Project BLACK MAMBA: Lent

'Tis the festival of Saint Fridolin, Abbot, O.S.B. (died circa 540): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Cyril of Constantinople, Priest, O.Carm. (circa 1126-1230): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Leviticus, chapter nineteen, verses one, two, & eleven thru eighteen;
Psalm Nineteen, verses eight, nine, ten, & fifteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses thirty-one thru forty-six.

The Explorers' Club, № DXXXIX

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Russian Revolution, Part I
8-16 March 1917: The February Revolution—Industrial strikes led to general protests to mass uprisings & widespread mutinies in Petrograd (pre-war St. Petersburg), leading to the abdication of Nicholas II as Emperor & Autocrat of All the Russias (15 March) & the declaration by parliamentarians of the Provisional Government, which uneasily shared power with the populist Petrograd Soviet.

Lest we forget.

Commentary: Called the "February Revolution" because in 1917 the Russian Empire still used the "Old Style" (O.S.) Julian calendar dates, 23 February-3 March, as opposed to the "New Style" (N.S.) Gregorian calendar dates of 8-16 March. Spoiler alert: We'll see this O.S./N.S. monthly discrepancy again in the October Revolution, which took place in November 1917.

Project BLACK MAMBA: First Sunday of Lent

'Tis the First Sunday of Lent: Lent-link & Wikipedia-link.

Otherwise, 5 March would be the festival of Saint Lucius I, Pope (circa 200-254), twenty-second Bishop of Rome: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Piran, Abbot (died circa 480): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Day.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint John Joseph of the Cross, Priest, O.F.M. (1654-1739): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings
The Book of Genesis, chapter two, verses seven, eight, & nine & chapter three, verses one thru seven;
Psalm Fifty-one, verses three & four, five & six, twelve & thirteen, & seventeen;
The Letter to the Romans, chapter five, verses twelve thru nineteen
(or, the Letter to the Romans, chapter five, verses twelve, seventeen, eighteen, & nineteen);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter four, verses one thru eleven.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Ralph Stanley, "O Death" from O Brother, Where Art Thou? Music from a Film by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (The Last Angry Man)

Project BLACK MAMBA: Lent

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Casimir, Confessor (1458-1484): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Casimir was a prince of the Kingdom of Poland & of the Grand Ducky of Lithuania. He became known for his piousness, devotion to God, & generosity towards the sick & poor.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. Casimir, son of the king of Poland, was born in 1458. He practiced the Cristian virtues with sepcial regard to chastity & kindness to the poor & was zealous in the faith, particularly in his devotion to the holy Eucharist & the Virgin Mary. Casimir died of consumption in 1484.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Felix of Rhuys, Hermit & Abbot, O.S.B. (died 1038): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Peter of Pappacarbone, Bishop & Abbot, O.S.B. (died 1123): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight, verses nine(b) thru fourteen;
Psalm Eighty-six, verses one thru six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter five, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-two.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Lent, Backlog Edition

Friday, 3 March was the Optional Memorial of Saint Katharine Drexel, Virgin, S.B.S. (1858-1955), foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link S.B.S.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Saint Katharine Drexel, S.B.S., was an American heiress, philanthropist, religious sister, educator, & foundress. She is the only canonized saint to have been born a United States citizen. As a young woman she walked away from her life of riches by becoming a vowed religious & devoted her very substantial income to the evangelization & education of Native Americans & African Americans. To accomplish this, she founded the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament for Indians & Colored People.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

While on a European tour, she met Pope Leo XIII & asked him to send more missionaries to Wyoming for her friend Bishop James O'Connor. The pope replied, "Why don't you become a missionary?" His answer shocked her into considering new possibilities. Back home, Katharine visited the Dakotas, met the Sioux leader Red Cloud, & began her systematic aid to Indian missions. By 1942, she had a system of black catholic schools in thirteen states, plus forty mission centers & twenty-three rural schools. In all, she established fifty missions for Indians in sixteen states. Her crowning achievement was the founding of Xavier University in New Orleans, the first Catholic university in the United States for African Americans.

'Twas also the festival of Saint Anselm of Nonantola, Abbot, O.S.B. (died circa 805, the Duke of Friuli): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Innocent of Berzo, Priest, O.F.M. Cap. (1844-1890): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight, verses one thru nine(a);
Psalm Fifty-one, verses three & four, five & six(a,b), & eighteen & nineteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses fourteen & fifteen.

The Rebel Black Dot Irish Song o' the Day

Great Big Sea, "The Night Pat Murphy Died" from Play (The Last Angry Irishman)

Commentary:

"As Mrs. Murphy sat in the corner pouring out her grief,
Kelly and his gang came tearing down the street,
They went into an empty room and a bottle of whiskey stole,
And put the bottle with the corpse to keep that whiskey cold!

"That's how they showed their respect for Paddy Murphy,
That's how they showed their honor and their pride,
They said it was a sin, a shame and they winked at one another,
And every drink in the place was full the night Pat Murphy died!…"

The Rebel Black Dot Irish Song o' the Day

Flogging Molly, "Black Friday Rule" from Swagger (The Last Angry Irishman)

Commentary: I was born in the last third of the twentieth century, in these United States of America, as a descendant of Irish emigrants; so, for both personal as well as historical reasons, I think of "the Irish" not just in terms of the population of Ireland but of the worldwide Irish diaspora. Emigration from Éire was not limited to the years of the Potato Famine & its proximal aftermath, but continues to the present day, as in the case of Flogging Molly front man Dave King.

"I want to believe in myself once again,
So I dream of a man whose hopes never end,
To kiss with a girl who's as lovely as you,
I'd give you my heart if you gave me the truth…

"Well, I love me a wife so I found me a plane,
Flew all the way to California,
This mess in my head is a mess getting out,
Ya drink too much coffee, I drink too much stout.

"But after a while, when my mouth ain't so dry,
I'll dance up a storm, sure life's looking fine,
But as darkness falls I return to my bed,
Don't ask me more questions, don't fuck with my head.

