Saints + Scripture: Saint Andrew — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Preparing in Advent"

'Tis the Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle.

The Explorers' Club, № DCCLXXXVI

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars—The Anglo-Irish War, Part II
21 November 1920: Bloody Sunday—Early in the morning, "the Squad," an Irish Republican Army (I.R.A.) assassination unit, murdered fourteen British agents, retroactively known as the "Cairo Gang," at their lodgings throughout Dublin; that afternoon, the Royal Irish Constabulary massacred fourteen civilians at a Gaelic football match; that night, three I.R.A. prisoners were murdered in Dublin Castle.

Commentary: The Gaelic Athetic Association held a centenary commenoration at Croke Park on 21 November 2020. It was a shameful occasion of selective forgetting, rightly remembering the victims of the Croke Park massacre but disgracefully overlooking the victims of the I.R.A. assassination campaign.

Bonus! Song o' Bloody Sunday
Mick Moloney, "There Were Roses" from Green Linnet Records: The Twentieth Anniversary Collection (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Lest we forget.

Saints + Scripture: I Sunday of Adventus — Stand By

'Tis the First Sunday of Advent: Advent-link & Wikipedia-link.

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

London Brass, "Veni, Veni, Emmanuel" from Christmas with London Brass (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day: King for a Day

Man or Astro-Man?, "King of the Monsters" from Experiment Zero (Mike Papa Whiskey)

The R.B.D. Song o' the Day | Galaxy of Horrors

Dennis McCarthy, "Out of Control/The Crash" from Star Trek Generations (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day: King for a Day, Eh

Barenaked Ladies, "The King of Bedside Manor" from Gordon (Mike Papa Canadian Club)

The R.B.D. Song o' the Day | Galaxy of Horrors

Sufjan Stevens, "They Are Night Zombies!! They Are Neighbors!! They Have Come Back from the Dead!! Ahhhh!" from Sufjan Stevens Invites You to: Come On, Feel the Illinoise (A.K.A. Illinois) (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"We are awakened with the axe,
Night of the living dead at last,
They have begun to shake the dirt,
Wiping their shoulders from the earth.

"I know, I know the nation's past,
I know, I know they rust at last,
They tremble with the nervous thought
Of having been, at last, forgot…

"Speaking their names, they shake the flag,
Waking the earth, it lifts and lags,
We see a thousand rooms to rest,
Helping us taste the bite of death.

"I know, I know my time is passed,
I’m not so young, I’m not so fast,
I tremble with the nervous thought
Of having been, at last, forgot…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day: King for a Day

New Found Glory, "The King of Wishful Thinking" from From the Screen to Your Stereo, Part II (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"If I don't listen to the talk of the town,
Then maybe I can fool myself.

"I'll get over you, I know I will,
I'll pretend my ship's not sinking,
And I'll tell myself I'm over you,
'Cause I'm the king of wishful thinking,
I am the king of wishful thinking…"

Bonus! Song o' Thanksgiving

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "A Reason to Toast" from Medium Rare (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Anno domini MMXX has been a hard year, to understate the matter. Yet for all the tragedies & travails of these benighted times, there is not a one of us who does not have much for which to be thankful. Contrary to the dogmas of the modern cult of self-invention, not a one of us created herself. This day, the breath you're currently breathing, the very fact that you exist & have lungs with which to breathe, is all gift. Giving thanks is not just a duty, though in justice to the Giver of the gift it is indeed a duty, but also a privilege. So, today of all days, even amidst this annus horribilis, count your blessings & give thanks.

A Thanksgiving tradition: Wayback Machine.

The R.B.D. Song o' the Day | Galaxy of Horrors

They Might Be Giants, "Why Does the Sun Really Shine?" from Here Comes Science (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"The Sun is a miasma
Of incandescent plasma,
The Sun's not simply made out of gas,
No, no, no.
The Sun is a quagmire,
It's not made of fire,
Forget what you've been told in the past.

"Plasma!
Electrons were free,
Plasma!
A fourth state of matter,
Not gas, not liquid, not solid…

"Plasma!
Forget that song,
Plasma!
They got it wrong,
That thesis has been rendered invalid!"

