Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

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

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

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

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Edna's Goldfish, "I'm Your Density" from Before You Knew Better (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"And I tried to write her a letter,
But the mailman said that she don't live here anymore…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Stephen of Hungary.

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

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Be humble in this life that God may raise you up in the next."
—Saint Stephen of Hungary (975-1038, feast: 16 August)

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXXV

Operation AXIOM: The Cold War—The 60th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall
13 August 1961: East German & Soviet troops closed the borders between West Berlin/East Berlin & West Berlin/East Germany; workers & engineers began stringing up one hundred twenty-four miles of barbed wire & tearing up roads to render them impassable; concrete barriers & machine-gun towers would be added later; the East German name for the Wall was the "Anti-Fascist Protective Rampart."

Commentary: The Wall was described as a defensive barrier, the "Anti-Fascist Protective Rampart" (antifaschistischer Schutzwall), yet the machine guns were pointed inward at the Communist citizens of East Berlin & East Germany, not outward at the "fascist" citizens of West Berlin.

The R.B.D. Song o' the Lord's Day: Assumption of Mary

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Daughters of Mary, "Hail Holy Queen" from De Profundis (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

Commentary:

"Hail, holy queen, enthroned above, O Maria!
Hail, Mother of Mercy and of Love, O Maria!
Triumph all ye cherubim,
Sing with us, ye seraphim,
Heaven and Earth resound the hymn:
Salve, salve, salve Regina!…"

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAugust

The O.C. Supertones, "Like No One Else" from Supertones Strike Back (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"He cares for you like no one else,
He cares for you like no one else,
He cares for you like no one else,
He cares for you like no one else…"

Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest, O.F.M. Conv.

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

Saint Quote o' the Day

"For Jesus Christ I am prepared to suffer still more."
—Saint Maximilian Kolbe, O.F.M. Conv. (1894-1941, feast: 14 August)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

MU330, "The Struggle of Helen" from Crab Rangoon (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: "The Struggle of Helen" presents Dan P.'s tired old critique that if persons just believe in themselves, instead of the Lord God, all the world's problems would disappear. 'Tis the original temptation, to fancy oneself the supreme being, even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. The lyrics are supreme foolishness, well-meaning but ultimately self-destructive; but the music of "The Struggle of Helen" has been rattling around in the back of my mind; so, here you go.

Saints + Scripture

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

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: 8 Catholic… (the 'Ocho')"

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saints Pontian, Pope, & Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Michael McGivney, Priest.

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

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

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

Skammentary: If I ever reach the depths of despair wherein the driving rhythm of "Shed Some Skin" doesn't stir my heart & induce spontaneous skanking, in your charity please smother me with a pillow before I betray my truest self any worse.

The Rebel Black Dot! Song o' the Day: SKAugust!

The Aquabats!, "Red Sweater!" (live!) from The Fury of the Aquabats! Live at The Fonda! (Rude Boy Captain Thumbs Up!)

Skammentary!:

"You're such a pretty girl,
We'll travel 'round the world,
To see this love through!…"

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Jane Frances de Chantal, Religious.

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

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXXIV

Operation AXIOM: The Space Race—The 60th Anniversary of Vostok 2
6-7 August 1961: Vostok 2 lifted off from the Kazakh S.S.R.'s Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying Pilot Gherman Titov aboard a Vostok 3KA capsule atop a Vostok-K rocket; he spent twenty-five hours in orbit, becoming the first man to eat in space, vomit in space, excrete in space, & sleep in space; he ejected from the Vostok capsule after reentry & parachuted to earth separate from his capsule.

Bonus! Space Race Song o' the Day: Vostok 2
The Aquabats!, "Best Day of My Life!" from Radio Down! (Space Cadet Captain Thumbs Up!)

Semper exploro.

Saints + Scripture

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

'Tis the Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin, O.S.C. (1194-1253, of Assisi).

