Anthony Braxton Trio Presentation

It's time for some jazz, a genre of music I enjoy. Here is a presentation by Anthony Braxton and associates:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which our physical world reflects Your awesomeness.

Fr. Patrick Briscoe, O.P., on Gospel Healing Accounts and Our Own Faith

"Diptychs, that is, two panels joined by a hinge, were a popular form of art in the middle ages. The two images could be closed and protected, making it possible to travel with them. Furthermore, the two panels support each other. Rather than resting alone upright, the joined panels make it possible to easily display the diptych, offering a little resilience and structural security. Finally, according to the plans of the artist or benefactor, the images on each panel were designed to be complementary, speaking to each other.

"[Last Sunday’s] Gospel presents a diptych, two examples of professing faith. Joined by the hinge of faith, Jairus and the woman cured of a hemorrhage, embody the two facades of the one united act of faith. These two examples of faith are complementary, each illuminating the other. Like a diptych, the two corresponding figures are a set, a pair."

In a recent commentary, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on some of the ways healing accounts in the Gospels can can teach us about our own faith.

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit: 

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: What the 2 healings of today's Gospel teach us about our own faith (27 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from Fulton Sheen

"To materialists this world is opaque like a curtain; nothing can be seen through it. A mountain is just a mountain, a sunset just a sunset; but to poets, artists, and saints, the world is transparent like a window pane - it tells of something beyond. . . . a mountain tells of the Power of God, the sunset of His Beauty, and the snowflake of His Purity." - Ven. Fulton Sheen

"Let Us Praise the Lord"

As we continue our holy day celebration, I offer this version of the Virgin Mary & Saint John Coptic Orthodox Church (Bayonne, NJ) Three Saintly Youth team presenting "Let Us Praise the Lord":

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Apostles. The assigned readings are Acts 12:1-11; 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 17-18; and Matthew 16:13-19. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 34 (Psalm 34:2-9).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"

They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”"

Jesus said to him in reply, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Reflections on this feast day:

Franciscan Media: Saint of the Day: Saints. Peter and Paul

Crossroads Initiative: Peter & Paul - Disciples First

National Catholic Register: Pope Francis on Feast of Saints Peter and Paul: 'Only Prayer Unlocks Chains' (29 JUN 20)

Magis Center for Catholic Spirituality: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

Whispers in the Loggia: On Peter and Paul, "Tradition," "Temptations"... and "Empty Triumphalism" (29 JUN 18) 

Community in Mission: Five Lessons on Faith From Peter's Time in Jail (28 JUN 18)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of the virtue of temperance.

Br. Basil Burroughs, O.P., on Spiritual Beauty

"Men long to be beautiful. We want others to be drawn to the excellence they notice in us. Striving to make ourselves attractive, we labor to build for ourselves an appealing physique, style, or charisma. We tend to equate our desirability with this well-crafted display, ignoring a lesson about beauty taught by St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John the Baptist.

"This lesson is that true beauty accompanies temperance. According to St. Thomas, a man's beauty consists in his actions 'being well proportioned in respect of the spiritual clarity of reason' (ST II-II q. 145, a. 2). Spiritual beauty, also known as honestas or honorableness, is a specifically human way of being beautiful. It gives a man's conduct claritas or radiance, which manifests to others the meaning of being human."

In a recent commentary, Brother Basil Burroughs, O.P., reflected on how St. John the Baptist embodied St. Thomas' teaching on temperance and beauty.

To access Br. Basil's complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: John the Beautiful (23 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from the Letter to the Philippians

". . . I have learned, in whatever situation I find myself, to be self-sufficient. I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me." - Philippians 4:11-13

Doubletake: "That's Life"

It's time for some more barbershop harmony. Here is a presentation of "That's Life" by Doubletake:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for creating each of us and calling us to be Your partners.

Bishop Tobin on Our Lives - Meaningless or Meaningful?

