Saints + Scripture: Feast of the Visitation

'Tis the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Madonna-link ūna, Madonna-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

The Visitation is the visit of Mary, who was pregnant with Jesus, to St. Elizabeth [5 November], who was pregnant with [St.] John the Baptist [24 June, 29 August], as recorded in the Gospel of Luke.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Book of Zephaniah, chapter three, verses fourteen thru eighteen(a);
or, the Letter to the Romans, chapter twelve, verses nine thru sixteen;
The Book of Isaiah, chapter twelve, verses two & three, four(b/c/d/), & five & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses thirty-nine thru fifty-six.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel tells of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. I’ve always been fascinated by Mary’s "haste" in this story of the Visitation. Upon hearing the message of Gabriel concerning her own pregnancy and that of her cousin, Mary "proceeded in haste into the hill country of Judah" to see Elizabeth.

Why did she go with such speed and purpose? Because she had found her mission, her role in the theo-drama. We are dominated today by the ego-drama in all of its ramifications and implications. The ego-drama is the play that I’m writing, I’m producing, I’m directing, and I’m starring in. We see this absolutely everywhere in our culture. Freedom of choice reigns supreme: I become the person that I choose to be.

The theo-drama is the great story being told by God, the great play being directed by God. What makes life thrilling is to discover your role in it. This is precisely what has happened to Mary. She has found her role—indeed a climactic role—in the theo-drama, and she wants to conspire with Elizabeth, who has also discovered her role in the same drama. Like Mary, we have to find our place in God’s story.

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

Video reflection by Matthew Leonard (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Formed.org.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Giacomo Salomoni, Priest, O.P. (1231-1314, the "Father of the Poor;" Anglicized as James Salomone): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Camilla Battista da Varano, Abbess, O.S.C. (1458-1524), stigmatist: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Stigmata-link & Wikipedia-link Stigmata.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Robert Thorpe, Priest, & Thomas Watkinson, Martyrs (died 1591), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, two of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Romeo Tango, Martyr-link Tango Whiskey, & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"More than any other person, Mary was aware of God's love for her, of all the great things the Lord has done for her. Mary's life was a response to God's love."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"So that is all that Jesus wants from us, He does not need our accomplishments, only our love. He thirsts for love."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Christ was Himself the great sacrament. Because he was the Word-made-flesh. Because He was the God-man. We would have seen that He was a man, but we would have known that He was the Son of God."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Today: SKAfter Party

Melbourne Ska Orchestra, "Singalong Day" from Melbourne Ska Orchestra (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: This one goes out to all the far-flung friends your humble narrator has not seen in far, far too long.

"Long time, yeah, we singalong day,
This life we celebrate,
Now you keep safe, my friend,
'Til we meet again.

"Think about life, think about everything we've learned,
Nothing stays the same!
Every day run, but always a step behind,
Somethings never change…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Yesterday: SKAfter Party

The Interrupters, "Broken World" from Fight the Good Fight (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: This is so much more the Gospel message than so many of the vague love songs one hears on "Christian radio."

"It's hard livin’ (in a broken world),
Too much division (in a broken world),
Nobody listens (in a broken world),
We’re on a mission, I wanna know:

"When it’s dark as a dungeon can you be a light?
Can you bring peace in the middle of a fight?
When you see separation can you unite?
And when you see ‘em doing wrong can you do what’s right?

"From the bottom of our hearts, to the top of our lungs,
We’re crying out for unity, and the battle’s just begun,
Let love be your foundation, let wisdom be your guide,
'Til the problems that we’re facing, can no longer divide
A broken world!

"It's hard livin’ (in a broken world),
Too much division (in a broken world),
Nobody listens (in a broken world),
We’re on a mission, I wanna know:

"If your enemy was drowning would you pull him to shore?
If a stranger was starving would you open your door?
Are there any revolutionaries here anymore?
And what you gonna be remembered for?

"From the bottom of our hearts, to the top of our lungs,
We’re crying out for unity, and the battle’s just begun,
Let love be your foundation, let wisdom be your guide,
'Til the problems that we’re facing, can no longer divide
A broken world!"

"From the bottom of our hearts, to the top of our lungs,
We’re crying out for unity, and the battle’s just begun,
Let love be your foundation, let wisdom be your guide,
'Til the problems that we’re facing, can no longer divide
A broken world!

"A broken world!"

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide

The Popish Plot
"'My Relationship with Mary' Collab"

'Tis the Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter: Wikipedia-link.

'Tis the festival of Saint Joan of Arc, Virgin & Martyr (circa 1412-1431, the "Maid of Orléans"), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VI: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Luke Kirby, Priest & Martyr (circa 1549-1582), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyr-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Thomas Cottam (S.J.), William Filby, & Lawrence Richardson, Priests & Martyrs (died 1582), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, three of the one hundred sixty Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link Tango Charlie & Wikipedia-link Tango Charlie, Martyr-link Whiskey Foxtrot & Wikipedia-link Whiskey Foxtrot, & Martyr-link Lima Romeo & Wikipedia-link Lima Romeo; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

Commentary: St. Luke & Bls. Thomas, William, & Lawrence were all martyred together at Tyburn on 30 May 1582. Bl. Maurus was martyred there thirty years to the day later. Wikipedia-link Tyburn

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Maurus Scott, Priest & Martyr, O.S.B. (circa 1579-1612, A.K.A. William Scott), martyred in the reign of the Anglo-Scottish king James VI & I: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter eighteen, verses one thru eight;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two & three(a/b), & three(c/d) & four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses sixteen thru twenty.

