Wednesday, September 30, 2020

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Real Can of Yams, "It's Your Turn, Part II" from CODENAME: Koala (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:
"I don't know what to do with you,
You always want to be everything with me.

"You have no right to hold my hand,
I wish I could make you understand,
There's no way that you are the one for me,
Unless you can somehow make me see.

"Why don't you try a little harder this time?
If you want me to be with you then I guess you should get on my mind.

"You have no right to hold my hand,
I wish I could make you understand,
There's no way that you are the one for me,
Unless you can somehow make me see.

"Everything is gray,
Why don't you go away?
Away!

"You have no right to hold my hand,
I wish I could make you understand,
There's no way that you are the one for me,
Unless, unless, unless you can somehow make me see."

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest & Doctor of the Church (circa 347-420, of Stridon; A.K.A. Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus), principal translator of the Vulgate Bible, also a Father of the Church: Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, Doctor-link trēs, Doctor-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Doctors-link & Wikipedia-link Doctors, Wikipedia-link Vulgate, & Fathers-link & Wikipedia-link Fathers.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth Minute Meditaions from the Popes:
Lord Jesus, let me imitate St. Jerome & aspire to a deep & penetrating knowledge of Scripture. May I be ever more deeply nourished by the Divine Word & find in it a source of life.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, Bishop (circa 257-332), Patriarch of Armenia (288-325, A.K.A. Catholicos of All Armenians): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Armenia & Wikipedia-link Patriarchs.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Simon of Crépy, Religious (circa 1047-1082, A.K.A. of Vexin), Count of Amiens, of the Vexin, & of Valois: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Francis Borgia, Priest, S.J. (1510-1572, the "Second Founder of the Society of Jesus"), Duke of Gandía, third Superior General (1565-1572, the "Black Pope") of the Jesuits (S.J.), formally the Society of Jesus: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Black Pope, & Order-link & Wikipedia-link S.J.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Federico Albert, Priest (1820-1876), founder of the Albertines, formally the Congregation of the Vincentian Sisters of Mary Immaculate (1869): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Ludwik Roch Gietyngier, Priest & Martyr (1904-1941), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 51); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Job, chapter nine, verses one thru twelve, fourteen, fifteen, & sixteen;
Psalm Eighty-eight (R/. three), verses ten & eleven, twelve & thirteen, & fourteen & fifteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-two.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel invites us to follow Jesus above all. The heart of the message is the claim that he is everything, the one for whom a totalizing decision has to be made.

I want to consider in detail how one man in our Gospel responded to the Lord’s call to discipleship. Jesus simply said, “Follow me,” and the man replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” Well, then as now, nothing would seem more reasonable! Of course, you have to take care of your own father’s funeral. What could be more important, especially in a family-centric culture like that of ancient Israel?

Jesus answers with devastating laconicism: “Let the dead bury their dead.” We’re stunned by this deeply insensitive answer! This violates every sense of ethics and decorum that we have. Be honest: if you heard this from a religious teacher, wouldn’t you be tempted to leave him?

Here’s the point: Jesus hasn’t one little thing against family obligations. But he will insist that our relationship to him is more important than even those most sacred of obligations. Even this most precious thing must fall away if we are to make him absolutely first.
Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.


Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Jerome
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter three, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. twelve), verses nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses forty-seven thru fifty-two.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 10
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three, verses one thru eight.

Commentary: Everythign Has a Season (Ecclesiastes, 3:1-8).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"Saint Jerome was the model of devotion & service to the revealed Word. He never tired of reminding the Church that God Himself spoke to the soul of the sacred writers: 'To be ignorant of the Scriptures is not to know Christ.'"
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Death is the most decisive moment in human life. It is like our coronation: to die in peace with God."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you—for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart… don't listen to the demon, laugh at him, & go without fear to receive the Jesus of peace & love…"
—St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast: 1 October)
Catholic Quote o' the Day
"If you wish to have peace & true wholeness, you must set aside everything else & tend to your own affairs. Let nothing seem great, high, pleasing, or agreeable to you except God alone & what comes from God. Consider it hollow comfort whatever comes from anything else. God alone, eternal & measureless, fills all. He is the soul's comfort & true joy."
—Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ (1380-1471)
Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
"Once when I was waiting outside for an audience with Pope Pius XII, I was troubled in spirit. I was saying to myself, the good Lord has given me many more opportunities than He's given to other priests: education & opportunities for apostolate, & how little I have done with them. I was disconsolate. Then when I went in & saw Pope Pius XII, I said, 'Your Holiness, I have just discovered how easy judgment is going to be.'

"He said, 'Tell me, I would like to know.'

"I said, 'Well, I was just saying to myself how much I've failed, how little I have loved the Church, really. Then I come in here, & I find the Church personalized. You are the Church, & I am deeply moved at seeing you & how much I love you. I think that's just the way it's going to be when we go before the face of our dear Lord. We will be discontented with ourselves, but when we go there, we will be surprised how much we really have loved Him.'

"'Yes,' he said, 'that's exactly the way it will be.'"
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 356.0 lbs (Wednesday, 2 September)
Intermediate weigh-in: 355.4 lbs (Wednesday, 23 September)
This weigh-in: 355.4.0 lbs.
Difference: -0.6 lbs.

Holding steady is not going to get the job done. Losing two pounds per week is achieveable, as well as repeatable week after week; I've done it before, within the last two years. Spending an entire month hovering at essentially the same weight is a waste of time, the one truly scarce resource.
Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Fat" from Even Worse (Mike Papa Waffle)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Real Can of Yams, "It's Your Turn" from Good or Suck! (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:
"You want me to ask you out today,
Why must I do what you cannot say?