Bonus! Song o' the Day: King for a Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "King of Suede" from "Weird Al" Yankovic In 3-D (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"We got every color, we got every shade,
We're located next door to Willy's Fun Arcade,
We got every fabric that was ever made,
But I'm known in this city as the King of Suede…

"Our prices are low, my staff is underpaid,
You can buy off the rack or have it custom made,
And it's all guaranteed to never shrink or fade
'Cause of my reputation of the King of Suede…

"Well, I never made it passed the second grade,
It took all of my life for me to learn this trade,
But my friends are all thinking that I've got it made,
'Cause I'm known the world over as the King of Suede…

"Thirty years in the same location I have stayed,
There I am, right next door to Willy's Fun Arcade,
I got tough competition, but I'm not afraid,
'Cause it's my destiny to be the King of Suede!…"

The R.B.D. Song o' the Day | Galaxy of Horrors

The Epoxies, "Radiation" from Stop the Future (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"There's radiation in my T.V. set,
(It's realigning you!)
I guess I know that, but it hasn't got me yet,
(How do you know?)
I know, I know, I know, I know,
I know, I know, I know, I know!

"Disinformation on my T.V. set,
(It's reprogramming you!)
They try, it's true, but I can
Hear behind the noise & see the truth,
I know, I know, I know, I know,
(How can you know?)
I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know!

"I know I'd know the difference somehow,
If I was being rearranged,
I'm sure if I had been reprogrammed,
Something somehow surely would seem strange.

"There's radiation!…"

The R.B.D. Song o' the Day! | Galaxy of Horrors!

The Aquabats!, "Anti-Matter!" from The Aqauabats! vs. the Floating Eye of Death! and Other Amaziong Adventures, Vol. 1 (Captain Tumbs Up!)

Commentary: I am well aware that dark matter, whatever it is—if it even exists—is not at all the same thing as anti-matter. For that matter, "Anti-Matter!" isn't about anti-matter; it's about wealth not signifying worth, about the status symbols in which so many lost souls find their self-worth not actually mattering.

"What does it matter?
It doesn't matter!
What does it matter?
Anti-matter!…"

I searched my library for songs about darkness & about spiders to find one to pair with this image, & I considered No Doubt's "Spiderwebs," but in the end nothing else mattered as much as "Anti-Matter!"

Bonus! Song o' the Day: King for a Day

Steve Martin & the Toot Uncommons, "King Tut" (live) from A Wild & Crazy Guy (Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCLXXXV

Operation AXIOM: The 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower Compact
21 November 1620: The Mayflower Compact—Forty-one of the seventy-three men aboard the Mayflower, anchored at Cape Cod's Provincetown Harbor, voted in favor of & signed an "Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth," establishing the American traditions of majoritarian rule & written constitutions; the Compact was dated 11 November 1620 according to the Old Style calendar.

Semper exploro.

The R.B.D. Song o' the Day | Galaxy of Horrors

Tally Hall, "Fate of the Stars" from Good & Evil (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In 2016 (post-Valentine's February spilling into March), the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. fêted a poster series from N.A.S.A.'s Jet Propulsion Laboratory: "Visions of the Future." (Those posts are available through the archives in the righthand column.) This fall, ahead of Hallowe'en, another, albeit shorter poster series was released: "Galaxy of Horrors." When considering the contrast between the self-consciously optimistic "Visions of the Future" & the deliberately frightful "Galaxy of Horrors," is this a reflection of a disturbed, agitated Zeitgeist, or just harmless Hallowe'en fun? Join me in taking a look in this final week of the year—if you dare!

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: King for a Day

Moxy Früvous, "King of Spain" (live) from Live Noises (Mike Papa Whiskey, eh)

The R.B.D. Song o' the Lord's Day: Christ the King

Rend Collective, "Build Your Kingdom Here" from Homemade Worship By Handmade People (St. Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Genius in France" from Poodle Hat (Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Elise Trouw, "The Girl from Ipanema" via the YouTubes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: YouTube-link.

The Queue: This Week in Motorsport

I found myself making little time for either Life of Christ or God Is Not Nice, in part because they are similar books; so, I've returned God Is Not Nice to the "Eventually" section of the queue & decided to re-read Sam Posey's Where the Writer Meets the Road. The trick will be to balance Where the Writer Meets the Road & Life of Christ, a balance I've done a rubbish job of achieving this fall.

