The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the XVIII Sunday in O.T.

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Ginger Rogers, "We're in the Money (The Gold Diggers' Song)" from Hollywood's Best: The '30s. (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Don't be like "Bigger Barnes," the fool who put his trust in material goods & was not rich in the things of God.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: 43 Jahre

Rachel Platten, "Fight Song" from Wildfire (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"And I don't really care if nobody else believes,
'Cuase I've still got a lot of fight left in me…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day

The Fratellis, "Chelsea Dagger" from Costello Music (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: Jojo's alive! I had not the slightest bit of evidence that she was dead, but she appeared to have fallen off the face of the earth. None of our mutual friends knew what had become of her. This morning, I ran into her in the parking lot of the green grocer. She's as much a waif as ever.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: 43 Jahre

Real Can of Yams, "Riot Grrl" from Good or Suck! (The Last Angry Man)

Commentary:

"I want a riot grrl!
Little bitty girl with big black boots,
I want a riot grrl!
Raging in the pit she's oh so cute,
I want a riot grrl!
Pissed off at the world for all its lies,
I want a riot grrl!
She's so damn sick of phony guys…"

Saints + Scripture

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

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, & Lazarus (Martha: died circa 80, of Bethany, the "Wonder Worker of Southern Gaul;" Lazarus: died circa 96; A.K.A. the Resurrected, of the Four Days), inaugural Bishop of Marseille, martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian, a victim of his persecution (89-96).

Commentary: Wayback Machine '21 & Wayback Machine '20.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

Lord Jesus, You taught Saint Martha a lesson in the true meaning of love. Help me to realize that You have called me to be Your friend & enable me to respond to that call with all my heart, soul, & strength.

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

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter twenty-six, verses one thru nine;
Psalm Sixty-nine (R/. fourteen[c]), verses five; eight, nine, & ten; & fourteen;
The Gospel according to John, chapter eleven, verses nineteen thru twenty-seven;
or, the Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

Commentary: Daily Readings.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”

Jesus came primarily as a warrior whose final enemy is death. It is easy to domesticate Jesus, presenting him as a kindly moral teacher. But that is not how the Gospels present him. He is a cosmic warrior who has come to do battle with those forces that keep us from being fully alive.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus deals with the effects of death and a death-obsessed culture: violence, hatred, egotism, exclusion, false religion, phony community. But the final enemy he must face down is death itself. Like Frodo going into Mordor, he has to go into death’s domain, get into close quarters with it, and take it on.

Coming to Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus feels the deepest emotions and begins to weep. This is God entering into the darkness, confusion, and agony of the death of sinners. He doesn’t blithely stand above our situation, but rather takes it on and feels it at its deepest level.

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

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

Mass Readings—Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, & Lazarus
The First Letter of John, chapter four, verses seven thru sixteen;
Psalm Thirty-four (R/. two; or, nine), verses two & three, four & five, six & seven, eight & nine, & ten & eleven;
The Gospel according to John, chapter eleven, verses nineteen thru twenty-seven;
or, the Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

Commentary: Memorial Readings.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Lord Jesus, grant that those You have called Your friends may come to know in fullness the joy You have promised. May they know the joy of praising You, the joy of serving their brothers & sisters,the joy of abiding in Your love."
—Pope Saint John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"The closer one approaches to God, the simpler one becomes."
—Saint Teresa of Ávila, O.C.D., Doctor of the Church (1515-1582, feast: 15 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Prayer is necessary as air to breathe, as necessary as the blood in our bodies, as necessary as anything. We think so many things are necessary, but we are wrong. We have been deceived & we deceive ourselves. So few things are necessary, & prayer is one of them."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"If we direct our work towards God, weshall work better than we know."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: 43 Jahre

Reel Big Fish, "Somebody Loved Me" from Cheer Up! (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"I think somebody loved me once,
I think somebody loved me once,
I think somebody loved me once,
But I cannot remember why…"

Saints + Scripture

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

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine '21 & Wayback Machine '20.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter eighteen, verses one thru six;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-six (R/. five[a]; or, "Alleluia"), verses one(b) & two, three & four, & five & six(a/b);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses forty-seven thru fifty-three.

