The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAnniversary

Mustard Plug, "Suburban Homesick Blues" from Evildoers Beware! (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Evildoers Beware! was released in the spring of 1997, just in time for the Summer of Ska. Tonight, in Grand Rapids, Mustard Plug are scheduled to play Evildoers Beware! in its entirety, in celebration of the dual twentieth anniversaries. I would dearly love to make the pilgrimage to The Pyramid Scheme tonight, but there's too much that needs doing here at home. Plus, none of my kith like Mustard Plug, & ska shows aren't nearly as much fun solo.

"Saw an old friend, yeah, just the other day,
Went to his house, got lost along the way,
Should've known better than to venture out that side of town,
It's been a while since we had last talked,
Knew things would change, but not the way I thought,
It's funny how priorities change when you walk across the rail…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Jerome was a priest, confessor, theologian, & historian. He is best known for his translation of most of the Bible into Latin, & his commentaries on the Gospels. His list of writings is extensive.

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 of 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 festival of Saint Simon of Crépy, Hermit (circa 1047-1082, A.K.A. of Vexin): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Ludwik Roch Gietyngier, Priest & Martyr (1904-1941), martyred in the reign of the Führer Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Martyrs of World War II: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link (list, № 51); Wikipedia-link CVIII.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Zechariah, chapter two, verses five thru nine, fourteen, & fifteen(a);
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter thirty-one, verses ten, eleven & twelve(a,b), & thirteen;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses forty-three(b), forty-four, & forty-five.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel Jesus predicts his being handed over to men, that is, his crucifixion. Here is the point I want to make: we are meant to see on that cross our own ugliness. What brings Jesus to the cross? Stupidity, anger, mistrust, institutional injustice, betrayal, denial, unspeakable cruelty, fear. St. Peter puts it with disquieting laconicism: the author of Life came and you killed him. In the light of the cross, all of the vermin are revealed. This is why we speak of the cross as God's judgment on the world.

So far so awful. But we can't stop telling the story at this point. Dante and every other spiritual master know that the only way up is down. When we live unaware of our sins, we will never make spiritual progress. So we need the light, however painful it is. Then we can begin to rise. Once Dante makes it all the way to the center of Hell, he suddenly finds himself climbing out.

On the cross of Jesus, we meet our own sin. But we also meet the divine mercy which has taken that sin upon himself in order to swallow it up.

Video reflection by Father Nicholas Vaskov: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of 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.

†

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirty (verses one thru thirty-three);
The Book of Proverbs, chapter thirty-one (of thirty-one; verses one thru thirty-one).

Commentary: VI. The Words of Agur (Proverbs, 30:1-6), VII. Numerical Proverbs (30:7-33), VIII. The Words of Lemuel (31:1-9), & IX. The Ideal Wife (31:10-31).

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. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Michael is from the Hebrew Mikha'el, meaning "Who is as God?" His name is a battle cry. The name Gabriel seems to be composed of the Hebrew words, gebher, "man," & 'el, "God." It means, therefore, "Man of God" or "Strength of God." Raphael, from the Hebrew, rapha', "to heal," & 'el, "God," means "God heals," or the "Divine healer."

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Richard Rolle, Hermit (circa 1300-1349, of Hampole): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint René Goupil, Martyr, S.J. (circa 1606-1642), martyred by Mohawks, one of the eight North American Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link & Wikipedia-link VIII.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Ss. Michael, Gabriel, & Raphael
The Book of Daniel, chapter seven, verses nine, ten, thirteen, & fourteen;
or, the Book of Revelation, chapter twelve, verses seven thru twelve(a,b);
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-eight, verses one & two(a,b), two(c,d,e) & three, & four & five;
The Gospel according to John, chapter one, verses forty-seven thru fifty-one.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael. Meditating on these angels can tell us a great deal about the priesthood. For they exemplify the three fundamental tasks of the priest: healer, fighter, and evangelizer.

Raphael is a healer; consult the book of Tobit for the details. Michael is a fighter. When Satan dares to claim equality with God, Michael speaks his name, Mich-a-el, "Who is like God?" And this is his victory. And Gabriel is the great messenger angel, the one who announces the Incarnation to a young maiden of Nazareth.

Perhaps more than ever today, people are suffering with what the hymn calls "sin-sick souls". The great salve for all of these wounds is Jesus Christ. But who will bring this salve to a hurting world? This is why Christ raises up priests. Just think of the racism, the hatred, and the injustice that reign everywhere. Who will fight? This is why Christ raises up priests, as new Michaels.

Finally, Jesus is a preacher. He is, after all, the Word of God made flesh. Therefore, we shouldn't be surprised that the Word comes forth from him with unique power.

Video reflection by Anastacio Hinojosa: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Return
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter one (verses one thru eleven);
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter two (verses one thru twenty);
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter three (verses one thru thirty-eight);
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter four (verses one thru seventeen);
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-four, verses twenty-four thru twenty-eight;
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-five (verses one thru twenty-five);
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-six (verses one thru thirteen);
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-seven (verses one thru fifteen);
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-eight (verses one thru twenty-two);
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter twenty-nine, verses ten thru fourteen.

Commentary: I. The Deeds of Nehemiah: Nehemiah's Vocation (Nehemiah, 1:1-11), Appointment by the King (2, 1-10), Circuit of the City (2: 11-16), Rebuilding Jerusalem's Walls (2:17-20), List of Workers (3:1-32), & Opposition from Judah's Foes (3:33-4:17); Cyrus, Anointed of the Lord, Liberator of Israel (Isaiah, 44:24-45:25), the Gods of Babylon (46:1-13), the Fall of Babylon (47:1-15), & Exhortations to the Exiles (48:1-22); & Letter to the Exiles in Babylon (Jeremiah, 29:10-14).

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-nine (verses one thru twenty-seven).

Commentary: Conclusion of V. Second Collection of the Proverbs of Solomon (Proverbs, 29:1-27).

Bible Study
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-nine (verses one thru twenty-four).

Commentary: The All-knowing & Ever-present God (Psalm 139:1-24).

Bonus! Song of Michaelmas
MxPx, "Angels" from Secret Weapon (The Last Angry Man)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "NOW That's What I Call Polka!" from Mandatory Fun (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I am unfamiliar with the majority of the songs parodied herein. On the whole, I believe this to be to my advantage.

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, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935. His younger brother, Boleslaus the Cruel, was complicit in the murder. His martyrdom & the popularity of several biographies gave rise to a reputation for heroic goodness. Posthumously was a king & came to be seen as the patron saint of the Czech state.