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

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as you desire to imitate Him."
—Saint Clare of Assisi (1194-1253, feast: 11 August)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

M.C. Lars featuring the M.C. Bat Commander & Suburban Legends, "This Gigantic Robot Kills" from This Gigantic Robot Kills (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: "This Gigantic Robot Kills" is the tale of a boy named Billy, who builds a gigantic robot in his parents garage because he wants to restore the Orange County ske scene from, specifically, 1996. "This Gigantic Robot Kills" plays during the end credits of Pick It Up!: Ska in the '90s—"The Definitive Third-wave 'Skacumentary'"—which is how I was introcuded to the song.

The Aquabats! haven't written many new ska songs in the last twenty years, but it warms my heart when the M.C. Bat Commander guests on tracks like "This Gigantic Robot Kills" & The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' "The Final Parade."

Saints + Scripture: Feast of Saint Lawrence

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

Saint of the Day
'Tis the Feast of Saint Lawrence, Deacon & Martyr (circa 225-258, of Rome), martyred in the reign of the Roman emperor Valerian, a victim of his persecution: Martyr-link ūnus, Martyr-link duo, Martyr-link trēs, & Wikipedia-link; Persecutions-link, Wikipedia-link Valerian ūnus, & Wikipedia-link Valerian duo.

Commentary: Wayback Machine.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Saint Lawrence
The Second Letter to the Corinthians, chapter nine, verses six thru ten;
Psalm One Hundred Twelve (R/. five), verses one & two, five & six, seven & eight, & nine;
The Gospel according to John, chapter twelve, verses twenty-four, twenty-five, & twenty-six.

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

Friends, our Gospel for today contains one of the most beautiful and terrible summations of the Christian message: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit."

And now this one upon whom the crowds had pinned their hopes is speaking of falling to the earth and dying. And then it gets stranger. "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in the world will preserve it for eternal life." Come again?!

Just when we are raising you up, Jesus, you’re talking about falling down; just when we are seeing how your life has come to its fulfillment, you’re talking about hating this life.

To understand what all this means, we should go back to the grain of wheat that falls to the earth. A seed’s life is inside, yes, but it’s a life that grows by being given away and mixing with the soil around it. It has to crack open, be destroyed.

Jesus’ sign is the sign of the cross, the death that leads to transfiguration.

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

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

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

Scripture Study—Day 91: Leo's Ledge, Day 2
The Book of Daniel, chapter one, verses nine thru twenty-one.

Commentary: Four Young Israelites at the Babylonian Court (Daniel, 1:9-21).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Christ is absolute Truth; in Him the Father offers human beings the complete answer to all the questions that worry them. In Christ we can discover the full truth about ourselves & about the world."
—Pope Saint John Paul II the Great (1920-2005, r. 1978-2005; feast: 22 October)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"When the Eucharist is being celebrated, the sanctuary is filled with countless angels who adore the Divine Victim immolated on the altar."
—Saint John Chrysostom, Doctor of the Church (347-407, feast: 13 September)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"If you are humble, nothing will touch you. Neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed, you won't be discouraged; if anyone calls you a saint, you won't put yourself on a pedestal."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"Who is going to save our Church? Not our bishops, not our priests & religious. It is up to you, the people. You have the minds, the eyes, the ears to save the Church. Your mission is to see that your priests act like priests, your bishops like bishops, & your religious act like religious."
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Save Ferris, "The World Is New" from It Means Everything (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary:

"When I am down and I am blue,
All I have to do
Is close my eyes and think of you,
And the world is new!…"

Saints + Scripture

Saints of the Day
'Tis the Optional Memorial of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Virgin & Martyr, O.C.D. (1891-1942, A.K.A. Edith Stein), martyred in the reign of the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler: Martyr-link ūna, Martyr-link duæ, Martyr-link tria, & Wikipedia-link.

Commentary: Wayback Machine '18.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Nathy of Achonry, Priest (floruit sixth century; also spelt Nath Í, A.K.A. Crumnathy), founder of Achonry: Saint-link & Wikipedia-link; Wikipedia-link Achonry.

