The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Hallowe'en

They Might Be Giants, "Lake Monsters" from I Like Fun (Mike Papa Wendigo)

Commentary:

"You might be asking yourself,
What happened to this world?
But they're not ashamed,
They cannot be tamed!…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day: Requiescat in Pace

John Barry, "The James Bond Theme (from Dr. No)" from The Film Music of John Barry (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In Memoriam Sean Connery (1930-2020). Requiem Æternam.

Saints + Scripture: Allhallowtide

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

The Popish Plot
"Christians Who Hate Halloween Hate Heaven"

Saints of the Day
'Tis All Hallows' Eve (also spelt Hallowe'en, A.K.A. All Saints' Eve), the vigil of the Solemnity of All Saints: All Hallows' Eve-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Allhallowtide.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Quentin of Amiens, Martyr (circa 211-287), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Foillan, Bishop & Martyr (died 655; A.K.A. Faélán, Feuillien, etc.), inaugural abbot at Fosses (653-655), abbot at Cnobheresburg (643-651), martyred by bandits: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Brother Ss. Fursey [16 January] & Ultan [1 May].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Wolfgang of Regensburg, Bishop, O.S.B. (circa 924-994, the "Great Almoner"), thirteenth (XIII) Bishop of Regensburg (972-994, Anglicized as Ratisbon): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Regensburg & Wikipedia-link Bishops.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Tommaso of Florence, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1370-1447, A.K.A. Tommaso Bellacci): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Alphonsus Rodríguez, Religious, S.J. (1532-1617): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Irene Stefani, Religious, I.S.M.C. (1891-1930, "Nyaatha" ["Merciful Mother"]; A.K.A. Aurelia Mercede Stefani): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter one, verses eighteen(b) thru twenty-six;
Psalm Forty-two (R/. cf. three), verses two, three, & five(c/d/e/f);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter fourteen, verses one & seven thru eleven.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus notices people jockeying for the highest place at a banquet. So do you see what Jesus does? He notices how this game interrupts God’s intention for his people and so he endeavors to interrupt the interruption. What he is urging in his parable is that we have the courage not to play the game of honor at all.

When every instinct in your body says to take the higher place, you should in fact take the lowest place, the place where you are least likely to be noticed. What if you tried this on the sports field, at work, in your family, among your friends? It would be like breaking yourself of an addiction.

Then he pushes it even further. Sometimes we invite people to parties or we are kind to them so that we might be repaid. So, the Lord says, don’t invite people who can invite you back; don’t be kind to people who are likely to be kind to you. Love your enemies; invite the poor, the forgotten, the homeless.

The quest for honor is an addiction like any other. It interrupts what God wants for us. Pray for the grace to break it.

Video reflection by Marc DelMonico, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 41
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter twelve, verses one thru eight.

Commentary: Advice to the Young (Ecclesiastes, 12:1-8).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The person who does not feel indebted to God remains entangled in restless inclination toward self. But to the heart of the truly humble believer the Lord reveals His presence, His sovereignty in saving power, His justice in the infinite greatness of His mercy."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"All my years of service to the poor have helped me to understand that they are precisely the ones who better understand human dignity. If they have a problem, it is not a lack of money, but the fact that their right to be treated humanely & with tenderness is not recognized."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"God is truth, & whoever seeks the truth is seeking God, whether he knows it or not."
—St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, O.C.D. (1891-1942, feast: 9 August)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"In Yugoslavia some years ago a young boy was serving Mass, & he dropped the cruet. The priest slapped him, & said, 'Get out & never come back.' He never came back. He became the communist leader of Yugoslavia, Tito. If that priest had ever come to the good Lord in order to review what he had done, there would have been, perhaps, some remission & an altering of the effect. I can remember when I was a boy serving at the cathedral under Bishop John L. Spalding. I was about seven years of age, & I dropped the wine cruet at the offertory. Now let me tell you that there is no atomic explosion which can equal in intensity the sound of a cruet falling on a marble floor. I was frightened to death because we altar boys thought he was a stern man. After Mass, he said, 'Come here, young man. Where are you going to school when you get big?'

"To a seven-year-old, big is high school. I said, 'Spalding Institute.' That was the high school named after him, a much more diplomatic answer than I thought at the time.

"He said, 'I said when you get big. Did you ever hear of Louvain?'

"I said, 'No.' 'Well, you go home & tell your mother that I said that when you got big, you were to go to the University of Louvain, & some day you will be just as I am.'

"So I went home & told my mother what he had said, & she said, 'Yes, that's a great university in Europe.' I never once thought of that incident until I had been ordained two years & stepped off a train in Louvain. I said, 'Oh, this is where Bishop Spalding told me to go.' It was an event that in some way altered my life as it altered the life of Tito in the opposite way"
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCLXXX

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—In Memoriam Ted Freeman
31 October 1964: Captain Theodore C. "Ted" Freeman, U.S.A.F. (1930-1964) died after ejecting from his T-38 Talon, which crashed due to a bird strike; a graduate of the Naval Academy with a Masters from the University of Michigan, Freeman earned his pilot's license at age sixteen & was selected in Astronaut Group 3 in October 1963; he was survived by his wife & their daughter, both named Faith.

