Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Our Lady-link ūna, Our Lady-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
This day remembers when Mary, bearing the Lord Jesus in her womb, visited her cousin (St.) Elizabeth (5 November) who was carrying (St.) John the Baptist (24 June, 29 August). Upon hearing Mary's voice Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out, "Most blessed are you among women, & blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment of the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled" (Luke, 1:42-45).
'Tis also the festival of Blessed Robert Thorpe, Priest & Martyr (circa 1560-1591), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I, one of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link LXXXV.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of the Visitation
The Book of Zephaniah, chapter three, verses fourteen thru eighteen(a);
or, the Letter to the Romans, chapter twelve, verses nine thru sixteen;
The Book of Isaiah, chapter twelve, verses two, three, & four(b,c,d); five & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses thirty-nine thru fifty-six.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel recounts the story of Mary’s visitation to her cousin, Elizabeth. Upon hearing the message of Gabriel concerning her own pregnancy and that of her cousin, Mary “proceeded in haste into the hill country of Judah” to see Elizabeth. Why did she go with such speed and purpose? Because she had found her mission, her role in the Theo-drama.

The Theo-drama is the great story being told by God, the great play we all find ourselves in. What makes life thrilling is to discover your role in it. This is precisely what has happened to Mary. She has found her role—indeed a climactic role—in the Theo-drama, and she wants to conspire with Elizabeth, who has also discovered her role in the same drama.

Mary recapitulates the story of Israel, the story of redemption. We can, as it were, read the whole Old Testament in her: “He has shown the strength of his arm; he has scattered the proud in their conceit; he has filled the hungry with good things and the rich he has sent away empty.”
Bible Study
The Book of Genesis, chapter six, verses five thru twenty-two;
The Book of Genesis, chapter seven (verses one thru twenty-four);
The Book of Genesis, chapter eight (verses one thru twenty-two);
The Book of Genesis, chapter nine (verses one thru twenty-nine);
The Book of Genesis, chapter ten (verses one thru thirty-two);
The Book of Genesis, chapter eleven (verses one thru thirty-two);

Commentary: Actually read last night, during an hour of Eucharistic adoration, long after yesterday's BLACK MAMBA post had been published.

Warning of the Flood (6:5-13), Preparation for the Flood (6:14-7:5), the Great Flood (7:6-8:22), Covenant with Noah (9:1-17), Noah & His Sons (9:18-29), Table of the Nations (10:1-32), the Tower of Babel (11:1-9), the Line from Shem to Abraham (11:10-26), & II. The Patriarch Abraham: Terah (11:27-32).

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day!

The Aquabats!, "Amino Man!" from The Aquabats! vs. The Floating Eye of Death! and Other Amazing Adventures, Vol. 1 (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary: The Aquabats! are SKApril All-Stars, but were also one of the first ska bands to jump ship as the Third Wave receded.
"Now you see him 'round the fitness club at night,
Pumping those weights like he's running out of time,
Got to bench those reps, got to burn that fat,
He's got the flattop cut and a wicked pony tail in back,
And a fanny pack!

"Yeah! He's Amino Man!
Yeah! With an oily tan!
Yeah! He's got to prove it to himself,
He's changing into something—
Yeah! He's Amino Man!
Yeah! With a bottle tan!
Yeah! In the mirror he sees himself
Turning into something else!

"Now Amino Man's got a problem them with his size,
Two parts muscle, one part goon,
Chemicals help him cut back on the pain,
But he got so big he ran out of skin to strain,
He popped his brain!

"Yeah! He's Amino Man!
Yeah! With an oily tan!
Yeah! He's got to prove it to himself,
He's changing into something—
Yeah! He's Amino Man!
Yeah! With a bottle tan!
Yeah! In the mirror he sees himself
Turning into something else!

"Where are his eyes?
Where are his eyes?
Something's got to give!

"Where are his eyes?
Where are his eyes?
Something's got to give!

"Where are his eyes?
Where are his eyes?
Something's got to give!…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of Saturday: SKAfter Party

Samstag, 27. Mai
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Royal Oil" (live) from Live from the Middle East (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:
"This song's called 'Royal Oil' & goes out to the people who've supported the Bosstones for all these fuckin' years!…

"Make up your mind,
Keep up your mind,
And to your life you've got to be loyal…"

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide, Backlog Edition

Monday, 29 May was the festival of Saint Maximinus of Trier, Bishop (died circa 347, also spelt Maximin): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Richard Thirkeld, Priest & Martyr (died 1583), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter nineteen, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Sixty-eight, verses two & three(a,b), four & five (a,c,d), & six & seven(a,b);
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-nine thru thirty-three.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus promises peace to his disciples who abandoned him at his arrest. “Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered… and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me.”

And Jesus’ prophecy is fulfilled at the Resurrection. The disciples are gathered in the upper room, that place of fear, and suddenly Jesus is in their midst. What is the reaction of the disciples? They are afraid. And no wonder: they had abandoned him.

In the face of this fear, Jesus does two simple things. First, he shows his wounds. Second, he offers his peace. Both are important. By the first action, he reminds them of the sins that put an end to his life. In the second great move, Jesus says, “Shalom,” which means peace. Jesus returns not with vengeance, not with a renewal of violence, not with more of the same; rather the violence brought against him is met with Shalom, the gift of peace. With this, a new world opens up and a way out emerges.
Quoth the missalette from World Library Publications:
The readings, psalm, & Gospel acclamation may also be taken from the Masses for various Needs & Occasions: For the Nation (Lect. 882-886), For Peace & Justice (Lect. 887-891). The following are suggested from among the many options.
Mass Readings—Memorial Day
The Book of Numbers, chapter six, verses twenty-two thru twenty-seven;
Psalm Eighty-five, verse nine(b);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses one thru twelve(a).

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the festival of Saint Joan of Arc, Virgin & Martyr (circa 1412-1431), the "Maid of Orléans," martyred in the reign of the king Henry VI: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Luke Kirby, Priest & Martyr (circa 1549-1582), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XL.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter twenty, verses seventeen thru twenty-seven;
Psalm Sixty-eight, verses ten & eleven, twenty & twenty-one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses one thru eleven(a).

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, Jesus’ prayer in today’s Gospel sums up his wonderful work as he prepares to return to his Father. Jesus was, in his very person, the meeting of heaven and earth. God and humanity came together in him, and his entire ministry was the outward expression of that inward identity. By calling a scattered Israel to unity, inviting the poor to table fellowship, healing the sick in body and heart, and embodying the path of forgiveness and love, Jesus was bringing God’s will and purposes to earth.

