually, we find out that Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, and Iran are involved.  We think they’re involved in a race to develop nuclear weapons.  Actually, they are being manipulated by a vile Islam extreme terrorist, Bashir Shah.

I’m not giving any spoilers, so I won’t give a plot summary.  I will tell you that one of the delights of the novel, is that the characters are thinly disguised real people, currently, well-known people:

President Doug Williams is our President Biden.
Former President Eric Dunn is Former President Donald Trump.
British Premier Bellington is Boris Johnson
Osama Bin Laden is Bashir Shah

The private thoughts of the Secretary of State will make you wonder how real they are, or were.  The book is a political thriller.  The wordplay is clever and you may laugh out loud at the comebacks and witty banter employed by the cautious political enemies.  You will also cry, yes, sob.  The violence and loss of the characters you will have grown to love will make you weep.

State of Terror by Hillary Rodman Clinton and Louise Penny have a sensational bestseller.  I stayed up late reading this 500-page turner.  If you are human, you will probably lose some sleep, too.

So!  A hyperbole walked into a bar…and said this book is the best book I’ve ever read!

Helsinki to the Rescue

 1975 the Helsinki Accord was signed between most of the European countries, the USA, Canada and the Soviet Union.  The agreement recognized the inviolability of the post-WWII frontiers in Europe, and respect for human rights and cooperation in economic, scientific, and humanitarian, concerns.  

Pope Francis is praying and working for the Helsinki Accord to step-in to talk to the Russians about peace negotiations.

Coincidentally, I am praying for this Helsinki Accord to initiate a Christmas Truce in the conflict in Ukraine, from December 25-January 19.  It's a step.  

 

Saint Mix-Up

 A friend gave me this book today. It is a book of Novenas by Barbara Calamari & Sandra DiPasqua.

I was looking at the Dominican Saints and decided to read Saint Catherine of Siena.  The biography is the life story I know and love, but the picture is wrong.  Instead of Catherine of Siena, it is Catherine of Alexandria.  Both Catherines are patronesses of the Order of Preachers but they are different saints.

Catherine of Alexandria was martyred.  At first, she was going to be tortured and then put to death by the wheel. 

It is a horrible death but when she touched the wheel, it broke apart.  BTW, because of this story, the wheel is called the Catherine Wheel.  Since she couldn't be killed on the wheel, she was beheaded.  Also, an interesting side-note is that St. Catherine of Alexandria was one of the saints that communicated with St. Joan of Arc.  

Mary with Three Hands

 

Count Mary's hands. She has three hands!

Here's the story.  During the iconoclastic period, when icons were destroyed, St. John Damascene was writing defenses of icons.  As punishment, his right hand was cut off. John prayed before the image of Hodegetria Mother of God, promising her that if he were healed he would put his hand at her service.  When he was miraculously healed, he commissioned a silver image of his hand to be made and afixed to the icon.  Stories of this event spread rapidly and many copies were made.  If you ever see this icon and there are three arms, you now know the story.
 

Metanoia

 Metanoia is a Greek word that means to change.  Usually it's used when talking about religion. It translate into repentance or conversion.  St. Augustine experienced metanoia when he converted to Christianity. 

I believe we can change history with prayer.  This is why I'm asking everyone to pray for a Christmas Truce from December 25--January 19.  God makes history but the future depends on what we do know and know we pray.

 Please pray for a Christmas Truce in Ukraine.  As a people of faith and conscience, we pray for peace, at least for this sacred time of the birth of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Please pray for Pope Francis and Patriarch Krill to call for a cessation of war from Christmas to "Little Christmas", January 7.

   This was done during the First World War. We urge all leaders, government and spiritual leaders, to take a leading role in bringing the war in Ukraine to an end through supporting calls for a ceasefire and negotiated settlement.

    We ask this through Jesus, Our Lord, Savior, and Redeemer.

Christmas on January 7

  A couple of days ago, I asked everyone to pray for a Christmas truce.  I'm amending the length of the truce.  Remember a little while ago I blogged about the Julian and Gregorian calendars?  Well, the Russian Orthodox follow the Julian calendar, whereas, we follow the Gregorian.  Hence, the Russians wouldn't be celebrating Christmas on December 25.  Their Christmas is January 7 and their Christmas season would run until the Baptism on Jesus on January 19.  

