The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Closer to Nowhere" from While We're at It (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Stars My Destination: Soyuz 11

Among all those who have died in the course of human spaceflight, the Soyuz 11 heroes remain the only men to have died in space, above the Kármán line (one hundred kilometers/sixty-two miles above mean sea level, the commonly accepted distinction 'twixt the Earth atmosphere & outer space). The Challenger disaster happened during liftoff, well within the atmosphere; the Columbia disaster happened during re-entry, well within the atmosphere; & the Apollo 1 disaster happened during a ground test, at the bottom of the atmosphere. (We'll discuss the Soyuz 1 disaster on its fifty-fifth anniversary in 2022.)

Dobrovolsky, Volkov, & Patsayev died because they weren't wearing pressure suits, just cloth flight suits. The Soviet space program had first eschewed pressure suits during Voskhod 1, when it was necessary to forego pressure suits in order to cram three cosmonauts into the capsule to one-up the Americans, who were preparing to launch the two-man Gemini spacecraft. Had the Soyuz 11 trio been wearing pressure suits, they would have survived the depressurization of their capsule; had the Soyuz 10 trio been wearing pressure suits, cosmonaut Nikolai Rukavishnikov would not have been overcome by toxic fumes during re-entry. The American Space Shuttle program would similarly forego pressure suits from the first "operational" flight, S.T.S.-5, through the Challenger disaster, S.T.S.-51-L. In the immediate aftermath of Soyuz 11, the crews of Apollo 15, Apollo 16, & Apollo 17 wore their pressure suits for more phases of their missions than had the preceeding Apollo crews.

At the time, though, the Soviets did not disclose the cause of the death of the cosmonauts & there was speculation, especially among the press, that the cosmonauts had exceeded the human body's ability to perdure in the microgravity of outer space. This cast doubt on N.A.S.A.'s ambitions for the upcoming Skylab space station, though N.A.S.A.'s flight surgeons were convinced that spending too much time in microgravity was not the cause of death. They were proven right, as the Skylab missions & subsequent experience with Mir & the Intenational Space Station have demonstrated. The Soviets eventually revealed asphyxiation as the cause of death & spent two years redesigning the Soyuz capsule to accommodate two cosmonauts in pressure suits instead of three cosmonauts in flight suits. Too late to save Dobrovolsky, Volkov, & Patsayev, but at least learning the lesson of their deaths means they had not died in vain.

Requiescat in pace.

Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: How Do Catholics…?, Part 1"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church (died 64), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero: Martyrs-link ūnus, Martyrs-link duo, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

O Lord, the First Martyrs of Rome were not rich or wise, but You filled them with Your riches, Your wisdom. Fill me, too, with Your gifts, for without You I can do nothing.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Genesis, chapter twenty-one, verses five & eight thru twenty(a);
Psalm Thirty-four (R/. seven[a]), verses seven & eight, ten & eleven, & twelve & thirteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eight, verses twenty-eight thru thirty-four.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, we see Jesus, the miracle worker, healing two demoniacs. I think it’s hard to deny that the first Christians were intensely interested in the miracles of Jesus and that they didn’t see them as mere literary symbols. Anglican theologian N.T. Wright argues that it’s hard to explain the enormous popularity of Jesus apart from this fascination with his wonder-working.

Though God typically lets the universe run according to its natural rhythms and patterns, what is to prevent God from shaping it or influencing it occasionally in remarkable ways in order to signal his purpose and his presence?

For evidence of this, I would like to draw your attention to an extraordinary book. It bears the simple title Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts, and it is written by the Protestant scholar Craig Keener. It is a truly exhaustive study of the theology and phenomenology of miracles, but the most surprising and exciting section of the book—at least for me—was his rehearsal of some of the literally millions of reports of miracles that come, even today, from every corner of the world. If you doubt God still works in the world today, pick up that book and think again.

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

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

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Optional Memorial of the First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church
The Letter to the Romans, chapter eight, verses thirty-one(b) thru thirty-nine;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-four (R/. seven), verses two & three, four & five, & seven(b) & eight;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-four, verses four thru thirteen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: False Peak, Day 17
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter eighteen, verses one thru seventeen.