Commentary: Ted Freeman was the first member of the N.A.S.A. Astronaut Corps to perish in man's conquest of space; he would not be the last, but as long as the United States still has astronauts exploring space, none of those deaths will be in vain.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: In Memoriam
The Phenomenauts, "Heroes" from For All Mankind (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture

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

Saints of the Day
'Tis the festival of Saint Marcellus of Tangier, Martyr (died circa 298, A.K.A. the Centurion), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Asterius of Amasea, Bishop (circa 350-410), Bishop of Amasea (380-410): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Amasea.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Talarican of Sodor, Bishop (floruit 720, A.K.A. Tarkin), Bishop of the Isles (A.K.A. Sodor): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Isles & Wikipedia-link Bishops.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gerard of Potenza, Bishop (died 1119, A.K.A. Gerard La Porta), Bishop of Potenza (1111-1119), patron of Potenza's Cathedral of San Gerardo: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Potenza & Wikipedia-link San Gerardo.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Benvenuta Bojani, Virgin, T.O.S.D. (1254-1292): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds John Bodey & John Slade, Martyrs (died 1583), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, two of the one hundred fifty-eight Martyrs of Douai: Martyr-link Juliett Bravo & Wikipedia-link Juliett Bravo, Martyr-link Juliett Sierra & Wikipedia-link Juliett Sierra; Martyrs-link Douai & Wikipedia-link Douai.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Terence Albert O'Brien, Bishop & Martyr, O.P. (1600-1651), Bishop of Emly (1647-1651), martyred in the reign of the English warlord Oliver Cromwell, one of the Irish Martyrs: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Emly, & Martyrs-link Éire & Wikipedia-link Éire.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Philippians, chapter one, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Eleven (R/. two; or, "Alleluia"), verses one & two, three & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter fourteen, verses one thru six.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a man on the sabbath, thus demonstrating his authority over the Law. The Jesus portrayed in the Gospels consistently speaks and acts in the very person of [YHWH], the God of Israel.

On another occasion, defending his disciples against the charge of picking grain on the sabbath, Jesus reminds his interlocutors that priests serving in the temple can, under certain circumstances, violate the sabbath and still remain innocent; then he adds with breathtaking laconicism, "I say to you, something greater than the temple is here." The only one who could reasonably claim to be "greater" than the temple would be the one who was worshiped in the temple.

In a number of places in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus states, "You have heard it said… but I say…" This almost casual dismissal of the Torah, the revelation given by [YHWH] to Moses himself and hence the court of final appeal to any pious Jew, would have overwhelmed any first-century Jew. Once more, the only one who could legitimately overrule the Torah with such insouciance would be the one who was himself the author of the Torah.

Video reflection by Father Praveen Lakkisetti (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 40
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter eleven, verses seven thru ten.

Commentary: Youth & Old Age (Ecclesiastes, 11:7-10).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 57
The Book of Leviticus, chapter eleven (verses one thru forty-seven);
The Book of Leviticus, chapter twelve (verses one thru eight);
The Book of Leviticus, chapter thirteen (verses one thru fifty-nine);
The Book of the Psalms, psalm fifty-seven (verses one thru eleven);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-seven, verses one thru twenty-six.

Commentary: Clean & Unclean Foods (Leviticus, 11:1-12), Unclean Creatures (Leviticus, 11:13-47), Purification of Women (Leviticus, 12:1-8), & Skin Diseases (Leviticus, 13:1-59); Praise & Assurance under Persecution (Psalm 57); & Jesus Brought before Pilate (Matthew, 27:1-2), Judas Hangs Himself (Matthew, 27:3-10), Pilate Questions Jesus (Matthew, 27:11-14), Barabbas or Jesus? (Matthew, 27:15-23), & Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified (Matthew, 27:24-26).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"A new era is unfolding of faithfulness to the Holy Spirit, of love of the crucified Christ, of dedication to one's brothers & sisters, of the building up of a more human & just society. We do not want to lag behind. Forward, in the Name of the Lord."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"When I pick up a hungry person from the street, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread. But a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out of society—that spiritual poverty is much harder to overcome."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"God would not make me wish for something impossible, & so, in spite of my littleness, I can aim at being a saint."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, O.C.D., Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast: 1 October)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"I had been preaching on Good Friday at St. Patrick's one year, a woman came back to the main altar, her hair disheveled, a haunted look on her face, & cursed me violently. I said, 'Why did you come in here?' She said, 'To steal purses.' I said, 'Did you get any?' 'No,' she said, 'that second word of yours got me—the word to the good thief.' Then she said, 'Why am I talking to you, you blankety-blank? You'll just tell the cops.' I said, 'Why do the cops want you?' She pulled out clippings from the Los Angeles Times & FBI folders. Three of her confreres were in San Quentin, & the FBI was looking for her. I asked her if she had ever been a Catholic, & she said yes, she had, up until the age of fourteen. So I heard her confession, & she became a daily communicant. But she was unable to work. I supported her for about twenty years until she died. Well, I was harboring a criminal, so after some time I said to her, 'I must make known to the FBI that I know about you.' She agreed, & I told the FBI. I said, 'You're looking for this woman.' 'Do we want her badly?' they said. I said, 'Oh, yes. Her name is so-and-so. She's a daily communicant at St. Patrick's.' They said, 'You have done far more for her than we or the prisons could have done, so we're letting her go.' So this chance incident of coming in to a church on Good Friday to steal purses made all the difference."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Hallowe'en Song o' the Day!

