"As we approach the Christmas feasts, it is
good for us to ponder aspects of the Incarnation. In this post, I would
like to consider what St. Thomas Aquinas teaches about its fittingness.
God was not radically 'required' to do everything as He did. We do well
to ponder why the manner of the Lord's incarnation is 'fitting,, why it
makes sense."
In recent commentaries, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish,
Washington, DC) reflected on some of the teachings of Saint Thomas Aquinas on the Incarnation.
To access Msgr. Pope's complete posts, please visit:
Community in Mission: Four Reasons That the Incarnation was Fitting, According to St. Thomas Aquinas (9 DEC 18)
Community in Mission: Why Did the Second Person of the Trinity, Rather Than the Father or the Holy Spirit, Become Incarnate? (10 DEC 19)
Community in Mission: Would Jesus Have Come If Adam Had Not Sinned? Why Did He Wait So Long Before Coming? (11 DEC 18)
Community in Mission: Why Was Jesus Born When and Where He Was? (12 DEC 18)
16 December 2018
Reflection Starter from Pope Francis
"Joy, prayer and gratitude are three ways that prepare us to experience Christmas in an authentic way." - Pope Francis
15 December 2018
Bee Gees: "You Should Be Dancing"
As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of the Bee Gees presenting "You Should Be Dancing":
Christmas Decorations Safety Tips
From the U.S. Fire Administration:
Facts about home holiday fires (from the National Fire Protection Association)
- One of every four home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical problems.
- Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are more likely to be serious. On average, one of every 32 reported home Christmas tree fires results in a death compared to an average of one death per 143 total reported home fires.
- A heat source too close to the tree causes one in every four Christmas tree fires.
- The top three days for home candle fires are Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Christmas Eve.
- Candles start two out of five home decoration structure fires.
Background information:
USFA: Winter Holiday Fire Safety
CPSC: Holiday Decoration Safety Tips
Br. Maximilian Maria Jaskowak, O.P., on Whistler's Mother
"On this great feast day, when we
remember the good and solicitous Virgin of Guadalupe, I am reminded of
another, no less familiar, image. The reader may well identify the
black-clad lady portrayed above as the mother of James Abbot McNeill
Whistler. The painting, commonly known by the pithy title Whistler's Mother,
remains the most important and perhaps recognizable work of American
art residing outside the United States. Few artistic icons - such as
Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, Edward Munch's The Scream, and Grant Wood's American Gothic - impress us with the same intelligibility and profundity as Whistler's Mother. Just as the Mona Lisa dazzles the imagination with its purported mystery and evocative detail, so does Whistler's Mother speak to the viewer of motherhood and its enigmatic character. . . .
"The appeal of Whistler's Mother is, in my opinion, twofold: 1) its universal application: everyone has a mother and approximately half of us will become one; and, 2) its striking familiarity: Anna Matilda McNeill Whistler is reminiscent of all mothers, who gaze into the distance, pondering matters and concerns that only mothers can and will ever know. The painting is, therefore, an exemplary image of that sacred office entrusted to women of every generation: motherhood "
In a recent commentary, Brother Maximilian Maria Jaskowak, O.P., reflected on Whistler's Mother, motherhood, and Our Lady of Guadalupe as the ideal mother.
To access Br. Maximilian Maria's complete post, please visit:
Dominicana: Whistler's Mother (12 DEC 18)
"The appeal of Whistler's Mother is, in my opinion, twofold: 1) its universal application: everyone has a mother and approximately half of us will become one; and, 2) its striking familiarity: Anna Matilda McNeill Whistler is reminiscent of all mothers, who gaze into the distance, pondering matters and concerns that only mothers can and will ever know. The painting is, therefore, an exemplary image of that sacred office entrusted to women of every generation: motherhood "
In a recent commentary, Brother Maximilian Maria Jaskowak, O.P., reflected on Whistler's Mother, motherhood, and Our Lady of Guadalupe as the ideal mother.