"'Cause I've been down in this world, down and almost broken,
Like thousands of people left standing in their shoe,
Down in this world, down and almost broken,
As thousand they grieve as the Black Friday rule,
As thousand they grieve as the Black Friday rule…

"The buildings they shake, but my heart it, it beats still,
O Mother of Jesus, I feel pretty ill!
I want to go home where my feet both feel safe,
But there ain't no jobs in the old Free State!

"So I must remain in my new adopted land,
I'm doing the best, hell, I'm doing all I can…"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Lent

'Tis the festival of Saint Chad of Mercia, Bishop (circa 620-672): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint John Maron, Bishop (628-707), Patriarch of Antioch: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Charles the Good, Martyr (circa 1083-1227, A.K.A. Count Charles I of Flanders), martyred by the price-gouging Erembald family: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Agnes of Bohemia, Abbess, O.S.C. (circa 1205-1282, A.K.A. of Prague): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty, verses fifteen thru twenty;
Psalm One, verses one, two, three, four, & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses twenty-two thru twenty-five.

The Victors: Team 137, Game 13 — Orange Bowl

Friday, 30 December 2016 @ (corporate sponsor) Stadium
(№ 11) Florida State 33-32 Michigan (№ 6)
10-3, B1G 7-2

The University of Michigan Athletic Department website, MGoBlue.com, tries to highlight the silver lining to the dark cloud of 2016's three losses: "Michigan's three losses in 2016 came by a combined total of five points." I counter that in two of those three losses, at Iowa & in the Orange Bowl against Florida State, the valiant Wolverines held a lead in the dying minutes, only for our opponents to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Also, whether by one point of twenty-one points, a loss is a loss, & in the second year of the Harbaugh era we lost three out of our last four games. In September & October, the valiant Wolverines looked invincible, & posted an 8-0 record; in November & December, we looked eminently beatable, posting a 2-3 record.

It seemed that very little went right against the epithetless Seminoles. Uncle Don's Murder Machine, Michigan's vaunted defense, was repeatedly shredded by the Florida State offense, not just in the first quarter but also in the fourth. Jourdan Lewis, arguably the best cornerback in the entire country, playing his last game as a valiant Wolverine, had the worst game of his whole career, blowing multiple assignments & being beaten for multiple scores. For much of the game, Michigan might as well not have even fielded on offensive line. Of Brady Hoke's many areas of incompetence, at nothing were he & his staff worse than in recruiting & developing O-linemen, & that particular chicken came home to roost against the epithetless Seminoles' defensive line, which established residency & could have registered to vote in Michigan's backfield.

Yet for all that, the valiant Wolverines were never out of the game. They fought back from the first-quarter onslaught, made all their field goals when offensive drives stalled, scored a touchdown on defense, & after trailing the whole took the lead with 1:57 left to play in the fourth. But a huge return on the ensuing kickoff gave Florida State good field position & then their offense sliced through the Murder Machine like it wasn't even there for the go-ahead touchdown. The valiant Wolverines blocked the point-after try & returned it for a safety, Josh Metellus looking exactly like Jabrill Peppers returning a blocked extra-point kick for a safety against Michigan State back in October. The valiant Wolverines thus pulled back within one point, 33-32, which ended up being the final score. One point or twenty-one points, a loss is a loss. We lost, for the third time in four games.

So, 2016 ended on a very sour note. We try to console ourselves with the knowledge that the transformation of the last two seasons was nothing short of incredible, especially given that most of our best players were Hoke recruits. On the other hand, we are also faced with the grim reality that we are graduating or otherwise losing almost the entire Murder Machine; Harbaugh & co. are recruiting great players on defense, but they don't yet have the awesome depth of experience of Uncle Don's 2016 squad. On the gripping hand, nothing is to be accomplished by prognosticating the future, especially not when our vision is clouded by disappointment. Time will help us to acquire needed perspective. Yes, 2016 ended with the a 1-3 record in the last four games, but the valiant Wolverines still finished 10-3, the second consecutive ten-win season. That level of consistent success hadn't happened since the early Aughts; Michigan football had fallen from grace & lost its edge long before the Horror & the Lost Decade.

Bo's timeless wisdom, that "those who stay will be champions," teaches us & reminds us that there is no such thing as overnight success. Our goals are lofty: the B1G championshp & the College Football Playoff. Such heights are only attainable through dedication & persistence, through putting in the hours (over weeks, months, & years) & working harder & smarter than everyone else, than the guys who are themselves desperately hungry for the success we wish to taste. Do not lose sight of how far the valiant Wolverines have already come: three years ago, in 2014, Team 135 posted a losing record & was not invited to a bowl game; in 2016, with largely the same personnel, Team 137 was in the running for the College Football Playoff until late November. We are not yet where we want to be, where our tradition & commitment to excellence demand that we be, but those who stay will be champions.

Go Blue!

Next: The 2017 season opener against Florida at "Jerry World," the pornographically ostentatious home stadium to the Dallas Cowboys of the No Fun League, on Saturday, 2 September. That the University of Michigan & the University of Florida are playing a game in Texas is a clear indication that college football has lost its way, seduced by filthy lucre & entering a death spiral from which it might not be possible to return.

The Rebel Black Dot Irish Song o' the Day

The Pogues, "The Irish Rover" from The Best of the Pogues (The Last Angry Irishman)

Commentary: There are no happy endings in Irish traditional & folk music, only varying degrees of melancholy & misadventure.

"On the fourth of July, Eighteen Hundred and Six,
We set sail from the sweet cove of Cork,
We were sailing away with a cargo of bricks
For the grand City Hall in New York.
'Twas a wonderful craft, she was rigged fore and aft,
And O how the wild winds drove her!
She stood several blasts, she had twenty-seven masts,
And they called her the Irish Rover…

"We had sailed seven years when the measles broke out,
And the ship lost its way in the fog,
And that whale of a crew was reduced down to two
Just meself and the captain's old dog.
Then the ship struck a rock, O Lord what a shock!
The bulkhead was turned right over,
Turned nine times around and the poor old dog was drowned,
I'm the last of the Irish Rover!"

