The Explorers' Club, № CDLVII

Constantine, Algeria—the "City of Bridges."









Commentary: As vital as it is that we remember the horrors of the First World War, we dare not forget that there is more to the world than just the tragedy of 1914-1918. Enjoy scenic Constantine!

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Aristides the Athenian (d. c. 134): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Romans, chapter six.

Mass Readings
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter four, verses thirteen thru eighteen;
Psalm Ninety-six, verses one, three thru five, eleven thru thirteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter four, verses sixteen thru thirty.

Mass Journal: Week 36
Reflection by Matthew Kelly of the Dynamic Catholic Institute

Within each of us there is a light. It is the light of God, & when it shines it reflects not only the wonder of God but also the greatness of the human spirit. We live in difficult times. I pray that we never become fearful, but rather we turn our focus to nurturing the light within us. I hope we allow that light within us to be nourished & to grow. Darkness has one enemy it can never defeat, & that is light. Let your light shine! The best thing you can do for yourself is to become (sic) the-best-version-of-yourself. The best thing you can do for your spouse, your children, your friends, your Church, your nation, & God is to become (sic) the-best-version-of-yourself.

The Rebel Black Dot Summer Song of the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "The Summer Place" from Sky Full of Holes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: A couple weeks back, when the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. was a veritable track listing of Sky Full of Holes, I listened to "The Summer Place" over & over & over again, but refrained from selecting it, preferring to reserve it for this end-o'-the-long-summer musical fête. Last week, in "This Week in Motorsport: Triskaidekaphobia," I quoted a few lines of verse from Bill Willingham's often clever comic book Fables. I quote those same lines again, because even aside from all the shuffling off of this mortal coil, this has been a far from ideal summer.

The cruel, hot summer
led into the long, hard fall,
becoming the dark, killing winter
until spring replenished us all.

I'd already planned to feature a week of summer songs in the run-up to Labor Day, America's unofficial close to the summer & beginning of the fall, but added weight was accorded the exercise this morning when I observed a goodly number of fallen leaves lying on the grass. The heat persists & could well linger well into October, but the days are already grown noticeably shorter as we sit two-thirds of the way from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox. The world, quite apart from our culture, is taking note of the change of the season. But, in the words of Elwood Blues, "while we still can," let us revel in a few songs of summer, of endless possibilities limited only by our ambition.

"Oh! At the summer place
We've got the space if you've got the time,
And the summer place
Is so far away it's another state of mind…"

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Lord's Day

J. J. Heller, "Invisible Love" from Painted Red (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Lord, I know your whisper
Though I've never heard the sound,
The wonder of invisible love…"

Samstag, 29. August
The Proclaimers, "Wages of Sin" from Notes & Rhymes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"I've lead an average life,
I've told the truth and I have lied,
But I need a few more years
To help build up the credit side.

"So I hope (Hope, hope, hope and pray),
And I pray (Hope, hope, hope and pray),
That the wages of sin aren't paid today…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Otherwise, we would remember, Saint Jeanne Jugan, L.S.P. (1792-1879, A.K.A. Mary of the Cross), foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link L.S.P.

Commentary: At present, the Little Sisters of the Poor are frequently in the news not for their good works caring for the aged, but for standing athwart the Obama Administration's relentless attempts to undermine Amendment I of the United States Constitution.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter four, verses one & two, six thru eight;
Psalm Fifteen, verses two thru five;
The Letter of James, chapter one, verses seventeen & eighteen, twenty-one(B) thru twenty-two, twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter seven, verses one thru eight, fourteen & fifteen, twenty-one thru twenty-three.

* * * * *

29 August was the Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist (1st century), martyred under the Tetrarch Herod Antipas: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

The last prophet of the Old Testament, the forerunner of the Messiah, was killed by a corrupted King who gave in to lust, pride, & grandiosity. John never stopped bearing witness to the truth. He had the eyes to see that Truth was fully revealed in Jesus, & was killed in retaliation [for] his beliefs. Because of this, the Christian tradition has hailed him as a martyr.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter four, verses nine thru eleven;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, seven thru nine;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter six, verses seventeen thru twenty-nine.

The Explorers' Club, № CDLVI

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Great Retreat, Part III
10-20 August 1915: The Siege of Novogeorgievsk—the last bastion of a century of Russian rule in Poland is overrun, with ninety thousand of the Tsar's troops abandoned, surrounded, & captured, along with sixteen hundred cannon & a million artillery shells.









Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Augustine, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (354-430, A.K.A. of Hippo): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Although he excelled in his stiduies, his behavior becme unaceptable to his mother. Not only that he went into loose living with women, alcohol, & addicitons of all kinds, but he also got involved with a cult. (St.) Monica was a mother who never gave up. When Augustine was twenty-nine he not only embraced Christianity during an Easter celebration, but he decided to live a life of celibacy & devote himself to God.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter ten, verses sixteen thru twenty-two;
The Letter to the Romans, chapter four;
The Letter to the Romans, chapter five.

Mass Readings
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter four, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Ninety-seven, verses one & two(B), five & six, ten thru twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses one thru thirteen.

Bonus! Song of the Day
Audrey Assad, "Lead Me On" from Fortunate Fall (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I recall hearing Mrs. Assad say, in a radio interview, that Fortunate Fall was inspired by &/or based on the writings of St. Augustine, especially his Confessions.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Aloe Blacc, "Wake Me Up (Acoustic)" from Lift Your Spirit (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"They tell me I'm too young to understand.
They say I'm caught up in a dream.
Life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes,
Well, that's fine by me.

"So wake me up when it's all over,
When I'm wiser and I'm older,
All this time I was finding myself
And I didn't know I was lost…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Favorite Records" from Medium Rare (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: From where your humble narrator sits, "Favorite Records" might as well have been written about The Mighty Mighty Bosstones themselves.

"You made some of my favorite records,
The sweet, sweet sounds that you cut will last…
Thank you for the records.

"I love the way you make your music,
You've got a lovely way with words,
The music plays,
In turn you turn your phrase,
Turn up the volume on the sweetest sounds I've ever heard,
Thank you for the records,
Thank you for the records…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Monica (331-387): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Monica's husband, Patricus, not only came home drunk each day but had a violent tamper & Monica was often the victim of his rage. Patricus was neither a faithful husband & therefore, Monica's life was full of trials.

Huh. Odd that the bulletin focuses on Patricus, who repented & converted on his death bed thanks to his wife's years of prayer, & yet does not mention St. Monica's blessed son, the bishop & Doctor of the Church St. Augustine, whose writings are our principal source on her life & virtue.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter three, verses seven thru thirteen;
Psalm Ninety, verses three thru five(A), twelve thru fourteen, seventeen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-four, verses forty-two thru fifty-one.

This Week in Motorsport: Triskaidekaphobia

Bill Willingham, writing in Fables: Mean Seasons (originally serialized as "The Long Year"):

The cruel, hot summer
led into the long, hard fall,
becoming the dark, killing winter
until spring replenished us all.

