Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest & Doctor of the Church (circa 347-420): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. Jerome was born in Eastern Europe around 345. His Christian family sent him to Rome at age twelve for a good education. He studied there until he was twenty. Then he & his friends lived in a small monastery for three years, until the group dissolved. Jerome set out for Palestine, but when he reached Antioch, he fell seriously ill. He dreamt one night that he was taken before the judgment seat or God & condemned for being a heretic. This dream made a deep impression on him. He studied Scripture under the Greek theologian (St.) Gregory Nazianzen (2 January). Pope (St.) Damasus (I, 11 December) summoned him to Rome & had him translate the Bible into Latin, a thirty-year task. His translation, called the Vulgate, became the official text of the Catholic Church.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Simon of Crépy, Hermit (circa 1047-1082): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Job, chapter thirty-eight, verses one & twelve thru twenty-one & chapter forty, verses three, four, & five;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-nine, verses one, two, three, seven thru ten, thirteen, & fourteen(a,b);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirteen thru sixteen;

or, for St. Jerome:
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter three, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen, verse twelve;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses forty-seven thru fifty-two.

Commentary: A hybrid selection of Scripture was read at the lunchtime Mass at St. Matt's downtown, the weekday First Reading & Psalm accompanied by the Gospel for St. Jerome's Memorial.

The Victors

Saturday, 17 September 2016 / Michigan Stadium
(№ 4) Michigan 45-28 Colorado
3-0, B1G 0-0

The Colorado game began in distressing fashion: By the end of the first quarter, Michigan was down 21-7. Being a basketcase after the last (lost) decade of Michigan football, I was near despair at this turn of events, having flashbacks to innumerable, completely noncompetitive routs in the Rodriguez & Hoke eras. This, however, is the age of Harbaugh. From the end of the first quarter to the beginning of the second, it seemed as if a switch was flipped & the Maize & Blue came alive, on both offense & defense. For the next three quarters the epithetless Buffaloes would have only one more offensive play of note (not a drive, a single play, a seventy-yard touchdown pass), while the valiant Wolverines would respond with thirty-eight more points. The valiant Wolverines rallied from the 21-7 start to take a 24-21 lead into halftime, then fell behind 28-24, before scoring the final twenty-one points of the game. Three of Colorado's touchdowns were scored by the offense, the fourth by the defense (a quarterback fumble returned for a touchdown). Four of Michigan's six touchdowns were scored by the offense, the other two—& the field goal, of course—by special teams (a punt blocked & returned for a touchdown & a punt returned for a touchdown).

Colorado quarterback Sefo Liufau was sacked several times & knocked down many more times, eventually leaving the game with an ankle injury; Liufau's replacement, Steven Montez, didn't complete a single pass & was sacked, knocked down, or at the very least hurried on almost every play. So what, you say? The very next week, Montez became the first quarterback in Colorado history to throw for over three hundred yards & rush for over one hundred yards in a single game, a 41-38 victory over the epithetless Ducks of Oregon. Even Kordell Stewart never did that! (Full disclosure: Oregon's defense is coordinated by the buffoonish Brady Hoke.)

In some ways, the first quarter against Colorado is now seen as a Godsend. For the first time in the young season, the valiant Wolverines not only trailed on the scoreboard, but were seriously challenged on the field. The Leaders & Best responded with style, shutting down Colorado's offensive, solving the puzzle of Colorado's defense, & tilting the field with special teams play. The valiant Wolverines, in the oft-used boxing analogy, took the epithetless Buffaloes' best punch, got up off the mat, & kept punching until they in turn delivered the knockout blow. Team 137 showed poise & resilience*, overcoming early adversity & the very best effort Colorado had, to emerge from the day with their third straight victory, their third straight game of scored forty-five points or more, & their first victory over a club from a Power Five conference (though the State of Colorado is landlocked, the University of Colorado Boulder is a member of the Pacific-12 Conference).

Michigan finished non-conference play undefeated & entered the newly expanded nine-game B1G schedule ranked № 4 in both the Associated Press (A.P.) & Coaches' polls.

Saturday, 24 September 2016
(№ 4) Michigan 49-10 Penn State
4-0, B1G 1-0

The 51-14 blowout of U.C.F. was no fun because of a pall over the proceedings cast by U.C.F.'s supreme douchebag of a head coach, Scott Frost. The 45-28 comeback win against Colorado was thrilling, having been far more exciting than any of us wanted. The Penn State game was joyous, a lively celebration of football akin to the pure delight of the season-opening 63-3 ritual sacrifice of Hawai'i.

The valiant Wolverines came to play against the ferocious Nittany Lions, playing old-school, smash-mouth Big Ten football by dominating the line of scrimmage on both offense & defense. Michigan ran the ball, ran the ball against, & then just for variety ran the ball some more. The valiant Wolverines took a 28-0 lead into halftime, having scored three touchdowns on rushes of one yards (Khalid Hill), two yards (De'Veon Smith), & two yards (Karan Higdon), & one touchdown on a three-yard pass. For 2015, the valiant Wolverines have a new defensive coordinator, Don Brown, a blitz-happy gent with a no-nonsense moustache (as opposed to your author's all-nonsense moustache). I've nicknamed him "Uncle Don," & call Michigan's defense "Uncle Don's Murder Machine." In the third quarter, Uncle Don's Murder Machine lost the shutout, giving up a field goal to the ferocious Nittany Lions; on the sidelines, one could see that Uncle Don was none too pleased, being ultra-competitive, as are all the valiant Wolverines, in the mold of their head coach, Jim Harbaugh—the Magical Unicorn of Our Dreams—a maniac who "attacks & builds with an enthusiasm (otherwise) unknown to Mankind." The Maize & Blue responded with three more rushing touchdowns, of three yards (Chris Evans), forty yards (Higdon, again), & three yards (Ty Isaac). Yes, that's right, five different valiant Wolverines scored rushing touchdowns; Smith ran for over a hundred yards, & the running back committee notched over three hundred yards, Michigan's best running performance so far of the season.