"I was driving home from work the other day when I heard the song, 'Dust in the Wind,' recorded by the American rock band, Kansas, in 1977. It's a tidy little song with a serious theme. Specifically, are all of our dreams, all of our works just dust in the wind? Are we just a 'drop of water in an endless sea?'

"Truth be told there’s a pretty strong Scriptural foundation for the song's reflections. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the importance of keeping our time here on earth in perspective.

To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:

The Imitation of Christ: Are We Just Dust In The Wind? (17 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

"The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become." - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

'A Blast from the Past'

From "a number of years ago" (and a little out of focus): There was a time when Rocky Point Amusement Park was operating in Warwick, RI. One of its features was the Shore Dinner Hall, which also had a busy takeout window. Our young family would periodically go there for clam cakes and chowder (and possibly something else). We would then relax outside, typically on the pier or on the nearby rocks. It just so happens that sometimes certain young people would toss clam cakes to seagulls, who would snatch and eat them on the fly:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of the body You have given each of us.

Msgr. Pope on Letting Go of Our Obsession with Having the Perfect Body

"Please permit  some musings on the obsession that many of us have with achieving the perfect body ourselves.

Let me start by saying (with all the good humor I can summon) that I do not have a perfect body. In fact, I have become increasingly dissatisfied with my appearance over the years as I gain weight, lose hair, and watch the gray eclipse the dark brown of what hair I do have left. Fatigue and sore joints are also increasingly my lot.

Yes, I am well aware that my body is far from perfect and is steadily 'heading south.' . . .Spiritually, I am now younger, more confident, and stronger, even as my body ages—thank you, Lord. And Lord, please spare me from the obsession with having the perfect body.

"Our culture’s obsession with the perfect body has terrible effects upon those who are younger as well. . . ."

In a recent commentary based on the advice given by Saint Gregory in his Pastoral Rule, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on some of the reason's for our culture's obsession with having the perfect body and on the reality of the effects of aging.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Letting Go of Our Obsession with Having the Perfect Body (23 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"How often we leave the Lord in a corner, at the bottom of the boat of life, to wake Him only in a moment of need! Let us ask for the grace of a faith that never tires of seeking the Lord, of knocking at the door of his heart." - Pope Francis

Everly Brothers: "Let It Be Me"

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of the Everly Brothers presenting "Let It Be Me":

On Learning to Trust God, Being Grounded in a Merciful God, and Other Catholic-related Items

A number of articles/posts have recently been published on a variety of Catholic-related subjects worth considering.

To access some of these, please visit:

Light One Candle: How Kathy Izard Learned to Trust God After a Medical and Spiritual Emergency (25 MAY 21)

National Catholic Register: Blogs: Regis Martin: "Chance or Dance?" - Your Life is Miraculously Grounded in a Merciful God (25 FEB 21)

U.S. Catholic: Blessed are those without a home. (March 2021)

The Deacon's Bench: Andy Warhol, Catholic (15 OCT 19)

Catholic News Agency: Sisters of Life: 'You are irreplaceable', just like the child in the womb (15 MAY 21)

Aleteia: Edifa: 4 Ways to increase the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life (23 MAY 21)

The Gregorian Institute at Benedictine College: Tom Hoopes: If Everyone Did This, the Church Crisis Would End (1 JUN 21)

Catholic Missionary Disciples: 5 Reasons Everyone In Ministry Needs a Mentor or Coach

Saint Josemaría Escrivá

Today (26 June) the Church celebrates the memory of one of my favorite saints - Saint Josemaría Escrivá. St. Josemaria is the founder of Opus Dei, a lay movement through which Catholics are encouraged to sanctify themselves through their (secular) work.

As a priest in the late 1920's, Fr. Escriva would talk about a universal call to holiness. While this is one thing the Church has always encouraged, it wasn't always put in those terms. Now one can often hear this term expressed.

I think one of the things that initially drew me to him was his outlook on the spirituality of work. He spoke and wrote about sanctifying work - working with the spirit of Jesus Christ, doing work well and ethically with the aim of loving God and serving others. In doing so, one sanctifies the world from within, making the Gospel present in all activities whether they be outstanding or humble and hidden. In the eyes of God, St. Josemaria would encourage, what matters is the love that is put into work, not its human success.

