It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp minor (op. 131) as given by the Spanish Radio and Television Orchestra, conducted by Darrell Ang:
31 May 2024
Birthday Blessings, John!!!
Birthday greetings to brother-in-law John Dymek, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Belated Anniversary Blessings, Alan and Jacqueline!!!
Belated anniversary greetings to brother Alan and his wife Jacqueline, whose wedding anniversary was yesterday!!! May each day of the upcoming year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Belated Anniversary Blessings, Jim and Dawna!!!
Belated anniversary greetings to brother Jim and his wife Dawna, whose wedding anniversary was yesterday!!! May each day of the upcoming year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for Your constant presence in Our lives - and for wanting to be there.
Fr. Joe Newman, OSFS, on God Wanting to Be with Us
"I feel as though I reveal many of my shortcomings in these reflections in DeSales Weekly. Well, here is another one - I'm always late. I chronically over-schedule and underestimate the time it will take to accomplish a task. I write this fully knowing my community will reinforce this personal insight at tonight's dinner.
"After my sophomore year in college, my dad arrived, and I had not packed a single thing. . . . I felt terrible, like I was wasting my dad's time. . . . In response, my dad said: 'Joe, you are my son. There is nowhere else I'd rather be.' . . ."
In
a recent commentary based on the writings of St. Francis de Sales, Father Joe Newman,
OSFS, reflected on how God isn't present out of duty or obligation, but that He wants to be with us
To access Fr. Newman's complete post, please visit:
De Sales Weekly: Provincial Reflection: Nowhere Else (30 MAY 24)
Reflection Starter from Stephen King
"Books are the perfect entertainment: no commercials, no batteries, hours of enjoyment for each dollar spent. What I wonder is why everybody doesn't carry a book around for those inevitable dead spots in life." - Stephen King
30 May 2024
New Orleans Jazz Vipers: "Sister Kate"
It's time for some jazz, a genre of music I enjoy. Here is a presentation of "Sister Kate" by the New Orleans Jazz Vipers:
Fr. Raymond J. de Souza on G. K. Chesterton's 150th Birthday
"Writing about the defiant and flamboyant G.K. Chesterton is fraught. It requires quoting him, and then one quotation piles upon another, and it seems a disservice to the reader for the author to interrupt Chesterton's words with his own. So what results is a compendium of quotations, more a small anthology than an article.
"But it is Gilbert Keith Chesterton's 150th birthday; he was born May 29, 1874. So to write about him - and quote him - is meet and fitting."
In a recent commentary, Father Raymond J. De Souza, founding editor of Convivium Magazine, reflected on some of the aspects of G. K. Chesterton's life as his 150th birthday is being celebrated. .
To access Fr. De Souza's complete essay, please visit:
National Catholic Register: Commentaries: Father Raymond J. de Souza: This Is GK Chesterton's 150th Birthday - Here's Why He Remains So Relevant Today (29 MAY 24)
Reflection Starter from Henry Ward Beecher
"[L]et the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!" - Henry Ward Beecher
29 May 2024
Br. Gerard Rosario, O.P., on Being 'Useless' and the Gift of God's Love
"It's sometimes useful to feel useless.
"We live in a world where being called useless is perhaps one of the worst insults. I think I would rather be called smelly, fat, or maybe even dumb before useless. And for no small reason: we take pride in getting things done, maximizing our productivity, and working efficiently
"But while the world rewards us based on usefulness, God does not."
In a recent commentary, Brother Gerard Rosario DeAngelis, O.P., reflected on the free gift of God's love, enen when we are not able to do anything.
To access Br. Gerard's complete post, please visit:
Dominicana: You're Useless (28 MAY 24)
Reflection Starter from Pope St. Paul VI
"Do you really believe what you are proclaiming? Do you live what you believe? Do you really preach what you live? The witness of life has become more than ever an essential condition for real effectiveness in preaching." - Pope Saint Paul VI
28 May 2024
National Senior Health & Fitness Day
Tomorrow, 29 May, is being observed as the 31st annual National Senior Health & Fitness Day, an observance initiated with to help keep older Americans healthy and fit. The observance is held each year on the last Wednesday of May. This year's theme is "Make Fitness Your Friend for Life!"
For more information about this observance, please visit:
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of hamburgers (today is being observed as National Hamburger Day).