The Aquabats!, "She's Gonna Live Forever!" from Kooky Spooky… In Stereo! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary:

"I can't explain what's in her brain,
Why can't she just communicate?
It's that same old story
Of boys meets girl, but the girl's immortal…

"Yes, I know it, I know it hurts your hearts,
You can't be with me, I understand,
I get it, you live in a cave—
The cave of the immortals!

"And she's gonna live forever!
She doesn't want to break her own heart to be with me,
And now I see why this can't be, obviously,
But why you gotta live forever?
It's just like you to make this about you and not about me,
And now I see why this can't be, obviously!"

Saints + Scripture

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

Saints of the Day
'Tis the festival of Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem, Bishop (99-216), fifteenth (XV) Bishop of Aelia Capitolina (180-216; thirtieth [XXX] in the line of bishops of Jerusalem): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Aelia Capitolina.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Abraham Kidunaia, Priest & Hermit (circa 296-366; the Great, of Kidunja): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Uncle of St. Mary of Edessa [also 29 October].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Mary of Edessa, Hermitess (floruit fourth century): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Colman mac Duagh, Bishop & Abbot (circa 560-632), founding abbot-bishop of the Kilmacduagh Monastery: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Kilmacduagh & Wikipedia-link Monastery.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gaetano Errico, Priest, M.SS.CC. (1791-1860), founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary (1836, M.SS.CC.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link M.SS.CC.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Maria Restituta Kafka, Virgin & Martyr, S.F.C.C. (1894-1943, A.K.A. Helena Kafková), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duæ, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Chiara Luce Badano (1971-1990): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thurday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter six, verses ten thru twenty;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-four (R/. one[b]), verses one(b), two, & nine & ten;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter thirteen, verses thirty-one thru thirty-five.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus compares himself to a mother hen who longs to gather her chicks under her wing. As the theologian N.T. Wright points out, this is much more than a sentimental image. It refers to the gesture of a hen when fire is sweeping through the barn. In order to protect her chicks, she will sacrifice herself, gathering them under her wing and using her own body as a shield.

On the cross, Jesus used, as it were, his own sacrificed body as a shield, taking the full force of the world’s hatred and violence. He entered into close quarters with sin (because that’s where we sinners are found) and allowed the heat and fury of sin to overwhelm him, even as he protected us.

With this metaphor in mind, we can see, with special clarity, why the first Christians associated the crucified Jesus with the suffering servant of Isaiah. By enduring the pain of the cross, Jesus did indeed bear our sins; by his stripes we were indeed healed.

Video reflection by Deacon Clarence McDavid (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Becket Ghioto (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 39
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter eleven, verses one thru six.

Commentary: The Value of Diligence (Ecclesiastes, 11:1-6).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Only Christ's law, only Christ's grace can renew & restore private & public life. He alone can redress the true balance of rights & duties, check unbridled self-interest, control passion, implement & perfect the course of justice with His overflowing charity."
—Pope Ven. Pius XII (1876-1958, r. 1939-1958)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"One cannot expect to become a saint without paying the price, & the price is much renunciation, much temptation, much struggle & persecution, & all sorts of sacrifices. One cannot love God except at the cost of oneself."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"At this point I have nothing left, but I still have my heart, & with that I can always love."
—Bl. Chiara Luce Badano (1971-1990, feast: 29 October)

The Rebel Black Dot Hallowe'en Song o' the Day

They Might Be Giants, "Underwater Woman" from Glean (Mike Papa Wraith)

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saints Simon & Jude

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

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Feast of Saints Simon & Jude, Apostles (died circa 65; A.K.A. Simon the Zealot, the Cananean; A.K.A. Jude Thaddeus): Apostles-link Sierra & Juliett ūnus & Apostles-link Sierra & Juliett duo, Apostle-link Sierra & Wikipedia-link Sierra, & Apostle-link Juliett & Wikipedia-link Juliett; Twelve Apostles-link & Wikipedia-link Twelve Apostles.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Ss. Simon & Jude
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter two, verses nineteen thru twenty-two;
Psalm Nineteen (R/. five[a]), verses two & three, four & five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twelve thru sixteen.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus chooses the Twelve, whom he names Apostles.

In the apse of the church of San Clemente in Rome, there is a gorgeous twelfth-century mosaic, which gives visual expression to the call of the Twelve. At the center of the composition is the crucified Jesus. Surrounding the cross are twelve doves, symbolizing the Apostles who would fly around the world with the message of salvation.

No biblical figure is ever given an experience of God without receiving, at the same time, a commission. Moses spies the burning bush, hears the sacred name of Yahweh, and is then told to go back to Egypt to liberate his people; Isaiah enjoys an encounter with God amidst the splendor of the temple liturgy and is then sent to preach; Saul is overwhelmed by the luminosity of the risen Jesus and is subsequently called to apostleship.