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 the anti-Christian factions. Ludmilla, Wenceslaus's grandmother, took over his education. Ludmilla 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 1633-1637, A.K.A. the Sixteen Martyrs of Japan), martyred in the reign of the shōgun Tokugawa Iemitsu: Martyr-link Lima Romeo ūnus, Martyr-link Lima Romeo duo, & Wikipedia-link Lima Romeo; Martyr-link Alpha Golf & Wikipedia-link Alpha Golf; & Wikipedia-link XVI.

Commentary: Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Lawrence was Chinese-Filipino, he became the country's protomartyr after his execution in Japan by the Tokugawa Shogunate during its persecution of Japanese Christians in the seventeenth century.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Faustus of Riez, Bishop & Abbot (circa 405-495): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

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

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Haggai, chapter one, verses one thru eight;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-nine, verses one(b) & two; three & four; & five, six(a), & nine(b);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses seven, eight, & nine.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel we see Herod interested in and perplexed by Jesus. Political rulers don't come across well in the New Testament. In Luke's Christmas account, Caesar Augustus is compared very unfavorably to the Christ child. And that child, in Matthew's account is hunted down by the desperate Herod. Later, Herod's son persecutes John the Baptist and Jesus himself. More to it, the Jewish authorities are seen in all of the Gospels as corrupt.

And Pontius Pilate is a typical Roman governor: efficient, concerned for order, brutal. Like the other rulers of the time, he perceives Jesus, quite correctly, as a threat. "So you are a king?" Pilate asks. Jesus says, "My kingdom does not belong to this world."

This does not mean that Jesus is unconcerned for the realities of politics, with the very "this-worldly" concerns of justice, peace, and right order. When he speaks of his kingdom not belonging to the "world", he shades the negative side of that term. The "world" is the realm of sin, selfishness, hatred, violence. What he is saying is that his way of ordering things is not typical of the worldly powers like Pilate, Caesar, and Herod.

Video reflection by Father Don Miller, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Wenceslaus
The First Letter of Peter, chapter three, verses fourteen thru seventeen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verse five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses thirty-four thru thirty-nine.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Lawrence Ruiz & 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.

†

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-eight (verses one thru twenty-eight).

Bonus! Song of the Day
The Irish Rovers, "Good King Wenceslaus" from An Irish Christmas (The Last Angry Man)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Less Than Jake, "Nervous In the Alley" from Hello Rockview (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: The title of the album should be Hello, Rockview: the comma is not optional, not decorative. Also, I awoke this morning with "Nervous In the Alley" running through my head, my very favorite way of determining—or having determined for me by the muses?—the R.B.D.S.O.T.D.

"And when all is said and through,
Would I know just what to do?
Would I know just what to do, yea?
If I put myself to the test,
Would I ever raise a fist?
Would I just shut my mouth?
Would I just block it out?…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Magic!, "No Evil" from Don't Kill the Magic (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"Can you take me somewhere where the Devil cannot find us,
(Cannot find us, cannot find us,)
Rid me of the poison that has only paralyzed us,
(Paralyzed us,)
I don't want to waste another moment here without love,
And I hope there is still space in your heart for me.

"And all I could think of is you in that sundress,
And if there's a chance to be with you, I promise—

"That I will speak no evil,
And I will see no darkness,
And I will only hear your voice
'Til the demons come to infect the love,
(Speak no, see no, hear no evil,)
'Til the demons come to infect the love,
(Speak no, see no, hear no evil,)…"

The Queue | Project PANDORA

Credit where credit is due, The 5 Love Languages for Men does help to explain, ex postfacto, why my reluctant romance with Miss Mozart was, or at least seemed, doomed from the start. According to my Five Love Languages Profile, my primary "love language" is "Quality Time," with "Acts of Service" my secondary. Miss Mozart has lamented repeatedly that I never gave our romance a fair chance upon her return to Michigan, that I was only comfortable when she was still distant in California. I replied that we spent five nights & five days in each other's company, driving her motorcar & possessions across the North American landmass to move her back to sacred Michigan; that that massive amount of virtually uninterrupted time together taught us a good deal about each other & represented far more time than we could have spent together even upon her arrival in Michigan, which finds her living three hours away on the west side, almost to the Indiana border. Miss Mozart insists that that time "doesn't count," an insult that cuts me to the quick. I gave up a week of my life to help her move home, setting aside church, family, & work obligations to help her escape from her own Babylonian Captivity, & that "doesn't count" as time spent together? I don't need her gratitude, but to be told that so much quality time together & such an extended, extraordinary act of service counts for less than nothing is more than I can stand, especially from someone who wants an intimate romantic connection.

Furthermore, the available observational evidence suggests that "Gift Giving" is Miss Mozart's primary "love language." Early on in our romance, she requested a gift from me, nothing lavish or costly, but something with apparent sentimental worth: one of my old T-shirts. It was specifically to be well-worn, even beaten up, something I'd used extensively. I found this exceedingly puzzling, but complied. (I was trying my best to be the boyfriend she needed me to be, despite her claims that I never really tried at all.) I selected a shirt, packaged it up, & mailed it off to her; she received it with much apparent warmth & thanks. After I ended our romance, she returned the shirt to me, claimed that I'd said I wanted it to be returned should I be accepted into the seminary. I have no recollection of saying anything of the sort & such is entirely contrary to my sentiments regarding the shirt, which I supposed without any regret when I mailed it that I would never see it again except on Miss Mozart's figure, but for not one second do I doubt her sincerity. No harm, no foul; our wires were crossed, simple as that. All of this is just setup to what is from my perspective a puzzling inconsistency. Unsolicited, I gave Miss Mozart another gift, a well-worn St. Christopher prayer card that I'd prayed with innumerable times in the Lumi. When I received the Malibu Stacy from my grandmother I discovered that she'd kept an identical prayer card in that car, even more well-worn & beaten up than mine from the Lumi. I'd retired the original St. Christopher card, but dug it out of my collection of prayer cards to gift it to Miss Mozart, a token of my affection & my earnest desire that she enjoy God's protection in all her travels. To me, this seemed entirely in keeping with the gift of the old T-shirt, but Miss Mozart received it quite differently. After the end of the affair, she told me she'd been insulted by the gift of the prayer card, that it was a cast-off I was giving her only because I had a replacement. Given her specific request that the T-shirt be old & worn, & I as understood it that I was gifting it to her in perpetuity, never to be seen again, I reasoned the sun-drenched condition of the prayer card was a bonus, that it would possess far more sentimental value than something purchased specifically to be given away. The prayer card meant a lot more to me than the T-shirt, but she loved the T-shirt & was insulted by the prayer card. Not just disappointed, but insulted. I've no clue how to "speak" her "love language."

