The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXX

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 55th Anniversary of Gemini X
18-19 July 1966: Gemini X lifted off from Florida's Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, with Command Pilot John Young & Pilot Michael Collins aboard a Gemini spacecraft atop a Titan II G.L.V. rocket; they docked with their Agena & used its engine to set a new altitude record, & rendezvoused with Gemini VIII's derelict Agena; they splashed down in the Atlantic & were recovered by the U.S.S. Guadalcanal.

Commentary: The batteries of Gemini VIII's Agena Target Vehicle were exhausted, rendering its radar non-functional; Gemini X conducted the only visual rendezvous of the Gemini program. Because the Agena didn't have any power, it was too dangerous for Gemini X to attempt a docking, but Collins was able to spacewalk over & retrieve a Micrometeorite Collector from the Agena that Dave Scott was meant to retrieve, before the emergency that brought Gemini VIII to an early end.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Gemini X
John Williams, "High-Wire Stunts" from Jurassic Park: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture: XVI Sunday in Tempus per annum

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

'Tis the Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter twenty-three, verses one thru six;
Psalm Twenty-three (R/. one), verses one, two, & three; three & four; & five & six;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter two, verses thirteen thru eighteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter six, verses thirty thru thirty-four.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel shows Jesus’ compassion for the multitude in the desert. "When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things."

There is the motif of the people Israel in the desert after their escape from Egypt. Isolated, alone, afraid, without food, they clamored for something from Moses. Here we see people who are dying to be fed, and a prophet who is under threat of death. This crowd around the threatened Jesus is a metaphor for the Church. We have come to him because we are hungry, and we stay even when things look bleak.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.

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

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Sunday Reflection.

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

The R.B.D. Song o' the Lord's Day: XVI Sunday in O.T.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Marty Haugen, "Shepherd Me, O God (Psalm 23)" from Shepherd Me, O God (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day before Yesterday

Donnerstag, 15. Juli
Great Big Sea, "It's the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)" from Play (Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Today

Samstag, 17. Juli
Fountains of Wayne, "Joe Rey" from Fountains of Wayne (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"He's cool,
Cool, cool, cooler than I am.
He knows what I dont know,
Got seventeen different words for snow
That he signs,
Signs to a deaf girl named Diane.

"Joe Rey is not so pretty,
I can't understand why he's so in demand…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

'Tis the Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

'Tis the Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Reel Big Fish, "Another F.U. Song" from Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: No, the "F.U." in "Another F.U. Song" does not stand for Francis Urquhart.

Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: When Do Catholics…?, Part 2"

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, O.F.M.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Exodus, chapter three, verses thirteen thru twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Five (R/. eight[a]), verses one & five, eight & nine, twenty-four & twenty-five, & twenty-six & twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eleven, verses twenty-eight, twenty-nine, & thirty.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus is not offering us one more philosophy of God. He is offering us the view from the inside of the Trinity. And that is why we should respond to his compelling invitation: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest."

What everyone wants is rest, but not in the sense of relaxation. Rest here means achievement of joy. The great illusion is that joy will come from filling up the ego with goods. In fact, it will come from emptying out, from turning one’s life over to the direction of God.

We also find in today’s Gospel those extraordinary words: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me." Jesus himself is bearing the yoke that he speaks of since he is yoked to the Father, doing only what he sees the Father doing. Jesus is, in his innermost nature, the one who listens and obeys.

What he is saying, therefore, is to stand next to him, just as one ox stands next to the other as they pull together. Just as Jesus is yoked to the Father, so we should be yoked to him, obeying him as he obeys the Father.

Video reflection by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

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

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Memorial of Saint Bonaventure
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter three, verses fourteen thru nineteen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. twelve), verses nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-three, verses eight thru twelve.

Scripture Study—Day 91: False Peak, Day 32
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter thirty-one, verses one thru fourteen.

Commentary: Hope for the Restoration of Israel (cont'd; Jeremiah, 31:1-14).