This has been a very cruel summer. On 17 July, Formula One pilot Jules Bianchi (1989-2015) succumbed to injuries sustained nine months earlier, 5 October 2014, during the Japanese Grand Prix. Two days ago, on 24 August, IndyCar pilot Justin Wilson (1978-2015) succumbed to injuries sustained the day before, 23 August 2015, during the Pocono 500.

From the moment I became a fan of motorsports, I knew it was only a matter of time 'til I saw a man die, 'til a driver perished in a race I was watching. This almost happened on 16 October 2011, when double Indy 500 winner Dan Wheldon (1978-2011) died in the IndyCar season finale at Las Vegas, but by the grace of God I was busy that day & decided not to watch the race. This post is titled "Triskaidekaphobia" because I've been putting off writing it for two years, since the first time I watched a driver die in a race.

triskaidekaphobia, n., \ˌtris-ˌkī-ˌde-kə-ˈfō-bē-ə\ fear of the number thirteen

On 22 June 2013, Allan Simonsen (1978-2013) died during the third lap of the 24 Heures du Mans (Wayback Machine). His G.T.E. Am.-class car was not on camera when he crashed, but the wrecked machine was later shown. I've seen drivers climb out of more badly mangled race cars, but in this sad case the damage was precisely what was required to extinguish a young life full of promise. The great race continued, in accordance with the Simonsen family's wishes, but as one of his fellow drivers remarked, the tragedy has "taken the fun out of it." That was a long, sad day.

On 15 October 2013, G.T. pilot Sean Edwards (1986-2013), whom I'd seen race in the American Le Mans Series & the Grand Am Sports Car Series (since merged as the United SportsCar Championship), died in another man's crash: Edwards was riding along, instructing another driver, who crashed their Porsche. Many drivers supplement the often meager race purses they win by working as ride-along instructors, teaching others the fine art of motorcar racing. This is even more dangerous than racing for a living & requires a driver to place his life in another man's hands. I was not watching when Edwards died, but I had seen him race mere weeks earlier.

A similar death occurred earlier this year, on 12 April 2015, when an instructor, Gary Terry (1978-2015), died in a Lamborghini at Walt Disney World's Exotic Driving Experience, when the driver he was instructing crashed: Associated Press-link.

On 15 November 2013, off-road motorcycle rider Kurt Caselli (1982-2013) died while leading the Baja 1,000. I only learned of the death in January '14, when it was mentioned during the coverage of that year's Dakar Rally. I'd first encountered Caselli during the 2013 Dakar, when as a rookie, riding in place of injured then triple & currently quintuple Dakar champion Marc Coma, Caselli captured two stage wins, a most impressive Dakar debut.

On 6 October 2013, triple Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti (b. 1973) was involved in a particularly violent crash at the Houston street circuit. Franchitti survived, thank goodness, & has recovered from most of his injuries, but due to concussion symptoms he retired from motor racing. He is still involved with IndyCar, as an out-of-the-car driver coach, & whenever he is interviewed the desire still to be behind the wheel is evident, though wisely he has not gone against medical advice. I've seen innumerable collisions & crashes in the six years I've been watching motorsports, most of them spectacular, many of them paying tribute to the great advances in safety that have been made since the bad old days when the specter of death was a regular feature at the world's circuits. I've seen many close escapes like Franchitti's, many wrecks that in years & decades past would have snuffed out lives. I've seen drivers walk away grinning from smoldering wrecks, from twisted hulks of gaily hued carbon fiber, metal, & rubber. But not always. Thunder & damnation, not always!

On 19 July 2009, Formula Two pilot Henry Surtees (1991-2009) died at Brands Hatch. He was the son of F1 World Champion John Surtees, the only man to win world championships in both motorcycle & automobile racing. Young Surtees's death is the first I can recall in the period of my motorsports fandom. He died after being struck in the helmet by a wheel that bounced back into the circuit after another driver crashed.

This summer has been unusually cruel, with two open-wheel deaths in six weeks. Bianchi's death was the first in F1 in twenty-one years, since the terrible weekend at Imola in '94 when both Roland Ratzenberger (1960-1994) & triple World Champion Ayrton Senna (also 1960-1994) died in separate crashes—Ratzenberger on 30 April 1994, during qualifying for the San Marino Grand Prix; Senna on 1 May 1994, during the race itself. (Senna, a Brazilian patriot, often displayed a Brazilian flag during the cool down lap following his victories; I've read that at the time he perished he was carrying an Austrian flag inside his car, which he planned to display during the cool down lap in Ratzenberger's honor.) Bianchi crashed under unusual circumstances. The grand prix was under caution because another driver, Adrian Sutil, had already gone off track & crashed. (Sutil was unhurt.) As the yellow caution flags waved, a recovery vehicle went out to remove Sutil's stricken car from where it posed a danger to any other driver who might also go off track. Bianchi lost control of his car at almost the same spot as Sutil & collided with the recovery vehicle. Bianchi fought for nine months, but he never regained consciousness. His death was mourned for his youth & unfulfilled potential, for many described him as a future world champion.

The shock & sadness of Wilson's death is still raw. His was the first death in IndyCar since Wheldon's. The current IndyCar chassis, the DW12, is named in Wheldon's honor. Wilson's death also marked the first time I saw the fatal collision. He didn't crash his car, but was struck in the helmet by flying debris from another driver's crash. I saw him interviewed the day before, during qualifying; he was his usual charming self.

I've hesitated to write this post for so long after Simonsen's death because I didn't know what to say. I still don't know what to say, but now I know I don't have to say anything. Nothing of grand significance need be said. These men died doing what they loved, each man pursuing his life's passion. We who cannot do what they did love what they were able to do, love the sport they loved, the glory for which they were willing to chance their lives. The words of the Gettysburg Address spring to mind. "The world will little note, nor long remember what" I write here. What these men have done is "far above [my] poor power to add or detract." If we throw up our hands in disgust & forsake motor racing, only then they will have died in vain. If we know longer honor the men who win the races they died contesting, only then they will have died in vain. They considered the prizes for which they contested worth the risk of life & limb. Who are we to disagree? Who are we to dishonor their choice? We need only remember them, need only remember they way in which they lived & died. We need only mourn them, keep their souls, their widows, & their fatherless children in our prayers.

I pray that I will never again mourn another driver who dies in a race I am watching, but I know today, even more than I've ever known before, that the Lord in His infinite mercy will not also answer this prayer as I wish. Yet I bow to His wisdom, which is infinitely greater than mine.

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "The Day He Didn't Die" from Pay Attention (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"And how I loved how he lived,
How he was loved and admired,
A knack, a certain flair for life,
And how he had it wired!
He'd never give up, he wouldn't give in,
He had a wonderful way of living.

"There's not been a day, one hasn't gone by,
When I don't think about the day he didn't die.