Is all of this supposed analysis just confirmation bias on my part? Could be, I won't claim to be beyond such biases, but by this point the question seems moot. The affair is ended. Whatever the cause, whomever is to blame, it is what it is.

I've jumped How God Hauled Me Kicking and Screaming into the Catholic Church to the top of the queue, to the "Currently" division, because my pal, Deacon Ken, has encouraged me to give away several copies to kith & kin who have fallen away from the Church & whose return I ardently desire. Based on last fall's (2016) Called by Name diocesan assembly, I've limited my evangelization of these folks to prayer & fasting, trying in the assembly's words to be a St. Monica [27 August] instead of a St. Ambrose [7 December]: Monica, the mother of the bishop & Doctor of the Church St. Augustine [28 August], prayed & fasted for her son's conversion, a conversion that was not effected until he met his intellectual equal in Ambrose, the bishop of Milan. To often with our kith & kin, we saints hector & badger, potentially doing more harm than good, when what we should do is pray & fast, as St. Monica did, asking the LORD to bringing into the lives of our loved one the St. Ambrose they need, whomever he or she might be. That is well & good, & I pray every day (fasting is not yet one of my strong suits; see: Operation ÖSTERREICH), but it's been on my heart to do more, & this book in particular called to me. However, the contretemps with The 5 Love Languages for Men has taught me not to give—unbidden, that is; requested birthday & Christmas presents are a horse of a different color—a book that I have not myself read, a book for which I am unable or unwilling to vouch. So, a Kicking and Screaming we go.

Recently
Fulton Sheen, Finding True Happiness
Edward Sri & Curtis Martin, The Real Story: Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible
Gary Chapman with Randy Southern, The 5 Love Languages for Men: Tools for Making a Good Relationship Great

Currently
Kevin Lowry, How God Hauled Me Kicking and Screaming into the Catholic Church

Presently
Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations ***paused***
Eugene Hausmann, Catholics Go by the Bible: Biblical Sources of Catholic Theology & Liturgy
Matthew Kelly, Perfectly Yourself: Discovering God's Dream for You
Sherry A. Weddell, Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus
William E. Simon Jr., Great Catholic Parishes: How Four Essential Practices Make Them Thrive
Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ
Bishop Robert Barron, Seeds of the Word: Finding God in the Culture
Mike Aquilina, Understanding the Mass: 100 Questions, 100 Answers
Scott & Kimberly Hahn, Rome Sweet Home: Our Journey to Catholicism
Xavier Rynne, Vatican Council II
John W. O'Malley, What Happened at Vatican II
Pope Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est (God Is Love)
Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum Caritatis (The Sacrament of Charity)
Richard Price, Clockers
Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator, "Sinbad the Sailor" from The Arabian Nights
Sir Ernest Shackleton, South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
William F. Buckley Jr., The Unmaking of a Mayor
Margaret MacMillan, Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World
John le Carré, A Legacy of Spies

Project BLACK MAMBA

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

Throughout his life, Vincent was to pursue the same policy; his heart was with the poor, & with the alleviation of their sufferings. At this time, he knew a number of priests interested in working among the poor country people. In 1626, he gathered them into a religious congregation, the Congregation of the Mission. In 1632, [the Congregation was given as headquarters] the priory of Saint-Lazare.

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 the 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 festival of Saint Baruc, Hermit (floruit sixth century, A.K.A. Barrog, Barry, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Ezra, chapter nine, verses five thru nine;
The Book of Tobit, chapter thirteen, verses two, three & four(a), six(b,e,f,g,h,n), & seven & eight;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses one thru six.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel Jesus sends the Twelve on their mission to announce the nearness of the Kingdom. I want to say a few things about embracing our mission and being equipped for it.

What do you need for your mission? You need a keen sense of God as the absolute center of your life. In a word, you require the spiritual gifts of piety and fear of the Lord. I realize that these terms can sound fussy and puritanical, but they are actually naming something strong and essential.

First, you need fear of the Lord, which does not mean that you are afraid of God. It means that nothing to you is more important than God, that everything in your life centers around and is subordinate to your love for God. Second, your equipping needs to include piety. Piety means you honor God above everything else, that you worship him alone. These spiritual gifts enable you to find true balance; they allow you to discover what your life is about.

Equipped with these gifts, you are ready for mission. Having received the fire of the Holy Spirit, you are ready to set the world on fire.

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Vincent de Paul
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.

†

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Return
The Book of Ezra, chapter seven (verses one thru twenty-eight);
The Book of Ezra, chapter eight (verses one thru thirty-six);
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter seven, verse seventy-two;
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter eight (verses one thru eighteen);
The Book of Ezra, chapter nine (verses one thru fifteen);
The Book of Ezra, chapter ten (of ten; verses one thru forty-four);
The Book of Nehemiah, chapter nine, verse one thru five.

Commentary: II. The Deeds of Ezra: Ezra the Scribe (7:1-10), the Decree of Artaxerxes (7:11-26), Ezra & His Companions (7:27-8:14), the Journey to Jerusalem (8:15-36), Denunciation of Mixed Marriages (9:1-2), Ezra's Exhortation (9:3-15), the People's Response (10:1-15), & the Guilty (10:16-44); II. Promulgation of the Law: Ezra Reads the Law (Nehemiah, 8:1-12), the Feast of Booths (8:13-18), & Confession of the People (9:1-5).

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-seven (verses one thru twenty-seven).

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 343.8 lbs
This weigh-in: 343.2 lbs.
Difference: -0.6 lbs.

Cooperating with my brother's strictly regimented, breadless diet over the weekend, I ate even less than he did, eating at what felt like a starvation level. Sure, I lost another half a pound (1/2 lbs.), but that's nothing compared to the seven-plus pounds (7.2 lbs.) shed in the previous week; so, I still have little idea of what's really going on, of how to lose weigh on a sustainable basis. It is a foundational principle of ÖSTERREICH that I refuse to let not knowing what I'm doing discourage me. I know where I want to go, I'm just not sure how to get there. Onward!