Actually, this is better because the truce would be extended.  Let us pray for a Christmas Truce from Dec. 25 through January 19.  (Hoping for the war to never start up again.)

Christmas Truce

 The Fellowship of Reconciliation USA is calling for government leaders to urge a truce for Christmas.  I am asking everyone I know to pray for peace for Ukraine and Russia, from Christmas to "Little Christmas,"--January 7.  I want Pope Francis and Patriarch Krill to ask for this Christmas Truce.  It can be done.  It was done during World War I.  C'mon prayer warriors.  

The Lord Shall Reign

 LECTIO:                                 Psalm 146: 6-7, 8-9, 9-10, Isaiah 35: 4

The Lord God keeps faith forever.
   secures justice for the oppressed,
   gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets captives free.

The Lord gives sight to the blind:
  the Lord raises up those who were
     bowed down.

The Lord loves the just:
  The protects strangers.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
   but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The Lord shall reign forever:
   your God, O Zion, through all generations.

STUDIUM:

Things look bad for the Israelites.  David urges the people to look towards the Lord.  Praising takes their minds off the problems and focuses them on the good that the Lord had done, and will do.  Praising pulls the people together communally. They are looking heavenly, away from the earth.  When they do this, they are ready for the help from the Holy Spirit.

MEDITATIO:

God and not the government or people, offers hope. I can't rely on any earthly authority.  

ORATIO:

Lord, may I never forget all that You have blessed me.  May I remember that only You can solve my problems, protect me, and inspire me.  Don't despise me.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Lord, walk with me.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to praise God more often.

Patroclus the Hero

 The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller was a birthday present. My friend that gave me the birthday present said, "You'll love this book." Just upon appearances, I turned my nose up.  What's appealing about Greek mythology.  It looked boring.

It didn't take long, however, before I was intrigued.  I was in the story.  The tale is told by Achilles' soul mate, Patroclus.  Since Patroclus who wasn't loved by his father, anyway, had accidentally killed another boy, he was exiled forever, from his homeland. Patroclus was exiled to the homeland of Peleus, where other wayward boys were sent.  Patroclus didn't fit in his original home and he doesn't fit in this new place either.  However, Peleus' son, Achilles takes a liking to Patroclus and they soon become inseparable friends and lovers. 

Achilles is the son of a champion, Peleus, and a sea nymph.  The sea nymph, Thetis hates Patroclus from the "get-go." Everyone loves Achilles because he is beautiful and strong.  The two boys grow up together.  We see them get trained for fighting, music, and the healing arts by the centaur, Chiron.  Life is good.

Enter the beautiful, Helen.  She had so many suitors, that instead of killing each other for her hand, they agreed to honor her by vowing to protect her and whomever husband she chose. She chose Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon, and king of Sparta. Paris disregarded the vows and kidnapped Helen, setting off the war that had a thousand ships launched to Troy to get Helen bac. k.

The reader knows from predictions that both Patroclus and Achilles are killed.  This is a Greek tragedy.  Patroclus is killed indirectly by Achilles' stubbornness and anger.  Achilles is offended because Agamemnon takes his concubine, Briseis, and refuses to fight anymore.  As the Greeks lose and the men see their comrades die, their resentment toward Achilles turns to hate.  Patroclus can't stand it.  He doesn't want to see Achilles hated, so he puts on Achilles' armor and goes into battle, as Achilles.

Surprisingly, Patroclus fights well and is only stopped from scaling the wall to Troy by the god, Apollo.  Patroclus is grievously mourned by Achilles, but he still narrates the story for us. Achilles goes crazy and kills the Trojan hero, Hector.  Still, in a rage, Achilles dishonors Hector by dragging his body around the city, three times.  Achilles has gone mad and is no longer interested in living.  He gets his wish when Paris kills him.

A tomb is built for Achilles but as his last wish was to have his ashes mixed with Patroclus', the tomb only has Achilles' name on it.  Thetis, Achilles' mother doesn't was Patroclus' name on the tomb.  Only when, after a time, Patroclus' spirit talks to Thetis, and convinces her of his love for Achilles, does she add Patroclus's name to the tomb.

The last image we have is of Achilles and Patroclus walking off, hand in hand, together.

My "take away," love lasts.

