Granddaughter's Effort

 My writer's group, Franklin Senior Scribblers, is on the radio.  So, when I learned that my granddaughter only had a half-day of school, on my recording day, I invited her to the radio studio.  I said I'd show her and her friend around a TV and radio studio.  She can watch and listen to the Scribblers record.  Also, she can read a story, too.  

Surprisingly, she jumped at the chance.  Here is what she will record.  She is ten years old.

    Dutch the cat

Has so so so so much Fun!

Hi, my name is Dutch and I am a small orange cat who lives

in New York City with my owner Isabelle and she is the

nicest person ever. She gives me all the treats I want

so she is the world's best owner.

Ok today is my birthday and guess what Isabelle brought

  me – to try to think………………

 Now i am going to tell you. She gave me a ride on the subway

and there were these people dancing all around me and it

was so so so very much fun.  When we got off the train

she took me to a pet store full of treats and let me get

some to eat.  It was by far the best time of my life.

The next day is Isabelle's birthday, so I am going to

pull her to the park and I will go and play with her.  She

will have so much fun – I mean so so so so much fun   

   

Ok! Today is Isabelle's birthday  and now we are going on

and walking (5 min later still on the walk).  I am pulling

her to the park now. We came to the park and played.

and we had so so so much fun.  Happy Birthday! 

  

Language Styles

 This is not a book review of Kathleen Norris' Amazing Grace.  I only have read the preface, but in this brief reading, I reflected upon the religious vocabulary I've been teaching my grandchildren.  Norris claims that the vocabulary she grew up in, in her Christian household, subconsciously influenced her to reject religion.  She mentions words like "sin, repent, commandment, sacrifice...".  

As I reflected on my faith formation lessons, with my grandchildren, I think I'm worse!  I use a catechism!  I teach commandments!  Also, memorize precepts of the Church! Examen! We focus on the Stations of the Cross!

Yikes!

How do I turn this image of harshness to one of love?  I think I'll start with taking down my posters of commandments and replace them with messages of Jesus' love.  I'll focus on the Mother of Jesus, rather than the Father.  After all, the saying is "Thru Mary to Jesus."  Everyone loves their mother.  

I've got a campaign to plan. Stay tuned.

Year of Mercy

This is one of those Dynamic Catholic books, promoted by Matthew Kelly.  Beautiful Mercy. 

It was perfect for me.  I have little patience and prefer to read a couple of pages for meditation, than an entire book.  Beautiful Mercy has short chapters.  The book is divided into the Spiritual Works of Mercy and the Corporal Works of Mercy.  The chapters are written by different people, most of whom I recognize.  

My favorite story was "Hopeful Mercy" by Mother Olga Yaqob.  She was a teen in Iraq, when war broke out.  She was thrown into violence, hatred, bloodshed and death.  She had to perform the corporal works of mercy, in particular, "bury the dead."  All around her, she saw death and no one to care for their bodies.  Relatives were dead, too.  One man in particular, had been dead long enough to be full of insects.  She carted him to the convent to be washed and prepared for burial.  But no one wanted to touch him because of his smell.  Strangely, she didn't smell anything.  If anything, he smelled of incense.  So, she prepared his body.

A couple more incidences were when she definitely, felt the presence of Mary with her.  Her stories are powerful.

The other articles are good, too.  Think of the chapters as meditative presents.  Opening each one was a pleasure.

Zimbabwe Ash Wednesday

 My Zimbabwe friend, Eunice, with Father John Tanti. 

G

Fido is Back

Remember when I used to write short stories about my fictional cat, name Fido, well he disappeared, as cats often do. But they have nine lives you know. He's shown up in my rendition of Pangur Ban.

Since the invention of the internet, there is a plethora of cat videos.  People just love their cats.  From Egyptian statues and paintings to today's cat videos, cats are shown to be much loved.

In fact, it is not uncommon, that when I am on a zoom meeting, a cat will meander in view of the camera's view.  There are also medieval manuscripts with ornate letters, beautiful colored script, yet faint paw prints running across the page.  This is what must have happened to a monk in the 8th century, who had a cat named Pangur Ban.  This monk was doing his work, and he was distracted by the work his cat was doing.  Upon reflection, the monk realized that both he and Pangur Ban, were plying similar trades. In his poem Pangur Ban, the monk compares the cat's concentrated skill to his own focused composition.

The following poem is a translation of the 8th century Old Irish poem, Pangur Ban, by the Irish poet, Seamus Heaney.  There is no way on earth that I could match Seamus Heaney in verse, never mind my cat, Fido, to Pangur Ban.  Fido is not a mouser.  He plays with the mice he catches.  Hubby rescues the poor mouse and brings it outside, to be released.  Where upon the mouse finds a way to come back in, I'm sure.  It's a version of the game "cat and mouse," but now it's "cat and mouse and human." Anyways, so be it.