Bishop Henning on the Most Holy Trinity
"Transcendent and immanent - these are not words of everyday speech. They are theological words that express a tension found in language about God. Transcendence expresses the sense that God is above, apart, divine. God is almighty, all knowing and eternal. By contrast, to say that God is immanent is to claim that God is closely united to creation, that God may be found and related to within creation. When we speak of God in personal terms as just, kind or loving, we are asserting the immanence of God. At first glance, these concepts may seem to conflict - how can God be both near and distant, personal and divine? In the Christian faith however, these very different truths are no longer contradictory."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Richard G. Henning, the bishop of the Diocese of Providence
(RI), reflected on the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.
To access Bishop Henning's complete essay, please visit:
The State of Hope: Transcendent and Immanent (23 MAY 24)
Reflection Starter from Tony Robbins
"No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn't trying." - Tony Robbins
27 May 2024
Birthday Blessings, Bob!!!
Birthday greetings to Myrna's son Bob, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Remembering Clement Dupuis
As we observe Memorial Day I offer this tribute to Lance Corporal Clement Dupuis, a U.S. Marine who died 31 March 1969 while serving in the Vietnam War, and each military member who died in the service of this nation (a presentation of "More than a Name on a Wall" by The Statler Brothers):
Cpl. Dupuis and I were in the same patrol in Boy Scout Troop 16 in Southington, CT (sponsored by, if memory serves me correct, the local Catholic War Veterans post). We had a very active patrol, going on a number of long hikes on what we called Meriden Mountain to West Peak, as well as a variety of other activities.
Me he, and each of the military members who died in service to the nation, rest in peace.
Tom Hoopes on Catholics Who Died for Their Country
"Memorial Day is a day to remember the strangers who died for us.
"Every year I try to share a
few stories of Catholics who died in service to their country since the
last Memorial Day and, heartbreakingly, they aren't hard to find.
"They leave behind children, spouses, parents, parishes, and friends - but also a legacy of love and inspiration."
In a recent commentary, Tom Hoopes (writer in residence at Benedictine College,
Atchison, Kansas) reflected on these Catholic military personnel and their ministry.
To access his complete essay, please visit:
Aleteia: Tom Hoopes: Meet Catholics who died for their country this year (27 MAY 24)
Memorial Day
Today is being observed as Memorial Day, a day designated to commemorate
the men and women who died while in the military service.
We lift up to the Lord the souls of each of these men and women. We also thank Him, and them, for their sacrifice.
Your silent tents of green
We deck with fragrant flowers;
Yours has the suffering been,
The memory shall be ours.
– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
YouTube: Memorial Day 2019 - Freedom Isn't Free
Community in Mission: A Memorial Day Meditation on Honor (24 MAY 20)
Community in Mission: On the "Memorare" of Memorial Day (27 MAY 18)
Dominicana: Memory (27 MAY 19)
Aleteia: Philip Kosloski: Catholic prayer for Memorial Day (31 MAY 21)
Community in Mission: America, I Gave My Best to You - A Reflection on the Virtue of Patriotism (26 MAY 19)
Aleteia: The beautiful Memorial Day tradition of Mass at local cemeteries (28 MAY 23)
Aleteia: What Fr. Kapaun's story says about Memorial Day (29 MAY 23)
Poetry Foundation: In Flanders Fields by John McCrae
YouTube: Memorial Day
YouTube: National Memorial Day Concert 2024 | PBS
Presidential Proclamation:
Presidential Proclamation:Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2024Related media report:
USA Today: Why do we observe Memorial Day? Here's the true history of the holiday (27 MAY 22)
Thank You, Lord
Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of opportunities and inspirations to thank, in person, those who have served/ministered to us.
John Touhey on a Transition from Soldier in Iraq to Priesthood.
"Army specialist David Santos was on patrol in Iraq in 2005 when a roadside bomb exploded next to his vehicle. IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devises) were a huge threat during this phase of the Iraq War, killing and wounding countless soldiers. Observing and impeding the insurgents who planted these roadside bombs was at the heart of his team's mission. . . .
"Twenty years later, Fr. David recalls being on patrol when the IED was detonated. 'It was always a dangerous area,' he tells Aleteia. As they rode along, suddenly there was a loud bang 'and our Humvee was filled with dust, and we're like — what!?'