Bonus! Song o' the Day
Jim Gaffigan, "Eat Healthy" from Beyond the Pale (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"It's all relative, eating healthy. I mean, I eat kind of healthy compared to some of the Eskimos up in Alaska. They're eating blubber up there! I'm practically starving myself on my Cinnebon…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Firelight Waltz" from Sky Full of Holes (The Last Angry Man)

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saints Cosmas & Damian, Martyrs (died circa 303), martyred in the reign of the emperors Diocletian & Maximian, victims of the Great Persecution: Martyrs-link, Martyr-link Charlie, Martyr-link Delta, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Persecution.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

They are reputed twin brothers, physicians, & early Christian martyrs. Accepting no payment for their services, it has been said that, by this, they attracted many to the Christian faith.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

Little of known about Ss. Cosmas & Damian except that they suffered martyrdom for their faith in Syria sometimes 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 festival of Saint Elzéar of Sabran & Blessed Delphine of Glandèves, Virgin, T.O.S.F. (1285-1323 & circa 1283-1360): Saint-&-Blessed-link, Saint-link & Wikipedia-link Echo, & Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link Delta.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Previously observed on 27 September, the preponderance of evidence now favors 26 September.

'Tis also the festival 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—Feria
The Book of Ezra, chapter six, verses seven, eight, twelve(b), & fourteen thru twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-two, verses one & two, three & four(a,b), & four(c,d) & five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses nineteen, twenty, & twenty-one.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel Jesus identifies his disciples as his family. I want to say something about our becoming disciples in his family. Once we make the decision to follow Jesus then every other claimant to supremacy must fall away. As I've argued many times before, every one of us has something or some set of values that we consider greatest.

Perhaps it is money, material things, power, or the esteem of others. Perhaps it is your family, your kids, your wife, your husband.

None of this is false, and none of these things are bad. But when you place any of them in the absolute center of gravity, things go awry. When you make any of them your ultimate or final good, your spiritual life goes haywire. When you attach yourself to any of them with an absolute tenacity, you will fall apart.

Only when we make Christ the cornerstone of our lives are we truly ready for mission. Keep in mind that every encounter with God in the Bible conduces to mission, to being sent to do the work of the Lord. If we try to do this work while we are stuck to any number of attachments, we will fail. Period.

Video reflection by Father Seán Paul Fleming: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of Ss. Cosmas & Damian
The Book of Wisdom, chapter three, verses one thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verses five;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter ten, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-three.

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Return
The Book of Ezra, chapter one (of ten; verses one thru eleven);
The Book of Ezra, chapter two (verses one thru seventy);
The Book of Ezra, chapter three (verses one thru thirteen);
The Book of Ezra, chapter four (verses one thru twenty-four);
The Book of Ezra, chapter five (verses one thru seventeen);
The Book of Ezra, chapter six (verses one thru twenty-two);
The Book of Haggai, chapter one (of two; verses one thru fifteen);
The Book of Haggai, chapter two (of two; verses one thru twenty-three).

Commentary: I. The Return from Exile: The Decree of Cyrus (Ezra, 1:1-11), Census of the Province (2:1-70), Restoration of the Altar (3:1-6), Founding of the Temple (3:7-13), Samaritan Interference (4:1-5), Later Hostility (4:6-23), Rebuilding of the Temple (4:24-5:17), The Decree of Darius (6:1-18), & the Passover (6:19-22); Exhortation to Rebuild the Temple of the Lord (Haggai, 1:1-15), Future Glory of the Temple (2:1-9), Offerings of the Unclean Rejected (2:10-14), Promise of Immediate Blessings (2:15-19), & Pledge of Zerubbabel (2:20-23).

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-six (verses one thru twenty-eight).

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Everybody's Better" from A Jackknife to a Swan (The Last Angry Man)

Skammentary: Everybody's better than I am, in the sense that I ought to prefer their good to my own.

"Everybody's better than I am,
I think everybody's better than me,
Everybody's swell, I guess,
They're doing well, more or less,
Everybody's better than I am…"

The Rebel Black Dot Star Trek Song o' the Day

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

Captain's Log: Last night's premiere of Star Trek: Discovery confirmed my worst fears. There was zero evidence that the show is set in the Prime Timeline, as has been promised, with the culture, history, & appearance of the so-called Klingons being completely changed, so that the "Klingons" are unrecognizable, utterly incompatible with their Prime appearances in the twenty-second (Star Trek: Enterprise), twenty-third (Star Trek the original series, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, & Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country), or twenty-fourth centuries (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, & Star Trek Generations); & with the production design & series aesthetic nakedly aping that of the Kelvin Timeline (J.J. Abrams's Star Trek, Star Trek into Darkness, & Star Trek Beyond).

My brother & I only saw the first episode, "The Vulcan Hello," on C.B.S. broadcast T.V. We were unable to watch the second episode, "Battle of the Binary Stars," on the risibly named C.B.S. All Access, as despite his paid subscription to the proprietary streaming service we were four times kicked out of the episode after only two or three minutes of playback. In the same period, we were able to successfully watch an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation on Netflix, confirming that the problem was with C.B.S. All Access, which really should be named C.B.S. No Access At All, not with his internet connection or Roku. I'll be a monkey's uncle before I ever again watch an episode of Discovery, which isn't even remotely Star Trek, no, not at all.

Project BLACK MAMBA: Late Edition

'Tis the festival of Saint Cleopas, Apostle (floruit first century, also spelt Cleophas, Clopas): Saint-link, Wikipedia-link C-L-E-O, & Wikipedia-link C-L-O.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Finbarr, Bishop & Abbot (circa 550-623, of Cork; also spelt Fionnbharra, whence Barra), founder of Gougane Barra & Cork: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; & Wikipedia-link Monastery & Wikipedia-link City.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Hermann of Reichenau, Religious, O.S.B. (1013-1054, A.K.A. the Cripple): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Priest & Abbot (1314-1392, A.K.A. of Moscow), founder of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Lavra.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Vincenzo Strambi, Bishop, C.P. (1745-1824, Anglicized as Vincent Strambi): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The Book of Ezra, chapter one, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six, verses one(b) & two(a,b), two(c,d) & three, four & five, & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses sixteen, seventeen, & eighteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today's Gospel is the parable of the lamp, which placed on a lampstand gives light to all. Light obviously isn't for itself. Rather, we see things by it. It illuminates things upon which it shines.

We are light by which people around us come to see what is worth seeing. By the very quality and integrity of our lives, we shed light, illumining what is beautiful and revealing what is ugly. The clear implication is that without vibrant Christians the world is a much worse place. Let me illustrate this principle with an example. One of the most painful truths of the last century is that the weakness of Christian witness allows some of the worst elements in society to flourish.

Think of the rise of the evil powers that created WWII. Christianity had become so weak, so uncompelling, so attenuated that great evil was allowed to flourish. Yes indeed there were a handful of powerful Christian resisters, but let's face it: the overwhelmingly vast majority of Christians either supported Hitler or remained in silence, either out of fear or indifference.

