Monday, November 30, 2015

The Explorers' Club, № CDLXXIII

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Serbian Campaign, Part III
25 November 1915-10 February 1916: Cut off from French & British reinforcements in Salonika (Greece), the shattered Serbian army retreated across Montenegro & Albania, where the Albanians wrought terrible vengeance for the Serbs' atrocities during the First Balkan War (1912-1913).









Lest we forget.

Bonus! Song of the Day

Barenaked Ladies, "Shoe Box (Radio Remix)" from the Shoe Box E.P. (The Last Angry Man)

Project BLACK MAMBA: Advent

Today is the Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle (first century), martyred at Patras in Achaea: Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Andrew was the first disciple of Christ, & he brought his brother Simon—St. Peter—to Jesus as His disciple. He is said to have been put to dead tied to a cross… He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Andrew is one of the twelve Apostles. Originally a disciple of St. John the Baptist, he is the brother of St. Peter. After the dispersion of the Apostles, he preached the Gospel in Scythia, Sogdiana, Colchis, & Greece. It is even believed that he carried the Gospel as far as Russia, Poland, & Byzantium. He suffered martyrdom at Patras in Achaea. He was crucified on a cross in the form of an X. His relics are now in the Cathedral of Amalfi in Italy.

Saint quote of the week comes from the Gospel of John, 1:40-41 as we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle on 30 November:

40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John & followed Jesus. 41 He first found his own brother, Simon (Peter) & told him, "We have found the Messiah." Then he brought him to Jesus.



Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter three (verses one thru seventeen).

Mass Readings
The Letter to the Romans, chapter ten, verses nine thru eighteen;
Psalm Nineteen, verses eight thru eleven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter four, verses eighteen thru twenty-two.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day



The Wombats, "Girls/Fast Cars" from The Wombats Proudly Present: This Modern Glitch (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:
"I'm a man of simple taste,
No whiskey or caviar,
And what I feel is what I say,
I'm not trying to be smart…

"I like girls, girls and fast cars!
It's cheap and it's pathetic,
But you can't hate me just because
I like girls, girls and fast cars!
You too will feel this shallow
When one melts your little heart…"


Sunday, November 29, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA: First Sunday of Advent

Today is the First Sunday of Advent: Advent-link & Wikipedia-link.

Otherwise, on 29 November we would remember Blesseds Denis of the Nativity, Priest, & Redemptorus of the Cross, Martyrs, O.C.D. (martyred 1638), martyred at the behest of the Dutch East India Company: Martyr-link Delta & Wikipedia-link Delta, Martry-link Romeo & Wikipedia-link Romeo.

Scripture of the First Sunday of Advent
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter two (verses one thru twenty-three).

Mass Readings
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter thirty-three, verses fourteen thru sixteen;
Psalm Twenty-five, verses four, five, eight, nine, ten, & fourteen;
The First Letter to the Thessalonians, chapter three, verse twelve thru chapter four, verse two;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses twenty-five thru twenty-eight & thirty-four thru thirty-six.

Mass Journal: Week Forty-nine
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic catholic Institute
There is genius in Catholicism. The human heart yearsn for happiness, & God wants us to be hapy. But we only experience this happiness, & the fulfillment that accompanies it, when we are changing, growing, becoming more like Jesus Christ & through Him becoming (sic) the-best-version-of-ourselves. Catholicism is the dynamic lifestyle & learning system divinely designed to assist us in this transformation. I love the Church. To me, Catholicism is a gift that can never be fully appreciated, described, or understood,. But in order to even begin to appreciate Catholicism in all its beauty we must experience it. My travels have affirmed that people love the Church. The press may attack the Church, fallen-away Catholics may criticize it, & even practicing Catholics may ridicule it, but I firmly believe these are curious expressions of love. At the very least, they are expressions of a desire for the Church to be the beacon of light it should be in the world. Sometimes love goes sour, as it has for many modern Catholics in their relationship with the Church. When love goes sour, it is usually for one of four reasons: misunderstanding, indifference, selfishness,of the pride that makes a person unwilling to apologize or forgive. Sometimes it is a combination, & usually both parties are at fault to some extent.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the 1st Sunday of Advent



Sufjan Stevens, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" from Songs for Christmas (The Last Angry Man)

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Gregory III, Pope (died 741): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: The last non-European pope 'til the 2013 election of His Holiness Pope Francis.

We also remember Saint James of the Marches, O.F.M. (circa 1391-1476): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

We also remember Saint Catherine Labouré, D.C. (1806-1876): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link Charlie Lima; Wikipedia-link Miraculous Medal.

Commentary: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee."

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter sixteen (verses one thru twenty, plus the unnumbered "Shorter Ending");
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter one (verses one thru twenty-five).

Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter seven, verses fifteen thru twenty-seven;
The Book of Daniel, chapter three, verses eighty-two thru eighty-seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses thirty-four thru thirty-six.

Friday, November 27, 2015

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Eric Christian Olsen, "Some Worries" via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: From the album Community: Music from the Original Television Series. Normally carefree Vaughan (played by Eric Olsen), introducing the song:
"It's made me kind of look at the world as, as just not as epic as I thought it was. I've got some situations."

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Fergus, Bishop (died circa 730, A.K.A. Fergustian, the Pict): Saint-link, Wikipedia-link Foxtrot, & Wikipedia-link Foxtrot Papa.

We also remember Saint Francesco Antonio Fasani, O.F.M. Conv. (1681-1742): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-two thru seventy-two & chapter fifteen (verses one thru forty-seven).

Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter seven, verses two thru fourteen;
The Book of Daniel, chapter three, verses seventy-five thru eighty-one;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses twenty-nine thru thirty-three.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

The Explorers' Club, № CDLXXII

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Serbian Campaign, Part II
17 October-21 November 1915: The Battle of Krivolak—The Bulgarian 2nd Army thwarted the advance of the newly created & arrived French Armée d'Orient, which retreated back to Greece (Thessaloniki, A.K.A. Salonica), cutting off the reeling Serbian army from outside resupply.









Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Siricius, Pope (334-399): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

We also remember Saint Conrad of Constance, Bishop (circa 900-975): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

We also remember Blessed Gaetana Sterni, Religious (1827-1889), foundress of the Sisters of the Divine Will: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link (translation of the Polish Wikipedia entry yields more information).

We also remember Saint John Berchmans, S.J. (1599-1621): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter thirteen (verses one thru thirty-six) & chapter fourteen, verses one thru twenty-one;
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three (verses one thru twenty-two);
Psalm Forty-one (verses one thru fourteen).

Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter six, verses twelve thru twenty-eight;
The Book of Daniel, chapter three, verses fifty-nine(b) & sixty-eight thru seventy-two;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses twenty thru twenty-eight;

or, for Thanksgiving Day,
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifty, verses twenty-two thru twenty-four;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses two thru eleven;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter onem, verses three thru nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, verses eleven thru nineteen.