Sam Posey wrote a forward for David Hobbs's Hobbo; David Hobbs wrote a forward for Sam Posey's Where the Writer Meets the Road. Hoorah for the mutual admiration society.

Recently
Skip Carmichael, The Frozen Lighthouse
Cyril Jones-Kellett, Ad Limina
David Hobbs with Andrew Marriot, Hobbo: Motor Racer, Motor Mouth—The Autobiography of David Hobbs

Currently
Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ
Sam Posey, Where the Writer Meets the Road: A Collection of Articles, Broadcast Intros, and Profiles

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

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

William Shatner featuring Henry Rollins, "I Can't Get Behind That" from Has Been (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"The leaf blowers—Is there anything more futile?…"

Saints + Scripture

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Revelation, chapter ten, verses eight thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Nineteen (R/. one hundred three[a]), verses fourteen, twenty-four, seventy-two, one hundred three, one hundred eleven, & one hundred thirty-one;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nineteen, verses forty-five thru forty-eight.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple. The temple was the economic, political, and religious center of life. And it was seen as the very dwelling place of God on earth. It was the place where heaven and earth met, where the harmony between divinity and humanity was achieved—at least in principle. For the prophets remind the nation constantly that the temple and its rituals have been perverted.

One of the messianic expectations was that the anointed one would purify the temple. This is exactly what Jesus is doing. He is the Messiah who is trying to turn the temple once more into a place of prayer.

Keep this image of Jesus clearly in your mind as we take a further step. St. Paul said that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. So the true dwelling place of God is now in the very bodies of the followers of Jesus.

Bring this insight together with the image of Jesus cleansing the temple. You—your life, your body, your self—are meant to be a temple where God is praised. Every aspect of your life is meant to be turned to the Lord, dedicated to him.

Video reflection by Doctor Oswald John Nira (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: Moor Uncomfortable, Day 13
The Song of Songs, chapter five, verses ten thru sixteen.

Commentary: The Groom's Song of Love; & the Torment of Separation (cont'd; Song, 5:10-16).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"It is in our power to correspond with continuing increase in grace that God wishes to grant us. He does so to help us advance, without hesitation or stumbling, toward His Kingdom."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Be kind to each other. It is better to commit faults with gentleness than to work miracles with unkindness."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"It is an error to seek to banish the devout life from the solider's guardroom, the mechanic's workshop, the prince's court, or the domestic hearth. While a purely contemplative devotion cannot be practiced in these outer vocations, there are other kinds of devotion well-suited to lead those with a secular calling along the paths of perfection."
—St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church (1567-1622, feast: 24 January)

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Need v. Want"

'Tis the Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Magic!, "Let Your Hair Down" from Don't Kill the Magic (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Even though it's not always heaven,
We still flower together…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Seven Thirty Seven/Shoe Glue" from Don't Know How to Party (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"…If nothing's worrying you, that's key,
Cause nothing's worrying me.

"And nothing's worrying me."

Saints + Scripture

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

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles (circa 323): Dedication-link ūnus, Dedication-link duo, Dedication-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint Peter's & Wikipedia-link Saint Paul Outside the Walls.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '18.

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne, Virgin, R.S.C.J. (1769-1852, "Woman-Who-Prays-Always" & the "Lady of Mercy"): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, Saint-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Mabyn, Hermitess (circa 474-550; also spelt Mabenna, Mabon, etc.): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Daughter of St. Brychan of Brycheiniog [6 April], sister of Ss. Cynog [7 October] & Wenna [18 October], etc.

Tis also the festival of Saint Maudez, Hermit (floruit fifth-sixth centuries; A.K.A. Mawes, etc.), hermit at St. Mawes, Cornwall & founder of a monastery at Lanmodez, Brittany: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link St. Mawes & Wikipedia-link Lanmodez.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Nazarius of Lérins, Abbot (floruit 584), fourteenth (XIV) abbot of Lérins Abbey: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link & Wikipedia-link Lérins.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Constant, Priest & Martyr (died 777), martyred by parties known only to God: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Odo of Cluny, Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 879-942), second (II) abbot of Cluny Abbey (927-942), abbot of Baume Abbey (924-927): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Abbey-link Cluny, Wikipedia-link Cluny, & Wikipedia-link Abbots; & Abbey-link Baume & Wikipedia-link Baume.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Revelation, chapter four, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Fifty (R/. "Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!"), verses one(b) & two, three & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nineteen, verses eleven thru twenty-eight.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable that demonstrates the significance of a life of goodness and faithfulness. How do we make the all-important judgment about the quality of our life, one that touches not simply on what we are to do but on who we are to be? How do we know?

