Birthday greetings to nephew Daniel's wife, Kirstie, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
28 February 2023
Birthday Blessings, William!!!
Birthday greetings to grandson William Christopher, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Lent with St. Clare: First Tuesday
"As a noble woman, Clare would have been expected to marry for the sake of uniting upper-class families in Assisi. She repeatedly rebuffed suitors, however, to the frustration of her family. One of her suitors even gave his testimony during her cause for canonization, saying she told him of her intention to be a bride of Christ. Clare's determination not to bow to societal norms certainly was not embraced by her family. But it is a good reminder that sometimes we know the paths of our lives best and must follow our hearts."
The Gospel Plowboys: "When My Savior Reached Down for Me"
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of The Gospel Plowboys presenting "When My Savior Reached Down for Me":
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of the alms offered during this holy season of Lent.
Bishop Tobin on What We Wear and What It Means
"Perhaps you saw the national news story about a group of Catholic school students who were “kicked-out” of the Smithsonian Museum for wearing hats that said “Rosary Pro-Life.” The students explained to the security guards that the hats were being used to identify their large group and to keep it together. They were expelled, nonetheless. We applaud the students for the calm and respectful way they responded to this confrontation and also for their commitment to life – they had just attended the March for Life.
"The incident points to the fact that in our popular culture we often wear something that reflects our belief or our loyalty. .".
.
In a recent commentary, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin, of the Diocese of Providence
(RI), reflected on the meaning of the ashes we wore on Ash Wednesday..
To access Bishop Tobin's complete essay, please visit:
The Imitation of Christ: What You Wear And What It Means (16 FEB 93)
Reflection Starter from Bl. Daniel Brottier
"We must press on with total confidence in God. Either we have faith or we don't have faith." - Blessed Daniel Brottier, whose memory the Church celebrates today (28 February)
27 February 2023
ICMA on Workforce Trends to Watch in 2023
"City and county managers in local governments across the United States, along with state governments and other public service organizations, faced yet another challenging year in 2022. At the same time, public service leaders have gained important insights on approaches to workforce management and support while attracting new talent."
A recent article in the International City/County Management Association's PM Magazine reported on recent research by MissionSquare Research Institute that highlights six key strategies and actions public service employers can take in 2023 to be employers of choice as they look to attract and retain the next generation of state and local government workers. These steps include customizing recruitment appeals, maintaining retirement plan funding, and taking a holistic view (including being mindful of mental health, stress, and other employee concerns
To access the complete article, please visit:
Lent with St. Clare: First Monday
"St. Clare's life was not easy. From the struggle to follow her religious vocation, to the physical suffering she experienced throughout her life, to the pope's ongoing resistance to approving her rule for the sisters, she continually pushed forward with strength. It would have been understandable if at any point she gave up the fight. Yet she persevered out of the love she had for Christ.
"What a powerful example of leaning into, rather than away from, one's faith for support during times of suffering"
Robert Royal on Having a Good/Bad Lent
"There are many ways of being a pilgrim, only one of which is to go physically to some special - preferably tried and true and holy - destination. That's my favorite way, since (at least in theory), it gets body, mind, and spirit all moving in the same direction. In practice, of course, it's more complicated than that because, in a fallen world, human life has become complicated. Even at the natural level, people we meet every day are often engaged in enormous struggles just to be normal. And at the spiritual level, the pathways get steep and rocky. Fast.
"Lent should remind us - we're often told - that all of us are on a spiritual pilgrimage, whether we know it or not. It's good to be reminded of that, but it can make it seem that a 'good' Lent will be orderly, peaceful, gently leading us to 'see God' more clearly. That's so, sometimes. But is a 'good Lent' only one that meets our expectations? Strangely, sometimes a 'bad' Lent can be better.”
In a recent commentary, Robert Royal, editor-in-chief of The Catholic Thing and president of the Faith & Reason Institute (Washington, DC), reflected on some of the factors related to having a good Lenten observance..
To access his complete post, please visit:
Reflection Starter from St. Mary MacKillop
"If disappointed, don't say hard things. Only think a little, pray a little, and try to remember that God will bring about what is best in God's own time." - Saint Mary MacKillop
26 February 2023
Lent with St. Clare: First Sunday of Lent
"For most people, love carries some sort of romantic connotation. Love, though, is much broader than that. A shining example of that is Clare's love for Christ. She and Francis also had very loving relationship. Yet neither of those fit the traditional definition to which we often default. Lent is a perfect time for us to delve into the deeper meaning of this emotion.