Project BLACK MAMBA: Ash Wednesday

'Tis Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the penitential season of Lent: Ashes-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Easter is a moveable feast, therefore Ash Wednesday is highly moveable as well, varying from 4 February at the earliest to 10 March at the latest. Last year, Ash Wednesday fell on 18 February.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Felix III, Pope (died 492), forty-eighth Bishop of Rome: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Albinus of Angers, Bishop (circa 470-550, A.K.A. Aubin): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint David of Wales, Bishop (circa 500-589): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Day.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Joel, chapter two, verses twelve thru eighteen;
Psalm Fifty-one, verses three thru six(b), eighteen, & nineteen;
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five, verse twenty thru chapter six, verse two;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter six, verses one thru six, sixteen, seventeen, & eighteen.

Urbi et Orbi
I'm signed up for three different Lenten daily reflection e-mails. Let us hope sincerely & persistently that this Lent does not become an instance of quantity over quality.

The Queue

The spree of Daredevil collections from the library is at an end, & not simply because Lent is upon us.

The title Resisting Happiness is simply brilliant, because that is so much of what we do—we resist the God Who gave us life, Who only wants us to have true, enduring happiness.

Recently
Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark, et al., Daredevil: Lady Bullseye
Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark, et al., Daredevil: Return of the King
Andy Diggle & Roberto De La Torre, et al., Daredevil: The Devil's Hand
Mark Waid & Chris Samnee, et al., Daredevil: The Autobiography of Matt Murdock

Currently
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia (The Joy of Love)
Matthew Kelly, Resisting Happiness

Presently
Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations ***interrupted***
Hilaire Belloc, How the Reformation Happened
Richard Price, Clockers
Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator, "Sinbad the Sailor" from The Arabian Nights
Sir Ernest Shackleton, South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
William F. Buckley Jr., The Unmaking of a Mayor
Scott & Kimberly Hahn, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World

Bonus! Song o' the Lenten Fast

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Grapefruit Diet" from Running with Scissors (The Last Angry Fatso)

The Rebel Black Dot Irish Song o' the Day

Dropkick Murphys, "(F)lannigan's Ball" from The Meanest of Times (The Last Angry Irishman)

Commentary: "(F)lannigan's Ball" is an updated adaptation of the tradition folk song "Lanigan's Ball." The degeneration of the celebratory ball into an indiscriminate brawl is the very core of the song, in every era.

"Boy, oh boy, now this was a rumble,
Meself took a lick from mean Richard Green,
But I soon replied to that fine introduction
And gave him a terrible kick in the spleen.

"Talent the piper nearly got strangled,
They squeezed on his bellows, chanters, and all,
The girls in the middle nearly got trampled
And that put an end to Flannigan's Ball…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Sarah Blasko, "Spanish Ladies" via iTunes (from the Turn: Washington's Spies—Original Soundtrack, Season 1 E.P.) (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: The bonnie lass pictured above is the actress Rachel Keller, an American maiden not a Spanish lady, but the intention behind the choice of "Spanish Ladies" is applicable all the same.

"Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish ladies,
Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain…"

Bonus! Song of Fat Tuesday

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "The White Stuff" from Off the Deep End (The Last Angry Fatso)

Commentary:

"The first one was a sweet one,
Second one was a blast,
Soon I finished off the bag—ate 'em up real fast!
You can see 'em in my teeth,
Tell it when I talk,
Had so many my pancreas just went into shock…"

Bonus! Song of Taco Tuesday

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Taco Grande" from Off the Deep End (The Last Angry Hombre)

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the festival of Saint Hilarius, Pope (died 468), forty-sixth Bishop of Rome: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Oswald of Worchester, Bishop, O.S.B. (died 992): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine Leap Year.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Daniel Brottier, Priest, C.S.Sp. (1876-1936): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine Non-leap. Bl. Daniel Brottier is an especially relevant saint to us in these years of the First World War's centenary.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Sirach, chapter thirty-five, verses one thru twelve;
Psalm Fifty, verses five thru eight, fourteen, & twenty-three;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-one.

The Explorers' Club, № DXXXVIII

Operation AXIOM: The World War
23 February 1917: The Second Battle of Kut—British & Imperial forces, advancing up both banks of the Tigris River since December 1916, outflanked the Ottoman defenses at Kut-al-Amara; the Turks withdrew, avoiding the fate of the Anglo-Indian forces they had starved into surrendering Kut just ten months earlier; the British commander, Sir Frederick Maude, gained the nickname "Systematic Joe."

Lest we forget.

Commentary: The Wayback Machine Tour of the Siege of Kut, 1915-1916: № CDXCV.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Backlog Edition, Part II

Sunday, 26 February was the Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Wikipedia-link.

Otherwise, 26 February would have been the festival of Saint Porphyry of Gaza, Bishop (circa 347-420): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also have been the festival of Blessed Robert Drury, Priest & Martyr, O.S.B. (1567-1607), martyred in the reign of the king James VI & I, one of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link LXXXV.

'Twould also have been the festival of Saint Paula of Saint Joseph Calasanz, Religious (1799-1889, A.K.A. Paula Montal Fornés), foundress of the Sisters of the Pious Schools: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-nine, verses fourteen & fifteen;
Psalm Sixty-two, verses two & three, six & seven, eight & nine;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses one thru five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter six, verses twenty-four thru thirty-four.