The spirit of Opus Dei focuses on the themes of Divine filiation (referring to the Christian being a child of God by virtue of baptism), ordinary life ("It is in the midst of the most material things of the earth," said St. Josemaria, "that we must sanctify ourselves, serving God and all mankind."), sanctifying work, prayer and sacrifice, unity of life (as St. Josemaría explained: Christians should not live "a kind of double life. On the one hand, an interior life, a life of union with God; and on the other, a separate and distinct professional, social and family life. . . . There is just one life, made of flesh and spirit. And it is this life which has to become, in both soul and body, holy and filled with God."), freedom (acting with freedom and personal responsibility, respecting the freedom and the opinions of others), and charity.

Many years ago I used to participate in the monthly Opus Dei prayer meetings at St. Sebastian Church in Providence (there is another term for the gathering, but it escapes me at this time). It was a good time, prayerful and reflective. The men in the group were a great group, who collectively had their priorities straight. Unfortunately, I had to pull back from this because I was somewhat overcommitted, but I do appreciate being part of the group for the period of time I was there.

For move information about St. Josemaria, visit:

Saint Josemaria Escriva

For move information about Opus Dei, visit:

Opus Dei

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of workers who put in extra effort (above and beyond minimum requirements) to serve people entrusted to them.

Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP, on Catholics in Hollywood

"When I moved to Los Angeles, I discovered that the general perception about Hollywood by people outside Southern California is of glamorous celebrities, powerful studio executives, Beverly Hills, and, of course, the Oscars, but not necessarily a place where faith informs entertainment. I meet people who believe that Hollywood is anti-religious or pushing agendas contrary to a Christian worldview, a creator of cultural artifacts that demean the human person and destroy morals.

"There are definitely those elements present, but it is not the case for every film set or person working in the industry. There are many whose faith informs their craft; they want to make a difference by telling stories that uplift and inspire.  

"Hollywood, and the industry it represents, is a place where art, creativity, and storytelling come together. It is also a place populated by searchers. . . ."

In a recent article in St. Anthony Messenger, Sister Nancy Usselmann, FSP, profiled seven prominent persons in Hollywood who shared their experiences of being Catholic in the movie industry.

To access the complete St. Anthony Messenger article, please visit:

St. Anthony Messenger: Catholics in Hollywood (June/July 2021)

Reflection Starter from St. Josemaría Escrivá

"To begin is easy; to persevere is sanctity.- Let your perseverance not be a blind consequence of the first impulse, the work of inertia: let it be a reflective perseverance." - Saint Josemaría Escrivá

National Pollinator Week

This week, the week of 21-27 June, is being observed as National Pollinator Week, an observance designed to be a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what communities and individuals can do to protect them.

Background information:

National Pollinator Week Proclamation by Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland

Pollinator Partnership

Pollinator Pathways

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Pollinators

 

Johann Nepomuk Hummel: Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major

It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Johann Nepomuk Hummel's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat major, as presenteded by the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music Symphony:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the grace to forgive others from our hearts.

Grace From the Rubble

My last column documented Jeanne Bishop's determination to follow in Jesus' footsteps by forgiving  David Biro, the teenager who had murdered her sister, believing him to be a repentant and changed man  after 23 years in prison. That experience led Jeanne to share other stories of mercy as well, as she does  in her Christopher Award-winning book Grace From the Rubble. It was inspired by Jeanne's friendship  with Bud Welch, whose daughter Julie was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Perpetrated by Timothy McVeigh in the hopes of inspiring a revolution against the U.S. government, the attack killed 168 people.

Bud was especially close to Julie, whose Catholic faith sustained her. She attended Mass and received the Eucharist daily. After the bombing, Bud was filled with hate for McVeigh and began "blackout drinking" every day, leading the customers at his gas station to say, "You are killing yourself with this hate." He responded, "The sooner I die, the sooner I get to Heaven to see Julie again."