'Tis also the festival of Blessed Richard Bere, Priest & Martyr, O.Cart. (died 1537), martyred in the reign of the English king Henry VIII, one of the Carthusian Martyrs of London: Martyr-link; Martyrs-link Charterhouse; Wikipedia-link Charterhouse.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Thomas Palasor, Priest; John Norton; & John Talbot; Martyrs (died 1600), martyred in the reign of the English queen Elizabeth I, three of the Eighty-five Martyrs of England & Wales: Martyr-link Tango Papa & Wikipedia-link Tango Papa, Martyr-link Juliett November, & Martyr-link Juliett Tango & Wikipedia-link Juliett Tango; Martyrs-link England & Wales & Wikipedia-link England & Wales.

'Tis also the festival of Blesseds Michał Tomaszek & Zbigniew Adam Strzałkowski, Priests & Martyrs, O.F.M. Conv. (died 1991), martyred by the Shining Path Communists, two of the Three Martyrs of Chimbote: Martyr-link Mike Tango & Martyr-link Zulu Alpha Sierra; Wikipedia-link Chimbote.

Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
The Book of Deuteronomy, chapter ten, verses twelve thru twenty-two;
Psalm One Hundred Forty-seven (R/. twelve[a]), verses twelve & thirteen, fourteen & fifteen, & nineteen & twenty;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter seventeen, verses twenty-two thru twenty-seven.

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

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus prophesies his Crucifixion and Resurrection: “The Son of Man is to be handed over to men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”

What enabled the first Christians to hold up the cross, to sing its praises, to wear it as a decoration is the fact that God raised up and ratified precisely this crucified Jesus. “The author of life you put to death, but God raised him from the dead.” Therefore, God was involved in this terrible thing; God was there, working out his salvific purposes.

But what does this mean? There have been numerous attempts throughout the Christian centuries to name the salvific nature of the cross. Let me offer just one take on it. It became clear to the first Christians that somehow, on that terrible cross, sin had been dealt with. The curse of sin had been removed, taken care of. On that terrible cross, Jesus functioned as the “Lamb of God,” sacrificed for sin.

Does this mean God the Father is a cruel taskmaster demanding a bloody sacrifice so that his anger might be appeased? No; Jesus’ crucifixion was the opening up of the divine heart so that we could see that no sin of ours could finally separate us from the love of God.

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

Video reflection by Curtis Mitch (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 Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross
The Book of Hosea, chapter two, verses sixteen(b/c), seventeen(c/d), twenty-one, & twenty-two;
Psalm Forty-five (R/. eleven; or, "The bridegroom is here; let us go out to meet Christ the Lord."), verses eleven & twelve, fourteen & fifteen, & sixteen & seventeen;
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter twenty-five, verses one thru thirteen.

Scripture Study—Day 91: Leo's Ledge, Day 1
The Book of Daniel, chapter one, verses one thru eight.

Commentary: Four Young Israelites at the Babylonian Court (Daniel, 1:1-8).

Papal Quote o' the Day

"Every apostolate is an action of Christ Himself; it cannot be exercised except under the impulse of the Spirit. The Spirit searches out the deep things of God. The Spirit also arouses in us an ineffable prayer & continues the salvific action of Christ through the Church's members."
—Pope Saint Paul VI (1897-1978, r. 1963-1978; feast: 29 May)

Saint Quote o' the Day

"Son, nothing in this world now affords me delight. I do not know what there is now left for me or why I am still here. All my hopes in this world being now fulfilled."
—Saint Monica (332-387, feast: 27 August)

Mother Teresa Quote o' the Day

"If peace & love are not allowed to take their rightful place at the table of negotiation, then hatred & anger will produce conflict that will continue for many years to come. It will solve nothing, & thousands of innocent lives will be lost. I ask you all to pray for peace. It is such an urgent priority."
—Saint Teresa of Calcutta, M.C. (1910-1997, feast: 5 September)

Archbishop Sheen Quote o' the Day

"We hate others, & call it 'zeal;' we flatter others because of what they can do for us, & call it 'love;' we lie to them, & call it 'tact.'"
—Venerable Fulton Sheen (1895-1979)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Goldfinger, "Superman" from Hang-Ups (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I've never played Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, which helped to popularize Goldfinger & "Superman." By contrast, I have seen every single episode the Superman: The Animated Series.