Commentary: Daily Readings.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus presents two more parables on the kingdom of heaven. In the first parable, we hear that “the Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea.” Here the kingdom of heaven is coming for us. This is an eschatological image of the kingdom, of God’s final rounding up of the world at the end of time. When will it come? We don’t know. But we must be ready! And being ready means being in accord with the rule of God.

Then the second parable: “Every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” Jesus knew that his ministry and teaching were, to a large extent, in continuity with what came before him. At the same time, he knew that his preaching and person did represent something new and unprecedented. So those learned in the kingdom of God love traditions, the heritage of faith; and those learned in the kingdom also know that the Spirit is doing new things. Therefore, we have to be open to what he might want to show us.

Video reflection by Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers (U.S. Conf. of Catholic Bishops): Daily Reflection.

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

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The Eucharist is the privileged summit of the meeting of Christ's love for us; a love that is made available for each of us,a love that is made to be sacrificial lamb & food for our hunger for life. As the Apostle says, 'He loved me & gave Himself up for me.'"
—Pope Saint Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"In this distress—for then I had never had a single vision—these Thy words alone were enough to remove it, & give me perfect peace: 'Be not afraid, My daughter: it is I; & I will not abandon thee. Fear not.'"
—Saint Teresa of Ávila, O.C.D. Doctor of the Church (1515-1582, feast: 15 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"We must know that we have been created for greater things, not just to be a number in the world, not just to go for degress & diplomas. Not just to work & accomplish. We have been created to love & to be loved. This is easy to forget amidst the busyness of life. You have been created to love & to be loved. Make love a priority."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"We cannot get a real satisfacton out of our work unless we pause, frequently, to ask ourselves why we are doing it, & whether its purpose is one (of which) our minds wholeheartedly approve."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: 43 Jahre

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "Simmer Down" from the Ska-Core, the Devil, and More E.P. (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: Were I to be a guest on a late-night talk show—& note that my knowledge of late-night talk shows in confined to the turn of the millennium (the late 1990s & the early 2000s)—I would want the house band to play "Simmer Down" as I emerged from behind the curtain & walked to the desk.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: 43 Jahre

Blink-182, "What's My Age Again?" from Enema of the State (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: "What's My Age Again?" debuted twenty-three years ago, meaning the twenty-three-year-old narrator would be forty-six years-old today.

The Queue: Summer Reading

Commentary: This post is very late. I initially saved it on 20 May, over two months hence.

Of Eucharist's three chapters, I liked chapters two & three, "The Eucharist as Sacrifice" & "'If It's a Symbol, to Hell with It'" more than chapter one, "The Eucharist as Sacred Meal." As a frequent reader, watcher, & listener of Word on Fire content, I was not surprised by Eucharist, but I was delighted by much of it. Bishop Barron is a talented communicator. Of course, I'm a convinced believer, a daily communicant; I do not know how the book would affect my old, nominally Catholic self or a seeker from outside the Christian tradition. Of course, I'm always stress that "preaching to the choir" is not a bad thing—choristers need formation & encouragement, too.

I've been making snail's paced progress through Reclaiming Vatican II, but I've been thrilled & encouraged by everything I've read. I'm more than halfways through the book & am now ready to set it aside to take up The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection. Yesterday, I finished chapter three, "The Sacred Liturgy;" so, it is now time to read Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy. I am very excited to be diving into the doscuments of Vatican II, having before only committed the mistake of reading commentaries on the documents (in the case of one book I read, from a very "liberal" paraconciliar perspective) instead of reading the documents themselves. Primary sources? Let's go!

Ch. 3, "The Sacred Liturgy" >>> Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy
Ch. 4, "The Church" >>> Lumen gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church
Ch. 5, "Divine Revelation" >>> Dei verbum, the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation
Ch. 6, "The Church and the Modern World" >>> Gaudium et spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World

My initial thought was to interrupt my reading of Reclaiming Vatican II & The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection to read Ska: An Oral History during SKAugust, but upon further reflection, I think I'll aim to start Ska: An Oral History during SKApril 2023, should the world perdure.

I do want to read, or at least start, Across the Airless Wilds by the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 17, the final Moon landing, in December 2022.