Now the Apostles are not simply a distant memory; rather, they live on through what we call the apostolic succession. Therefore, the apostolicity of the Church is our guarantee that we are, despite many developments and changes across the centuries, still preserving the faith that was first kindled in that company of Jesus’ friends.

Video reflection by Jem Sullivan, Ph.D. (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor John Bergsma (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 38
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter ten, verses twelve thru twenty.

Commentary: Observations of Wisdom (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 10:12-20).

Saints of the Day (cont'd)
'Tis also the festival of Saint Abdias of Babylon, Bishop (floruit first century, also spelt Obadiah), inaugural Bishop of Babylon (ordained by Ss. Simon & Jude), one of the Seventy Disciples (or, the Seventy-two): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Seventy Disciples.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Fidelis of Como, Martyr (died circa 304), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, a victim of the Diocletianic Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link, Wikipedia-link Diocletian ūnus, Wikipedia-link Diocletian duo, & Wikipedia-link Diocletian trēs.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Faro of Meaux, Bishop (died circa 675, A.K.A. Burgundofaro), Bishop of Meaux (626-675): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Meaux.

Commentary: Brother of Ss. Waldebert [2 May], Chagnoald [6 September], & Burgundofara [7 December].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Godwin of Stavelot, Abbot, O.S.B. (died 690), abbot of the double monastery of Stavelot-Malmedy: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Stavelot-Malmedy.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Remigius of Lyon, Bishop (died 875), Archbishop of Lyon (852-875): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Lyon.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eadsige of Canterbury, Bishop, O.S.B. (died 1050, also spelt Eadsin), thirty-second (XXXII) Archbishop of Canterbury (1038-1050): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link, Wikipedia-link Canterbury, & Wikipedia-link Archbishops.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Whether believers or not, we are agreed today that the earth is essentially a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone. For believers, this becomes a question of fidelity to the Creator, since God created the world for everyone."
—Pope Francis, S.J. (b. 1936, r. 2013-present)

Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day

"We know that we have no riches other than that which we have received. Therefore, we must dare to question those who are going astray or who are leading others astray on deadend streets of a closed individualism or of an indifference to essential values."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Joy is a sign of a generous personality. Sometimes it is also a mantle that clothes a life of great sacrifice & self-giving. A person who has a gift of joy often reaches high summits."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"It is better to leave each one in his own opinion than to enter into arguments."
—St. Thérèse of Lisieux, O.C.D., Doctor of the Church (1873-1897, feast: 1 October)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"Before we sin, Satan is always our defender, & Christ is the accuser. Satan is the defender: 'Sure, the Vatican Council changed all that. We don't believe that any more; do you? After all, you've got to be up-to-date.' Christ seems to be saying, 'Choose either me or the world. I pray not for the world.' Then after we sin, what is Satan called in the book of Revelation? The accuser. That's what he is in the book of Job & in Zechariah. 'Now see what you've done. No hope, you might just as well go all the way.' And Christ is now the defender. 'Come to me, all ye who labor.' 'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be made white as snow.'"
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 354.2 lbs
This weigh-in: 355.8 lbs.
Difference: +/1.6 lbs.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "The White Stuff" from Off the Deep End (Mike Papa Waffle)

The Rebel Black Dot Hallowe'en Song o' the Day!

The Aquabats!, "Sneak Attack!" from Kooky Spooky… In Stereo! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary:

"Hey, now, congratulations!
You've been selected to get scared by me,
A nomination for aggravation,
And an invasion of your sanity.

"I'll be hiding in the shadows,
Waiting patiently for you,
Just can't wait to watch you freak out:
Ha ha! Scared you!…

"I know you hate it
When you know I could be anywhere,
So complicated,
When you try so hard not to be scared.

"I'll be hiding under your bed,
Or behind the bathroom door,
It's so fun to watch you freak out:
Ha ha! Scared you!…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Avril Lavigne, "Innocence" from The Best Damn Thing (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"This innocence is brilliant, I hope that it will stay,
This moment is perfect, please don't go away,
I need you now,
And I'll hold on to it, don't you let it pass you by.

"It's the state of bliss you think you're dreaming,
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling,
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry!
It's the state of bliss you think you're dreaming,
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling,
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry!
It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry!…"

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

Saints of the Day
'Tis the festival of Saint Thraseas, Bishop & Martyr (died 170), Bishop of Eumenia, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, in his persecution (166-180): Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Eumenia, & Persecutions-link & Wikipedia-link Marcus Aurelius.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Abraham the Poor, Hermit (died 372; A.K.A. the Child, the Simple): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Frumentius of Ethiopia, Bishop (died circa 383, the "Apostle of Ethiopia;" A.K.A Kesate Birhan ["Revealer of Light"] & Abba Salama ["Father of Peace"]), inaugural Bishop of Axum & Abun of Ethiopian Orthodoxy: Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Abun.

