Masterpiece: "Everything's Coming Up Roses"

It's time for some more barbershop harmony. Here is a presentation of "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Masterpiece:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of the various genres of music.

Fr. Joe Newman, OSFS, on Love of God

"Love of God has never been easy for me. During formation and my early priesthood, I often felt like an imposter. I kept thinking I should be feeling more or doing more. People talked about being on fire and I would have settled for a slow burn. In addition to that, I was supposed to be formed in the tradition of Francis de Sales who wrote the book on loving God. His other classic is actually called the Treatise on the Love of God. When asked if I had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, I would often think, 'Well, I have a working relationship with Jesus Christ.'"

In a recent commentary, Father Joe Newman, OSFS, reflected on the relationship between love of God and love of neighbor..

To access Fr. Newman's complete post, please visit:

De Sales Weekly: Provincial's Reflection: Love of God (30 NOV 23)

Reflection Starter from John F. Kennedy

"Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy

Vermont Bluegrass Session Band: "Banks of the Ohio"

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 Vermont-based Vermont Bluegrass Session Band.

Background information:

Vermont Bluegrass Session Band

In this video, the Vermont Bluegrass Session Band is presenting "Banks of the Ohio":

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of those who minister in the dentistry field.

Cecilia Pigg on Balance in Advent

"Imagine the following situation drawn out in a comic strip. In the first panel, you see me hurrying to wash dishes with one hand as I stir the pots on the stove with the other. The next series of panels show me reading recipes, loading the dishwasher, and then typing in my shipping and billing information on Etsy to buy Christmas presents. . . .

"In the comic strip’s next-to-last panel, you see my face close-up, with a light bulb lit up over my head. Then in the final image, you see me gather my kids around me to read a story, after sending a text that says, 'I'd love to visit, see you soon' to my friend.

"What was the lightbulb moment in my life two weeks ago? I realized that I want to have a 'Mary' Advent this year, not a 'Martha' one. I want to spend my holiday season more focused on people than on the decorations, food, presents, etc. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, listening and engaging with Him. . . ."

In a recent commentary, writer Cecilia Pigg reflected on the ways in which one can focus on what is important during the season of Advent..

To access Ms. Pigg's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia; Cecilia Pigg: Advent helps make Christmas more about people than things (28 NOV 23)

Reflection Starter from Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Waiting is an art that our impatient age has forgotten. It wants to break open the ripe fruit when it has hardly finished planting the shoot. But all too often the greedy eyes are only deceived; the fruit that seemed so precious is still green on the inside, and disrespected hands ungratefully toss aside what has so disappointed them." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Petersens: "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of The Petersens presenting "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow":

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of opportunities to share the Gospel message.

Br. Jerome Masters, O.P., on Disc Golf and Discipleship

"If you ever have the joy of taking a drive through the Piney Woods of East Texas you'll find three things: pine trees, churches, and disc golf courses. The game of disc golf, for those who have no idea what it is, is similar to golf. Just replace the clubs and balls with frisbees and the holes in the ground with baskets, and you've got disc golf. I was introduced to the game by my brother-in-law in high school and was immediately hooked. I got to go out to the course, play 18 rounds and, if I had someone with me, have a pretty decent conversation."

In a recent commentary using the example of disc golf, Brother Jerome Masters, O.P., reflected on the importance of "creatively inviting people into the truth of the Gospel."

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

Dominicana: Disc Golf and Discipleship (28 NOV 23) 

Reflection Starter from Dorothy Day

"As we come to know the seriousness of the situation, the war, the racism, the poverty in our world, we come to realize that things will not be changed simply by words or demonstrations. Rather, it's a question of living one's life in a drastically different way." - Dorothy Day

The Jesters: "Oh Baby"

It’s time for some doo wop. In this video, The Jesters are presenting "Oh Baby":

 

Birthday Blessings, Evelyn!!!

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

Bishop Henning on Christ the King

"In business, education, politics and sports we crave and seek success. With success comes fame, prosperity, power. The successful set the standard and they bask in the glory. Do people remember the team that lost the 1924 World Series? Do people buy advice books from the executive of a failed company or give grant money to researchers who have never achieved tangible results? . . .