The whole-team performance against Penn State was the perfect way to begin league play. The Murder Machine is gaining experience with Uncle Don's new defensive schemes (elsewhere referred to as "wacky schemes"), the special teams appear to be a decided advantage in most contests, & while Wilton Speight hasn't been perfect at quarterback, he is far ahead of where Jake Rudock was in September '15. We don't know if Speight's ceiling is as high as Rudock's was, but so far his floor hasn't been nearly as low & additional time under Coach Harbaugh's tutelage has never failed to significantly improve any quarterback. Through the first four games, the valiant Wolverines have scored two hundred eight points, the most in the opening four games of any season in Michigan's one hundred thirty-seven year history, including Fielding Yost's "point-a-minute" teams of 1901-1905. The average score is 52-14 (actually, that's rounding up from the true average of 52-13.75), a thirty-eight-point margin of victory. True, that's against mostly non-conference opponents, but so were all the previous seasons' first four games. The Harbaugh rebuilding project still appears to be radically ahead of schedule, though this toughest tests of the season remain: the giant-killing pesky Badgers at home, then the tenacious Hawkeyes, dastardly Spartans, & hated Buckeyes, all on the road.

Go Blue!

Next: The № 4 valiant Wolverines host the № 8 pesky Badgers, fresh off then-№ 11 Wisconsin's defeat of the then-№ 8 dastardly Spartans (currently, № 17); 'twas Wisconsin's second victory over a then-top ten club this season. (The first was over L.S.U., who have subsequently dropped out of the A.P.'s Top 25 & whose head coach, Les Miles, has been unceremoniously fired.) This is the best squad the valiant Wolverines have faced yet; arguably, the same thing is true for the pesky Badgers. Go Blue!

*I see red whenever I hear a sports broadcaster reference a team's or a player's "resiliency" when he means their resilience. Stop murdering the English language!

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Green Day, "Wake Me Up When September Ends" from American Idiot (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Too literal?

Poetry Smackdown

"Lord of All Hopefulness"
by Jan Struther (1901-1953)

Lord of all hopefulness, Lord of all joy,
Whose trust, ever childlike, no cares could destroy:
Be there at our waking, and give us, we pray,
Your bliss in our hearts, Lord, at the break of the day.

Lord of all eagerness, Lord of all faith,
Whose strong hands were skilled at the plane and the lathe:
Be there at our labors, and give us, we pray,
Your strength in our hearts, Lord, at the noon of the day.

Lord of all kindliness, Lord of all grace,
Your hands swift to welcome, Your arms to embrace:
Be there at our homing, and give us, we pray,
Your love in our hearts, Lord, at the even of the day.

Lord of all gentleness, Lord of all calm,
Whose voice is contentment, whose presence is balm:
Be there at our sleeping, and give us, we pray,
Your peace in our hearts, Lord, at the end of the day.

Commentary: "Lord of All Hopefulness" was written as a hymn, but methinks it works perfectly well as a poem, too. I also enjoy "Lord of All Hopefulness" as a Christian counterpoint to Kipling's "A Song to Mithras," which has often been quoted here at The Secret Base; there is nothing wrong with quoting, reading, or enjoying "A Song to Mithras," but it is nice to have an expressly Christian echo all the same.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Michaelmas

'Tis the Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael, Archangels: Archangels-link & Wikipedia-link Michaelmas, Archangel-link Mike & Wikipedia-link Mike, Archangel-link Golf & Wikipedia-link Golf, & Archangel-link Romeo & Wikipedia-link Romeo.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. I confess to disappointment that the Holy Family bulletin has naught to say about the archangels. Please use the Wayback Machine to access past commentaries.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Richard Rolle, Hermit (circa 1300-1349, A.K.A. de Hampole): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Daniel, chapter seven, verses nine, ten, thirteen, & fourteen;
or, the Book of Revelation, chapter twelve, verses seven thru twelve(a);
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-eight, verses one thru five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses forty-seven thru fifty-one.

Personal Reading
The First Book of Samuel, chapter twenty (verses one thru forty-two);
The First Book of Samuel, chapter twenty-one (verses one thru sixteen);
The First Book of Samuel, chapter twenty-two (verses one thru twenty-three).

Commentary: David Consults with Jonathan (20:1-10), Mutual Agreement (20:11-34), Jonathan's Farewell (20:35-21:1), the Holy Bread (21:2-8), the Sword of Goliath (21:9&10), David a Fugitive (21:11-22:5), Doeg Betrays Ahimelech (22:6-10), Slaughter of the Priests (22:11-19), & Abiathar Escapes (22:20-23).

Bonus! Song of Michaelmas
Mu330, "Angels We Have Heard On High" from Winter Wonderland (The Last Angry Man)

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

MxPx, "Angels" from Secret Weapon (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"In a grave without a body, the worms lay all alone,
This room is a tomb and it is my home,
In a song with a meaning, your minds starts going blank,
Send in reinforcements—we need a tank!

"Where the sun shines bright and I don't have to lock my door,
Where the moon is full and I'm not tired anymore.

"Where angels carry me along the way,
Where I can close my eyes at night and pray,
Where angels sit and watch me while I look up to the sky,
Where angels carry me along the way.

"Spread your wings around me, take me high into the air,
Free prisoners from shackles, teach them they should not despair,
In time we all will know our destination, which way we will go…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

Hillsong Worship, "Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)" (live) from Hillsong: Let Hope Rise—Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I like "Broken Vessels (Amazing Grace)"—otherwise, it would not be the R.B.D.S.O.T.D.—but I have reservations about Hillsong Church, about their brand of Christianity. What better way to express this ambivalence than with the Hipster Jesus?

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr (circa 907-935, A.K.A. Duke Wenceslaus I of Bohemia), martyred by his usurper brother Boleslaus the Cruel: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Wenceslaus was born in Bohemia in 907. His father was killed in battle when Wenceslaus was young. This left the kingdom of Bohemia in the hands of his pagan mother, who favored anti-Christian factions. Ludmilla, Wenceslaus's grandmother, took over his education. Ludmila was determined that Wenceslaus would do two things: be a Christian & rule his country. He worked with the Church, ended the persecution of the Christians, brought back exiled priests, & built churches. Wenceslaus set an example all could follow. He gave alms, was just to those who were rich & those who were poor, visited prisoners, & promoted the religious & educational improvement of his people.

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Lawrence Ruiz & Companions, Martyrs (died 1637), martyred in the reign of the shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, Wikipedia-link Lima Romeo, & Wikipedia-link XVI.

'Tis also the feast of Saint John of Dukla, Priest, O.F.M. Conv. (1414-1484, A.K.A. Jan): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Job, chapter nine, verses one thru twelve & fourteen thru sixteen;
Psalm Eighty-eight, verses ten(b) thru fifteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-two;

or, for St. Wenceslaus:
The First Letter of Peter, chapter three, verses thirteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses thirty-four thru thirty-nine;

or, for St. Lawrence & Companions:
The Book of Wisdom, chapter three, verses one thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-four, verse seven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-three.