Commentary: Brother of St. Aedeius [?].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Oran of Waterford, Bishop & Abbot (died circa 563; A.K.A. of Iona; also spelt Odhrán, Otteranus, etc.), Bishop of Waterford, abbot at Meath: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Colman of Templeshambo, Abbot (died circa 595), abbot of the monastery of Templeshambo: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Abbán of Magh-Armuidhe, Abbot (circa 570-620; also spelt Eibbán, Moabba; A.K.A. Abbán moccu Corbmaic): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Nephew of St. Ibar of Meath [23 April], brother of St. Gobnait [11 February].

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Bartholomew of Vicenza, Bishop, O.P. (circa 1200-1271, A.K.A. of Braganca), Bishop of Vicenza (1255-1271), Bishop of Nemonicum (1248-1255): Blessed-link ūnus, Blessed-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Vicenza.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter five, verses twenty-one thru thirty-three;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-eight (R/. one[a]), verses one & two, three, & four & five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter thirteen, verses eighteen thru twenty-one.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus says that the kingdom of God “is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of wheat flour until the whole batch of dough was leavened.”

What’s the kingdom of heaven? It is God’s way of ordering things. How often the Bible contrasts it to the “world,” which is the way of ordering things that is born of sin. When self-interest, rivalry, egotism, violence, and fear are fundamental, things will get ordered in a certain way—economically, politically, socially.

But the Kingdom of God is the way of ordering things born of love—love for God and love for neighbor. Generosity, peace, nonviolence, and trust will give rise to a new way of ordering things. This is true of a family, a school, a parish, a community, a nation state.

Now how in the world does one get this project off the ground? As should be clear, this never happens all at once overnight. Rather, in small ways, people begin living according to the kingdom. And then, in God’s time, this new community begins to have a leavening effect on the wider society.

Video reflection by Father John M. McKenzie (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 37
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter ten, verses eight thru thirteen.

Commentary: Observations of Wisdom (cont'd; Ecclesiastes, 10:8-13).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"To petition God really means nothing other than to place ourselves entirely in God’s hands."
—Pope Benedict XVI (b. 1927, r. 2005-2013)

Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day

"Sing with your voices, sing with your hearts! Make people understand how beautiful it is to pray singing, as you do, with the Church & for the Church. Spread joy, spread goodness, spread light."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Commentary: Among the many evils of our societal overreaction to the plague is that our bishops have forbidden us to sing @ Mass. No joy, no goodness, no light. St. Paul VI, ora pro nobis!

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"People die suddenly all the time, so it could happen to us at any moment. Yesterday is gone & tomorrow has not yet come; we must live each day as if it were our last, so that when God calls we are ready to go home to God with a clean heart."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Mortification tames the flesh, weakens inclinations to evil, cuts down occasions of sin, removes enticements, & so on: O holy penance!"
—St. Claude La Colombière, S.J. (1641-1682, feast: 15 February)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"At the beginning of our Lord's public life, He was led by the Spirit to meet the evil spirit. There are three temptations described in the gospels. I will translate them into modern language. Satan was offering our Lord three shortcuts from the cross. Satan was saying, 'You are here to establish your kingdom; You want to win over the hearts of men. I will give you the secret.'

"The first temptation was to escape from the cross: allow people to follow their id. 'Look at those stones down there. They look like loaves of bread. You have not eaten in forty days; You have a hunger instinct. Others have a sex instinct, or a power instinct. They have an ego instinct. You want to win men; let them follow their drives. Obey the id. Then they will follow You. But not the cross.”

"The second temptation of Satan was technological. Satan was saying, 'People love wonders, miracles, marvels, anything that makes them say, ”Oh!” They will not remember the marvels very long, but give them new wonders. Throw yourself down from the steeple; fly to the moon. They'll not remember your name in three weeks. Give them another wonder. Change nature. Overcome it. Give them a pill. But not a cross.'

"The third temptation was political. As if holding the whole earth like a shiny globe in his hands, Satan said to our Lord, 'All these kingdoms are mine. They're mine.' Was Satan telling the truth for once in his life? Here he suggested to the Lord that theology is politics. 'Forget You are God; You are the Messiah. The mastery of the world & the future will depend entirely on politics. So go into the political arena, & I can help you, for all these kingdoms are mine. But forget about the cross.'

"Satan tried to tempt our Blessed Lord from the cross. This is the essence of the demonic."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Hallowe'en Song o' the Day

They Might Be Giants, "Homunculus" from Cast Your Pod to the Wind (Mike Papa Wizard)

Commentary:

"…And when you change you can't always change back,
And when you change you can't always change back,
And when you change you can't always change back."

The Rebel Black Dot Hallowe'en Song o' the Day!

The Aquabats!, "Aliens and Monsters!" from Kooky Spooky… In Stereo! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary:

"Every night when I go to bed,
Aliens come and they drill my head,
Every night when I try to sleep,
Aliens come and they grab my feet,
And they sing to me.
Yeah, they sing this song to me…

"Every night when I go to bed,
Monsters come and pollute my head,
Every night when I try to sleep,
Monsters lick and bite my feet,
And they sing to me.
Yeah, they sing this song to me…

"And I say, Please! Let go of me!
Get away! Get away from me!
And I say, Please! Let go of me!
Get away! Get away from me!