Mass Journal: Week Nine
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

I believe God wants us to be happy. I believe God gave us this yearning for happiness that constantly preoccupies our hearts. It seems He has placed this yearning within each human heart as a spiritual navigational instrument designed to lead us to our destiny. God himself is the author of our desire for happiness. The philosophy of Christ is one of self-donation. This is the great paradox of God's teaching. In our misguided adventures, we may catch glimpses of happiness as we live outside of the philosophy of Christ. You may even taste happiness for a moment living contrary to the philosophy of Christ, but these are stolen moments. They may seem real, but they are just shadows of something infinitely greater.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Backlog Edition, Part I

Saturday, 25 February was the festival of Saint Wulpurga, Abbess, O.S.B. (circa 710-779, A.K.A. Valderburg, et al.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '16. Born & raised in a family of saints, St. Walpurga's father was St. Richard the Pilgrim (7 February) & her uncle was St. Boniface (5 June), among others.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio, Religious, O.F.M. (1502-1600), nicknamed the "Angel of Mexico:" Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Saints Luigi Versiglia, Bishop, & Callistus Caravario, Priest, Martyrs, S.D.B. (1873-1930 & 1893-1930), martyred at the hands of Bolshevik pirates, two of the one hundred twenty Martyrs Saints of China (A.K.A. Saint Augustine Zhao Rong & Companions): Martyr-link Lima Victor, Martyr-link Charlie Charlie, & Wikipedia-link CXX.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '15. Within the list of Martyr Saints of China, which oddly does not number the earliest martyrs, Ss. Luigi & Callistus are numbers one hundred fifteen & one hundred sixteen.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Sirach, chapter seventeen, verses one thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Three, verses thirteen thru eighteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten, verses thirteen thru sixteen.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the festival of Saint Anne Line, Martyr (circa 1563-1601), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XL.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Roger Filcock, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (circa 1570-1601), 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.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows, Religious, C.P. (1838-1862): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Sirach, chapter seventeen, verses twenty thru twenty-four;
Psalm Thirty-two, verses one, two, five, six, & seven;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten, verses seventeen thru twenty-seven.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

William Shatner, "You'll Have Time" from Has Been (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"Live life!
Live life like you're gonna die,
Because you're gonna.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news,
But you're gonna die…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Audrey Assad, "How Can I Keep from Singing" from Inheritance (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Seriously, how can I keep from singing?

"Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,
How can I keep from singing?…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

They Might Be Giants, "I Don't Understand You" from Apollo 18 (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Twenty-seven seconds of not understanding. Fingertips!

"I don't understand you,
(I don't understand you)
I just don't understand you,
(I don't understand you)
I don't understand the things you say,
I can't understand a single word.

"I don't understand you,
(I don't understand you)
I just don't understand you,
(I don't understand you)
I cannot understand you,
(I don't understand you)
I don't understand you,
(I don't understand you)."

Project BLACK MAMBA: Backlog Edition

Friday, 24 February was the festival of Saint Liudhard, Bishop (died circa 600, A.K.A. Letard): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twas also the festival of Saint Æthelberht of Kent, Confessor (circa 552-616), King of Kent: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Saint Cumméne Find, Abbot (died 669, A.K.A. Cumméne the White): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Sirach, chapter six, verses five thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses twelve, sixteen, eighteen, twenty-seven, thirty-four, & thirty-five;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten, verses one thru twelve.

Hollywoodland

Iron Fist, the fourth Marvel/Netflix television series, debuts in three weeks, on Friday, 17 March, far-famed as St. Patrick's Day (though most of the revelers will care not a wit for the missionary bishop & the Almighty he served). Having thoroughly enjoyed both seasons of the television series Daredevil & the first season of Luke Cage (& tolerated Jessica Jones), as well as the comic book series The Immortal Iron Fist, I'm very excited. The Lord alone knows when I'll have time to watch Iron Fist, especially given a new obligation that just landed on me like a ton of bricks in the midst of an already overbooked March, but I'm still very excited.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Leave the Biker" from Fountains of Wayne (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"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 fallin' apart?
Baby, please, leave the biker, leave the biker, break his heart,
Baby, please, leave the biker, leave the biker, break his heart…"

The Queue

Sturgeon's Revelation ("ninety per cent of everything is crap") was on ruthless display in Lady Bullseye & Return of the King, two collections from Ed Brubaker's tenure as the writer of Daredevil. These were the first comics I'd read in years, other than The Adventures of Tintin & Scott Pilgrim, reminding me that the inevitability of Sturgeon's Revelation played a large role in why I stopped reading comics, especially superhero comics, in the first place. Ten years ago, I was of the opinion that Brubaker was a talented comic-book writer; either I was very mistaken, or these two collections are profoundly unrepresentative samples of his body of work.

Don't blame Sturgeon for his revelation; it's not his fault he's right.

My plan is to read Resisting Happiness as part of my Lenten devotions, approximately one chapter a day (there are thirty-seven chapters), exempting Sundays & allowing for a missed day here & there.

Recently
Matthew Kelly, Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation
Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark, et al., Daredevil: Lady Bullseye
Ed Brubaker & Michael Lark with David Aja, et al., Daredevil: Return of the King

Currently
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia (The Joy of Love)
Andy Diggle with Antony Johnston & Roberto De La Torre with Marco Checchetto, et al., Daredevil: The Devil's Hand

Presently
Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations ***paused***
Mark Waid & Chris Samnee, Daredevil: The Autobiography of Matt Murdock
Matthew Kelly, Resisting Happiness
Hilaire Belloc, How the Reformation Happened
Richard Price, Clockers
Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator, "Sinbad the Sailor" from The Arabian Nights
Sir Ernest Shackleton, South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
William F. Buckley Jr., The Unmaking of a Mayor
Scott & Kimberly Hahn, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop & Martyr (circa 69-155), martyred in the reign of the emperor Antoninus Pius: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Polycarp was a second-century Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the Martyrdom of Polycarp he died a martyr, bound & burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire failed to touch him.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, disciple of Saint John the Apostle (27 December), & friend of Saint Ignatius of Antioch (17 October), was a revered Christian leader during the first half of the second century. Saint Ignatius, on his way to Rome to be martyred, visited Polycarp at Smyrna, & later at Troas wrote him a personal letter. The Asian Minor Churches recognized Polycarp's leadership by choosing him as a representative to discuss with Pope (St.) Anicetus (20 April) the date of the Easter celebration in Rome—a major controversy in the early Church. Only one of the many letters written by Polycarp has been preserved, the one he wrote to the Church of Philippi in Macedonia. At (age) eighty-six, Polycarp was led into the crowded Smyrna stadium to be burned alive. The flames did not harm him & he was finally killed by a dagger.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Serenus the Gardener, Martyr (died circa 305), martyred in the reign of the emperor Maximian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Ludwik Mzyk, Priest & Martyr, S.V.D. (1905-1940), martyred in the reign of the Führer Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Martyrs of World War II: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link CVIII.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Sirach, chapter five, verses one thru eight;
Psalm One, verses one thru four & six;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses forty-one thru fifty;