In another place, Jesus had said that a tree is known by its fruits. And Paul makes this very specific. He tells us that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” He implies that the Spirit’s presence in one’s life can be read from its radiance in these soul-expanding qualities.

I have often spoken of the magna anima (the great soul) of the saint in contrast to the pusilla anima (the cramped soul) of the sinner. And the fruit of the Spirit can make the difference. Love is willing the good of another; patience bears with the troublesome; faithfulness is a dedication to a partner or friend; self-control restricts the havoc that the ego can cause; and so on. All of the fruits of the Spirit are marks of an expansive and outward-looking magna anima.

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.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilicas of Ss. Peter & Paul
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter twenty-eight, verses eleven thru sixteen, thirty, & thirty-one;
Psalm Ninety-eight (R/. cf. two[b]), verses one, two & three(a/b), three(c/d) & four, & five & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter fourteen, verses twenty-two thru thirty-three.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
The Book of Hosea, chapter two, verses sixteen(b/c), seventeen(c/d), twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Forty-five (R/. eleven);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Moor Uncomfortable, Day 11
The Song of Songs, chapter four, verses one thru fifteen.

Commentary: The Bride's Beauty Extolled (Song, 4:1-15).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"In order to become apostles, as the Church wishes us all to be today, there is need of a deep love for Christ, a personal love, a true love, & a full love. The apostolate is an overflowing of love, an outburst of love, turning into witness & action."
—Pope St. Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"'Let your light shine!' Jesus asks this of us all. But to keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. Pray. Pray. Pray."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor & needy. It has eyes to see misery & want. It has the ears to hear the sighs & sorrows of men. That is what love looks like."
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (354-430, feast: 28 August)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"I have been in mission work for sixteen years & have been in it much longer by affection. I was never very much concerned with the theological problem of what used to be called the salvation of pagans. But traveling around the world & visiting leper colonies & seeing starving people fight vultures in Latin America, seeing starving mothers with starving children strapped to their backs in India, seeing 250,180 people a night sleeping in the street in Calcutta, seeing all of the hunger & want & indigence and pain below the thirtieth parallel, I came to have a new vision of the world.

"Traveling through all those worlds, I never saw so many Christs in my life. Christs, yes. But you say, they don't know Him. No, they do not consciously know Him, but He is in them as long as they do not rebel; He is in them by their sufferings. I was hungry; I was sick; I was naked; I was homeless. When? When? When? No, they didn't know, but Christ was in them. Remember these words were said to the nations, to the Gentiles, & that's how they are saved. We will be surprised to see that many of those who have not known Christ as we have known Him may be ahead of us in the kingdom of heaven because they were always with His cross, even though it was unwitting."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCLXXXIV

Operation AXIOM: Destination Moon—The 50th Anniversary of Luna 17 & Lunokhod 1
17 November 1970: The Luna 17 probe landed on the Moon & deployed the rover Lunokhod 1 ("Moonwalker 1"); the probes lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome atop a Proton 8K82K rocket on 10 November & entered lunar orbit on 15 November; Lunokhod 1 was the first remotely-controlled rover & traversed over ten kilometers 'til 14 September 1971, eleven lunar days.

Commentary: A lunar day is approximately twenty-nine & a half Earth days (29:12:44:13); the Moon is tidally locked to the Earth, meaning it completes one rotation on its axis & one revolution around the Earth in the same period. Lunokhod 1 was originally planned for a three lunar-day mission, but much like the 21st century twin Spirit & Opportunity Mars Exploration Rovers, endured long past its original mission.

Semper exploro.

The Rebel Black Dot Songs o' Today!

Dienstag, 17. November
Less Than Jake, "Robots One, Humans Zero" from B Is for B-Sides (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: This duo is inspired by today's new episode of The Popish Plot & this month's Pope's Prayer Intention.