Personal Reading
The First Book of Samuel, chapter eighteen (verses one thru thirty);
The First Book of Samuel, chapter nineteen (verses one thru twenty-four).

Commentary: David & Jonathan (18:1-5), Saul's Jealousy (18:6-30), Persecution of David (19:1-17), David & Samuel at Ramah (19:18-21), & Saul among the Prophets (19:22-24).

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest, C.M. (1581-1660), co-founder of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul & the Vincentians, formally the Congregation of the Mission: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link D.C. & Wikipedia-link C.M.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. Vincent de Paul spent the early years of his priesthood ministering among the wealthy in the French countryside near Paris. In 1609 he became tutor to the children of the Gondi family, an involvement that taught him a principle for his work: evangelize the rich & direct them to serve the poor. In 1625, Vincent founded the Congregation of the Mission, a community of priests with a threefold commitment. Members obligated themselves to pattern their lives on Christ, to take the gospel to the rural poor, & to help educate priests in their practical duties.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Elzéar of Sabran, T.O.S.F. (1285-1323), husband of Bl. Delphine: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Delphine of Glandèves, T.O.S.F. (1283-1360), wife of St. Elzéar: Blessed-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Job, chapter three, verses one, two, three, eleven thru seventeen, & twenty thru twenty-three;
Psalm Eighty-eight, verses two thru eight;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses fifty-one thru fifty-six;

or, for St. Vincent:
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one, verses twenty-six thru thirty-one;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve, verse one;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses thirty-five thru thirty-eight.

Personal Reading
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter two, verses one thru ten.

Commentary: Generosity of God's Plan (2:1-10). This selection from St. Paul's epistles was my penance from confession yesterday.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

The Proclaimers, "Just Look Now" from Notes & Rhymes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I want for nothing. I am abundantly blessed in material goods & have ever been, by God's grace. Yet, having lived eighty-one per cent (81%) of my life in economically depressed Genesee County, & ninety-seven per cent (97%) in economically depressed Michigan, I have an affinity for songs that mention places folks say are dying & industries whose best days are long gone. I hear similarities 'twixt their beloved Scotland & my beloved Michigan. That's not all of why I like The Proclaimers, but it plays its part.

"Wait a moment yet,
Have a cigarette,
We can stand out here on the pavement.
There's a young man near
With the same idea
And a half-drunk beer as payment.

"But we turn his offer down,
Give him a light and watch him frown,
As he weaves his way back 'round
Into the crowd.

"Many years ago that was us, I know,
When they said this place was dyin';
But just look now, look all around,
If you squint, you'd swear it was thrivin'.

"Now it's we who are in decline,
Like the old shipyards and mines,
We outlived a time that's long passed away.

"I thought we'd change things,
But we never changed a thing,
We never changed a thing.

"There's a girl,
There's another,
That one looks familiar,
I think I knew her mother.

"Wait a moment yet,
Have a cigarette,
They'll let us stand out here on the pavement.
Just look now,
Look all around,
Now that's what I call entertainment!

"I thought we'd change things,
But we never changed a thing,
We never changed a thing."

The Queue

The good news is that Three and Out features none of the amateurish non-editing that marred Endzone; so, good on you for your professional competence, Farrar, Straus, & Giroux. The bad news is that Three and Out ends on a downer. Sure, Michigan had fired Rich Rodriguez (good riddance!), but the Athletic Department was under the control of Dave Brandon (A.K.A. the Dark Lord) & the Dark Lord had in turn hired the buffoonish Brady Hoke with his 47-50 record to lead the valiant Wolverines back to glory.

The nice thing about reading Endzone first, i.e. out of order, is that its bird's-eye perspective helps to illuminate many of Three and Out's worm's-eye happenings. Three and Out recounts how the apocalyptic coaching search that ended in the befuddling & ultimately doomed decision to hire Rich Rod happened; Endzone relates why the coaching search turned apocalyptic. The only missing piece of what would be John U. Bacon's stunning "Lost Decade" trilogy is a postmortem of how & why Michigan football was in slow-motion collapse in the waning years of Coach Carr's tenure, a hollowing out that few of us noticed until it was too late (your humble narrator certainly didn't). More on all of this in a post I am aspiring to write, "The Victors: The Lost Decade;" fear not, before that I'll get caught up on the current season.

If I have a complaint about Three and Out it is that Bacon is too sympathetic to his subject. Yes, he often describes Rich Rod's mistakes & is unafraid to call them such, & yes, a certain re-balancing of the scales is necessary given the shameful way in which so many Michigan Men mistreated Rodriguez, never even giving the poor fellow a chance. But in the end, Bacon makes clear that he views as unfair the decision to fire Rodriguez after the 7-6 2010 season, the only winning season of Rich Rod's tenure. This is hard to square with Bacon's otherwise clear-eyed analysis of the valiant Wolverines' many deficiencies in those years. A passage from the October '09 section of the book says it well:

In September, this team was a cat that kept landing on its feet. And now is was a cat that kept landing on its head: Michigan State, Iowa, Illinois, Purdue. In each game, they'd had an excellent chance to win—and each time, they'd found a new and creative way to lose.

O.K., there's no "if," that was unmistakably a complaint. I have one more: Neither Bacon nor Rodriguez ever even considered that there might be a qualitative difference 'twixt winning in the Big East (which Rich Rod's West Virginia squads did) & winning in the Big Ten (which Rich Rod's Michigan squads did not). The Big East doesn't even exist anymore as a football conference & it's successor, the American, is not counted as one of the "Power Five" conferences. By way of contrast, in this week's Associated Press poll, three B1G clubs are ranked in the top ten. Rodriguez has subsequently become the head football coach at Arizona in the Pac-12 conference, where no school except for Stanford even pretends to play defense, & yet is a conference in which Rich Rod's Wildcats have only one winning conference record in four complete seasons (4-5, 4-5, 7-2, 3-6, & are off to an 0-1 start in 2016 Pac-12 play). Maybe, guys, just maybe, the Big Ten was too demanding an environment for Rodriguez's spread offense & bizarre 3-3-5 to produce anything other than "new & creative ways to lose." Methinks the quality of the conference a consideration worth at least a paragraph's dismissal, if Bacon disagreed.