Recently
Pope Saint John Paul II, Ut Unum Sint: On Commitment to Ecumenism
Tim Gray & Jeff Cavins, Walking with God: A Journey through the Bible
Robert Barron, Eucharist

Currently
Father Blake Britton, Reclaiming Vatican II: What It (Really) Says, What It Means, and How It Calls Us to Renew the Church
Second Vatican Council, The Word on Fire Vatican II Collection

Presently
Earl Swift, Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings
Xavier Rynne, Vatican Council II
John W. O'Malley, What Happened at Vatican II
Christopher Carstens, A Devotional Journey into the Easter Mystery
Heather Augustyn, Ska: An Oral History

Saints + Scripture

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

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine '19.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter fifteen, verses ten & sixteen thru twenty-one;
Psalm Fifty-nine (R/. seventeen[d]), verses two & three, four, ten & eleven, seventeen, & eighteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses forty-four, forty-five, & forty-six.

Commentary: Daily Readings.

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

Friends, today Jesus offers two parables about the kingdom of heaven. Let’s focus on the first one: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again.”

Sometimes God’s love is found that way. There’s a saying: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” Sometimes in the course of our everyday lives, something happens that vividly and surprisingly summons us to union with God. We realize, in a flash, what it’s all about. We weren’t particularly looking for it, but it found us.

That’s what Jesus is getting at today. As you walk through the fields of life, be open to the inrushing of grace when you least expect it. And when it comes, give up anything that holds it back.

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

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

Papal Quote o' the Day

"If the Church is able to enter a preparation for the perennial coming of the Holy Spirit, He, the 'Light of Hearts,' will not hesitate to come. He will give Himself for the joy, the light, the fortitude, the apostolic virtue, & the unitive charity that the Church needs today."
—Pope Saint Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"When you see the storm coming, if you seek safety in that firm refuge which is Mary, there will be no danger of your wavering or going down."
—Saint Josemaría Escrivá (1902-1975, feast: 26 June)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Live life beautifully. You have Jesus with you, & He loves you. If we could only remember that God loves us, & we have an opportunity to love others as He loves us. Not in big things, but in small things with great love, then your country will become a haven of peace & a burning light of love in the world."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"Though truth is not personal, we make it personal by contemplation."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXCV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 50th Anniversary of S.M.E.A.T., Part I
26 July 1972: The Skylab Medical Experiment Altitude Test (S.M.E.A.T.)—CDR Bob Crippen, Science Pilot William Thornton (a physician), & Pilot Karol Bobko entered a hypobaric chamber at Texas's Manned Spacecraft Center to begin a simulation of life aboard the forthcoming Skylab space station; they lived at a pressure of one-third bar in a seventy per cent oxygen atmosphere for fifty-six days.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Skylab Medical Experiment Altitude Test
They Might Be Giants, "Put It to the Test" from Here Comes Science (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.

The Loot: 43 Jahre

I received a card from The Human Fund; the good news being that the card did not say a donation had been made in my name to The Human Fund.

The Human Fund
"Money for People"

Books
Heather Augustyn, Ska: An Oral History
Dara Horn, People Love Dead Jews: Reports from a Haunted Past
Ben Macintyre, A Spy among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal*
Ben Macintyre, The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War*
Earl Swift, Across the Airless Wilds: The Lunar Rover and the Triumph of the Final Moon Landings

Motion Pictures
Top Gun (1986)
Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Hail Columbia! (1982)
The Dream Is Alive (1985)
Destiny in Space (1994)

Commentary: Hail Columbia, The Dream Is Alive, & Destiny in Space are all IMAX documentaries, about STS-1; the heady days of 1983-1985, before the Challenger disaster; & a repair mission to the Hubble Space Telescope, respectively.

Miscellany
narwhal statue*
Pillow Cube pillow
N.A.S.A. baseball cap*
Catholic Balm Co. Holy Smokes beard balm
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan movie poster*
ThunderCats Thunder Tank*
Soylent Green keychain*
false Barbasol can*
genuine Barbasol can*

Commentary: The false Barasol can is empty & has a detachable bottom. It is meant to be evocative of the false Barbasol can used to smuggle dinosaur D.N.A. samples in the film Jurassic Park, though without the rack & the cooling system needed to preserve biological samples. The genuine can of Barasol shaving cream alongside the false can? That's my dad's sense of humor.