But then in his passion and death, Jesus brought heaven all the way down. He carried the divine light into the darkest places of the human condition: hatred, cruelty, violence, corruption, stupidity, suffering, even death itself. And by exposing them to the light of God, he thereby transformed them. Ultimately, what proves that heaven is able to transform earth is, of course, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

We often think that cruelty, hatred, violence, fear, suffering, and death are the most powerful forces in the world. But through Jesus’ resurrection, we now know that the divine love is more powerful. God’s kingdom has, in principle, broken the kingdoms of the world, which thrive upon and in turn produce those very negativities.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

Reel Big Fish, "Everything Sucks" from Turn the Radio Off (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:
"I'm giving up because—

"I know everything sucks, yeah!
I know everything sucks, whoa-o-o!
I know everything sucks, yeah!
And this is gonna be the last time you hear me complain…"

Monday, May 29, 2017

The Rebel Black Dot Song of Memorial Day

Paul Roebling, Jay Ungar, & David McCullough, "Ashokan Farewell/Sullivan Ballou Letter" from The Civil War" Original Soundtrack Recording (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:
"July the fourteenth, Eighteen Sixty-one, Washington, D.C.

"Dear Sarah,
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days, perhaps tomorrow, & lest I should not be able to write you again I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I am no more.

"I have no misgivings about or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, & my courage does not halt or falter. I know how American civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, & how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood & suffering of the Revolution, & I am willing, perfectly willing, to lay down all my joys in this life to help maintain this Government & to pay that debt.

"Sarah, my love for you is deathless. It seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence can break. And yet my love of country comes over me like a strong wind & bears me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield. The memory of all the blissful moments I have enjoyed with you come crowding over me & feel most deeply grateful to God, & you, that I have enjoyed them for so long. And how hard it is for me to give them up & burn to ashes the hopes, future years when God willing we might have lived & loved together & see our boys grown up to honorably manhood around us!

"If I do not return, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I loved you, nor that when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield it will whisper your name. Forgive my many faults & the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless, you foolish I have sometimes been! But, O Sarah, if the dead can come back to this earth & flit unseen around those they love, I shall always be with you in the brightest day & the darkest night, always, always. And when the soft breeze fans your cheek it shall be my breath, or the cool air on your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by. O Sarah, do not mourn me dead! Think I am gone & wait for me, for we shall meet again."


Sunday, May 28, 2017

The Explorers' Club, № DLI

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Nivelle Offensive, Part V
May-June 1917: New French chief of staff Philippe Pétain ended the mutinies by promising an end to mass offensives 'til "the tanks & the Americans" arrived & more frequent & longer home leaves; thousands were arrested (8 June), though only two score were executed; forty-three per cent (43%) of French infantry divisions had mutinied to varying degrees; this massive extent of the mutinies was hidden from the German enemy, the other Entente allies, & the French public for the next fifty years.





The Wayback Machine Tour of the Nivelle Offensive
№ DXLIV: The Battle of Vimy Ridge
№ DXLV: The Second Battle of the Aisne
№ DXLVII: "Bloody April"
№ DXLVIII: The French Army mutinies

Lest we forget.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Hillsong United, "Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)" (live) via iTunes (from Hillsong: Let Hope Rise: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: "Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)" was running through my head as soon as I awoke this morning. That is my very favorite way of selecting the R.B.D.S.O.T.D., but not really selecting it, but having it revealed to me.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Ascension/Seventh Sunday

'Tis the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, also the Seventh Sunday of Easter: Ascension-link, Wikipedia-link Ascension, & Wikipedia-link Feast; Paschal-link & Wikipedia-link Easter.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. The traditional observance of the solemnity occurs on the preceding Thursday, but may be transferred to the Seventh Sunday of Easter at the discretion of the local bishop. For more on the Ascension, please see last Thursday's (25 May) BLACK MAMBA post.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter one, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two & three, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter one, verses seventeen thru twenty-three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-eight, verses sixteen thru twenty.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today we celebrate the wonderful feast of the Ascension of the Lord, the journey of the risen Christ into heaven. Now can we even begin to make sense of this in the early twenty-first century? Doesn’t this all sound rather pre-scientific and mythological? Jesus going up to heaven in an embodied state? And what does any of this have to do with us? Why should we bother with such a peculiar event?

The prayer of Jesus is that the earth will be filled with the glory of God, that it will be transformed and elevated according to God’s purposes. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the beginning of this process. It signals that the great revolution by which God becomes the ruler of earth has commenced.

And the Ascension carries that revolution to a new pitch. It’s the coming together of earth and heaven. We see this “coming together” throughout the Church’s life, in good preaching, in great Christian art, in the singing at liturgy, in the architecture of our cathedrals and churches, in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Heaven meets earth and earth meets heaven, and that’s what the Ascension finally achieves.

Mass Readings—Seventh Sunday of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter one, verses twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
Psalm Twenty-seven, verses one, four, & seven & eight;
The First Letter of Peter, chapter four, verses thirteen thru sixteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses one thru eleven(a).

Commentary: Video Easter Gospel reflection by Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word.

Mass Journal: Week 22
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:
When making a decision, the Native American people used to ask themselves how their decision today wold affect their people seven generations from now. One hundred years from now, none of us will be here. Let us always remember that in the whole scheme of things, the Church is on loan to us for a very brief time. And yet in that brief time we determine the Church our children & grandchildren will inherit. In this way, God has appointed us to take care of the vineyard—the Church. This is a responsibility we should take seriously. In Matthew's Gospel (Mt. 21:33-41) we are given a vision of what happens when servants are overcome with pride & arrogance.

Otherwise, 28 May would be the festival of Blessed Lanfranc of Canterbury, Bishop, O.S.B. (circa 1005-1089, A.K.A. of Pavia, of Bec): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Margaret Plantagenet Pole, Martyr (1473-1541, the Countess of Salisbury), martyred in the reign of the king Henry VIII: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Blesseds Thomas Ford, Robert Johnson, & John Shert, Priests & Martyrs (died 1582), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link Tango Foxtrot & Wikipedia-link Tango Foxtrot, Martyr-link Romeo Juliett & Wikipedia-link Romeo Juliett, & Martyr-link Juliett Sierra & Wikipedia-link Juliett Sierra.

Saturday, May 27, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop, O.S.B. (died circa 605), the "Apostle to the English:" Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Augustine was sent in 597 from St. Andrew's monastery in Rome by St. Gregory the Great (3 September) to preach the Gospel in England. He was aided there by King Æthelbert & chosen bishop of Canterbury. He converted many to the faith & established many dioceses, especially in the kingdom of Kent. He died on 26 May, about the year 605
'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Edmund Duke, Richard Hill, Richard Holiday, & John Hogg, Priests & Martyrs (died 1590), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I, four of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Echo Delta, Martyr-link Romeo Hotel-India, Martyr-link Romeo Hotel-Oscar, Martyr-link Juliett Hotel, & Wikipedia-link Dryburne; Wikipedia-link LXXXV.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eighteen, verses twenty-three thru twenty-eight;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two & three, eight & nine, & ten;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-three(b) thru twenty-eight.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel urges us to expect the Father to answer our prayers because he loves us. “On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God.”