Recently
Jon Baird, with Kevin Costner & Stephen Meyer, illustrated by Rick Ross, The Explorers Guild, Volume One: A Passage to Shambhala
John U. Bacon, Endzone: The Rise, Fall, & Return of Michigan Football
John U. Bacon, Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football

Currently
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia (The Joy of Love)

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

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day

John Linnell, "Maine" from State Songs (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I awoke this morning at 5:30 A.M. I awoke clear & bright & joyful, smiling from ear to ear & giving thanks to the Lord. I acknowledged that the Lord had woken me up, but then immediately embraced the lie that I'd only awoken to use the water closet. So, I used the W.C., climbed back into bed, & had the devil of a time getting up again two hours later, eventually oversleeping, which means I've been on the back foot ever since, trying to salvage the day. Serves me right to suffer thus, lazy, wicked servant that I am.

What has this to do with the R.B.D.S.O.T.D.? A line from "Maine" describes part of today's predicament: "Exhausted from oversleep." The rest is lyrical gold—"Gold, Jerry! Gold!"—useful for raising my spirits as I struggle to redeem the day.

"Relaxing on my hands & knees,
Relaxing on my face,
Reclining in the bear trap of its tender, warm embrace.

"Blessed with coniferous green,
Blessed with excitement & dread,
Exhausted from oversleep,
Awake but still in bed.

"Shaving razor's rusty but the sting brings you exactly back to—

"Maine is the world that went south!
Maine is a punch in the mouth!
Maine at the top of the chart
Has crushed my evil heart.

"Maine is the devil you know!
Maine is the heaven below!
Maine at the top of the chart
Has crushed my evil heart.

"I love you anyway (I love you anyway),
I promise there's no other state (there's no other state),
But only if you stay away (but only if you leave),
And leave me to my ugly state (me to my ugly state).

"And give me back my evil heart so I can see you as you aren't.

"Maine is the world that went south!
Maine is a punch in the mouth!
Maine at the top of the chart
Has crushed my evil heart.

"Maine is the poison you love!
Maine is the hell from above!
Maine at the top of the chart
Has crushed my evil heart."

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the feast of Saints Cosmas & Damian, Martyrs (died circa 287), martyred in the reign of the emperor Diocletian: Martyr-link Charlie, Martyr-link Delta, Martyrs-link, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

I apologize there are not any saint stories or pictures due to internet down time & printing schedules. —Fran (the bulletin editor)

A farcical plan: Had I known, I would have offered The Secret Base as an archive of last year's bulletin "saint stories"—hagiographies. Of course, the internet would have been necessary to access The Secret Base & had the internet been accessible than an archive of last year's bulletin hagiographies would not have been necessary.

The past bulletin hagiographies are available to you via The Secret Base's Wayback Machine.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Little is known about Ss. Cosmas & Damian except that they suffered martyrdom for their faith in Syria sometime during the persecutions of Diocletian (around 303). We may never know exactly what happened, but we do know that their witness to the faith was so strong that people turned to them for prayerful help & passed their story on to others.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Paul VI, Pope (1897-1978), two hundred sixty-second Bishop of Rome: Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Job, chapter one, verses six thru twenty-two;
Psalm Seventeen, verses one(b,c,d), two, three, six, & seven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses forty-six thru fifty;

or, for Ss. Cosmas & Damien:
The Book of Wisdom, chapter three, verses one thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-three.

The Explorers' Club, № DXVI

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Battle of the Somme, Part V
15-22 September 1916: The Battle of Fleurs-Courcelette—The first tanks were introduced to break through the stalemate of trench warfare; developed under the aegis of the Royal Navy's Landships Committee, the term "tank" was used as cover, so as not to give away the secret of the new weapon.

Commentary: The "Little Willie" was the Landships Committee's first prototype, intended as a proof-of-concept design & development mule, not for combat.

Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA: XXVI Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Otherwise, 25 September would be the feast of Saint Cleopas (first century), one of the two disciples who encountered the risen Christ in the road to Emmaus: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '15.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Finbarr, Bishop & Abbot (circa 550-623, A.K.A. Fionnbharra, whence Barra): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Priest & Abbot (1314-1392, A.K.A. of Moscow): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Vincent Strambi, Bishop, C.P. (1745-1824): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings
The Book of Amos, chapter six, verses one(a) & four thru seven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-six, verses seven thru ten;
The First Letter to Timothy, chapter six, verses eleven thru sixteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter sixteen, verses nineteen thru thirty-one.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

Tom Lehrer, "The Vatican Rag" (from That Was the Year That Was) via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: In this as in many other instances I am depending on the Lord (A) knowing what is in my heart & (B) having a sense of humor. I am confident that He has a sense of humor; witness the platypus, a duck-billed, egg-laying, venomous mammal.

"Another big news story of the year concerned the ecumenical council in Rome, known as Vatican II. Among the things they did in an attempt to make the Church more commercial was to introduce the vernacular into portions of the Mass to replace Latin & to widen somewhat the range of music permissible in the liturgy. But I feel, if they really want to sell the product in this secular age, what they ought to do is to redo some of the liturgical music in popular song form. I have a modest example here: it's called, 'The Vatican Rag.'

"First you get down on your knees,
Fiddle with your rosaries,
Bow your head with great respect,
And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!

"Do whatever steps you want if
You have cleared them with the pontiff,
Everyone say his own kyrie eleison,
Doing the Vatican Rag!

"Get in line in that processional,
Step into that small confessional,
There the guy who's got religion'll
Tell you if your sin's original.

"If it is, try playing it safer:
Drink the wine & chew the wafer.
Two, four, six, eight,
Time to transsubstantiate!

"So get down upon your knees,
Fiddle with your rosaries,
Bow your head with great respect,
And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect!

"Make a cross on your abdomen,
When in Rome do like a Roman,
Ave Maria, gee, it's good to see ya!
Getting ecstatic again,
Sorta dramatic again,
Doing the Vatican Rag!"

Bonus! Song of the Day

Lily Allen, "Cheryl Tweedy" (from the Smile E.P.) via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Don't compare yourself to other persons, 'tis one of Old Scratch's oldest tricks.

"I wish my life was a little less seedy,
Why am I always so greedy?
Wish I looked just like Cheryl Tweedy,
I know I never will,
I know I never will.
I wish my life was not so boring,
Every weekend fall to the flooring.
Don't get my started on Monday morning,
It woke me up again,
It woke me up again…"

Of course, due to the sham of modern marriage, by this point in time the song, if new, would have to be titled "Cheryl Tweedy Cole Fernandez-Versini, known professionally by the mononym Cheryl."