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (Telecare T.V.): U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Explorers' Club, № DLXVIII

Operation AXIOM: The World War—The Battle of Passchendaele (Third Ypres), Part III
26-27 September 1917: The Battle of Polygon Wood—British & Australian troops attacked using "bite & hold" tactics designed to capture limited objectives that could be held against counterattack; the weather favored the attackers, with morning mists covering their advance & later clearing to expose German counterattacks to devastating artillery fire; planes from both sides strafed enemy infantry.

Lest we forget.

Project BLACK MAMBA: XXV Sunday in Ordinary Time

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

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-five, verses six thru nine;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses two & three, eight & nine, & seventeen & eighteen;
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter one, verses twenty(c) thru twenty-four & twenty-seven(a);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty, verses one thru sixteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, the parable that Jesus tells in today's Gospel is one of the most unnerving, disturbing and confounding of all. We know the outline of the story well: a landowner goes out to hire workers for his field, hiring some first thing in the morning and then others at different times during the day. Then, at the close of work, he pays each the same wage.

I would like to offer two reflections on this puzzling story. First, we should remember that God's ways are not our ways. Does this story represent an undermining of justice? No, rather, a showing forth of the justice that flows from God's vision of things.

Here's a second perspective: We sinners are very susceptible to a reward-centered understanding of our relationship to God. Tit for tat. I do this; then you better do that. But this is very juvenile, very primitive.

We've been invited to work in the vineyard of the Lord. That is the greatest privilege imaginable, to participate in the Lord's work. Why are we fussing about rewards? And how liberating this is! I don't have to spend my life worrying and comparing. I can live.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M.: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Journal: Week 39
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

My favorite passage from the Catechism of the Catholic Church appears as the first line of the first chapter, & it reads, "The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God & for God; & God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth & happiness he never stops searching for."

Otherwise, 24 September would be the festival of Saint Anathalon, Bishop (floruit second century, of Milan): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Our Lady of Walsingham (apparitions 1061): Madonna-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Our Lady of Ransom (apparition 1218, A.K.A. Our Lady of Mercy): Madonna-link, Wikipedia-link Ransom, & Wikipedia-link Mercy.

'Twould also be the festival of Blesseds William Spenser, Priest, & Robert Hardesty, Martyrs (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; Martyrs-link LXXXV & Wikipedia-link LXXXV.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Pacificus of San Severino, Priest, O.F.M. (1653-1721): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Lord's Day

Matt Maher, "Sons and Daughters" from Saints and Sinners (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: "Sons and Daughters" begins & ends with quotations from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speaking about the anthem "We Shall Overcome" & his belief that "we shall overcome" because "behind the dim unknown standeth God within the shadows, keeping watch above His own."

"How free is anyone, when some are still in chains,
Slaves to brokenness, all this blindness?
How free is anyone, when all these doubts remain
In the dead of night, no sign of the light?

"Child, don't grow weary, soon we will see the sun.

"All my brothers help each other,
All my sisters walk together,
No one is a stranger,
We're all sons and daughters…"

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, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was a friar, stigmatist, & mystic. In his early years, his mother said that Francesco was able to see & speak with Jesus, the Virgin Mary, & his guardian angel, & that as a child he assumed all people could do so.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

In 1903 sixteen-year-old Francesco Forgione entered the Capuchin monastery at Morcone, Italy, where he received the name Brother Pio. After celebrating Mass on September 18, while sitting in the monastery choir before an ancient crucifix, Padre Pio received the stigmata. He says he fell into a deep, peaceful respose, & 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 if 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…."

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

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

Today also marks the beatification of Blessed Stanley Rother, Priest & Martyr (1935-1981), the first U.S.-born beatified martyr, martyred by unknown assailants during the Guatemalan Civil War: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Letter to Timothy, chapter six, verses thirteen thru sixteen;
Psalm One Hundred, verses One(b) & two, three, four, & five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses four thru fifteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today's Gospel gives us the parable of the sower. I want to say something about the seed that falls on the path, because it reveals an obstacle to our efforts at religious education.

One of the blocks of receiving the seed is lack of understanding, lack of education in the ways of the Spirit. Israel was the extensive and complex preparation for the reception of the Word. The fundamentals have to be in place before the word can be accepted. What a prophetic word to our time!

A recent study shows that Catholics are second only to Jews in the ineffectiveness of passing on their religious tradition and heritage. A recent poll concerning religious attitudes in America shows that most Americans favor a radical tolerance in regard to religious beliefs. It also shows that there was a shocking ignorance in regard to belief systems, dogmas, and the history of one's religion.

There's nothing in the world wrong with tolerance, but it can sometimes be a cover for indifference. One belief is as good as another. Do we accept that kind of thinking in regard to politics? Religious education programs are falling far behind what they should be.

Video reflection by Angela Gaughan: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Pius of Pietrelcina
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.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: Go Blue!

The University of Michigan Marching Band, "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" from A Saturday Tradition (The Last Angry Wolverine)

Commentary: The sun of knowledge never sets on those who pursue her earnestly & diligently.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the festival of Saint Maurice & the Theban Legion, Martyrs (died circa 287, A.K.A. the Martyrs of Agaunum), martyred in the reign of the emperors Diocletian & Maximian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link & Wikipedia-link Legion.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Today is a textbook example of how BLACK MAMBA is supposed to work: We started off with St. Thomas of Villanova in 2014, then added St. Maurice in '15, St. Emmeram in '16, & St. Ignatius of Santhià this year; slowly but steadily growing in our knowledge & admiration for the great cloud of witnesses which surrounds us: the Christian all-stars, the Catholic hall of fame, those who by the grace of God competed well for the faith—our brothers & sisters in heaven.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Emmeram of Regenbergs, Bishop & Martyr (died circa 652), martyred by Lantpert of Bavaria while shielding another from Lantpert's wrath: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

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

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ignatius of Santhià, Priest, O.F.M. Cap (1686-1770): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Letter to Timothy, chapter six, verses two(c) thru twelve;
Psalm Forty-nine, verses six & seven; eight, nine, & ten; seventeen & eighteen; & nineteen & twenty;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eight, verses one, two, & three.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, our Gospel today celebrates the female disciples of Jesus. One of the principal marks of Jesus' teaching is the overturning of social conventions. In service of what he calls the Kingdom of God, God's way of ordering the world, he says and does all sorts of outrageous things.