Keep in mind that prayer is not designed so much to change God’s mind or to tell God something he doesn’t know. God isn’t like a big city boss or a reluctant pasha whom we have to persuade. He is, rather, the one who wants nothing other than to give us good things—though they might not always be what we want.

The entire point of religion is to make us humble before God and to open us to the path of love. Everything else is more or less a footnote. Liturgy, prayer, the precepts of the Church, the commandments, sacraments, sacramentals—all of it—are finally meant to conform us to the way of love. When they instead turn us away from that path, they have been undermined.
Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Augustine
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter two, verses two(b) thru eight;
Psalm Ninety-six, verse three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses thirty-five thru thirty-eight.

Friday, May 26, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Philip Neri, Priest, C.O. (1515-1595), founder of the Confraternity of the Most Holy Trinity of Pilgrims and Convalescents & of the Oratorians, formally the Congregation of the Oratory of Saint Philip Neri: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.O.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Philip Neri was born in Florence in 1515. He went to Rome & began to work with young men among whom he fostered Christian life & formed an association for the poor & the sick. Ordained a priest in 1551, he founded the Oratory where spiritual reading, singing, & works of charity were practiced. He excelled in his love of neighbor & in evangelical simplicity along with a joyous service to God. St. Philip died in 1595.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Eleuterus, Pope (died circa 189, also spelt Eleutherius), thirteenth Bishop of Rome: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eighteen, verses nine thru eighteen;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two & three, four & five, & six & seven;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twenty thru twenty-three.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel calls us to pray in Jesus name, making our prayer a way of life. Have you noticed that when we pray liturgically, officially, we always do so in the name of Jesus the Lord? This is because Jesus himself told us so: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you.” When we pray in Jesus’ name, we are relying on his influence with the Father, trusting that the Father will listen to him.

It also is a way of naturally monitoring and shaping our prayers. When we pray “through Christ our Lord,” we are praying in the stance, attitude, and spirit of Jesus, deigning to want the sort of things that wants. So we can pray, honestly and consistently, for justice, peace, forgiveness, and greater love, all in Jesus’ name.
Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Philip Neri
The First Letter to the Philippians, chapter four, verses four thru nine;
Psalm Thirty-four, verse two;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party


The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "The Magic of Youth" from The Magic of Youth (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:
"Do things on shoestrings to make the ends meet,
Cut costs and corners in order to eat,
Low-income housing they couldn't afford,
Bills and collectors that they just ignored.

"While the pressures were mounting the tensions would rise,
She had been counting on some of the lies
That he had been telling her being the truth,
The fighting and yelling, the magic of youth,
The magic of youth!

"He hit the pipe, she hit the pole,
Stereotypes that were out of control…"

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: The Ascension of the Lord

'Tis the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord: Ascension-link, Wikipedia-link Ascension, & Wikipedia-link Feast.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. It is also permitted, at the discretion of the local bishop, to transfer the observance of the solemnity to the following Sunday, the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter one, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two & three, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter one, verses seventeen thru twenty-three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-eight, verses sixteen thru twenty.

Commentary: Video Easter Gospel reflection by Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word.

Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus gently tells his disciples of his impending return to his Father in heaven. We tend to read the Ascension along essentially Enlightenment lines, rather than Biblical lines—and that causes a good deal of mischief. Enlightenment thinkers introduced a two-tier understanding of heaven and earth. They held that God exists, but he lives in a distant realm called heaven, from which he looks at a human project moving along pretty much on its own steam, on earth.

On this Enlightenment reading, the Ascension means that Jesus goes up, up, and away, off to a distant and finally irrelevant place. But he Biblical point is this: Jesus has gone to heaven so as to direct operations more fully here on earth. That’s why we pray, “Thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Jesus has not gone up, up, and away, but rather, if I can put it this way, more deeply into our world. He has gone to a dimension that transcends but impinges upon our universe.
* * * * *
In those dioceses where Ascension is observed on the following Sunday, 25 May is the Optional Memorial of Saint Bede the Venerable, Priest & Doctor of the Church, O.S.B. (circa 672-735): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Even without the Ascension, 25 May is a bit of a traffic jam; so, settle in. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Bede was born in the neighborhood of the Wearmouth monastery in 673. He was trained by St. Benedict Biscop (12 January) & later entered the monastery. Ordained to the priesthood, he spent his ministry in teaching & writing. St. Bede wrote theological & historical works in the patristic tradition & explained Sacred Scripture. He died in 735. He is a Doctor of the Church.
'Tis also be the Optional Memorial of Saint Gregory VII, Pope, O.S.B. (circa 1020-1085), one hundred fifty-seventh Bishop of Rome: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Gregory VII was born in Tuscany about the year 1028. He was elected pope in 1073. He instituted what became known as the "Gregorian Reform," abolishing simony, the immorality of the clergy, & lay investiture. He tried to end the schism of the Eastern Churches, & launch a crusade to free Jerusalem from the hands of the Turks. He was besieged by (Holy Roman Emperor) Henry IV & died in exile at Salerno in 1085.
'Tis also be the Optional Memorial of Saint Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi, Virgin, O.Carm. (1566-1607): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi was born in Florence in 1566 & after a religious upbringing she entered the Carmelites. She led a solitary life of prayer & self-denial, prayed fervently for Church reform, & directed her fellow sisters on the road to perfection. She was blessed by many gifts from God & died in 1607.
'Tis also be the festival of Saint Zenobius of Florence, Bishop (circa 337-417): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eighteen, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two & three(a,b), & three(c,d) & four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses sixteen thru twenty.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Bede the Venerable
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter two, verses ten(b) thru sixteen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verse twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seven, verses twenty-one thru twenty-nine.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Gregory VII
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter twenty, verses seventeen, eighteen(a), twenty-eight thru thirty-two, & thirty-six;
Psalm One Hundred Ten, verses four(b);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses thirteen thru nineteen.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Mary Magdalene de'Pazzi
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter seven, verses twenty-five thru thirty-five;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-eight, verses twelve(a) & thirteen(a);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses thirty-one thru thirty-five.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party


Less Than Jake, "Whatever the Weather" from the Sound the Alarm E.P. (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: "Whatever the Weather" is an odd title for this song, since those words never appear in the lyrics. Instead, they sing over & over again:
"It's out of my hands, these too heavy times,
No matter the weather, I'll never waiver,
It's out of my hands, these too heavy times,
No matter the weather, I'll never waiver, never waiver…"

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Last Year in Motorsport: The Agony & the Ecstasy