"I really miss him,
He would have loved this,
I hope he can hear me…"

Dienstag, 25. August
Michael Giacchino, "Tragic Story of Rex Racer" from Speed Racer: Original Motion Picture Score (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Absolutely no disrespect is meant toward Messers. Wilson or Bianchi, nor any of their fallen brethren, but this is the song that came to mind when I learned of Wilson's death on Monday night. Requiescat in pace.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Alexander of Bergamo (d. c. 303), possibly a centurion of the Theban Legion, martyred under the Emperor Diocletian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Legion.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Romans, chapter three.

Mass Readings
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter two, verses nine thru thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-nine, verses seven thru twelve(A,B);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-three, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-two.

Commentary: Look back to yesterday's Mass readings. Rarely are all three daily readings been so contiguous.

Mass Journal: Week 35
Reflection by Matthew Kelly of the Dynamic Catholic Institute

The saints were remarkable men & women, but surprisingly what made them remarkable was rarely anything too spectacular. What made them extraordinary was the ordinary. They strove to grow in virtue through the ordinary things of everyday life. If they were caring for the sick they were growing in humility. When they were educating children they were growing in patience. As Saint Thérèse of Lisieux said, "Do the little things with great love." There is nothing more attractive than holiness. Throughout history, whenever men & women of holiness have lived, the Church has blossomed. This is the answer to all of our questions & the solution to all of our problems: holiness of life. What are you willing to live for? Just before her death, (Saint) Joan of Arc wrote, "I know this now. Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing, & yet they give their lives to that little or nothing. One life is all we have, & we live it as we believe in living it & then it's gone. But to surrender what you are & to live without belief is more terrible than dying—even more terrible than dying young." What are you willing to give your life for?

The Explorers' Club, № CDLV

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Great Retreat, Part II
21 August 1915: Tsar Nicholas II assumed direct control of the war effort, supplanting Grand Duke Nicholay Nickolayevich as commander-in-chief of the Imperial Russian Army, a decision with fateful consequences for the Russian Empire & the Romanov dynasty.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the optional memorial of Saint Louis (1214-1270, A.K.A. King Louis IX of France): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

St. Louis, King of France, was well known for protecting the French clergy from secular leaders & for strictly enforcing laws against blasphemy. Louis lead two crusades, the Sixth & Seventh Crusades. At the onset of the Seventh Crusade in 1270, Louis died of dysentery.

'Tis also the optional memorial Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest, Sch.P. (1557-1648), founder of the Piarists, formally the Order of Poor Clerics Regular of the Mother of God of the Pious Schools: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Sch.P.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

St. Joseph Calasanz: A priest with university training in canon law & theology, respected for his wisdom & administrative expertise, he put aside his career because he was deeply concerned with the need for education of poor children. He formed teaching priests into a community. The community was recognized as a religious order ciole Pie (Religious Schools), also known as the Piarists.

St. Joseph is Archdiocese of Boston-based CatholicTV's "Obscure Saint of the Month" for August. For whatever reason, I have a greater affinity for CatholicTV than for E.W.T.N., though I like & watch both.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Romans, chapter two.

Mass Readings
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter two, verses one thru eight;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-nine, verses one thru six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-three, verses twenty-three thru twenty-six.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Ricky Skaggs, "Kentucky Voice" from The Song Album: Music from the Motion Picture (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I am not from Kentucky. I owe no allegiance to nor hold any particular affinity for Kentucky. But not so far back, less than a hundred years ago, my maternal grandfather, may he rest in peace, was born in some hollow ("holler") in Breathitt County, Kentucky.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Feast of Saint Bartholomew, Apostle (1st century, A.K.A. Nathanael): Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, where Bartholomew's evangelical labors were expended in the East, he was identified with Nathanael. Along with his fellow apostle Jude Thaddeus, Bartholomew is reputed to have brought Christianity to Armenia in the 1st century. He is said to have been martyred in Albanopolis in Armenia.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Romans, chapter one (of sixteen).

Mass Readings
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses nine(B) thru fourteen;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses ten thru thirteen, seventeen & eighteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses forty-five thru fifty-one.

Operation AXIOM

Today is Black Ribbon Day, known in Europe, where the commemoration originated, as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism & Nazism. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the treaty by which Hitler's German Reich & Stalin's Soviet Union agreed to divide up a conquered post-democratic Europe, was signed in Moscow seventy-six year ago to the day, 23 August 1939. Vladimir Putin, the president-cum-strongman of the Russian Federation, has defended the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact as necessary, & like his predecessor Joseph Stalin he has systematically violated the territorial sovereignty of his neighbors. Stalin, the in days before war broke out between Nazi Germany & Communist Russia, invaded Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, & Poland; Putin, to this point, has invaded Georgia & the Ukraine, annexing the Crimea, & will surely continue this pattern of aggression unless the next American president has the courage & fortitude to enforce the world order we're spend the last seventy years building, at the cost of innumerable lives & uncountable treasure, explicitly to avoid the mistakes & provocations that lead Hitler & Stalin to think they could conquer at will without opposition from the Western democracies. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed, finally rendering unavoidable the firestorm of World War II, seventy-six years ago today.

Black Ribbon Day, lest we forget.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Roger McGuinn, Emmylou Harris, & Ricky Skaggs, "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" from The Song Album: Music from the Motion Picture (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: The lyrics of "Turn! Turn! Turn!" are drawn from the Book of Ecclesiastes, a part of the Hebrew Scriptures & thereby the Christian Old Testament.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Otherwise, we would remember Saint Rose of Lima, T.O.S.D. (1586-1617): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

We would also remember Saint Philip Benizi, O.S.M. (133-1285, A.K.A. Philip Benitius): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Joshua, chapter twenty-four, verses one & two(A), fifteen thru seventeen, eighteen(B);
Psalm Thirty-four, verses two & three, sixteen thru twenty-one;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter five, verses twenty-one thru thirty-two;
or, The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter five, verses two(A), twenty-five thru thirty-two;
The Gospel according to John, chapter six, verses sixty thru sixty-nine.

The Explorers' Club, № CDLIV

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Gallipoli Campaign, Part VI
21-29 August 1915: The Battles of Scimitar Hill (21 August) & Hill 60 (21-29 August)—The last British & A.N.Z.A.C. attacks of the entire Gallipoli adventure, a failed attempt to secure & link the tenuous holdings at Anzac Cove & Suvla Bay, once again undermined by poor planning & grievous errors in communication, coordination, & command.









Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Our Lady-link ūna, Our Lady-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Mary's queenship has roots in Scripture. At the Annunciation, (the archangel) Gabriel announced that Mary's Son would receive the throne of David & rule forever. At the Visitation, (St.) Elizabeth calls Mary "mother of my Lord." As in all the mysteries of Mary's life, Mary is closely associated with Jesus: Her queenship is a share of Jesus's kingship. We can also recall that in the Old Testament the mother of the king has great influence in court.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Ruth, chapter two, verses one thru three, eight thru eleven & chapter four, verses thirteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-eight, verses one(B) thru five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-three, verses one thru twelve.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Radio Bar" from Sky Full of Holes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"One night there was a girl there,
For some reason she pulled up her chair,
She said, 'Why don't we go somewhere?'
So I passed her her coat,
That was all that she wrote,
That was it for the Radio Bar,
That was it for the Radio Bar."

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" from Sky Full of Holes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I had selected "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" as the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. long before I saw her this afternoon, & it isn't even a song about unrequited love (I can't really makes heads or tales of the lyrics, myself, yet I remain confident 'tis not a song of unrequited love), but there she was, so beautiful & so warm & welcoming—& suddenly "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" seemed all the more apropos.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope (1835-1914): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Two of the most outstanding accomplishments of this saintly pope were the inauguration of the liturgical renewal & the restoration of frequently communion from childhood. He also waged an unwavering war against the heresy & evils of Modernism, gave great impetus to biblical studies, & brought about the codification of Canon Law. His overriding concern was to renew all things in Christ.

I attended Mass this morning at Saint Pius X in Flint Township. As a frequent, almost daily recipient of the Eucharist, I am indebted to Pope St. Pius X.

Today we also remember Our Lady of Knock, an Irish Marian apparition (1879): Our Lady-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
Introduction to the Letter to the Romans.

Mass Readings
The Book of Ruth, chapter one, verses one, three thru six, fourteen(B) thru sixteen, twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-six, verses five thru ten;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-two, verses thirty-four thru forty;
or,
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter two, verses two(B) thru eight;
Psalm Eighty-nine, verse two;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twenty-one, verses fifteen thru seventeen.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "You Can't Win" from A Jackknife to a Swan (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Now please a word here to the wise,
You need to read between the lines,
You've got to dot your T's and cross your I's
Cross your fingers when the print is fine,
You got to do is stay one step ahead,
They're wide awake while you're still in bed,
They count the money while you're counting sheep,
They're wide awake, they can't afford to go to sleep…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

19 August was the optional memorial of Saint John Eudes, Priest, C.J.M. (1601-1680), founder of the Eudists, formally the Congregation of Jesus & Mary, & the Order of Our Lady of Charity: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.J.M. & Wikipedia-link O.D.N.C..

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Holiness is the wholehearted openness to the Love of God. It is visibly expressed in many ways, but the variety of expression has one common quality: concern for the needs of others. In John's case, those who were in need were plague-stricken people, ordinary parishioners, those preparing for the priesthood, prostitutes, & all Christians called the imitate the love of Jesus & His mother.

We also remembered Saint Louis of Toulouse, O.F.M. (1274-1297), bishop: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day (Wednesday)
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter three.

Mass Readings
The Book of Judges, chapter nine, verses six thru fifteen;
Psalm Twenty-one, verses two thru seven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty, verses one thru sixteen.

* * * * *

Today is the Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot & Doctor of the Church, O.Cist. (1090-1153, A.K.A. of Clairvaux): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Although he suffered from constant physical pain & illness & had to govern a monastery that soon housed several hundred monks & was sending forth groups regularly to begin new monasteries (he personally saw to the establishment of sixty-five of the three hundred Cistercian monasteries founded during his thirty-eight years as abbot), he yet found time to compose many spiritual works that still speak to us today. He laid out a solid foundation for the spiritual life in his works on grace & free will, humility & love.

As a reminder, there are only thirty-six Doctors of the Church. Respect is due.

Scripture of the Day (Today)
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter four (of four).

Mass Readings
The Book of Judges, chapter eleven, verses twenty-nine thru thirty-nine(A);
Psalm Forty, verses five, seven thru ten;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-two, verses one thru fourteen;
or,
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifteen, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verse twelve;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

The Explorers' Club, № CDLIII

Operation AXIOM: The World War
19 August 1915: The sinking of the ocean liner S.S. Arabic by the German U-boat S.M. U-24, which had previously sunk the British battleship H.M.S. Formidable.







Lest we forget.

Bonus! Song of the Day
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Word Crimes" from Mandatory Fun (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I was listening to K-Love as I motored in the Lumi this afternoon when the D.J., in asking for the audience's understanding while she struggled with a recalcitrant computer, said, "My computer's literally exploding right now." It will be a very, very long time before I shall be able to stomach K-Love again.

"And I thought you had gotten it through your skull,
About what's figurative and what's literal,
Oh, but just now you said, you literally couldn't get out of bed.
That really makes me want to literally smack a crowbar upside your stupid head!…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "A Road Song" from Sky Full of Holes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I'm not choosing songs from Sky Full of Holes as the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. as part of any theme, it's just a really good album.

"I bought you a light blue T-shirt last night,
Some band I couldn't stand, but their logo's alright…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

16 August was the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Otherwise, we would have remembered Saint Roch, T.O.S.F. (1295-1327, A.K.A. Rocco): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day (Sunday)
Personal Reading
Introduction to the Letter to the Philippians.

Mass Readings
The Book of Proverbs, chapter nine, verses one thru six;
Psalm Thirty-four, verses two thru seven;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter five, verses fifteen thru twenty;
The Gospel according to John, chapter six, verses fifty-one thru fifty-eight.

* * * * *

On 17 August, we remembered Pope Saint Eusebius (d. 310): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day (Monday)
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter one (of four).

Mass Readings
The Book of Judges, chapter two, verses eleven thru nineteen;
Psalm One Hundred Six, verses thirty-four thru thirty-seven, thirty-nine & forty, forty-three(A,B), forty-four;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nineteen, verses sixteen thru twenty-two.

* * * * *

On 18 August, we remembered Blessed Martín Martínez Pascual (1910-1936), priest, martyred by Republicans (Rojos) during the Spanish Civil War: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (Spanish).

Scripture of the Day (Tuesday)
Personal Reading
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter two.

Mass Readings
The Book of Judges, chapter six, verses eleven thru twenty-four(A);
Psalm Eighty-five, verses nine, eleven thru fourteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nineteen, verses twenty-three thru thirty.

* * * * *

Mass Journal: Week 34
Reflection by Matthew Kelly of the Dynamic Catholic Institute

The philosophy of Christ is based on discipline, & it is discipline that our modern culture abhors & has rejected with all its strength. It is true that Jesus came to comfort the afflicted, but as (Servant of God) Dorthy Day, journalist, social activist, & alcoholic convert pointed out, he also came to afflict the comfortable. The saints make many modern Catholics uncomfortable because they challenge us to throw off the spirit of the world & to embrace the Spirit of God. Like Jesus, by their example the saints invite us to the life of discipline. Contrary to popular opinion, discipline doesn't stifle or restrict the human person. Discipline isn't something invented by the Church to control of manipulate the masses, nor it is a tool that unjust tyrants & dictators use to make people do things that don't want to do. All these are the lies of a culture completely absorbed in a philosophy of instant gratification. Discipline is the faithful friend who will introduce you to your true self. Discipline is the worthy protector who will defend you from your lesser self. And discipline is the extraordinary mentor who will challenge you to become (sic) the-best-version-of-yourself & all God created you to be. What are your habits? Are your habits helping you become (sic) a-better-version-of-yourself or are they self-diminishing?