To access Br. Maximilian Maria's complete post, please visit:
Dominicana: Whistler's Mother (12 DEC 18)
Reflection Starter from Oswald Chambers
"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time." - Oswald Chambers
14 December 2018
Sergei Prokofiev: Symphony No 5 in B-flat major
It's time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Sergei Prokofiev's "Symphony No 5 in B-flat major (Op 100)," as played by the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, conducted by Valery Gergiev
The Poetry Ministry of a Smithfield, RI, Senior Citizen
"During the bustle of the holidays, with mounting pressure to create
the perfect Christmas experience, Irene Salvatore shared her Christmas
poem with the members of Cortland Place assisted living and
rehabilitation center as a reminder of the season’s meaning.
"The 83-year old mother of three wrote 'The Nativity' last Christmas season when she saw how busy everyone was with shopping and cooking.
"'They forgot whose birthday it really is,' Salvatore said."
A recent article in The Valley Breeze (Smithfield, RI) profiled Irene Salvatore and the blessing of (my comment) her poetry ministry.
To access the complete article in The Valley Breeze, please visit:
The Valley Breeze: Local senior uses Christmas poetry to help others heal (12 December 2018)
"The 83-year old mother of three wrote 'The Nativity' last Christmas season when she saw how busy everyone was with shopping and cooking.
"'They forgot whose birthday it really is,' Salvatore said."
A recent article in The Valley Breeze (Smithfield, RI) profiled Irene Salvatore and the blessing of (my comment) her poetry ministry.
To access the complete article in The Valley Breeze, please visit:
The Valley Breeze: Local senior uses Christmas poetry to help others heal (12 December 2018)
Public Safety Line of Duty Death
A New England public servant servant recently died in the line of
duty, a reminder of the hazards and stresses faced by the members of the
region’s public safety services.
Firefighter Christopher J. Roy, 37, a 2 and 1/2 year veteran of the Worcester, MA, Fire Department, died as a result of firefighting operations at a five-alarm fire at 7 Lowell Street on Sunday, 9 December. May he rest in peace.
Media reports:
Telegram & Gazette: Worcester firefighter Christopher Roy dies in blaze (10 DEC 18)
Boston Herald: Firefighter dies in Worcester blaze (10 DEC 18)
NECN: Worcester Mourns 8th December Firefighter Fatality in 2 Decades (10 DEC 18)
Telegram & Gazette: ‘Heartwarming and humbling’ outpouring of support after Worcester firefighter’s death (12 DEC 18)
Background information:
Worcester Fire Department
Facebook: Worcester Fire Department
City of Worcester
Wikipedia: Worcester, Massachusetts
Firefighter Christopher J. Roy, 37, a 2 and 1/2 year veteran of the Worcester, MA, Fire Department, died as a result of firefighting operations at a five-alarm fire at 7 Lowell Street on Sunday, 9 December. May he rest in peace.
Media reports:
Telegram & Gazette: Worcester firefighter Christopher Roy dies in blaze (10 DEC 18)
Boston Herald: Firefighter dies in Worcester blaze (10 DEC 18)
NECN: Worcester Mourns 8th December Firefighter Fatality in 2 Decades (10 DEC 18)
Telegram & Gazette: ‘Heartwarming and humbling’ outpouring of support after Worcester firefighter’s death (12 DEC 18)
Background information:
Worcester Fire Department
Facebook: Worcester Fire Department
City of Worcester
Wikipedia: Worcester, Massachusetts
Kindness Counts
St. Francis de Sales once said, "A spoonful of honey gets more flies than a barrel full of vinegar." This take on an old English proverb points to the reality that likable things will naturally be more attractive than those which are harsh or bitter. St. Francis shared this wisdom in order to highlight how to be effective in sharing the truth with others.Kindness counts in our relationships, especially those with whom we occasionally find ourselves in minor disagreements or who may be hostile to our ideas. The Christopher News Note "Kindness Counts" is a classic that remains as relevant today as it ever was.