Pangur Ban translated by Seamus Heaney

Pangur Ban and I at work,

Adepts, equals, cat and clerk:

His whole instinct is to hunt,

Mine to free the meaning pent.

More than loud acclaim, I love

Books, silence, thought, my alcove.

      Happy for me, Pangur Ban

Child-plays round some mouse's den.

Truth to tell, just being here,

Housed alone, housed together,

Adds up to its own reward:

Concentration, stealthy art.

Next thing an unwary mouse 

Bares his flank: Pangur pounces.

Next thing lines that held and held

Meaning back begin to yield.

All the while, his round bright eye

     Fixes on the wall, while I

Focus my less piercing gaze

On the challenge of the page.

With his unsheathed perfect nails

Pangur springs, exults and kills.

When the longed-for; difficult

Answers come, I too exult.

So it goes.  To each his own.

    No vying.  No vexation.

Taking pleasure, taking pains,

    Kindred spirits, veterans.

Day and night, soft purr, soft pad,

Pangur Ban has learned his trade.

Day and night, my own hard work

Solves the cruxes, makes a mark.

Now, here is my poem, mimicking Pangur Ban.  

Fido and I at work,

Not equal, cat and clerk.

His whole instinct to hunt,

My words, alas, only to punt.

More than loud acclaim I love

Yet across my desk I shove.

Happy for me, Fido's a cat

Content to play with this and that.

Truth to tell, just being here,

Housed together companionship dear,

Adds up to its own reward-

Fido's rhythmic purrings heard.

Next thing I take the laser pointer,

His eyes open, my brave hunter.

Next thing my lines held

But my words blur and then meld.

All the while, her slitty green eye

Fixes on the laser light, while I

Adjust my glasses and gaze

At the messiness upon my page.

With her sharp, perfect claws,

Fido springs, swipes with empty paws.

When the longed-for, proves difficult,

I laugh, I enjoy, I loudly exult!

So it goes.  To each his own.

Love and fun and pleasure shown.

Taking a break refreshes the mood,

Kindred spirits, words are food.

Day and night, I stroke soft fur.

Fido rewards with contented purr.

Day and night, my own muse is chased.

Fido hopes some day to catch, not just chase.

Anyone who has ever had a cat can relate, which is why the original, found in 724, in a monastery of Benedictine monks, is still read and enjoyed.  It is written in Old Irish and found in a book containing other poems written in Old Irish, and Old German, some Latin hymns, astronomical tables, and Greek declensions.  And thirteen hundred years later, Pangur Ban is still copied and enjoyed.  For example, a cat named Pangur Ban appeared in the 2009 animated movie, The Secret of Kells.  As in the poem, the movie has Pangur Ban as a white cat belonging to a monk. There is also a chidren's book The White Cat and the Monk, by Jo Ellen Bogart and sydney Smith.  In 2018, Eddie Reader released a song titled Pangur Ban and the Primrose Lass.  Finally, I'm closing with the song Pangur Ban and the Primrose Lass by Eddie Reader.    song https://youtu.be/S9uFoUhpo28?si=aI5O0S-qoEAm_nbS 

Meaning Well but...

 Daniel Burke, from EWTN, tells the story of his stepfather's dying.  The stepfather was in hospice and people came to say goodbye.  This including, some pushy Christian neighbors who were always proselytizing.  Dan's stepfather was Jewish.

These Christians came to share the gospel with him, before he died.  At first, they were being escorted out, but the sick man waved them in.  They stayed awhile.

Afterwards, Dan asked his stepdad, why he allowed the neighbors to come in.  "They are friends and neighbors.  They have loved us.  What they do is done out of love."

Both, the stepfather and the Christian neighbors are acting out of love.  

The Dignity of Death

 We are all made in the image of God.  As such, we all deserve to be treated with dignity, especially in death.  In fact, one of the corporal works of mercy is to bury the dead.  

With that in mind, what do you think of all the news vultures circling the pope's hospital bed?  I think it's disgusting.  But it's all for naught, because when the pope does die, as we all will, it won't be announced from a hospital bed.  There's a procedure.

Remember, the pope is the Bishop of Rome, so the people in his parish and diocese will learn that he has died, first.  Then the diplomatic corps, who will then distribute the news, appropriately.  This will be a formal announcement from the papal chapel. 

Ever since I saw the movie Conclave, I've been interested in the pope's death and the following procedures.  I love watching rituals.  

Silly Ditty

 Spring

I don't know about Spring.

Spring blooms ahead anyway.

Whatever the temperature-still spring.

Spring can be sunny or dull gray,

Or rainy.  Spring can be anything.

Yet, it's not winter, so Spring yay!