Commentary: Quoth the U.S.C.C.B. website: "The following [in our case, the above] are a selection of the readings that may be used on this day," from Lectionary: 943. These certainly aren't the readings that were read this morning at Holy Redeemer.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of Thanksgiving

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "A Reason to Toast" from Medium Rare (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: "A Reason to Toast" was also last year's R.B.D.S.O.T.D. for Thanksgiving (Wayback Machine). Great minds think alike, in this case the minds of M.P.W., 2015 & M.P.W., 2014.
"I'd like to open up by making a suggestion,
One that I suggest you're open to,
And then I'll open up the floor and take a question,
After that it's time to tilt a few (you and you and you).

"A reason to toast,
A reason to cheer,
A reason to celebrate:
It's nice being here!

"You might be wondering just why I called this meeting
And let another moment pass,
Before we move on, please, let's rearrange the seating,
After that it's time to raise a glass.

"I'll raise my glass up high to all the friendly faces,
Here and wherever they may be,
I don't know why I never thought 'til now to say this,
But you mean the world to me.

"A reason to toast,
A reason to cheer,
A reason to celebrate:
It's nice being here!

"Let's raise a glass up high because we're here together,
What better reason could exist?
Hey, lads, let's raise a glass, what could be better than this?
If you're without a glass, then let's see your fist!
(Get 'em up there, boys!)

"A reason to toast,
A reason to cheer,
A reason to celebrate:
It's nice being here!…"

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Optional Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin & Martyr (circa 287-305), martyred under the emperor Maxentius, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duae, & Wikipedia-link Charlie; Wikipedia-link XIV.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Maxentius's blind fury against St. Catherine is symbolic of the anger of the world in the face of truth & justice. When we live a life of truth & justice, we can expect the forces of evil to oppose us. Our perseverance in good, however, will be everlasting.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Catherine is honored as one of the Church's foremost virgin martyrs. She is counted among the "fourteen holy helpers," the saints most often turned to for help in need. Her martyrdom inspired great popular devotion for many centuries, especially in the Middle Ages. The courage of this young woman in professing faith in Jesus Christ continues to inspire us today. She is traditionally depicted with a spiked wheel, the instrument of her torture.
Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter twelve (verses one thru forty-four).

Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter five, verses one thru six, thirteen & fourteen, sixteen & seventeen, & twenty-three thru twenty-eight;
The Book of Daniel, chapter three, verses fifty-nine(b) & sixty-two thru sixty-seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses twelve thru nineteen;

or, for the Memorial,
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses five thru seven;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-four, verse seven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-three.

Commentary: That's three days in a row for Matthew, 10:28-33. Holy Mother Church clearly subscribes to the "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" school of thought.

Autobahn
A sampling of the scripture-themed vanity license plates recently spied around the Holy Redeemer parking lot, & the verses they cite.

DEUT516
A Saturn Sky, the plate referencing the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter five, verses 16:
Honor your father & your mother, as the LORD, your God, has commanded you, that you may have a long life & prosperity in the land which the LORD, your God, is giving you.
Block "M" ATHW25
A Chevrolet Cruze, previously mentioned (Wayback Machine), referencing the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five:
"The Parable of the Ten Virgins"
"The Parable of the Talents"
"the Judgement of the Nations."
JOSH1 9
An older model Buick referencing the Book of Joshua, chapter one, verse nine:
I command you: be firm & steadfast! Do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD, your God, is with you wherever you go.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, "Downtown" via the YouTube (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: YouTube-link "Downtown." (Sorry about the adverts.) I'm not saying "Downtown" is a good song, just that it is darned catchy.
"If I only had one helmet,
I would give it to you, give it to you…

"She has her arms around your waist,
With the balance that will keep her safe,
Have you ever felt the warm embrace
Of a leather seat between your legs?…"
Bonus! Song of the Day
The Ballingers, "Playground (kid parody of "Downtown")" via the YouTube (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: YouTube-link "Playground." (Sorry about the adverts.)
"If I only had one juice box,
I would give it to you, give it to you…

"A chance to go outside and play,
Parents there to keep us safe,
Have you ever felt the sweet embrace
With the swing that goes around your legs?…"

Operation AXIOM



25 November, one month 'til Christmas Day. 'Tis still too early to deck the halls or turn on your Christmas lights, but as a courtesy to your family you really should send out a Christmas wish list as soon as possible, if you haven't already. Happy Thanksgiving, to all & sundry!

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Semisonic, "Gone to the Movies" from Feeling Strangely Fine (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: "Gone to the Movies" is perhaps an inappropriately melancholy choice for such a festive occasion as Taco Tuesday & Family Fun Movie Night with Mr. & Mrs. Brother Nacho & their delightful children, but I like it anyway. The snow should melt in the next day or two as the air warms & the rain falls, but 'tis undeniable now that winter is coming. (No, I do not watch Game of Thrones.) Most find the dark & the cold depressing & frustrating ("the dark, killing winter"), but I find them thrilling & invigorating.

Also, more to the central thrust of "Gone to the Movies," interpersonal relationships are tricky to navigate & difficult to maintain. Of course, nothing worthwhile is ever easy.
"Another fool would go down to the only place
She ever went to lose herself.
She's gone to the movies now
And she don't need your help…

"Another fool would dig the broken car out
From the snow and drive to find the show.
She's gone to the movies now
And she's not coming home…

"And he wonders if the car will start tomorrow,
Or he'll have to take the bus instead.

"Any other fool would be out on the roadway
Trying to spot her rusted Pontiac,
She's gone to the movies now
And she's not coming back.
She's gone to the movies now
And she's not coming back."
Bonus! Song of Taco Tuesday
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Taco Grande" from Off the Deep End (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:
"Well, there's not a taco big enough for a man like me,
That's why I order two or three,
Let me give you a tip:
Just try a nacho chip,
It's really good with bean dip…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Priest, & Companions, Martyrs (martyred 1745-1862, A.K.A. the Martyrs of Vietnam; of Tonkin; of Annam; of Indochina), martyred under a variety of regimes & situations: Martyrs-link ūnus, Martyrs-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Andrew Dũng-Lạc was one of one hundred seventeen [persons] martyred in Vietnam between 1820 & 1862. Members of this group were beatified on four different occasions between 1900 & 1951. All we canonized by (Pope) St. John Paul II (22 October).
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Andrew Dũng-Lạc & one hundred seventeen others gave their lives during several persecutions of the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries in Vietnam. Despite extreme tortures they had to endure, they heroically witnessed to the faith. They gave their lives that the Gospel might take root & spread in Vietnam.
Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifty, verses twenty-five thru twenty-nine & chapter fifty-one, verses nine thru thirty (end).

Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter two, verses thirty-one thru forty-five;
The Book of Daniel, chapter three, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-one;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses five thru eleven;

or, for the Memorial,
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifty-one, verses one thru eight;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-three.