"The challenge we face is to seek out that deeper meaning and the ways in which we can manifest it in our lives.
"Jesus, Tempted in the Desert"
As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of "Jesus, Tempted in the Desert":
First Sunday of Lent
Today the Church celebrates the First Sunday of Lent. The assigned readings
are Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7; 1 Romans 5:12-19; and Matthew 4:1-11. The
Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 51 (Psalm 51:3-6, 12=14, 17).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Psalm 51: Be Merciful, O Lord
The Gospel reading is as follows:
At that time Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread." He said in reply, "It is written: 'One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.'"
Then the devil took him to the holy city, and made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written: 'He will command his angels concerning you and with their hands they will support you, lest you dash your foot against a stone.'" Jesus answered him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord, your God, to the test.'" Then the devil took him up to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in their magnificence, and he said to him, "All these I shall give to you, if you will prostrate yourself and worship me." At this, Jesus said to him, "Get away, Satan! It is written: 'The Lord, your God, shall you worship and him alone shall you serve.'"
Then the devil left him and, behold, angels came and ministered to him.
Reflections related to these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: First Sunday of Lent
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: 1st Sunday in Lent (February 26, 2023)
Community in Mission: Flee to the Truth When Tempted - A Homily for the First Sunday of Lent (25 FEB 23)
Benedictine College: This Sunday, Don't Be Like Adam and Eve; Be Like Jesus (23 FEB 23)
Magis Center for Catholic Spirituality: First Sunday of Lent
Word on Fire: Time to Get Back to Basics (Cycle A * 1st Week of Lent)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You touched our hearts during the recent Ash Wednesday observance.
Msgr. Pope on Ash Wednesday Breaking the Rules of Modern Churchthink
"Modern Evangelization methods and parish 'mission and vision statements' seem almost exclusively focused on staying 'positive.' Keywords include: welcoming, inclusion, and diversity. Yes indeed, come to our lovely parishes, we are a welcoming, embracing and joyful faith family! or so the sayings go. Still-shrinking numbers suggest most people aren't buying it and don't find the vision compelling.
"And then comes Ash Wednesday, a wildly popular day
that isn't even a Holy Day of Obligation, and it breaks every rule of
the typically modern parish plan. Numbers aren't just slightly higher on
Ash Wednesday, they are remarkably higher."
In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the serious message of Ash Wednesday and some of the ways in which this message commands respect and encourages response.
To access Msgr. Pope's complete post, please visit:
Community in Mission: Ash Wednesday Breaks All the Rules of Modern Churchthink (24 FEB 23)
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"During Lent we are called to respond to God's gift by accepting his word, which is 'living and active' (Heb 4:12). Regular listening to the Word of God makes us open and docile to his working and bears fruit in our lives." - Pope Francis
25 February 2023
Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass: "This Guy's In Love With You"
As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass presenting "This Guy's In Love With You":
Lent with St. Clare: Saturday after Ash Wednesday
"As a member of the noble class, St. Clare had the finest goods available
to her - clothes, food, shelter. Yet she often shunned those possessions
and shared what she had with the less fortunate. She understood that God
was found not in worldly possessions
but rather in our character and how we treat others. Many of us can
fulfill not only our needs, but also many of our wants. The challenge is
remembering that material goods and the clamor of the world often do
not feed our spirits, which is most important.
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of those who are present to and/or reach out and minister to senior citizens.
Cerith Gardiner on a Young Boy's Touching Generosity
"A recent post from Wales Online shared a beautiful act of kindness by a young boy called Olly. While not much is known about the schoolboy, his generous heart has garnered much attention.
"The short post explains that while Olly was out
buying himself a treat with pocket money that his grandmother had given
him for his 'good behavior,' he spotted an elderly woman in need. . . ."
In a recent commentary, writer Cerith Gardiner
reflected how this schoolboy inspires with his kind heart and gives us something to focus on during this Lenten season.