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the feast of Our Lady of Ransom: Our Lady-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Anathalon, Bishop (first century): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Blesseds William Spenser, Priest, & Robert Hardesty, Martys (died 1589), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I, two of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Whiskey Sierra & Wikipedia-link Whiskey Sierra, Martyr-link Romeo Hotel, & Wikipedia-link LXXXV.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Pacificus of San Severino, Priest, O.F.M. (1653-1721): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter eleven, verse nine thru chapter twelve, verse eight;
Psalm Ninety, verses three thru six, twelve thru thirteen, & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses forty-three(b) thru forty-five.

Personal Reading
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-eight (verses one thru eight);
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-nine (verses one thru twenty-four);
Psalm One Hundred Forty-four (verses one thru fifteen).

Commentary: Psalm 138: Hymn of a Grateful Heart, Psalm 139: The All-knowing & Ever-present God, & Psalm 144: A Prayer for Victory & Prosperity.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: Go Blue!

The University of Michigan Marching Band, "Let's Go Blue" from A Saturday Tradition (The Last Angry Wolverine)

Commentary: The lyrics of "Let's Go Blue" are a little baroque, but stick with it & you'll get the hang of them sooner or later.

"Let's go Blue!
"Let's go Blue!
"Let's go Blue!
"Let's go Blue!"

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest, O.F.M. Cap. (1887-1968, A.K.A. Padre Pio): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Padre Pio was a friar, priest, stigmatist, & mystic. On 20 September 1918, while hearing confessions, Padre Pio had his first occurrence of the stigmata. At the time of Padre Pio's death, his body appeared unwounded, with no sign of scarring. There was a report that doctors who examined his body found it empty of all blood.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

In 1903 sixten-year-old Francesco Forgione entered the Capuchin monastery at Morcone, Italy, where he received the name Brother Pio. After celebrating Mass on 18 September, while sitting in the monastery choir before an ancient crucifix, Padre Pio received the stigmata. He says he fell into a deep, peaceful repose, & an angel with blood oozing from his hands, feet, & side appeared to him. "I felt like I was dying," he said, "& I would have died in the Lord had not intervened to strengthen my heart, which was ready to burst out of my chest. When the mysterious creature left, I found that my hands, feet, & side had been pierced & were bleeding…."

St. Padre Pio's most oft quoted utterance was, "Pray, hope, & don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful & will hear your prayer."

'Tis also the feast of Saint Linus, Pope (died circa 76), second Bishop of Rome: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed William Way, Priest & Martyr (circa 1560-1588), martyred in the reign of the queen Elizabeth I: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-four, verses one(b), two(a,b,c), three, & four;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses eighteen thru twenty-two;

or, for St. Pius:
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter ten, verses eight & nine;
Psalm Sixteen, verse five(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses thirty-five thru thirty-eight.

Bonus! Song of the Day
Roger McGuinn, Emmylou Harris, & Ricky Skaggs, "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season)" from The Song Album: Music from the Motion Picture (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Today's reading from Ecclesiastes, set to music.

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song of the Day

Cliff Eidelman, "Sign Off" from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country—Music from the Motion Picture (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: We conclude the R.B.D.S.O.T.D.'s celebration of Star Trek's fiftieth anniversary with the song that accompanied the original cast's formal—though not final—farewell, as their signatures appeared on-screen against the backdrop of stars. Accompanying this, an image of the Starship Discovery, as we look forward to Star Trek's next fifty years, which begin next year with a new television series. (Though it appears that the Discovery might not look like this.) Star Trek has always been about the future, the future that we are building here in the present, day by day, choice by choice. Let us choose a better future, today & let us go boldly into that undiscovered country.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the feast of Saint Maurice & the Theban Legion, Martyrs (died circa 286), martyred in the reign of the emperor Maximian: Martyr-link Mike ūnus, Martyr-link Mike duo, & Wikipedia-link Mike; Martyr-link Legion ūnus, Martyr-link Legion duo, & Wikipedia-link Legion.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Emmeram of Regensburg, Bishop & Martyr, O.S.B. (died circa 690), martyred in a misdirected honor killing: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Thomas of Villanova, Bishop, O.S.A. (1488-1555): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter one, verses two thru eleven;
Psalm Ninety, verses three thru six, twelve thru fourteen, & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses seven thru nine;

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song of the Day

Leonard Nimoy, "Spock Thoughts" (from Spaced Out: The Very Best of Leonard Nimoy & William Shatner) via iTunes (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: Set against background music, "Spock Thoughts" is a recitation of the poem "Desiderata" by Max Ehrmann, written in 1927.

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and
remember what peace there may be in silence. As
far as possible, without surrender, be on good
terms with all persons.

"Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to
others, even the dull and ignorant; they, too, have
their story.

"Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious
to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you
may become vain and bitter; for always there will be
greater and lesser persons than yourself.

"Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep
interested in your own career, however humble; it is a
real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

"Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world
is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue
there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and
everywhere life is full of heroism.

"Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither
be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity
and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.

"Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully
surrendering the things of youth.

"Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden
misfortune. But do not distress yourself with
imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and
loneliness.

"Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with
yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than
the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.

"And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the
universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at
peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be.

"And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy
confusion of life, keep peace with your soul. With all its
sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still
a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy."

In addition to cautioning against distressing oneself with "dark imaginings," not just "imaginings," Ehrmann's original concluding line also differed from Nimoy's:

"Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist (first century, A.K.A. Levi): Apostle-link ūnus, Apostle-link duo, Apostle-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '15. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Matthew was one of Jesus's twelve apostles & also one of the four Evangelists. Matthew authored the first Gospel of the Bible's New testament, now known as the Gospel of Matthew. Prior to preaching the word of God, he worked as a tax collector in Capernaum.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Matthew, also known as Levi, was a tax collector in the town of Capernaum. Most tax collectors were hated by the Jews because they worked for the Romans, who had conquered the land. A tax collector could use his position honestly or dishonestly. The temptation to use the position to become rich was great.He invited Jesus to a sinner where other tax collectors (publicans) & sinners were gathered. The Pharisees were upset when they saw this, & they said to the disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors & sinners?" Jesus heard them & replied, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who who are sick. Go & learn that this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew, 9:9-13).