"If you want me to be with you,
Then I guess you should get on my mind.
If you want me to be with you,
Then I guess you should get on my mind.

"You want me to sweep you off your feet,
Why must it be always my treat?

"If you want me to be with you,
Then I guess you should get on my mind.
If you want me to be with you,
Then I guess you should get on my mind.
"If you want me to be with you,
Then I guess you should get on my mind.

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Last Saturday

Samstag, 26. September
Reel Big Fish, "Boys Don't Cry" (live) from Our Live Album Is Better than Your Live Album, Disc 1: More Shtick than You Can Skate a Stick At (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture: Saints Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
"The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis?"

'Tis the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, Archangels (A.K.A. Michaelmas): Archangel-link Mike & Wikipedia-link Mike, Archangel-link Golf & Wikipedia-link Golf, & Archangel-link Romeo & Wikipedia-link Romeo; Archangels-link ūnus, Archangels-link duo, Archangels-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link Archangel; & Wikipedia-link Michaelmas.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:
Almighty God, may the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael teach me to trust in Your power & goodness. May I, too, sing of the Glory of the Lord.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Ss. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael
The Book of Daniel, chapter seven, verses nine, ten, thirteen, & fourteen;
or, the Book of Revelation, chapter twelve, verses seven thru twelve(a/b);
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-eight (R/. one), verses one & two(a/b), two(c/d/e) & three, & four & five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses forty-seven thru fifty-one.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today we celebrate the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. When the existence of God is widely doubted, it just seems unscientific to believe in spiritual beings. And yet, they are prominently mentioned in the Bible; they are amply discussed by the Church Fathers; and the Catechism of the Catholic Church boldly reaffirms the existence and activity of angels.

Do you remember how, a few years ago, there was an enormous interest in the culture in angels? One of my favorite stories had to do with a man who was flying a single-engine plane during a severe storm. At one point, his communication system failed, and he found himself without a means to make it to the airport.

Just as he was about to give up hope, a strong voice came through the radio. It gave directions to an airport the pilot knew nothing about. The voice guided him to the runway of a small airport. When he landed, he realized that the airport was abandoned. No personnel were on the ground or in the tower.

An accident? Or a sign that "there are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamed of in your philosophy, Horatio"?
Video reflection by Deacon Arthur L. Miller (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.
Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 9
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 2, verses twenty-four, twenty-five, & twenty-six.

Commentary: Vanity of Folly & Toil (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 2:24-26).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Leudwinus of Trier, Bishop (circa 660-722; also spelt Liutwin, etc.; A.K.A. of Mettlach), thirty-fifth (XXXV) Bishop of Trier (697-722, A.K.A. Treves) & twelfth (XII) Bishop of Laon (705-722), co-founder of the Echternack Abbey at Mettlach (698): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Trier & Wikipedia-link Trier, & Diocese-link Laon & Wikipedia-link Laon.

Commentary: Kinsman of the bishop & martyr St. Lambert of Maastricht [17 September] & nephew of fellow Bishop of Trier St. Basinus [4 March].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Jean of Montmirail, Religious, O.Cist. (1165-1217), Baron of Montmirail: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Richard Rolle of Hampole, Hermit (circa 1300-1349): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint René Goupil, Religious & Martyr, S.J. (circa 1606-1642), martyred by Mohawks, the first of the eight Martyrs of North America (died 1642-1649, A.K.A. the Canadian Martyrs): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link North America & Wikipedia-link North America.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Luigi Monza, Priest (1898-1954), founder of the Secular Institute of the Little Apostles of Charity (1937): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Papal Quote o' the Day
"Above all, one must never lose confidence in what the Spirit of God can accomplish in our own day. For as the Angel Gabriel said to the Virgin Mary, 'Nothing is impossible to God.' Let our hearts be alive in faith & always steafast in hope."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"If we really want to love, we must learn to forgive."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"Miss no single opportunity for making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right & doing it all for love."
—St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast: 1 October)
Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
"The Church is like Noah's ark that was full of both clean & unclean animals. It must have had an unholy smell, & yet it was carrying eight persons to salvation. The world today is tearing up the photographs of a good society; a good family; a happy, individual personal life. But the Church is keeping the negatives. And when the moment comes when the world wants a reprint, we will have them."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Today

Dienstag, 29. September
Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, Archangels
Matt Maher, "Gabriel's Message" from The Advent of Christmas (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Yesterday

Montag, 28. September
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Open and Honest" from The Magic of Youth (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:
"Stick together, that's the plan,
Stick to that the best we can
Nothing left to say, thank you…"

Monday, September 28, 2020

The Stars My Destination: The Opposition

The Space Race
I've devised a schema by which we will be chronicalling the Soviet side of the Space Race. It will follow two major tracks, with a few exceptions. First, though, the Americans.