And one of the most striking and surprising of Jesus' moves is a radical inclusion of women. He allows women into his inner circle (practically unheard of for a rabbi). He speaks publicly to the woman at the well. He engages the Syro-Phoenician woman. He forgives the woman caught in adultery. Also, the first witnesses of the Resurrection are women.

Luke, who told this story, was a companion of Paul, and his Gospel reflects many of Paul's themes. Paul famously says, "in Christ, there is no slave or free, no Jew or Greek, no male or female". This was very radical stuff in those times, for these were some of the most basic social divisions of the ancient world. Free men were a lot better off than slaves, Jews had huge advantages over Greeks, and males were seen as superior to females. But not anymore, not in light of the Kingdom of God that Jesus announces.

Video reflection by Paula Trigo-Galan: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-two (verses one thru twenty-nine).

Commentary: III. Sayings of the Wise (Proverbs, 22:17-29). Apparently (unbeknownst 'til now because we started in the middle of the month), to this point we've been in II. First Collection of the Proverbs of Solomon, which lasts from 10:1-22:16. Who knew?

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

They Mighty Be Giants, "Out of Jail" from John Henry (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: It is truly a privilege to be permitted to visit the inmates of the Genesee County Jail & to share with them the Good News & the reality that we are all sick, all of us in need of a physician.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

They Might Be Giants, "Lazyhead and Sleepybones" from No! (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: To battle my cold, I've been sleeping more, retiring earlier than normal & sleeping in as late as possible. The theory is solid, that rest does the body good, though I do wonder if perhaps this week I took things too far, sacrificed too much salubrious productivity in the pursuit of a recumbent restorative. No need to trouble myself about that anymore, though; there will be no rest for the wicked this weekend.

Project BLACK MAMBA

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

One of the twelve apostles of Jesus &, according to Christian tradition, one of the four Evangelists credited with writing a book of the Bible. He was one of the witnesses of the Resurrection & the Ascension of Jesus.

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 dinner 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 are sick. Go & learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have come to call not the righteous, but sinners" (Matthew, 9:10-13).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Iphigenia of Ethiopia, Virgin (floruit first century, A.K.A. of Abyssinia): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert, Bishop & Martyr, M.E.P. (1796-1839), martyred in the reign of the king Heonjong, one of the Korean Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link CIII.

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

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today we celebrate the feast of St. Matthew and our Gospel tells of his conversion. Matthew's laconic account details what the transition from spiritual death to spiritual life is like. First, we notice the look of Jesus. If there is one theme clearly stated in the New Testament is that of the primacy of grace.

Why? We don't know. We just know that we will not lift ourselves to spiritual wholeness. A gaze has to come upon us from the outside. Not so much finding God as allowing oneself to be found.

Jesus says to him "Follow me." There is nothing simpler or more basic in the Christian life than this. This is what we disciples do: we follow, we walk after him, we apprentice to him. "He got up and followed him." The symbolism here is marvelous. Getting up, rising up, anastasis, the same word used to designate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Conversion (turning around) is also elevation, rising up.

To come to Christ is to come to a higher, richer, broader form of life. Now life is not simply the pleasures and goods of the body; now life is lived in and through God.

Video reflection by Father Don Miller, O.F.M.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Exile
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter thirty-one (verses one thru forty);
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter thirty-three (verses one thru twenty-six);
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter thirty-four (verses one thru twenty-two);
The Book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-four (verses one thru thirty-one);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eighteen, verses twenty-one thru thirty-five;
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter fourteen, verses sixty thru sixty-five.

Commentary: Good News of the Return (Jeremiah, 31:1-6), the Road to Return (31:7-14), End of Rachel's Mourning (31:15-20), Summons to Return Home (31:21-30), the New Covenant (31:31-34), Certainty of God's Promise (31:35-37), Rebuilding Jerusalem (31:38-40), Restoration of Jerusalem (33:1-26), IV. Fall of Jerusalem: Fate of Zedekiah (34:1-7), & the Pact Broken (34:8-22); Parable of the Shepherds (Ezekiel, 34:1-16) & Separation of the Sheep (34:17-31); the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew, 18:21-35); & Jesus before the Sanhedrin (Mark, 14:60-65).

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-one (verses one thru thirty-one).

The Victors: Team 138, Game 3

Saturday, 16 September @ Michigan Stadium
(№ 7) Michigan 29-13 Air Force
3-0, B1G 0-0

We have real problems on the offensive side of the football. Sophomore kicker Quinn Nordin tied a school record for most field goals made in a game, with five (improving to eleven of thirteen for the season). While it's great that we have as able & reliable a kicker as Nordin—reliable especially for the first-year player—it's troubling that so many Michigan drives stalled, requiring field-goal attempts. Fifth-year running back Ty Isaac had two long touchdown runs called back, one because he stepped out of bounds at the thirty yard line & the other due to a holding penalty; it wasn't until there was only a minute left in the game that the offense scored a touchdown, a thirty-six-yard run by junior Karan Higdon. Senior quarterback Wilton Speight was consistently inaccurate, overthrowing his receivers more often than not. Adding to our woes, on several occasions received dropped accurate Speight passes. Air Force's first score, a field goal, came as a result of a Michigan fumble in the first quarter, by sophomore running back Chris Evans, who wasn't seen again until the fourth quarter.

The valiant Wolverines held a three-point lead at halftime & the game remained uncomfortably close until early in the third quarter when freshman Donovan Peoples-Jones returned a punt seventy-nine yards for a touchdown. Just two minutes later, Uncle Don's Murder Machine allowed the epithetless Falcons' only completed pass of the day, a sixty-four yard touchdown. All in all, the Murder Machine did a solid job of containing Air Force's weird triple option offense, banding but not breaking, & the touchdown pass was the service academy's last points of the day. It's hard to judge the progress of this 2017 edition of the Murder Machine given the oddity of Air Force's offense & that no other opponent on the remaining schedule runs anything like it. The long touchdown pass was the result of a blown assignment & the offending defenseman, who shall remain nameless, was chastised on the sidelines by "Uncle Don," defensive coordinator Don Brown.

I'm naturally inclined to be pessimistic about the valiant Wolverines' chances as long as Speight remains our best option at quarterback. (Such is my confidence in the coaching staff that despite my many misgivings about Speight I have no doubt he is on fact the best option at quarterback.) So, what does that mean for the rest of the 2017 campaign as Team 138 heads into B1G play? I'm worried about what more talented quarterbacks & received can do to the Murder Machine's young & inexperienced cornerbacks & safeties. I'm worried about the valiant Wolverine's tendency to bog down in the "red zone" (inside the opponent's twenty yard line). I'm worried, essentially, that the offense's impotence will render for naught the defense's ferociousness. We must not forget that Speight is a Hoke recruit, & after Team 137's last-season collapse I am convinced that all Hoke recruits, however talented, are simply losers; on paper they may have all the skills & talents necessary for success, but when it comes to game day they can't cut the mustard. (See: Jourdan Lewis's career-worst game in last year's Orange Bowl against Florida State.)