To access Ms. Gardiner's complete post, please visit:
Aleteia: Cerith Gardiner: Young boy's touching generosity underlines the plight of seniors today (25 FEB 23)
Reflection Starter from St. Thérèse of Lisieux
"True charity consists in bearing all our neighbour's defects - not being surprised at their weakness, but edified at their smallest virtues." - Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (Saint Thérèse de Lisieux)
24 February 2023
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2 in C minor
It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 2 in C minor, Op. 17, as played by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Mariss Jansons:
The Symbolism of Ashes
February 22nd is Ash Wednesday, and for those who can, finding an Ash Wednesday service is a great way to mark the start of Lent. The ritual of receiving ashes on the forehead dates to the Middle Ages but contains symbolism rooted in the Old Testament, when ashes signified mourning, mortality, and penance.
In one of the many examples of ashes being referenced in the Old Testament, the King of Nineveh responded to Jonah's call for conversion and repentance by covering himself in sackcloth and sitting in a pile of ashes. That took place in the 5th Century B.C., prefiguring Christ's words to the people of those towns who had heard His message of salvation and witnessed His miracles yet still refused to repent. Christ chastised those towns when He said, "If the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes." (Luke 10:13)
The early Church perpetuated the symbolism of ashes in connection with penance, and by the 8th Century, a custom had developed in which people facing death would lie upon sackcloth and have ashes sprinkled upon them. A priest would then bless them with holy water and say, "Remember that thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return." Afterwards, the priest would ask, "Art thou content with sackcloth and ashes in testimony of thy penance before the Lord in the day of judgement?" The answer for believers would invariably be "yes" because they understood the need to turn to God with humble and contrite hearts.
Also in the 8th Century, the Gregorian Sacramentary references a Day of Ashes marking the beginning of Lent, and a quote from the Anglo-Saxon priest Aelfric dating to around 1,000 A.D. reads, "Now let us do this little at the beginning of our Lent that we strew ashes upon our heads to signify that we ought to repent of our sins during the Lenten fast."
So, we see that the practice of using ashes to signify the start of Lent evolved from a long tradition. Today, we get our ashes from the burned palm branches of the previous year's Palm Sunday, which symbolizes repentance because the Palms were used to welcome Christ. By marking ourselves with ashes of burned palms, we acknowledge that we have fallen short of fully welcoming Christ into our lives.
The history of Ash Wednesday helps to shed light on why Lent is a time for reflection upon our standing before God. Christ called for repentance, fulfilling the call of the Old Testament prophets and John the Baptist. He did this because He understood that people had to renounce the world to fully welcome Him into their lives. But Christ also understood that we needed help in the effort to prepare ourselves for the perfect love God wants to shower upon us. So, we repent not because we expect to earn our way into a state of grace, but simply to do our part to be prepared to receive Christ's selfless gift.
Therefore, we humble ourselves with ashes to begin our preparations for the celebration of the coming of Christ into our lives at Eastertime. The ashes remind us of our humanity as imperfect people in need of salvation. And as with so many things in our faith, humility opens a window onto the wisdom of God so that we can be transformed by His tremendous love for us.
This essay is this week's "Light One Candle"
column, written by Fr. Ed Dougherty, M.M, of The Christophers' Board of Directors; 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 Norman Vincent Peale
"There is a real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment." - Rev. Norman Vincent Peale
23 February 2023
On Weeds and Life, Quotes that Changed History, and Other Topics
A number of articles/posts have recently been published on a variety of subjects worth considering.
To access some of these, please visit:
LifeCraft: Weeds and Life (18 AUG 21)
Bloombuerg CityLab: In (and Above) Beverly Hills, Police Are Watching (19 JAN 23)
The New Yorker: The Mexican Firefighting Crew That Saves Lives Across the Border (14 FEB 23)
Moss and Fog: The World's Oldest Restaurant Has Been in Operation for Over 1200 Years (18 JAN 23)
Smithsonian Magazine: The History of How School Buses Became Yellow
Psychology Today: 10 Things to Stop Doing Today! (October 2022)
Lent with St. Clare: Thursday after Ash Wednesday
"When Clare left her home, she was completely alone. For a brief time, she met with Francis and his brothers and then took refuge with a community of religious sisters. In essence, however, she was charting her own path. Her desire was to live out her faith in a new way - a life that embraced poverty and prayer.