"In our own day, [the Solemnity of Christ the King] continues to challenge any ideology or dictator that would seek dominion over the human heart. But it also challenges each Christian by confronting us with the sight of a failed Messiah and a Crucified King. "

In a recent commentary, Bishop Richard G. Henning, the new bishop of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on how, as we celebrate this feats, we "look past the suffering and the appearance of defeat to the saving power of love."

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

The State of Hope: 'He saved others… (22 NOV 23)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of travel opportunities.

Reflection Starter from Felix Adler

"People may be said to resemble not the bricks of which a house is built, but the pieces of a picture puzzle, each differing in shape, but matching the rest, and thus bringing out the picture." - Felix Adler

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of the Office of Readings.

Msgr. Pope on Encouraging Words for These Times

"This past week in the Breviary, I have found certain readings in the Office of Readings to be helpful and encouraging in times like these. With Western culture collapsing and many in the Church seeking to adapt the Lord’s teaching to the modern (and collapsing) age, we need to stand firm, not loose heart and actively resist notions that seek to set aside what the Lord has clearly taught. . . ."

In a recent commentary Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on these readings and their reminder that this is a time in the Church for testing, that we are being refined and purified, that true repentance is hard to come by, and that tribulation produces future glory.

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

Community in Mission: A War Plan with a Word of Consolation for Weary Soldiers in the Lord's Army (21 NOV 23)

Reflection Starter from Pope Francis

"Jesus identifies with those who are hungry, thirsty, strangers, sick, and prisoners. He tells us that we are 'blessed' when we respond to these poverties with love - not turning away but drawing near to those in need." - Pope Francis

The Petersens: Our House

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of The Petersens presenting "Our House":

 

Thank You, Lord

 Thank you, Lord, for encouragement to pay forward the blessings we receive.

Be a Blessing from the Lord

Jesus told us that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love our neighbor. In today's world, we often seem to fall short on both counts. It's almost as if we need daily reminders to get in touch with the "better angels of our nature," to use Abraham Lincoln's term. While there are various ways to do this, I'd like to add one more to the mix: Volume 58 of The Christophers' annual "Three Minutes a Day" book, which features stories, Scripture verses, and short prayers for each day of the year.

What kinds of stories are featured in the book? Here is one example: In 2021, Gean LeVar of Glendale, Arizona, lost her husband of 58 years when he passed away in their home. To make matters worse, the police - after entering the house and seeing how unlivable the conditions were - had no choice but to condemn it. Gean lost her husband and home all in the same day, and she had no family members to help her.

That's when her neighbor, Carmen Silva - who barely knew Gean at the time - stepped in. As reported by CBS News, Carmen told Gean, 'Don't worry. . . . We're going to fix it." Carmen invited Gean to live in her home. Although Carmen's small, three-bedroom house with eight children was already full, the family eagerly made room for one more, treating Gean like an "adopted grandmother." Carmen explained, "I've always taught my kids to take care of their elders." In another expression of neighborly kindness, the nonprofit group Operation Enduring Gratitude, which helps Arizona veterans and their families, heard Gean's story and rebuilt her house, making it livable once more. Gean now plans to share her new home with her adopted family. The Scripture verse that goes along with this story is the obvious choice: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

The actions of Carmen toward Gean reflect a divine selflessness that each of us can choose as well. Or, we can emulate the generosity of someone like the subject of this other "Three Minutes a Day" story: For approximately 10 years, on the first of every month, Alabama farmer Hody Childress secretly performed a good deed. He would walk into Geraldine Drugs, a pharmacy in his DeKalb County community, and give a folded up $100 bill to owner Brooke Walker. His instructions? Use the money to help people who couldn't afford their prescriptions. And if anyone asked where the money came from, he told her to say, "It's a blessing from the Lord."

When Childress began experiencing medical problems, he sent a relative to deliver the money to Walker, never telling the relative what exactly it was meant for. His acts of kindness were only revealed after Childress passed away at age 80 in 2023. Walker told AL.com that she used the money "to help children needing Epi-Pens for allergic reactions, families in between insurance coverages, and people just leaving the hospital." Childress's family and friends are working to establish a fund in his name to continue the practice.