Commentary: Video reflection by Father Roger Lopez, O.F.M.: U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

In most of these United States, today is an Easter Weekday; in a few Ecclesiastical Provinces, principally in the Northeast, today is the Solemnity of the Ascension, traditionally observed on the Thursday forty days after Resurrection Sunday & ten days before Pentecost Sunday. In the majority of the country, the observance of Ascension has been transferred to the following Sunday, displacing the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

Mass Readings—Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter one, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Forty-seven, verses two & three, six & nine;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter one, verses seventeen thru twenty-three;
or, the Letter to the Hebrews, chapter nine, verses twenty-four thru twenty-eight & chapter ten, verses nineteen thru twenty-three;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-four, verses forty-six thru fifty-three.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus is taken up to his Father in heaven. We tend to read the Ascension along essentially Enlightenment lines, rather than biblical lines—and that causes a good deal of mischief. Enlightenment thinkers introduced a two-tier understanding of heaven and earth. They held that God exists, but that he lives in a distant realm called heaven, where he looks at the human project moving along, pretty much on its own steam, on earth.

On this Enlightenment reading, the Ascension means that Jesus goes up, up, and away, off to a distant and finally irrelevant place. But the biblical point is this: Jesus has gone to heaven so as to direct operations more fully here on earth. That’s why we pray, "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

Jesus has not gone up, up, and away, but rather—if I can put it this way—more deeply into our world. He has gone to a dimension that transcends but impinges upon our universe.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Ideals, if they are authentic, if they are human, are not dreams: they are duties, especially for us Christians. The more the sounds of the storm disturb the horizon of our history, the more such ideals must grip our attention. And ideals are energies; they are hopes."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 29 May)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I know that all the eagles of heaven have pity on me & that they guard & defend me, putting to flight the vulture-like temptations which would destroy me."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I am not afraid. I was born to do this."
—St. Joan of Arc (1412-1431, feast day: 30 May)

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter: Wikipedia-link.

'Tis the festival of Saint Maximinus of Trier, Bishop (died circa 349), fifth (V) Bishop of Trier, who fiercely opposed the Arian heresy & attended the Synod of Serdica (343): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Trier & Wikipedia-link Trier, Wikipedia-link Heresy, & Wikipedia-link Synod.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Brother of St. Maxentius of Poitiers [?].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eleutherius of Rocca d'Arce (floruit twelfth century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Brother of Ss. Grimoaldus [29 September] & Fulk [22 May].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Richard Thirkeld, Priest & Martyr (died 1583), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Paul VI, Pope (1897-1978, A.K.A. Giovanni Battista Montini), two hundred sixty-second (CCLXII) Bishop of Rome, author of the encyclical Humanae vitae (1968) who promulgated the Ordinary Form of the Roman Rite Mass (1970, A.K.A. the Mass of Paul VI): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Pontiff-link, Wikipedia-link Pontiff, Wikipedia-link Humanae vitae, & Wikipedia-link Mass.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. St. Paul VI was canonized on 14 October 2018.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter seventeen, verses fifteen & twenty-two thru chapter eighteen, verse one;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-eight, verses one & two, eleven & twelve, thirteen, & fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses twelve thru fifteen.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel declares that when the Spirit comes, he will guide us into all truth. There is a story I’ve heard about Jean-Luc Marion that, if it isn’t true, should be. In the midst of a lively lecture on Descartes, a student asked a pointed question about God. Marion looked at her and said, "Go to Sunday Mass for a year and then return and ask me that question again."

Marion’s response was not just a clever one-liner. If true knowledge of God depends upon immersion in the Holy Spirit, then that knowledge is a function of an entire form of life, involving prayer, self-denial, the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and the forgiveness of one’s enemies. We don’t think our way to an understanding of God so much as we live our way to it.

Thomas Aquinas always said that he owed his theology far more to the persistence of his prayer than to the acuity of his mind. His penetration of the divine mystery flowed from his life in the Holy Spirit. And so today we pray, "Come, Holy Spirit, come!"

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

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The Sacrament of mercy & of forgiveness has to be lived out with a feeling of great confidence in Divine salvation & a sincere desire for conversion. We must seek it in reconciliation with God & with out brothers & sisters."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"It is true that Love knows no such word as 'impossible,' for it deems 'all things possible, all things allowed.'"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Happiness does not depend on accumulating more things, but on the mindset we have concerning the things we already do possess."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 320.6 lbs
This weigh-in: 317.4 lbs.
Difference: -3.2 lbs.

The needle is once again moving in the right direction, & I do weigh less at the end of May (three hundred seventeen & two-fifths pounds [317.4 lbs.]) than I did at the beginning (three hundred eighteen & four-fifths pounds [318.8 lbs.]), but, still, far too much ground was lost (far too much weight was gained) after Lent ended. We must recapture the ground lost (lose the weight gained) due to the return of bad old habits under the friendly guise of Easter feasting, & then resume the march toward our greater goals of lesser weight. Onward!

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
Jim Gaffigan, "Eat Like an American" from Beyond the Pale (The Last Angry Easter Feaster)

Commentary: Truer words have rarely been uttered.