Commentary: The Potter & the Clay (Jeremiah, 18:1-11) & Israel's Stubborn Idolatry (Jeremiah, 18:12-17).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Remember how the first Christians, most of them simple & humble people, suffering the most cruel persecutions, were successful in spreading Christ's message to all parts of the empire. Their only weapons were prayer, the Gospel, & the Cross."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"To leave Loreto was my greatest sacrifice, the most difficult think I have ever done. It was much more difficult than to leave my family & country. In Loreto I received my spiritual training."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"How good & pleasant it is to dwell in the Heart of Jesus! Who is there who does not love a Heart so wounded? Who can refuse a return of love to a Heart of loving?"
—St. Bernard of Clairvaux, O.Cist, Doctor of the Church (1090-1153, feast: 20 August)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"In order to understand the knowledge of God, you must make a distinction between foreknowledge & predetermination. The two are not identical. God does foreknow everything, but He does not predetermine things independent of our will & our merits. Just suppose that you knew the stock market very well. Because of your superior knowledge of business conditions, you said that such & such a stock within six months would be selling ten points higher than it is now. Suppose six months later it actually sold ten points higher. Would you have predetermined & caused it to be ten points higher? Although you foreknew it, other influences were there besides your superior knowledge."
—Ven. Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXVII

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of Soyuz 11, Part II
29 June 1971: The Soyuz 11 crew set a new spaceflight endurance record, twenty-two days, including surviving a fire aboard Salyut 1 on the eleventh day; after separation from the station, their Soyuz's air was vented into space & Dobrovolsky, Volkov, & Patsayev asphyxiated to death, while the capsule re-entered the atmosphere automatically; recovery forces found the three cosmonauts dead.

Commentary: Amongst other memorials to the Soyuz 11 trio, Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov, & Viktor Patsayev are the namesakes of the craters Dobrovol'skiy, Volkov, & Patsaev on the far side of the Moon.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: The Soyuz 11 Disaster
The Phenomenauts, "Heroes" from For All Mankind (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture: Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul

'Tis the Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul, Apostles (died circa 64; A.K.A. Simon, Cephas; A.K.A. Saul of Tarsus), first (I) Bishop of Rome (c. 33-64), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Nero: Apostles-link Peter & Paul ūnus, Apostles-link Peter & Paul duo, & Wikipedia-link Feast; Apostle-link Peter ūnus, Apostle-link Peter duo, & Wikipedia-link Peter; Apostle-link Paul & Wikipedia-link Paul; Twelve Apostles-link & Wikipedia-link Twelve Apostles; & Pontifex-link & Wikipedia-link Pontifex.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.St. Peter is the brother of St. Andrew the Apostle [30 November]. Ss. Peter & Paul are the authors of most of the New Testament epistles & the protagonists of the Acts of the Apostles.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

Lord Jesus, You called St. Peter by the Sea of Galilee & St. Paul on the road to Damascus. Call me again & entrust Your sacred mission into my hands.

Quoth Joyfully Living the Gospel Day by Day:

The feast of the Apostles Peter & Paul reminds us of the prayers & sacrifices of those who have gone before us. The Apostles were outstanding witnesses of Jesus Christ. You are a witness too.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul: Mass during the Day
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter twelve, verses one thru eleven;
Psalm Thirty-four (R/. five), verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter four, verses six, seven, eight, seventeen, & eighteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter sixteen, verses thirteen thru nineteen.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel spells out the importance of Peter’s confession. For it is upon this inspired confession that the Church is built. Not, mind you, on popular opinion, which is shifting and indecisive, and not on personal holiness, which is all too rare. It is built upon the inspired authority of Peter—and I say, "Thank God!"

We make this troubling and extraordinary claim that it is through a special charism of the Spirit that Peter and his successors govern the Church. Now, I realize that I have many Protestant readers and that this text has been, between Catholics and Protestants, a stumbling block. Let me clarify what is and is not at stake here.

What is the focus of Peter’s confession? It has to do with who Jesus is. This is the rock upon which the Church is built. We don’t say for a moment that all of Peter’s practical decisions are right, that everything he says is right. But we are saying that he is right about who Jesus is: a man who is also the Son of the living God. And this is the source and ground of the whole operation.

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

Video reflection by Rob Corzine (St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology): Daily Reflection.