During a Christopher Closeup interview, Jeanne noted that Bud eventually came to see "that grief and rage were consuming him." After reflecting on McVeigh's motives, Bud realized that executing him would just be "more retaliation, more revenge, more bloodshed. Where does this cycle end? It has to stop. It has to stop with me."

That epiphany led Bud to more deeply embrace his own Catholic faith, as well as vocally oppose the death penalty for Timothy. He also felt motivated to reach out to Bill McVeigh, Timothy's father, who lived near Buffalo, New York, and was also a Catholic. Bud traveled to Bill's home and came to know him as a quiet, humble man who was shocked and appalled by what his son had done. Timothy had grown up as an unremarkable kid who never got in trouble, but he got radicalized after joining the military and befriending the two other men who would be his co-conspirators.

Bud told Bill, "I don't hate your son. I don't want him to die. I don't hate you. I don't blame you as a father for what he did, and I'm going to do everything I can to try to stop this killing in my daughter's name."

Bill deeply appreciated this. He understood that Timothy deserved life in prison, but his heart broke at the thought of him being executed. In the end, the efforts to spare Timothy from execution proved futile. An argument can be made that he got what he deserved, but Jeanne believes that after several decades in prison, he would have repented of his crime. "Instead," she added, "we executed him before he had a chance to be sorry, to express that remorse, because he never did."

The story of Bud and Bill - and Jeanne's experience with David Biro - find their roots in Jesus on the cross saying, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do." Jeanne concluded, "Once when I was talking on the radio about this story, this woman called in very angry, and she said, 'You're telling me I have to forgive, and I never forgive the person who murdered my brother.' And I said, 'I'm not telling you that you have to forgive. I'm telling you I had to forgive.' I don't know how people do this without that Holy Spirit of God working on your heart and changing it. I can only tell you, I don't think I could have done it without that."

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column written by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications, The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.

Background information:

The Christophers

Reflection Starter from St. Louis de Montfort

"God is a spring of living water which flows unceasingly into the hearts of those who pray." - Saint Louis Mary Grignion de Montfort

Wildfire: "Ol' Man River"

It's time for some more barbershop harmony. Here is a presentation of "Ol' Man River" by Wildfire:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing various types of sacred space available that allow us to spend time with You.

Zelda Caldwell on Fr. Len Black's Shed/Chapel

"A Catholic priest who transformed a garden shed into a chapel is a finalist in the Cuprinol shed manufacturer's 2021 'Shed of the Year' competition, reported The Tablet.

"The contest, which dubs itself a celebration 'of the great British shed in all its forms,' invites participants to share how they've transformed a simple garden shed into something spectacular."

In a recent commentary, writer Zelda Caldwell reflected on Father Len Black (Inverness, Scotland) and his shed that has been converted into a sacred space.

To access her complete post, please visit:

Aleteia: Zelda Caldwell: Catholic priest's chapel is finalist in "Shed of the Year" competition (18 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from Henry Miller

"The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself." - Henry Miller

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/henry-miller-quotes

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/henry-miller-quotes

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/henry-miller-quotes

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/henry-miller-quotes

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/henry-miller-quotes

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/henry-miller-quotes

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. Henry Miller
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/henry-miller-quotes

Fire/EMS Safety Stand Down 2021

This week, the week of 20-26 June, is being observed as Fire/EMS Safety Stand Down 2021. an observance designed to highlight critical safety, health, and survival issues for fire and emergency services personnel. This year’s theme, "Rebuild Rehab," focuses on the critical importance of physical and psychological rehab to mitigate the physiological and mental impacts of firefighting. The goal is to make sure everyone is ready to respond to the next emergency. The expectation is that departments will re-visit rehab procedures to ensure that post-incident protocol covers all areas of health and safety, including cardiac, nutrition, exposure, psychological, hydration, and heat stress.

