Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!
"Live life!
Live life like you're gonna die,
Because you're gonna.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news,
But you're gonna die.
Maybe not today or even next year,
But before you know it you'll be saying,
'Is this all there was?
'What was all the fuss?
'Why did I bother?'
"Now maybe you won't suffer,
Maybe it's quick,
But you'll have time to think,
'Why did I waste it?
'Why didn't I taste it?'
You'll have time,
'Cause you're gonna die.
"Yes, it's gonna happen because it's happened to a lot of people I know,
My mother, my father, my loves,
The president, the kings, and the pope,
They all had hope,
And they muttered, just before they went,
'Maybe I won't go.'
Live life like you're gonna die,
Because you are…
"Have I convinced you,
Do you read my lips?
This may come as news, but it's time:
You're gonna die.
You're gonna die.
By the time you hear this,
I may well be dead,
And you, my friend, might be next,
'Cause we're all gonna die, yeah…"
Chorus:
"Lung cancer,
Heartache,
Diabetes,
Drug overdose,
Choke on a chicken bone,
Hit by a lightning bolt,
Spider bite,
Airplane crash,
Car wreck,
A cap in your ass."
Peter became known as an outstanding preacher. He also preached to catechumens preparing for baptism. Peter Chrysologus believed that Christians should acquire knowledge to support the Christian faith. He encouraged education as a God-given opportunity & obligation.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
A man who vigorously pursues a gial may produce results far beyond his expectations & his intentions. Thus it was with Peter of the Golden Words, as he was called, who as a young man became bishop of Ravenna, the capital of the empire in the West. In addition to his zeal in the exercise of his office, Peter Chrysologus was distinguished by a fierce loyalty to the Church, not only in its teaching, but in its authority as well. He looked upon learning not as a mere opportunity but as an obligation for all, both as a development of God-given faculties & as a solid support for worship of God.Considering education as a God-given opportunity & obligation: Chrysologus is an epithet, meaning the "golden-worded"; cf. St. John Chrysostom (13 September), the "golden-mouthed."
A naive of Croatia, Leopold joined the Capouchin Franciscans & was ordained several years later in spite of several health problems. He could not speak loudly enough to preach publicly. For many years he also suffered from severe arthritis, poor eyesight, & a stomach ailment. Leopold taught patrology, the study of the Church Fathers, to the clerics of his province for several years, but he is best known for his work in the confessional, where he sometimes spend thirteen to fifteen hours a day. Several bishops sought out his spiritual advice.Scripture of the Day
"Everybody's better than I am,
I think everybody's better than me,
And everybody's swell, I guess,
They're doing well, more or less,
And everybody's better than I am.
"Don't you know: To be king you don't need a castle,
To row back to shore can sure be a hassle.
"Why you walk around with your head low down?
"Everybody's acting like I don't matter,
Everybody's into the act,
Too many of them too avoid,
It could be that I'm paranoid,
I matter, as a matter of fact.
"Don't you know: To be king you don't need a castle,
To row back to shore can sure be a hassle.
"Why you walk around with your head low down?
The true king rules without a crown.
If your boat's afloat after the typhoon,
Row it safely back to the lagoon.
"And never mind the green grass you won't mow,
Or what it is you have or don't to show,
Or what it is you can or can't afford,
The good are good without reward!…"
A biblical figure described in the Gospels of Luke & John. Together with her siblings Lazarus & Mary, she is described as living in the village of Bethany near Jerusalem. She was witness to Jesus's resurrection of her brother, Lazarus. Through time, the images of maturity, strength, common sense, & concern for others predominated.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
Martha, Mary, & their brother Lazarus were evidently close friends of Jesus. He came to their home simply as a welcomed guest, rather than as one celebrating the conversion of a sinner like Zacchaeus or one unceremoniously received by a suspicious Pharisee. The sisters feel free to call on Jesus at their brother's death, even though a return to Judea at that time seems almost certain death.'Tis also the feast of Blessed Urban II, Pope, O.S.B. (circa 1042-1099), one hundred fifty-ninth Bishop of Rome: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.
