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.

He's Definitely NOT Catholic

 Percival Everett's book Erasure is a narrative about identity.  Thelonious (Monk) Ellison is the protagonist.  He is a college teacher in California.  When he accepts an invitation to give a paper in Washington, DC, he also plans to visit his mother and sister, who live in the area.

His mother is suffering from Alzheimer's disease.  His sister is a doctor who has an abortion practice. He also has a brother who is also a doctor, out West.  He's kind of out of the family circle because of his own personal issues.

When the sister is murdered, Monk moves back to DC, to take care of Mom.  Monk has written a few books, which haven't been well received.  It seems that everywhere he goes, he is confronted with a popular paperback success, written by someone whom he considers, doesn't know what she's talking about. This drives him to dash off a parody story about an ex-con.  He sends it to his agent and signs it with a "take off" of Stagger Lee. Much to his surprise, Fuck, by  Stagg R. Leigh, is a tremendous success.me ne ment pas.

He's ashamed to own up to being the author of what he considers, trash.  But what can one do? L'âme ne ment pas.

                  Springtime Drama

                          Watch the heron glide ahead, 

                           Wingspan over five feet spread. 

                           Going home to tree top rookery.

                            A new nest, or last year's memory?

                                

                           Chicks hatch; parents take turns:

                           Peep - squawking, from newborns.

                            Herons' nesting in trees so tall.

                           Spring's drama does so enthrall.

The Lord's Forgiveness

 

LECTIO:

Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (7) With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD;
    LORD, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
    to my voice in supplication. 
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
If you, O LORD, mark iniquities,
    LORD, who can stand?
But with you is forgiveness,
    that you may be revered. 
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
I trust in the LORD;
    my soul trusts in his word.
More than sentinels wait for the dawn,
    let Israel wait for the LORD.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.
For with the LORD is kindness
    and with him is plenteous redemption;
And he will redeem Israel
    from all their iniquities.
R. With the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption.

STUDIUM: 

The writer of this psalm is clearly in a dark place.  Depression is sickness.  The writer is taking the correct medicine.  He is turning to God.  He is taking the onus off himself and forgetting his own problems.  In concentrating on God's mercy and forgiveness, he is leaving his own problems and focusing on God.

MEDITATIO:

I can talk to God about anything. He knows me and still loves me.  He forgives completely.  And He is always there.

ORATIO:

Lord, I know You know me, yet still love me.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Thank you Jesus, for loving me.

RESOLUTIO:

I've got to go to Adoration.

Sabotage

 Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner is a spy thriller.  In places, it's a page turner, although the story took me about 50 pages to figure out what was going on.  Sadie Smith is the protagonist.  She is a spy, hired to cause trouble.  

In her current job, she has infiltrated a group of environmental farmers.  Big agriculture wants to use the neighborhood's water supplies to use to irrigate their mega-corporation farms.  

In order to accomplish this, she becomes the lover of an old friend of one of the leader's.  This gets her in.  Once she learns their plans, she instigates trouble for a politician.  

She's lucky in so many instances.  Too many, in fact.  She figures that it's time to get out before her luck runs out.  She does successfully disappear out of sight.

A Verse A Day

 Listen to him by David E. Rosage, as you can see, is a book of scripture verses to read every day, for a year.  I don't remember how many years, it has taken me to read the entire book, but I did it.  I did it because I enjoyed it and received spiritual insight and pleasure in each day's assignment.  I don't remember where I got this book.  It was old, worn, and falling apart, when I started reading it, but I felt that it looked interesting.  It did not disappoint.

Promises

 LECTIO:

Ezekiel 37:12-14

Thus says the Lord GOD: 
O my people, I will open your graves 
and have you rise from them, 
and bring you back to the land of Israel.
Then you shall know that I am the LORD, 
when I open your graves and have you rise from them, 
O my people!
I will put my spirit in you that you may live, 
and I will settle you upon your land; 
thus you shall know that I am the LORD.
I have promised, and I will do it, says the LORD.

STUDIUM:

Immediately before these verses, Ezekiel was talking to the dry bones. Ezekiel 37: 1-14  Here, he is still talking to the dead.  The people are still in exile in Babylonia.  They are wondering what happened to their chosen relationship to God.  Note that Ezekiel tells them that God "promised and will do it!"

The Israelites will be restored to their homeland.  Thus, becoming a new creation before the Lord.  

The new Christians are still journeying to their baptism.  This reading should help them reflect on the new life promised them, at Easter.

MEDITATIO:

God promises.  He assures us that if He promises, He does it.  Why does it take so long?  The poor Israelites have waited how many generations to go back home?  Who can blame them when they lose faith and hope?  It reminds me when I ask my husband a yes or no question.  It's maddening when he doesn't answer.  I'll ask him, "how am I to tell the difference between you didn't hear me, you're thinking, I don't want to commit, or you're angry?" His silence could be any of those meanings.  God should know this.  OK, He does know and is silent on purpose to test our faith.  I remind Him that He created impatient people who need CONSTANT reassurance.  