Commentary: Your eagle eyes do not deceive you, dear reader: the First Reading & Gospel for Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc & Companions' Memorial are the same as for Bl. Miguel Agustín Pro's Memorial yesterday; only the psalm is different. Red martyrdom is the same down through the ages.

Monday, November 23, 2015

The Explorers' Club, № CDLXXI

Operation AXIOM: The World War
22-25 November 1915: The Battle of Ctesiphon—A year-long advance into Ottoman Mesopotamia by British & Imperial troops is blunted amid the ruins of the ancient Parthian & Sassanid capital of Ctesiphon, twenty miles south of Baghdad, beginning a British retreat that would end in disaster.









Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Commentary: Despite appearances, this is not a backlog edition. There are three distinct optional memorials observed today.

Today is the Optional Memorial of Saint Clement I, Pope & Martyr (died 99), martyred under the emperor Trajan: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Pope Clement I is the first successor of St. Peter of whom anything definite is known & he is the first of the "Apostolic Fathers." He has left one genuine writing, a letter to the Church of Corinth.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Clement became the third fourth pope around the year 91. St. Irenaeus (28 June) states that Clement knew the apostles & was strongly influenced by them. Clement wrote a scripturally-based letter to the Corinthians encouraging them to unity, charity, & holiness. He is believed to have suffered martyrdom around the year 100.
'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Columban, Abbot (543-615, A.K.A. Columbanus): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Not to be confused with Saint Columba (9 June). Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Columban & his followers founded monasteries throughout France, Germany, Switzerland, & Italy. His denunciations of the immoral practices of the royal court & the general populace led to his exile from France & Switzerland.
'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Blessed Miquel Agustín Pro, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1891-1927), martyred during the Cristero War: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: "¡Viva Cristo Rey!" Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Miguel, a Mexican Jesuit priest executed under the presidency of Plutarco Elías Calles on trumped-up charges of bombing & attempted assassination of former Mexican president Álvaro Obregón.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
Saint quote of the week: "If I met any long-faced saints there (heaven), I will cheer them up with a Mexican hat dance!" Blessed Miguel Pro, whose feast day is 23 November.

During the Mexican revolution of the 1920s, Father Miguel Pro went about clandestinely celebrating Mass, hearing confessions, & visiting the sick. He had a great sense of humor. He was arrested & killed by a firing squad by those who opposed the Catholic faith. His last words before being short were "Viva Cristo Rey," which means, "Long live Christ the King!"
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter one, versed one thru six & eight thru twenty;
The Book of Daniel, chapter three, verses fifty-two thru fifty-six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-one, verses one thru four;

or, for Pope St. Clement's Memorial,
The First Letter of Peter, chapter five, verses one thru four;
Psalm Eight-nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter sixteen, verses thirteen thru nineteen;

or, for St. Columban's Memorial,
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-two, verses seven thru ten;
Psalm Ninety-six, verse three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-two;

or, for Bl. Miguel Agustín Pro's Memorial,
The Book of Sirach, chapter fifty-one, verses one thru eight;
Psalm One Thirty-one, verse six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-three.

The Savage Wars of Peace: After 11.13.15

To my brothers & sisters in Christ who insist that no refugees from the horrific violence & societal collapse in Syria should be given sanctuary in the United States due to I.S.I.L.'s boast that it would infiltrate jihadist terrorists among the refugees from Syria admitted into the nations of the European Union, allow me to pose a few interlocking question:

When St. Joseph took Mary, the Mother of God, & the infant Jesus out of Judea & fled to Egypt to avoid King Herod's massacre of all boys aged two & under in Bethlehem & its vicinity (Mathew, 2:13-18), should the Egyptians have refused to grant Jesus, Mary, & Joseph sanctuary? After all, Jesus, Mary, & Joseph were Jews just as Herod & his murderous minions were Jews. Thus, just you say all refugees from Syria should be refused sanctuary because some of the Paris jihadists had spent time in Syria, could not the Egyptians have reasonably used the very violence the Holy Family were fleeing as evidence that Jews should not be admitted, lest the violence they were fleeing be exported to Egypt? Could not the Egyptians have pointed to the poor of Egypt & claimed a moral responsibility to care for them first, turning away the Holy Family, who after all were aliens & sojourners?



The Paris murderers were E.U. citizens, not refugees fleeing Syria; the cowardly killers were terrorism suspects known to E.U. domestic intelligence & police agencies, not innocents escaping the Syrian struggle 'twixt I.S.I.L.'s jihadist barbarism & the Assad regime's Ba'athist oppression. The outrage in Paris demands a revamp of internal security procedures (especially the identification & tracking of known suspects) & a renewed war to destroy I.S.I.L.'s base of operations within Iraq & Syria. Refusing sanctuary to refugees of the horrors of Syria is no cure to the radicalization of E.U. & American citizens. There are times & situations that are too violent to be survived in place; flight is then the only option to preserve life. Even Jesus the Christ, the King of the Universe whom we worshiped this past Sunday, was once a refugee. We cannot defend ourselves against I.S.I.L., al-Qaeda, & the broader radical Islamist jihadi movement by hardening our hearts against those who are fleeing the very violence the terrorists wish to wreak in our nation & our Western allies.

Commentary: The image accompanying this post comes from Amazon.com. I hope they don't mind my using it.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Aloe Blacc, "Lift Your Spirit" from Lift Your Spirit (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I am continually staggered & humbled by the profound gift of my family & friends. I try sincerely always to be thankful for my kith & kin.
"Times have changed,
Everything's strange,
Nothing's what it seems,
Is a friend someone who drops in
Or a face of a telephone screen?
When my chips are down and I'm feeling low
Who I'm 'pposed to call?
Who gonna help me stand on my feet after I fall?

"So, ladies and gentlemen,
And boys and girls,
This one goes out to the people
Who help me most in the world.

"So lift your spirit
And toast a cheer,
To all the good times
Throughout the years.
And just remember,
It ain't where you're from
It's where you're at,
It ain't who you know,
It's who's got your back…"

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the last Sunday of the liturgical year: King-link, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
The embrace of individualism in today's society moves Jesus from the central role He is meant to occupy in the lives of Christians. This feast allows us to reaffirm & refocus our faith & respect in the kingship of Jesus just as it did when it was first established (in 1925).
Otherwise, on 22 November we would remember Saint Cecilia, Virgin & Martyr (second century), martyred under the emperor Marcus Aurelius: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '11. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
A native of Rome, St. Cecilia made a vow of virginity at an early age. Her parents forced her to mary a noblemen named Valerian. She converted him & his brother Tibertius to the faith of Christ. They all were martyred for the faith between the years 161 & 192. St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians.
Scripture of the Feast of Christ the King
Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter seven, verses thirteen & fourteen;
Psalm Ninety-three, verses one, two, & five;
The Book of revelation, chapter one, verses five thru eight;
The Gospel according to John, chapter eighteen, verses thirty-three(b) thru thirty-seven.