'Tis also the feast of Saint Iphigenia of Ethiopia, Virgin (first century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven & eleven thru thirteen;
Psalm Nineteen, verses two thru five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses nine thru thirteen.

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song of the Day

The Firm, "Star Trekkin'" (from Dr. Demento's Hits from Outer Space) via iTunes (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: "Star Trekkin'" builds, with first Uhura; then Spock & Uhura; then McCoy, Spock, & Uhura; then Kirk, McCoy, Spock, & Uhura; & finally Scott, Kirk, McCoy, Spock, & Uhura—increasing in both complexity & tempo 'til the whole things spins out of control at the end.

"Star trekkin' across the universe,
On the Starship Enteprise under Captain Kirk,
Star trekkin' across the universe,
Boldly going forward 'cause we can't find reverse!

"Lieutenant Uhura, report:
'There's Klingons on the starboard bow, starboard bow, starboard bow,
There's Klingon on the starboard bow, starboard bow, Jim!'

"Analysis, Mister Spock:
'It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, not as we know it,
It's life, Jim, but not as we know it, not as we know it, Captain'…

"Medical update, Doctor McCoy:
'It's worse than that—he's dead, Jim! Dead, Jim! Dead, Jim!
It's worse than that—he's dead, Jim! Dead, Jim! Dead!'…

"Starship captain James T. Kirk:
'We come in peace—shoot to kill, shoot to kill, shoot to kill,
We come in peace—shoot to kill, shoot to kill, men!'…

"Engine room, Mister Scott:
'Ye cannot change the laws of physics, laws of physics, laws of physics,
Ye cannot change the laws of physics, laws of physics, Jim'…"

The image is one of fifty pieces commissioned to celebrate Star Trek's fiftieth anniversary—Star Trek: 50 Artists, 50 Years. At the convention in Las Vegas, I inspected the book of the series (Amazon-link) & I may well ask for it on my Christmas wish list.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, & Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, & Companions, Martyrs (died 1839-1867): Martyr-link Alpha Kilo Tango & Wikipedia-link Alpha Kilo Tango; Martyr-link Papa Charlie Hotel & Wikipedia-link Papa Charlie Hotel; & Martyrs-link CIII ūnus, Martyrs-link CIII duo, & Wikipedia-link CIII.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '15. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Andrew Kim Taegon was the first Korean-born Catholic priest & is the patron saint of Korea. At the age of twenty-five, he was tortured & beheaded near Seoul on the Han River.

St. Paul was one of the Korean martyrs. Paul Hasang went through a series of tortures in which his countenance remained tranquil. Finally, he was bound to a cross on a cart & cheerfully met his death.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Andrew Kim Taegon was the first native Korean priest. He was the son of converts. His father, a farmer, was also martyred. Andrew was baptized when he was fifteen. He then attended seminary in Macao, China, thirteen hundred miles away from home. After six years Andrew returned to Korea & assumed the job of bringing missionaries into the country secretly. Almost immediately he was arrested, tortured, & beheaded. In a letter written to fellow Christians, Andrew stated, "We have received baptism, entrance into the Church, & the honor of being called Christians. Yet what good will this do if we are Christians in name only & not in fact?"

'Tis also the feast of Saints Fausta & Evilasius, Martyrs (died circa 311), martyred in the reign of the emperor Maxentius: Martyr-link Foxtrot & Wikipedia-link Foxtrot, Martyr-link Echo & Wikipedia-link Echo, & Martyrs-link Foxtrot & Echo.

Commentary: Catholicsaints.info has mixed up St. Fausta's & St. Evilasius's names, but our other sources & the logic of the suffixes -a & -ius confirm that St. Fausta was a young girl, condemned for her faith by St. Evilasius, an older man, who was so moved by her courage in the face of persecution that he converted & was himself martyred.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-one, verses one thru six & ten thru thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred nineteen, verses one, twenty-seven, thirty, thirty-four, thirty-five, & forty-four;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses nineteen thru twenty-one;

or, for the Korean Martyrs
The Book of Wisdom, chapter three, verses one thru nine;
or, the Letter to the Romans, chapter eight, verses thirty-one(b) thru thirty-nine;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses twenty-three thru twenty-six.

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song of the Day

Cliff Eidelman, "Rura Penthe" from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country—Music from the Motion Picture (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: Above, the belligerent inmate of the Klingon prisoner planet of Rura Penthe, "the Aliens' Graveyard," of whom it was said, "Not everybody keeps their genitals in the same place."

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song of the Day

Steppenwolf, "Magic Carpet Ride" from Star Trek: First Contact—Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: A vital piece of the inaugural flight of the Phoenix, Mankind's first warp-capable starship, that pioneering inventor & engineer Zefram Cochrone almost forget, & which history apparently neglected to remember: Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride." 'Twas an excellent added touch to the already superlative Star Trek: First Contact, evincing a humanizing playfulness.

This Week in Motorsport | Project GLOWWORM

Formula One, currently majority owned by the private equity firm C.V.C. Partners, will by early next year be majority owned by mass media firm Liberty Media. I'm interested in neither investigating nor discussing the shadowy, murky, & almost certainly shady business side of F1. I am interested in pointing out that new F1 chairman Chase Carey has a mightily impressive moustache. Well done, sir.

The Queue

Endzone is a fascinating look into a maddening era at the University of Michigan, an era in which we Wolverines, as a people, lost our way—& almost lost our collective soul. Like all great powers, we were undone not by enemies from without but by treason from within, in this instance principally perpetrated by reviled former Michigan football player & Athletic Director Dave Brandon. This tale of betrayal, rebellion, & redemption might be interesting to those whose hearts do not thrill to the playing of "The Victors," but I wouldn't know; I do not pretend to be anything but an ardent Michigan partisan.

Part I: 1979-2007—The Rise
Part II: 2010—The Brandon Era Begins
Part III: 2011—Hoke's Honeymoon
Part IV: 2012—Welcome to 2012
Part V: 2013—Jumping Off the Bandwagon
Part VI: 2014—The Fall
Part VII: 2014—The Return

The missing years, 2007-2010, are covered in great detail in the John U. Bacon book I am currently reading, Three and Out.

The really curious thing about Endzone is the odd frequency of typographical errors: misspelled words, essential words—such as nouns & verbs—missing from some sentences, & other sentences repeated. My hope is that the manuscript will be proofread anew before the paperback publication. What the heck, St. Martin's Press?