Chorus: "Has been,
Has been,
Has been."
Shatner: "You talking to me? You talking to me? You calling me, 'Has Been'? What'd you say your name is?"
Chorus: "Jack, Never Done Jack."
Shatner: "Glad to meet ya. Who's your friend?"
Chorus: "Dick, Don't Say Dick."
Shatner: "What d'ya know? And you, Friend, what's your handle?"
Chorus: "Don, Two Thumbs Don.
"Riding on their armchair,
They dream of wealth and fame,
Fear is their companion,
Nintendo is their game!
"Never Done Jack and Two Thumbs Don
And sidekick Don't Say Dick,
Will laugh at others' failures,
Though they have not done shit."
Shatner: "I've heard of you, the Ready Made connecting with the Ever Ready, yeah. Never Was talking about Still Trying, I got it. Forever Bitter gossiping about Never Say Die. May I inquire what you're been doing Mister—?"
Chorus: "Jack—never done jack."
Shatner: "And you, Partner? What's the news of the world, Dick?"
Chorus: "I don't say dick."
Shatner: "Don! Of all the people, you must be the tattler."
Chorus: "Two thumbs up!"
Shatner: "What are you afraid of, failure? So am I."
Chorus: "Has been,
Has been,
Has been…"
Shatner: "'Has Been' implies failure. Not so. Has Been's history. Has Been was. Has been—might again."
"I've come to my senses that I've become senseless,
And I could give you lessons—how to ruin your friendships,
And every last conviction, I smoked them all away,
And I drank my frustrations down the drain, out of the way.
"And so I sit and wait and wonder,
Does anyone else feel like me?
Someone so tired of their routines
And disappearing self-esteem.
"I'll sing along, yeah, with every emergency,
Just sing along, 'I'm the king of catastrophes!'
I'm so far gone that deep down inside
I think it's fine by me, I'm my own worst enemy…
"And so I sit and wait and wonder,
Does anyone else feel like me?
I'm so overdosed on apathy
And burnt out on sympathy…
"Let the meanings slip away
Lost my faith in another day,
Self-deprecation seems O.K.,
I never thought I'd make it anyway…"
"And if I make it home alive—
"I'm gonna get my shit together,
'Cause I can't live like this forever,
You know I come too far and I don't wanna fail,
I got a new computer and a bright future in sales…
"I got to do some quick reading
For the big meeting,
But my head is spinning and I can't quite open my eyes.
As long as I don't have to drive—
"I'm gonna get my shit together,
'Cause I can't live like this forever,
You know I come too far and I don't wanna fail,
I got a new computer and a bright future in sales…"
There are no mentions of them in the Bible of Gospels; what we know comes from catholic legends & the "Gospel of James," which is an unsanctioned, apocryphal writing from the second century. Mary was promised to Joachim & Anne buy an angel, was consecrated to God, & she remained a virgin all her life. Mary had good, faithful parents who raised her with love & devotion to God like none other except Jesus Christ Himself.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
By tradition Joachim & Anne are considered to be the names of the parents of Mary, the Mother of God. We have no historical evidence, however, of any elements of their lives, including their nams. Any stories about Mary's father & mother come to us through tradition. Devotion to St. Anne grew in Europe through a popular French tradition. The French believed that Mary Magdalene, Lazarus, Martha, & other friends of Jesus crossed the Mediterranean Sea & landed at the southern French city of Marseilles where they spread the news about Jesus's death & resurrection. According to this tradition, Mary Magdalene's group brought with them the remains of St. Anne.'Tis also the feast of Blessed William Ward, Priest & Martyr (circa 1560-1641), martyred in the reign of the king Charles I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
"In love with movie stars,
I've been living out a fantasy,
Because I couldn't do it myself,
I'll just play it out vicariously,
Parade of police cars,
In love with movie stars.