"…Life's not a fashion statement,
It takes more than good intentions,
Let me tell you what the score is:
Robots: one and humans: zero."

&

Planet V, "To Serve Man" from The Aquabats! and Horchata Records Present… Rice Capades Music Sampler, Vol. 1 (Captains Thumbs Up!)

Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
"Pope's Prayer Intentions for November 2020"

We pray that the progress of robotics & artificial intelligence may always serve humankind.

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious, T.O.S.F. (1207-1231, A.K.A. of Thuringia): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, Saint-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Descendant of Ss. Olga of Kiev [11 July] & Vladimir of Kiev [15 July]; niece of St. Hedwig of Silesia [16 October]; mother of Bl. Gertrude of Aldenberg [13 August]; aunt of Ss. Margaret of Hungary [18 January] & Kinga of Poland [24 July], & Bl. Yolanda of Poland [11 June]; & great-aunt of St. Elizabeth of Portugal [4 July].

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

O Lord, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary gave up her riches to serve the poor. May her example inspire me to take stock of my possessions & be willing to share that which I do not really need.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop (circa 213-270, of Neocaesarea, of Pontus; A.K.A. Theodore), Bishop of Neocaesarea (240-270): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Neocaesarea.

Commentary: The epithet Thaumaturgus means "wonder-worker" (miracle-worker).

'Tis also the festival of Saints Acisclus & Victoria of Córdoba, Martyrs (died 304), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian & Maximian, victims of the Diocletianic Persecution (303-313): Martyr-link Alpha, Martyr-link Victor, & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link, Wikipedia-link Diocletian ūnus, Wikipedia-link Diocletian duo, & Wikipedia-link Diocletian trēs.

Commentary: Brother & sister.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Aignan of Orléans, Bishop & Abbot (358-453, also spelt Anianus), Bishop of Orléans, abbot of the Saint Laurence Abbey; patron of the Church of Saint-Aignan: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Orléans, & Wikipedia-link Saint-Aignan.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Namatius of Vienne, Bishop (died circa 560), Archbishop of Vienne (552-560), a father of the Second Council of Orange (529): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Vienne, & Wikipedia-link Orange.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Gregory of Tours, Bishop (circa 538-594, A.K.A. Georgius Florentius), Archbishop of Tours (573-594): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link & Wikipedia-link Tours.

Commentary: Great-nephew of St. Eustadius [3 January].

'Tis also the festival of Saint Hilda of Whitby, Abbess, O.S.B. (circa 614-680, also spelt Hild), founding abbess of Whitby Abbey (657-680, A.K.A. Streanæshealh), second (II) abbess of Hartlepool Abbey (649-657): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Whitby & Wikipedia-link Hartlepool.

Commentary: Grand-niece of St. Edwin of Northumbria [12 October] & sister of St. Hereswitha [3 September].

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Revelation, chapter three, verses one thru six & fourteen thru twenty-two;
Psalm Fifteen, verses two & three(a), three(b/c) & four(a/b), & five
(R/. the Book of Revelation, chapter three, verse twenty-one);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter nineteen, verses one thru ten.

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

Friends, the story of Zacchaeus recounted in today’s Gospel is a particularly clear example of one of the most basic principles in the spiritual life—namely, that moral reform follows rather than precedes the arrival of grace.

Most of us are in the grip of what Thomas Merton called “the Promethean attitude.” This is the view that, just as Prometheus had to steal fire from the gods, we have to earn the divine love through the heroic living out of certain moral demands. But this is getting things precisely backward. God’s grace always comes first—and often unbidden and unexpected. Then it works—with the recipient’s cooperation—a thorough renewal.

Zacchaeus is described as a chief tax collector, which means he was a bad man indeed. He did not merit the inrushing of grace. But the Lord accepted Zacchaeus, even though he was unacceptable.

And from this invasion of grace came a moral reformation. The tax collector didn’t merit Jesus’ love with his display of moral excellence; rather, his display of moral excellence followed from Jesus’ unmerited love. To get this principle right is to get practically the whole of the spiritual life right.