Pay me no mind, I'm just a critic; it is the man in the arena who counts.

The A.P. poll has shown a hint of rationality in that after the less-than-impressive victory over Air Force Team 138 dropped from № 7 to № 8 in the Top 25 poll. The valiant Wolverines are still indefensibly overrated, but marginally less so. Four B1G clubs are ranked among the ten-best in the nation (№ 4 Penn State, № 8 Michigan, № 9 Wisconsin, & № 10 Ohio State), but they are the only B1G clubs in the Top 25.

Go Blue!

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Jim Gaffigan, "Hot Pockets" from Beyond the Pale (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: When I'm sick, I eat even worse than normal. To me, Hot Pockets are comfort food.

The Victors: Team 138, Game 2

Saturday, 9 September @ Michigan Stadium
(№ 8) Michigan 36-14 Cincinnati
2-0, B1G 0-0

I posted the following to my FaceSpace "wall" in reaction to the valiant Wolverines' victory in the home opener against the epithetless Bearcats:

It is a tribute to how quickly Coach Harbaugh & co. have righted the ship that we, the Wolverine Nation, are vaguely dissatisfied by Saturday's victory, even though just a few short years ago any win over any opponent was cause for raucous celebration. It's good to be spoiled again. It's good to be Michigan again. #GoBlue!

Uncle Don's Murder Machine didn't look quite as murderous against Cincinnati as it had against Florida, surrendering fourteen points instead of a paltry three, but it more than compensated by scoring fourteen* points on its own with a pair of "pick sixes," interceptions returned for touchdowns. Also, we must remind ourselves that Florida is massively offensively challenged; so, even at its murderizing best the Murder Machine will rarely look as suffocating as it did in the season opener.

The offense had a better day in that quarterback Wilton Speight (senior) did not throw any interceptions, which very rare for him. The attacked was well-balanced between runs & passes, & running back Ty Isaac (senior) has his second consecutive one-hundred-plus yard game.

The special teams were a mixed bags, with freshman Donovan Peoples-Jones stubbornly refusing the signal for fair catches on punts, & mishandling several before he was pulled in favor of junior Grant Perry. Cincinnati's first touchdown game as a result of great field position resulting from a punt bouncing off the leg of a valiant Wolverine—who should have been warned away from the area by Peoples-Jones, but wasn't—& recovered by the epithetless Bearcats. On the other hand, a botched Cincinnati punt resulted in a Michigan safety, with the panicked punter pushed the football out the back of the endzone. Sophomore kicker Quinn Nordin made both his field-goal attempts.

In all this, I suppose Team 138 is a victim of a high expectations created during the Harbaugh era. By any rational standard, the rebuilding project under Coach Harbaugh has vastly exceeded expectations, with the valiant Wolverines winning ten games in each of Harbaugh's first two seasons (Teams 136 & 137 each finished 10-3), a feat that hadn't occurred in over a decade, since Lloyd Carr lead Teams 123 & 124 to back-to-back 10-3 records in 2002 & 2003. We, the Michigan faithful, have become spoiled, as I mentioned in my FaceSpace posting. In those later years under Coach Carr, the valiant Wolverines occasionally lost games to "lesser opposition" such as Cincinnati. Under Coaches Rodriquez (2008-2010; Teams 129, 130, & 131) & Hoke (2011-2014; Teams 132, 133, 134, & 135), victories were so rare & so hard to come by that none was taken for granted, none was greeted with a vaguely dissatisfied shrug because the valiant Wolverines hadn't won in more convincing fashion or by a wider margin. Yet, that is precisely the reaction to the Cincinnati game; not joy at the victory, but vague yet definite dissatisfaction with the victory, as if it somehow isn't good enough for us. Michigan fans are often accused of arrogance by our opponents & it is a fair charge. We are all too often arrogant; we expect Michigan to win. We often expect it to look easy. The decade since "the Horror" should have humbled us, & it often did, but it also made us yearn for the good old days, when we stuttered about like peacocks, secure in our place as natural kings of all we survey. We all want something we cannot have—to go back to a time before the valiant Wolverines' bowl-invitation streak was snapped, before the valiant Wolverines posted three losing seasons in seven years, before Michigan lost to Appalachian State. I think we react with borderline panic to every less-than-impressive victory because our swagger is now just a veneer, no more substantial than an eggshell. We desperately want Harbaugh's Wolverines to be the valaint Wolverines of old, with their aura of invincibility, but in our heart of hearts we fear they are merely Rich Rod's Wolverines or Hoke the Joke's Wolverines. We are scarred & we are scared.

Go Blue!

*O.K., strictly speaking the defense only scored twelve points on the two touchdowns, with the two points-after being scored by the special teams, but that's overly nitpicky even for a captious soul like your humble narrator.

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Priest, & Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, & Companions, Martyrs (died 1839-1867), martyred in the reign of the Joseon kings Jeongjo, Sunjo, Heonjong, Cheoljong, & Gojong: 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. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

St. Kim 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. Pope [St.] John Paul II [22 October] canonized Kim along with one hundred two other Korean Martyrs, including Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, during this trip to Korea.

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 the seminary in Macao, China, one thousand three 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, Andrews started, "We have received baptism, entrance in the Church, and the honor of being called Christians. Yet what good will this do us if we are Christian in name only & not in fact?"

'Tis also the festival of Saints Fausta & Evilasius, Martyrs (died 311, of Cyzicus), martyred in the reign of the emperors Maxentius & Galerius: Martyr-link Foxtrot & Wikipedia-link Foxtrot; Martyr-link Echo & Wikipedia-link Echo.

Commentary: Evilasius martyred Fausta, but was so impressed with her courage that he himself converted to Christianity & was subsequently martyred. CatholicSaints.info still has the names Fausta & Evilasius backwards. I've matched each entry up with the right life, the name Evilasius with the life of Fausta & the name of Fausta with the life of Evilasius.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Thomas Johnson, Priest & Martyr, O.Cart. (died 1537), martyred in the reign of the king Henry VIII, one of the Carthusian Martyrs of London: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link London.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Letter to Timothy, chapter three, verses fourteen, fifteen, & sixteen;
Psalm One Hundred Eleven, verses one & two, three & four, five & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seven, verses thirty-one thru thirty-five.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel the Pharisees compare the eating habits of John the Baptist, who fasted, and Jesus, who dined with sinners. In the carefully stratified society of Jesus' time, a righteous person would never associate with the unrighteous for fear of becoming unclean.

