Rewrite of This Little Piggy

This little puppy learned to wiggle.

But this little puppy couldn't get the hang of it.

This little puppy stood at attention.

And this little puppy whined weakly.

And this poor little puppy was often stepped upon.

Alpha Centauri

The Voyage

Being the true, candid, and unadulterated account of yet another great leap for mankind, mixed with the personal memories, irritations, and ramblings of Neil Ruiz de Hoyos
by Himself
(for his future edification and entertainment)

Did you, dear reader, do a double-take?  Did you look up, down, and around, to see if this review was a book review of Michael D. O’Brien’s Voyage to Alpha Centauri?

Good.

        Now you have experienced what the reader experiences upon opening O’Brien’s novel.  The very first page reads: The Voyage by Neil Ruiz de Hoyos.  The next page gives the usual Library of Congress information.  If this introduction was simply the beginning of O’Brien’s novel, would he go to such detail to introduce the story? 

Any doubts regarding O’Brien’s methods are quickly laid aside as you begin to read.  Immediately, the reader realizes he is reading Neil’s journal.  The journal relates an expedition in the future aboard a massive space ship, the Kosmos, to a planet orbiting the star, Alpha Centauri.  The story is told by the Noble prize winner, Dr. Neil de Hoyos, whose contribution to technology made the space ship a reality.

         

Life aboard the ship is recorded by Dr. Hoyos.  Life turns out to be extreme totalitarianism, managed by the DSI .  However, the ship’s captain and crew have autonomy in their own quarters.  The DSI are social engineers who act like big brothers forcing people to all behave in what they, alone,  have determined to be correct, manageable, and happy comportment.  This will prove to be the “end justifying the means.”

      The first half of the book establishes the war against human freedom and dignity.  The last half unabashedly establishes Catholic themes because the characters form a Catholic society, on the new planet.  It turns out that there was a Catholic underground aboard the ship that Neil never knew about.  There was a priest and a bishop, plus many faithful laity.  Mass was celebrated along with all the other sacraments.  A Catholic world will be established on this new planet, after overcoming the evil.  The evil will also be overcome on the space ship, also.  

      The novel is long.  The journey takes nine years, each way.  Trouble will waylay plans and the reader will be surprised by the twists and turns.  The end will tie up all the loose knots and satisfy the reader.  As usual with an O’Brien novel, the themes will keep you thinking. 

      I highly recommend The Voyage to Alpha Centauri.  It is very long, maybe too long for most people.  The first half was setting the scene for the second half, but if the reader has patience to stay with the story, he will be rewarded.  The pace picks up fast in the second half of the book.  All the action occurs in the second half.  The twists will keep the reader engrossed.  Best of all, is the mark the story will leave in the reader’s thoughts.  The reader will be left reconsidering his own perceptions about himself, society, freedom, science, and God.  Good writers can leave their mark on you.  Michael D. O’Brien is one of the best.

World Communications Day 2014

All these selfies?

"It is not enough to be passersby on the digital highways, simply “connected”; connections need to grow into true encounters. We cannot live apart, closed in on ourselves. We need to love and to be loved. We need tenderness."

- Pope Francis, Message for World Communications Day 2014

Does it seem to you that people don't communicate with each other, like they use to.  Everybody seems to be looking at their phone.

I'm beginning to think that looking at the phone is an avoidance technique.  They feel alone and don't want to look alone, so they look busy.  Let's change this fad/idea/culture.  Say something: "Nice day!", "You look happy, today.", ask for direction, ask for help, etc.  Just break in and ENCOUNTER.

Try:
1. Follow “True Encounter” on Facebook and Twitter (https://twitter.com/TrueEncounter

)
2. Turn a virtual interaction into something practical. For example:
-- Don’t just ‘like’ or ‘retweet’ a friend’s post, call him/her and ask how they are.
-- Instead of ‘sharing’ a cause on Facebook, write a letter to a politician or give a generous donation to practically support that cause.
-- ‘Accept’ an invitation to a Catholic event, and actually show up!
-- Or another idea that you can come up with... 

3. Share a photo with us, or tell us how you responded to this challenge, by using the hashtag #TrueEncounter

Let's make World Communications Day -- June 1, 2014, change the culture.  Spread the word.

Sunday Snippets -- A Catholic Carnival

Pic from MEK, Pencil in the Hole

Hello, and welcome to Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. We are a group of Catholic bloggers who gather weekly to share our best posts with each other. To participate, go to your blog and create a post titled Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. In it, discuss and link to your posts for the week--whether they deal with theology, Catholic living or cute Catholic kids.  If you click over to R'Ann's, I'm sure you'll find something to interest you.