Video reflection by Deacon Arthur L. Miller (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Memorial of St. Elizabeth of Hungary
The First Letter of John, chapter three, verses fourteen thru eighteen;
Psalm Thirty-four (R/. two; or, nine), verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, eight & nine, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twenty-seven thru thirty-eight.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Moor Uncomfortable, Day 10
The Song of Songs, chapter three, verses one thru four.

Commentary: Love Seeking the Bridegroom (Song, 3:1-4).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The laity, because of their vocation to be salt of the earth & the light of the world, should be well grounded in the Church's social doctrine. Then, through their presence in public life, they should contribute to strengthening the fabric of society."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"There is nothing wrong with money. It is what we do with it that makes it a positive or negative influence in our lives. But I ave seen it destroy people time & time again. So, be watchful. Nothing will destroy our joy & our connection with God like money."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"God had one Son on earth without sin, but never one without suffering."
—St. Augustine of Hippo, Doctor of the Church (354-430, feast: 28 August)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"We are busy; we have no spare time. But we have to be fools & spend the time, & then we get back wisdom; & what wisdom there is from communing with the Eucharistic Lord. We are captives, captives of His love, captives of His duty. Kindliness to the unlovable people, the projection of the Spirit of Christ to those who would be unforgiving, all this is foolishness. But if you keep up this holy hour, you will be very thankful in your hearts, not just to me, but that the Lord was so good to you."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Pope's Prayer Intentions for November 2020"

We pray that the progress of robotics & artificial intelligence may always serve humankind.

'Tis the Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Yesterday

Montag, 16. November
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "A Complicated Song" from Poodle Hat (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture

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

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Margaret of Scotland (circa 1045-1093, "the Pearl of Scotland;" A.K.A. of Wessex), Queen of Scots: Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, Saint-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '18. Great-niece of St. Stephen of Hungary [16 August], niece of St. Edward the Confessor [13 October], & mother of St. David of Scotland [24 May] & Bl. Edmund of Scotland [3 October].

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Gertrude, Virgin, O.S.B. (1256-1302, of Helfta; A.K.A. the Great): Saint-link ūna, Saint-link duæ, Saint-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Africus of Comminges, Bishop (floruit seventh century), Bishop of Comminges: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Comminges.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Othmar of Saint Gall, Priest & Abbot, O.S.B. (circa 689-759, also spelt Audemar), founding abbot of the Abbey of Saint Gall (719-759): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Saint Gall.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Edmund of Abingdon, Bishop (circa 1174-1240; A.K.A. of Canterbury, Edmund Rich), Archbishop of Canterbury (1234-1240), a preacher of the Sixth Crusade (1228-1229): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Diocese-link, Wikipedia-link Canterbury, & Wikipedia-link Bishops; & Wikipedia-link Crusade.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Edward Osbaldeston, Priest & Martyr (circa 1560-1594), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, one of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Giuseppe Moscati (1880-1927, the "Doctor of the Poor"): Saint-link ūnus, Saint-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Revelation, chapter one, verses one thru four & chapter two, verses one thru five;
Psalm One, verses one & two, three, & four & six
(R/. the Book of Revelation, chapter two, verse seventeen);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter eighteen, verses thirty-five thru forty-three.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a blind man. The Lord asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”

Taking this story as their inspiration, many of the Fathers of the Church said that it is through Christ’s power and presence that we are able to see the world aright. The problem is that we pretend we are not sinners, we become blind to our blindness. Often the most important step in one’s spiritual development is an awakening to just how lost one is.

Dante’s Divine Comedy opens with the line: “Midway on the journey of our life I awoke to find myself alone and lost in a dark wood, having wandered from the straight path.” Dante’s adventure of the spirit, which will take him from hell to purgatory to heaven, can begin only when he wakes from a slumber of complacency and self-righteousness, only when he comes to the painful realization that he stands in need of grace.

The breakthrough of God’s grace is sometimes a harsh and dreadful thing, especially when it cracks open the defensive shell of our self-righteousness.

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

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

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Margaret of Scotland
The Book of Isaiah, chapter fifty-eight, verses six thru eleven;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve (R/. one; or, "Alleluia"), verses one & two, three & four, five & six, seven & eight, & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses nine thru seventeen.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of St. Gertrude
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter three, verses fourteen thru nineteen;
Psalm Twenty-three (R/. one), verses one(b), two, & three(a); four; five; & six;
The Gospel according to John, chapter fifteen, verses one thru eight.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Moor Uncomfortable, Day 9
The Song of Songs, chapter two, verses eight thru eleven.