Fire departments throughout the U.S. are encouraged to suspend all non-emergency activity during Safety Week and to focus entirely on survival training and education until all shifts and personnel have participated.

For additional information related to Fire/EMS Safety Stand Down, please visit:

Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week

IAFC Safety, Health and Survival Section

NVFC Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program

Buddy Rich: "Birdland"

It's time for some jazz, a genre of music I enjoy. Here is a presentation of "Birdland" by the Buddy Rich Band:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your faithfulness.

Fr. Patrick Briscoe, O.P., on Ways to Understand God as Father

"Stop and reflect today on what it really means to call God 'Father.' . . . 

"The ancient understanding of God as 'father' is linked to God as creator. In the Scriptures, God is the author of life, the maker of all things. . . .

"The one who created life does not hesitate to re-fashion us in new life. With the advent of sin, the coming of brokenness into the world, God the Father works to restore us to life. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on some of the ways we can understand God as Father, including God as creator, God as provider, and God's faithfulness.

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit: 

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: 4 Ways to understand God as Father (20 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from C. S. Lewis

"To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you." - C. S. Lewis

Back Woods Road Band: "Peace in the Valley"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of  Back Woods Road Band presenting "Peace in the Valley":

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of clouds.

Br. Juan Macias Marquez, O.P., on Pride Leading Us Away from God

"The meaning of the term pride has turned topsy-turvy in our day. We tell aspiring youths to take pride in what they do. We exalt those who are proud of their accomplishments. We also encourage people to take pride in who they are and in the communities they come from. 

"While pride can signify something proper and laudable, we often forget that pride can also signify a most insidious vice that Christians have always known to be the source and cause of all sins (ST II-II q. 162, a. 8). And we frequently fail to distinguish the two. All too often we slip from rightly appreciating our accomplishments and thanking God for them to lusting after the glory and honor that comes with such accomplishments as if they were attained only by the sweat of our brow."

In a recent commentary, Brother Juan Macias Marquez, O.P., reflected on pride as a distortion of one's understanding of the nature of reality and on the importance of appreciating God’s gifts in our lives.

To access Br. Juan Macias' complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: Why Doth "Pride Cometh Before the Fall?" (16 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from Abraham Maslow

"Appreciate again and again, freshly and naively, the basic goods of life, with awe, pleasure, wonder and even ecstasy, however stale these experiences may have become to others." - Abraham Maslow

National Lightning Safety Awareness Week

This week, the week of 20-26 June, is being observed as National Lightning Safety Awareness Week.

Summer is the peak season for what is considered one of the nation’s deadliest weather phenomena – lightning. However, lightning strikes year round. In the United States, an average of 47 people are killed each year by lightning. To date, there has been four deaths in 2020.

In addition, hundreds of people are permanently injured each year. People struck by lightning suffer from a variety of long-term, debilitating symptoms, including (but not limited to) memory loss, attention deficits, sleep disorders, chronic pain, numbness, dizziness, stiffness in joints, irritability, fatigue, weakness, muscle spasms, and depression.

For more information related to lightning safety, please visit:

National Weather Service: Overview: Lightning Safety

National Weather Service: Lightning Safety Tips and Resources

National Lightning Safety Council

Lightning Protection Institute

Insurance Information Institute: YouTube: Beyond Thunder Dumb: When Lightning Strikes…

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of stories, written and/or spoken, that help us to learn/reflect on something.

Bishop Tobin on Facing Setbacks

"My friend loves roses. She sometimes even sees them as a divine sign that prayers have been answered, courtesy of St. Therese. My friend has a beautiful little rosebush in her yard that she cares for with affection. Recently the buds were full and the rosebush about to blossom, so you can imagine her disappointment when, early one morning, she ventured outside expecting to see flowering roses, only to find them all gone, snipped off by hungry deer.

"It was a sad moment for my friend. I can't repeat what she said, but suffice it to say that she likes roses a whole lot more than she likes deer.

"This little domestic incident can serve as a parable with a few good lessons."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on the importance of keeping things in perspective when something bad happens, of being aware that some offenses we suffer are unintended, and of the value of starting over.