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXIX

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars—Sacco & Vanzetti, Part II
14 July 1921: Nicola Sacco & Bartolomeo Vanzetti were convicted of mudering Parmenter & Berardelli during the April 1920 robbery; Vanzetti had been arrested in possession of Berardelli's revolver & told widely varying lies to explain it away; Sacco was caught in several lies; both gave rambling anarchist diatribes when testifying on the stand; their case did not become a cause célèbre until after the trial.

Lest we forget.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin.

'Tis the Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Bombskare, "Do All Dogs Go to Heaven?" from The Day the Earth Stood Stupid (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Henry.

'Tis the Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Today

Dienstag, 13. Juli
Eric Christian Olsen, "Pierce You Are a B." from Community: Music from the Original Television Series (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"I am my own person,
I am my own person,
And Pierce, you're a B.…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Yesterday

Montag, 12. Juli
Blues Traveler, "The Mountains Win Again" from Four (Mike Papa Whiskey)

The R.B.D. Song o' the Lord's Day: XV Sunday in O.T.

Sontag, 11. Juli
Hillsong United, "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" from Zion (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: The prophet Amos was an ordinary laborer, a herdsman & dresser of sycamores. The Twelve Apostles were fishermen, tax collectors, etc.—everyday occupations. The Apostle Paul was an active enemy of the Church. God calls whom He wills. The old chiche is true: God does not call the qualified, God qualifies the called. He is calling you, today. He's been calling you every day of your life, though you may never have consciously heard His Voice. Quiet your heart, quiet your mind, & listen. He is calling you, today.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: When Do Catholics…?, Part 1"

'Tis the Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Saints + Scripture: XV Sunday in Tempus per annum

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

'Tis the Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Amos, chapter seven, verses twelve thru fifteen;
Psalm Eighty-five (R/. eight), verses nine & ten, eleven & twelve, & thirteen & fourteen;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter one, verses three thru fourteen
(or, the Letter to the Ephesians, chapter one, verses three thru ten);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter six, verses seven thru thirteen.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus sends the Twelve on their mission to announce the nearness of the kingdom. I want to say a few things about our embracing our mission and being equipped for it.

What do you need for your mission? You need a keen sense of God as the absolute center of your life. In a word, you require the spiritual gifts of piety and fear of the Lord. I realize that these terms can sound fussy and puritanical, but they are actually naming something strong and essential.

You need fear of the Lord, which does not mean that you are afraid of God. It means that nothing to you is more important than God, that everything in your life centers around and is subordinate to your love for God. And your equipping needs to include piety. That means that you honor God above everything else, that you worship him alone. These spiritual gifts enable you to find true balance; they allow you to know what your life is about.

Equipped with these gifts, you are ready for mission. Having received the fire of the Holy Spirit, you are ready to set the world on fire.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.

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

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Sunday Reflection.

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

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Wheatus, "Teenage Dirtbag" from Teenage Dirtbag (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Suggested by a tweet from The Pillar editor-in-chief J.D. Flynn.

"Her name is Noëlle,
I have a dream about her,
She rings my bell,
I got gym class in half an hour.
Oh, how she rocks
In Keds and tube socks!
But she doesn't know who I am,
And she doesn't give a damn about me…

"Man, I feel like mold,
It's prom night and I am lonely,
Lo and behold,
She's walking over to me.
This must be fake,
My lip starts to shake.
How does she know who I am?
And why does she give a damn about me?…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Like most Saturdays, 'tis the Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

Matt Maher, "Woke Up in America" from The Love In Between (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary, eh: Matt Maher is an immigrant from the Canadas, from Newfoundland, specifically.

"I was born on a rock in the middle of the ocean,
Where the wind's so rough it can carry you to London,
It's a new found land with an old soul reaching
For the light of day…

"I woke up in America for the love of God,
I woke up in America for something bigger than myself,
More than fireworks and fanfare,
More than a star-spangled banner,
You're still beautiful, America!

"I've seen the horizon ablaze in Arizona,
Shoreline shoutin' over California,
Moonlight dancin' over the Dakotas,
It breaks your heart, it's so beautiful!
Lady Liberty, she leaves the light on
From the West Side all the way to Long Island,
Carolina Coast to the Rocky Mountains,
The sun is shining over me!