Commentary: A Springtime Canticle (cont'd; Song, 2:8-11).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 65
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter one (of sixteen; verses one thru thirty-one);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter two (verses one thru sixteen);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter three (verses one thru twenty-three);
The Book of the Psalms, psalm sixty-five (verses one thru thirteen);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses one thru nineteen.

Commentary: Salutation (1 Corinthians, 1:1-9), Dissension in the Church (1 Corinthians, 1:10-17), Christ the Power & Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians, 1:18-31), Proclaiming Christ Crucified (1 Corinthians, 2:1-5), the True Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians, 2:6-16), & On Dissension in the Corinthian Church (1 Corinthians, 3:1-23); Thanksgiving for Earth's Bounty (Psalm 65); & the Man with a Withered Hand (Mark, 3:1-6), a Multitude by the Sea (Mark, 3:7-12), & Jesus Appoints the Twelve (Mark, 3:13-19).

Scripture Study—Pierced Hands Bible Reading Plan: Day 66
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four (verses one thru twenty-one);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter five (verses one thru thirteen);
The First Letter to the Corinthians, chapter six (verses one thru twenty);
The Book of the Psalms, psalm sixty-six (verses one thru twenty);
The Gospel according to Mark, chapter three, verses twenty thru thirty-five.

Commentary: The Ministry of the Apostles (1 Corinthians, 4:1-13), Fatherly Admonition (1 Corinthians, 4:14-21), Sexual Immorality Defiles the Church (1 Corinthians, 5:1-8), Immorality & Judgment (1 Corinthians, 5:9-13), Lawsuits among Believers (1 Corinthians, 6:1-11), & Glorifying God in the Body (1 Corinthians, 6:12-20); Praise for God's Goodness to Israel (Psalm 66); & Jesus & Beelzebul (Mark, 3:20-30) & the True Kindred of Jesus (Mark, 3:31-35).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Genuine happiness of the home is based on love that gives itself & sacrifices itself simply & perseveringly. This love can be sustained only with the food of faith, & faith is a gift of God that is nourished in prayer & the Sacraments."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Poverty makes us free. We need to experience the joy of poverty. We choose poverty, we choose not to have things, unlike the poorest of the poor who are forced to be poor. If we do not have something, it is because we choose not to have it. In this, we are free because nothing belongs to us. Our poverty means that we do not have the kind of shoes we may want or the house we may want. We cannot keep things or give anything away or lend anything of value. We have nothing. We own nothing. This is the experience of poverty."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"If I had to advise parents, I should tell them to take great care about the people with whom their children associate… Much harm may result from bad company, & we are inclined by nature to follow what is worse than what is better."
—St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, S.C. (1774-1821, feast: 4 January)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"The peaceful soul does not seek, now, to live morally, but to live for God; morality is only a by-product of the union with Him."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time.

The Stars My Destination: Crew-1 Launch

Liftoff! Crew-1, the first "operational" spaceflight of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule under N.A.S.A.'s Commercial Crew program, has launched from Florida's Kennedy Space Center & is currently on orbit en route to the International Space Station (I.S.S.). The astronauts of the Crew Dragon Resilience (C207) are Spacecraft Commander Mike Hopkins, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Soichi Noguchi, & Mission Specialist 2 Shannon Walker; upon docking with the I.S.S. & joining Expedition 64, all four will be classified as Flight Engineers under cosmonaut Commander Sergey Ryzhikov. The Resilience is not the same Crew Dragon capsule that flew Summer 2020's Demo-2 mission. Demo-2 was flown by the Crew Dragon Endeavour (C206) carrying Spacecraft Commander Doug Hurley & Joint Operations Commander Bob Behnken.