"Fortunately, this
particular bomb had been buried too deep. There were no casualties, but
the incident served to remind David of 'the fragility of life,
particularly on that day.' Fr. David keeps a piece of shrapnel from the
bomb as a reminder of the incident."
In a recent commentary, writer John Touhey reflected on Father Santos' transition from soldier in Iraq to the priesthood.
To access his complete essay, please visit:
Aleteia: John Touhey: He was a soldier in Iraq and became a "Soldier of Christ" (27 MAY 24)
Reflection Starter from Franklin D. Roosevelt
"Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them." - Franklin D. Roosevelt
26 May 2024
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity
Today the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity . The assigned readings are Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40; Romans 8:14-17;
and Matthew 28:12-20. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 33 (Psalm 33:4-6, 9, 18-20, 22).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Responsorial Psalm / Holy Trinity / CBW#109 / Year B / Psalm 33
The Gospel reading is as follows:
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they all saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, "All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
Reflections related to these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: Trinity Sunday May 26, 2024
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: The Most Holy Trinity (May 26, 2024)
Community in Mission: One and One and One are One. A Homily for Trinity Sunday (25 MAY 24)
Benedictine College: This Sunday, In Jesus We See the Whole Trinity - and Join In (23 MAY 24)
Word on Fire: Three Ways of Approaching the Trinity (Cycle B * 8th Week of Ordinary Time)
Daniale Gordon on Letting Go of Envy
"Bertrand Russel, a philosopher of the twentieth century, wrote that envy is one of the most powerful causes of unhappiness. If we want to live well, we need to know the paths to follow and the paths to avoid. Envy can become a prison we create for ourselves. Why do we feel envy? And how can we break free from it? Or, better yet, escape it in the first place?
"I know from my experience that envy can steal my peace. It often arises from comparisons where we see ourselves falling short of others, especially when we think we are just as “worthy” as the people to whom we compare ourselves "
In a recent post, writer
Daniel Gordon reflected on some of the causes of envy and how we can let it go.
To access Mr. Gordon's complete post, please visit:
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"Humility lies at the foundation of our Christian life. It is the antidote to arrogance, the worst vice. Pride and arrogance swell the human heart, but humility restores things to their proper dimension. We are marvelous yet limited creatures, with our good qualities and flaws." - Pope Francis
25 May 2024
U.S. Navy Band: "Rag Doll"
As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of the U.S. Navy Band presenting "Rag Doll":
Tom Hoopes on Problems that Christ-centeredness Answers
"In the early days of Christianity, St. Benedict said, 'Put Christ before
all else' and 'prefer nothing to Christ.' Pope Francis today gives the
same advice, saying, 'Jesus at the center of one's heart' is the key to a
Christian life."
In a recent commentary, Tom Hoopes (writer in residence at Benedictine College,
Atchison, Kansas) reflected on some of the problems Christ-centeredness answers, including how it gives our life purpose and how it answers the problems we see in institutions.
To access his complete essay, please visit:
Aleteia: Tom Hoopes: 10 Problems that Christ-centeredness answers (25 MAY 24)
Birthday Blessings, Garrett!!!
Birthday greetings to Myrna's grandson Garrett Geoghegan, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Fr. Mark Plaushin, OSFS, on Equanimity of Spirit
"Artist Kelly Purkey must have read my mind! She said . . . 'I've got 99
problems and 86 of them are completely made-up scenarios in my head that
I'm stressing about for absolutely no logical reason.'"
In
a recent
commentary, Father Mark Plaushin, OSFS, reflected on having a bad day vis-Ã -vis confidently turning the day over to God (who made it).
To access Fr. Mark's complete reflection, please visit:
De Sales Weekly: Salesian Reflection: You Had a Bad Day (23 MAY 24)
Finding St. Ignatius in "Star Wars"
Two of Eric Clayton's great passions are Ignatian Spirituality and "Star Wars." He has found his faith nurtured by St. Ignatius's ideal of seeing God in everything - and by the heroic moral and spiritual journeys of the characters from a galaxy far, far away. Eric explores both these topics in his books Cannonball Moments and My Life with the Jedi. We discussed them recently on Christopher Closeup.