Each of us can be "a blessing from the Lord" for others. Of course, sometimes we need blessings ourselves, and "Three Minutes a Day" also contains numerous stories about people dealing with the challenges and tragedies of life with help from their faith.

This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column 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 William Arthur Ward

"Three enemies of personal peace: regret over yesterday's mistakes, anxiety over tomorrow's problems, and ingratitude for today's blessings." - William Arthur Ward

Antonin Dvorak: Serenade for Winds in D minor

It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Antonín Dvořák's Serenade for Winds in D minor, Op. 44, as presented by Camerata Pacifica:

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty of the stars at night.

Fr. Paul Colloton, OSFS, on Creating a Litany of Thanksgiving

". . . St. Francis de Sales notes that we need not fear that perception of what He has given us will puff us up, so long as we keep steadily in mind that whatever is good in us is not of ourselves. No, it is given to us by God. This awareness helps me to put things into perspective. I would not be able to see a new day if God did not give it to me. Family and friends are also given to me. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Father Paul Colloton, OSFS (Superior, De Sales Centre Oblate Residence, Childs, MD), reflected on the importance of giving thanks to God and on how one can create a litany of Thanksgiving..

To access Fr. Colloton's complete reflection, please visit:

De Sales Weekly: Salesian Reflection: Litany of Thanksgiving (24 NOV 23)

Refelction Starter from Samuel Shoemaker

"Prayer may not change things for you, but it for sure changes you for things:" - Rev. Samuel M. Shoemaker

The Quin-Tones: "Speechless"

It's time for some barbershop harmony, a genre of music I enjoy. Here is a presentation of "Speechless" by The Quin-Tomes:

 

Birthday Blessings, Ivelisse!!!

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

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of those people who take time to be present to us.

Philip Kosloski on Lessons in Holiness from St. Cecilia

"St. Cecilia devoted herself to Jesus Christ at a young age, promising to follow him as bride, even if it cost her life.

"This did not change when she married a pagan, who quickly converted to Christianity after their wedding night."

In a recent commentary based on the writings of Dom Prosper Guéranger, writer Philip Kosloski reflected on some lessons in holiness we can learn from the life of St. Cecilia.

To access Mr. Kosloski's complete post, please visit:

Aleteia; Philip Kosloski: 3 Lessons in holiness from St. Cecilia's life (21 NOV 23)

Reflection Starter from Horace Mann

"Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen." - Horace Mann

The Mayos: "Thank You, Jesus"

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of The Mayos presenting "Thank You, Jesus":

 

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of vision care health practitioners.

Br. Jacob Gerber, O.P., on Remembering and Thanksgiving

"'Remember the marvels he has done' (Ps 105:5). Remember. Last year, when I was a novice, the novice master had us do an exercise he called 'singular moments of grace.' The point of the exercise was to compose a list of moments in your life in which God was at work. It was a beautiful way of recalling the marvels God has worked in my life. What quickly became evident was how God's grace is active in all moments of life, from the most pivotal, life-changing, to the more mundane, everyday experiences. Thanksgiving fills the soul as it remembers the marvels God has done for it. That soul cannot but run to the tabernacle to pour out its gratitude to God for all his incredible blessings."

In a recent commentary, Brother Jacob Gerber, O.P., reflected on the importance of having a grateful heart.

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

Dominicana: A Thanksgiving to Remember (17 NOV 23) 

Reflection Starter from M. Scott Peck

"Everything that happens in life is there to aid our spiritual growth." - M. Scott Peck, M.D.

"Take My Life and Let It Be"

As we wrap up our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of "Take My Life and Let It Be":

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; and Matthew 25:14-30. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 128 (Psalm 128:1-5).

For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:

YouTube: Spirit & Psalm - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2023 - Year A - Psalm 128 - Angrisano

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one - to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.

"After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'

Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.' His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

Reflections related to these readings:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (November 19, 2023)

Community in Mission: Growing in the Fear of the Lord - A Homily for the 33rd Sunday of the Year (19 NOV 23)

Benedictine College: This Sunday, None of Us — Not Even the Best of Us — Has All the Talents We Need (16 NOV 23)

Word on Fire: The Enemy of Melancholy (Cycle A * Ordinary Time * 33rd Wk of Ordinary Time)