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.