Mass Journal: Week Forty-eight
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute.
Three or four years ago, my brother Andrew gave me a copy of a book titled Letters to a Young Poet. It is a small book that contains a collection of letters written by the great German lyric poet Rainer Maria Rilke to Franz Kappus, who at the time was a young aspiring poet. In one of the letters, Rilke penned some words that have remained ingrained on my heart since I read & underlined them in that small volume:

"Be patient toward all that is unresolved in your heart & try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms & like books that are written in a foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to love them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer."

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Cake, "Hem of Your Garment" from Prolonging the Magic (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I cannot speak knowledgeably to the band Cake's objective in penning "Hem of Your Garment," but just as an exercise, let us take those lyrics at face value. They speak of a soul that recognizes its fallen state, a sinner on the cusp of right relationship with the Lord God.
"I am intrinsically no good,
I have a heart that's made of wood,
And I am only biding time,
Only reciting memorized lines.

"And I'm not fit to touch the hem of your garment,
No, no, I'm not fit to touch the hem of your garment.

"I have no love, but only goals.
How very empty is my soul.
It is a soul that feels no thrill.
It is a soul that could easily kill.

"And I'm not fit to touch the hem of your garment,
No, no, I'm not fit to touch the hem of your garment."

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA: Backlog Edition, Part II

On 20 November we remembered Saint Humbert of Elmham (died 869), bishop, martyred by the "Great Heathen Army" of Danish vikings: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

We also remembered Saint Edmund the Martyr (circa 841-869), crowned king of East Anglia by St. Humbert, & likewise martyred by the Great Heathen Army: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: The Explorers' Club, № LXXXIX.

Scripture of the Day (Friday)
Mass Readings
The First Book of Maccabees, chapter four, verses thirty-six, thirty-seven, & fifty-two thru fifty-nine;
The First Book of Chronicles, chapter twenty-nine, verses ten(b) thru twelve(d);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nineteen, verses forty-five thru forty-eight.

* * * * *

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Mary's parents, (Ss.) Joachim & Anne (26 July), who had been childless, received a heavenly message that they would have a child. In thanksgiving for the gift of their daughter, they brought her, when still a child, to the Temple in Jerusalem to consecrate her to God.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
This feast celebrates an event not recorded in scripture, but in the Protoevangelium of James, which dates from the second century. Mary was presented in the Temple at Jerusalem at the age of three. This feast reminds us of Mary's total consecration to God.
Scripture of the Day (Saturday)
Mass Readings
The First Book of Maccabees, chapter six, verses one thru thirteen;
Psalm Nine, verses two thru four, six, sixteen, & nineteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty, verses twenty-seven thru forty;

or, for the Memorial,
The Book of Zechariah, chapter two, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verse forty-nine;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twelve, verses forty-six thru fifty.

Bonus! Song of the Day

Simon & Garfunkel, "Cecilia" from Bridge over Troubled Water (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Were tomorrow not a Sunday, it would be the feast of Saint Cecilia, the virgin, martyr, & patroness of musicians. The lyrics of "Cecilia" are hardly appropriate in light of such a holy virgin, but I hope she appreciates the music & will spare a prayer for all those who use music to objectify others, promote unchastity, & degrade the inherent dignity of the human person.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Glenn Miller, "Don't Sit under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else But Me)" from Glenn Miller's 50 Finest (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: "Anyone Else"! O the glorious grammatical necessity & rectitude of "Anyone Else"!

Friday, November 20, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA: Backlog Edition, Part I

18 November was the feast of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles: Basilicas-link ūnus & Basilicas-link duo, Wikipedia-link St. Peter's & Wikipedia-link St. Paul's outside the Walls.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Vatican Hill was a simple cemetery where believers gathered at St. Peter's tomb to pray. In 319 Constantine built a basilica on the site. St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls [is] where St. Paul is believed to have been beheaded [&] stands over [his] grave.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
This feast commemorates the dedication of the basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican in 350 & the dedication of the basilica of St. Paul in 390. This feast goes back to the eleventh century.
'Twas also the Optional Memorial of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin, R.S.C.J. (1769-1852): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
St. Rose was a French religious sister & educator, & an early member of the Religious Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She founded the congregation's first communities in the United States & spent the last half of her life teaching & serving the people of the Midwestern & Western United States.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Rose manifested certain religious traits in her early teen years: zeal for the foreign missions, a strong attraction to religious life, a preference for ascetical practices, & above all, a deep-seated devotion to the Sacred Heart & the Blessed sacrament. At the age of eighteen she joined the Visitation nuns but because of the outbreak of the French Revolution the community had to disperse. She joined the Religious of the Sacred Heart. In 1818, at the ge of forty-nine, she landed in New Orleans with four other religious. She founded a school & an orphanage in St. Charles, Missouri. At the age of seventy-two, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne went with three other sisters to open a school for Indian girls at Sugar Creek, Kansas. The Indians called her, "The Woman Who Prays Always," & they loved & respected her. She spent the last ten years of her life in prayer & died in 1852.
Scripture of the Day (Wednesday)
Mass Readings
The Second Book of Maccabees, chapter seven, verses one, twenty thru thirty-one;
Psalm Seventeen, verses one(b,c,d), five, six, eight(b), & fifteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nineteen, verses eleven thru twenty-eight;

or, for the Dedications,
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter twenty-eight, verses eleven thru sixteen, thirty, & thirty-one;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one thru six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-three;

or, for the Memorial,
The Book of Hosea, chapter two, verses sixteen (b,c), seventeen(c,d), twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Forty-five, verse eleven;,
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

* * * * *

On 19 November we remembered Saint Mechtilde of Hackeborn, O.S.B. (circa 1241-1298, A.K.A. of Helfta): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day (Thursday)
Mass Readings
The First Book of Maccabees, chapter two, verses fifteen thru twenty-nine;
Psalm Fifty, verses one(b), two, five, six, fourteen, & fifteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nineteen, verses forty-one thru forty-four.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Bacon



Jim Gaffigan, "Bacon" from King Baby (Foxtrot Whiskey)

Commentary:
"The pig is an amazing animal. You feed a pig an apple, it makes bacon. I find that impressive. Let's see Michael Phelps do that, huh! The pig, the pig is turning an apple—essentially garbage—into bacon."
Also, Foxtrot is actually Foxtrot Whiskey's middle name. His first name is Kilo—Kilo Foxtrot Whiskey, though as mentioned he goes by Foxtrot. His K. of C. membership card erroneously gives his name as Foxtrot Kilo Whiskey.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day



The Blaggards, "Drunken Sailor" via iTunes (Mike Bravo)

Commentary: 'Tis been a tough old week, as you may well have deduced from the spotty nature of posting here at The Secret Base. I've been subjected to miserable company & monotonous duties. By the same token, other company has helped to raise my spirits & remind me of how outrageously good I have it. Song is one of life's great joys, as evinced by the spontaneous singing of "Drunken Sailor" yesterday by brother Mike Bravo & your humble narrator.

The Blaggards aren't Super Boat Warp & "Drunken Sailor" isn't "This Epic Adventure," but methinks the above a suitably & delightfully nautical image to accompany the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. If that's not to your liking, how about the below?


Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Rebel Black Dot Songs of the Day

Cake, "When You Sleep" from Prolonging the Magic (The Last Angry Man)

Dienstag, 17. November
The Cast of The Simpsons, "We Do (The Stonecutters' Song)" from Songs in the Key of Springfield (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Both sadly & happily, being a Knight of Columbus is nothing like being a Stonecutter.
"Who controls the British crown?
Who keeps the metric system down?
We do! We do!

"Who keeps Atlantis off the maps?
Who keeps the Martians under wraps?
We do! We do!

"Who holds back the electric car?
Who makes Steve Gutenberg a star?
We do! We do!

"Who robs cavefish of their sight?
Who rigs every Oscar night?
We do! We do!"

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1207-1231): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
After her husband, Louis, [died], Elizabeth left the court, made arrangements for the care of her children, & in 1228, renounced the world, becoming a tertiary of St. Francis. She built the Franciscan hospital at Marburg & devoted herself to the care of the sick until her death at the age of twenty-four.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Elizabeth was born in Hungary, the daughter of King Andrew II. At the age of fourteen, she married Louis IV of Thuringia. She became the mother of three children. Her husband died when she was only twenty years old. She left the castle at Wartburh & dedicated the rest of her life to extraordinary works of charity. She refused to marry a second time. Instead, she founded a hospital in honor of St. Francis of Assisi (4 October), & donned the grey habit of the Franciscan tertiaries. She died at the age of twenty-four.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Second Book of Maccabees, chapter six, verses eighteen thru thirty-one;
Psalm Three, verses two thru seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nineteen, verses one thru ten;

or, for the Memorial,
The First Letter of John, chapter three, verses fourteen thru eighteen;
Psalm Thirty-four, verses two or nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-eight.

Monday, November 16, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Yesterday was the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Otherwise, on 15 November we would have remembered Saint Albert the Great, O.P. (circa 1206-1280, A.K.A. Albertus Magnus), bishop & Doctor of the Church: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Albert was a prolific writer on sacred Scripture, theology, philosophy, & the natural sciences. He contributed greatly to the adoption of Aristotle's philosophy for the study of theology. From 1254 to 1257 he was Provincial od the German Dominican Province & in 1260 was named bishop of Regensburg. He attended the Council of Lyons in 1274, & in 1278 he traveled to Paris to defend the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas (28 January), his student, who had died in 1274. St. Albert died at Cologne in 1280. In 1941, Pope (Venerable) Pius XII named him the patron of students of the natural sciences.
Scripture of the 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter twelve, verses one thru three;
Psalm Sixteen, verses five & eight thru eleven;
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter ten, verses eleven thru fourteen & eighteen;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter thirteen, verses twenty-four thru thirty-two.

Mass Journal: Week Forty-seven
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute.
Mass is not about whom you sit next to. It's not about which priest says Mass. It is not about what you wear or who is there. Mass is not about the music. It's not even about the preaching. It's about gathering as a community to give thanks to God for all the blessings he fills our lives with. It is about receiving the Body & Blood of Christ, not just physically, but spiritually. Perhaps you have been receiving the Eucharist physically every Sunday for your whole life. Next Sunday, prepare yourself, be conscious of the marvel, the wonder, the mystery, & receive spiritually.
The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day
Sonntag, 15. November
Rufus Wainwright, "Hallelujah" via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

* * * * *

Today is the Optional Memorial of Saint Margaret of Scotland (circa 1045-1093, A.K.A. of Wessex): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
St. Margaret is credited with having a civilizing influence on her husband, King Malcolm III, by reading him stories from the Bible. She instigated religious reform, striving to make the worship & practices of the Church in Scotland conform to those of Rome.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Margaret, born in Hungary, Queen of scotland for thirty years, was the personification of heroic virtue. She introduced the observance of Lenten fast, sanctified Sunday, & abolished superstitious practices. Her acts of charity were numberless. She died after a long illness in 1093.
'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Gertrude, Virgin, O.S.B. (1256-1302, A.K.A. the Great): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
St. Gertrude lived the mystic life of the cloister, a life hidden with Christ in God. She was characterized by great devotion to the Sacred Humanity of Our Lord in His Passion & in the Blessed Eucharist, & by tender love for the Blessed Virgin.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
At the age of five, St. Gertrude entered the Benedictine monastery. She was professed as a nun at age twenty-six & began to receive revelations from God. She was extremely devoted to the mystery of the Incarnation expressed in the Sacred heart of Jesus & the Holy Eucharist.

Saint quote of the day: "O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge & my sanctuary." St. Gertrude, whose feast is November 16th
Scripture of the Day (Monday)
Mass Readings
The First Book of Maccabees, chapter one, verses ten thru fifteen, forty-one thru forty-three, fifty-four thru fifty-seven, & sixty-two & sixty-three;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses fifty-three, sixty-one, one hundred thirty-four, one hundred fifty, one hundred fifty-five, & one hundred fifty-eight;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eighteen, verses thirty-five thru forty-three.

or, for St. Margaret's Memorial,
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight, verses six thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve, verse one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru seventeen;

or, for St. Gertrude's Memorial,
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter three, verses fourteen thru nineteen;
Psalm Twenty-three, verse one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day



Betty Wand & the M.G.M. Studio Orchestra, "The Parisians" (from Gigi) via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Saturday, November 14, 2015

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day



Screamin' Jay Hawkins, "I Love Paris" from The Crazy World of Screamin' Jay Hawkins (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:
"I love Paris in the springtime,
I love Paris in the fall,
I love Paris in the winter, when it drizzles,
I love Paris in the summer, when it sizzles.

"I love Paris every moment,
Every moment of the year…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Laurence O'Toole (1128-1180, A.K.A. Lorcán Ua Tuathail), bishop: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

We also remember Saint Nicholas Tavelic & Companions (Saints Déodat of Rodez, Peter of Narbonne, & Stephen of Cueno), O.F.M. (died 1391), martyred under the Mamluk Sultanate: Martyrs-link, Martyr-link November, Martyr-link Delta, Martyr-link Papa, Martyr-link Sierra, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Wisdom, chapter eighteen, verses fourteen thru sixteen & chapter nineteen, verses six thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Five, verses two & three, thirty-six & thirty seven, & forty-two & forty-three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eighteen, one thru eight.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin, M.S.C. (1850-1917): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Italian-American religious sister, who founded the Missionary Sisters of the sacred Heart, a Catholic religious institute that was a major support to the Italian immigrants to the United States. She was the first naturalized citizen of the United States to be canonized… on 7 July 1946.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
Ever since she was a young girl, Francesca desired to be a missionary. She applied to enter several religious communities but was always turned down because of frail health. She was advised by the bishop to start a religious community herself. She founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Early in 1889, Pope Leo XIII asked her to go to the United States where there were many Italian immigrants. Within a few months of her arrival, she open an orphanage & a school. She founded sixty-seven charitable institutions & houses of her Congregation. She obtained many favors through her prayers. She died in Chicago in 1917.