In the summer of 2019, as the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 11 & the first Moon landing approached, I decided to dedicate a trio of episodes of "The Explorers' Club" to the conquest of the Moon: one each for the launch, the "one small step," & the triumphant return to Earth, plus a bonus fourth episode about the worldwide publicity tour/victory lap. As the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 12 approached in the fall of 2019, I decided to treat all the Moon landings equally, giving the lesser known Apollo 12 as much coverage as the most famous Apollo 11. Having decided this, I was then convicted by the realization that I'd neglected utterly to mark the fiftieth anniversaries of the first four Apollo missions, the flights that made Apollo 11 possible. Starting last Christmas with the fifty-first anniversary of Apollo 8, I've been playing catching up, chronicling the fifty-first anniversaries of Apollo 9 & Apollo 10, & I look forward to next month chronicling the fifty-second anniversary of Apollo 7. There was a lull in the Apollo program in 1970 after the near loss of Apollo 13, a lull that has afforded us a little more room to catch up, but I look forward in 2021 & 2022 to chronicling the last four Apollo missions from 1971 & 1972. After that, we'll chronicle the fiftieth anniversaries of Skylab (1973-1974) & the Apollo-Soyuz Test Program (1975).

In the winter of 2020, I was alerted to & surprised by the fifty-eight anniversary of John Glenn's 1962 flight aboard the Friendship 7. I made the snap decision to dedicate an "Explorers' Club" episode to Glenn's triumph, without working out what to do about the rest of Mercury. In short order, though, I decided what to do about the Mercury & Gemini programs that made Apollo possible. My harebrained scheme: 2020-2021 marks the fifty-fifth anniversaries of the ten Gemini flights, & I decided it was better to mark the fifty-fifth anniversaries rather than wait for the sixtieth anniversaries in 2025-2026. After all, who can say if I'll still be alive in 2025-2026. Mercury was a thornier problem, since I'd already jumped Glenn over his Mercury colleagues Alan Sheppard & Gus Grissom, whose suborbital flights preceded Glenn's orbital flight. I've decided to commemorate the remaining five Mercury flights in order: Sheppard, Grissom, & Glenn: check; Scott Carpenter, Wally Schirra, & Gordon Cooper: waiting in the wings.

Second, the Soviets. The Soviet Union set the early pace in the Space Race, launching the first manmade satellite in 1957 & the first man in space in 1961. As an American, valuing America's achievements in both manned & robotic spaceflight, I have absolutely no scruples about putting the American space program ahead of the Soviet space program. But the Soviets' achievements were real, though due to the inherent evil & corruption of Commmunism, many of those achievements are not as laudable as they first appeared. A very real difficulty we will face is the secrecy with which the Soviets conducted their space program; whereas N.A.S.A., as a civilian agency, experienced both its failures & its triumphs in the bright—sometimes blinding—glare of publicity, the Soviets rarely announced their intentions ahead of time & went so far as to make their crews communicate with ground controlers in code. Accurate information will be harder to come by, as will photographs & other imagery. The two tracks we're going to follow: fiftieth anniversaries & sixtieth anniversaries. Starting with yesterday's belated half-centenary of Soyuz 9, we'll chronicle the fiftieth anniversaries of Soviet spaceflight in the 1970s, keeping pace with America's Apollo, Skylab, & Apollo-Soyuz missions. Starting in the spring of 2021, we'll circle back to the sixtieth anniversaries of Soviet spacelight in the 1960s, starting with Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space.

Exceptions to this two-track schema include the two Voskhod flights from 1964 & 1965 & the two failures of the N1 rocket from 1969. We covered the fifty-fifth anniversary of the Voskhod 2 this year because it flew just days before the fifty-fifth anniversary of Gemini 3 & we'll cover the fifty-sixth anniversary of Voskhod 1 later this year, just to put a bow on the two-flight Voskhod program. I missed the fiftieth anniversary of the failure of the second N1 launch just days before the triumphant launch of Apollo 11 in 1969, but we chronicled the fifty-first anniversary this past summer. We'll cover the fifty-second anniversary of the first N1 launch failure next winter & then catch the fiftieth anniversaries of the third & fourth failures as they come up on the 1970s track. We'll also make exceptions to cover any spaceflight fatalities, to add them to our annual roll of honor, the yearly commemorations of the Apollo 1, Challenger, & Columbia disasters.

So, that's the road ahead, as I currently see it. Thank you for reading, for accompanying me on this ongoing adventure.

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr (circa 903-935, A.K.A. Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia), martyred by his usurper brother Boleslaus the Cruel: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine. Grandson of fellow martyr St. Ludmilla [16 September].

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Lawrence Ruiz & Companions, Martyr (died 1633-1637, A.K.A. the Sixteen Martyrs of Japan), martyred in the reign of the Japanese warlord Tokugawa Iemitsu: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Nihon.
'Tis also the festival of Saint Faustus of Riez, Bishop & Abbot (circa 405-495), second (II) Bishop of Riez (461-495), abbot of Lérins Abbey (432-461): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Riez, & Abbey-link & Wikipedia-link Lérins.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Conval of Strathclyde, Priest (circa 570-630, A.K.A. the Confessor; also spelt Conwall): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Leoba of Tauberbischofsheim, Abbess, O.S.B. (circa 710-782; A.K.A. Leofgyth, Truthgeba; of Wimborne), founding abbess of monasteries at Tauberbischofsheim & Schornsheim: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Tauberbischofsheim & Wikipedia-link Schornsheim.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Jan of Dukla, Priest, O.F.M. Conv. (1414-1484): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Nykyta Budka, Bishop & Martyr (1877-1949), inaugural Exarch of Canada (1912-1927), martyred in the reign of the Soviet Communist dictator Joseph Stalin: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Canada.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Job, chapter one, verses six thru twenty-two;
Psalm Seventeen (R/. six), verses one(b/c/d), two & three, & six & seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses forty-six thru fifty.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that he will be rejected by men who will kill him and then he will rise from the dead. Having just heard a vision of self-forgetting love, the disciples commence to argue about which of them is the greatest.