"We're never satisfied when it comes to food…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Today: SKAfter Party

The Interrupters, "You're Gonna Find a Way Out" from Say It Out Loud (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:

"He's got the best record collection,
And he makes the best record selection,
But when he drinks, yea, he'll start flexin',
Get arrested and end up in correction,
Because he's got a lot of pent up aggression,
There's an officer at the intersection,
Everyone got away except him,
Now he's got a lot of time for reflection.

"Rude Boy in a penitentiary,
Locked up! Not where you wanna be,
You're gonna find a way out!
You're gonna find a way out!
Rude Boy in a penitentiary,
Locked up! not where you wanna be,
You're gonna find a way out!
You're gonna find a way out now!…

"He got paroled and he got a Smith & Wesson,
And he always kept it on him for protection,
Shot a man in the street for disrespectin',
Rude Boy, when will you learn your lesson?…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Yesterday: SKAfter Party

Melbourne Ska Orchestra, "Paradiso" from Melbourne Ska Orchestra (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: "Paradiso's" response to the obvious crisis of post-modernity isn't precisely correct—we ought not to seek escape from the world, but the redemption of the world—but that last line quoted below is spot on. What puzzles me about the world today is that everybody knows something has gone terribly, terribly wrong, yet most of us won't even entertain the only solution to all the ills of man.

"See the people slaving to the top,
With nothing much to show,
Hear the money pool is drying up,
With twice as many seeds to sow.

"Well, if you're carrying the load,
It makes the day grow old
Before it's even just begun to wake.

"There's a trick to flip the page,
I heard the message from a sage:
Close your eyes and feel the great escape.

"Paradiso!
It's all in your mind,
You can take a holiday any old time!
Paradiso!
It's how you perceive,
Find the best in every test and set yourself free…"

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter: Wikipedia-link.

'Tis the festival of Blessed Lanfranc of Canterbury, Bishop, O.S.B. (circa 1005-1089, A.K.A. of Pavia, of Bec), prior of the Abbey of Bec, abbot of the Abbey of Saint Stephen (Saint-Étienne), & Archbishop of Canterbury: Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Bec & Wikipedia-link Saint-Étienne; & Diocese-link Canterbury & Wikipedia-link Canterbury.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ubaldesca Taccini, Religious (circa 1136-1206): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Margaret Pole, Martyr (1473-1541, née Plantagenet; Countess of Salisbury), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Thomas Ford, Robert Johnson, & John Shert, Priests & Martyrs (died 1582), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I for being conspirators of the non-existent "Rome & Rheims Plot," three of the Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link Tango Foxtrot & Wikipedia-link Tango Foxtrot, Martyr-link Romeo Juliett & Wikipedia-link Romeo Juliett; & Martyr-link Juliett Sierra & Wikipedia-link Juliett Sierra; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

We also commemorate Venerable Pierre Toussaint (1776-1853): Venerable-link ūnus, Venerable-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter sixteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-four;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-eight, verses one & two(a/b), two(c/d/e) & three, & seven(c) & eight;
The Gospel according to John, chapter sixteen, verses five thru eleven.

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

Friends, once again in today’s Gospel Jesus promises to send us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the fuel of the Church, the energy and life force of the Body of Christ. And we can’t get him through heroic effort. We can only get him by asking for him. That’s why, for the past two thousand years, the Church has begged for this power from on high.

Jesus told us that the Father would never refuse someone who asked for the Holy Spirit. So ask! And ask again! Realize that every liturgy is a begging for the Holy Spirit. Fr. Hesburgh of Notre Dame once commented that the one prayer that is always appropriate—whether one is experiencing success or failure, whether one is confident or afraid, whether one is young or old— is "Come, Holy Spirit!"

He’s right, for this is the fundamental prayer of the Church. Mind you, we pray it, as the first Apostles did, in the presence of Mary and with her support. In the Hail Mary, we say, "Pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death." What are we asking her to pray for but the Holy Spirit?

Video reflection by Father Daniel Ogbeifun: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"No matter how much we try, only through Jesus Christ shall we succeed in calling people back to the Majesty & Kingdom of God. 'No one,' the Apostle admonishes us, 'can lay a foundation other than the one that has been laid, namely Jesus Christ.'"
—Pope St. Pius X (1835-1914, feast day: 21 August)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Let us not grow tired of prayer: confidence works miracles."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"What is really important is what happens within us, not outside us."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide — Please Stand By

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Memorial Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Cemetery Guns" from Sky Full of Holes (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary: Decoration Day began in the aftermath of the Civil War; the traitors & slavers of the defeated Confederacy claim credit, but don't tyrants always claim credit for all things in all places? General John Logan, at the time commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic veterans organization & later a United States Senator, ordered Decoration Day to be celebrated on 30 May 1868. Sacred Michigan was the first of the several states to adopt Decoration Day as an official holiday in 1871. The name "Memorial Day" first arose in the 1880s, but did not become the official name for the purpose of the Federal holiday until 1967. In 1968, Congress moved Memorial Day from 30 May to the last Monday in May, taking effect in 1971, creating a three-day weekend & thus stripping the observance of all sanctity & significance as empty leisure & mindless entertainment became our increasingly degraded republic's civic religion.

"No rest for the errant ones,
Godspeed their reckless sons,
Who evermore play their forefathers' hands
On the foreign sands…

"Cemetery guns go bang! bang! bang!
Shooting the whole sky full of holes,
Twenty-one times in a row…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Interrupters, "Easy on You" from The Interrupters (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:

"But why, oh, why
Are you making it so hard?