"Eventually she would be joined by her sister, Catherine, soon to be
known as Agnes, and other women. For each of us, even though we are part
of the greater faith community, our faith journey is an individual one.
Like Clare, we must decide how to live our faith.
Art Tatum: "I Got Rhythm"
It's time for some jazz, a genre of music I enjoy. Here is a presentation of "I Got Rhythm" by Art Tatum:
Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, on Jesus' Call to Perfection
"When I was a junior at North Catholic High School (Philadelphia, PA), I remember our Christian Morality teacher began the course by quoting the Scripture passage many of us heard last weekend, 'Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect' (Matthew 5:48). As a 16-year-old average student, this teaching seemed out of reach; it seemed impossible. I kept asking myself, 'How can anyone be perfect?' I believed that perfection meant being better than others, being without any problems, going through life minus struggles and sins. With that definition in my mind, I reasoned that only Jesus and the saints were perfect. Perhaps Jesus did not mean for his followers to take this so literally.
"Today, I think I have a better understanding of this teaching. Jesus
really did mean what he said. He does not want us to be 'average' or 'pretty good.' He wants perfection! . . ."
In
a recent commentary, Father Jack Kolodziej,
OSFS, reflected on the importance of separating the call of Jesus to be our best (to become perfected and to grow in holiness) and the psychological pressure to be flawless.
To access Fr. Kolodziej's complete post, please visit:
De Sales Weekly: Provincial's Reflection: Perfection (23 FEB 23)
Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales
"God will lead us to perfection one step at a time." - Saint Francis de Sales
22 February 2023
Lent with St. Clare: Ash Wednesday
"Today is the start of our Lenten journey. On our foreheads we wear ashes,
a sign that we are made of dust and to dust we shall return. Such an
outward sign conveys a message that words do not. When St. Clare of
Assisi left her home under cover of night, she had Francis cut off her
long hair, signaling her departure from her previous life and entrance
into her new one. We are now entering a new season of our faith.
Pope Francis' Message for Lent 2023
"The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke all recount the episode of the Transfiguration of Jesus. There we see the Lord's response to the failure of his disciples to understand him. Shortly before, there had been a real clash between the Master and Simon Peter, who, after professing his faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, rejected his prediction of the passion and the cross. Jesus had firmly rebuked him: 'Get behind me, Satan! You are a scandal to me, because you do not think according to God, but according to men!' (Mt 16:23). Following this, 'six days later, Jesus took with him Peter, James and John his brother and led them away to a high mountain' (Mt 17:1).
"The Gospel of the Transfiguration is proclaimed every year on the Second Sunday of Lent. During this liturgical season, the Lord takes us with him to a place apart. While our ordinary commitments compel us to remain in our usual places and our often repetitive and sometimes boring routines, during Lent we are invited to ascend 'a high mountain' in the company of Jesus and to live a particular experience of spiritual discipline - ascesis - as God's holy people."
In his message for Lent 2022, Pope Francis is encouraging us to to persevere in the commitment of our Lenten penance and in our ascent with the Lord.
To access his complete message, please visit:
The Vatican: Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for Lent 2023
Related commentary:
Catholic News Agency: Pope Francis' message for Lent 2023: 'We need to listen to Jesus' (17 FEB 23)"Savior, When in Dust to Thee"
As we continue our observance of Ash Wednesday, I offer this version of "Savior, When in Dust to Thee":
Ash Wednesday
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the holy season of Lent. The assigned readings
are Joel 2:12-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; and Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18. The
Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 51 (Psalm 51: 3-6, 12-14, 17).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm: Ash Wednesday "Psalm 51".
The Gospel reading is as follows:
Jesus said to his disciples: "Take care not to perform righteous
deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no
recompense from your heavenly Father. When you give alms, do not blow a
trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have
received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand
know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret.
And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and
pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see
them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you
pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in
secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
"When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect
their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting.
Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast,
anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be
fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees
what is hidden will repay you."
Reflections on today's observance:
National Catholic Register: Pope Francis on Ash Wednesday: Lent is a Time for Conversion and Interior Renewal (2 MAR 22)
Crossroads Initiative: Repentance & God's Mercy - Ash Wednesday
The Deacon's Bench: Marked for Lent: Homily for March 2, 2022, Ash Wednesday (1 MAR 22)
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