Project BLACK MAMBA

13 August was the optional memorial of Saints Pontian, Pope, & Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs (d. 235), martyred under the Emperor Maximinus Thrax: Martyrs-link, Martyr-link Papa, Martyr-link Hotel, Wikipedia-link Papa, & Wikipedia-link Hotel.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Pontian was exiled to the mines of the Italian island of Sardinia during a period of Christian persecution. There, he decided to resign from this papal office & died a martyr for the faith. Hippolytus rebelled against the Church when Callixtus (saint, 14 October) became Pope. He, too, was exiled to the Sardinian mines, where he met Pontian. Pontian helped Hippolytus reconcile with the Church before he died a martyr.

Scripture of the Day (Thursday)
Mass Readings
The Book of Joshua, chapter three, verses seven thru ten(A), eleven, thirteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Fourteen, verses one thru six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eighteen, verse twenty-one thru chapter nineteen, verse one.

* * * * *

14 August was the Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. Conv. (1894-1941), martyred under the Führer Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

In 1941, he was arrested & sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz. On 31 July, in reprisal for one prisoner's escape, ten men were chosen to die. Father Kolbe offered himself in place of a young husband & father. He was the last to die, enduring two weeks of starvation, thirst, & neglect.

Scripture of the Day (Friday)
Mass Readings
The Book of Joshua, chapter twenty-four, verses one thru thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-six, verses one thru three, sixteen thru eighteen, twenty-one & twenty-two, twenty-four;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nineteen, verses three thru twelve.

* * * * *

15 August was the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Our Lady-link ūna, Our Lady-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Having completed the course of her earthly life, Mary was assumed body & soul into heavenly glory.

Scripture of the Day (Saturday)
Mass Readings (Vigil)
The First Book of Chronicles, chapter fifteen, verses three & four, fifteen & sixteen & chapter sixteen, verses one & two;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-two, verses six & seven, nine & ten, thirteen & fourteen;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verses fifty-four(B) thru fifty-seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eleven, verses twenty-seven & twenty-eight.

Mass Readings (Day)
The Book of Revelation, chapter eleven, verse nineteen(A) & chapter twelve, verses one thru six(A), ten(A,B);
Psalm Forty-five, verses ten thru twelve, sixteen;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verses twenty thru twenty-seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses thirty-nine thru fifty-six.

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Hate to See You Like This" from Sky Full of Holes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Though "Hate to See You Like This" is addressed a girl, today's R.B.D.S.O.T.D. is dedicated to my father, who has spent most of the summer being even lazier & more disheveled than usual, going weeks on end without shaving all while denying that he's trying to grow a beard. The center of his universe is his widescreen television & the attendant D.V.R. He watches television all day every day, I suspect & fear not so much in search of entertainment as in search of distraction, diversion, escape. He has no relationship with the Lord, he has few friends (& is seldom in contact with those he does have), & goes out of his way to alienate & frustrate his family. This morning, he shaved & showered. This is at the very least a hopeful sign.

"Come on, girl, you're not even trying:
Your place is a mess and all your plants are dying,
You're lying around in those sweatpants,
You're staring off into the distance…

"Come on, girl, let's pull it together,
You can't just watch infomercials forever.
If you need a hand, why don't you take mine?
Let's get you out into the sunshine…
I hate to see you like this,
I hate to see you like this,
I hate to see you like this."

Montag, 17. August
Fountains of Wayne, "Acela" from Sky Full of Holes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"There's a girl on the train
Beating on a window pane,
Reading People magazine
Just to help turn off her brain,
And I swear I caught her staring at me—
Maybe I've been staring at her, too…"

The Explorers' Club, № CDLII

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Great Retreat, Part I
2 May-June 1915: The Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive—a coordinated German/Austro-Hungarian attack on Russian-occupied Galicia, which not only achieved its local objectives & relieved the threat of invasion from the heart of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but snowballed into a general Russian retreat along the entire front.









Lest we forget.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

TobyMac, "Speak Life" via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

The R.B.D. Song of the Day | Project MERCATOR

The Rip Chords, "Hey, Little Cobra" via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Referencing the A.C./Ford/Shelby Cobra.

I tarried in conversation with a brother after this morning's Saint Joseph Covenant Keepers' meeting—hooray for Saturday morning Bible study & fellowship!—finally arriving downtown at 10:15 A.M. I joined my father, who had taken his '79 Corvette down to the "Corvette Corral" in the wee small hours of the morning, & we walked the length & breadth of the Back to the Bricks car show. We saw thousands of motor cars & walked amidst ten of thousands of persons. I ran into & shook hands with two of my brother Knights, Golf Delta, who is the grand poobah of the Corvette Reunion, & November Charlie, whose '50s Chevrolet truck is parked in the same spot on South Saginaw Street every year, & also with Father James Mangan, one of the new priests assigned to the new Catholic Community of Flint, comprised of four parishes—St. John Vianney, St. Mary, St. Matthew, & St. Michael—under one pastor, Father Tom Firestone, C.Ss.R. 'Twas hot, & though there were a few clouds in the sky there was precious little refuge to be found from the death rays of the Accursed Sun, overall 'twas fabulous weather for the car show. Downtown Flint was fairly bursting with the crowd. What a fantastic event!

The R.B.D. Songs of the Day | Project MERCATOR

The Beach Boys, "Fun, Fun, Fun" via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Referencing the Ford Thunderbird.

"She makes the Indy 500 look like a Roman chariot race now,
(You look like an ace, now, you look like an ace,)
A lot of guys try to catch her but she leads 'em on a wild goose chase now,
(You drive like an ace, now, you drive like an ace,)
And she'll have fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away,
(Fun, fun, fun, 'til her daddy takes the T-bird away)…"

Donnerstag, 13. August
Ronny & the Daytonas, "G.T.O." via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Referencing the Pontiac G.T.O., the prototypical muscle car.

For this R.B.D.S.O.T.D. celebration of Back to the Bricks, I initially considered such automotive ditties as '92 Subaru" by Fountains of Wayne & "She Drives Like Crazy" by "Weird Al," but ultimately I decided to play things straight, unironically saluting the machines of that bygone era with the music of the era, music that both celebrated & shaped the car culture to which Back to the Bricks pays tribute.

Twenty-four hours late & after necessitating an extra journey to & from Ann Arbor, my new Mac Mini is now functional, replacing my old Mac Mini which had soldiered on since '06 (though the hard drive did fail & was replaced in 2012 or '13). Here's hoping for another nine years of more or less reliable, workaday service.