*Off-list, meaning not requested on my birthday gift wish list. I am thankful for all the presents I was given, but I am also persnickety enough to raise a quizzical eyebrow when I receive a gift that was not on my wish list without having received all the gifts that were on my wish list. Among my immediate kin, the wish list has always been a courtesy to the gift-givers, to make their choosing of gifts simpler.

Saints + Scripture

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

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Memorial of Saints Joachim & Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary (circa 50 B.C.-A.D. 15).

Commentary: Wayback Machine '21 & Wayback Machine '19.

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

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Tuesday of the Seventeeth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Jeremiah, chapter fourteen, verses seventeen thru twenty-two;
Psalm Seventy-nine (R/. nine), verses eight, nine, & eleven & thirteen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses thirty-six thru forty-three.

Commentary: Daily Readings.

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

Friends, in our Gospel today, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds among the wheat. God’s word creates the Church, the community of those who strive to build up the kingdom. But this Church is never absolutely pure and untrammeled, for God’s ways are opposed by a spiritual power, an enemy. His task is to sow weeds among the wheat—clandestinely, quietly, unobtrusively.

This sort of coming together of good and evil is to be expected. The Church will always be a place of saints and sinners, and the sinners will often look like saints. The enemy of the Church, who never rests, ensures it.

Vigilance in regards to evil is necessary in a fallen world, yet we must be wary of a zeal that, in its passion for setting things right, comes to believe that evil can be dealt with by destroying what is good.

In the midst of a fallen world, what is expected of us is that we live in hope that at the end, at harvest time, the Master will separate the good from the bad.

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

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

Mass Readings—Memorial of Saints Joachim & Anne
The Book of Sirach, chapter forty-four, verses one & ten thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Thirty-two, verses eleven, thirteen & fourteen, & seventeen & eighteen
(R/. the Gospel according to Luke, chapter one, verse thirty-two);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter thirteen, verses sixteen & seventeen.

Commentary: Memorial Readings.

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Jesus became a baby, He became poor, He became a victim, so that no one might feel that He was above or distant; He placed Himself at the feet of all. Jesus is for all, He belongs to all, & indeed to each of us individually."
—Pope Saint Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"We need no wings to go in search of Him, but have only to look upon Him present within us."
—Saint Teresa of Ávila, O.C.D., Doctor of the Church (1515-1582, feast: 15 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"I feel that we too often focus on the negative aspects of life on what is bad. If we were more willing to see the good & the beautiful things that surround us we would be able to transform society. It begins in the family. From there, we can help transform our next-door neighbors with loving service, then others who live in our neighborhood & city. We can bring peace & love to the world. The whole world is hungry for these things, & we can each play a small role in feeding this great hunger."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"Only in true solitariness is true spirituality born, when the soul stands naked before its God."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: 43 Jahre!

The Aquabats!, "Best Day of My Life!" from the Radio Down! E.P. (Captains Thumbs Up!)

Commentary!:

"Today's gonna be the best day of my life so far,
Today's gonna be the best day of my life by far,
I've no particular reason why I think today's gonna be so nice,
But today's gonna be the best day of my life so far…"

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint James

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

The Popish Plot
"Patron Saints for Your Pets"

'Tis the Feast of Saint James, Apostle (died 44, the Greater, the Son of Zebedee, one of the two "Sons of Thunder;" originally Ya'qob, in Latin Iacobus, in English Jacob), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius, at the command of the client tetrarch Herod Agrippa.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Quoth Minute Meditations from the Popes:

Lord Jesus, You promised those who follow You a reward of a hundredfold. Yet so many who have committed themselves to You, like Saint James the Greater, have suffered greatly. Help me to understand the meaning of the Cross You share with us.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Saint James
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter four, verses seven thru fifteen;
Psalm One Hundred Twenty-six (R/. five), verses one(b/c) & two(a/b), two(c/d) & three, four & five, & six;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty, verses twenty thru twenty-eight.

Commentary: Festal Readings.