First, let me tell you about my Mom.  Back in the day, when I was a child, everyone's Mom stayed at home.  There came a time, (I was only three.) when Mom had to go to work.  The first thing she did, with her first pay check, was buy me a tricycle.  Boy, did I love that trike!  But actually, that purchase symbolizes the main purpose of her working--to provide me with those little "extras," that Dad's paycheck didn't cover.  God bless you, Mom!

What did I do this week?  Well:

Sunday -- What happened to me on Divine Mercy Sunday.

Monday -- One of Mick's poems and drawings.

Tuesday -- Reflection on the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena.

Wednesday -- Wed. was the Feast of Pius V, but I was reading about an Icon of the Virgin of Nicopeia, 
                         which was carried on one of the ships, in the Battle of Lepanto, (Pius V's reign) and
                         got sidetracked.  

Thursday --  This post was inspired by Father Kevin's intro.

Friday --  Origin of the scapegoat.

Saturday -- Another prayer group tale.

To find out how the other Sunday Snippets' bloggers week went, click of to This And that and the other thing.  How'd your week go?

The Prayer Group Moves

The pipe burst in the room the prayer group used.  Water leaked all over their Bibles and song books.  That is unfortunate.  But the pastor, Father Diotrophes looked on the good side.  Maybe he'd be rid of the prayer group.  They were always shuffling around with their pious devotional objects taking over every space in the church, and their insipid smiling and nodding of their heads...oh, they just annoyed him.  They were only a handful of people, but they seemed to be omnipresent.  Anyways, perhaps this burst pipe would prove to be a blessing.

Of course they were sad when they saw the condition their room was in.  But they accepted God's will.  Where could they have their prayer group meetings?

Father Diotrophes suggested their leader's house.

"No, he lived in a small apartment."

"Someone else's home?"

"The rectory?"

"Yikes!  Father exclaimed.  "No way! ur, I mean that would be too disruptive to parish business."

After discussion, Father was forced to agree to letting them use the sacristy. He hated to agree to it, but it was better than the other idea of using the rectory.

"The plumbing work had better be quick."  The pastor thought.  Then he had an inspiration.  He would ask the prayer group to pray for a fast resolution to the plumbing problems.  After all, they were the most efficacious prayer warriors he knew.

And he congratulated himself for thinking of it.  

The Scapegoat

Confessions

RCIA got contentious.  One of our confirmandi argued the right of a Confessor to administer Absolution.

Scripture didn't convince him.  The power to absolve is clear in St. John (20: 20-23)  "Whose sins ye shall forgive they are forgiven..."  Other Bible references were used.   Matt 16: 19, 18: 18.  

 He couldn't get out of his mind the idea that Jesus' crucifixion satisfied all sins forever.  He also thought that confessing his sins to a friend was OK.  I pray that in thinking over his arguments, he'll see how silly that one was.  He will have to pray for understanding, as will we.

However, James told a story that I didn't know.  In giving scriptural references for the forgiveness of sins, he said that the Old Testament gave the power to absolve and atone for sins, to the Jewish priests, and he told us the story of the "scapegoat."

A goat was chosen to be burden with the people's sins on the day of Atonement.  The priest would confess the sins of the people (figuratively) on the head of the goat, whereupon the goat would be sent out into the wilderness.  Hence the origin of the term "scapegoat."

Catholics believe that the sacrament of Reconciliation reinforces our faith in Jesus and the priest acts in persona Christi, in forgiving us our sins.  Isn't it good and beautiful that Mother Church offers us this sacrament?

Work as a Gauge to your Spiritual Health

Thanks to Father Kevin's homily this morning, I'm writing about this topic.  

You can tell a person's spiritual health by how they approach their work:

• They are conscientious workers, giving to Ceasar...(Mark 12:17)
• Do they steal supplies from work?
• Do they do the minimum just to get by?
• Do they gossip about everyone?
• Are they overly ambitious?
• Are they fair to all?

Get the idea?  I can see how this survey of work habits could be a gauge for one's spiritual life.  However, I'm not clear how to gauge my own attitude towards work.

I've hated every single job I've ever had.  The reason is because it draws me away from prayer.  I know, I know.  Make work prayer.  How do you make work prayer when your job involves accounting?  One has to focus.

I've tried to do my best.  I've given to Ceasar what is fair.  But I always wished I was born rich and didn't have to work.  Then I could give glory to God by thinking of Him constantly.  I could talk about Him all day!  

So, what's my gauge say?