At this point, Jesus proposes a solution. He sets a little child in their midst and says, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” What are children capable of? They are capable of being commanded. They have not yet learned the path of disobedience.

Also, little children are able to live radically in the present moment, to be lost in play or in the contemplation of something beautiful. Most of us live either in the past (savoring faded glory or licking old wounds) or in the future (aspiring, hoping, fearing what might come). But God is available, grace is available now.

Anthony de Mello’s image is apt here: most of us are like people on a bus, passing through the most beautiful country imaginable, but we have the shades drawn and are arguing about who has first place on the bus!
Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.


Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Wenceslaus
The First Letter of Peter, chapter three, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six (R/. five), verses one(b/c) & two(a/b), two(c/d) & three, four & five, & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses thirty-four thru thirty-nine.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Lawrence Ruiz & Companions
The Second Book of Maccabees, chapter seven, verses one, two, & nine thru fourteen;
Psalm Thirty-four (R/. five), verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses eighteen thru twenty-one.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 8
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter two, verses eighteen thru twenty-three.

Commentary: Vanity of Folly & Toil (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 2:18-23).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"It is unthinkable that a person should accept the Word & give himself to the kingdom without becoming a person who bears witness to it & proclaims it in his turn."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Everything starts with prayer. Every good thing we do flows from prayer. Ask God to fill you with His love so you can take His love out into the world & share it with others. We talk about prayer at church, but are we praying? It is easy to talk about the poor, but talking about the poor is not the same as talking to the poor. It is easy to talk about prayer, but talking about prayer is not the same as sitting down in a quiet place & talking to God."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"Without love, deeds, even the most brilliant, count as nothing."
—St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast: 1 October)
Bonus! Song o' the Day
The Irish Rovers, "Good King Wenceslas" from An Irish Christmas (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)

Sunday, September 27, 2020

The Explorers' Club, № DCCLXXIV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Soyuz 9
1-19 June 1970: Soyuz 9 lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying Cdr. Andriyan Nikolayev & Flight Engineer Vitaly Sevastyanov aboard a Soyuz 7K-OK capsule atop a Soyuz rocket; they set a new endurance record for manned spaceflight, but suffered far more adverse physical effects upon landing back on Earth than American astronauts, being unable to walk for days.
Bonus! Space Race Song o' Soyuz 9
Ben Harper & Relentless7, "Fly One Time" (from White Lies for Dark Times) courtesy The Watergirl (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)
Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture: XXVI Sunday in Tempus per annum

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.
O God, Who manifest Your almighty power
above all by pardoning & showing mercy,
bestow, we pray, Your grace abundantly upon us
& make those hastening to attain Your promises
heirs to the treasures of heaven.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who lives & reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever & ever.
Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter eighteen, verses twenty-five thru twenty-eight;
Psalm Twenty-five (R/. six[a]), verses four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter two, verses one thru eleven
(or, the Letter to the Philippians, chapter two, verses one thru five);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-one, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-two.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel is the parable of the two sons, a story about obedience to God. To live the good life is not finally a matter of autonomy but of obeying commandments.

The obedience that Jesus desires is a surrender to the one who wants what is best for the surrenderer. The entire to-be of the Son is a listening to the command of the Father, and the creature, consequently, is meant to be nothing but a listening to the command of the Son.

This is why Jesus says in the Gospel of John, "You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer… I have called you friends." What was lost in the Garden of Eden was friendship with God, symbolized by the easy fellowship enjoyed by Adam and Yahweh.

The whole of the biblical revelation—culminating in Jesus—could be construed as the story of God’s attempt to restore friendship with the human race. In the Last Supper discourse we hear the conditions for this restoration: coinherence with God, which is tantamount to an insertion into the coinherence that God is.
Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U. S. C. of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.

Video reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire): Sunday Sermon.

Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D. (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Breaking the Bread.


Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 7
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter two, verses twelve thru seventeen.

Commentary: Vanity of Folly & Toil (Ecclesiastes, 2:12-17).



Otherwise, 27 September would be the festival of Saint Adheritus, Bishop (floruit 79), second (II) Bishop of Ravenna (79-?): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link, Wikipedia-link Ravenna, & Wikipedia-link Bishops.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Baruc, Hermit (floruit sixth century; also spelt Barrog, Barry, etc.) namesake of Barry Island: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Island.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Ceraunus, Bishop (died circa 622, modernized as Céran), Bishop of Paris (606-622): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Paris.

'Twould also be the festival of Saints Adolphus & John of Córdoba, Martyrs (died circa 825), martyred in the reign of the Andalusian king Abd al-Rahman II: Martyr-link Alpha, Martyr-link Juliett, Wikipedia-link Aurea, & Wikipedia-link List.

Commentary: Brothers of fellow martyr St. Aurea of Córdoba [19 July].

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Elzéar of Sabran & Blessed Delphine of Glandèves, Virgin, T.O.S.F. (1285-1323 & circa 1283-1360), Count & Countess of Ariano: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link Echo, Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link Delta.

Commentary: Husband & wife; uncle & godfather of Pope Bl. Urban V [19 December].