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

Friends, today in our Gospel, the mother of James and John asks Jesus on their behalf for high places of authority in his kingdom. Ah, there is the voice of ambition. Some people don’t care at all about money or power or pleasure—but they care passionately about honor. A lot of people can identify with James and John. They want to go places; they want to be movers and shakers in society. Perhaps a number of people reading this reflection are filled with these emotions.

But Jesus turns the tables on them: “You do not know what you are asking.” He is indeed a King, and he will indeed rule Israel, but his crown will be made of thorns, and his throne will be a Roman instrument of torture.

And so he tries to clarify: “Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” The key to honor in the kingdom of God is to drink the cup of suffering, to be willing to suffer out of love, to give one’s life away as a gift. Look at the lives of the saints. It is not about aggrandizing the ego, but emptying it out.

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

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

Papal Quote o' the Day

"The history of the human race in the world is not a procession of blind forces. It is a marvelous & vital working out of the actual history of the Divine Word. From Him came its first movements & throgh Him it will reach fulfillment."
—Venerable Pope Pius XII (1876-1958, r. 1939-1958)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"To have courage for whatever comes in life—everything lies in that."
—Saint Teresa of Ávila, O.C.D., Doctor of the Church (1515-1582, feast: 15 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"I believe that many people today think the poor are not humans like them. They look down on them. But if they had a deep respect for the poor, I am sure it would be easy for them to come closer to them, & to see that they have as much right to the things of life & to love as anybody has."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"In silence, there is humility of spirit or what might be called 'wise passivity.' In such the ear is more important than the tongue. God speaks, but not in cyclones—only in the zephyrs & gentle breezes."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' This Auspicious Day

William Shatner, "It Hasn't Happened Yet" from Has Been (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"I dreamt of success:
I would be the best,
I would make my folks proud,
I would be happy.
It hasn't happened yet,
It hasn't happened yet,
It hasn't happened…

"When is the mountain scaled?
When do I feel I haven't failed?
I've got to get it together, man!
It hasn't happened yet,
It hasn't happened yet,
It hasn't happened yet,
It hasn't happened,
It hasn't happened…"

Bonus! Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Fitz & the Tantrums, "MoneyGrabber" from Pickin' Up the Pieces (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Don't come back any time,
I've already had your kind,
This is your payback, MoneyGrabber!
Don't come back any time,
You've already robbed me blind,
This is your payback, MoneyGrabber!…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the XVII Sunday in O.T.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Duvall, "Jesus Never Leaves Me" from Volume & Density (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Songs o' Today

Matt Redman, "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" from 10,000 Reasons (Mike Papa Whiskey)

&

Sufjan Stevens, "Flint (For the Unemployed and Underpaid)" from Sufjan Stevens Presents… Greetings from Michigan, the Great Lake State (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I spend the late morning into the early afternoon standing at the corner of Franklin & Delaware in Flint, passing out fliers for Praise Fest, at event going on right behind me on the campus of Saint Mary Oratory, a church of the Catholic Community of Flint. As I baked in the noontime sun, exiled for some offense that was never explained to me, I encountered many things, including innumerable cars that reeked of marijuana & a van with a live monkey perched on the dashboard.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' Yesterday

Freitag, 22. Juli
The Interrupters featuring Tim Armstrong & Rhoda Dakar, "As We Live" from In the Wild (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXCIV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 60th Anniversary of Mariner 1
22 July 1962: Mariner 1, the first in a series of robotic probes to study the inner planets, lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station atop an Atlas-Agena rocket; Mariner 1 was based on the same frame as the Ranger probes & intended for a Venus flyby, but the Atlas went off course & was destroyed by range safety, six seconds before staging, lest it threaten Atlantic Ocean shipping lanes.

Semper exploro.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra featurign Asian Kung-Fu Generation, "Wake Up!" from Ska Me Forever (Mike Papa Whiskey-san)

The Rebel Black Dot Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Reel Big Fish, "I Dare You to Break My Heart" from Candy Coated Fury (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"I feel it coming on,
I know there's something wrong.
I don't even know you yet,
But I know what you want to do to me:
My latest dream girl,
My latest nightmare.
Could this be the start of another
Long, long, hateful love-affair?…

"When all is said and done,
And we have had our fun,
You won't have your chains on me,
You won't claim me as your only one.
I've got one thing to say,
As I push you far away:
Do you think someone like you
Could make someone like me love you anyway?
The most important thing,
That I have ever learnt,
Is if you're not doing the hurting,
You're the one who's getting hurt…"

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 338.6 lbs
This weigh-in: 340.0 lbs.
Difference: +1.4 lbs.