"Woke up in America for the love of God,
Woke up in America for something bigger than myself,
More than wealth or depression,
More than a red or blue nation,
Here in our hells and our heaven,
You're still beautiful, America!
You're beautiful, America!
You're beautiful, America!"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Biblical Modesty"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, Priest, & Companions, Martyrs.

'Tis the Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

Grand Funk Railroad, "We're an American Band" from We're an American Band (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I have never before appreciated just how deep & philosophically profound a song "We're an American Band" really is. Behold the profundity:

"We're an American band,
We're an American band,
We're coming to your town,
We'll help you party down,
We're an American band…"

Bonus! Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Reel Big Fish, "The Bad Guy" from We're Not Happy 'til You're Not Happy (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"This is not a song about the one who got away.
This is not a song about the girl who didn't love me.
Once again, I have made somebody cry,
Once again, once again, I am the bad guy.
I am the bad guy!

"It's me, but I'm not sorry I let you down!
It's me, but I'm not sorry I let you down!
It's me, but I'm not sorry I let you down!
Bet you wish I never came around, don't you?

"I didn't care that she'd do anything for me,
I didn't care that she would sell her soul to serve me,
As the tears fell from the corners of her eyes,
I walked away, I walked away, 'cause I'm the bad guy.
I am the bad guy!…"

The Queue

I am setting aside A Church in Crisis in order to read A Teacher of Strange Things for a review on The Popish Plot. For the same purpose, I will read The Green Man, a contemporary collection of poetry. Then, I intent to finish up A Church in Crisis & read Saint John Paul the Great's 1995 encyclical letter on ecumenism, Ut Unum Sint (the Latin title means, in English, "That they may be one").

My copy of Ut Unum Sint arrived in a distressed condition, bend & soiled in an opaque plastic bag from the shipper, wrapped inside a transparent plastic bag from the United States Postal Service bearing the following message:

WE CARE

Dear Postal Customer:

We sincerely regret the damage to your mail during handling by the Postal Service. We hope this incident did not inconvenience you. We realize that your mail is important to you and that you have every right to expect it to be delivered in good condition.

Although every effort is made to prevent damage to the mail, occasionally this will occur because of the great volume handled and the rapid processing methods which must be employed to assure the most expeditious distribution possible.

We hope you understand. We assure you that we are constantly striving to improve our processing methods in order that even a rase occurrence may be eliminated.

Please accept our apologies.

Sincerely,

Your Postmaster

Recently
David Hobbs with Andrew Marriot, Hobbo: Motor Racer, Motor Mouth—The Autobiography of David Hobbs
John O'Neill, The Fisherman's Tomb: The True Story of the Vatican's Secret Search
Matthew Kelly, I Heard God Laugh: A Practical Guide to Life's Essential Daily Habit

Currently
Cy Kellett, A Teacher of Strange Things: Who Jesus Was, What He Taught, & Why People Still Follow Him
David Russell Mosley, The Green Man
Ralph Martin, A Church in Crisis: Pathways Forward ***paused***

Devotionally
Matthew Kelly, Dig the Well Before You Get Thirsty: The Ultimate Prayer Journal to Prepare for the Inevitable and Explore the Possible—A Practical Guide to Life's Essential Daily Habit

Presently
Pope Saint John Paul II, Ut Unum Sint: On Commitment to Ecumenism
Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ
Flannery O'Connor, Flannery O'Connor Collection
Michael Gorn, N.A.S.A.: The Complete Illustrated History

Bonus! Song o' the Postal Service's Care
Reel Big Fish, "We Care" from Why Do They Rock So Hard? (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Genesis, chapter forty-four, verses eighteen thru twenty-one, twenty-three(b) thru twenty-nine & chapter forty-five, verses one thru five;
Psalm One Hundred Five (R/. five[a]), verses sixteen & seventeen, eighteen & nineteen, & twenty & twenty-one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses seven thru fifteen.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus sent the twelve to evangelize the countryside. To evangelize is to proclaim Jesus Christ crucified and risen from the dead. When this kerygma, this Paschal Mystery, is not at the heart of the project, Christian evangelization effectively disappears, devolving into a summons to bland religiosity or generic spirituality.