or, for St. Polycarp:
The Book of Revelation, chapter two, verses eight thru eleven;
Psalm Thirty-one, verse six;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses eighteen thru twenty-one.

Individual Reading
The Book of Wisdom, chapter three, verses one thru twelve.

Commentary: The Hidden Counsels of God: A. On Suffering.

Urbi et Orbi
As is par for the course, Eye of the Tiber is funniest when it hits a little too close to home: Tiber-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, "Brazil" via iTunes (from Walkin') (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Is anyone else already itching for SKApril '17?

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter the Apostle: Cathedra-link ūnus, Cathedra-link duo, Cathedra-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

(The Chair of St. Peter) is a physical object—an ancient, ornamented chair—located in the apse of St. Peter's Basilica. On the other hand, there is the spiritual authority that this chair represents. Although the pope's infallible pronouncements are called ex cathedra (Latin, "from the chair") statements, he does not have to be sitting in the physical chair (which is rather high off the ground in any case). Use of the full extent of the Pope's teaching authority is referred to figuratively as him speaking "from the chair" of St. Peter.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Margaret of Cortona, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1247-1297): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Émilie d'Oultremont, Religious, S.M.R. (1818-1878, A.K.A. Marie of Jesus), foundress of the Sisters of Mary Reparatrix: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link S.M.R.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The First Letter of Peter, chapter five, verses one thru four;
Psalm Twenty-three, verses one, two, three(a), four, five, & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses thirteen thru nineteen.

Carnival!
Lent begins one week from today, with the observance of Ash Wednesday on 1 March. Lent is an annual period of fasting, penance, & alms-giving, in commemoration of our Lord Jesus Christ's forty days of fasting & praying in the desert in preparation for His earthly ministry, that precedes the holiest days of the year, the Easter Triduum. Take some time over the next seven days prayerfully to contemplate what distractions from the narrow path of righteousness you might cut out of your life this Lent, what pleasures you might forsake for the sake of your sisters & brothers in the Kingdom.

In the meantime, Carnival! Smoke if you got 'em.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Backlog Edition

Tuesday, 21 February was the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, O.S.B. (circa 1007-1073): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Saint Peter Damian was a reforming Benedictine monk & cardinal in the circle of Pope (St.) Leo IX (19 April). Dante placed him in one of the highest circles of Paradiso as a great predecessor of Saint Francis of Assisi (4 October).

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Peter escaped poverty & the neglect of his own brother when his other brother, who was archpriest of Ravenna, took him under his wing. His brother sent him to good schools & Peter became a professor. Soon, he decided to leave his teaching & give himself completely to prayer with the Benedictines of the reform of Saint Romuald (19 June) at Fonte Avellana. They lived two monks to a heritage. Peter as so eager to pray & slept so little that he soon sufered from severe insomnia. He found he had to use some prudence in taking care of himself. When he was not praying, he studied the Bible. The abbot commanded that when he died Peter should succeed him. Abbot Peter found five other heritages. He wrote many letters; some one hundred seventy survive. We also have fifty-three of his sermons & seven lives, or biographies, that he wrote. He preferred examples & stories rather than theory in his writings. The liturgical offices he wrote are evidence of his talent as a stylist in Latin.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Pepin of Landen, Confessor (circa 580-646), ancestor of Blessed Charlemagne, the inaugural Holy Roman Emperor (28 January): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twas also the festival of Blessed Noël Pinot, Priest & Martyr (1747-1794), martyred in the reign of the National Convention: Martyr-link, Wikipedia-link List, & Wikipedia-link Oath.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Sirach, chapter two, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Thirty-seven, verses three & four, eighteen & nineteen, twenty-seven & twenty-eight, & thirty-nine & forty;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses thirty thru thirty-seven;

or, for St. Peter Damian:
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter four, verses one thru five;
Psalm Sixteen, verse five(a);
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Mustard Plug, "What Does She Know?" from Can't Contain It (The Last Angry Man)

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Moxy Früvous, "King of Spain" (live) via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra featuring Asian Kung-Fu Generation, "Wake Up!" from Ska Me Forever (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: With the exception of the words "Wake up" & the closely related "So, wake up," the lyrics of "Wake Up!" are in Japanese, so I have only a vague notion of what the song is about. Surprising perhaps, given how verbal a fellow I am, but this lack of clarity does nothing to diminish my fondness for "Wake Up!" Anyone care to entertain any claptrap about music being a universal language?

Liberty & Union: From Obamboozled to Trumped

I was opposed to the politics & pomposity of Barack Obama from the moment he first rose to national prominence as the junior United States Senator from Illinois & candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2008 presidential campaign. The '08 campaign was a triumph of style over substance, with citizens from all across the political spectrum projecting their hopes, beliefs, & ideals onto Obama, who welcomed the nigh-messianic fervor, referring to himself as "the change we've been waiting for." I foresaw a parade of horrors & was proven right, time & time again, to my great sorrow.

