As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of Roger Williams presenting T"he Rose/Somewhere in Time" medley:
26 September 2026
Belated Anniversary Blessings, Mary and Chris!!!
Belated anniversary greetings to daughter Mary and her husband Chris, whose wedding anniversary was Thursday!!! May each day of the upcoming year be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Saints Who Risked Their Status for Jesus
On August 31st, we celebrate[d] two feasts honoring saints whose lives intersected during the time of Christ: Saint Joseph of Arimathea and Saint Nicodemus. Both men stepped beyond the expectations of society to honor Christ in burial after the crucifixion. In the Gospel of John, we read about Joseph of Arimathea retrieving the body of Jesus from the Romans, and we read of Nicodemus bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes for anointing Christ's body before burial. A Vatican News meditation on this shared feast day sums up the journey that brought both men to this point of courageous action:
"Both men had once been afraid to confess that they were disciples, or afraid to be seen questioning the Lord. But in this labor of love, their hands confess more than words ever could. Their hearts are broken open. These learned teachers of Israel have become like children born anew. Silently, they anoint, shroud, bury and bless the body of the Son of God, from whom, for them and for the world, a new kind of knowledge has come."
The Gospel of John says Joseph of Arimathea was "a disciple of Jesus, but secretly." The Gospel of Matthew describes him as "a rich man," and the Gospel of Mark states that he was a "respected member of the council," which refers to his role with the Sanhedrin. So it's easy to understand why he was afraid to reveal that he was a follower of Christ, as so many powerful forces in society began to line up against Jesus.
As for Nicodemus, the Gospel of John describes him as a Pharisee who approaches Jesus at night for a private conversation and declares his faith in the truth of His words and actions. When Jesus explains the need to be born anew to fully understand His teachings, Nicodemus asks for a clarification. Jesus responds, "The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Of course, Christ is speaking here of the inspiration of God that comes to us through the Holy Spirit, and we see this inspiration at work in the lives of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. Regarding Nicodemus, the Vatican meditation states that he "left that night with something in his heart like a crack in his great edifice of learning, but it was a fissure of light."
Eventually moved beyond mere secretive admiration for Jesus, Nicodemus challenges the conspiracy brewing among his colleagues, saying, "Does our law judge a man before giving him a hearing?"
The Spirit moved Nicodemus to pursue the truth beyond the letter of the law and beyond a manipulation of that law. In this same way, we know it must have been the Spirit that moved Joseph of Arimathea to request the Christ's body after the crucifixion. It was a risk to his status because it meant he was honoring a man who the authorities scorned.
The bold actions of Saints Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea brought them both to a point of placing the things of the world on the line to follow the workings of the Spirit. Awakened to the new knowledge brought into the world by Christ, they moved forward in faith, with great risk to themselves but with confidence in the eternal reward that called them to honor the Son of God.
This essay is a recent "Light One Candle"
column, written by Fr. Edward 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 St. Vincent de Paul
"If God is the center of your life, no words are necessary. Your mere presence will touch hearts." - Saint Vincent de Paul
22 September 2026
Old Friends Quartet: "Happy Rhythm"
As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of the Old Friends Quartet presenting "Happy Rhythm":
National Preparedness Month
September is being observed as National Preparedness Month. This awareness month is sponsored by the Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and the Ad Council. National Preparedness Month is designed to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities.
The Ready Campaign is a national public service advertising campaign sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in partnership with the Advertising Council. This campaign is designed to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to emergencies including natural and man-made disasters. The goal of the campaign is to get the public involved and ultimately to increase the level of basic preparedness across the nation.
National Preparedness Month (NPM) is held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. September 2025 is the twenty-second annual NPM.
National Preparedness Month Coalition membership is open to all public and private sector organizations. Groups can register to become an NPM Coalition Member by visiting the Ready Campaign at http://www.ready.gov/ and clicking on the NPM banner.
During National Preparedness Month, coalition members are encouraged to share preparedness information with their members, customers, employees, and communities. Members spearhead activities that encourage specific steps for individual, neighborhood, and community preparedness. Once an organization registers as a coalition member, it receives access to the NPM Website, which includes a toolkit with templates, resources, and tips to assist with promoting emergency preparedness.
Background information:
The White House: Presidential Message on National Preparedness Month
Connecticut Division of Emergency Services & Public Protection
Maine Emergency Management Agency
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
New Hampshire Department of Safety: Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency
Birthday Blessings, Nicolas!!!
Birthday greetings to nephew Nicolas, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Birthday Blessings, Ella!!!
Birthday greetings to Myrna's great-granddaughter Ella, whose birthday is today!!! May this day, and each day of the upcoming year, be filled with the Lord's choicest blessings!!!
Marge Fenelon on Mother Teresa and Spiritual Darkness
"I have worked my way, slowly, through the private writings of Mother Teresa in the book, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta, edited by Missionary of Charity Father Brian Kolodiejchuk and published by Image Publishing.
"The book is comprised of letters Mother Teresa of Calcutta wrote to her spiritual directors over the course of decades. It chronicles the saint's journey as she founded and developed the Missionaries of Charity and includes the more than 15 years that she endured intense spiritual darkness that she at one point compared to hell."
In a commentary, columnist Marge Fenelon
reflected on Mother Teresa living out of the conviction that, even though she could not feel Our Lord present, he had never abandoned her.
To access Ms. Fenelon's complete post, please visit:
National Catholic Register: Blogs: God Does Not Abandon Us: What Mother Teresa Taught the World About Embracing Spiritual Darkness (29 JUL 21)
Reflection Starter from Padre Pio
"Endeavor to unite the simplicity of children with the prudence of adults." - Saint Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