This is a test.

The R.B.D. Song of the Day | Project MERCATOR

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, "Hot Rod Lincoln" via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: For the rest of this week, the Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day will be celebrating the annual Back to the Bricks cruise & car show, a Genesee County summertime tradition now entering its second decade. I'm not a cruiser, having cruised enough in my father's Corvette to know it isn't my cup of tea, & my interest in classic muscle cars is more aesthetic than mechanical—I appreciate their beauty & the roar of a big V8, but my eyes glaze over when the real car guys' talk turns to engine displacement & gear ratios. I'll be seeking alternate routes so as to avoid Saginaw Street as much as possible for the next few days, but on Saturday morning I fully intend to do what I've done the last two years & walk the entire length of the car show, beholding thousands of cars. Project MERCATOR demands no less than taking advantage of this opportunity to join in this celebration of community & heritage. Back to the Bricks, baby!

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the optional memorial of Saint Jane Frances de Chantel, Religious, V.S.M. (1572-1641), foundress of the Visitation Sisters, formally the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link V.S.M.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Left a widow at twenty-eight, with four children, the broken-hearted baroness took a vow of chastity. Her mother, stepmother, sister, first two children, & now her husband had died. St. Francis de Sales became her spiritual director & she started the Congregation of the Visitation. St. Vincent de Paul served as her spiritual director after de Sales's death.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter thirteen (of thirteen).

Mass Readings
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-four, verses one thru twelve;
Psalm Sixty-six, verses one thru three(A), five, eight, sixteen & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eighteen, verses fifteen thru twenty.

The Explorers' Club, № CDLI

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Fokker Scourge, Part II
Fighter aeroplanes of 1915, both monoplanes & biplanes, including the Fokker Eindecker series, the Ablatros C.1, the Vickers F.B.5, & the Morane-Saulnier Type N.











Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin (1194-1253, A.K.A. of Assisi), foundress of the Poor Clares, formally the Order of Saint Clare, originally the Order of Poor Ladies: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Poor Clares.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

The foundress of the order of nuns "Poor Clares," in a little chapel outside Assisi, gave herself to God. St. Francis cut off her hair & gave her a rough hewn brown habit to wear, tied off with a plain cord around her waist. Her parents tried in every way to make her return home, but Clare would not.

There is a matriarch in the parish, Margie, two of whose daughters are named Carla & Clare. I once teased Margie for naming Clare "Clare," instead of Clara, Clara being an anagram of Carla. Margie replied that Clare was named after today's great St. Clare of Assisi. I rejoined that Clara is just a different form of Clare, Santa Clara meaning the exact same in Spanish as Saint Clare does in English. Carla & Clara, Clara & Carla. Opportunities like that are rare & should not be missed.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter twelve.

Mass Readings
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-one, verses one thru eight;
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter thirty-two, verses three thru four(A,B), seven thru nine, twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eighteen, verses one thru five, ten, twelve thru fourteen.

Project MERCATOR
Tonight is Taco Tuesday & Family Fun Movie Night with Brother Envy, Mrs. Brother Envy, & Daughter Envy the Elder & Daughter Envy the Younger. I'll be festively decked out in my new "Let's (drawing of a taco) Bout Jesus" T-shirt, an unexpected birthday present from the Envies.

Taco! Taco!

Code Name: CHAOS
There is an increasing frequency here at The Secret Base of referring to individuals by N.A.T.O. phonetic alphabet renderings of their initials. Brother Envy has a god, old-fashioned code name, but even in the N.A.T.O. phonetic alphabet he has a pretty cool code name: November Victor. Mrs. Brother Envy would be Juliett Victor, Daughter Envy the Elder Bravo Victor & Daughter Envy the Younger Charlie Victor.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Less Than Jake, "Harvey Wallbanger" from Greetings & Salutations from Less Than Jake (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: "Harvey Wallbanger" was first included on the E.P. Greetings from Less Than Jake, which was then combined with the E.P. (sic) Seasons Greetings from Less Than Jake to form the album Greetings & Salutations.

The concluding words of "Harvey Wallbanger:"

"Hello, Harvey Wallbanger,
Saint Jameson's right next to me,
Thank you, Harvey Wallbanger,
Saint Jameson keeps helping me,
Thank you, stalled economy,
For all of my uncertainty."

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Skankin' Pickle, "Thick Ass Stout" from Sing Along with Skankin' Pickle (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: The bass lines & blaring horns of "Thick Ass Stout" were prancing through my head this morning before Mass, but there seemed something unseemly about posting a R.B.D.S.O.T.D. about libations at 8:12 A.M. From my iTunes playlist "Prohibition."

Project BLACK MAMBA

9 August was the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Otherwise, we would have remembered Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, O.C.D. (1891-1942, A.K.A. Edith Stein), patroness of Europe, martyred under the Führer Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day (Sunday)
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter ten.

Mass Readings
The First Book of Kings, chapter nineteen, verses four thru eight;
Psalm Thirty-four, verses two thru nine;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verse thirty thru chapter five, verse two;
The Gospel according to John, chapter six, verses forty-one thru fifty-one.

* * * * *

Today is the Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon & Martyr (c. 225-258) martyred under the Emperor Valerian mere days after Pope Saint Sixtus II & his companions: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

When order by Emperor Valerian in 258 to give up the Church's treasures, he presented the poor, the crippled, the blind, & the suffering, saying these were the true treasures of the Church. He declared to the prefect, "The Church is truly rich, far richer than your emperor." This act of defiance led directly to his martyrdom.

Scripture of the Day (Today)
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eleven.

Mass Readings
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter nine, verses six thru ten;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve, verses one & two, five thru nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-four thru twenty-six.

* * * * *

Mass Journal: Week 33
Reflection by Matthew Kelly of the Dynamic Catholic Institute

I believe there is a direct relationship between happiness & holiness. This was my first serious observation of the Christian life as a teenager. I must also confess it was the reason I first began to explore Catholicism seriously. As simple as it may sound, I was aware of my yearning for happiness. I had tried to satisfy this yearning in other ways & had been left wanting. I had witnessed a peace & purpose in the lives of a handful of people I knew who were striving to live their faith, & I knew they had something I was yearning for. God calls each of us to holiness. He invites us to be truly ourselves. This call to holiness is in response to our deepest desire for happiness. We cry out to God, saying, "Show us how to find the happiness our hearts are hungry for," & God replies, "Walk with Me, be all I created you to be, become (sic) the-best-version-of-yourself." It is a natural & logical conclusion that we will never find happiness if we are not ourselves.

Commentary: I doubt the Maker of Heaven & Earth would commit such a grammatical atrocity as Mr. Kelly's nonsensical "the-best-version-of-yourself." I can already sense your objection & no, I won't just let it go.