Saint quote of the week: "Carry your cross then but carry it joyfully. Thank that Jesus loves you very much. And in return for such love, don';t lose yourself in so many desires, but accept daily with serenity whatever comes your way."—St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, whose feast day is 13 November

We also remember Saint Didacus of Alcalá, O.F.M. (circa 1400-1463, A.K.A. Diego de San Nicolás): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter eleven (verses one thru thirty-three).

Mass Readings
The Book of Wisdom, chapter thirteen, verses one thru nine;
Psalm Nineteen, verses two thru five(b);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, twenty-six thru thirty-seven;

or, for the Memorial,
The Book of Hosea, chapter two, verses sixteen(b,c), seventeen(c,d), twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Forty-five, verse eleven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day



The Skatalites, "The James Bond Theme" via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

***SPOILER ALERT***

Hollywoodland
It must be noted that Spectre stinks. The film is everything I feared Skyfall would be under the helm of director Sam Mendes (but fortunately wasn't): long, dull, & pretentious beyond belief. (O.K., fair's fair, Skyfall is long & pretentious beyond belief, but it's exciting & just barely clever enough to overcome those failings. Spectre feels even longer than it is.) The retcon of the villains of Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, & Skyfall having all been agents of Spectre lands with a thud, being neither intellectually nor emotionally satisfying. Christoph Waltz's turn as Ernst Stavro Blofeld is almost laughably underwhelming; his character packs less menace into his collective appearances than a single glance from Mads Mikkelsen's Le Chiffre. Maybe that's is supposed to be a commentary on the banality of evil, but it utterly fails to entertain, a cardinal sin in what should be a thriller, not an art-house film. The Spectre organization presented in Spectre is far less threatening than the Quantum organization presented in Casino Royale & Quantum of Solace, & can't hold a candle the original S.P.E.C.T.R.E. seen most prominently in From Russia with Love, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, & On Her Majesty's Secret Service. There's a lot of style in Spectre, but ultimately no substance.

The films of Daniel Craig as Ian Fleming's James Bond 007, in descending order of quality: Casino Royale, Skyfall, Spectre, & Quantum of Solace. I am resolute that Quantum of Solace is worse than Spectre, but even this mostly due to the former's cheap anti-Americanism, which Ian Fleming himself would have despised. (Quantum of Solace is irrefutable proof that no James Bond film should ever again be directed by someone from outside the Commonwealth of Nations.)

It must also be noted that Spectre's theme song, "Writing's on the Wall" by someone named Sam Smith, is bloody awful. Blood-curdling, even. It's bad, it's so, so bad. I thought—I still think—that Quantum of Solace's theme song, "Another Way to Die" by Jack White & Alicia Keys, was awful, & it is indeed a crummy song, but it's musical gold ("Gold, Jerry! Gold!") compared to the dreck that is "Writing's on the Wall." I guess the writing really was on the wall: Spectre was doomed from the start—in the immortal words of Dan Dierdorf, "ill-conceived & poorly executed."

It may well be time for a new Bond, a new actor in the lead rôle. It is certainly time, well past time, to give Skyfall & Spectre director Sam Mendes the old heave-ho. I have thoroughly enjoyed Daniel Craig's performances as 007, but I find his ambivalence infuriating. Will be return? Won't he? Forget him & give the job to someone who dang well wants it!

Jams Bond will return.

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop & Martyr, O.S.B.M. (circa 1580-1623), martyred spontaneously by an Orthodox Christian mob: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He was caught in a battle between Catholic & Orthodox, Latin & Byzantine, & found himself criticized & opposed on every side: by the Orthodox for being Catholic & by the Latins for being Byzantine. He held firmly to Catholic unity against the Orthodox & just as firmly to Byzantine rights against the Latins. At that period of history, it was a no-win situation, & he is the great martyr to the cause of unity.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
St. Josaphat is one of the most dramaic figures in the history of ecumenism. His efforts to unite the Slav-Ruthenian Church to the Church of Rome triggered a cruel & ruthless persecution. Originally namd John Kuncevic, he was born into an Orthodox family in 1580 but joined the Uniate Ruthenian Church after abandoning a business career in Vilna. He was convinced that only the monks, who were ascetics & promoters of the liturgy, could unite the Orthodox Ruthenians to the Catholics. In 1604, he became a Basilian monk & took the name Josaphat, & began to work for the reform of the Basilians. He preached union & wrote a book in which he demonstrated from exclusively Slavic texts the unity of the Church. Eventually he became archimandrite, the equivalent of an abbot in the Latin Church. He was accused of endangering civil peace & was murdered by a mob & thrown into the Dvina River in the year 1623.
Forgive me, but I cannot help but think of Principal Skinner's line from
The Simpsons: "There's no justice like angry mob justice!"

We also remember Saint Cunibert (circa 600-663), bishop: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten (verses one thru fifty-two).

Mass Readings
The Book of Wisdom, chapter seven, verse twenty-two(b) thru chapter eight, verse one;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verses eighty-nine thru ninety-one, one hundred thirty, one hundred thirty-five, one hundred seventy-five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, twenty thru twenty-five;

or, for the Memorial,
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven & twelve;
Psalm Forty, verse five(a);
or, Psalm One, verse two(a);
or, Psalm Ninety-two, verses thirteen & fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, twenty thru twenty-six.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day



John Williams, "Scherzo for Motorcycle and Orchestra" from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (The Last Angry Man)

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop (circa 316-397): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
Bishop of Tours, whose shrine in France became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. He has become one of the most familiar & recognizable… saints. As he was born in what is now Szombathely, Hungary; spent much of his childhood in Pavia, Italy; & lived most of his adult life in France, he is considered a spiritual bridge across Europe.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
Born in Hungary to a Roman official & educated at Pavia, Italy, Martin enlisted in the imperial guard. It is said that he gave half of his cloak to a beggar in 334 & later Christ appeared to him in a dream, wearing the same cloak. He was baptized a Christian in 337 after spending six years as a catechumen. He went back to Hungary & converted his mother. He lived the life of a hermit at a place that later became the site of the first monastery in France. After bringing back to life a catechumen, Martin had a reputation of being a miracle worker & was elected bishop of Tours in 371, dedicating his efforts to evangelization. He resisted representatives of the Roman Empire & gained liberty for the Church. He was criticized by some bishops & priests who would not accept the austere life that Martin expected of them. He died at a rural parish where he was trying to pacify the divided clergy. Traditionally the period in late autumn is called "St. Martin's summer" because the leaves are falling from the trees, the people enjoy the new wine, which is a symbol of Christian virtue. The example of St. Martin reminds us to see Christ in our neighbor.