"Involved with images,
I left a message on your phone machine,
And I'm still looking for your answer
On the cover of every magazine,
How very coy you are!
In love with movie stars.
"Your progress is arrested,
Your process is erased,
We looked for your reflection,
We couldn't find a trace,
What about your promise?
It's all been going to waste…"
"There's a girl with a crown and a specter,Bonus! Song of My Birthday
Who's on WLSD,
And she says that the scene isn't what it's been
And she's thinking of going home.
"That it's old and it's totally over now,
And it's old and it's over, it's over now,
And it's over, it's over, it's over now,
I can see myself—
"At the end of the tour,
When the road disappears,
If there's anymore people around,
When the tour runs aground,
And if you're still around,
Then we'll meet at the end of the tour.
"The engagements are booked through the end of the world,
So we'll met at the end of the tour…"
"'Cause, you know, there's so much pressure in our society to have a good time on your birthday. You know, it's like, 'I can't believe I'm going to work on my birthday!' 'I can't believe I'm doing laundry on my birthday!' 'I can't believe I'm paying for sex on my birthday! Rip off!'"Project GLOWWORM | He's Dead, Jim
Saint James the Greater was one of Jesus's first disciples. James was one of only three called by Jesus to witness His Transfiguration. James spread the Gospel across Israel & the Roman (sic) kingdom. He traveled & spread the Word… in Spain. Martyred for his faith by King Herod, who decapitated him. Saint James is known as the first apostle to die.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
This James is the brother of John the Evangelist. The two were called by Jesus as they worked with their father in a fishing boat on the Sea of galilee. Jesus had already called another pair of brothers from a similar occupation: Peter & Andrew. "He walked along a little farther & saw James, the son of Zebedee, & his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men & followed him" (Mark, 1:19-20).I regard it as a slight shame that I was not named after St. James. I love being named Michael & sharing my name with St. Michael the Archangel, but I wonder if the world might not be a better place if children were named more intentionally after saints, including potentially being named after the saint on whose feast day the child is born.
James was apparently the first of the apostles to be martyred. "About that time King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them. He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, & when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jews he proceeded to arrest Peter also" (Acts, 12:1-3a).
"Altar"
by William W. Runyeon
The altar of the great cathedral
brings indoors something of the majesty
of the open sky, as the architect
lifts the eyes of all from the altar
to the wide beauty and precision
of the ceiling, jeweler's art in the sky,
a world, in its refinement and artistry,
of museums as much as of worship.
This is hallowed ground far different
from the wilderness altar of Moses,
his burnt offering at the high place
at Gibeon. It is our place to be
grateful for different gifts at different times.
From a heritage of thousands of years,
of the written words, saints, orthodoxies;
of priests, interpreters, wars, revisions,
and renewals; worship wears very'
different vestments from the rough cloth of
religion hewn from the desert, from the
wilderness, where orthodoxies are tribal,
and living by cohesion essential for
survival of both group and individual.
Weather permitting, the greater gift lies
with a cross lashed together from sticks,
deep in the forest, upon an altar
simple as a fallen log, brushed clean;
its moment of clarity, silence, and
prayer, through the tall trees, where great
shafts of light are the majesty of Heaven;
and the hands of man, an afterthought.
"If serving You's against the law of man,
If living out my faith in You is banned,
Then I'll stand right before the jury.
If saying I believe is out of line,
If I'm judged 'cause I'm gonna give my life
To show the love that fills me,
Then I want to be guilty…"
She was a mystic, a saint, & founder of the Bridgettine nuns & monks ater the death of her husband. A distinctive feature of the pre-Reformation houses of the Order was that they were double monasteries, with both men & women forming a joint community, though with separate cloisters. They were to live in poor convents & to give all surplus income to the poor. However, they were allowed to have as many books as they pleased!'Tis also the feast of Saint John Cassian, Deacon (circa 360-435): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
"By now, I think I've found
Things change, just don't look that way to me,
Or it just looks that way to me!