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul: Vigil
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter three, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Nineteen (R/. five), verses two & three, four & five;
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter one, verses eleven thru twenty;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twenty-one, verses fifteen thru nineteen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: False Peak, Day 16
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter seventeen, verses five thru eighteen.

Commentary: Judah's Sin & Shame (Jeremiah, 17:5-18).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Neither success nor failure must ever cause you to forget your vocation as servant. Allow the Lord to grant growth when & how He chooses. At the same time, imitate the Apostle Paul who knew how to suffer want & to live in abundance, ready for anything."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Should I devote myself to struggle for the justice of tomorrow or even the justice of today, the most needy people would die right in front of me because they lack a glass of milk… I do not condemn those who struggle for justice. I believe there are different options for the people of God. To me the most important thing is to serve the neediest people."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Ask of God the grace not to be deaf to the calls of His Divine Son but prompt to obey Him & follow Him."
—St. Ignatius of Loyola, S.J. (1491-1556, feast: 31 July)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Kalles Kaviar, "I Know a Girl" from Volume 6 (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop & Martyr (circa 130-202, of Lyon), second (II) Bishop of Lyon (then Lugdunum), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Septimius Severus; a Father of the Church, author of On the Detection & Overthrow of the So-Called Gnosis, also known as Adversus Haereses ("Against Heresies"): Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link The Bible and the Church Fathers, & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Lyon, Fathers-link & Wikipedia-link Fathers, & Wikipedia-link Adversus Haereses.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '19.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Genesis, chapter eighteen, verses sixteen thru thirty-three;
Psalm One Hundred Three (R/. eight[a]), verses one(b) & two, thre & four, eight & nine, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter eight, verses eighteen thru twenty-two.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, a man who appears willing to become Jesus’ disciple makes a reasonable request: “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But the man receives a shocking rebuke from Jesus: “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”

What is more important than the mission? Nothing. Not even one of the most sacred and revered practices of our society: piety toward our dead relatives. Could you imagine a scenario in which you wouldn’t give permission to someone to attend his father’s or mother’s funeral?

I don’t want to soften Jesus’ words or explain them away or contextualize them. They are what they are, and they’re harsh, for the man in his own time and for us. But they compel us to make a decision: Are we finally about the things of God or about something else? Is religion and the mission attached to it substantial for us, or merely decorative?

Now mind you, we don’t usually have to make such a terrible choice. Normally, our love for God and our love for family don’t come into conflict. But this is a sort of spiritual exercise, an experiment. What if it came down to God or my family? Whom would I choose?

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.

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Daily Reflection.

Mass Readings—Memorial of Saint Irenaeus
The Second Letter to Timothy, chapter two, verses twenty-two(b) thru twenty-six;
Psalm Thirty-seven (R/. thirty[a]), verses three & four, five & six, & thirty & thirty-one;
The Gospel according to John, chapter seventeen, verses twenty thru twenty-six.

Mass Readings—Solemnity of Saints Peter & Paul: Vigil
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter three, verses one thru ten;
Psalm Nineteen (R/. five), verses two & three, four & five;
The Letter to the Galatians, chapter one, verses eleven thru twenty;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twenty-one, verses fifteen thru nineteen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: False Peak, Day 15
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter sixteen, verses fourteen thru twenty-one.

Commentary: God Will Restore Israel (Jeremiah, 16:14-21).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"When the Church assembles in prayer to reflect on the Word of God, the Holy Spirit Himself pours out God's love on His people. He gives them hope that does not disappoint."
—Pope St. John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"When someone is doing something to hurt you, don't turn inward, turn toward that person. He is hurting himself. Learn to forgive, knowing that we all need forgiveness. If you want to be true to God, learn from Jesus to be meek, humble, & pure. Learn to forgive."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Throw yourself at the feet of Jesus Christ, like the prodigal at his father’s feet, & promise never more to forsake Him."
—St. Ignatius of Loyola, S.J. (1491-1556, feast: 31 July)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Today

Montag, 28. Juni The A-OKs, "Jessiska" from Words Are Not for Eating (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"I'm not saying she's wrong in her ways,
But she talks for days,
And it's never good.
And I'm not one to doubt that you're Don Juan,
But maybe youre wrong
And it's her attitude.