"Be easy on yourself,
Be easy on yourself,
Be easy on yourself
'Cause nobody's been easy on you!…"

Saints + Scripture: VI Sunday of Easter — Stand By

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide — Please Stand By

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Interrupters, "The Prosecutor" from Say It Out Loud (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary:

"He's been around since the dawn of the ages,
If you read between the lines when you turn the pages,
He feeds off of darkness, lust and greed,
Pride, sloth, wrath, envy, and gluttony,
But I cast him out, got the light on my side,
I'll be better off without him 'cause I know he lies,
He's a snake with a rattle and I heard that buzz,
His original name was—

"The Prosecutor
And he doesn't have a case!
He's the Prosecutor
And he doesn't have a case!
Yeah, he's a liar,
I am water, he is fire,
He's the Prosecutor
And he doesn't have a case!

"He doesn't work for the county, doesn't work for the state,
He only works for his cause and his cause is hate,
He doesn't work for the people, no pro bono,
From the depths of hell, fallen angel,
Now he's probably down on the bottom floor
Waiting for mass shooting or another world war,
He's a rotten one, so hold your applause,
His original name was—

The Prosecutor
And he doesn't have a case!…"

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide — Please Stand By

The Rebel Black Dot Narwhal Song o' the Day

Aaron Burnett, "Narwhal" from Canadian Critters (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary: We bid a fond farewell to Narwhal Day 'til next year, but the sympathy for the narwhal ought to continue all year round.

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide — Please Stand By

Narwhal Day XIX

In the timeless words of Professor Farnsworth, "Good news, everyone!" 'Tis Narwhal Day, the most narwhalsome day o' the year! Yes, Narwhal Day, that glorious day when all & sundry reflect on & sympathize with the narwhal, the very oddest of whales, far-famed for its curious "horn" (in actuality a tusk) which in times past was often displayed in cabinets of curiosity (Wunderkammer) as a unicorn's horn. The narwhal is transcendent proof that truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

The Ancient & Proper Observance of Narwhal Day
First, the recitation of "The Oath of Narwhal Day;"
Second, the wearing of gray clothing;
Third, the hearing of "Sympathy for the Narwhal" by D.J. Seaghost, an ally of The Aquabats!

The ancient & proper observance need not be observed in any particular order. The recitation of the oath is an internal act; recite it as a jest or a lark only at your own peril, for a man is only as good as his word; it is in sympathizing with the narwhal that Narwhal Day finds its highest purpose. The wearing of gray is an external act, signally to others one's the sympathy for the narwhal & inviting them to experience the same. The hearing of "Sympathy for the Narwhal" is a communal act, for Narwhal Day is as much a day of celebration as it is as day of sympathizing; the narwhal will frolic & so should we. So we should, so we shall!

The Oath of Narwhal Day
The narwhal is a noble, pitiable creature,
A magnificent, monstrous visage.
An asymmetrical tooth for a horn,
Or sometimes two, or sometimes none,
Half again as long as the beast.

I swear my sympathy for the narwhal.
I will not lie and convince it all is well,
But I will be a friend to the narwhal.
The mocking dolphins and the snobby manatees
Will get their well-earned comeuppance,
And the narwhal will frolic all day.

I dream this dream of the narwhal
And celebrate it in all its oddball, improbable glory,
On this the nineteenth Narwhal Day.


the Narwhal (Monodon Monoceros)—also narwal or narwhale

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Narwhal Day!
D.J. Seaghost, "Sympathy for the Narwhal" from The Aquabats! and Horchata Records Present Rice Capades Music Sampler, Vol. 1 (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary: "Sympathy for the Narwhal" is the inspiration for Narwhal Day, but lo these many years it has remained the most troublesome element of the Ancient & Proper Observance due to the obscurity of the song. Thus, it is will a heart swollen with sympathy for the narwhal that we now present "Sympathy for the Narwhal" via the YouTubes: Sympathy-link.

The Wayback Machine Tour of Narwhal Day: A Secret Base Tradition since '03
Narwhal Day '18 — Narwhal Day '17 — Narwhal Day '16 — Narwhal Day '15
Narwhal Day '14 — Narwhal Day '13 — Narwhal Day '12 — Narwhal Day '11
Narwhal Day '10 — Narwhal Day '09 — Narwhal Day '08 — Narwhal Day '07a & Narwhal Day '07b
Narwhal Day '06 — Narwhal Day '05 — Narwhal Day '04 — Narwhal Day '03

Countdown to Narwhal Day: One…

One more day!

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide — Please Stand By

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 315.4 lbs
This weigh-in: 320.6 lbs.
Difference: +5.2 lbs.

Well, that's a significant step in the wrong direction.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
Jim Gaffigan, "Whales" from Mr. Universe (The Last Angry Easter Feaster)

The Rebel Black Dot Narwhal Song o' the Day

David Polansky, "Narwhal" from Animal Alphabet Songs (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Two…

Only two days to go!

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide

'Tis the Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter: Wikipedia-link.

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Christopher Magallanes, Priest, & Companions, Martyrs (died 1915-1937, A.K.A. the Martyrs of the Mexican Revolution, natively Cristóbal Magallanes Jara): Martyr-link Charlie Mike, Wikipedia-link Charlie Mike, Martyrs-link ūnus, & Martyrs-link duo.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was killed without trial on the way to say Mass during the Cristero War after the trumped-up charge of inciting rebellion.