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

Bonus! Moonshot Songs o' the Day: Apollo 11

Operation AXIOM: The 53rd Anniversary of Apollo 11
Public Service Broadcasting, "Go!" from The Race for Space (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

&

National Aeronautics & Space Administration, "Apollo 11 Excerpt 19" from The Apollo Missions (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

The Wayback Machine Tour of Apollo 11
№ DCXCVIII: The Fiftieth Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part I
№ DCXCIX: The Fiftieth Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part II
№ DCC: The Fiftieth Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part III
№ DCCII: The Fiftieth Anniversary of Apollo 11, Part IV

The Rebel Black Dot Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Mustard Plug, "What You Say" from In Black and White (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"You know I really can't pretend
Were we ever really friends?
Or just waiting around together
So I could let you down again?
So I could let you down again?
I guess we never really said
That this would be the end,
I'm just waiting for an answer,
So we know what this all meant.

"What you say,
What you don't say,
It doesn't matter to me,
'Cause you'll never believe in me anyway…"

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXCIII

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars
24 June 1922: Walther Rathenau (1867-1922), German foreign minister, chief architect of the Treaty of Rapallo, & chairman of the A.E.G. corporation, was assassinated by Organisation Consul, terrorists led by Hermann Ehrhardt, founder of Marinebrigade Ehrhardt, a Freikorps unit instrumental to the failed Kapp Putsch (March 1920); Rathenau was commemorated as a martyr for Weimar democracy.

Commentary: In the aftermath of the assassination, Organisation Consul was banned; the successor Viking League was founded be Ehrhardt & company in 1923.

Lest we forget.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Death of Guitar Pop, "Cinderella's Fella" from Pukka Sounds (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"He's a vintage German car,
He's an open bar,
When he's got you on your own,
He's Don Draper with an iPhone…"

Bonus! Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Reel Big Fish, "Why Do All Girls Think They're Fat?" from Monkeys for Nothing and the Chimps for Free (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Hey, hey, hey! She's so pretty!
Hey, hey, hey! My friend,
Hey, hey, hey! I feel stupid again…"

Saints + Scripture: XVI Sunday in Tempus per annum

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

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

Commentary: Wayback Machine '21 & Wayback Machine '20.

Scripture of the Week
Mass Readings—Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Book of Genesis, chapter eighteen, verses one thru ten(a);
Psalm Fifteen (R/. one[a]), verses two & three, three & four, & five;
The Letter to the Colossians, chapter one, verses twenty-four thru twenty-eight;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter ten, verses thirty-eight thru forty-two.

Commentary: Sunday Readings.

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

Friends, today’s Gospel inspires protests more than almost any other that I’ve preached on. "Hey Bishop, I think Martha gets a bum rap." And for centuries the story has been read that Martha represents the "active" life and Mary the "contemplative" life. I would like to stress that the active/contemplative reading of the Martha and Mary story is not that helpful. We have to dig a little deeper.

What does he upbraid Martha for? "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things." It is the frantic, divided, unfocused quality of her life that Jesus is drawing attention to. And what is Mary being praised for? Not precisely that she is "contemplative," but that she has chosen the unum necessarium (the one necessary thing). She sits quietly at the feet of the Lord, not so much eschewing work as gathering herself, learning what she is essentially about.

There is a cacophony of voices calling out to you; there are a thousand influences pulling you this way and that. What’s the one necessary thing? It is to listen to the voice of Jesus as he tells you of his love and as he tells you who you are.

Video reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire): Sunday Sermon.

Video reflection by Father Greg Friedman, O.F.M. (U.S.C. of Catholic Bishops): Sunday Reflection.