Formula Fun!
Formula One World Championship
Round 6
Grand Prix de Monaco
Sunday, 29 May 2016

1st Place: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2nd Place: Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull (Renault)
3rd Place: Sergio Pérez, Force India (Mercedes)

In 2014, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (F.I.A.), the world governing body of motorsport, introduced a new formula to Formula One (F1), revising the aerodynamic regulations but more significantly replacing the naturally-aspirated V8 engines the propelled the cars with turbocharged V6 hybrid-electric "power units." (Longtime reading of The Secret Base & "This Week in Motorsport" will know I have always taken a dim view of this change, regarding it as being very much for the worse.) Throughout 2014, 2015, & 2016, this meant that F1 was anything but a competitive sport. No other team could match the "Silver Arrows" of the Mercedes factory squad, meaning that qualifying became a dull, academic exercise to see which of the two Mercedes would start first & which would start second & the races became anything but entertaining. I would not have watched the 2016 season had it not been for the promise of heavily revised chassis & aerodynamic regulations to take effect from 2017 in a desperate bid to reintroduce competition to the sport.

It was into this sorry state of affairs that something most unexpected happened in the Principality of Monaco in 2016, at the "grandest grand prix of them all," the Monaco Grand Prix: Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull (T.A.G. Heuer-badged Renault) was far & away the fastest car all weekend. For no readily apparently reason, Ricciardo's Red Bull was faster than the two factory Mercedes, faster than his teenage phenom teammate Max Verstappen, faster than the whole bloody field. In qualifying, Ricciardo stamped his authority on the weekend, earning the first pole position of his career. In the midst of a third, dull, Mercedes cakewalk of a season, Ricciardo's pace & pole position was a welcome breath of fresh air.

The race started on Sunday amidst a downpour, meaning it started behind the safety car. Once the race proper began, Ricciardo remained the class of the field. He pitted to change from the full-wet rain tires to the intermediate rain tires, while triple reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes ('08, '14, & '15) stayed out on the full-wets. Ricciardo quickly made up the time lost in the pits & was on pace to overtake Hamilton & claim the victory. Verstappen started the race from the pit lane as a result of a crash in qualifying, but also crashed out of the grand prix itself, a pairs of screw-ups made all the more embarrassing since at the previous grand prix, in Spain, he had taken the victory to become F1's youngest-ever race winner. Eventual 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg of Mercedes, the defending triple race winner at Monaco ('13, '14, & '15), was badly off the pace with mechanical gremlins, specifically brake problems, & finished seventh.

With Ricciardo faster than Hamilton despite having made one more pit stop, Mercedes finally called Hamilton in to change into dry-weather "slick" tires. One lap later, Red Bull called Ricciardo into the pits. Ricciardo didn't make the decision to enter the pits hismelf, the team radioed him & instructed him to pit. Ricciardo pulled into his pit stall & found that there were no tires ready for him. Red Bull mechanics frantically ran out of the garage carrying new tires, but by then the damage was done. The team had called Ricciardo into the pits & then not been ready to perform the pit stop. By the time Ricciardo finally emerged from the pits, the advantage he'd built up over Hamilton had evaporated. Passing is always at a premium in Monaco, with its tight, twixt circuit, but even so Hamilton resorted to every dirty trick in the book to keep Ricciardo behind, including almost forced the Red Bull man off the road into the safety barriers that line the track. On the podium, Hamilton was jubilant while Ricciardo was the angriest I've ever seen any driver. In the now eight years I've been watching motorsport, I've never seen a team throw away as clear & well-deserved a victory as Red Bull did that day. They didn't need to perform a miracle in the pits to win; they didn't need the fastest tire-change on record; heck, they could have ever had a pretty slow pit stop & still put Ricciardo back on track ahead of Hamilton. But to call a driver into the pits & not have the tires ready for him? I'd never seen that before & I earnest hope I will never see such a debacle again.

There is no more prestigious grand prix than Monaco, that glamorous anachronism on the Mediterranean. Chances to win the Monaco Grand Prix don't come along every day. I don't know if Daniel Ricciardo will ever again have as good a chance to win the "jewel in the F1 crown." All I know is that if I was in his shoes, if that prize had been taken away from me through no fault of my own, I just don't know if I'd be able to find it within myself to forgive the team.


Let Us Drink Milk
IndyCar Series
Round 6
Indianapolis 500
Sunday, 29 May 2016

1st Place: Alexander Rossi, Andretti/Herta (Honda)
2nd Place: Carlos Muñoz, Andretti (Honda)
3rd Place: Josef Newgarden, Carpenter (Chevrolet)

There are no two racing circuits in the world more different than the twisty streets of the Circuit de Monaco & the "cathedral of speed" of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (I.M.S.). Yet despite their differences, the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix & the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race are two of the most prestigious races in the world & comprise, along with the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the "Triple Crown of Motorsport," a prize so elusive that only one man has ever claimed it, Graham Hill (1929-1975): the Monaco Grand Prix, five times (1963, '64, '65, '68, & '69), the Indy 500 on debut ('66), & Le Mans after more than a decade of trying ('72). But I digress.

Alexander Rossi was America's great F1 hope, climbing the ranks of the junior formulae in Europe through the 2010s & eventually making it into the "pinnacle of motorsport" toward the end of 2015 with Manor (Ferrari). Despite outperforming his teammate Will Stevens, who had the advantage of running the full season, Rossi could not land a race seat in F1 for 2016, & so retreated to America & was signed to race for Andretti Autosport (have absorbed Bryan Herta Autosport). Despite having never raced on an oval before, & having expressed no particulare desire ever to race on an oval track, Rossi was fast throughout the month of May, finishing a season-best tenth at the Grand Prix of Indianapolis (on the road course within the I.M.S.) & qualifying eleventh for the 100th running of the Indy 500, the best qualifying spot of any rookie in 2016.

Despite the incredible speeds around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway & the tremendous advances made automotive reliability, the 500 is still an endurance race; it cannot be won on the first corner, but it can be lost with a foolish move that results in a race-ending crash. Rossi remained competitive throughout the afternoon, but was never quite in the leading pack. Cars slammed into the walls, cars collected other cars, pit stops were made, yellow-flag running bunche3d up the field & allowed for harrowing restarts, & one by one the most competitive cars started to fall away. 2015 Indy 500 champion & '12 IndyCar Series Champion Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti (Honda) was caught up in a crash & took damage; triple Indy 500 winner Hélio Castroneves of Penska (Chevrolet) ('01, '02, & '09) was hit from behind by another car; defending double Indy 500 champion & 1999 series champion Juan Pablo Montoya of Penske (2000 & '15) was the first car to retire, on lap sixty-three (of two hundred).