When Jesus crucified and risen is not proclaimed, a beige and unthreatening Catholicism emerges, a thought system that is, at best, an echo of the environing culture. Peter Maurin, one of the founders of the Catholic Worker movement, said that the Church has taken its own dynamite and placed it in hermetically sealed containers and sat on the lid.

In a similar vein, Protestant theologian Stanley Hauerwas commented that the problem with Christianity is not that it is socially conservative or politically liberal but that “it is just too damned dull”! For both Maurin and Hauerwas, what leads to this attenuation is a refusal to preach the dangerous and unnerving news concerning Jesus risen from the dead.

Video reflection by Deacon Clarence McDavid (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

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

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Daily Reflection.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Charity! Charity! Is this your hour? Let us all try to be worthy of her & prepare her ways. Let us pray, let us love, let us work so that our charity may be in our hearts & may be able to work the wonder of her triumph."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"On my first trip along the streets of Calcutta, a priest came up to me. He asked me to give a contribution to a collection for the Catholic press. I had left with five rupees, & I had already given four of them to the poor. I hesitated, then gave the priest the one that remained. That afternoon, the same priest came to see me & brought an envelope. He told me that a man had given him the envelope because he had heard about my projects & wanted to help me. There were fifty rupees in that envelope. I had the feeling, at that moment, that God had begun to bless the work & would never abandon me."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"No matter what my sufferings may be, I will never complain & if I have to undergo any humiliation, I will seek refuge in the Sacred Heart of Jesus."
—St. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception, F.C.C. (1910-1946, feast: 28 July)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"When God with His divine nature came down to this world & took upon Himself the human nature from the womb of His Blessed Mother, He took upon Himself an instrument. Once God took upon Himself our human nature, He could act in our name. And every one of the actions of that human nature would have an infinite value. Not a sigh, a word, a tear, a step of that human nature was inseparable from the Person of God. That is why one breath of God-made-Man would have been enough to have redeemed the world. Why? Because it was the breath of God, & therefore had an infinite value. Why then did God suffer so much when He took upon Himself our human nature? God’s love knows no limits. The only way to prove perfect love is by surrender of all that one has in oneself. God took upon Himself our human nature, & He said that He loved us unto the end, even to death."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

MxPx, "Kids in America" from On the Cover II (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Those were halcyon days. We knew they were fleeting & cherished them accordingly.

"We're the kids in America (Whoa),
We're the kids in America (Whoa),
Everybody live for the music-go-round…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

Less Than Jake, "American Idle" from See the Light (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: A Less Than Jake song about growing up & leaving home? How unexpected!

"We were the kids from the cul-de-sacs
That got out somehow without looking back,
It's over, it's over.
We were the ones that grew up too fast
On the front porch steps when we still had friends,
It's over, it's over.
We were the kids who were laughing last,
With big ideas and failed attempts,
It's over it's over.

"Repeat it now, repeat it with me:

"It's in the way
We can't explain
Why we were the ones who got away.
It's in the way
These memories will fade,
So we always keep them locked away,
Lock them away!

"We were the kids who would scrape and save
And wait around for some better days,
It's over, it's over.
We were the kids that left one by one,
We said we would when we were young,
It's over, yeah, it's over.

"Repeat it now, repeat it with me:

"It's in the way
We can't explain
Why we were the ones who got away.
It's in the way
These memories will fade
So we always keep them locked away.
It's in the way
We slowly replace
The pieces we left in yesterday…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"God Is with Me"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin & Martyr.

'Tis the Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

Dance Hall Crashers, "American Girl" (live) from The Live Record: Witness Banter and 25 Mildly Antogonistic Songs of Love (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Well, she was an American girl,
Raised on promises…"

The Rebel Black Dot U.S.A. Song o' the Day

Victoria Justice, "Make It in America" from Victorious 2.0: More Music from the Hit T.V. Show (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"I wanna show some skin,
'Cause, baby, I need the ocean…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Anthony Zaccaria, Priest.

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, T.O.S.F.