To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:

The Imitation of Christ: The Deer And The Rosebush: A Parable (10 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from Fulton Sheen

"Our Blessed Lord left the world without leaving any written message. His doctrine was Himself. Ideal and History were identified in Him. The truth that all other ethical teachers proclaimed, and the light that they gave to the world, was not IN them, but OUTSIDE them. Our Divine Lord, however, identified Divine Wisdom with Himself. It was the first time in history that it was ever done, and it has never been done since." - Ven. Fulton Sheen, (in The Life of Christ) 

'A Blast from the Past'

As we celebrate Father's Day and in remembrance of my father (who passed in 2006), I offer this these two photos. The first one, a little out of focus, is Dad at a family birthday celebration in May 1965. The second one (a side view) is from a bit later (possibly the late 1980's) at another family celebration (I don't remember what the occasion was).

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of our fathers, grandfathers, and others who have a father's influence on our lives.

Msgr. Pope on St. Gregory and the Balance of Love and Correction

"Applying salutary discipline, and balancing it with necessary consolations and encouragement is never an easy task. It is possible that [parents] can be too severe on their children, such that they become disheartened, and lack necessary self-esteem. But it is also possible that parents can be too lax such that their children become spoiled and lack proper self-discipline and humility. Hence Scripture seeking to balance teaching with encouragement says, Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4)

"Pastors too in their leadership of parishes need also to find proper balance, offering kindness, consolations, and encouragement and witness to their congregation, while not failing to properly rebuke sin and warn of its consequences  and of the coming judgment. . . ."

In a recent commentary based on the advice given by Saint Gregory in his Pastoral Rule, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the need for clarity with charity, and charity with clarity in balancing love and correction on the family level and on the pastoral level.

To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: On the Balance of Love and Correction according to St. Gregory. (15 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"Underlying all our strengths and weaknesses, stronger than all our past hurts and failures, or our fears and concerns about the future, there is this great truth: we are beloved sons and daughters." - Pope Francis

Carl Stamitz - Concerto for Flute and Orchestra in G major

It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Carl Stamitz's Concerto for Flute and Orchestra in G major, as presented by Orchestre la Bohème with Davide Baldo on flute, conducted by Giuseppe Montesano:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, fir the healing power of forgiveness.

Mercy in the Footsteps of Jesus

On April 7, 1990, Jeanne Bishop felt overjoyed for her sister Nancy and brother-in-law Richard, who  announced she was pregnant. The next morning, that joy turned to devastation when Jeanne received  a call saying that Nancy, Richard, and their unborn child had been murdered. Jeanne sobbed at the  news and raged at God, "Where were You when this happened?!"

It was only after police revealed a particular detail about the crime scene that Jeanne moved beyond her anger. During a Christopher Closeup interview about her memoir Change of Heart, she explained, "In Nancy's last moments, she had dragged herself across this basement floor where they'd been shot. . . . And next to where her husband lay dead, she had dipped her finger in her own blood and written the shape of a heart and the letter U, next to him: Love you. I knew that nothing but the presence of God in her last moments could explain the serenity, love, and strength to do that. . . . That changed everything for me. I knew the response to this could not be hate. It had to be something much bigger."

It took six months for the killer, David Biro, to be caught. He was only 16 years old and received a sentence of life without parole. Jeanne noted, "I had always opposed the death penalty, and I opposed [it] after my sister's murder, even more because I saw that shedding more blood . . . and creating another grieving family like mine was never going to heal us, that it was only going to drag me closer to who the murderer was."

Jeanne put Biro out of her mind for 20 years. She began work as a public defender in Cook County, Chicago, and kept running into people that prompted her to think about mercy more deeply. She came to see life without parole sentences for juveniles as "merciless [because] . . . it forecloses any possibility of redemption, change, and remorse." And when she once described Biro as "remorseless" to legal scholar Mark Osler, he responded, "How do you know? You've never even spoken to him."