Rossi got "off sequence" with most of the rest of the field's pit-stop rotation by not pitting during one of the numerous caution periods. At the end of the race, all of the leading cars had to pit within the last ten laps for a "splash" of fuel, just a fraction of a tank to enable them to go the distance. One by one, as the cars peeled off into the pit lane, rookie Alexander Rossi assumed the lead of the race. The television commentators could scarcely believe that Rossi had the fuel to finish the race, but he was still running fairly competitive times. Following the advice of his strategist, Bryan Herta, Rossi had been aggressively saving fuel since his last pit stop, rolling the dice that he could go the improbably long distance & that everyone else would have to pit for a splash. In the dying laps, Rossi's & Herta's long game appeared, incredibly, to be paying off. Rossi's Andretti teammate Carlos Muñoz pitted for a splash & emerged from the pit lane like a bat out of hell, flying around the track at a blistering pace. Meanwhile, Rossi was driving on fumes. Muñoz gained on Rossi, lap by lap, but there weren't just enough laps. The checkered flag fell & Alexander Rossi, an F1 refuge & Indy 500 rookie, entered the record books as not just an Indy 500 Champion, but the champion of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.

Rossi's car ran out of fuel on the cool-down lap & had to be towed to victory lane. The stunned rookie hadn't prepared for the possibility of winning & had to be shepherded through the elaborate Indy 500 Kabuki. Ray Harroun won the first Indy 500 in 1911; Alexander Rossi won the one hundredth Indy 500 in 2016; each man did so in his first attempt at the feat.


The agony of Daniel Ricciardo's woebegone pit stop & the ecstasy of Alexander Rossi's go-for-broke fuel strategy, the full range of emotion on display in a truly astonishing day in motorsport. It was nice to be reminded of why I love motorsport, & that some races are simply more important than others.

The 2017 editions of the Grand Prix de Monaco & the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race are fast approaching, both scheduled to be run this coming Sunday, 28 May 2017.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the festival of Saints Donatian & Rogatian, Martyrs (died circa 299), martyred in the reign of the emperors Diocletian & Maximian: Martyr-link Delta, Martyr-link Romeo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Simeon Stylites the Younger, Priest (521-597): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Mario Vergara, Priest (P.I.M.E.), & Isidore Ngei Ko Lat, Martyrs (died 1950), martyred at the hands of Burmese Baptist rebels: Martyr-link Mike Victor & Wikipedia-link Mike Victor; Martyr-link India November Kilo Lima & Wikipedia-link India November Kilo Lima

Commentary: Bls. Mario & Isidore were beatified in 2014.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter seventeen, verses fifteen & twenty-two thru chapter eighteen, verse one;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-eight, verses one & two, eleven & twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twelve thru fifteen.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, the theme of today’s Gospel declares that when the Spirit comes, he will guide us into all truth. There is a story I’ve heard about Jean-Luc Marion that, if it isn’t true, should be. In the midst of his lively lecture on Descartes, a student asked a pointed question about God. Marion looked at her and said, “Go to Sunday Mass for a year and then return and ask me that question again.”

Marion’s response was not just a clever one-liner. If true knowledge of God depends upon immersion in the Holy Spirit, then that knowledge is a function of an entire form of life, involving prayer, self-denial, the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and the forgiveness of one’s enemies. We don’t so much think our way to an understanding of God; we live our way to it.

Thomas Aquinas always said that he owed his theology far more to the persistence of his prayer than to the acuity of his mind. His penetration of the divine mystery flowed from his life in the Holy Spirit. And so today we pray, “Come, Holy Spirit, come!”

Bible Study
The Book of Genesis, chapter four (verses one thru twenty-six);
The Book of Genesis, chapter five (verses one thru thirty-two);
The Book of Genesis, chapter six, verses one thru four.

Commentary: Cain & Abel (4:1-16), Descendants of Cain & Seth (4:17-26), Generations: Adam to Noah (5:1-32), & Origin of the Nephilim (6:1-4).

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party

Less Than Jake, "Years of Living Dangerously" from the Sound the Alarm E.P. (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:
"But the weight of the world,
It takes more than us to hold it up,
And we hold it up, what's left of us?
It just weighs too much…

"It's been a mystery,
What makes me feel this crazy.

"This one goes to my friends,
Who might be there when it ends,
This goes out to the talk
About what we loved and what we lost,
Tell me the truth about this cruel, cruel world,
Because I don't think I trust you…"

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Bonus! Narwhal Song of the Day


Aaron Burnett, "Narwhal" via iTunes (from Canadian Critters) (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:
"If you've never heard of a narwhal then listen up right now,
Smaller than an elephant, much larger than a cow,
Swims in the Arctic Ocean where the water is so cold,
Listen now as I tell you, his story must be told.

"Lives in groups or five or more, most often called a pod,
Doesn't have a dorsal fin, for a whale that may seem odd,
Has a sleek, compact body to help keep in the heat,
Fluke seems to be on backward, like shoes on the wrong feet.

"The narwhal has a long, thin tooth that grows out of his snout,
It's really just a big old tooth, but it gives him lots of clout,
Lives in the Arctic waters, just a happy little whale,
Very little is known of him, so I thought I'd share this tale.

"Feeds on squid and shellfish, seems to really like his shrimp,
From looking at his blubber you'd have to say he doesn't scrimp,
Must watch out for walruses or a hungry polar bear,
An orca will make a meal of him if he's caught unaware…"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the festival of Saint Michael of Synnada, Bishop (died circa 826, A.K.A. the Confessor): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint William of Perth, Martyr (died circa 1201, A.K.A. of Rochester), martyred by his adopted son, David the Foundling: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giovanni Battista de' Rossi, Priest (1698-1764, Anglicized as John Baptist Rossi): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-four;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-eight, verses one & two(a,b), two(c,d) & three, & seven(c) & eight;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses five thru eleven.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, once again in today’s Gospel Jesus promises to send us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the fuel of the Church, the energy and life force of the body of Christ. And we can’t get it through heroic effort. We can only get it by asking for it. That’s why for the past two thousand years, the Church has begged for the Holy Spirit, this power from on high.

Jesus told us that the Father would never refuse someone who asked for the Holy Spirit. So ask! And ask again! Realize that every liturgy is a begging for the Holy Spirit. Fr. Hesburgh of Notre Dame once commented that the one prayer that is always appropriate, whether one is experiencing success or failure, whether one is confident or afraid, whether one is young or old, is, “Come, Holy Spirit.”

He’s right, for this is the fundamental prayer of the church. Mind you, we pray it, as the first apostles did, in the presence of Mary and with her support. In the Hail Mary, we say, “Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” What are we asking her to pray for, but the Holy Spirit?