Instead of seeking to unify a fractious body politic, President Obama governed in a narrow, intensely partisan manner, eschewing input from even the most center-left Republicans, such as Senators Snowe & Collins from Maine. The nation became more divided & debate less civil; race relations grew more contentious & instances of violent crime, including murder, rose for the first time in decades. Freedom of speech was curtailed, as I.R.S. agents conducted targeted audits against organizations from only one side of the political spectrum; local prosecutors, following the federal government's lead, launched S.W.A.T.-style raids against the law-abiding, loyal opposition. Defeat was snatched from the jaws of victory in Iraq, giving rise to the "caliphate" of Daesh (I.S.I.S.), the "Islamic State" that is even more violent & expansionist than the bin Laden affiliate, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, from which it spawned. Russia invaded & annexed the Crimean Peninsula, facing only trifling sanctions in response, & is conducting on ongoing insurgency in Ukraine, designed to break the eastern provinces away from the national government in Kiev. Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, was given massive quantities of cash & precious metals in exchange for intentionally unverifiable promises of suspending the atom-bomb program it never admitted to operating. I could go on, & on, & on & on & on about the horrors of the Obama administration's parade of horrors.

For years, I looked forward to 20 January 2017 as an auspicious day, a day of national redemption & reconciliation. So much for that hopelessly naïve notion.

The 2016 presidential campaign proved ever more fractious than the preceding eight years. The Democrats nominated for president Hillary Clinton, former United States Senator from New York & Secretary of State, whose viciousness; callousness; & sleazy conflation of the State Department with her personal charity-cum-slush fund, the Clinton Foundation, made even her most ardent supporters lukewarm & dissatisfied. The Republicans nominated for president Donald Trump, real-estate mogul & reality-T.V. star, who had previously donated to both Mrs. Clinton's Senate campaigns & the Democratic Congressional Committee, who pettiness; nativism; & sleazy personal & business dealings made even Mr. Obama & Mrs. Clinton's most ardent opponents lukewarm & dissatisfied. Such is my personal & political animosity toward Secretary Clinton that I would have been willing to hold my nose & vote for the despicable likes of libertarian demagogue Senator Ted Cruz (R., Texas), but Mr. Trump was a bridge too far. I could not in good conscience vote for him—& I did not. Such is my personal & political animosity toward now-President Trump that I left the Republican party over his nomination; my politics have not changed since this time last year, but I simply will not countenance Trump. I awoke on Wednesday, 9 November 2016, assuming that Mrs. Clinton had been elected president, as all the news anchors & pundits had been saying she would for months & months. I freely confess that I smiled when I learned that she had conceded defeat the previous night. I was not happy that Mr. Trump was to be president, but I was thrilled that Mrs. Clinton was not. As of this writing, I'm still stuck, stranded 'twixt the Devil & the deep blue sea.

I oppose President Trump's crony capitalism (Carrier, Boeing) & blunderbuss conflation of border security with anti-terrorism: cracking down on visa overstays & lone wolf radicalization within immigrant communities has nothing to do with closing the border to refugees fleeing from persecution by Daesh in Iraq. But it's not as if I can make common cause with the left, those who say all are welcome at the Women's March & then exclusive explicitly feminist groups that happen to be pro-life, those who denounced as racist anyone who dared voice even the smallest objection to President Obama's policy agenda (saying nothing at all against the man himself) & yet who proudly declare Trump #notmypresident. It is an interesting illustration of the difference 'twist conservatives & progressives; I remember seeing many a T-shirt that also declared the second President Bush "Not My President," yet no similar widespread phenomenon ever existed denying President Obama's status as president of the United States, even by those who gleefully worked to thwart his agenda &, in the first term, deny him a second. Conservatives believe in representative democracy even when we disagree with the outcome of elections; progressives only agree with the principle of "government of the people, by the people, for the people" when it produces outcomes they like.

As I wrote, I'm stuck. I'm no longer a Republican & I can't be a Democratic. In the nearly two centuries that have passed since the end of the single-party "Era of Good Feelings," third parties in the American republic have only served to ensure electoral victory for the faction to which they are most stridently opposed. Disengagement is not an option, since the Church's clear social teaching is that Catholics must be good citizens, using politics to promote justice & solidarity. Kobayashi Maru.

Operation AXIOM: Presidents Day/Washington's Birthday (Observed)
After Inauguration Day came & went unremarked, I saved the skeletal framework of this post for publication on 20 February, figuring one month's distance would make perspective & reflection easier & thus comment more illuminating. I did not realize at the time that 20 February was the third Monday of the month, & thus the observance of the federal holiday of Washington's Birthday & the similar state holiday, known by a variety of names in the several states. (In sacred Michigan, 'tis neither Presidents' Day nor President's Day, but Presidents Day. I find the lack of an apostrophe puzzling & disappointing.) Spooky timing, that.

About the only good news is that, once again, we had a peaceful transition of power. A quick glance around the globe should remind us that this is still a far from universal experience, & we Americans should not take it for granted. We must always honor General Washington for the priceless, peerless example he set by relinquishing his office after two terms, thereby setting a precedent all future presidents honored, save one—& the Constitution has since been amended to prevent anyone else from vainly, cynically clinging to power as did the second President Roosevelt.

Bonus! Songs of the Day
Big D & the Kids Table, "President" from How It Goes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: A ska-punk song that has a proper punk cynicism about politics & politicians.

Fitz & the Tantrums, "Dear Mr. President" from Pickin' Up the Pieces (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: A far more earnest cry for political action to solve social & economic problems.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the feast of Saint Olcán, Bishop (died circa 480, A.K.A. Bolcan): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Wulfric of Haselbury, Priest (circa 1080-1154): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the feast of Blesseds Jacinta & Francisco Marto (1910-1920 & 1908-1919), two of the three to whom were revealed the apparitions of Our Lady of Fátima, in 1917: Blesseds-link, Blessed-link Juliett Mike, Blessed-link Foxtrot Mike, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Our Lady.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Sirach, chapter one, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Ninety-three, verses one, two, & five;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses fourteen thru twenty-nine.