Wikipedia-link La Cristiada

'Tis also the festival of Saint Godric of Finchale, Hermit (circa 1065-1170): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eugène de Mazenod, Bishop, O.M.I. (1782-1861, A.K.A. Charles-Joseph-Eugène de Mazenod), founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Order-link O.M.I., & Wikipedia-link O.M.I.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, Martyr, T.O.S.F. (1907-1943), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fourteen, verses nineteen thru twenty-eight;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses ten & eleven, twelve & thirteen(a/b), & twenty-one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-one(a).

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus gives us an antidote for fear. Whom or what are you afraid of? That is a very important spiritual question. One way to understand our lives is to look at those things that we seek: wealth, power, privilege, honor, pleasure, friendship. But another way is to turn that question around and determine what or who it is that we fear.

We might fear the loss of material things, the loss of a job, the loss of physical health, the loss of the esteem of others, the loss of personal intimacy, or ultimately, the loss of life itself. We are afraid of many things, but I’d be willing to bet that there is a primary or principal fear. What is it for you?

Now, after identifying that, listen to Jesus: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." Any and all of the things that we customarily fear—loss of money, fame, pleasure, and power—have to do with this world. What Jesus is saying is that we should not let those fears come to dominate or define our lives, for he is with us—and with him is his peace.

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Christopher Magallanes & Companions
The Book of Revelation, chapter seven, verses nine thru seventeen;
Psalm Thirty-four, verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-four, twenty-five, & twenty-six.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Reflection Peak, Day 19
The Book of Genesis, chapter three, verses eight thru thirteen.

Commentary: The Fall of Man (cont'd; Genesis, 3:8-13).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Whatever an individual person's journey of faith & acceptance of it, no oneis passive. Each one must work to improve the lot of others & thus make progress along the way of the Gospel."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, feast day: 22 October)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Our Lord has granted me the grace never to fear the conflict; at all costs I must do my duty."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Say to yourself over & over again regardless of that happens: 'God loves me!' And then add: 'And I will try to love Him!'"
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Narwhal Song o' the Day

Haberdashery, "The Narwhal Suite" from Illuminated Road (Captain Thumbs Up!)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKApril

The Interrupters, "She's Kerosene" from Fight the Good Fight (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: We close this time-displaced, ninth annual SKApril with "She's Kerosene" by The Interrupters, the biggest ska hit in two decades, one of the prominent signs of the "fourth wave" of ska finally arriving. The Interrupters are definitely on the punk end of the ska-punk register, but "She's Kerosene" features a relentless syncopated rhythm (the famous "ska guitar") & howling electric organ.

"He said—

"I'm a match, she's kerosene,
You know she gonna burn down everything!
She's an arsonist, in her pastime,
And I've been burned for the last time!…"

Happy SKApril, rude boys & rude girls! Stay tuned for the SKAfter Party & we look forwarding to seeing you again in SKAugust, when I have a ticket to see The Mighty Mighty Bosstones in concert.

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Three…

Three days 'til Narwhal Day, three elements to the ancient & proper observance of Narwhal Day:

I. Wear gray.
II. Recite "The Oath of Narwhal Day."
III. Listen to "Sympathy for the Narwhal" by D.J. Seaghost.

Saints + Scripture: V Week of Pascha (Easter)

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

'Tis the Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter: Wikipedia-link.

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest, O.F.M. (1380-1444, the "Apostle of Italy"), who popularized devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus thru the IHS Christogram: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link The True Enlightenment!, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Holy Name & Wikipedia-link IHS.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was an Italian priest & Franciscan missionary. He was a systemizer of Scholastic economics. His popular preaching made him famous during his own lifetime because it was frequently directed against sorcery, gambling, infanticide, witchcraft, sodomy, Jews, & usury.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Lucifer of Calgiari, Bishop (died circa 370), who vigorously opposed the Arian heresy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Heresy.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Æthelberht (II) the King (died circa 794, modernized as Ethelbert), king of East Anglia: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ælfthryth of Crowland, Virgin (died circa 835, modernized as Alfreda, Etheldrytha, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: St. Æthelberht was betrothed to St. Ælfthryth, but died before they could marry.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed María Crescentia, Religious (1897-1932, "Sister Sweetness;" A.K.A. María Angélica Pérez): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Fifth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fourteen, verses five thru eighteen
Psalm One Hundred Fifteen, verses one & two, three & four, & fifteen & sixteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-one thru twenty-six.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus promises to send the Holy Spirit to inspire, strengthen, and defend his followers. Speaking to his disciples the night before he dies, Jesus tells them that he and his Father will send another Parakletos. The word, from kaleo (to call) and para (for, or on behalf of) designates something like an advocate or a lawyer, someone who would plead on behalf of another, offering support and encouragement.

Jesus will depart physically from the scene, but he and his Father will send the Spirit as a friend. This is the supporter, the Advocate who will inspire Christians up and down the ages.

When the martyrs went to their deaths, it was with the help of the Holy Spirit; when the missionaries went to proclaim the faith in hostile lands, it was the Holy Spirit who pleaded on their behalf; when Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel ceiling, it was the Holy Spirit who lifted him up; and when Thomas Aquinas wrote his theological masterpieces, it was at the prompting of the Advocate.

What is the Advocate prompting you to do today?