Narwhal Day

Fondest wishes for a happy & most sympathetic Narwhal Day to all & sundry! On this day of days we fête the narwhal, the very oddest of whales, noted & celebrated for its "horn" (in actuality a tusk) which in times past was often displayed in cabinets of curiosity (Wunderkammer) as a unicorn's horn. The narwhal is transcendent proof that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

The Ancient & Proper Observance of Narwhal Day
First, the recitation of "The Oath of Narwhal Day;"
Second, the wearing of gray clothing;
Third, the hearing of "Sympathy for the Narwhal" by D.J. Seaghost, an ally of The Aquabats!

The ancient & proper observance need not be observed in any particular order. The recitation of the oath is an internal act; recite it as a jest or a lark only at your own peril, for a man is only as good as his word; it is in sympathizing with the narwhal that Narwhal Day finds its highest purpose. The wearing of gray is an external act, signally to others the sympathy for the narwhal in one's heart & inviting them to experience the same. The hearing of "Sympathy for the Narwhal" is a communal act, for Narwhal Day is as much a day of celebration as it is as day of sympathizing; the narwhal will frolic & so should we.

Even in these latter days, there are still persons, seemingly educated persons, who remain ignorant of the narwhal & all it can illuminate for us about the beautiful oddity of God's Creation. Spread the word about Narwhal Day! Spread the sympathy for & celebration of the narwhal! Invite others to observe the ancient & proper observance, so that they too might come to know the oddball, improbable glory of the narwhal.


The Oath of Narwhal Day
The narwhal is a noble, pitiable creature,
A magnificent, monstrous visage.
An asymmetrical tooth for a horn,
Or sometimes two, or sometimes none,
Half again as long as the beast.

I swear my sympathy for the narwhal.
I will not lie and convince it all is well,
But I will be a friend to the narwhal.
The mocking dolphins and the snobby manatees
Will get their well-earned comeuppance,
And the narwhal will frolic all day.

I dream this dream of the narwhal
And celebrate it in all its oddball, improbable glory,
On this the seventeenth Narwhal Day.


the Narwhal (Monodon Monoceros)—also narwal or narwhale


The Rebel Black Dot Song of Narwhal Day!
D.J. Seaghost, "Sympathy for the Narwhal" from The Aquabats! and Horchata Records Presents Rice Capades Music Sampler, Vol. 1 (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary: "Sympathy for the Narwhal" started it all, inspiring my co-creator & me to celebrate the first Narwhal Day sixteen impossibly swift years ago, on 23 May 2001. The date of 23 May was picked pretty arbitrarily, having no inherent connection to the narwhal of which I am aware, but it has since become very meaningful to many persons. I've never been privileged to receive any report on the popularity or prominence of Narwhal Day within any particular pod of narwhals, but we don't sympathize with the narwhal for its approval; we sympathize because of the narwhal's inherent magnificence & dignity.
"Play something sad,
Convince it all is not well…"

The Wayback Machine Tour of Narwhal Day
Narwhal Day '16 | Narwhal Day '15
Narwhal Day '14 | Narwhal Day '13
Narwhal Day '12 | Narwhal Day '11
Narwhal Day '10 | Narwhal Day '09
Narwhal Day '08 | Narwhal Day '07a & Narwhal Day '07b
Narwhal Day '06 | Narwhal Day '05
Narwhal Day '04 | Narwhal Day '03

Sympathetic Narwhal Day, everyone!

Monday, May 22, 2017

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Less Than Jake, "Sunstroke" from See the Light (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Though Less Than Jake (L.T.J.) are SKApril All-Stars, I cannot consider the choice of "Sunstroke" as the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. part of the SKAfter Party because "Sunstroke" just isn't a ska song: there's no syncopated beat, no bouncing horns, no electric organ. "Sunstroke" wouldn't be the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. if it was not a worthy song, & L.T.J. still stands as one of the pillars of third-wave ska, this just happens to be one of their rare non-ska songs.

The subject matter is vintage L.T.J., all the same:
"When did I become a tourist
In the city I got my name from?…"

Countdown to Narwhal Day: One…


Tomorrow is Narwhal Day, that splendid day in celebration of & sympathy for the narwhal, one of God's oddest creatures, at least amidst the "normalcy" of the mammals, both terrestrial & aquatic. Of course, most of the strangest stuff is in the ocean, like the Portuguese man o' war & the coelacanth & the goblin shark & the anglerfish & the… But I digress. Narwhal!

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Rita of Cascia, Religious, O.S.A. (1381-1457): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

This is the second consecutive week without any hagiographical material in the Holy Redeemer bulletin. Space is the bulletin has been devoted to the parish festival, which is both a major fundraiser & a means by which we love our neighbors, & only happens once a year; there is also "end-of-the-year" thanks from the music ministry/worship coordinator to all those who helped make 2016-2017 a successful year. O.K., these are legitimate squeezes on the limited space available, but I will be forced to register my displeasure if the hagiographies do not return after the parish festival.


'Tis also the festival of Blessed Dulce Pontes, Religious, S.M.I.C. (1914-1992, A.K.A. Maria Rita Lópes Pontes de Souza Brito), foundress of the Charitable Works Foundation of Sister Dulce, the Obras Sociais Irmã Dulce in Portuguese: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link O.S.I.D.

Commentary: Bl. Dulce was beatified on this date in 2011.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen, verses eleven thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-nine, verses one(b) & two; three & four; five, six(a), & nine(b);
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verse twenty-six thru chapter sixteen, verse four(a);

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel focuses on the Holy Spirit’s role as witness to Jesus. “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me.”

All Christian preaching is ultimately about the Paschal Mystery, the dying and rising of Jesus and the sending of the Holy Spirit. But this last element is especially important for today, because it signals the way that we are able to participate in the life that Jesus opens up to us. One of the chief marks of the Holy Spirit is the prompting to bold speech. From the apostles through the great evangelists and theologians, up to Billy Graham and John Paul II, the Spirit prompts people to confess the Lordship of Jesus. Remember that Paul told us, “No one can call Jesus Lord except in the Holy Spirit.”

Who is the Holy Spirit? He is the third person of the Holy Trinity, more precisely the love shared by the Father and the Son. As the love between Father and Son, the Spirit comes most fully to historical expression during the great events of the Incarnation and the Paschal Mystery.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Rita
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter four, verses four thru nine;
Psalm Forty, verse five(a);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-eight.

Sunday, May 21, 2017

The Explorers' Club, № DL

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Endless Battles of the Isonzo, Part VI
10 May-8 June 1017: The Tenth Battle of the Isonzo—The Italians switched tactics, attacking the Austro-Hungarians across a broad front instead of targeting a breakout from the bridgehead at Gorizia; after initial Italian success in May, an Austro-Hungarian counterattack in June recovered nearly all of gained/lost ground; Italian morale plunged; Austria-Hungary continued to wobble.