The Explorers' Club, № DXXXVII

Operation AXIOM: The World War
17 February 1917: H.M.S. Farnborough (Q-5), a British Q-ship—a merchant ship armed with concealed weaponry, intended to lure U-boats into surfacing, & thus to their doom—ambushed & sank the German Unterseeboot S.M. U-83 off the Irish coast; Farnborough's captain Gordon Campbell was awarded the Victoria Cross; the heavily damaged Q-5 was deliberately beached.

Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA: 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

'Tis the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time: Wikipedia-link.

Otherwise, 19 February would be the feast of Saint Odran, Martyr (died circa 450), martyred by pagans attempting to murder the bishop Saint Patrick: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Boniface of Brussels, Bishop, O.Cist. (1183-1260, A.K.A. of Lausanne): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Conrad of Piacenza, Hermit, T.O.S.F. (circa 1290-1351): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings
The Book of Leviticus, chapter nineteen, verses one, two, seventeen, & eighteen;
Psalm One Hundred Three, verses one thru four, eight, ten, twelve, & thirteen;
The First Latter to the Corinthians, chapter three, verses sixteen thru twenty-three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter five, verses thirty-eight thru forty-eight.

Mass Matters
On this fiftieth day of 2017 I partook of my fiftieth Mass. Life is good.

Mass Journal: Week Eight
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

The human heart is on a quest for happiness. Every person yearns for happiness like the desert yearns for rain. You have a desire for happiness; I have a desire for happiness. This desire is universal, common to every member of the human family. We simply desire to be happy, & we act from this desire. We often do things that we think will make us happy, only to discover that they end up making us miserable. This is often because we confuse pleasure with happiness. And sometimes long-term misery comes disguised as short-term pleasure.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Backlog Edition

Saturday, 18 February was the feast of Blessed John of Fiesole, Religious, O.P. (circa 1395-1455, A.K.A. Fra Angelico): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twas also the feast of Blessed John Pibush, Priest & Martyr (died 1601), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter eleven, verses one thru seven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses two thru five, ten, & eleven;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses two thru thirteen.

Mass Journal: Week Seven
Reflections by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

Now is a time when we all need to rediscover Catholicism. I try to rediscover it every day, & when I seek in earnest to do so I am never disappointed. When I am able to set my ego & personal agenda aside, more often than not I am left in awe. Catholicism is old. But let me ask you a question. If you had an ancient treasure map, would you throw it away because it was old? No. The age of the map doesn't matter. What matters is whether or not it leads to treasure. Catholicism is a treasure map: It may be old, but it still leads to treasure. Let's rediscover it together, & help others to do the same.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Flogging Molly, "Rebels of the Sacred Heart" from Drunken Lullabies (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: "Rebels of the Sacred Heart" is more about cultural Catholicism than religious Catholicism, but that is appropriate to it's selection. The Friday before last, I was wearing the "Enjoy Being Catholic" T-shirt gifted me by Brother & Mrs. Nacho (A.K.A. Brother & Mrs. Envy) when a priest asked me, "How long have you been Catholic?" Without taking any offense, I read into his question the implication that I am an adult convert to the faith. Of course, that is true, from Obi-Wan Kenobi's famous "certain point of view."

I replied, "My whole life. But until five years ago I was a bad Catholic. Well, I'm still a bad Catholic, but I used to be a lazy Catholic. I was just a pew potato." The question was asked in the context of jail ministry, of preaching the gospel to the inmates of the Genesee County Jail, trying to introduce them to the Lord & to show them there is a better way than the cycle of violence & drug abuse that typifies most of their lives.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Bobby Darin, "Beyond the Sea" via iTunes (from The Ultimate Bobby Darin) (The Last Angry Man)

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Optional Memorial of the Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order, formally the Order of Servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Saints-link ūnus, Saints-link duo, & Wikipedia-link O.S.M.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

The Servite Order was found in 1233… when a group of cloth merchants of Florence, Italy, left their city, families, & professions to retire to Monte Senario, a mountain outside the city, for a life of poverty & penance. These men are known as the Seven Holy Founders. The order's purposes are the sanctification of its members, preaching the Gospel, & the propagation of devotion to the Mother of God, with special reference to her sorrows.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

In 1240 seven noblemen of Florence mutually decided to withdraw from the city to a solitary place for prayer & direct service to God. Their initial difficulty was providing for their dependents, since two were still married & two were widowers. Their aim was to lead a life of penance & prayer, but they soon found themselves disturbed by constant visitors from Florence. They next withdrew to the deserted slopes of Monte Senario. In 1244, under the direction of St. Peter of Verona, O.P. (6 April), this small group adopted a religious habit similar to the Dominican habit, choosing to live under the Rule of St. Augustine & adopting the name of the servants of Mary. The new Order took a form more like that of the mendicant friars than that of the older monastic orders.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Evermode of Ratzeburg, Bishop, O.Praem. (circa 1100-1178): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Luke Belludi, Religious, O.F.M. (circa 1200-1285): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duae, & Wikipedia-link (list).

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Genesis, chapter eleven, verses one thru nine;
Psalm Thirty-three, verses ten thru fifteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter eight, verse thirty-four thru chapter nine, verse one;

or, for the Seven Holy Founders:
The Letter to the Romans, chapter eight, verses twenty-six thru thirty;
Psalm Thirty-four, verse two;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nineteen, verses twenty-seven, twenty-eight, & twenty-nine.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Raphael Saadiq, "Good Man" from Luke Cage: Original Soundtrack Album (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I woke up with "Good Man" running through my head, which is of course my favorite method for selecting the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. I do so love it when my mind is quiet enough to hear the unknown muses singing.