Despite not feeling like reaching out to Biro, Jeanne did it anyway, explaining, "It was realizing that as Jesus hung on the cross, He was praying for the people who were killing Him, who had not apologized, who weren't sorry. And this was completely an act of trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus." Twenty-three years after the murder, Jeanne mailed Biro a letter saying, "I forgave you a long time ago, and I never told you. . . . I waited all these years for you to apologize to me. I'll go first. I'm sorry. And I'll come see you if you want."

Biro answered her letter with his own. Jeanne recalled, "It was his confession for the first time ever, and this expression of deep remorse, shame, regret, heartbreak. He had waited to hear from me because he didn't want to traumatize me by reaching out and having to see his name in the mailbox unexpected. It was his expression of empathy for my family . . . and inviting me to come and talk to him about what happened."

Jeanne visited Biro in prison, and has done so several times since then, because she believes he is truly repentant. She added, "At first, the guards didn't know . . . that I am the family member of the murder victims that brought [Biro] to that prison. Some of the guards have asked me about it, and I've gotten to give my Christian witness to them about this forgiveness."

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column written by Tony Rossi, Director of Communications, The Christophers; it is one of a series of weekly columns that deal with a variety of topics and current events.

Background information:

The Christophers

Reflection Starter from the Book of Proverbs

"All your ways may be straight in your own eyes,  but it is the LORD who weighs hearts." - Proverbs 21:2

National Waste and Recycling Workers Week

This week, the week of 13-19 June, is being observed as National Waste & Recycling Workers Week, an observance designed to celebrate and thank the women and men who work daily to keep our neighborhoods and streets safe and clean.

Background information:

Waste and Recycling Workers Week

Solid Waste Association of North America

 

Dan Walker: "Count On Me"

One of the treasures of New England is the great variety of music in our region. Some of this music (of whatever genre) is provided musicians from the region; other music is provided by artists visiting the region from other areas.

One such example is New Hampshire-based Dan Walker.

Background information:

Dan Walker Music

In this video, Dan Walker is presenting "Count on Me":

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Fr. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS, on Love of Neighbor

"'Cordial love of the neighbor does not consist in feelings. This love flows not from a heart of flesh but from the heart of our will.'

"These words from St. Jane de Chantal speak to the character of 'love of neighbor' that she envisions for the Sisters of the Visitation and for all who embrace Salesian spirituality.

"The virtue of 'cordiality' is central to Salesian Spirituality, for at its root is the Latin word for 'heart.' 'Heart love' is genuine, unfeigned, sincere, universal, and without condition. . . ."

In a recent commentary, V. Rev. Lewis S. Fiorelli, OSFS, reflected on the importance of our love of others, all others, being without exception, without condition.   .

To access his complete post, please visit:

De Sales Weekly: Provincial’s Reflection: Love of Neighbor (17 JUN 21)

Reflection Starter from St. Josemaría Escrivá

"Never make a decision without stopping to consider the matter in the presence of God." - Saint Josemaría Escrivá, (in The Way)

Birthday Blessings, Anthony!!!

Birthday greetings to nephew Anthony Ryan, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!

The Rippingtons: Jazz Mix

It's time for some jazz, a genre of music I enjoy. Here is a presentation by The Rippingtons:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of opportunities to change, by our faith, the flavor of daily living.

Fr. Patrick Briscoe, O.P., on Being Like Mustard Seeds

"Jesus, teaching his disciples, tells them that the Kingdom is like a mustard seed. When planted, the mustard seed is among the smallest. If you've never seen a mustard seed, it's smaller than a peppercorn! But the Lord says, 'once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.'

"The mustard seed foreshadows Christ's plan for the Church. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Patrick Briscoe, O.P., reflected on our calling to "transform the world; to change, by our faith, the flavor of daily living."

To access Fr Patrick's complete post, please visit: 

Aleteia: Fr. Patrick Briscoe, OP: Being like mustard seeds: adding flavor to daily living (13 JUN 21)