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest, C.M. (1581-1660), founder of the Vincentians (1624, C.M.), formally the Congregation of the Mission (A.K.A. the Lazarists, etc.), & co-founder of the Daughters of Charity (1633, D.C.), formally the Company of the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul; two members of the broader Vincentian Family: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, Saint-link Array of Hope & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.M., Wikipedia-link D.C., & Wikipedia-link Family.
Commentary: Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:
Teach me compassion, O Lord. Make me like St. Vincent de Paul, who reached out to those most in need. Above all, let me remember what he always taught, that the poor owe us nothing when we help them, for the opporunity to help them is already our reward.
Papal Quote o' the Day
"With the eyes of faith, we can see the light which the Holy Spirit always radiates in the midst of darkness."
—Pope Francis (b. 1936, r. 2013-present)
Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day
"Christ taught us not only how to suffer but also to help those who suffer. And to encourage our generosity, He identified Himself with the person who suffers."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"God created us to love & be loved, & so we hunger for chances to love & be loved. The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"If God is the center of your life, no words are necessary. Your mere presence will touch hearts."
—St. Vincent de Paul, C.M. (1581-1660, feast: 27 September)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Lord's Day: XXVI

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matt Maher, "Delieverer" from Saints and Sinners (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)

Friday, September 25, 2020

Saints + Scripture

Better Late Than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the festival of Saint Cleopas (floruit 33; also spelt Cleophas, Clopas): Saint-link, Wikipedia-link C-L-E-O, & Wikipedia-link C-L-O.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Cadoc of Llancarfan, Abbot & Martyr (circa 497-580; A.K.A. the Wise, of Wales; also spelt Cadog), abbot of the clas at Llancarfan, martyred by Saxons: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Clas & Wikipedia-link Llancarfan.

Commentary: Son of Ss. Gwynllyw & Gwladys [29 March], nephew of St. Petroc [4 June], & brother of St. Glywys [2 May].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Aunarius, Bishop (circa 540-603; A.K.A. Aunacharius, etc.), Bishop of Auxerre (573-603), who convoked the Council of Auxerre (578) & attended the Third Synod of Mâcon (585): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Auxerre; & Wikipedia-link Council & Wikipedia-link Mâcon.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Finbarr of Cork, Bishop & Abbot (circa 550-623; A.K.A. Lóchán; also spelt Fionnbharra, abbreviated Barra), inaugural Bishop of Cork (606-623), founding of the monastery at Gougane Barra (606) & the city of Cork: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Cork & Wikipedia-link Bishops, Wikipedia-link Gougane Barra, & Wikipedia-link City.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ceolfrid, Priest & Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 642-716, also spelt Ceolfrith), second (II) abbot of Monkwearmouth-Jarrow Abbey (690-716), who commissioned the Codex Amiatinus Bible (700): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Monkwearmouth-Jarrow & Wikipedia-link Codex Amiatinus.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Hermann of Reichenau, Religious, O.S.B. (1013-1054, A.K.A. Hermannus Contractus [Hermann "the Cripple"]), composer of the hymns Salve Regina & Alma Redemptoris Mater: Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Hymn-link & Wikipedia-link Salve Regina, & Wikipedia-link Alma Redemptoris Mater.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Priest & Abbot (circa 1314-1392; A.K.A. of Moscow, Varfolomei [Bartholomew]), founding abbot of the Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius (1337): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Trinity Lavra.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Vincenzo Maria of Saint Paul, Bishop, C.P. (1745-1824, A.K.A. Vincenzo Strambi), Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino (1801-1823): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Macerata-Tolentino.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-four (R/. one), verses one(b) & two(a/b/c), three & four;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses eighteen thru twenty-two.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus predicts his passion: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” He intimates his crucifixion.

So the question was—and remains—why would God’s salvation of the human race have to include something as horrifying as death on a cross?

We live in a time when the human predicament is regularly denied, explained away, or ignored. Despite the massive counter-evidence from the moral disasters of the last century, we are still beguiled by the myth of progress: with just enough technical advancement, psychological insight, and personal liberation, we will solve our problems.

But the scriptural authors present a different vision. They understand sin as a condition in which we are stuck. No amount of merely human effort could possibly solve the problem. Rather, some power has to come from outside of us in order to clean up the mess; something awful has to be done on our behalf in order to offset the awfulness of sin.

With this biblical realism in mind, we can begin to comprehend why the crucifixion of the Son of God was necessary.
Video reflection by Deacon Roger Macias (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.


Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 5
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter two, verses four thru nine.

Commentary: Vanity in Self-Indulgence (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 2:4-9).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"Let Jesus Himself be the one to define your existence & direct your choices. In this way the relationships among you may correspond always to the model of love given by the Heart of Christ, without either lapses or evasions."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"No matter how tired you are, no matter how physically exhausting your life may be, make it a priority to care for someone in need. What greater joy can there be?"
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Bonus! Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Today if we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other—that man, that woman, that child is my brother or my sister."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Bonus! Song o' the Day
The Byrds, "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" from Turn! Turn! Turn! (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Forces of Evil, "Independent" from Friend or Foe? (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:
"Will you please hold my hand?
You can't, I'm independent.
I want to be your man!
You can't, I'm independent…

"I'll call you on the phone.
You can't, I'm independent.
Let me know when you're home.
I can't, I'm independent!…

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Champs featuring Nicola Achilleas & Fenne Lily, "3,000 Miles" via the YouTubes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: YouTube-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Like a Shotgun" from The Magic of Youth (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
"Catholic T-shirt Club Unboxing: St. Thérèse of Lisieux"