Lest we forget.

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Two…


Only two more days 'til Narwhal Day! Only two more days 'til Narwhal Day! I'm so excited I had to type it twice. It's the most narwhalsome day of the whole year!

Project BLACK MAMBA: Sixth Sunday of Easter

'Tis the Sixth Sunday of Easter: Paschal-link & Wikipedia-link Easter.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Sixth Sunday of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eight, verses five thru eight & fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm Sixty-six, verses one, two, & three; four & five; six & seven; sixteen; & twenty;
The First Letter of Peter, chapter three, verses fifteen thru eighteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses fifteen thru twenty-one.

Commentary: Video Easter Gospel reflection by Jeff Cavins: Encountering the Word.

Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus promises to send us the Spirit of Truth who will make us intimate friends of God. The Holy Spirit is the love shared by the Father and the Son. We have access to this holy heart of God only because the Father sent the Son into the world, into our dysfunction, even to the limits of godforsakenness—and thereby gathered all of the world into the dynamism of the divine life.

Those who live in Christ are not outside of God as petitioners or supplicants; rather they are in God as friends, sharers in the Spirit. And this spiritual life is what gives us knowledge of God, a knowledge, if you will, from within.

When the great masters of the Christian way speak of knowing God, they do not use the term in its distanced, analytical sense; they use it in the Biblical sense, implying knowledge by way of personal intimacy. This is why St. Bernard, for one, insists that initiates in the spiritual life know God, not simply through books and lectures, but through experience, the way one friend knows another. That knowledge is what the Holy Spirit facilitates.
Otherwise, 21 May would be the festival of Saint Godric of Finchale, Hermit (circa 1065-1170): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Cristóbal Magallanes Jara, Priest, & Companions, Martyrs (1869-1927, Anglicized as Christopher Magallanes; A.K.A. the Martyrs of the Mexican Revolution), martyred in the reign of the president Plutarco Calles: Martyr-link Charlie Mike Juliett, Martyrs-link ūnus, Martyrs-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Christopher, twenty-one diocesan priests, & three lay faithful were martyred for being a part of the Cristeros movement against the anti-Catholic Mexican government during the 920s. St. Christopher had erected a seminary at Totatiche & ministered to the people secretly. When imprisoned, he was heard to shout from his cell: "I am innocent & I die innocent. I forgive with all my heart those responsible for my death, & I ask God that the shedding of my blood serve the peace of our divided Mexico."
Mass Journal: Week 21
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:
In every age, there [is] a small number of men & women who are prepared to turn their backs on popular culture & personal gain to embrace heroically the life Jesus outlines in the Gospels. These [persons] fashion Catholicism into a lifestyle, they listen attentively to the voice of God in their lives, & they passionately pursue their personal adventure of salvation. As a result, they capture the attention & the imaginations of everyone who crosses their path.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

For King & Country, "The Proof of Your Love" via iTunes (from Crave) (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Commentary: An excerpt from this week's Gospel reading, from John, 14:
15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.… 21 Whoever has My commandments & observes them is the one who loves Me. And whoever loves Me will be loved by My Father, & I will love him & reveal Myself to him."
"The Proof of Your Love" is most directly a reflection on St. Paul's famous discourse on what love is & isn't in 1 Corinthians, 13, but even there St. Paul is teaching us how to love as the Triune God loves, how to obey the commandments given us by Jesus, to love God & to love neighbor, because we cannot love God if we do not love our neighbor.
"So let my life be the proof,
The proof of Your love,
Let my love look like You
And what You're made of,
How You lived, how You died,
Love is sacrifice,
Let my love be the proof,
The proof of Your love…"

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Three…


Only three days 'til Narwhal Day! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it! Squee!

Operation AXIOM

'Tis Armed Forces Day, the day we as a body politic salute those who are on active-duty service in defense of our freedom & way of life. My sincerest gratitude is extended to those who, in the noble words of A Few Good Men, "stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch.'" Thank you.


Please take a few moments to remember the difference 'twixt Armed Forces Day (third Saturday in May), Memorial Day (last Monday in May; traditionally, 30 May), & Veterans' Day (11 November).

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest, O.F.M. (1380-1444): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Lucifer of Calgiari, Bishop (died circa 370): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed María Angélica Pérez, Religious (1897-1932, A.K.A. María Crescentia), nicknamed "Sister Sweetness:" Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen, verses one thru ten;
Psalm One Hundred, verses one(b) & two, three, & five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses eighteen thru twenty-one.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel balances our Easter joy with the warning of danger from a society opposed to God: “If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you.”

It is altogether appropriate that, during this Easter season, we rejoice. The Lord is risen; he is truly risen. Jesus Christ is Lord. God is King. Sin and death have been defeated. All of that is true and remains centrally important during this season.

At the same time, we must not succumb to a “cheap grace” interpretation of Christianity, whereby Christ is risen and all is well. As Julian of Norwich said, “All will be well, all manner of things will be well.” Notice the future tense. The definitive battle has been won, but the war continues. The struggle is ongoing.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Bernardine
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter four, verses eight thru twelve;
Psalm Forty, verses eight(a) & nine(a);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-two.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party


Prince Buster, "Madness" via iTunes (from King of Blue Beat) (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:
"Madness, madness, they call it madness,
But if this madness then I know I'm filled with gladness,
It's gonna be rougher (rough),
it's gonna be tougher (tough),
And I won't be the one, no, no, no, who's gonna suffer…"

Friday, May 19, 2017

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party


Less Than Jake, "A Still Life Franchise" from In with the Out Crowd (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:
"I remember that I kind of laughed at the sparks that spread the flames
Over all the ugly memories these past three years have made,
And I waited for the smoke to full my lungs and suffocate my pain away.

"So I say goodbye
And I just say so long (say so long),
Almost feeling paralyzed,
My still life with vital signs,
And I'll just say so long (say so long),
My good intentions gone so wrong,
Left me feeling so far gone…

"I remember when I found the place for the ends to this abnormal scene,
Living in this haunted house on this otherwise normal street,
Postcards and photographs of who we were start to burn and fade away.

"So I say goodbye, etc."

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Four…


Only four days 'til that day of days, Narwhal Day! Can ye feel the sympathy?

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the festival of Saint Dunstan, Bishop, O.S.B. (909-988, of Canterbury): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Celestine V, Pope, O.S.B. Cel. (1215-1296), one hundred ninety-second Bishop of Rome; founder of the Celestines, a branch of the Benedictines: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link O.S.B. Cel.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Peter Wright, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1603-1651), martyred in the reign of the lord protector Oliver Cromwell: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Theophilus of Corte, Priest, O.F.M. (1676-1740): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-one;
Psalm Fifty-seven, verses eight & nine, ten & twelve;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses twelve thru seventeen.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel instructs us in the way of loving others with God’s love. The whole of the Christian life is on display here: God is love. In other words, God is a self-emptying gift on behalf of the other. But this means, paradoxically, that to have God is to be what God is—and that means giving one’s life away.