We also remember Blessed Josaphat Chichkov, Blessed Kamen Vitchev, & Blessed Pavel Djidjov, A.A. (died 1952), priests, martyred under the People's Republic of Bulgaria: Martyr-link Juliett Charlie & Wikipedia-link Juliett Charlie, Martyr-link Kilo Victor & Wikipedia-link Kilo Victor, & Martyr-link Papa Delta & Wikipedia-link Papa Delta.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Wisdom, chapter six, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Eighty-two, verses three & four, six & seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, eleven thru nineteen;

or, for the Memorial,
The Book of Isaiah, chapter sixty-one, verses one thru three(d);
Psalm Eighty-nine, verse two(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses thirty-one thru forty.

Commentary: Even when the Memorials are mentioned during daily Mass, & the appropriately-colored vestments worn, the readings are always the standard daily readings. I shall have to investigate the whys & wherefores of when the memorial readings should be used.

Armistice Day



"Armistice Day has become Veterans' Day. Armistice Day was sacred. Veterans' Day is not."
—Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Breakfast of Champions

In these United States, we commemorate 11 November as Veterans Day, a day of thanksgiving for all those who have served in our armed forces, stood on a wall in defense of our freedom, & survived. This is not the day to honor the glorious dead—that's Memorial Day. This is not the day to honor those guarding us on active duty—that's Armed Forces Day. Alas, in latter days there has been a great confusion & all of the days those days have become conglomerated. The Lord knows I do not mean to dishonor our veterans with my preference for Armistice Day over Veterans Day. I believe the focus & clarity of Armistice Day/Remembrance Day is vital. Those who died from 1914-1918 did not die in vain so long as we remember for what they died, so long as we strive with all our strength to avoid the madness of lust for territorial conquest & nationalism run amok.

Ninety-seven years ago to the day, 11 November 1918—at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month—the guns fell silent on the Western Front, signaling the end of the Great War, the Weltkrieg ("world war"). Only later, after war began anew in 1939 would the war of 1914-1918 be renamed the First World War. Millions lay dead in the heart of Western civilization; millions more were scarred, physically, mentally, emotionally, & spiritually. Words fail me, so allow me to quote myself, from one year hence:

"I am living with the Great War as never before, commemorating its centenaries through "The Explorers' Club." I am fatigued. Yet I dare not fail to remember them, those lads—brave & craven, idealistic & fatalistic, German & French & Russian & loyal to empires proud & strong that disintegrated before their bodies were cold in their graves—who died not in vain in 1914-1918. A century on we in the West have embraced a myth, have ensconced ourselves in a nihilistic fiction that it all meant nothing, that 'twas all folly & no nobility. But the men who fought, those who lived to see peace & careers & families & the greater war that followed, they knew for what they had fought, for what their friends had died. I dare not flag, dare not fail to keep faith with our fathers. They were not golden, brilliant men of a golden, brilliant age. They were as human as you or I. They made mistakes & they pulled of incredible coups; they were generous & they were petty. They did not operate with our smug, fatally flawed assurance that hindsight has made us wise. We dare not forget them because they were the same as we are now, because their fate can be ours unless hindsight leads to wisdom, unless we learn from their mistakes just as our posterity must learn from ours. I am weary, but remain devoted & undaunted."

Around the world, the Armistice that ended the "war to end all wars" will be remembered in the playing of the "Last Post": B.B.C.-link.

"The Fallen Subaltern"
by Herbert Asquith* (1881-1947)

The starshells float above, the bayonets glisten;
We bear our fallen friend without a sound;
Below the waiting legions lie and listen
To us, who march upon their burial ground.

Wound in the flag of England here, we lay him;
The guns will flash and thunder o'er the grave;
What other winding sheet should now array him,
What other music should salute the brave?

As goes the Sun-god in his glorious chariot,
When all his golden banners are unfurled,
So goes the soldier, fallen but victorious,
And leaves behind a twilight in the world.

And those who come this way, in days hereafter,
Will know that here a boy for England fell,
Who looked at danger with the eyes of laughter,
And on the charge his days were ended well.

One last salute; the bayonets clash and glisten;
With arms reversed we go without a sound:
One more has joined the men who lie and listen
To us, who march upon their burial ground.



"Valley of the Shadow"
by John Galsworthy (1867-1933)

God, I am traveling out to death's sea,
I, who exulted in sunshine and laughter,
Thought not of dying death—is such waste of me!
Grant me one comfort: Leave not the hereafter
Of mankind to war, as though I had died not—
I, who in battle, my comrade's arm linking,
Shouted and sang—life in my pulses hot
Throbbing and dancing! Let not my sinking
In dark be for naught, my death a vain thing!
God, let me know it the end of man's fever!
Make my last breath a bugle call, carrying
Peace o'er the valleys and cold hills, for ever!



*Herbert Asquith of the Royal Artillery, not to be confused with his father, the wartime prime minister Herbert Henry "H. H." Asquith (1852-1928), the first Earl of Oxford & Asquith.

Wayback Machine: Lest We Forget
I do not end every Great War-themed episode of "The Explorers' Club" with the words "Lest we forget" because they are from the great Rudyard Kipling, nor even because they are pretty & evocative. No, I repeat them because I live in mortal dread. Lest we forget, lest we fall victim to the same hubris, the same folly, the same tragedy. Lest we fail to learn the lessons of history. This is the most important work, the only important work of The Secret Base, the war against forgetting, the war to keep alight the flame of memory. I take great satisfaction that never has this most sacred day past unobserved, not from the earliest, chaotic days of this blog. Lest we forget.

Armistice Day '14 | Armistice Day '13

Armistice Day '12 | Armistice Day '11

Armistice Day '10 | Armistice Day '09

Armistice Day '08 | Armistice Day '07

Armistice Day '06 | Armistice Day '05

Armistice Day '04 | Armistice Day '03

Armistice Day '02

The Rebel Black Dot Song of Armistice Day
Siegried Sassoon, "Counter-Attack" from The Pity of War: Songs and Poems of Wartime Suffering (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: The great frustration of The Pity of War is that nowhere in the liner notes is listed the name of the chap who reads the poems. Siegfried Sassoon, M.C. (1886-1967) deserves credit for writing "Counter-Attack," but the other fellow also deserves credit for voicing the words so affectingly. Alas!

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Operation AXIOM
Forty years ago to the day, 10 November 1975, the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald sank to the bottom of Lake Superior, taking with her all twenty-nine souls aboard. The "Fitz" was bound from Superior, Wisconsin to Detroit, Michigan, carrying a load of taconite (iron ore) when she broke in half & sank in over five hundred feet of water. She was the largest "lake boat" constructed when launched in 1958 & set six seasonal haul records during her career. Your humble narrator would be ignorant of the tragedy if not for Lightfoot's song, which rose to № 2 on the Billboard charts & artfully described the storm that sank the Fitz as "the witch of November." Twenty-nine men perished when the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald sank, forty years ago today.