'Tis the festival of Our Lady of Walsingham (apparition 1061, A.K.A. the Virgin by the Sea): Madonna-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Our Lady of Mercy (apparition 1 August 1218, A.K.A. Our Lady of Ransom) patroness of the Mercedarians (O. de M.), formally the Royal, Celestial, & Military Order of Our Lady of Mercy & the Redemption of the Captives: Madonna-link, Wikipedia-link Mercy, & Wikipedia-link Ransom; Order-link & Wikipedia-link O. de M.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Anathalon of Milan, Bishop (floruit second century), second (II) Bishop of Milan: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Milan.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Terence of Pesaro, Bishop & Martyr (circa 210-251), Bishop of Pesaro (?-251), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Decius, a victim of the Decian Persecution (250-251): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Pesaro; Persecutions-link, Wikipedia-link Decius ūnus, Wikipedia-link Decius duo, & Wikipedia-link Decius trēs.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds William Spenser, Priest, & Robert Hardesty, Martyrs (died 1589), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, two of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Whiskey Sierra, Martyr-link Romeo Hotel, & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Pacificus of San Severino, Priest, O.F.M. (1653-1721, A.K.A. Carlo Antonio Divini): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek, Bishop (1800-1862), Bishop of Lavant (1846-1862): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Lavant.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Francesco Spoto, Priest & Martyr, M.S.P.T.M. (1924-1964), superior general of the Missionary Servants of the Poor (1959-1964, M.S.P.T.M.), martyred by Communist Simba rebels in Congo-Kinshasa: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verses two thru eleven;
Psalm Ninety (R/. one), verses three & four, five & six, twelve & thirteen, & fourteen & seventeen(b/c);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses seven, eight, & nine.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel we see Herod interested in and perplexed by Jesus.

Political rulers don’t come across well in the New Testament. In Luke’s Christmas account, Caesar Augustus is compared very unfavorably to the Christ child. And in Matthew’s account that child is hunted down by the desperate Herod. Later, Herod’s son persecutes John the Baptist and Jesus himself. More to it, the Jewish authorities are seen in all of the Gospels as corrupt.

And Pontius Pilate is a typical Roman governor: efficient, concerned for order, brutal. Like the other rulers of the time, he perceives Jesus, quite correctly, as a threat. “So you are a king?” Pilate asks. Jesus says, “My kingdom does not belong to this world.”

This does not mean that Jesus is unconcerned for the realities of politics, with the very “this-worldly” concerns of justice, peace, and right order. When he speaks of his kingdom not belonging to the “world,” he shades the negative side of that term. The “world” is the realm of sin, selfishness, hatred, violence. What he is saying is that his way of ordering things is not typical of worldly powers like Pilate, Caesar, and Herod.
Video reflection by Deacon Clarence McDavid (U. S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Becket Ghioto (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.


Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 4
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter two, verses one, two, & three.

Commentary: Vanity in Self-Indulgence (Ecclesiastes, 2:1-3).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"We need a docile heart in order to build an exemplary Christian community. We need a spirit that is strong in the Faith in order to proclaim the love of God that conquers sin & saves in Christ Who died & is risen."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Many people who have many possessions, who have many goods & riches, are obsessed with them. They think that the only thing that counts is possessing wealth. That is why it is so difficult for them to walk each moment of each day with God. Too many of their moments are spent preoccupied with money & things."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Bonus! Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Give Jesus not only your hands to serve, but your heart to love. Pray with absolute trust in God’s loving care for you. Let Him use you without consulting you. Let Jesus fill you with joy that you may preach without preaching."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

Saints + Scripture

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest, O.F.M. Cap. (1887-1968, "Padre Pio;" A.K.A. Francesco Forgione), stigmatic (1918-1968): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, Saint-link Ascension Presents, Saint-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Stigmata-link & Wikipedia-link Stigmata.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Linus, Pope & Martyr (died 76), second (II) Bishop of Rome (67-76), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasian: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Adomnán of Iona, Abbot (circa 624-704, also spelt Adamnán), ninth (IX) abbot of Iona Abbey (679-704), who convoked the Synod of Birr (697) & promulgated the Cáin Adomnáin (the "Law of Adomnán"): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link, Wikipedia-link Iona, & Wikipedia-link Abbots; & Wikipedia-link Birr & Wikipedia-link Cáin Adomnáin.

Commentary: The Cáin Adomnáin is also known as the Lex Innocentium (the "Law of Innocents").

'Tis also the festival of Blessed William Way, Priest & Martyr (died 1588, A.K.A. William May, William Flower), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the one hundred fifty-eight Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Bernardyna Maria Jabłońska, Religious (1878-1940), superior general of the Albertine Sisters (1902-1940, C.S.A.P.I.), formally the Congregation of Albertine Sisters Serving the Poor: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.S.A.P.I.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Jozef Stanek, Priest & Martyr, S.A.C. (1916-1944), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hiter, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List, № 41); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirty, verses five thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. one hundred five), verses twenty-nine, seventy-two, eighty-nine, one hundred one, one hundred four, & one hundred sixty-three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses one thru six.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus sends his disciples on mission: He summoned the Twelve… and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.” As members of the Mystical Body, we share the mission of evangelization.

In accord with the subjectivism of our culture, many Christians think of their spiritual lives in an individualist way, as the cultivation of their personal friendship with God. But this overlooks something that the New Testament authors took for granted—namely, that Christians exist not for themselves but for the world.

Jesus compared his followers to salt, which is designed to preserve and enhance something other than itself, and to light, whose purpose is to be set on a stand in order to illumine what is around it. Pope St. Paul VI articulated the same truth as follows: the Church doesn’t have a mission; the Church is a mission.