3rd & 7th Grade Rhymes

 My writers' group had some fun with Dorothy Parker's Inventory.  I did it last week.  Here is my 3rd grader's:

Four be the things I am wiser to know:
Chinchillas, friends, candy, and snow.

Four be the things I'd be better without:
Meat, medicine, dust, and Grandpa's gout.

Three be the things I shall never attain:
King, snakes, and fame.

Three be the things I shall have till I die:
Hazel eyes, friends, and apple pie.

Here is her sister's, the 7th grader's:

Four be the things I am wiser to know:
Music, art, hockey, and I don't know.

Four be the things I'd be better without:
Sadness, accidents, pain, and doubt.

Three be the things I shall never attain:
An alligator, meanness, and cocaine.

Three be the things I shall have till I die:
Friends, hockey, and brown eyes

                                                                         with Grandpa.

Jacob's Ladder

 I am reading Dennis Sardella's book, Visible Image of the Invisible God, and the ladder in the center, intrigued me.  Icons are full of symbolism.  You can never be finished looking at one.  Here is some of the symbols. This paragraph comes from https://catalog.obitel-minsk.com/blog/2018/10/the-symbolism-and-meaning-of-unburnt  The

People started painting icons of the Mother of God the Unburnt Bush during the first centuries of the Christian era. The image of the Theotokos was placed inside a burning bush. Most often, the image of the Theotokos belonged to Hodegetria (lit., She Who Shows the Way) type. The icon was becoming more complex over time: first, they added two crossed rhombi, a red one and a green or blue one. The red rhombus symbolizes the earth, while the green or blue one symbolizes the heaven. Red also means fire, while green points at the bush, which is burning yet not consumed by fire. Virgin Mary is portrayed with several symbols: a ladder (an Old Testament symbolic representation of the Mother of God, seen by Jacob in a dream) and a house (as the earthly Church). If we look at the rays of the stars that are formed by the intersection of the rhombi, we will see some angels — the rulers of the natural phenomena — in the rays of the first star (the blue one). There are symbols of the four Holy Evangelists as mentioned in the Revelation in the rays of the fiery-red star, namely, an Angel (Matthew), an Eagle (John), an Ox (Luke), and a Lion (Mark). Then there are angels (spirits of wisdom, reason, awe, and piety) and archangels in the two-lobed clouds. There are six archangels, each with his own sign: Michael, a rod; Gabriel, a branch of Annunciation; Raphael, an alabaster vessel; Uriel, a sword of fire, Selaphiel, a censer; Barachiel, a cluster of grapes. There are visions of the prophets in the four corners of the icon: the apparition of the Mother of God of the Sign to Moses in the Burning Bush; the apparition of a Seraph with a burning coal to Prophet Isaiah; the vision of locked gate to Prophet Ezekiel; and the vision of a golden Ladder with Angels to Jacob.

The more I look and study icons, the more I like them.

Neighbors

 In St. Catherine of Siena's Dialogue, God tells her that we people owe God love.  We sure do.  He made us, didn't He?  Why He bothers with us is a mystery!  Anyway, we don't love God gratuitously, but rather out of duty.  Whereas, He loves us gratuitously.  How could we love Him that way?  

IMHO, we can't love God gratuitously, that's why He gave us neighbors.  We have to treat them like we would treat God.  IOW, love them without any concern for thanks.  Whatever you do for the least of them, you do for ME.  John 3: 1-36.

This also brings to mind Father Aniello's prayer:

Help me to love You as You love me.  And love my neighbor as Yourself.

Father Aniello Salicone, sx

Christmas Present

 

 

This ornament is a depiction of the high school, I graduated from.  It was Presentation of Mary and it was in The Searles Estate. That's what the words read.  

I was very, very surprised to receive it.  A few years ago, I was surfing Facebook and I looked up my high school and saw a name I thought I recognized.  Actually, it was the wrong person, but we posted back and forth via FB.  

Last week, she messaged me on FB and told me she found something that made her think of me.  What was my address?  Like a fool, I gave it to her.  Ever since then, I've been kicking myself--what if the message wasn't from her?  What if it were a scammer?  How could I be so stupid to just give out my address without verifying that it came from my friend?

Fortunately, it was legit.  It came in today's mail.  What a blessing!  The Searles Estate was a castle and I was blessed to have gone there.  Just a few years ago it was sold to another school.  