Fun fact: Crew-1 is J.A.X.A. astronaut Soichi Noguchi's third spaceflight. He is only the third astronaut to fly into space aboard three different types of vehicle: the Space Shuttle, Soyuz, & Crew Dragon. The other two are legends: Wally Schirra of the Mercury Seven (1959, Astronaut Group 1), aboard the Mercury, Gemini, & Apollo capsules; & John Young of the New Nine (1962, Astronaut Group 2), aboard the Gemini & Apollo capsules & the Space Shuttle. (Young also flew a fourth type of vehicle, the Lunar Module, but he didn't launch into space aboard that craft.)

The exciting part of Crew-1 is how quickly all of this should become routine & relatively unexciting. The upcoming schedule is for Crew-2, the second flight of the Crew Dragon Endeavour, to fly in March 2021, & then Crew-3, the second flight of the Crew Dragon Resilience or the first flight of a different Crew Dragon, in September 2021. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner capsule is scheduled for the unmanned Orbital Test Flight 2 in early 2021, followed by—if all goes well—the Crewed Flight Test in July 2021 & then the "operational" Starliner-1 flight at the end of 2021. The Space Shuttle (1981-2011) was the spacecraft of my youth, a legend in its own time, & I accordingly took it for granted. The I.S.S. is a creation of the Space Shuttle & I have also taken it for granted. I never knew how good I had it until the Shuttle was retired in 2011 & it took nine long years for these United States to regain the ability to launch astronauts into Low Earth Orbit (L.E.O.) & return them safely to terra firma. I rarely thought about the work being done on the I.S.S. 'til this month's twentieth anniversary of contiuous habitation: There has not been a single day since 2 November 2000 when astronauts & cosmonauts have not been on the I.S.S. Wow! The Space Shuttle was a magnificent machine, but it was far too dangerous & far too expensive a spacecraft simply to shuttle astronauts & cosmosnauts to & from the International Space Station. SpaceX's Crew Dragon &, eventually, Boeing's Starliner capsules give N.A.S.A. a capability much more akin to Russia's no-frills Soyuz capsule: a safe & relatively inexpensive way to shuttle astronauts to & from L.E.O. Space nerds thrilled to Demo-2 & are paying rapt attention to Crew-1, but all too soon, as if on cue, we will start to take this for granted to & lose track of which flight it is that is currently aloft, just as it is perplexing to remember which Expedition is currently on the I.S.S.

Meanwhile, with the Orion capsule, N.A.S.A. will again venture into deep space, the Artemis program aiming to return astronauts to the Moon to build up a space economy & to develop the techniques & test the hardware for a crewed mission to Mars. (I hold out hope they will make the logical choice & call that program Ares.) Good times could well be here again, if we do not lose our nerve.

Code Name: CHAOS
First, the Resilience. The virtue of the name Resilience is that it is unique. The Endeavour was the third American spacecraft by that name, after the Apollo 15 Command Module & the fifth Space Shuttle, leading to potential confusion & the need to make distinctions; the Resilience is the only Resilience. The vice of the name Resilience is that, being unique, it has no heroic pedigree. The Crew Dragon Endeavour harkened back to the Space Shuttle on which both Hurley & Behnken flew & to the Apollo triumph, as well as to Captain Cook's famous H.M.S. Endeavour; the Resilience is the only Resilience. Also, the name Resilience is too much like the recently launched Mars 2020 rover Perseverence. Yes, resilience & perseverence are distinct qualities & both are laudable qualities, but both Resilience & Perseverence are very 2020 names. I mean, they do not have as timeless a character as, for example, Discovery & Curiosity. All that said, I wish Hopkins, Glover, Noguchi, & Walker—the first crew of the Resilience—a safe & successful voyage, & for the Resilience to have a long & flawless career.

Second, the Endeavour. It has been announced that when Crew Dragon C206 conducts Crew-2, she will still be the Endeavour. Apparently, there was some question of whether each crew would get to name their own spacecraft, even if it was not making its maiden flight. I'm glad that silly notion has been dismissed. Godspeed to the Endeavour & to the Resilience, & to all the brave souls they carry!

Bonus! Song o' the Resilience
Goldfinger, "Liftoff" from The Knife (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: My favorite feature of the very impressive Crew-1 mission patch is the tributes to N.A.S.A.'s august history: symbols for Mercury, Gemini, & Apollo, & silhouettes for the Space Shuttles & the International Space Station.

The Wayback Machine Tour of "Launch America"
Demo-2 Launch
Demo-2 Splashdown