"Well, she better be funny and she better be quick
'Cause she's first in line for the ugly stick.
And in the end the lesson's learned:
You fall in love and you're gonna get burned…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Last Saturday

Samstag, 26. Juni
Reel Big Fish, "Hate You" from Monkeys for Nothin' and the Chimps for Free (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Envy is an ugly, terrible thing.

"Look who just got famous,
Don't you know it should have been me?

"I'm not really bitter,
I'm not really mad,
I love to see other people get
Everything I ever wanted to have…

"Well, everybody says,
'How come you ain't made it yet?'…

The R.B.D. Song o' the Lord's Day: XIII Sunday in O.T.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sam Cooke, "Touch the Hem of His Garment" from Portrait of a Legend, 1951-1964 (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture: XIII Sun. in O.T. — Please Stand By

'Tis the Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXVI

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of the N1-6L Debacle
26 June 1971: Almost two years after N1-5L had fallen back onto its launch pad & exploded, N1-6L lifted off from from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying a Soyuz 7K-L1E spacecraft & dummy LK lander; the rocket entered an unrecoverable roll & was torn apart by excessive structural loads; debris landed from four to nine miles downrange, blasting at least one fifty-foot-deep crater.

Commentary: The Soyuz 11 crew aboard the Salyut 1 space station were tasked to obseve the N1-6L launch, but due to a postponement of the countdown they were not in the right part of their orbit when the massive rocket lifted off & shortly thereafter disintegrated.

Bonus! Destination Moon Song o' the Day: N1-6L
Hans Zimmer, "Hummel Gets the Rockets" from The Rock (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Pope's Prayer Intentions for June 2021"

'Tis the Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Like most Saturdays, 'tis the Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Josemaría Escrivá.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Ow, Ow, Ow

I exercised last night with my Exodus 90 fraternity brother Sierra Romeo. We ripped off a thirty minute workout from the Body Beast series. I was very stiff & sore this morning, but remain undaunted. Given our various schedules, I don't know if Sierra Romeo & I will be able to work out more than once a week, but in the meantime I need to resume walking, eventually working my way back up to jogging. I am not a soul trapped in a body, I am an embodied soul. After the Resurrection of the Dead, I will have this body—glorified, but still this body—for the rest of eternity. This body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, & I have been badly neglecting this temple. That needs to change.

The inspiration words emblazoned on the wall of Sierra Romeo's basement gym:

Whatever doesn't challenge you doesn't change you.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
Avril Lavigne, "Everybody Hurts" from Godbye Lullaby (Mike Papa Walrus)

Commentary: "Everybody Hurts" is about emotional hurt, not physical hurt, but whatever. I'm old & creaky, I don't care.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day!

The Aquabats!, "Amino Man!" from The Aquabats! vs. The Floating Eye of Death! and Other Amazing Adventures, Vol. 1 (Captain Thumbs Up!)

Commentary!:

"Now, you see him 'round the fitness club at night,
Pumping those weights like he's running out of time,
Gotta bench those reps, gotta burn that fat,
He's got a flattop and a wicked ponytail in back,
And a fanny pack!

"(Yeah!) He's Amino Man!
(Yeah!) With an oily tan,
(Yeah!) He's gonna prove it to himself,
He's changing into something—
(Yeah!) He's Amino Man!
(Yeah!) With a bottle tan,
(Yeah!) In the mirror he sees himself
Turning into something else!

"Now Amino Man's gonna pump them with his size,
Two parts muscle, one part goo,
Chemicals help him cut back on the pain,
But he got so big he ran out of skin to strain,
He popped his brain!

"(Yeah!) He's Amino Man!
(Yeah!) With an oily tan,
(Yeah!) He's gonna prove it to himself,
He's changing into something—
(Yeah!) He's Amino Man!
(Yeah!) With a bottle tan,
(Yeah!) In the mirror he sees himself
Turning into something else!

"Where are his eyes? Where are this eyes?
Something's got to give!
Where are his eyes? Where are this eyes?
Something's got to give!
Where are his eyes? Where are this eyes?
Something's got to give!…"

Saints + Scripture: Nativity of Saint John the Baptist

'Tis the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist (six months B.C.): Baptist-link ūnus, Baptist-link duo, Wikipedia-link Nativity, & Wikipedia-link Baptist.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '19. Son of Ss. Zechariah [23 September] & Elizabeth [5 November].