We go forth, therefore, with God’s authority and empowered for his work. When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ he will ask whether we have taught the world how to praise, how to reverence the truth, how to go out vigorously on campaign to extend the kingdom of God.
Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.


Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter two, verses nineteen & twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-eight (R/. one), verses one & two, three, & four & five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-four thru twenty-seven.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 3
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verses twelve thru eighteen.

Commentary: Vanity in Seeking Wisdom (Ecclesiastes, 1:12-18).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"Every burden is light when we are united to Christ, when it is He Who gives us the strength & breath to go on walking. On the other hand, how heavy the burden is when it is carried without Christ!"
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Money? I never give it a thought. It always comes. We work for Jesus. It is His work & He will provide. He has always taken care of us. If He wants something to be done, He will give us the means. If He does not provide us with the means, then it shows that He doesn't want that particular work. So, I forget about it."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"The Earth could exist more easily without the Sun than without the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass."
—St. Pius of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. (1887-1968, feast: 23 September)

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time.

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 356.0 lbs (Wednesday, 2 September)
Commentary: It is a poor workman who blames his tools, 'tis true, but the mechanical scale produces wildly divergent weights depending on how I stand on it. I am very, very frustrated. I am considering acquiring a new electronic scale & then averaging the weights given by the mechanical & electronic scales. ÖSTERREICH needs reliable data!

A more anecdotal datum is that I am back to using the seventh hole on my principal belt, having had to clinch in one from the sixth hole to keep my pants in place.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Laser Show" from Utopia Parkway (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Closer to Nowhere" from While We're at It (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the festival of Saint Maurice & the Theban Legion, Martyrs (died circa 286, A.K.A. the Martyrs of Agaunum), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian: Martyr-link Mike & Wikipedia-link Mike; Martyrs-link Legion ūnus, Martyrs-link Legion duo, & Wikipedia-link Legion.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Septimus of Iesi, Bishop & Martyr (died 307), inaugural Bishop of Iesi (303-307), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Galerius & Constantine, a victim of the Diocletianic Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Iesi; & Persecution-link, Wikipedia-link Diocletian ūnus, Wikipedia-link Diocletian duo, & Wikipedia-link Diocletian trēs.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Emmeram of Regensberg, Bishop & Martyr (died circa 652, A.K.A. Haimhramm, etc.), martyred by Lantpert of Bavaria while shielding another from Lantpert's wrath: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: My sources are uncertain as to the location of St. Emmeram's see; there is insuffucient data to render a judgment.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Sadalberga, Abbess (circa 605-670, also spelt Salaberga), founding abbess of the Abbey of Saint John the Baptist (641-670, originally of Our Lady), subject of the Vita Sadalbergae: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbey & Wikipedia-link Vita Sadalbergae.

Commentary: Sister of the bishop St. Leudinus Bodo [11 September], wife of St. Blandinus of Laon [?], & mother of Ss. Baldwin [16 October] & Anstrudis [17 October].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Otto of Freising, Bishop & Abbot, O.Cist. (circa 1114-1158), twenty-second (XXII) Bishop of Freising (1137-1158), abbot of Morimond Abbey (1136-1137): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Freising, & Wikipedia-link Morimond.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Thomas of Villanova, Bishop, O.S.A. (1488-1555, the "Father of the Poor" & "the Almsgiver;" A.K.A. Tomás García y Martínez), eighth (VIII) Archbishop of Valencia (1544-1555): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Valencia.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ignatius of Santhià, Priest, O.F.M. Cap. (1686-1770, A.K.A. Lorenzo Maurizio Belvisotti): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-one, verses one thru six & ten thru thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. thirty-five), verses one, twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-four, thirty-five, & forty-four;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses nineteen, twenty, & twenty-one.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus identifies his disciples as his family. I want to say something about our becoming disciples in his family. Once we make the decision to follow Jesus then every other claimant to supremacy must fall away.

As I’ve argued many times before, every one of us has something or some set of values that we consider greatest. Perhaps it is money, material things, power, or the esteem of others. Perhaps it is your family, your kids, your wife, your husband.

None of this is false, and none of these things are bad. But when you place any of them in the absolute center of gravity, things go awry. When you make any of them your ultimate or final good, your spiritual life goes haywire. When you attach yourself to any of them with an absolute tenacity, you will fall apart.

Only when we make Christ the cornerstone of our lives are we truly ready for mission. Keep in mind that every encounter with God in the Bible conduces to mission, to being sent to do the work of the Lord. If we try to do this work while we are stuck to any number of attachments, we will fail. Period.
Video reflection by Father John M. McKenzie (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.


Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 2
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verses two thru eleven.

Commentary: All Is Vanity (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 1:2-11).

Papal Quote o' the Day
"If today we are living in a climate of public freedom & personal responsibilty, we will have an increased duty to exercise our own critical moral judgment with vigilant assiduousness. Temptations are very widespread & aggressive in our day."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"Joy is very infectious. We will never know just how much good a simple smile can do. Be faithful in little things. Smile at the people who cross your path. You have a beautiful smile. Don't waste it. Live beautifully. Smile at life. Smile everywhere you go. Smile at everyone you meet."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Commentary: The most damaging aspect of public mask-wearing is that we are no longer able to smile at each other, no longer able to spread that infectious joy. Yes, measures need to be taken to combat the pandemic, but I will never understand my co-religionists who care only for the casualties of the pandemic—the virus—& care nothing for the casualties of the panic—the loneliness, anxiety, & despair. The pandemic can only kill the body; the panic can kill both the body & the soul.