By now, I think I've found
Things change, just look rearranged to me,
Never looked that way to me!…"
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."That's what's eating The Last Angry Man.
—Wm. Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act I, Scene IV
St. Mary Magdalene is one of the greatest saints of the Bible & a legendary example of God's mercy & grace. We know she was present with Christ during His public ministry, death, & Resurrection. She is mentioned at least a dozen times in the Gospels.Apparently, the feast of St. Mary Magdalene was recently promoted from a Memorial to a Feast. The ladder, as I understand it, in ascending importance: unmentioned &/or antiquated memorials, optional memorials, obligatory memorials, feasts, solemnities.
"Road Man driving in the road van,
He's got to beat the clock to the next town,
Road Man driving in the road van,
Set up the sound system for the band.
"Road Man, slow it down
And you will get there safe and sound,
He says, 'No, no, no,
'The show must go on!'
"Road Man driving like a mad man,
Breaking land speed records in the van,
Road man, he don't mind policeman,
Leaving trail of ripped-up citations.
"Road Man, slow it down
And you will get there safe and sound,
He says, 'No, no, no,
'The show must go on!'
"Road Man, heavy load,
He's got to stop and smell the rose,
Road Man, he says, 'No go,
'I've got to be king of the road!'
"Road Man didn't see the train, man,
Until it was too late to slow the van,
Meanwhile, the band is waiting for the Road Man,
Crushed by his beloved sound system.
"Road Man, slow it down
And you will get there safe and sound,
He says, 'No, no, no,
'No, no, no,
'No, no, the show must go on!
'The show must go on!
'The show must go on!
'The show must go on!
'The show must go on!
'The show must go on!"
Priest & theologian as well as a member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchins. An accomplished linguist, Lawrence spoke most European & Semitic languages fluently.'Tis also the feast of Saint Arbogast, Bishop (died circa 700, A.K.A. of Strasbourg): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
"And in between the stops at the Cracker Barrel
And forty movies with Will Ferrell,
I need some way to occupy my time,
So I'm writing you a road song,
I sure hope you don't mind…"
Bishop, martyr, & possible disciple of St. Peter. Apollinaris became the first Bishop of Ravenna, in Italy. He suffered exile because of his preaching & converts.'Tis also the feast of Saint Margaret of Antioch, Virgin & Martyr (circa 289-304, A.K.A. Marina), martyred in the reign of the emperor Diocletian, one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link XIV.
HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTHThe plaques affixed to the Lunar Modules Intrepid, Aquarius, Antares, Falcon, & Orion—Apollos 12, 13, 14, 15, & 16—were more plain, lacking any special inscription. For Apollo 17, the Challenger's plaque was inscribed:
FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON
JULY 1969, A.D.
WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND
HERE MAN COMPLETED HIS FIRSTAmerican astronauts first set foot upon the Moon, fulfilling President Kennedy's 1961 goal of "landing a man on the Moon & returning him safely to Earth" by decade's end, on 20 July 1969, forty-seven years ago today.
EXPLORATIONS OF THE MOON
DECEMBER 1972, A.D.