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist: Mass during the Day
The Book of Isaiah, chapter forty-nine, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-nine (R/. fourteen), verses one(b), two, & three; thirteen & fourteen(a/b); & fourteen(c) & fifteen;
The Acts of the Apostles, chapter thirteen, verses twenty-two thru twenty-six;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses fifty-seven thru sixty-six & eighty.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel celebrates the birth of John the Baptist. I think it’s fair to say that you cannot really understand Jesus without understanding John, which is precisely why all four Evangelists tell the story of the Baptist as a kind of overture to the story of Jesus.

John did not draw attention to himself. Rather, he presented himself as a preparation, a forerunner, a prophet preparing the way of the Lord. He was summing up much of Israelite history, but stressing that this history was open-ended, unfinished.

And therefore, how powerful it was when, upon spying Jesus coming to be baptized, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God." No first-century Israelite would have missed the meaning of that: behold the one who has come to be sacrificed. Behold the sacrifice, which will sum up, complete, and perfect the temple. Moreover, behold the Passover Lamb, who sums up the whole meaning of that event and brings it to fulfillment.

And this is why John says, "He must increase; I must decrease." In other words, the overture is complete, and now the great opera begins. The preparatory work of Israel is over, and now the Messiah will reign.

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

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

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Easter Reflection.

Mass Readings—Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist: Vigil
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter one, verses four thru ten;
Psalm Seventy-one (R/. six[b]), verses one & two, three & four(a), five & six(a/b), & fifteen(a/b) & seventeen;
The First Letter of Peter, chapter one, verses eight thru twelve;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses five thru seventeen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: False Peak, Day 11
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter thirteen, verses twenty thru twenty-seven.

Commentary: The Jars Filled with Wine (Jeremiah, 13:20-27).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"An unexpected child, Saint John the Baptist, called out to the people. He told them to prepare for a heavenly announcement, an invitation to universal rebirth."
—Pope St. John XXIII (1881-1963, r. 1958-1963; feast: 11 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Mary showed complete trust in God by agreeing to be used as an instrument in His plan. She trusted Him in spite of her nothingness, becaue she knew He could do great things in her & through her. Once she said 'yes' to God, Mary never doubted. She was just a young woman, but she belonged to God & nothing nor anyone could separate her from Him."
—St. Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Prayer must be persistent. Persistence denotes faith."
—St. Pius of Pietrelcina, O.F.M. Cap. (1887-1968, feast: 23 September)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Chasing the Sun Away" from A Jackknife to a Swan (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: The sky was already bright by the time my wake-up alarm rang at 5:55 A.M. The sun wasn't yet up, but the sky had already grown bright. O how I long for the dark of winter! The cold & the snow, too, but right now especially the dark.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Fastball, "Better than It Was" from All the Pain Money Can Buy (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: This morning, "It's Better than It Was" came bounding through my head, the perennially preferred process for picking the R.B.D.S.O.T.D. That's how the SKAfter Party reaches it's natural conclusion. Fear not, rudies, SKAugust is only a few weeks away & it seems quitely likely that a few ska songs will crop up in the interim.

"But it's better than it was,
It's better than it was,
I complain very little because
It's better than it was…"

Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Genesis, chapter fifteen, verses one thru twelve, seventeen, & eighteen;
Psalm One Hundred Five (R/. eight[a]), verses one & two, three & four, six & seven, & eight & nine;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seven, verses fifteen thru twenty.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us that a tree is known by its fruits. In the fifth chapter of his Letter to the Galatians, Paul makes this very specific. He tells us that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, [and] self-control,” implying that the Spirit’s presence in one’s life can be read from its radiance in these soul-expanding qualities.

All of Paul’s “fruits of the Holy Spirit” are marks of an outward-looking, expansive magna anima (great soul), which stands in contradistinction to the pusilla anima (the cramped soul) of the sinner. Thus love is willing the good of the other as other; joy is self-diffusive; patience bears with the troublesome; kindness makes the other gentle; self-control restricts the havoc that the ego can cause; etc.

When is the Spirit present? When these attributes are awakened and sustained; when our souls are made great.

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.

Video reflection by Doctor Tim Gray (Augustine Institute/Formed.org): Easter Reflection.