But here is Jesus, scandalizing everyone because he does indeed break down these barriers. How would you feel if you saw me socializing with prostitutes and drug-dealers, eating and drinking with terrorists? Would it shock you, dismay you, disappoint you? But this is what Jesus did, precisely because he is the Incarnation of the God who aggressively seeks out the lost.

God looks for us, comes running after us, never lets go, never relents, never gives up. The more we run, the more he runs after; the more we hide, the more he looks; the more we resist, the more he persists. God loves sinners and associates with them.

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D.: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Memorial of Ss. Andrew Kim Tae-gŏn, Paul Chŏng Ha-sang, & Companions
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.

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty (verses one thru thirty).

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 351.0 lbs
This weigh-in: 343.8 lbs.
Difference: -7.2 lbs.

Yeah, that's basically a pound a day. I have no idea how I lost a pound a day. I was already preparing my excuses for why I'd gained weight this past week, including a theory that since I'd resumed weighing myself I'd experienced a lot of anxiety about the Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in, & that I'm an anxious eater. I guess I should drink more Faygo Redpop, not less.

Bonus! Song o' the Day
The Atomic Fireballs, "Starve a Fever" from Torch This Place (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I'm recovering from a short, sharp cold I caught from my mother, who caught it from her new job as a reading tutor. I credit the brevity of this affliction to a regular regimen of vitamin C in the form of Airborne tablets. Of course, I'm neither a physician nor do I play on on T.V., & I have no empirical data to support this claim.

"Starve a fever, feed a cold,
Can't forget the ills that I've been sold…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Spinners, "The Rubberband Man" via iTunes (from Happiness Is Being with the Spinners) (The Last Angry Man)

Project BLACK MAMBA: Late Edition

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

While no contemporary sources on his life are preserved, later sources & legends claim that he died during the Great Persecution, which ended with Diocletian's retirement in 305. Januarius is the patron saint of Naples, where the faithful gather three times a year in Naples cathedral to witness the liquefaction of what is claimed to be a sample of his blood kept in a sealed glass ampoule.

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 who 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.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Theodore of Canterbury, Bishop (circa 602-690, A.K.A. of Tarsus), who convened the Council of Hereford in 673: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Council.

'Tis also the festival of Our Lady of La Salette (apparition 1846): Madonna-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Letter to Timothy, chapter three, verses one thru thirteen;
Psalm One Hundred One, verses one(b) & two(a,b), two(c,d) & three (a,b), five, & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seven, verses eleven thru seventeen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, our Gospel today gives us Jesus’ raising of the son of the widow of Nain. This is a prime exemplification of the key Gospel truth that everything Jesus said and did, in one way or another, is an anticipation of his resurrection. The God of Israel, the God of Jesus Christ, is a God of life, a God of the living. He hates death and the ways of death.

The death in today’s Gospel goes beyond the tragic loss of a loved one, as awful as that is. In the context of Jesus’ time and place this is a disaster for the widow. There is no social safety-net, no insurance, no guaranteed income. Unless she finds kindly neighbors who can support her, she is lost without her husband and, importantly, her “only son”. This is why the heart of Jesus is especially moved with pity.

Notice please that the reaction of the bystanders is fear. This is the fear that comes from the turning upside down of a world. This is the reaction of the women at the tomb on Easter Sunday morning. An evangelization that isn’t a little scary is an inadequate evangelization.

Video reflection by Father David Baker: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of 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, twenty-five, & twenty-six.

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter nineteen (verses one thru twenty-nine).

The Explorers' Club, № DLXVII

Operation AXIOM: The World War
8 July-29 September 1917: The First (8-13 July) & Second (28-29 September) Battles of Ramadi—The first British & Imperial assault on the Ottoman garrison suffered more casualties from the extreme heat (123° F in the shade, 160° in direct sunlight) than from Turkish gunfire; the second used elaborate misdirection by local Arab allies to disguise Entente intentions, & took the Turks by storm.

Lest we forget.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Proclaimers, "Heaven Right Now" from Persevere (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: I'm not now nor would I ever endorse the immoral ethic expounded in "Heaven Right Now," but however charmingly distasteful the lyrics are on this particular day the rhythm & the cadence are just to my taste.

"She's everything a married man should look for in a girl,
She's married, too, but not to you, and that's part of a the thrill,
She's the one who makes you feel alright,
Her alibi's your alibi; it's watertight.

"She's old enough to know of love and know that this is not,
But young enough to not be willin' to settle for what she's got,
She's the one who makes you feel alright,
Her alibi's your alibi; it's watertight.

"And if you get caught,
You're going to hell,
But it's heaven right now…"

Project BLACK MAMBA

'Tis the festival of Saint Hygbald, Abbot, O.S.B. (died circa 690, also spelt Hibald, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Richardis, Religious, O.S.B. (circa 840-895, of Andlau, of Swabia, of Sousabe; A.K.A. Richgard), Holy Roman Empress, foundress of the Abbey of Andlau: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbey.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Joseph of Cupertino, Priest, O.F.M. Conv. (1603-1663), the "Flying Friar:" Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: I've had an unfortunate habit of conflating St. Joseph of Cupertino, O.F.M. Conv. with St. John of Capistrano, O.F.M. [23 October], but I think I've got a handle on it now.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Józef Kut, Priest & Martyr (1905-1942), martyred in the reign of the Führer Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Martyrs of World War II: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link CVIII.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feria
The First Letter to Timothy, chapter two, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Twenty-eight, verses two, seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter seven, verses one thru ten.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today's Gospel Jesus is amazed at a Roman centurion's faith: "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." How often the Bible compels us to meditate on the meaning of faith! We might say that the Scriptures rest upon faith, remain inspired at every turn by the spirit of faith.

Faith is an attitude of trust in the presence of God. Faith is openness to what God will reveal, do, and invite. It should be obvious that in dealing with the infinite, all-powerful person who is God, we are never in control.

One of the most fundamental statements of faith is this: your life is not about you. You're not in control. This is not your project. Rather, you are part of God's great design. To believe this in your bones and act accordingly is to have faith. When we operate out of this transformed vision, amazing things can happen, for we have surrendered to "a power already at work in us that can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine." Even a tiny bit of faith makes an extraordinary difference.

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun (Telecare): U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter eighteen (verses one thru twenty-four).