Recently
Edward P. Hahnenberg, A Concise Guide to the Documents of Vatican II
Jon Baird, with Kevin Costner & Stephen Meyer, illustrated by Rick Ross, The Explorers Guild, Volume One: A Passage to Shambhala
John U. Bacon, Endzone: The Rise, Fall, & Return of Michigan Football

Currently
John U. Bacon, Three and Out: Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan Wolverines in the Crucible of College Football
Pope Francis, Amoris Lætitia (The Joy of Love)

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

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Januarius, Bishop & Martyr (died circa 305), martyred in the reign of the emperor Diocletian: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Bishop as well as martyr, an illustrious member of the Neapolitan church, who after chains & imprisonment was beheaded under the emperor Diocletian. The liquefaction (becoming liquid) of the blood of St. Januarius is an extraordinary miracle of the Church that has been occurring up to eighteen times each year for the past six hundred years.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Little is known about Januarius except that he was a bishop of Benevento (near Naples, Italy) & was probably martyred during the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian around 305. According to legends about Januarius, he went to visit Christians were had been imprisoned. He was then arrested & condemned to death for being a Christian. Januarius & his companions were thrown to wild beasts in an amphitheater, but the wild animals refused to harm them. The Christians were beheaded instead, & the blood & body of Januarius were brought back to Naples. Januarius is regarded as the patron saint of Naples, & his protection is sought when there is the danger of volcanic eruption.

Who needs pronouns? Let's type the word Januarius a few more times!

'Tis also the feast of Saint Theodore of Tarsus, Bishop (circa 602-690, A.K.A. of Canterbury): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The Book of Proverbs, chapter three, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-four;
Psalm Fifteen, verses two thru four(b) & five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses sixteen thru eighteen;

or, for St. Januarius:
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter ten, verses thirty-two thru thirty-six;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-four thru twenty-six.

The Explorers' Club, № DXV

Operation AXIOM: The World War
17 September 1916: Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen (1892-1918), immortalized in the popular imagination as "the Red Baron," scored his first official aerial victory, flying for Jasta 2, commanded by the ace of aces Oswald Boelcke (1891-1916). Richthofen would be credited with eighty aerial victories in his career, more than any other pilot in the war, & be regarded as a legend in his own time.

Lest we forget.

Bonus! Song of the Day
The Staggers, "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" via iTunes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"After the turn of the century,
In the clear blue skies over Germany
Came a roar and a thunder they had never heard,
Like the screaming sound of a big warbird.

"Up in the sky, a man and his plane,
Baron von Richthofen was his name,
And eighty men tried and eighty men died,
Now they're buried all together on the countryside.

"Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or more!
The bloody Red Baron was rolling up the score!
And eighty men died trying to end that spree
Of the bloody Red Baron of Germany…"

Project BLACK MAMBA: XXV Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Otherwise, 18 September would be the feast of Saint Hygbald, Abbot, O.S.B. (died circa 690, A.K.A. Hibald, etc.): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Richardis of Swabia, Abbess, O.S.B. (circa 840-895, A.K.A. of Andlau), Holy Roman Empress: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the feast of Saint Joseph of Cupertino, Priest, O.F.M. Conv. (1603-1663): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings
The Book of Amos, chapter eight, verses four thru seven;
Psalm One Hundred Thirteen, verses one, two, & four thru eight;
The First Letter to Timothy, chapter two, verses one thru eight;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter sixteen, verses one thru thirteen;
(or, the Gospel according to Luke, chapter sixteen, verses ten thru thirteen).

Bonus! Song of the Lord's Day
The Proclaimers, "Wages of Sin" from Notes & Rhymes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

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

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

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Lord's Day

The Proclaimers, "Love Can Move Mountains" from Notes & Rhymes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: God is love (1 John, 4:8). I freely admit that I take a certain & undeniable pleasure in taking songs intended to be secular & bending them toward the religious.

"A cynical mind won't help you through the night
And it can't hold you up when you're too tired to fight.
Where you didn't have the strength to look after yourself,
You'd find all that you need for somebody else.

"But love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains, yes it can.
Love can move mountains!

"That impossible task you're thinking of
Is one you can complete when you're driven by love,
And the strength that you find won't go slipping away:
Once it enters your soul, it's reborn every day…

"Be thankful every day that it stays, that it stays…

"But love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains, yes it can.
Love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains, yes it can.
Love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains!
Love can move mountains!"

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Robert Bellarmine, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, S.J. (1542-1621): Doctor-link ūnus, Doctor-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '15. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was an Italian Jesuit & a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He was one of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation. He was a professor of theology & later rector of the Roman College, & supported the reform decrees of the Council of Trent. He is also widely remembered for his rôle in the Giordano Bruno & Galileo affairs.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

His most famous work is his three-volume Disputations on the Controversies of the Christian Faith. Particularly noteworthy are the sections on the temporal power of the pope & the rôle of the laity. He incurred the anger of monarchists in England & France by showing the divine right-of-kings theory untenable. He developed the theory of the indirect power of the pope in temporal affairs; although he was defending the pope against the Scottish philosopher Barclay, he also incurred the ire of Pope Sixtus V. Bellarmine was made a cardinal by Pope Clement VIII on the grounds that "he had not his equal in learning."

'Tis also the feast of Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Abbess & Doctor of the Church, O.S.B. (1098-1179): Doctor-link ūna, Doctor-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verses thirty-five thru thirty-seven & forty-two thru forty-five;
Psalm Fifty-six, verses two(c) thru fourteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses four thru fifteen;

or, for St. Robert:
The Book of Wisdom, chapter seven, verses seven thru ten, fifteen, & sixteen;
Psalm Nineteen, verse ten;
or, the Gospel according to John, chapter six, verse sixty-three;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seven, verses twenty-one thru twenty-nine.

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day: Go Blue!

The University of Michigan Marching Band, "I Want to Go Back to Michigan" from A Saturday Tradition (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: The immortal words of Fielding H. Yost, head football coach at the University of Michigan from 1901-1923 & 1925-1926 & athletic director from 1921-1940:

"…the Spirit of Michigan. It is based upon a deathless loyalty to Michigan & all her ways; an enthusiasm that makes it second nature for Michigan Men to spread the gospel of their university to the world's distant outposts; a conviction that nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours."