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day

Robert Kochis, "Immaculate Mary" via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Samstag, 8 August
Mustard Plug, "Puddle of Blood" from In Black and White (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Puddle of blood on the streets of gold,
Don't try to buy my soul, it's already sold…"

Freitag, 7 August
Flogging Molly, "Grace of God Go I" from Swagger (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Donnerstag, 6 August
Owl City featuring Britt Nicole, "You're Not Alone" via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: We all need the reminder, now & again.

The Loot | Drink!
In the second wave of my birthday presents, I received a genuine Pan Am carry-on bag, a Pan Am lapel pin, & a diecast model of a Pan Am-liveried 747. I also received D.V.D.s of the movies Captain America: The Winter Soldier, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, & Die Hard 2: Die Harder. That last film was not on my list, & I did not receive three movies that were on the list, but I know the giver to be a persnickety fellow who was slightly irked by the fact that Die Hard sat unaccompanied in my movie library; plus, it truly is the thought that counts. I also received four bottles of beer brewed by Trappist monks in Belgium. Score!

Project BLACK MAMBA

6 August was the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord: Feast-link ūnus, Feast-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

As Jesus prayed, the first of three extraordinary things happened. His face became as radiant as the sun, as if He were a source of light. Suddenly, two men appeared beside Jesus. The disciples recognized them as two of ancient Israel's greatest figures, Moses & Elijah. A cloud descended on [the] mountain top, covering & enclosing them in a thick mist. In the Old Testament the presence of God is described as a cloud, with fire & light.

Scripture of the Day (Thursday)
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter seven.

Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter seven, verses nine & ten, thirteen & fourteen;
Psalm Ninety-seven, verses one & two, five & six, nine;
The Second Letter of Peter, chapter one, verses sixteen thru nineteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine, verses two thru ten.

* * * * *

7 August was the optional memorial of Saint Sixtus II, Pope & Companions, Martyrs (d. 258), martyred under the Emperor Valerian: Martyr-link Pope, Martyrs-link Deacons, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

He repaired the rift between the sees of Rome & Carthage that had developed over the issue of baptism & re-baptism. The martyrdom of St. Sixtus was dramatic. Forbidden to hold services, he & his deacons continued to worship at the tomb of Saint Callistus. As the pope preached, soldiers broke into the chapel & beheaded Sixtus. Four of his eight attendants were also beheaded. Authorities executed another three later that day.

'Twas also the optional memorial of Saint Cajetan (1480-1547), priest, co-founder of the Theatines, formally the Congregation of Clerics Regular of the Divine Providence: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.R..

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

St. Cajetan was an Italian Catholic priest & religious reformer, who helped found the Theatines, a group that would combine the spirit of monasticism with the exercise of the active ministry. He founded a bank to help the poor & offer an alternative to usurers (loan sharks). It later became the Bank of Naples.

Scripture of the Day (Friday)
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter eight.

Mass Readings
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter four, verses thirty-two thru forty;
Psalm Seventy-seven, verses twelve thru sixteen, twenty-one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-four thru twenty-eight.

* * * * *

8 August was the Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest (1170-1221), founder of the Dominicans, formally the Order of Preachers: Saint-link ūnus & Saint-link duo, Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link O.P..

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Dominic saw that the only way to preach orthodox doctrine effectively to these people was to be as poor as they were & to be thoroughly knowledgeable of Chrsitian theology. Founded the Dominican order, a religious community officially called the Order of Preachers.

We also remembered Saint Mary of the Cross MacKillop (1842-1909), co-foundress of the Josephites, formally the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link R.S.J..

Scripture of the Day (Saturday)
Personal Reading
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-four;
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter nine.

Mass Readings
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter six, verses four thru thirteen;
Psalm Eighteen, verses two thru four, forty-seven, fifty-one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seventeen, verses fourteen thru twenty.

The Explorers' Club, № CDL

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Gallipoli Campaign, Part V
Henry Moseley (1887-1915), the British chemist & physicist, who in a brief, brilliant career devised Moseley's Law that justified the sorting of elements by atomic number in the Periodic Table, an achievement that likely would have won him the Nobel Prize in Physics had he not been killed at Gallipoli by a Turkish sniper on 10 August 1915.







Lest we forget.

The Explorers' Club, № CDXLIX

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Gallipoli Campaign, Part IV
6-21 August 1915: The August Offensive—The British & A.N.Z.A.C. incompetence & lethargy would rise to the level of farce had not such a dear price been paid in blood; the Battle of Sari Bair (6-21 August), the landing at Suvla Bay (6-15 August), the Battle of Krithia Vineyard (6-13 August), the Battle of Lone Pine (6-10 August), & the Battle of the Nek (7 August), et al.









Lest we forget.

Bonus! Song of the Day
Eric Bogle, "And the Band Played 'Waltzing Matilda'" courtesy The Watergirl (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"So they gathered the crippled, the wounded, the maimed,
And they shipped us back home to Australia,
The legless, the armless, the blind, the insane,
Those proud wounded heroes of Suvla.

"And as our ship pulled into Circular Key,
And looked at the planks where me legs used to be,
And thanked Christ there was nobody waitin' for me,
To grieve, to mourn, and to pity.

"But the band played 'Waltzing Matilda'
As they carried us down the gangway,
But nobody cheered, they just stood and stared,
And they turned all their faces away…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the optional memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. Mary Major (c. 352-366): Our Lady of the Snows-link ūna, Our Lady of the Snows-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to two faith Roman Christians, the patrician John & his wife, as well as to Pope Liberius (r. 352-366), asking that a church be built in her honor on the site where snow would fall on the night of August 4-5. Liberius traced the outlines of the church in the snow & the first basilica was built on that site.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six.

Mass Readings
The Book of Numbers, chapter thirteen, verses one & two, twenty-five thru chapter fourteen, verses one, twenty-six thru twenty-nine(A), thirty-four & thirty-five;
Psalm One Hundred Six, verses six thru seven(A,B), thirteen & fourteen, twenty-one thru twenty-three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fifteen, verses twenty-one thru twenty-eight.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Audrey Assad, "Help My Unbelief" from Fortunate Fall (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Mark, 9:24:

Then the boy's father cried out, "I do believe; help my unbelief!"

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest, T.O.S.F. (1786-1859), the "Curé of Ars:" Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Patron of priests. He heard confessions of people from all over the world for sixteen hours each day. His life was filled with works of charity & love. It is recorded that even the staunchest of sinners were converted at his mere word.