Video reflection by Monsignor James Vlaun: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter four, verses eight thru twelve;
Psalm Forty, verses two, four, seven & eight, eight & nine, ten, & eleven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nine, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-two.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Reflection Peak, Day 18
The Book of Genesis, chapter three, verses six & seven.

Commentary: The Fall of Man (cont'd; Genesis, 3:6-7).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"In the Divine Master's school we shall all remember to love poverty & the poor. We shall love the poor in order to devote special interest to them, whether they be persons, classes, or nations in need of love & aid."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I am not dying, I am entering into Life…"
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"All badness is spoiled goodness. A bad apple is a good apple that became rotten. Because evil has no capital of its own, it is a parasite that feeds on goodness."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Explorers' Club, № DCXC

Operation AXIOM: After the World War—The Greco-Turkish War, Part II
19 May 1919: Mustafa Kemal landed at Samsun—Ordered there by the sultan's government to oversee the disarming & dismantling of the Ottoman Army, Kemal & his handpicked officers organized the Turkish National Movement, aiming to prevent the Entente's partition of Anatolia & repel/expel the Greek army from Smyrna; the Turks launched a genocide against the local Pontic Greek population.

Lest we forget.

Countdown to Narwhal Day: Four…

We're getting a later start than normal to the countdown to Narwhal Day, but there is yet time to prepare. Are your ready to feel the sympathy?

Saints + Scripture: V Sunday of Easter

'Tis the Fifth Sunday of Easter (A.K.A. Cantate Sunday or "Sing-song Sunday"): Wikipedia-link Cantate & Wikipedia-link Eastertide.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Fifth Sunday of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-one thru twenty-seven;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-five, verses eight & nine, ten & eleven, & twelve & thirteen;
The Book of Revelation, chapter twenty-one, verses one thru five(a);
The Gospel according to John, chapter thirteen, verses thirty-one, thirty-two, thirty-three(a), thirty-four, & thirty-five.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel instructs us in the way of loving others with God’s love. We find joy in God alone, for our souls have been wired for God. But here’s the trick—and the whole of the Christian life is on display here: God is love…. God is self-emptying on behalf of the other. But this means, paradoxically, that to have God is to be what God is—and that means giving one’s life away.

Now we see the link between joy and commandments: "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." And now we begin to understand the laws, commands, and demands of the Church. All are designed to make us more adept at giving ourselves away. Don’t steal; don’t kill; don’t covet your neighbor’s goods or wife; honor your mother and father; worship God. All of these commands—positive and negative—are meant to awaken and make possible love.

Notice, please, that we are to love with a properly divine love: "I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father." Radical, radical, radical. Complete, excessive, over-the-top.

Reflection by Father Joseph Mary Wolfe, M.F.V.A. (Eternal Word Television Network):

The readings for today’s Mass describe both the trials of the early Church as well as God’s faithful love and the splendor of His Kingdom. How might these themes be connected? I am reminded of a poem attributed to the great mystic St. John of the Cross:

“And I saw the river over which every soul must pass
to reach the kingdom of heaven
and the name of that river was suffering
and I saw a boat which carries souls across the river
and the name of that boat was love.”

Our society does not seem to accept that all authentic love (as distinguished from its many, popular counterfeits) will, sooner or later, encounter the Cross – no exceptions. In today’s Gospel, Jesus commands that we imitate His way of love. Only in loving self-sacrifice is the mystery of suffering transformed into God’s glory. While it would be unthinkable to pursue suffering as an end in itself, when accepted with love and for Love, suffering is a powerful means to reach the Kingdom of God.

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

Audio reflection by Scott Hahn, Ph.D. (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Breaking the Bread.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Reflection Peak, Day 17
The Book of Genesis, chapter three, verses one thru five.

Commentary: The Fall of Man (Genesis, 3:1-5).

Mass Journal: Week 25
Reflection by Matthew Kelly, founder of the Dynamic Catholic Institute:

Several years ago, my brother Nathan was living in Japan for a year as an exchange student. During that time, I received a letter from him with a photograph he had taken of what seemed to be the courtyard of an ancient Japanese garden. In the middle of the courtyard was an almost tree in full bloom. Nathan has always been a talented photographer, but what really captured my attention was a quotation he had written on the back of the photograph. The quotation was from the writings of [El] Greco, the famed Greek-born Spanish painter. It read: "I said to the almond tree, 'Sister, speak to me about God,' & the almond tree blossomed."

†

Otherwise, 19 May would be the festival of Blessed Alcuin of York, Deacon & Abbot (circa 730-804): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Dunstan, Bishop & Abbot, O.S.B. (909-988, of Canterbury), abbot of the Abbey of Glastonbury who introduced the Benedictine Rule, Bishop of Worcester, Bishop of London, & Archbishop of Canterbury: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abbots, Abbey-link Glastonbury, Wikipedia-link Glastonbury, & Wikipedia-link Rule; & Wikipedia-link Worchester, Diocese-link London & Wikipedia-link London, & Diocese-link Canterbury & Wikipedia-link Canterbury.

Commentary: Nephew of St. Athelm [8 January], also an Archbishop of Canterbury, & kinsman of St. Ælfheah the Bald [12 March].

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Celestine V, Pope, O.S.B. Cel. (circa 1210-1296, A.K.A. Pietro Angelerio, of Morrone), one hundred ninety-second (CXCII) Bishop of Rome & founder of the Celestines, a branch of the Benedictines: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Pontiffs-link, & Wikipedia-link Pontiff; & Wikipedia-link O.S.B. Cel.