Wayback Machine '10 | Wayback Machine '11 | Wayback Machine '14

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope & Doctor of the Church (circa 400-461, A.K.A. Leo I): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
He persuaded Emperor Valentinian to recognize the primacy of the Bishop of Rome in an edict in 445. The doctrine of the Incarnation was formed by him in a letter to the Patriarch of Constantinople, who had already condemned Eutyches. At the Council of Chalcedon this same letter was confirmed as the expression of Catholic Faith concerning the Person of Christ.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
In the year 440 when Leo was in France trying to reconcile warring factions, he was called upon by the clergy & the people to succeed Sixtus III as Pope. He defended the faith against heresy & in 443 convoked an assembly to expose the errors of the Manicheans. He also opposed the Nestorians, the Priscillianists, & the Arians. He defended the doctrine of the Incarnation through the Council of Chalcedon in 451. St. Leo was able to convince Attila the Hun to retreat peacefully from Italy & the Vandal Genseric not to murder the civilians [nor] burn the city.

We also remember Saint Baudolino (circa 700-740), hermit: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Wisdom, chapter two, verse twenty-three thru chapter three, verses nine;
Psalm Thirty-four, verses two & three, sixteen thru nineteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seventeen, verses seven thru ten;

or, for the Memorial,
The Book of Sirach, chapter thirty-nine, verses six thru ten;
Psalm Thirty-seven, verse thirty(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses thirteen thru nineteen.

Monday, November 9, 2015

The Explorers' Club, № CDLXX

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Endless Battles of the Isonzo, Part II
18 October-2 December 1915: The Third & Fourth Battles of the Isonzo (demarcated by a lull in fighting from 3-10 November)—The Italians deployed their forces evenly across the entire front, while the Austro-Hungarians concentrated their firepower in the most critical sectors; heavy casualties were suffered on both sides, but the Austro-Hungarians held their ground despite being outnumbered.







Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome (circa 324): Archbasilica-link ūnus, Archbasilica-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:
This is the oldest & highest ranking of the four major basilicas in Rome. This basilica is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, the official ecclesiastical seat of the Holy Father.
Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
The basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, not St. Peter's basilica, is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome. It was erected around the year 324 by the emperor Constantine. This feast began to be celebrated universally in 1565. This feast reminds us that although we may belong to different parishes, we are all united in the universal Church of which this basilica is a symbol. Traditionally, the Pope celebrates Mass of the Lord's Supper in St. John Lateran on Holy Thursday.
We also remember Saint Ursinus of Bourges (third century), bishop: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

We further remember Saint Benignus of Armagh (died 467), bishop: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter ten.

Mass Readings
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter forty-seven, verses one & two, eight & nine, twelve;
Psalm Forty-six, verses two & three, five & six, eight & nine;
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter three, verses nine(c) thru eleven, sixteen & seventeen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter two, verses thirteen thru twenty-two.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day



John Williams, "The Raiders March" from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Yesterday was a very busy day, even by the hectic standards of my latter-day Sundays. I had multiple church activities in the morning followed by multiple church functions in the evening, but in the afternon respite I availed myself of the opportunity to sate the week-old jones to watch Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. 'Tis as it ever was: the flaws are obvious (& could have so easily been overcome!), but so are the strengths. As read the tagline on the poster for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, "If adventure has a name, it must be Indiana Jones."

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today is the Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Otherwise, on 8 November we would remember Saint Godfrey of Amiens, O.S.B. (circa 1066-1115), bishop: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

We'd also remember Blessed John Duns Scotus, O.F.M. (circa 1266-1308), priest & theologian, the "Subtle Doctor" (Doctor Subtilis): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mass Readings
The First Book of Kings, chapter seventeen, verses ten thru sixteen;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-six, verses seven thru ten;
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter nine, verses twenty-four thru twenty-eight;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter twelve, verses thirty-eight thru forty-four;
(or the Gospel according to Mark, chapter twelve, verses forty-one thru forty-four).

Mass Journal: Week Forty-six
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute
Prayers is central to the Christian experience. A Christian life is not sustainable without it, because growth in the Christian life is simply not possible without prayer. Growing in character & virtue, learning to hear the voice of God in our lives & walking where He calls us—all require the discipline of prayer. And it is not enough simply to pray when we feel like it. Prayer requires a daily commitment. Get to know the Shepherd. Stop trying to put together a master plan for your life & for your happiness. Instead, seek out the Master's plan for your life & for your happiness. Allow Him to lead you, to guide you, to be your companion, your friend, your coach, & your mentor. He will lead you to green pastures. He will restore your soul. And your cup will overflow.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Remedy Drive, "Speak to Me" via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: He speaks to all of us. We don't hear Him because we aren't listening, or are listening to someone else. He's not the only one who speaks to us, which is why St. Paul cautioned us to test every spirit. He loves you desperately. He wants you to hear Him.

Saturday, November 7, 2015

The Victors

It is an abomination that Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey is a member of the Big Ten conference. (Ah, yes, those great Midwestern states of Maryland & New Jersey!) It is even more abominable that the valiant Wolverines of the University of Michigan have a losing record against the antediluvian Scarlet Knights of Rutgers in conference play—thank you very much, Brady Hoke. Slowly but surely, Harbaugh, the magical unicorn of our dreams, is setting the world aright. Last week, the valiant Wolverines reclaimed the Little Brown Jug, the oldest & grandest rivalry trophy in college football; today, they can balance accounts against Rutgers. (I'm basically spitting every time I type the name.) Let there be a reckoning!



Go Blue!

Bonus! Song of the Day
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Sports Song" from Mandatory Fun (Mrs. Brother Nacho)

Commentary: Mrs. Brother Nacho didn't nominate "Sports Song," but she did post the following video, titled "Every Press Conference Ever" & starring Mr. Yankovic, to my FaceSpace wall: Sports-link. "Sports Song" follows pretty logically from there.
"Oh, and if somehow we are still failing
To effectively articulate the points at hand,
Allow us now to summarize them in a manner
That you feeble brains can understand:

"We're great (We're great!) and you suck (You suck!),
We're great (We're great!) and you suck (You suck!),
We're great (We're great!) and you suck (You suck!),
You see, there's us (We're great!) and then there's you (You suck!).

"We're really, really great (Really great!),
In contract, you really suck (Really suck!).
O.K., full disclose: We're not that great,
But nevertheless, you suck…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Ernest, O.S.B. (died 1148), abbot, martyred at Mecca as a prisoner during the Second Crusade: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter nine.

Mass Readings
The Letter to the Romans, chapter sixteen, verses three thru nine, sixteen, twenty-two thru twenty-seven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses two thru five, ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter sixteen, verses nine thru fifteen.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Foo Fighters, "Learn to Fly" via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Friday, November 6, 2015

Project BLACK MAMBA

Today we remember Saint Barlaam of Novgorod (died 1192), hermit, later founder of the Khutyn Monastery of (the) Saviour's Transfiguration: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Monastery.

Scripture of the Day
Personal Reading
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter eight.

Mass Readings
The Letter to the Romans, chapter fifteen, verses fourteen thru twenty-one;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one thru four;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter sixteen, verses one thru eight.