Bonus! Star Trek Song of the Night

Dennis McCarthy, "Theme from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine—After 3:00 A.M. at Quark's" via iTunes (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: I'm awake almost every Saturday at 3:00 A.M. I'm not still up from a long night of revelry at Quark's, I've awoken after a too-brief nap for my shift in Holy Redeemer's Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel (Wikipedia-link), 3:00-4:30 A.M. It plays heck with my sleep schedule, but outside of Mass it's the best hour & a half of my week.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, & Cyprian, Bishop, Marytrs (died 253 & 258), twenty-first Bishop of Rome, martyred in the reign of the emperor Trebonianus Gallus & Bishop of Carthage, martyred in the reign of the emperor Valerian: Martyr-link Charlie Oscar ūnus, Martyr-link Charlie Oscar duo, & Wikipedia-link Charlie Oscar; Martyr-link Charlie Yankee & Wikipedia-link Charlie Yankee.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '15. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Cornelius & Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage, did not believe in the need for re-baptism for Catholics who stopped practicing their religion. Instead, they thought that sinners should only need to show contrition & true repentance to be welcomed back into the Church.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

St. Cornelius—The greatest problem of Cornelius's two-year term as pope had to do witht he Sacrament of penance & centered on the readmission of Christians who had denied their faith during the time of persecution. Two extremes were finally both condemned. Cyprian, primate of North Africa, appealed to the pope to confirm his stand that the relapsed could be reconciled only by the decision of the bishop.

St. Cyprian—Highly educated, a famous orator, he became a Christian as an adult. He distributed his goods to the poor & amazed his fellow citizens by making a vow of chastity before his baptism. Within two years he had been ordained a priest & was chosen, against his will, as Bishop of Carthage (near modern Tunis). Cyprian complained that the peace the Church had enjoyed had weakened the spirit of many Christians & had opened the door to converts who did not have the true spirit of faith. When the Decian persecution began, many Christians easily abandoned the Church. It was their reinstatement that cause the great controversies of the third century & helped the Church progress in its understanding of the sacrament of Penance.

'Tis also the feast of Saint Ninian, Bishop (circa 360-432): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verses twelve thru twenty;
Psalm Seventeen, verses one(b, c, d), six thru eight(b), & fifteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses one thru three;

or, for Ss. Cornelius & Cyprian:
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses seven thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses eleven(b) thru nineteen.

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song of the Day

The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, "Where My Heart Will Take Me (Theme from Star Trek: Enterprise" (composed by Diane Warren) from The Music of Star Trek (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: A.K.A. "Faith of the Heart," the song debuted on the Patch Adams soundtrack, performed by—egad!—Rod Stewart.

By 2001, the Golden Age was drawing to a close, due to two main factors: One, there was a perceived drop in quality—the much-heralded Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001) was a seven-year slog through mediocrity & unloved by the fans due to its vast inferiority to its black-sheep sibling, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999), & the third Next Generation feature film, Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), had been a dud. Two, most persons are damnable fools, including the vast majority of Trekkies, who had grown complacent after the myriad splendors of the Golden Age & had begun to take Star Trek very much for granted—so-called "franchise fatigue." Instead of addressing the core issue of quality writing & character development (I shall spare you the lengthy jeremiad about that), the Star Trek brain trust instead decided to make a few superficial alternations for the new series. Initially, the show was titled simply Enterprise, not being re-branded Star Trek: Enterprise until the third season. Also, in place of the sweeping orchestral themes of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, & Voyager, the new show had the dreadful soft-rock ballad, "Where My Heart Will Take Me (Faith of the Heart)," performed by an unknown singer named Russell Watson. The visuals that comprised Enterprise's opening sequence were magnificent, but through all four seasons the song remained an albatross around the show's neck.

Fortunately for us, today's R.B.D.S.O.T.D. is an orchestral rendition, based on the end credits music which was almost never heard during the show's broadcast run, making "Where My Heart Will Take Me" barely tolerable.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows: Our Lady-link ūna, Our Lady-link duae, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '14 & Wayback Machine '15. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Seven Sorrows are based on the prophecy of Simeon depicting events in Christ's life. These are separate from the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

The principal biblical reference to Mary's sorrows are in Luke, 2:35 & John, 19:26-27. The Lucan passage is Simeon's prediction about a sword piercing Mary's soul; the (Johannine) passage… relates Jesus's words to Mary & to the beloved disciple. Many early Church writers interpret the sword as Mary's sorrows, especially as she saw Jesus die on the Cross. Thus, the two passages are brought together as prediction & fulfillment.

'Tis also the feast of Blessed Paolo Manna, Priest (1872-1952), founder of the Pontifical Missionary Union: Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link P.M.U.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings
Weekday
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, verses 1(b) thru two, sixteen, seventeen, & twenty-eight;
The Gospel according to John, chapter nineteen, verses twenty-five thru twenty-seven;
or, the Gospel according to Luke, chapter two, verses thirty-three thru thirty-five;

or, for Our Lady:
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter five, verses seven thru nine;
Psalm Thirty-one, verse seventeen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter nineteen, verses twenty-five thru twenty-seven;
or, the Gospel according to Luke, chapter two, verses thirty-three thru thirty-five.

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song of the Day

The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, "Theme from Star Trek: Voyager" (composed by Jerry Goldsmith) from The Music of Star Trek (The Last Angry Trekkie)

Captain's Log: The best part of every episode, no foolin'. Once the plot, dialogue, & characters came onto the scene, it was all downhill from there. I've seen every episode of Star Trek: Voyager twice, & barely any moments have been retained as worth remembering. The theme is today's R.B.D.S.O.T.D. for completeness's sake.

Urbi et Orbi: Is One Jim?

What is one supposed to do if one is endeavoring to be a devout Catholic & after daily Mass the celebrant (priest) says, vaguely in one's direction, "I want to talk to you, too, Jim," & (A) one's name is not Jim; (B) a lady not of one's acquaintance says that the celebrant seems to wish to speak to one; (C) the celebrant then proceeds to speak to several other persons, both ladies & gentlemen, any one of whom might be named Jim, & wanders off through a doorway whilst in conversation with one of the ladies; & (D) one is scheduled to attend an apostolate meeting, beginning in thirty minutes, at a parish located some fifteen minutes distant? One attended one's apostolate meeting on schedule & later wrote a blog post on the matter. However, one is still uncertain whether one should contact the celebrant's parish office to set up a meeting with the celebrant who might think one's name is Jim.

O the splendors of life in the One, Holy, Catholic, & Apostolic Church!