Saint Quote o' the Day
"Whenever your will weakens in your ordinary work, you must recall these thoughts: 'Study, work, is an essential part of my way. If I were discredited professionally as a consequence of my laziness it would make my work as a Christian useless or impossible. To attract & to help others, I need the influence of my professional reputation, & that is what God wants.'"
—St. Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975, feast: 26 June)
Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day
"This death of Christ is an eternal act. We temporalize it; we spatialize it. Think of a great log that has been sawed in two. We see a number of circles on either side of that cut log. Those circles, we know, run all the way up through the log. That's the sacrifice of Christ. It runs through history, from the very beginning, when God made an animal skin for the first parents to hide their shame; it runs through all of the symbolic sacrifices of the Jews; & it runs up to Calvary & from Calvary on into heaven itself. In fact, it began with the Lamb: slain, as it were, from the beginning of the world. Now we redo that sacrifice. Scripture says that Christ can never die again. If Christ can only die once, why do we say the Mass is a sacrifice & He dies again? Of course our Lord can never die again in the human nature which He took from Mary. But at the beginning of every Mass, He looks out & says: Peter, Paul, Mary, John, Ann, give Me your human natures. I will die again in you, & your death will be the pledge of your resurrection, as Mine was the model."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Monday, September 21, 2020

The Rebel Black Dot Exodus 90 Song o' the Day

Alan Powell, "Chasing after the Wind" from The Song Album: Music from the Motion Picture (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: For the "Day 91" exercise beginning today, my fraternity is reading the Book of Ecclesiastes.
"What do we mean
If nothing has meaning?
If in the end,
We're chasing after wind?…

"I have everything,
But that don't leave me anything,
I had my plans
Crumble into sand,
Now I understand
I was born a natural man,
Racing to the end
Chasing after wind…

"Why should I be
If nothing has made me?
All that I've done,
The flame I wear, the sun,
Why should I sing
If nothing has meaning?"

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint Matthew

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
"Christian Click Bait"

'Tis the Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist (floruit first century, A.K.A. Levi), author of the Gospel according to Matthew: Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, Apostle-link trēs, Apostle-link Array of Hope, & Wikipedia-link; Apostles-link & Wikipedia-link Apostles; & Wikipedia-link Evanglists & Wikipedia-link Gospel.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of St. Matthew
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven, twelve, & thirteen;
Psalm Nineteen (R/. five), verses two & three, four & five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses nine thru thirteen.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, today’s Gospel celebrates the call of Matthew. Jesus tells the tax collector, “Follow me.”

The call of Jesus addresses the mind, but it moves through the mind into the body, and through the body into the whole of one’s life, into the most practical decisions. “Follow me” has the sense of “apprentice to me” or “walk as I walk; think as I think; choose as I choose; see as I see.” Discipleship entails an entire reworking of the self according to the pattern and manner of Jesus.

Upon hearing the address of the Lord, Matthew “got up and followed him.” The Greek word behind “got up” is
anastas, the same word used to describe the Resurrection (anastasis) of Jesus from the dead. Following Jesus is indeed a kind of resurrection from the dead, since it involves the transition from a lower form of life to a higher.

Those who have undergone a profound conversion tend to speak of their former life as a kind of illusion, something not entirely real. The father of the prodigal son can say, “This son of mine was dead, and has come to life again.” So conversion is an
anastasis, a rising from death.
Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.


Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 1
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verse one.

Commentary: All Is Vanity (Ecclesiastes, 1:1).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Iphigenia of Ethiopia, Virgin (floruit first century, A.K.A. of Abyssinia; also spelt Ephigenia): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerulfus, Martyr (circa 740-748, also spelt Gerulph), martyred by a kinsman, whom he pardoned with his dying breath: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint François Jaccard, Priest & Martyr, M.E.P. (1799-1838), martyred in the reign of the Vietnamese emperor Minh Mạng (Nguyễn dynasty), one of the Martyrs of Vietnam: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (List); Martyrs-link Vietnam & Wikipedia-link Vietnam.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert, Bishop & Martyr, M.E.P. (1796-1839; A.K.A. Laurant-Maria-Joseph Imbert, Imbert Bum, Bum Se-hyeong), martyred in the reign of the Korean king Heonjong (Joseon dynasty), one of the Martyrs of Korea: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Korea & Wikipedia-link Korea.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Manuel Torró García, Martyr (1902-1936), martyred by Communist Spanish "Republicans" (Rojos), one of the two hundred thirty-thres Martyrs of València: Martyr-link ūnus & Martyr-link duo; Martyr-link València & Wikipedia-link València.

Papal Quote o' the Day
"The Incarnate Word of God continues to speak to the Church through the sacred books. In reading & studying the Scriptures, Christians seek to know God & to understand God's plan for the human family."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)
Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day
"In the West you have another kind of poverty, spiritual poverty. This is far worse. People do not believe in God, do not pray. People do not care for each other. You have the poverty of people who are dissatisfied with what they have, who do not know how to suffer, who give in to despair. This poverty of heart is often more difficult to relieve & to defeat."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)
Saint Quote o' the Day
"'Mary kept all these things in her heart.' Discipline does not seem at all heavy when it goes together with a clean & sincere love. Even if it costs you a lot, it unites you to the Loved One."
—St. Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975, feast:26 June)