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.