Definition of a Martyr

 A martyr is someone who dies for the faith.  They're killed because of their religion.  I'm reading a little book, Blessed Charles de Foucauld: A Grain of Wheat.  Blessed Charles de Foucauld died in the first World War, 1916.  He was killed not for religious reasons, at all.  During an attack by rebels, de Foucauld let himself be taken, was tied up, robbed, and killed.  His body lies in El Golea.  

In a meditation of John 19:30, Bl. Charles wrote:

My Lord Jesus you are dead.  You died for us?  If we really believe this, we ought to want to die, to die a martyr's death; to accept suffering in death instead of being afraid! It won't matter for what motive we are killed if we ourselves receive that unjust and cruel death as a blessed gift from you, if we thank you for it as a gentle grace, as a blessed imitation of your end... The motive for killing us won't matter, if we will die out of pure love and our death will be a sacrifice pleasing to you.  If this is not martyrdom in the strict sense of the word, and in the eyes of the world, it will be in your eyes.  It will be a very perfect image of your death and a loving end which will lead us straight to heaven.

What do you think?  "If we receive the death as a gift from God."

Then many of us are martyrs, are we not?

Tomb of Blessed Charles de Foucauld in El Golea.

With A Little Help From My Friends

 TOPS is a "weight loss" group.  It's big on recognition and support.  There's no diet because it's up to the individual to pick a method that works for them.  I count carbs.  Another is on a plant-based diet.  Another is on Keto.  Whatever works.

The support is the mentoring.  We've been texting each other.  I usually send cartoons about being fat.  I intersperse the jokes with helpful nutritional hints, i.e., "low cal and low carb" snacks.  High Protein breakfasts and/or other meals, to try.

We encourage one another when we haven't loss any weight and we celebrate when we do.  

The recognition is regional and state.  The region will have a workshop meeting.  The state recognition can be formal, really dress up.  There's usually a theme and people dress for the occasion.  Those that have reached their goal weight are honored, as well as those that have kept their weight off.  

Lastly, TOPS is one of the cheapest weight loss clubs.  Also, their magazine has invaluable information, as well as their website.  They're very well done.  I bet there's a club near you and if not, there're online TOPS clubs.  

Who Watches the Watchers

 Another free ebook from the Gutenberg project and another Joseph Muller mystery is my subject.  The Case of the Pool of Blood in the Pastor's Study by Auguste Groner is a nice, short, and enjoyable mystery.  

The protagonist is a detective in the Austrian Imperial Police.  He's different than the other detectives.  Firstly, because he's an excon.  He understands the criminal mind.  He's very methodical and can visualize scenarios to place situations. He hardly eats nor sleeps, when in the middle of a case.  But solve the "who done it," he will.  

In this case, the village houses an insane asylum and the director will sometimes walk around the village with inmates.  The suspects include some of the inmates and maybe a villager or maybe one of the keepers.  Trust Detective Muller to see what others miss.

 

Opposites Can Attract

 The Best Gift by Irene Hannon is a love story with no sex.  !!!!! How refreshing!  The gift to AJ is an inheritance of half a book store.  The other half belongs to a man.  Mmmmm.  Could be.  Nah, they're opposites.  She's an outgoing extrovert.  He's somber and introverted. 

There was a little caveat in the will.  The two have to work together for six months before they could inherit.  Fortunately, a threat to the bookstore business necessitated that they work together.  Their neighbors and AJ and Blake went to their town hall and expressed their point of views.

The merchants won and so did romance.  Not only did AJ and Blake inherit the bookstore legitimately, they became engaged.  Nice story and nicely written.

A Cozy Mystery

 Everyone knows not to judge a book by its cover.  However, Loom and Doom, by Susan Sleeman, not only had an attractive cover, it has a ribbon bookmark.  Evidently, this book is only one in a series of "Antique Shop Mysteries."  The author, Susan Sleeman is only one of the many authors that write for "Antique Shop Mysteries."

The mysteries are touted as "cozy" mysteries.  The locale, in Maine, the antique shop, which Maggie, the main protagonist, owns, and the quaint village, add to the lure qualifying the book as "cozy."  

The village was having a large "flea" type sale, where all the merchants place their merchandise outside.  There's a festival type atmosphere and the festivities begin with an auction. One of the items, which Maggie wants to buy for herself, is a carpet bag. When she was bidding, another bidder ran up the bid against her.  Maggie finally won. 

After the auction, Maggie's competitor for the carpet bag is murdered. He was killed with one of the auction's items--a sprocket.  Very strange.

Maggie wondered why this victim was after the carpet bag.  Upon closer inspection, she found a drawing of a house, hidden inside the lining of the bag.  The house in the drawing is in the vicinity.  There is a loom in the house missing a sprocket. There's a tunnel under the house and the key is the sprocket.

Maggie and her friends, piece everything together to solve the murder and its surrounding mystery. Therein lies the suspense.