All things are passing; only God abides.

Stains

 

Anger

 There was a snake that crawled over a sharp saw and was cut. In anger the snaked wrapped the saw with its thick body and proceeded to squeeze the life out of the saw.

With each angry squeeze, it felt more pain but continued because it wasn’t going to let the saw get away with the pain it caused it. The snake, refusing to let go of the saw, eventually died; not knowing the whole time, he needed to let go of the initial pain and focus on its future and where it was going. Instead, the snake, unfortunately, lost its life and didn’t even see it coming. y

Remember this story when you find it hard to forgive.

Caesar or Pope

 Currently, you will hear talk of the pope and the patriarch of the Orthodox Church discussing making Easter, the same date for both rites.  We do have different calendars.  The calendar the Orthodox Church is using is the Julian Calendar, in use since 45 BC proposed by Julius Caesar.

We used it, too, until 1582, when Pope Gregory VIII designed the Gregorian Calendar.  It's supposed to be more accurate.  

It will be nice to celebrate Easter with our sisters and brothers.  

Pope Francis shakes hands with Catholicos Awa III, patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, at the end of a meeting Nov. 19, 2022, in the library of the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

3rd & 7th grade Monstrance

 What do you think?  The monstrance is from a coloring book. The colors are markers. The center purple toile with a felt white circle to represent the Eucharistic Host. The picture I cut from Father Aniello’s memorial card. I know he wouldn’t mind because the memorial card was of the sacred heart of Jesus. Father Aniello didn’t have any devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. He loved Jesus’ face in The image of Divine Mercy. The faces are almost the same. 

OMG!

 A common exclamation nowadays is, "Oh my God."  It's so common, that I have been known to use it.  One time a woman who is a congregant in the Refuge Church, reprimanded me, for saying it. So if I am aware, I'll change it to, "Oh my gosh!"  

I was going to explain to my censorious friend, that I was using an ejaculation.  But if she didn't know what a prayer ejaculation was, then she really would think I was a blasphemous papist. After all, ejaculation is a release of sperm!  But prayers like the Jesus prayer--"Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," are ejaculations.  They are spontaneous eruptions of praise and prayer.

Instead, we will call prayer ejaculations, aspirations.   Now when I am moved to praise God or I am overwhelmed with blessings, I say:

Jesus have mercy.

Lord, have mercy on me.

Thank you Jesus.

Mary, pray for me.

St. Dominic, help me.

Seeing Jesus

 LECTIO:

Exodus 25: 30     Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.

John 12: 21         ... "Sir we wish  to see Jesus."

STUDIUM:

There's a prophecy further in John 12 where Jesus prophecizes that "all men" will be drawn to him.  (John 12: 32).  Thus here we are sitting in front of a monstrance with the "bread of the Presence" because we wish to see Jesus.

The verse from Exodus is one of the directives God gives Moses on the details for building a portable tabernacle.  The table held plates containing the showbread or holy bead, which was offered every sabbath and eaten by the priests.

The request in John was made by some Greeks to Philip, probably because being Galilean, he was bilingual. This leads to Jesus proclaiming that the hour has come.  (John 12:23)  The crowds come to listen to Jesus.

MEDITATIO:

These Israelites want to see God.  When they were in Egypt they saw the pagans had statues of Baal.  They wanted a visual, too.  With the Ark of the Covenant, the Israelites had their tangible, physical visual.  The showbread was God's presence.

The New Testament, of course, has Jesus.  These Israelites had God before them.  Why didn't they recognize Him?

ORATIO:

Lord Jesus, I thank you for placing me in this time of history.  I believe You are my God.  I am blessed to receive you in the Eucharist.  I have the grace to visit you in Adoration.  You are present to me in a real, visual way.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Jesus, I enjoy and rest in Your graces. Thank you.

RESOLUTIO:

I need to spread the word about the benefits of spending time in Adoration.

Peruvian Inca Orchid

 St. Dominic is often pictured with a medium sized, black and white dog, with a torch in his mouth, representing setting the world on fire with his preaching. Look at this picture of St. Martin de Porres.  That  dog breed is a Peruvian Inca Orchid. He is a hairless breed, medium size, and lives to be about 10 years old. St. Martin is from Peru so it is appropriate that his dog be native to Peru.