"Winning wars and wooing women." That may not seem like the kind of life that would lead a man to sainthood, but that's how St. Ignatius started out during the late 1400s and early 1500s. Everything changed when he was a soldier at the battle of Pamplona. Eric explained, "He's defending the castle against the superior French forces, who offer terms of surrender to which Ignatius says no. . . . He gets the rest of his troops to go along with him, and it's a terrible outcome. He gets a cannonball to the legs, but everyone else is killed or grievously wounded. . . . He realizes, 'My pride has brought about such devastation unnecessarily.' So, he spends 11 months in bed recovering in his castle in Loyola, and it's there that he's given two books: one on the life of Christ and one on the saints."
"He's imagining two different paths for himself," Eric continued, "or really, God is inviting him to imagine these different paths. One is his old way of life, and one is this potential new way of thinking, of being a pilgrim for God. So, the cannonball moment is just one moment, and it gets held up as, 'He was knocked down a soldier, and he stood up a saint.' That's not it at all. He was knocked down, and then he had a long time to pray, think, and grapple with different ways his life could unfold, his vocation story. Then, he has to go out and begin the journey. It's not like he gets the answers all at once. . . . He has quite a journey ahead of him, but it's one that he does carefully through discernment in the company of the Spirit."
Another key moment in St. Ignatius's journey occurred while he was living in a cave, a site that Eric can't help but relate to the Dark Side cave on Dagobah in "The Empire Strikes Back," where Luke Skywalker faces his fears. Though Ignatius comes to write his Spiritual Exercises there, he also struggles mightily. "He's having these profound experiences of God," Eric said, "and he's also going out and serving God's people in the nearby town of Manresa. At the same time, the evil spirit is tempting him and saying, 'How can you, lowly that you are, live this life you've committed yourself to for all these years yet to come?' [Ignatius] struggles with depression, he struggles with suicide. He struggles with thinking God wants him to suffer." Eventually, however, the Light Side wins out in Ignatius's heart, mind, and soul.
Eric felt a spiritual connection to St. Ignatius's story, noting, "God is in all stories. God is in all the details, as mundane and ordinary as they may be. Everything is worth sifting through and exploring to find God. . . . Thinking about stories on the screen, even these so-called 'godless stories' . . . God is necessarily there because God is everywhere. And so, stories like 'Star Wars' . . . are ways for us to put ourselves in these other worlds and think about, 'How is God speaking in this fantastical language that might be relevant to me in my very real, mundane world.'"
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 St. Mary Magdalene de Pazzi
"Trials are nothing else but the forge that purifies the soul of all its imperfections." - Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, whose memory the Church celebrates today (25 May)
23 May 2024
Sentimental Fools Band: "Santeria"
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 the Massachusetts-based Sentimental Fools Band.
In this video, The Sentimental Fools Band is presenting "Santeria":
Healthy and Safe Swimming Week
This week, the week of 19-25 May, has been designated as National Healthy and Safe Swimming Week 2024. The observance was formerly known as Recreational Water Illness and Injury (RWII) Prevention Week.
The annual observance is designed to focus on simple steps swimmers and pool operators can take to help ensure a healthy and safe swimming experience for everyone. It also focuses on the role of swimmers, aquatics and beach staff, residential pool owners, and public health officials in preventing drowning, pool chemical injuries, and outbreaks of illnesses; and it highlights swimmer hygiene and the need for swimmers to take an active role in helping to protect themselves and prevent the spread of germs.
Background information:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy and Safe Swimming Week
Birthday Blessings, Alan!!!
Birthday greetings to brother Alan, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Birthday Blessings, Richard!!!
Birthday greetings to brother Richard, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Belated Birthday Blessings, David!!!
Belated birthday greetings to cousin David Haupt, whose birthday was yesterday!!! May each day of the upcoming year be filled with an outpouring of the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Lucia Silecchia on the Wisdom of Ordinary Time
". . . When I think about the speeches at my graduations, I honestly cannot recall what any speaker said to my classmates and me.
"What I have recalled, through decades of university life, is all the
wisdom imparted to me by those who did not tell me how to live a good or
great life, but by those who showed me how to do so. With prayerful
gratitude, I can remember so many people whose lives well lived told me
more than the most eloquent of speeches ever could. In the quiet, humble
ways so loved by Christ, their lives were silent speeches I will never
forget."