'Tis the Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXVIII

Operation AXIOM: The Cold War—The 60th Anniversary of the K-19 Incident
4 July 1961: The Soviet Hotel-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine K-19 suffered the loss of all nuclear reactor coolant; to avoid a reactor meltdown, officers & crew worked in a highly radioactive environment to jury rig a new coolant system; they succeeded, but most of the sub was irradiated: eight men died of radiation poisoning within three weeks, & fourteen more within two years.

Commentary: As a result of the near-meltdown & irradiation, the K-19 was nicknamed "Hiroshima." The submarine continued to have a cursed career, colliding with a U.S. attack submarine in 1969 & suffering a deadly on-board fire in 1972 that killed thirty sailors.

Lest we forget.

Saints + Scripture: XIV Sunday in Tempus per annum

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

'Tis the Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter two, verses two thru five;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-three (R/. two[c/d]), verses one & two, two, & three & four;
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter twelve, verses seven thru ten;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter six, verses one thru six.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today’s Gospel develops a theme that is uncomfortable. It tells how the people of Nazareth rejected Jesus. Authentically religious people, authentically spiritual people, will almost always be opposed. The logic behind this is simple and unanswerable: we live in a world gone wrong, a world turned upside down; therefore, when someone comes speaking the truth to us, we will think that they are crazy and dangerous.

Think for just a moment what would happen to you if you consistently and publicly spoke the word of God to our culture. If you spoke out against abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, human trafficking, rampant materialism, and ideological secularism, what would happen to you? If you presented, in a full-throated way, the full range of Catholic social and moral and spiritual teaching, what would they do to you? Today’s Gospel offers a clue.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.

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

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Sunday Reflection.

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

Scripture Study—Day 91: False Peak, Day 21
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter twenty-two, verses eleven thru nineteen.

Commentary: Message to the Sons of Josiah (Jeremiah, 22:11-19).

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Jesus comes to me every morning in Communion, & I return the visit by going to serve the poor."
—Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, T.O.S.D. (1901-1925, feast: 4 July)

Bonus! Song o' Independence Day

The University of Michigan Marching Band, "The Star-Spangled Banner" from Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue (Mike Papa Wolverine)

The R.B.D. Song o' the Lord's Day: XIV Sunday in O.T.

John Williams, "The Return Home" from Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: How Do Catholics…?, Part 2"

'Tis the Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Leave the Biker" from Fountains of Wayne (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Hey! Have a smidgeon of sympathy. It can be devilishly hard to get all the crumbs out of one's beard.

"He's got his arm around every man's dream,
And crumbs in his beard from the seafood special.
Oh, can't you see my world is falling apart?
Baby, please, leave the biker, leave the biker, break his heart,
Baby, please, leave the biker, leave the biker, break his heart…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time.

'Tis the First Friday o' the month: Wikipedia-link First Friday & Wikipedia-link Sacred Heart.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Certain Things" from When God Was Great (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"You know, I almost bought a gun,
After all I've said and done,
If you don't me or you don't know me by now,
Certain things I won't allow.

"And certain things are certainly
Not so certain now to me,
If you don't me or you don't know me by now,
Certain things I won't allow…

"And so you are your father's son,
He was loved by everyone,
They took him away from us, he wasn't theirs to take,
Certain thigns are still at stake.

"And certain things are certainly
Not so certain now to me,
If you don't me or you don't know me by now,
Certain things I won't allow…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Junípero Serra, Priest, O.F.M.

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 352.8 lbs
This weigh-in: 349.0 lbs.
Difference: -3.8 lbs.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Grapefruit Diet" from Running with Scissors (Mike Papa Watercress)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Canada Day, Eh

Five Iron Frenzy, "Oh, Canada" from Our Newest Album Ever! (Rude Boy Mike Papa Canadian Whisky)

Commentary, eh: Happy Dominion Day, you hosers!

The Wayback Machine Tour o' the Rebel Black Dot Song o' Canada Day, Eh
Dominion Day '20
Dominion Day '19
Dominion Day '18
Dominion Day '17-A & Dominion Day '17-B