It opens with a line by famed screenwriter Myles Connolly: "Everybody at one time or another has known such people - strangers, relatives or friends - who have changed the quality of the day for others. . . The shining quality of goodness radiates from them, from their mere presence. All these, humble and unaware, carry with them the kindness and generosity of their lives. These are the greatest artists; they practice the highest of arts - the art of living, the art of life itself."
Kindness manifests itself in different ways. When we find people in desperate circumstances, kindness may call for heroic actions of rescue, protection, or advocacy to overcome seemingly impossible odds. We often see this sort of heroism in soldiers, police officers, firemen, and missionaries in various fields. But heroic kindness can manifest itself in small ways as well. We can promote harmony within our families and in the workplace, and we can stay committed to reaching out to people wherever we go. The "Kindness Counts" News Note tells of a man living alone who says, "What a difference it makes when people at Mass treat you like a family member, not someone intruding on their private space."
One woman recalled how a neighbor cared for her children while she was in the hospital giving birth, and kept an eye on her older kids when she returned from the hospital. "She brought peace into my life at a time when I desperately needed it," the woman recalled with immense gratitude.
Kindness can make all the difference when it comes to discourse on issues of contention in our society, such as religion and politics. If the goal is to help someone see our point of view, we must consider sharing information at those times when people actually seem open to considering what we have to say. Sometimes just demonstrating the ability to listen to others without offering heated rebuttals can open the door for someone to listen to us at another point down the road.
"Charity begins at home" is a wise old adage pointing to the fact that kindness stems most directly from what we learn in our interactions with family. The very word "kind" comes from the Old English word "cynd," which means kin or family. This origin makes perfect sense because it is within families and close-knit communities that we cultivate an awareness of how to respond to the needs of others. The struggle to respond to those needs is an ongoing process. The moment we think we're done having to be sensitive to others' needs and appreciate where they are coming from is the moment our relationships will begin to degrade. So we should all commit to taking up the cross that true kindness entails. We will see our relationships flourish and the kingdom of God begin to manifest itself wherever we go.
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column by Father Ed Dougherty, M.M., 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
It opens with a line by famed screenwriter Myles Connolly: "Everybody at one time or another has known such people - strangers, relatives or friends - who have changed the quality of the day for others. . . The shining quality of goodness radiates from them, from their mere presence. All these, humble and unaware, carry with them the kindness and generosity of their lives. These are the greatest artists; they practice the highest of arts - the art of living, the art of life itself."
Kindness manifests itself in different ways. When we find people in desperate circumstances, kindness may call for heroic actions of rescue, protection, or advocacy to overcome seemingly impossible odds. We often see this sort of heroism in soldiers, police officers, firemen, and missionaries in various fields. But heroic kindness can manifest itself in small ways as well. We can promote harmony within our families and in the workplace, and we can stay committed to reaching out to people wherever we go. The "Kindness Counts" News Note tells of a man living alone who says, "What a difference it makes when people at Mass treat you like a family member, not someone intruding on their private space."
One woman recalled how a neighbor cared for her children while she was in the hospital giving birth, and kept an eye on her older kids when she returned from the hospital. "She brought peace into my life at a time when I desperately needed it," the woman recalled with immense gratitude.
Kindness can make all the difference when it comes to discourse on issues of contention in our society, such as religion and politics. If the goal is to help someone see our point of view, we must consider sharing information at those times when people actually seem open to considering what we have to say. Sometimes just demonstrating the ability to listen to others without offering heated rebuttals can open the door for someone to listen to us at another point down the road.
"Charity begins at home" is a wise old adage pointing to the fact that kindness stems most directly from what we learn in our interactions with family. The very word "kind" comes from the Old English word "cynd," which means kin or family. This origin makes perfect sense because it is within families and close-knit communities that we cultivate an awareness of how to respond to the needs of others. The struggle to respond to those needs is an ongoing process. The moment we think we're done having to be sensitive to others' needs and appreciate where they are coming from is the moment our relationships will begin to degrade. So we should all commit to taking up the cross that true kindness entails. We will see our relationships flourish and the kingdom of God begin to manifest itself wherever we go.
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle" column by Father Ed Dougherty, M.M., 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
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