"Every night when I go to bed,
Skeletons come and cut my head,
Every night when I try to sleep,
Skeletons come and they itch my feet,
And they sing to me.
Yeah, they sing this song to me…

"Every night when I go to bed,
Vampires come and they sway my head,
Every night when I try to sleep,
Vampires come and they smell my feet,
And then, and then they just leave,
And it's freaking me out!

"And I say, Please! Let go of me!
Get away! Get away from me!
And I say, Please! Let go of me!
Get away! Get away from me!

"Every night when I go to bed,
Angels come and they bless my head,
Every night when I try to sleep,
Angels come and they wash my feet,
And they sing to me…

"And I say, Please! Be there for me!
Heaven knows! Heaven knows what I need!
And I say, Please! Be there for me!
Heaven knows! Heaven knows what I need!

"And I say, Please! Be there for me!
Heaven knows! Heaven knows what I need!"

The Queue: To the Thresholds

Wikipedia-link Ad limina apostolorum

My copy of Ad Limina, which was printed on-demand in the summer of 2020, does not sport the cover art pictured above, much to my chagrin. Cyril Jones-Kellett, simplified as Cy Kellett, is the host of the popular call-in radio show-cum-podcast Catholic Answers Live! as well as the companion podcast Catholic Answers Focus. Ad Limina is indeed "a novella of Catholics in space," a breathe of fresh air in science fiction that all-too-often makes the risible assumption that man, an inherently religious creature throughout recorded history, will simply cease being religious in the next century or two; this magical thinking marrs much even supposedly rational hard science fiction. The greatest weakness of Ad Limina is that it is a novella; methinks the story would have benefitted being lengthened into a novel. It is high praise when one's biggest complaint about a book is that one wishes there was more of the same. Need any more reason to read Ad Limina? Two words: Space Nazis.

I mean to engage seriously with Venerable Fulton Sheen's Life of Christ, though when I need to take a rest to allow the archbishop's brilliance the time necessary to soak through my thick skull, I'll breeze through Hobbo, the coffee table book autobiography of the great television broadcaster & race car driver David Hobbs.

It is great to be reading regularly again, but there are tradeoffs. Project BLACK MAMBA is suffering, as is my commitment to my Bible-in-a-year Twitter reading group. I really don't miss television, so at least I'm not wasting much time on the idiot box. (I also like the nickname "idiot's lantern.")

Recently
Peter Hitchens, The Rage against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith
Skip Carmichael, The Frozen Lighthouse
Cyril Jones-Kellett, Ad Limina

Currently
Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ
David Hobbs with Andrew Marriot, Hobbo: Motor Racer, Motor Mouth—The Autobiography of David Hobbs

Presently
Flannery O'Connor, Flannery O'Connor Collection
Michael Gorn, N.A.S.A.: The Complete Illustrated History
Brandon Vogt, What to Say and How to Say It: Discuss Your Catholic Faith with Clarity and Confidence

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Avril Lavigne, "Darlin'" from Goodbye Lullaby (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: It's not easy to love someone who's suffering—physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually—but, upon further reflection, if it's that easy, it's not really love, now is it?

"Pretty please, I know it's a drag,
Wipe your eyes and put up your hair,
I wish you could be happy instead,
There's nothing else I can do
But love you the best that I can…"

Saints + Scripture

Simplex Complex Edition | Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea máxima culpa!

The Popish Plot
"The Bible Is a Catholic Book Giveaway"

Saints of the Day
'Tis the festival of Saint Evaristus, Pope (circa 44-107, also spelt Aristus), fifth (V) Bishop of Rome (99-107): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, Saint-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Cedd, Bishop & Abbot (circa 620-664), Bishop of the East Saxons (653-664; later, of London), inaugural abbot of the monastery of Lastingham, a father of the Synod of Whitby (664): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link London, Wikipedia-link Lastingham, & Wikipedia-link Whitby.

Commentary: Brother of Ss. Chad & Cynibild of Laestingaeu [both 2 March].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Eata of Hexham, Bishop (died circa 686) inaugural Bishop of Hexham (678-681 & 685-686), fifth (V) Bishop of Lindifarne (681-685; later, Durham), inaugural abbot of the monastery at Ripon (658-661), inaugural abbot of Melrose Abbey (651-658): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Hexham, Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Lindisfarne, Wikipedia-link Ripon, & Wikipedia-link Melrose.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Cuthbert of Canterbury, Bishop & Abbot (died circa 760), eleventh (XI) Archbishop of Canterbury (740-760), fifth (V) Bishop of Hereford (736-740), abbot of Lyminge Abbey (?-736): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Canterbury, Wikipedia-link Canterbury, & Wikipedia-link Archbishops; Diocese-link Hereford & Wikipedia-link Hereford; & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Fulk of Pavia, Bishop (1164-1229, A.K.A. Folco Scotti), Bishop of Pavia (1217-1229), Bishop of Piacenza (1210-1217): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link Pavia & Wikipedia-link Pavia, & Diocese-link Piacenza & Wikipedia-link Piacenza.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Damien of Fulcheri, Priest, O.P. (died 1484): Blessed-link ūnus & Blessed-link duo.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Celine Rozalia Leonarda Chludzińska Borzęcka, Religious, C.R. (1833-1913), co-foundress of the Congregation of the Sisters of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1891, C.R.): Blessed-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link C.R.