In a recent commentary, writer/Professor Lucia A. Silecchia
reflected on the hope that this year's graduates will will "think about those whose lives touched [theirs] and whose lives were loving lectures without words."
To access Professor Silecchia's complete post, please visit:
The Pilot: Echoes: Lucia A. Silecchia: The wisdom of Ordinary Time (22 MAY 24)
Reflection Stater from Louis Sachar
"It is better to take many small steps in the right direction than to make a great leap forward only to stumble backward" - Louis Sachar
21 May 2024
"Sing Of Mary, Pure And Lowly"
As we continue to live this week and as we remember yesterday's celebration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, I offer this version of "Sing Of Mary, Pure And Lowly":
Philip Kosloski on the Lord's Prayer and Our Call to Holiness
"While we know that God is holy, we often forget that God wants that holiness to rub off on us. . . .
"The Lord's Prayer begins with a petition that reminds us of that simple fact."
In a recent commentary, writer Philip Kosloski
reflected on how, when we pray "Hallowed be Thy name," we are "inviting God to radiate his holiness into our lives, making us holy in the process."
To access Mr. Kosloski's complete post, please visit:
Aleteia; Philip Kosloski: The Lord's Prayer can help remind us of our call to holiness (20 MAY 24)
Reflection Starter from Elie Wiesel
"There is divine beauty in learning. . . . To learn means to accept the postulate that life did not begin at my birth. Others have been here before me, and I walk in their footsteps. The books I have read were composed by generations of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, teachers and disciples. I am the sum total of their experiences, their quests. And so are you." - Elie Wiesel
20 May 2024
Three and a Half Men: "Moondance"
It's time for some more barbershop harmony. Here is a presentation of "Moondance" by Three and a Half Men:
National Emergency Medical Services Week
This week, the week of 19-25 May, is being observed as the 50th annual National Emergency Medical Services Week. This year’s theme is "Honoring Our Past. Forging Our Future"
National Emergency Medical Services Week is designed as an opportunity to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine's "front line."
For more information about National EMS Week, please visit:
American College of Emergency Physicians: EMS Week
National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians: National EMS Week
Presidential Proclamation – Emergency Medical Services Week, 2024
Bishop Henning on Connecting with the Natural World
". . . Mother's Day [is] a traditional time to turn to yards and gardens as the land shakes off the vestiges of winter. I have been doing some gardening myself and I have been thinking about the Bible's frequent use of language and imagery taken from agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing.
"In our own time, many of us have grown distant from these more 'earthy' occupations. With the industrial revolution and the rise of the cities and suburbs, farmers, fishermen, ranchers and shepherds have become a small minority. . . ."
In a recent commentary, Bishop Richard G. Henning, the bishop of the Diocese of Providence (RI), reflected on "ways to grasp the Lord's teachings and connect with the natural world - a world that breathes the wisdom of God."
To access Bishop Henning's complete essay, please visit:
The State of Hope: "A sower went out to sow…" (16 MAY 24)
Reflection Starter from Viktor Frankl
"People tend to see only the stubble fields of transitoriness but overlook and forget the full granaries of the past into which they have brought the harvest of their lives: the deeds done, the loves loved, and last but not least, the sufferings they have gone through with courage and dignity." - Dr. Viktor E. Frankl (in Man's Search for Meaning)
19 May 2024
"Holy Spirit, Truth Divine"
As we continue our celebration of Pentecost Sunday, I offer this version of
Pentecost Sunday
Today the Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday. The assigned readings for the Mass during the Day are Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13;
and John 20:19-23. The Responsorial Psalm is from Psalm 104 (Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34).
For one version of the Responsorial Psalm set to music, please visit:
YouTube: Spirit & Psalm - Pentecost Sunday, 2024 - Year B - Psalm 104 - Angrisano
The Gospel reading is as follows:
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
Reflections related to these readings:
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Salesian Sunday Reflections: Pentecost Sunday May 14, 2024
Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Pentecost Sunday (May 19, 2024)
Word on Fire: Fruits of the Spirit, Works of the Flesh (Cycle B * Easter * Pentecost)
The Pilot: Echoes: Scott Hahn: A New Wind (17 MAY 24)
The Pilot: Echoes: Jem Sullivan: Scripture Reflection for May 19, 2024, Pentecost Sunday (17 MAY 24)
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