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

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

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Hear the voice of Christ, calling you to join His workers: invest life with a direction, by making your own the concern of the Church for the elevation & progress of people. The Church fully understands the yearnings of your generous heart."
—Pope Saint Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"May today there be peace within. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith."
—Saint Teresa of Ávila, O.C.D., Doctor of the Church (1515-1582, feast: 15 October)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person. Today."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"Before the sin, Satan assures us that it is of no consequence; after the sin, he persuades us that it is unforgivable."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the XVI Sunday in O.T.

Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Owl City, "In Christ Alone" from Blog Tracks (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Reel Big Fish, "Somebody Loved Me" from Cheer Up! (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"I think somebody loved me once,
I think somebody loved me once,
I think somebody loved me once,
But I cannot remember why…"

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXCII

Operation AXIOM: Between the Wars—Hyperinflation, Part II
July 1922: Reparations payments began in January 1921, to be made in cash & commodities; from the start, Weimar was behind on coal deliveries; the Reparation Commission would not accept fiat Papiermark, so the Germans printed ever more ℳ to purchase foreign currencies, fueling inflation; a June 1922 conference (organized by J. P. Morgan Jr.) failed; ℳ accelerated toward hyperinflation.

Lest we forget.

Bonus! Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Blink-182, "The Party Song" from Enema of the State (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"…So when you see her standing there
With green eyes and long blonde hair,
She won't be wearing underwear,
And you'll discover this girl's not the one
And she'll never be fun,
You should just turn and run,
Because you'll find out that some girls try too hard.

"Some girls try too hard,
And some girls try too hard to impress
With the way that they dress,
With those things on their chest,
And the things they suggest to me.

"Some girls try too hard,
Some girls try too hard."

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Toasters, "Fire in My Soul" from Don't Let the Bastards Grind You Down (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day: In Memoriam

The University of Michigan Marching Band, "Bond Opener: Goldfinger & Dr. No (by John Barry & Monty Norman)" from Forever Valiant (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: In Memoriam Monty Norman (1928-2022). Requiescat in pace.

The Rebel Black Dot Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Jimmy Soul, "If You Wanna Be Happy" from If You Wanna Be Happy (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: She's beautiful, so beautiful I'm struggling to think clearly. "If You Wanna Be Happy" is an ironic R.B.D.S.O.T.D.

"A pretty woman makes her husband look small,
And very often causes his downfall,
As soon as he marries her, then she starts
To do the things that will break his heart.

"But if you make an ugly woman your wife,
You'll be happy for the rest of your life,
An ugly woman cooks meals on time,
And she'll always give you peace of mind.

"If you wanna be happy for the rest of your life
Never make a pretty woman your wife
So from my personal point of view
Get an ugly girl to marry you…"

The Rebel Black Dot Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Paramore, "The Only Exception" from Brand New Eyes (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I am in so much trouble.

"And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love if it does not exist—

"But darling, you are the only exception,
You are the only exception,
You are the only exception,
You are the only exception…

"And up until now I had sworn to myself
That I'm content with loneliness,
Because none of it was ever worth the risk—

"But you are the only exception,
You are the only exception,
You are the only exception,
You are the only exception…"

Operation ÖSTERREICH

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 343.0 lbs
This weigh-in: 338.6 lbs.
Difference: -4.4 lbs.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Spam" from U.H.F.: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Mike Papa Wafer)

The Rebel Black Dot Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Maroon 5, "She Will Be Loved" from Songs about Jane (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: I am in so much trouble.

"Tap on my window, knock on my door,
I want to make you feel beautiful,
I know I tend to get so insecure,
Doesn't matter anymore…"

The Rebel Black Dot Girl Trouble Song o' the Day

Fountains of Wayne, "Denise" from Utopia Parkway (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: On the right is Australian reality-television contestant Cassidy McGill, or "Denise" as an interlocutor misrepresented herself (or himself). It is convenient when scammers make themselves so easy to prove definitively as scammers.

"I know this girl named Denise,
She makes me weak at the knees,
She drives a lavender Lexus,
She lives in Queens but her dad lives in Texas…

"I heard she used to be married,
She listens to Puff Daddy,
She works at Liberty Travel,
She got a heart made of gravel.

"(Sha la la la la la la)
She controls me,
(Sha la la la la la la)
She can't help herself,
(Sha la la la la la la)
Won't you tell me,
Do you love me Denise?
Whoa oh, do you love me Denise?…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the XV Sunday in O.T.

Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matt Maher, "Instrument" from Saints and Sinners (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Weezer, "Island in the Sun" from Weezer (The Green Album) (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day

Reel Big Fish, "Scott's a Dork" from Why Do They Rock So Hard? (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"We like pizza but she doesn't eat the crust,
I love her and she loves everyone,
Said she likes my band, but I don't even like my band,
I love her and she loves everyone (uh uh)…

"Now she's walkin' out the door,
I don't need her anymore,
I love her!"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

The Specials, "Doesn't Make It Alright" from The Specials (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Just because you're nobody,
It doesn't mean that you're no good,
Just because there's a reason,
It doesn't mean it's understood.

"It doesn't make it alright,
It doesn't make it alright,
It's the worst excuse in the world,
And it, it doesn't make it alright…"

Bonus! Song o' the Sevens

Animal Chin, "Seven" from the Mailorder Is Fun! compilation (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"It's the season of friendship treason,
Now you made it so complicated…"

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Taco Grande" from Off the Deep End (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Bonus! Song o' the Day

The Suicide Machines, "New Girl" from Destruction by Definition (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"Well I can't wait to tell you all about her, all about my new girl!
(He can't wait to tell you about his new girl!)
And I can't wait for you to hear me shout it, all about my new girl!
(He can't wait to tell you about his new girl!)…"

Operation ÖSTERREICH: Independence Edition

Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in
Last weigh-in: 346.4 lbs (Wednesday, 15 June)
This weigh-in: 343.0 lbs.
Difference: -3.4 lbs.

Bonus! Lied von ÖSTERREICH
"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Girls Just Want to Have Lunch" from Dare to Be Stupid (Mike Papa Watercress)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

"Weird Al" Yankovic, "Gump" from Bad Hair Day (Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary: An amusing song about a terribly sentimental movie. I'd not thought about "Gump" in a long time, until I listened to a recent Chris Demakes a Podcast episode about The Presidents of the United States's song "Lump."

The Stars My Destination: S.T.S-4

For her four test flights—S.T.S-1 (April 1981), S.T.S-2 (November 1981), S.T.S-3 (March 1982), & S.T.S-4 (June-July 1982)—the Columbia OV-102 was equipped with ejection seats derived from those used in the SR-71 Blackbird spy plane. The Enterprise OV-101 had likewise been equipped with ejection seats for the Approach & Landing Tests (February-October 1977). There were only two ejection seats as each of those flights was flown by a crew of two, Commander & Pilot. With the Space Shuttle declared "operational" after S.T.S.-4, crews were set to increase in size. From S.T.S.-5 (November 1982) through S.T.S.-135 (July 2011), no Space Shuttle would fly with a fewer than four astronauts aboard. There was no provision for additional ejection seats for the rest of the crew, but the pilot crews could still have enjoyed the added safety factor of the ejection seats. To their credit, the pilot crews rejected the idea of flying with that added safety factor while their crewmates had to fly without, & so the Columbia's ejection seats were initially disabled (for S.T.S.-5) & eventually removed (for S.T.S.-61-C, January 1986).

The Space Shuttles Challenger OV-099, Discovery OV-103, Atlantis OV-104, & Endeavour OV-105 were never outfitted with ejection seats.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day

Save Ferris, "Spam" from It Means Everything (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I relish "Spam's" outdated lyrical references to Bruce Jenner. Oh, the '90s, when our society, especially our vainglorious elites, still had a grasp of basic biology.

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXCI

Operation AXIOM: The Space Age—The 40th Anniversary of S.T.S.-4, Part II
4 July 1982: Mattingly & Hartsfield deployed a classified U.S. Air Force payload & conducted medical & scientific experiements; the Columbia landed on a concrete runway at California's Edwards A.F.B., whereas S.T.S.-1, -2, & -3 had landed on dry lake beds; President & Mrs. Reagan greeted Mattingly & Hartsfield & declared the Space Shuttle "operational," as the new Challenger was flown overhead.

Bonus! Space Age Song o' the Day: S.T.S.-4
The Ataris, "Takeoffs and Landings" from So Long, Astoria (Space Cadet Mike Papa Whiskey)

Semper exploro.