MAY THE SPIRIT OF PEACE IN WHICH WE CAME
BE REFLECTED IN THE LIVES OF ALL MANKIND
"It's a nine-hour driveBonus! Song of the Day
From me to you, south on I-95,
And I'll do it 'til the day that I die
If I need to
Just to see you,
Just to see you…"
De Lellis established the Order of Clerks Regular, Ministers of the Infirm (abbreviated as M.I.), better known as the Camillians. His experience in war led him to establish a group of health care workers who would assist soldiers on the battlefield. The large, red cross on their cassock remains a symbol of the Congregation. Today the red cross serves as a symbol universally recognized as the sign of charity & service. This was the original Red Cross, hundreds of years before the International Red cross Organization was formed.Scripture of the Day
It was in Monte Cassino, St. Benedict founded the monastery that became the roots of the Church's monastic system. Instead of founding small separate communities he gathered his disciples into one whole community. Saint Scholastica, he twin sister, settled nearby to live a religious life. His beliefs & instructions on religious life were collected in what is now known as the Rule of Saint Benedict.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
The father of Western monasticism & the Benedictine Order, Benedict left his studies in Rome to become a hermit. He settled in a rocky cave in Italy near Subiaco where he spent his days in prayer & fasting. After several years, others gathered around him/ He organized them into communities. He eventually wrote his Rule, a flexible & moderate pattern of life that became the norm for monastic life in the West.'Twas also the feast of Saint Olga of Kiev (circa 890-969): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.
He was Patriarch of Alexandria from 414-444. he was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence & power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively & was a leading proponent of the Christological controversies. He was a central figure in the Council of Ephesus in 431, which lead to the deposition of Nestorius as Patriarch of Constantinople.Scripture of the Day
This title is given to Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is known to many Catholic faithful as the "scapular feast." It is associated with the Brown Scapular devotional sacramental signifying the weaver's consecration to Mary & affiliation with the Carmelite Order.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
This title is given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late twelfth & early thirteenth centuries. There they built in the midst of their hermitages a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Mother. Since the fifteenth century, popular devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel has centered on the Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a sacramental associated with promises of Mary's special aid for the salvation of the devoted wearer.Scripture of the Day
St. Augustine Zhao Rong shares a feast day with eighty-six other Chinese Catholic martyrs: catechists, laborers, & other converts ranging in age from nine to seventy-two, & with thirty-three Western missionaries. All were killed in China between 1648 & 1930, many during the Boxer Rebellion. Augustine was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop Jean Gabriel Taurin Dufresse to his martyrdom in Beijing. Moved by the missionary's patience, Augustine decided to become a Catholic.'Twas also the feast of Saint Veronica Guiliani, Abbess, O.S.C. Cap. (1669-1727), stigmatist: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.
"Running around the whole town,
Neighbors yelling at me like, 'You need to slow down!'
'Going thirty-eight, Dan, chill the fuck out,
Mow your damn lawn and sit the hell down!'…"
He received the name of Bonaventure in consequence of the exclamation of St. Francis of Assisi (4 October), when, in response to the pleading of the child's mother, the saint prayed for John's [Bonaventure's birth name was Giovanni, John in English] recovery from a dangerous illness, & foreseeing the future greatness of the little John, cried out, "O Buona venture"—"O good fortune!"Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
As a boy in Italy, Bonaventure was cured of serious illness through the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi. He later joined the Franciscan Order & taught Scripture & theology. He became a Doctor of the Church. He was known for his intelligence & holiness. He was known to write about the soul's longing for God & God's love for us.Scripture of the Day
He is seen as the miraculous son of Zechariah, an old man, & his wife Elizabeth, who was past the menopause & therefore unable to have children. According to this account, the birth of John was foretold by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, while he was performing his functions as a priest in the temple of Jerusalem. Since he is described as a priest of the course of Abijah & Elizabeth as one of the daughters of Aaron this would make John a descendant of Aaron on both his father's & mother's families.Scripture of the Day
St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first Native American to be recognized as a saint. For joining the Catholic Church, Kateri was ridiculed & scorned by villagers. She was subjected to unfair accusations & her life was threatened.Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:
The first native North American saint, Kateri's shirt life as a Christian was marked with much suffering. Born in New York(, her mother) was a Christian Algonquin & her father a Mohawk chief. When Kateri was four years old, smallpox wiped out her family & left her disfigured & partially blind. She was baptized at the age of twenty, which alienated her from her family. She died at the age of twenty-four.Scripture of the Day
Christians martyred in the city of Rome during Nero's persecution in 64. According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death "not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind."Scripture of the Day