Urbi et Orbi | Project MERCATOR
The week before last, a distaff parishioner with whom I am acquainted through the choir approached me after morning Mass & asked if we could talk. She told me her troubles & I mostly listened. At times, though, the masculine instinct not merely to be a comforting shoulder but instead to be a problem-solver asserted itself & I voiced what advice I thought helpful & appropriate. The exercise seemed to provide her some solace & we met again on the same day of last week, an appointment now marked in my calendar as Kaffeeklatsch (the German literally means "coffee gossip"). I write "the exercise" provided her some solace for two reasons. One, simply getting it off her chest, giving voice to her woes outside of her kin, was a great relief. Two, though what I said seemed to be helpful, it was not I who did so, but Christ who lives in me. Most of my fellow parishioners have never met me, & I pray fervently that they never shall. This is not in any way to deceive them, but to live out the Lord's command to lose one's life in order to save it & Saint Paul's sage writings that when we live in the Spirit it is no longer we who live, but Christ Who lives in us. Most of my fellow parishioners have never met me, they've only met Christ living in me. I am a nasty piece of work, mean-spirited & petty with an acid tongue. All the good I do is His, not mine.

Yesterday, a distaff parishioner with whom I catechize rang my mobile in some distress. Actually, bless her heart, she texted me & asked me to ring her when I had a moment. I did & left a message for her to ring me back at her convenience. She rang back & we spoke for an hour. She voiced her troubles & because she asked for specific advice & solutions, I provided what I could. Again & again I had to stress the point that the difficulties in her life are not the Lord's punishment for any fault or deficiency in her faith, that the Lord was not permitting her kith to fall into sin to punish her, but to test them. We are each precious in the sight of God, but none of us the center of the world, the axis around which everything spins. We must live in community, but within that community we will each face our individual trials & troubles. We must all act uprightly, because how we react affects the community of which we are a part, but that doesn't mean that our failings are divine punishment inflicted on the community; thinking so is a very Old Testament/Protestant attitude, one that ignores the Grace in which we are called to live, the Divine Mercy that it offered each of us. But I digress. The Lord is up to something; He's making what I affectionately mislabel as mischief, for a greater purpose only He knows. I have a suspicion I know what He's about, but I do not wish to presume.

When it comes to the People of God, I try to embody Dr. Zoidberg's attitude: "I'm up for whatever."

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five.

Commentary: 2 Corinthians, 5:15:

He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him Who for their sake died & was raised.

Mass Readings
The Book of Numbers, chapter twelve, verses one thru thirteen;
Psalm Fifty-one, verses three thru seven, twelve & thirteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-six;
or, The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fifteen, verses one & two, ten thru fourteen;
or,
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter three, verses seventeen thru twenty-one;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter sixteen, verse fifteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verse thirty-five thru chapter ten, verse one.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Kenny Rogers featuring the Whites, "I'll Fly Away" from Amazing Grace (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Some glad morning when this life is over,
I'll fly away,
To a home on God's celestial shore,
I'll fly away.

"I'll fly away, o glory,
I'll fly away,
When I die, hallelujah by-and-by,
I'll fly away…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Sanctus Real, "On Fire" via iTunes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: This has been a trying summer, in no small part because of my foolish, self-destructive neglect of my study of sacred Scripture & the saints, but methinks that by the grace of God the ship is being righted.

"Remember when you couldn't wait
To show up early and find your place,
'Cause you didn't want to miss a thing
And your heart was open, ready for change.
Oh, those days!
You were never afraid to sing,
Never afraid to lift your hands,
Didn't care what people would think.

"You were on fire,
And church was more than a place,
And people were more than faces,
And Jesus was more than a name…"

Bonus! Song of the Day
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Word Crimes" from Mandatory Fun (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In mockery of Matthew Kelly's "the-best-version-of-yourself" & some saddening plural/possessive confusions, with accompanying abuse of the apostrophe, in this week's Saint Matthew parish bulletin—in a letter by one of Fr. Tom Firestone's new parochial vicars, no less!

Project BLACK MAMBA

1 August was the Memorial of Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop & Doctor of the Church (1696-1787), founder of the Redemptorists, formally the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.Ss.R..

Commentary: Quoth the bulletin:

Alphonsus Maria de'Luguori, C.Ss.R., was an Italian (sic) Catholic bishop, spiritual writer, composer, scholastic philosopher, & theologian. He founded the Congregation of the Most Holy redeemer (Redemptorists). A prolific writer, he published nine editions of his moral theology in his lifetime, in addition to other devotional & ascetic works & letters. Among his best known works are The Glories of Mary & The Way of the Cross, the latter still used in parishes during Lenten devotions.

I know a Redemptorist priest, the Rev. Thomas Firestone, who is quite possibly the most consistently excellent homilist I've heard.

Scripture of the Day (Saturday)
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter two.

Mass Readings
The Book of Leviticus, chapter twenty-five, verses one, eight thru seventeen;
Psalm Sixty-seven, verses two & three, five, seven & eight;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fourteen, verses one thru twelve.

* * * * *

2 August was the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Otherwise, we would have remembered Saint Peter Julian Eymard (1811-1868), one-time member of the Society of Mary & co-founder of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament & the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Congregation & Wikipedia-link Servants.

Scripture of the Day (Sunday)
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter three.

Mass Readings
The Book of Exodus, chapter sixteen, verses two thru four, twelve thru fifteen;
Psalm Seventy-eight, verses three & four, twenty-three thru twenty-five, fifty-four;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses seventeen, twenty thru twenty-four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter six, verses twenty-four thru thirty-five.

* * * * *

Today we remember Blessed Augustine Kažotić, O.P. (c. 1261-1323, A.K.A. Augustine Gazotich), bishop: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day (Today)
Personal Reading
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four.

Mass Readings
The Book of Numbers, chapter eleven, verses four(B) thru fifteen;
Psalm Eighty-one, verses twelve thru seventeen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fourteen, verses thirteen thru twenty-one.

* * * * *

Mass Journal: Week 32
Reflection by Matthew Kelly of the Dynamic Catholic Institute

In any moment when you surrender to the will of God & choose to be (sic) the-best-version-of-yourself, you are holy. Any moment that you grasp as an opportunity to exercise virtue is a holy moment. But as quickly as this holiness can be found, it can be lost, because in any moment that you choose to be less than (sic) the-best-version-of-yourself, you have become distracted from living a holy life. There is nothing more attractive than holiness. This attractiveness has not only been demonstrated in Jesus, but is constantly demonstrated here & now in our own place & time: whenever someone goes out of his or her way to ease the burden of a stranger; whenever someone is honest; whenever someone lays down his or her life by working hard to support his or her family; whenever someone rejects the premise of modern culture. In his letter to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul writes, "This is the will of God: that you be saints" (1 Thessalonians, 4:3). God wants you to be holy. Your holiness is the desire of God, the delight of God, & the source of your happiness. To embrace who you were created to be & to become (sic) the-best-version-of-yourself is God's dream for you. Threfore, holiness is for everyone, not just for a select few, for monks in monasteries & nuns in convents; it is for you & me.

Commentary: The nonsensically punctuated phrase the "best-version-of-yourself," here presented as the even more ludicrous "the-best-version-of-yourself," is the least attractive feature of Matthew Kelly's writing. You should, one & all, strive to be the best version of yourself, but Mr. Kelly's punctuation only makes sense when taking about something like adopting a best-version-of-yourself mentality.