"I'm a good man, food on the table,
Working two jobs, ready, willing, and able,
Check, a good man, love having fun,
And got no kids and I love the Lord,
Check, a good man, I'm monogamous,
Never did time, well, maybe just once,
Check, a good man, and I puts it down,
Wanna say it twice, brother puts it down,
Check…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the feast of Saint Juliana of Nicomedia, Martyr (died circa 304, A.K.A. of Cumae), martyred in the reign of the emperor Maximian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the feast of Saint John Scholasticus, Bishop (died 577, A.K.A. John III), Patriarch of Constantinople: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Philippa Mareri, Abbess, O.S.C. (circa 1195-1236): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Nicola Paglia, Priest, O.P. (1197-1256): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: The contemporaneous lives of Bls. Philippa Mareri & Nicola Paglia—both religious, both Italians (not that Italy was a united polity at the time)—remind me that the Franciscan Order & the Dominican Order were both founded at the same period—1209 & 1216, respectively—in the same moment when the Church was in desperate need of renewal.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Genesis, chapter nine, verses one thru thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred Two, verses sixteen thru twenty-three & twenty-nine;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter eight, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-three.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "I'll Sue Ya" from Straight Outta Lynnwood (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: The train of thought behind today's R.B.D.S.O.T.D.: My father watches twenty-four-hour cable news, alternating 'twixt Fox News & M.S.N.B.C. throughout the day. This morning, while I was in the kitchen (where I could not avoid the televised poison of twenty-four-hour cable news), I saw a commercial from one of those super sleazy law firms trolling for clients, looking to cash in on human misery, in this instance on botched hip replacement surgeries/recalled surgical implants. My father recently had hip-replacement surgery, which to this point in his recover appears to have gone very well, praise God. I grinned as "I'll Sue Ya" came to mind.

"I sued Ben Affleck—
Ah, do I even need a reason?…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the feast of Saint Berach, Bishop & Martyr (died 595): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Saints Sunaman, Unaman, & Winaman, Martyrs, O.S.B. (died circa 1040), martyred by pagan Swedes in the reign of the king Arund Jacob: Martyr-link Sierra, Martyr-link Uniform, Martyr-link Whiskey, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Nephews of & fellow missionaries with St. Sigfrid.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Sigfrid of Sweden, Bishop, O.S.B. (died 1045): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Claude de la Colombière, Priest, S.J. (1641-1682): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Genesis, chapter eight, verses six thru thirteen, twenty, twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, verses twelve thru fifteen, eighteen, & nineteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter eight, verses twenty-two thru twenty-six.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Red Dragon Tattoo" from Utopia Parkway (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: As I do every year, I've had so much fun bashing Valentine's Day that I'm tempted to keep it up indefinitely, much like the SKAfter Party that followed SKApril '16. I'm not going to do that, just as I'm not going to follow the inverse temptation: to showcase songs that glorify the manifold splendors of love. That said, today's R.B.D.S.O.T.D. could easily be featured in some future year as a R.B.D.A.V.S.O.T.D., if one were so inclined. That's just the nature of the beast.

"Red dragon tattoo is just about on me,
I got it for you, so now do you want me?
With nothing to prove, will you be my honey? Oh yeah!
In you I confide, red dragon tattoo,
I'm fit to be dyed, am I fit to have you?…"

Operation AXIOM: Be My Anti-Valentine

I received the following text message this afternoon, out of the blue, as they say:

Happy Valentine's Day, dude! I'm trying to focus on the origins of today with St. Valentine and his legacy. It's more meaningful than what it's become.

The conversation flowed back & forth, including the following:

Haha. And it's not like I'd be mad if someone sent me flowers. But that stuff is even more special on days not commercialized, in my opinion

Long-time readers of The Secret Base might remember my interlocutor by her old Project PANDORA code name, Miss Mozart. We met through a dating website in the summer of 2012 & had one bad date that fall.* Per her request, we "remained" friends after that, but didn't really reconnect 'til this past summer (2016), shortly before she moved out to the San Francisco Bay Area to work for Major League Baseball. We shared one super fun evening at Ypsilanti's Wurst Bar, a much better evening than our single date lo those many years ago.

It is gratifying to see the good work of denouncing Valentine's Day spread. I would have no issue with Valentine's Day, no need to carry on with this yearly polemic, if Valentine's Day was merely a farce. But it is not a farce, Valentine's Day is a fraud. There is nothing inherently wrong with giving gifts as tokens of one's love, be it eros, philia, storge, or agape. The fraud occurs, the harm results when a relentless drumbeats of sights & sounds insists that love must be expressed through purchasing power, that any love not so expressed cannot be "real." Yes, gemstones are pretty, but wouldn't it be better if a fellow didn't work as many nights & weekends so that he could afford the shiny baubles & instead spent that time with his ladylove? Is it not fraudulent to pressure children into writing insincere Valentines to every one of their classmates? To Miss Mozart's point, wouldn't all the gestures associated with Valentine's Day—the dinners, the candy, the shiny baubles—be seen as more sincere, as more genuine reflections of affection rather than acts of societal obligations, if they were made outside of the commercial maelstrom of Valentine's Day?

This Valentine's Day, & every Valentine's Day hereafter, fight against cheap counterfeit love, which carries a very hefty price tag—financially, emotionally, & psychologically. Fight against the commercialization of affection. We were not created to be consumers of love, but givers of love, partakers of love. Fight for authentic, self-sacrificing love, in all of your relationships. All those we love, & we ourselves, deserve better than this paper moon we've been sold.

Be my Anti-Valentine.

The Wayback Machine Tour of Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day '16 | Valentine's Day '15

Valentine's Day '14, Part I, Part II, & Part III

Valentine's Day '13 | Valentine's Day '12

Valentine's Day '11 | Valentine's Day '10

Valentine's Day '09 | Valentine's Day '08

Valentine's Day '07 | Valentine's Day '06

Valentine's Day '05 | Valentine's Day '04

*I didn't tag my posts back then (this post is tagged "Kith & Culture," "Love Stinks," & "W.A.B.A.C."), so you'll have to go back & search the old-fashioned way for PANDORA posts, as I shan't be furnishing any Wayback Machine hyperlinks. I was not as kind to Miss Mozart as I could have been.