Commentary: Bl. Celine's co-foundress was her own biological daughter, Venerable Hedwig Borzęcka (1863-1906).

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter four, verse thirty-two thru chapter five, verse eight;
Psalm One, verses one & two, three, & four & six
(R/. cf. the Letter to the Ephesians, chapter five, verse one);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter thirteen, verses ten thru seventeen.

Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years. Can we see the power that flows from faith in rather obvious and spectacular ways?

Going back to Jesus himself, of course, and up through so many of the saints in the tradition, you will see the power of faith manifested in healing. It’s as though a Christian becomes a conduit of the divine power, as though God’s power, which creates and sustains the cosmos, can flow through the person of faith for healing.

We can also experience spiritual healing of the soul. It’s source is the energy, the power, the Spirit, the new being, that appeared in and through Jesus Christ. We heal the soul by bringing to bear the salvator, the healer, the one who in his person, reconciled God and us, who opened the soul to the divine power. Where is this new being available? In Scripture, the liturgy, and the sacraments.

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

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Havel Highlands, Day 36
The Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter ten, verses one thru seven.

Commentary: Observations of Wisdom (Ecclesiastes, 10:1-7).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"There is no human situation that cannot become prayer, that would not be immediately present to God. We must only open the door & grasp the hand that is always offered to us."
—Pope Benedict XVI (b. 1927, r. 2005-2013)

Bonus! Papal Quote o' the Day

"Feelings that motivate people reveal their profound stability during difficult moments. It is then that mutual surrender & love take root in their hearts, because true love does not think of itself but of how it can promote the true good of the loved one."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"The most appealing invitation to walk with God is the witness of our own lives, the spirit with which we respond to our divine calling, the completeness of our dedication, the generosity & cheerfulness of our service to God, & the love we have for one another."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"How do I behave toward my neighbor? How toward my brothers? If I except a single one, it is not Jesus Christ I consider in them. If I love them, it is merely so that I may be liked & considered, or because their character suits mine. Let us each one see Jesus Christ in his neighbor."
—St. Claude La Colombière, S.J. (1641-1682, feast: 15 February)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCLXXIX

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 55th Anniversary of Gemini VI, Prelude
25 October 1965: Command Pilot Wally Schirra & Pilot Tom Stafford aimed to achieve rendezvous & docking with an Agena Target Vehicle; the Atlas-Agena rocket lifted off from Cape Kennedy Air Force Station, but the Agena exploded shortly after separation from the Atlas; the Gemini-Titan launch was scrubbed, the astronauts disembarked, & N.A.S.A. pondered how to salvage Gemini VI's mission.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Gemini VI
Nigel Godrich, "Blowing Up Right Now" from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Original Score Composed by Nigel Godrich (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

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

Matt Maher, "Instrument" from Saints and Sinners (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In today's readings were are adminished to welcome the alien & the sojourner, because we are all aliens & sojourners, & to care for the distressed & the poor, because in our turn every one of us will be distressed & poor.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Tempus per annum.

The Rebel Black Dot Hallowe'en Song o' the Day

They Might Be Giants, "Triops Has Three Eyes" from Here Comes the 123s (Mike Papa Werewolf)

The Rebel Black Dot Hallowe'en Song o' the Day!

The Aquabats!, "Skeleton Inside!" from Kooky Spooky… In Stereo! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary: The anatomical science of "Skeleton Inside!" is atrocious, as they several times refer to one's skeleton as being "dead," which of course it is not. But I do appreciate the memento mori quality of "Skeleton Inside!"

"Help me!
Help me!
There's a skeleton inside me,
Skeleton inside me!…

"Now you can't run and you can't hide
From the bones and teeth that reside inside,
Under your face there's a very strange place
Where something dead awaits.

"So do it all and have a ball,
But never forget that curtain call,
At the end, when they find
The bones you left behind…"

The Stars My Destination: Apollo 7

We've now caught up with the fiftieth-ish anniversaries of Apollo 7, Apollo 8, Apollo 9, & Apollo 10, as well as the fiftieth anniversaries of Apollo 11, Apollo 12, & Apollo 13, setting the stage to celebrate the fiftieth anniversaries of Apollo 14 & Apollo 15 in 2021; Apollo 16 & Apollo 17 in 2022; Skylab 2, Skylab 3, & Skylab 4 in 2023 (spilling over into 2024); & the end of an era, Apollo-Soyuz in 2025, should Western technological civilization & your humble narrator perdure.