'Twould also be the festival of Blessed Peter Wright, Priest & Martyr, S.J. (1603-1651), martyred in the reign of the English warlord Oliver Cromwell: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint Theophilus of Corte, Priest, O.F.M. (1676-1740, A.K.A. Biagio Arrighi): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Twould also be the festival of Saint María Bernarda of the Holy Heart of Mary, Religious, O.F.M. Cap. (1848-1924, A.K.A. Verena Bütler), foundress of the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of Perpetual Help: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Pray like Jesus. Pray intently. Pray today, always in the confident communion that prayer has established between us & the Father. Because it is to a father, it is to the Father that our humble voice is addressed."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"Each time I needed food for the souls in my charge, I always found my hands filled. Had I relied on my own strength, I should very soon have been forced to surrender."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Avoiding the Cross is the essence of the demonic… Consider the softness of the Church today: the desire to accommodate herself to the world, shrinking away from sacrifice, self-denial. We have today in the Christian world a new dirty word, but it doesn’t have four letters. The new dirty word has five: C-R-O-S-S. Christ without the Cross? Sure, anyone will accept that."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKApril

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "The West Ends" from While We're at It (The Last Angry Rude Boy)

Skammentary: "The West Ends" is about one of the most shameful instances of bipartisanship in American history, the compulsory evacuation & destruction of Boston's West End, a thriving working-class neighborhood, in the 1950s & '60s to create apartments for the upper middle class & Government Center, a collection of buildings in the dehumanizing Brutalist style that would look at home in Fascist-era Italy. The "urban renewal" of the West End was carried out under the auspices of the Housing Act of 1949, an unholy collaboration between Democratic president Harry Truman & Republican senator Robert Taft that gave the federal government more sweeping influence over local governance than had ever been envisioned by the Framers, & that was irredeemably corrupt from the beginning, both financially & morally. The Housing Act was targeted at the poor, providing for "slum clearance." In Boston, the city government declared the West End a "slum" only after halting garbage collection & street sweeping; in one documented case, a photojournalist dumped out a garbage can onto the street & then took photos of the mess he made as proof of the West End's "slum" status. The razing of the West End was a brazen government-sponsored assault of the rich upon the poor, for which the Boston Redevelopment Authority later apologized, for all the good that did to the scattered & emotionally shattered evicted residents of the formerly tight-knit West End.

"Urban renewal, demolition,
And the Act of Contrition,
'Why would you live here in this condition?'
'Why would you say that? This is our home!
The West End's the best end,
Why won't they leave us alone?
Why won't they leave us alone?'

"This is not squalor,
It's dollar to dollar,
We don't care about status,
Or color or collar,
This is not poverty!
We don't live in the slums!
We are the working-class poor
And we're not just derelict bums!…"

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint John I, Pope & Martyr (died 526), fifty-third (LIII) Bishop of Rome, martyred in the reign of the Gothic king Theodoric, an Arian heretic: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Pontiff-link & Wikipedia-link Pontiff; & Wikipedia-link Arian.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

He was sent on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople by the Ostrogoth king Theodoric to negotiate better treatment for Arians. Although relatively successful, upon his return to Ravenna, Theodoric had the pope imprisoned for allegedly conspiring with Constantinople. The frail pope died of neglect & ill-treatment.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Ælfgifu of Shaftesbury (died circa 944, also spelt Elgiva, etc.), Queen of England: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eric of Sweden, Martyr (circa 1120-1161, A.K.A. King Eric IX the Lawgiver), martyred by pagans led by the usurper Magnus Henriksson: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Felix of Cantalice, Religious, O.F.M. Cap. (1515-1587, "Brother Deo Gratias;" A.K.A. Felice Porri): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Marcin Oprządek, Priest & Martyr, O.F.M. (1884-1942, A.K.A. Jan Oprządek), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, one of the One Hundred Eight Blessed Polish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link List, № 4); Martyrs-link Polska & Wikipedia-link Polska.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Fourth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter thirteen, verses forty-four thru fifty-two;
Psalm Ninety-eight, verses one, two & three(a/b), & three(c/d) & four;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses seven thru fourteen.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus declares his mutual indwelling with God: "Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?"

Charles Williams, a friend of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, stated that the master idea of Christianity is "coinherence," what he described as mutual indwelling.

But we sometimes forget that we are all interconnected. How do we often identify ourselves? Almost exclusively through the naming of relationships: we are sons, brothers, daughters, mothers, fathers, members of organizations, or members of the Church.

Yet read the Gospel today and see how Jesus identifies himself. Jesus reveals the coinherence that obtains within the very existence of God. "Lord," Philip said to him, "show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus replied, "Philip, after I have been with you all this time, you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

How can this be true, unless the Father and the Son coinhere in each other? Though Father and Son are really distinct, they are utterly implicated in each other by a mutual act of love. As Jesus says, "It is the Father who lives in me accomplishing his works."

Video reflection by Sister Mary MacCarrick, O.S.F.(s.): United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. John I
The Book of Revelation, chapter three, verses fourteen(b), twenty, twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Twenty-three, verses one, two, & three(a); four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twenty-two, verses twenty-four thru thirty.

Mass Readings—Ordination of Deacons
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter on, verses four thru nine;
Psalm Nineteen, verses two & three; four & five(a/b); & five(c), six, & seven;
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verses one thru seven, eleven, twelve, & thirteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru seventeen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Reflection Peak, Day 16
The Book of Genesis, chapter two, verses eighteen thru twenty-five.