Now we see the link which Jesus suggests between joy and commandment: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” Now we begin to understand the laws, commands, and demands of the Church. All are designed to make us more adept at giving ourselves away—more adept at love.

Don’t steal; don’t kill; don’t covet your neighbor’s goods or wife; honor your mother and father; worship God. All of these commands—positive and negative—are meant to awaken and make possible love.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Five…


Narwhal Day checklist:

1) The Oath of Narwhal Day

2) "Sympathy for the Narwhal" by D.J. Seaghost

3) A minimum of one item of clothing, gray in color

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint John I, Pope & Martyr (circa 470-526), fifty-third Bishop of Rome, martyred in the reign of the king Theoderic the Great: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Oddly, the Holy Redeemer bulletin lists today as St. John I's feast day, but says nothing of his life. I suspect there simply wasn't room, what will all the space occupied by the looming parish festival. A shame, that, but c'est la vie!

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eric of Sweden, Martyr (circa 1120-1161, A.K.A. King Eric IX), martyred bat the hands of pagan Swedish rebels: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Felix of Cantalice, Religious, O.F.M. Cap. (1515-1587): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses seven thru twenty-one;
Psalm Ninety-six, verses one & two(a), two(b) & three, & ten;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru eleven.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, the two most important words in our Gospel today are joy and commandments. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy might be complete.” And “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love.” These are not terms that we would readily juxtapose. We usually associate commandments with the carrying out of duty and responsibility, or with moral rectitude, and that normally seems opposed to joy.

However, in Thomas Aquinas’s treatment of human behavior, the first question raised is not about law or virtue, but rather joy. Thomas wonders what the nature of true happiness is. What all of us seek, whether we are young or old, Christian or non-Christian, male or female, rich or poor, is joy.

The whole point of the moral life is to make us happy. So how do we become happy? Thomas’s answer, which is in line with the great tradition, is through the proper ordering of one’s desire, through learning how to desire the right things and in the right way. And that’s precisely what Jesus commands us to do.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. John I
The Book of Revelation, chapter three, verses fourteen(b), twenty, twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Twenty-three, verse one;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-two, verses twenty-four through thirty.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party


Reel Big Fish, " I Know You Too Well to Like You Anymore" from Candy Coated Fury (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: The title says it all.

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Six…


But six days remain 'til the seventeenth annual observance of Narwhal Day. Art thou prepared?

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide

'Tis the festival of Saint Pascal Baylon, Religious, O.F.M. (1540-1592): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Proclaimed the "Seraph of the Eucharist" by Pope Leo XIII.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Ivan Ziatyk, Priest & Martyr, C.Ss.R. (1899-1952), martyred in the reign of the general secretary Joseph Stalin: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fifteen, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-two, verses one & two, three & four(a,b), & four(c,d) & five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, our Gospel passage today is from the beautiful, evocative, and challenging fifteenth chapter of John’s Gospel. Jesus declares that he is the vine and we are the branches. He is the power and energy source in which we live. This image is closely related to Paul’s metaphor of the body of Christ.

The point is that we live in him and he in us. Jesus is the source of supernatural life in us, and without him, we would have none of it. If, therefore, you are separated from the vine, you will die spiritually, you will stop living a supernatural life. What does this look like concretely, to be attached to the vine? It means a steady immersion in the prayer of the Church. It means steady communion with God, speaking to him on a regular basis. It means an immersion in the Scriptures, soaking in the truth of the Bible. It means engaging in the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

And, of course, it means you must participate in the sacraments—especially confession and the Eucharist. By the sacraments, we stay close to the Christ who forgives our sins and who enlivens our spirits.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: SKAfter Party


Less Than Jake, "Give Me Something to Believe In, Inc." from See the Light (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: Yes, the picture above & the lyrics of "Give Me Something to Believe In, Inc." are somewhat at odds. This often happens when one is making a funny, funny joke. We here at The Secret Base believe in making funny, funny jokes, almost at all costs.
"Let me bring you back to the living,
Back to the time when you did more than exist.
Your compass is broken, you call yourself broken,
Call yourself all-in, but you're losing your grip.

"O-o-o, give me something to believe in,
I'm waiting on a reason,
Not to keep on floating along,
O-o-o, give me something to believe in,
So I can give you reasons
To wake yourself up and come in from the storm…"

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Project BLACK MAMBA: Eastertide


'Tis the festival of Saint Brendan the Navigator, Priest & Abbot (circa 684-577, of Clonfert): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. I thought a little whimsy about the fantastic Voyage of Saint Brendan appropriate, perhaps even necessary, in light of the rest of today's saints, priests all, having received the Red Crown of martyrdom. All Christians must suffer, as Christ suffered, but suffering is not all there is to the Christian life. As Belloc said:
"Wherever the Catholic sun does shine,
There's always laughter & good red wine."
'Tis also the festival of Saint John of Nepomuk, Priest & Martyr (circa 1340-1393, A.K.A. John Nepomucene), martyred in the reign of the king Wenceslaus IV: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Andrzej Bobola, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1591-1657), martyred in the reign of the Cossack hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Vladimir Ghika, Priest & Martyr (1873-1954), martyred in the reign of the general secretary Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Easter Weekday
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fourteen, verses nineteen thru twenty-eight;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses ten & eleven, twelve & thirteen(a,b), & twenty-one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-one(a).

Commentary: Easter Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us an antidote for fear. Whom or what are you afraid of? That is a very important spiritual question. One way to understand our life is to look at those things that we seek: wealth, power, privilege, honor, pleasure, friendship. But another way is to turn that question around and determine what or who it is that we fear.

We might fear the loss of material things, the loss of a job, the loss of physical health, the loss of the esteem of others, the loss of personal intimacy, and ultimately, the loss of life itself. We are afraid of many things, but I’d be willing to bet that there is a primary or principal fear. What is it for you?

Now after identifying that, listen to Jesus: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” Any and all of the things that we customarily fear—loss of money, fame, pleasure, and power—have to do with this world. What Jesus is saying is that we should not let those fears come to dominate or define our lives, for he is with us—and with him, his peace.
Bible Study
The Book of Genesis, chapter one (verses one thru thirty-one);
The Book of Genesis, chapter two (verses one thru twenty-five);
The Book of Genesis, chapter three (verses one thru twenty-four);
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses one thru fourteen;

Commentary: I. The Primeval History: The First Story of Creation (Genesis, 1:1-2:4a), the Second Story of Creation (2:4b-25), & the Fall of Man (3:1-24); I. Prologue (John, 1:1-14)