The Wayback Machine Tour of the Apollo Program (1968-1970)
Apollo (2007)
№ XXXV: Project Apollo, Part I
№ XXXVI: Project Apollo, Part II
№ XXXVII: Project Apollo, Part III

Apollo 7
№ DCCLXXVI: The 52nd Anniversary of Apollo 7, Part I
№ DCCLXXVII: The 52nd Anniversary of Apollo 7, Part II
№ DCCLXXVIII: The 52nd Anniversary of Apollo 7, Part III

Apollo 8
№ DCCXXIV: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 8, Part I
№ DCCXXV: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 8, Part II
№ DCCXXVI: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 8, Part III

Apollo 9
№ DCCXXXV: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 9, Part I
№ DCCXXXVI: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 9, Part II
№ DCCXXXVII: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 9, Part III

Apollo 10
№ DCCL: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part I
№ DCCLI: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part II
№ DCCLII: The 51st Anniversary of Apollo 10, Part III

Apollo 11
№ DCXCVIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part I
№ DCXCIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part II
№ DCC: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part III
№ DCCII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part IV

Apollo 12
№ DCCXVII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part I
№ DCCXIX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part II
№ DCCXX: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 12, Part III

Apollo 13
№ DCCXLII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 13, Part I
№ DCCXLIII: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 13, Part II
№ DCCXLIV: The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 13, Part III

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Tempus per annum.

The Explorers' Club, № DCCLXXVIII

Operation AXIOM: Destination Moon—The 52nd Anniversary of Apollo 7, Part III
22 October 1968: The acrimony between the crew in orbit & Mission Control in Houston reached its nadir when Schirra, Eisele, & Cunningham refused to wear their helmets during reentry; the unnamed Command Module splashed down in the Atlantic & was recovered by the U.S.S. Essex; the C.M. was the centerpiece of a parade float in the festivities surrounding the Nixon inauguration in January 1969.

Bonus! Moonshot Songs o' the Day: Apollo 7
The Heavy, "Short Change Hero" from Strike Back: Original Television Soundtrack (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

&

National Aeronautics & Space Administration, "Apollo 7 Excerpt 5" from The Apollo Missions (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Tempus per annum.

The Rebel Black Dot Papal Song o' the Day

Dan Potthast, "Pope" from Sweets and Meats (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"…It was like a parade at forty miles an hour,
And the pope zipped past in his see-through car,
And we laughed and we waved and I think he smiled,
It all happened so fast, all the people were chanting:
'John Paul Two, we love you!'…"

Bonus! Moonshot Songs o' the Day: Apollo 7

The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, "Where My Heart Will Take Me (Theme from Star Trek: Enterprise)" from The Music of Star Trek (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

&

National Aeronautics & Space Administration, "Apollo 7 Excerpt 4" from The Apollo Missions (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Due in part to the contentious interactions & acrimony between the Apollo 7 crew & Mission Control in Houston, there are only five Apollo 7 excerpts on The Apollo Missions, compared to thirty-one for Apollo 11 & thirty-three for Apollo 15.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Operation AXIOM: The 10th Anniversary of My Loss on Jeopardy!
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "I Lost on Jeopardy!" from "Weird Al" Yankovic In 3-D (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Ten years ago today—Thursday, 21 October 2010—my episode of Jeopardy! aired on nationally syndicated television.

"That's right, Al, you lost! And let me tell you what you didn't win: A twenty-volume set of the Encyclopedia International, a case of Turtle Wax, & a year's supply of Rice-a-Roni, the San Francsico treat. But that's not all!

"You also made yourself look like a jerk in front of millions of people, & you brought shame & disgrace on your family name for generations to come. You don't get to come back tomorrow. You don't even get a lousy copy of our home game. You're a complete loser!"

It's true: They don't even give you a lousy copy of their home game.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Tempus per annum.

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 351.8 lbs
This weigh-in: 354.2 lbs.
Difference: +2.4 lbs.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Addicted to Spuds" from Polka Party! (Mike Papa Waffle)

Bonus! Bonus! Song o' Someone Else's Birthday

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "The Impression That I Get" from Let's Face It (Alpha Charlie)

Bonus! Moonshot Song o' the Day: Apollo 7

J. G. Thirlwell, "No Vacancy (The Venture Bros. Theme)" from The Music of J. G. Thirlwell, Vol 1: Original Sountrack (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: This photograph of the Apollo 7 Command & Service Module (C.S.M.), still wrapped in the plastic it came in from the North American Rockwell factory, helps to explain why the Apollo 9 crew named their C.S.M. Gumdrop.

The Queue

The Frozen Lighthouse is an impressive achievement & we ought to congratulate ourselves on the job we've done so far, but we ought not fool ourselves into thinking that the job is done.

Recently
Sam Guzman, The Catholic Gentleman: Living Authentic Manhood Today
Peter Hitchens, The Rage against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith
Skip Carmichael, The Frozen Lighthouse

Currently
Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ
Cy Kellett, Ad Limina

Presently
Flannery O'Connor, Flannery O'Connor Collection
David Hobbs with Andrew Marriot, Hobbo: Motor Racer, Motor Mouth—The Autobiography of David Hobbs
Michael Gorn, N.A.S.A.: The Complete Illustrated History
Brandon Vogt, What to Say and How to Say It: Discuss Your Catholic Faith with Clarity and Confidence

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Tempus per annum.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Alphaman's! Birthday!

The Aquabats!, "Karate Body!" from Kooky Spoky… In Stereo! (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary!: Happy birthday, Alphaman!