Mass Readings—Vigil of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter one, verses four thru ten;
Psalm Seventy-one (R/. six[b]), verses one & two, three & four(a), five & six(a/b), & fifteen(a/b) & seventeen;
The First Letter of Peter, chapter one, verses eight thru twelve;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verses five thru seventeen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: False Peak, Day 10
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter twelve, verses one thru seventeen.

Commentary: Jeremiah Complains to God (Jeremiah, 12:1-13) & the Lord's Answer (12:14-17).

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXV

The Space Race—Astronaut Group 1 (the "Mercury Seven"), Part III
Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom (3 April 1926-27 January 1967), Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force—He flew Mercury-Redstone 4 (Liberty Bell 7, 1961), narrowly surviving the capsule's sinking; commanded Gemini 3 (Molly Brown, 1965); & was chosen to command the first Apollo mission (1967), had he & his crew not perished in the Apollo 1 fire; namesake of Grissom, a crater on the far side of the Moon.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: The Mercury Seven—Gus Grissom
James Darren, "I'll Be Seeing You" from This One's from the Heart (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"…I'll be looking at the Moon,
I'll be looking at the Moon,
I'll be looking at the Moon,
But I'll be seeing you."

Requiescat in pace.

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: Why Do Catholics… ?"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Paulinus of Nola, Bishop.

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saints John Fisher, Bishop, & Thomas More, Martyrs.

Saint Quote o' the Day

"I do not care very much what men say of me, provided that God approves of me."
—St. Thomas More (1478-1535, feast: 22 June)

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

Half Past Two, "At Least Be Decent" from the Camp Slushtone E.P. (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"You think you're witty,
But you come off mean.

"And we've all fighting for the same dream,
At least be decent when you see me,
And we've all fighting for the same dream,
At least be decent when you see me…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious.

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

Half Past Two, "So Cal Summer" from the Camp Slushtone E.P. (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"We've got sunshine, the Pacific sea,
Holding onto you holding on to me,
The nights are dark but oh so warm!
Our minds are higher than the palms
Singing all our favorite songs,
California smog, summer in your—
California songs, summer in your—
California charm, summer in your arms!"

Saints + Scripture: XII Sun. in O.T. — Please Stand By

'Tis the Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

Bonus! Song o' Father's Day

The Toasters, "Daddy Cry" from Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

The R.B.D. Song o' the Lord's Day: XII Sunday in O.T.

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Simon & Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water" from Bridge Over Troubled Water (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAfter Party

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Lonely Boy" from When God Was Great (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"I grew up lonesome,
I was a lonely boy,
I went down to Kingston
When the weekend began,
Oh, what a lonely boy!…"

Bonus! Song o' Juneteenth

Rob Carriker, "Battle Cry of Freedom" from Over There!: Songs from America's Wars (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: While the offical name "Juneteenth National Independence Day" is unfortunate, I am glad that there is now a federal holiday commemorating the liberation of the de jure freedman who were still de facto slaves in 1865.

"We are springing to the call of our brothers gone before,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million freedmen more,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

"The Union forever! Hurray, boys, hurray!
Down with the traitor, up with the star!
While we rally 'round the flag, boys, rally once again,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!

"We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true, and brave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!
And although they may be poor, not a man shall be a slave,
Shouting the battle cry of freedom!…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Romuald, Abbot.

Like most Saturdays, 'tis also the Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

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

Reel Big Fish, "Hiding in My Headphones" from Candy Coated Fury (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Hey, Mister, I don't mean to be rude,
But it's too early to have an attitude,
So I turn up the volume, take a journey,
Hiding in my headphones, that's where I'll be…

"Just dancing to the beat in my head, in my head,
Just dancing to the beat in my head,
Just dancing to the beat in my head, in my head,
Just dancing to the beat in my head.

"I'm hiding in my headphones
(Hiding in my headphones),
Gonna turn them up so loud,
Gonna drown this whole world out,
I'm hiding in my headphones
(Hiding in my headphones),
And everyone can see
That they won't bother me,
So get out of my way,
'Cause I don't care what you have to say…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

The Popish Plot
"Pope's Prayer Intentions for May 2021"

'Tis the Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time (Tempus per annum, "time through the year"): Wikipedia-link.

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

Slow Gherkin, "How Now Lowbrow" from Shed Some Skin (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"I don't think enough,
I think too much,
I don't think enough,
I think too much…"