ORATIO:

Lord, I'm sorry for being upset with You.  I'll try to have more faith, hope, and patience.  I can't do anything to force You to do anything, anyway.  You are God and I am not.

CONTEMPLATIO:

Lord, increase my faith.

Whose Side are You On?

 The Virgin in the Ice is my last read in the Brother Cadfael series.  The books were written by Ellis Peters.  The setting is England during a Civil War between cousin contenders to the throne: Stephen and Maud.  In the middle is Cadfael's monastery.  Cadfael is not a priest.  He is a Benedictine brother.  He is the gardener, specifically of herbs, which makes him the medical person.

A boy and his older sister are lost on their way to Cadfael's monastery.  Cadfael is sent to another monastery, they could have gone to.  The siblings were accompanied by a nun and a monk.  Cadfael finds the monk, beaten close to death and nurses him at that monastery.  Retracing the monk's steps, still looking for the siblings, he comes across the virgin in the ice.  It turns out to be the nun chaperoning the girls.

It turns out that the girl is too head strong.  She set out on her own looking for her boyfriend.  Her brother comes to the monastery, grief stricken.  He tends to the ill monk.

To complicate matters, a band of vicious marauders is burning and looting the farmers.  Did they kill the nun?  What did they do with the girl she was chaperoning?

The girl makes it to her boyfriend, but he turned out to be a lout and she stabs him and runs away.  Fortunately, she finds refuge with a forester.

Oh, another mystery.  It seems a stranger seems to be looking for the sister and brother.  It can't be their uncle because he is on the other side, in this Civil War, and would be killed on sight.  

That ill monk gradually realizes that he was responsible for the group and feels guilty.  He gets out of his sick bed and leaves, presumably to find the girl.  The brother is charged to take care of him, so he accompanies him.

The kid brother thought he found help, but it turns out that the help was the band of bandits.  They take the boy for ransom because they could tell by his clothes that someone would pay to get him back.

In the background is Cadfael and the sheriff looking for the girl and the bandits, and possibly the stranger.

The boy is kept prisoner.  That stranger turns out to be working for the uncle.  He sneaks in where the boy is kept.  The two try to escape in the confusion when Cadfael and the sheriff attack the bandits.  Thrown in the confused, is the ill monk who is in a delirium and runs in like the mad man he has become, and the boy and his rescuer escape.

The boy and his rescuer make plans to go to his sister, who by now has found her way to the monastery.  They are to secretly meet and at a certain time to go home to their uncle.  Remember the rescuer cannot be caught because he's on the other side of the Civil War.  

Cadfael catches this strange rescuer and when he listens to his story, he realizes that he is his son.  The three make good their escape and Cadfael says prayers of thanksgiving, both for meeting his son, and for the children's return to their uncle.

Spring

 Sun and gentle breezes in spring
Wake life alive in everything.
Birds gliding and soaring back,
New nestlings taking wing.

Flowers and trees bounce back.
God sets the table with pleasure
With bounty we cannot measure.
The delights Spring can bring!

Tripping = Meditating

 When people in prison have a lot of time being alone, they often go tripping.  Inmates do interact with others, but if you are in the SHU or the "hole," you are alone.  SHU is Special Housing Unit.  

The inmates there have a developed a coping mechanism called "tripping."  This is an adjustment coping mechanism.  The person actively imagines trips outside of the prison.  Perhaps it is something from their past, or something they would love to do when or if, they ever get out.

This takes practice, perhaps years.  It starts with pacing, back and forth, because if you are sitting and still, too many distractions will interfere with your trip.

I do this too, in my meditative walks.   Only, I don't have to imagine things and places I'd like to go, because I can.  That's called planning.  Like my "cloistered brothers and sisters," however, I can "trip" by imagining putting myself in Christ's life.  

I've been on the trip the Holy Family went when they fled into Egypt.  Matt 2: 13-15  Who hasn't walked the Via Delarosa?  

This isn't anything new.  Ludolph of Saxony in his commentaries of the Life of Jesus talks of doing this.  Ignatian Contemplation is also, the same.

Prayer Beads

 Yesterday, my granddaughter and I were on our way to lunch.  As I stopped to check traffic, before I entered the main road, I noticed a pedestrian approaching the corner.  He was holding prayer beads.  I pointed him out to my granddaughter.  

Look at this man, he's praying his rosary as he walks.  

As I turned the car onto the road, I noticed that the end of the beads did not have a crucifix.  So, these prayer beads weren't a rosary.  I pointed that out to my grand-     daughter.  Every religion, except Protestantism, has prayer beads.  We said a prayer for him to stay close to God.  God bless him.

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