Bonus! Song o' the Day: SKAugust

The Hippos, "Don't Worry" from Forget the World (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Skammentary: I freely admit, without any shame, that throughout the first week of SKAugust the fiftieth anniversary of Apollo 15 was at the forefront of my mind. But now that that anniversary has passed, let the skanking begin in earnest!

"So, you know that everybody's going to
The ska shows when it used to be just you,
You feel betrayed, alone, left out,
All your favorite bands have all sold out.

"Don't worry,
I, I still love you,
Don't worry,
I, I still love you.

"Now you see them on M.T.V.,
No way they're gonna remember little old me,
What's become of your ska scene?
All the bands want money, all the bands are mean.

"Don't worry,
I, I still love you,
Don't worry,
I, I still love you.

"So please come to the show tonight,
I promise everything is gonna be alright,
Boys are gonna go start a pit,
But all you wanna do is dance, you're sick of this punk bit.

"Don't worry,
I, I still love you,
Don't worry,
I, I still love you."

The Explorers' Club, № DCCCXXXIII

Operation AXIOM: Destination Moon—The 50th Anniversary of Apollo 15, Part III
3-7 August 1971: The Falcon lifted off & docked with the Endeavour, which deployed the Particle & Fields Subsatellite (P.F.S.-1) before leaving lunar orbit; Worden conducted the first deep-space E.V.A. to retrieve film from the S.I.M. bay; the Endeavour splashed down in the Pacific & was recovered by the U.S.S. Okinawa; Scott, Worden, & Irwin were the first Moonwalking crew not to be quarantined.

Bonus! Moonshot Songs o' the Day: Apollo 15
The University of Michigan Marching Band, "I Want to Go Back to Michigan" from A Saturday Tradition (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

&

National Aeronautics & Space Administration, "Apollo 15 Excerpt 32" from The Apollo Missions (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Commentary: Endeavour is the Apollo Command Module in closest physical proximity to your humble narrator, residing as she does at the National Musem of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

Semper exploro.

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Reel Big Fish, "Take on Me" from BASEketball: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)

Saints + Scripture — Please Stand By

'Tis the Optional Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

'Tis the First Saturday o' the month: Wikipedia-link First Saturdays.

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Sixtus II, Pope, & Companions, Martyrs.

'Tis also the Optional Memorial of Saint Cajetan, Priest.

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

Bonus! Moonshot Songs o' the Day: Apollo 15

The University of Michigan Marching Band, "The Victors (trio)" from Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

&

National Aeronautics & Space Administration, "Apollo 15 Excerpt 29" from The Apollo Missions (Space Cadet Mike Papa DSKY)

Saints + Scripture: The Transfiguration of the Lord

The Popish Plot
"Searching Catholicism: Where Do Catholics…?, Part 2"

'Tis the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

Saint Quote o' the Day

"At His Transfiguration Christ showed His disciples the splendor of His beauty, to which He will shape & color those who are His."
—Saint Thomas Aquinas, O.P. (1225-1274, feast: 28 January)

Bonus! Song o' the Day: The Transfiguration of the Lord
Sufjan Stevens, "The Transfiguration (Home Demo Version)" from Sufjan Stevens Invites You To: Come On Feel the ILLINOISE (A.K.A. Illinois) (Saint Mike Papa Whiskey)

The Rebel Black Dot Song o' the Day: SKAugust

Catch 22, "Point the Blame" from Alone in a Crowd (Rude Boy Mike Papa Whiskey)