Imprecations

It's been a week since I've posted.  The reason is because I've been contemplating what I should have said to my friend.  Sitting at the table, in a dinner for Book Club, my friend turned to me and asked, "Is it wrong to hate and wish evil happen to someone?"  Needless to say, the question took me by surprise.  Sensing she was really asking if she were a bad person to "wish evil" upon someone.  I said "no."  Well, for the past week, my answer has been bothering me.  I prayed about it.  I've read what those whom I respect have written, and I came up with the letter below. 

The person and situation are political.  My friend is enraged that our current president is in power.  She feels deeply and I sense partly ashamed of her vindictive hate.  After all, she is a good person.  How could these evil emotions overwhelm her?

This is reminiscence of King David and his kingdom.  How could his enemies triumph over God's chosen people?  She feels what David felt.  David expressed his very human feelings in lyrics.  We call these lyrics, psalms.  Meditating upon the psalms, I felt better able to respond to my friend.  So, I wrote her this letter.

 Dear Friend,

      You asked me if it were wrong to wish harm on Trump and his ilk.  I intuit what you felt yet were concerned.  After prayer and reading, I can formulate a better response than what I gave you, on Thursday.  The short answer is no.  However, I think it is important to know why.  Reading these imprecatory psalms will resonate with your feelings: Psalms 5, 10, 17, 35, 58, 59, 69, 70, 79, 83, 109, 129, 137 and 140. An imprecation is a curse that invokes misfortune upon someone.  These particular psalms were calling down God's judgment on the enemies of Israel. God promises to help the persecuted and bring judgment on sinners.  These psalms are asking for justice to be done.

       In the book of Psalms, you will find the whole range of human experience. Most of the psalms were written by David.  In them he confesses sins, doubts, and fears.  He asks God for help and gives Him praise.  David also gives advice--suggestions as to what David would like God to do to his enemies (you'll like these, see 109). Imprecatory psalms are true human feelings.

       While Jesus instructs us to hate evil and work to overcome it--hate the sin but love the sinner, because everyone is made in the image of God.  Pray for the grace to separate the actions from the person.  Like David, we should pray for God to be swift in His judgment of evil people.  The psalms were not written out of vindictiveness or vengeance. Instead, David was invoking God's protection against degenerate and ruthless conquerors, who repeatedly tried to destroy God's people.

       Jesus, Himself, quoted some imprecatory psalms, John 2:17 and 15:25.  However, Jesus asks us to love our enemies--Note Well--the New Testament makes it clear that our enemy is spiritual, not physical! Ephesians 6:12.

      Let's pray for compassion for the people who are under the devil's influence.  We should want everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9. Above all, seek the will of God in everything, have patience, and leave the final outcome to the Lord.  Romans 12:19.

Peace,

Faith

Psalm 109

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1My God, whom I praise,

do not remain silent,

2for people who are wicked and deceitful

have opened their mouths against me;

they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

3With words of hatred they surround me;

they attack me without cause.

4In return for my friendship they accuse me,

but I am a man of prayer.

5They repay me evil for good,

and hatred for my friendship.

6Appoint someone evil to oppose my enemy;

let an accuser stand at his right hand.

7When he is tried, let him be found guilty,

and may his prayers condemn him.

8May his days be few;

may another take his place of leadership.

9May his children be fatherless

and his wife a widow.

10May his children be wandering beggars;

may they be driven ^a from their ruined homes.

11May a creditor seize all he has;

may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.

12May no one extend kindness to him

or take pity on his fatherless children.

13May his descendants be cut off,

their names blotted out from the next generation.

14May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord;

may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.

15May their sins always remain before the Lord,

that he may blot out their name from the earth.

16For he never thought of doing a kindness,

but hounded to death the poor

and the needy and the brokenhearted.

17He loved to pronounce a curse—

may it come back on him.

He found no pleasure in blessing—

may it be far from him.

18He wore cursing as his garment;

it entered into his body like water,

into his bones like oil.

19May it be like a cloak wrapped about him,

like a belt tied forever around him.

20May this be the Lord’s payment to my accusers,

to those who speak evil of me.

21But you, Sovereign Lord,

help me for your name’s sake;

out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.

22For I am poor and needy,

and my heart is wounded within me.

23I fade away like an evening shadow;

I am shaken off like a locust.

24My knees give way from fasting;

my body is thin and gaunt.

25I am an object of scorn to my accusers;

when they see me, they shake their heads.

26Help me, Lord my God;

save me according to your unfailing love.

27Let them know that it is your hand,

that you, Lord, have done it.

28While they curse, may you bless;

may those who attack me be put to shame,

but may your servant rejoice.

29May my accusers be clothed with disgrace

and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.

30With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord;

in the great throng of worshipers I will praise him.

31For he stands at the right hand of the needy,

to save their lives from those who would condemn them.