Commentary: Another Account of Creation (cont'd; Genesis, 2:18-25).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Christ did not found an abstract religion, a mere school of religious thought. He set up a community of apostles, of teachers, with the task of spreading His message & so giving rise to a society of believers: His Church. He promised the Spirit of truth to His Church & then sent Him."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"It is so wonderful to think that God is really just, that God takes into account our weakness & our frailty."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I was talking to a young woman who was in an iron lung for twenty-one years. The only part of her body that she could move was her head. She told me that she was visited the week before by six seminarians. They told her they were about to be ordained priests. She told them, 'I hope you're also going to be ordained victims. Because our Lord was not only a priest, He was a victim; He offered Himself for others. So you have to do that.' They replied that the Lord didn't want them to suffer. She said, 'You young men are imposing a tremendous additional penance on me to make you worthy of your priesthood.' She was filling up in her own body the sufferings that were wanting to them. So those of us who have the faith have to begin restoring the idea of reparation."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKApril

Suburban Legends, "Last Dance" from Rump Shaker (The Last Angry Man)

Skemmentary: For many years, the Suburban Legends were Disney's pet ska band, performing full-time @ Disneyland. "Last Dance" combines two classic ska-punk tropes: not getting the girl & kvetching about fame. The protagonist says over again he doesn't want to dance (part of their shtick @ Disneyland), which is drudgery, but would rather be a touring sex, drugs, & rock & roll stereotype. No one ever accused the Suburban Legends of being particularly enlightened or overly cerebral.

"But think how my life could be
If this band it had never happened to me,
Visions of rock and roll are leaving me,
'Cause there only in my dreams.

And I don't wanna dance,
I don't wanna dance no more!
I say, I don't wanna dance,
I don't wanna dance no more,
(No time for rock and roll!)
I don't wanna dance,
I don't wanna dance no more!
I don't wanna dance,
I don't wanna dance,
I don't wanna dance,
I don't wanna dance!…"

Saints + Scripture: Paschaltide

Better Late than Never | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
"Bible Bites for May 17th, 2019"

'Tis the Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter: Wikipedia-link.

'Tis the festival of Saint Madron of Cornwall, Religious (died circa 545, also spelt Maddern, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Holy Well.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Thethmar, Priest, O.Præm. (died 1152, A.K.A. Theodemar): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Pàscuàl Baylón, Religious, O.F.M. (540-1592, the "Seraph of the Eucharist," Anglicized as Paschal Baylon): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, YouTube-link The True Enlightenment!, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Ivan Ziatyk, Priest & Martyr, C.Ss.R. (1899-1952), martyred in the reign of the Communist dictator Joseph Stalin, one of the twenty-five Martyrs Killed under Communist Regimes in Eastern Europe: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link Eastern Europe.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Fourth Week of Easter
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter thirteen, verses twenty-six thru thirty-three;
Psalm Two, verses six & seven, eight & nine, & ten & eleven(a/b);
The Gospel according to John, chapter fourteen, verses one thru six.

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

Friends, in today’s familiar and majestic passage, Jesus exhorts us to trust him: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me.”

So much depends on the spiritual meaning of the little word “trust.” Jeremiah the prophet laid it out as starkly and simply as possible: “Cursed be the one who trusts in human beings, who seeks his strength in flesh, whose heart turns away from the Lord.” And conversely, “Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in the Lord.”

What does it mean to trust, to have hope, to turn one’s heart to God? It means to root the whole of one’s life in God, and not to ground our concerns in the things of this world: wealth, power, pleasure, and honor.

Ask yourself: “What is the center of gravity in my life?” The Bible consistently proposes this question. For example, read the book of Joshua, when Joshua lays it on the line for the people of Israel: “Do you serve the Lord or some other gods?” That’s the question being asked of you today.

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

Scripture Study—Day 91: Reflection Peak, Day 15
The Book of Genesis, chapter two, verses ten thru seventeen.

Commentary: Another Account of Creation (cont'd; Genesis, 2:10-17).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The fundamental lesson of humility is that it neither wipes away the greatness of Christ nor reduces to nothingness our poor merit. Humility is a moral attitude that does not destroy the values to which it is applied; it is a way to recognize & regain them."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, feast day: 26 September)

Little Flower Quote o' the Day

"I have always desired to become a saint, but in comparing myself with the saints I have always felt that I am as far removed from them as a grain of sand, trampled underfoot by the passer-by is from the mountain whose summit is lost in the clouds."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast day: 1 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Look into your own heart. I've looked into mine. I've had a great deal of suffering in the eighty-three years of my life—physical suffering and other suffering. It should never have happened, & it has lasted for many years. Yet, as I look back, I know very well that I have never received the punishment that I deserved. God has been easy with me. He has not laid on me burdens that were equal to my failures. If we look into our own souls, I think that we will also come to the same conclusion, for God speaks to us in various ways. As C. S. Lewis put it, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, He speaks to us in our conscience, & He shouts to us in our pain.” Pain is God's megaphone. And unlike the ripples that are made in a brook or that you see when you throw a stone in a pond, the ripples of pain, instead of going out to distant shores, narrow & narrow & come to a central point where there is less of the outside of the circle & more of the center. Not the ego, but the real person & the real self. And one begins to find oneself alone with God. That is what happens in pain."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)