28 February 2014

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your gift of perseverance.

Randy Hain on Encountering Someone Angry with the Church

“Are we only called to share our faith with the faithful?  Evangelize the evangelized?  No, we are supposed to share the joy of our faith with everyone and sometimes that means Catholics who have fallen away from the practice of their faith.  Sometimes it also means talking about our faith with Catholics who are angry and bitter towards the Church.  Their reasons may vary, but how we engage with them may mean the difference between their possible return to the Church or losing them forever.

“I encountered one such person this week.

“As a favor to a client, I met a visiting business executive for coffee who wanted to relocate to Atlanta from another area of the country and needed help with her job search.  When our food and coffee arrived, I invited her to join me in a blessing of the meal and made the sign of the cross.  I noticed she gave me a funny look when I finished, but ignored it and moved into the discussion.  As I advised her on various ways she could connect with other leaders and job opportunities in our area, I mentioned how ‘faith friendly’ the Southeast is and that discussing faith, family and anything else she wanted when building new relationships was likely easier than where she was moving from.  I received my second funny look and had to respond.”

In a recent commentary, writer Randy Hain, Senior Editor for The Integrated Catholic Life, reflected on an encounter with someone who was angry with the Church. He explained how he listened patiently and then offered a positive alternative to her anger.

To access Mr. Hain’s complete post, please visit:

The Integrated Catholic Life: Love and Understanding, not Judgment (20 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Blessed Pope John Paul II

“The truth is not always the same as the majority decision.” – Blessed Pope John Paul II

27 February 2014

Notre Dame Folk Choir: “We Are Called”

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of the University of Notre Dame Folk Choir singing David Haas’ “We Are Called”:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You encourage us through Holy Scripture.

On Discipleship – All or Nothing?

“‘I was ready to be an atheist. I was going to be a Catholic or an atheist.’ In a recent column, David Brooks cites these words of Catholic singer-songwriter Audrey Assad as illustrative of what religious commitment feels like from the inside.

“‘A Catholic or an atheist.’ Isn’t it curious that Assad should feel herself caught between two possibilities having nothing in common? I struggle to understand her crisis. Assad’s life-experience and intellectual journey were such that, at the moment before her choice, both Catholicism and atheism seemed reasonable. The extremes touched one another. The vast space of compromise between Catholicism and atheism vanished.

Yes, that’s right – all those resting in a religion other than Catholicism or atheism (the latter, though its adherents hate to admit it,requires just as much daring as a religious commitment), have contented themselves with compromise. . . .”

In a recent commentary, John Peck, S.J., reflect on the all-encompassing aspects of Catholicism.

To access Fr. Peck’s complete post, please visit:

The Jesuit Post: All or Nothing – And Certainly not Nothing (20 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Anne Frank

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

26 February 2014

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No 7 in A major

It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 in A major (Op. 92) as played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Christian Thielemann):

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the good teachers You have placed in our lives and for all You have done for them and through them.

Can Students Earn Their Desks?

I’m still not sure where I stand on the matter of teacher evaluations. I’ve read all the arguments for using standardized test results on students to judge how effective their teachers are, and, by the same token, not using them and looking for something more subjective. When you’re trying to pick out the good teachers from those who don’t quite measure up, I admit that I just don’t know the answer.

Somehow I’ve always felt that the pupils themselves know when they’ve got a winner, and even if they don’t like her (or him) from time to time, they recognize quality when they see it, when they experience it up close. I have a feeling that students at Robinson High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, felt that way about Martha Cothren if they were lucky enough to be in her history class – especially if they happened to be on hand for the first day of school a few years ago. I read about that opening day in an email that came my way, and I pass it along to you to show you what I mean.

The most amazing thing about the classroom that students entered for first period that day was that it had no desks. No desks! Acting with the approval of her superintendent, her principal, and the building supervisor, Ms. Cothren had had all the desks removed before the students arrived. To be sure, there was a method to this apparent madness, but it took a while before anyone caught on.

Naturally the students wanted to know what had happened to the desks – “their” desks – and the teacher had a ready answer. “You can’t have a desk,” she replied, “until you tell me how you earn the right to sit there.”

The youngsters tried to rise to the challenge. Maybe we have to earn decent grades before we get a desk, some said; others thought the answer might lie in their behavior. Wrong and wrong, Ms. Cothren said, and suggested that perhaps the next class would have the correct response.

They didn’t, of course; neither did third period, or fourth, or so on. Meanwhile, there were simply no desks.

Finally the last period of the day arrived, and at last the students would have their answer. Ms. Cothren opened the classroom door and in walked 27 U.S. veterans, all in uniform, each one carrying a school desk. They quietly put them in place, one by one, and when the last one completed his task and joined the others standing around the room, the teacher began to speak to the class.

“You didn’t earn the right to sit at these desks,” she said. “These heroes did it for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have.

“Now it’s up to you to sit in them. It’s your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don’t ever forget it.”

(This essay is a recent “Light One Candle” column, written by Jerry Costello, of 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: Christopher Radio & Video

Reflection Starter from Fulton Sheen

“If we use our lives for other purposes than those given by God, not only do we miss happiness, but we actually hurt ourselves and beget in us queer little ‘kinks’.” – Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

25 February 2014

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways You support us when we cast our cares upon You.

Msgr. Pope on the Book of Proverbs and Our Times

“We are reading from the Book of Proverbs in the Office of Readings just now. In it are many good descriptions, or maxims that state well what we who are believers and seek wisdom are up against. They have a lot to say of the times in which we live.”

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected, via some of the Proverbs, on what God’s Church and those who seek wisdom are up against.

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

Msgr. Charles Pope: What the Book of Proverbs has to say to us of the times in which we live (20 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Sally Koch

“Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” – attributed to Sally Koch

24 February 2014

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your heavenly kingdom, to which You are calling each of us.

Pope Francis Offers Message for Christian Unity

“In an unusual video message, recorded on an iPhone by a Pentecostal pastor Pope Francis knew in Argentina, the pope says all Christians share blame for their divisions, speaks of his ‘longing’ for their unity and insists that God will bring the miracle of Christian unity to completion.

“‘Pray to the Lord that he will unite us all,’ the pope tells a group of Pentecostals meeting in the United States. ‘Let’s move forward, we are brothers; let us give each other that spiritual embrace and allow the Lord to complete the work he has begun. Because this is a miracle; the miracle of unity has begun.’

“In the video, posted on YouTube and never released by the Vatican, the pope quotes a character from a novel by Alessandro Manzoni; the character says, ‘‘I have never found that the Lord began a miracle without finishing it well.’ He will finish well this miracle of unity,"’ the pope added.”

A recent Catholic News Service report presented this video with related information.

To access the complete CNS report, please visit:

Catholic News Service: In unusual video, pope speaks of his longing for Christian unity (20 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Gaudium et Spes

“The heavenly kingdom is the goal of the earthly society and the earthly kingdom is a means and condition for attaining the heavenly.” – Gaudium et Spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World

23 February 2014

“Now Thank We All Our God”

As we continue our Sunday celebration, I offer this version of “Now Thank We All Our God”:

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Leviticus 19:1-2, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 3:16-23; and Matthew 5:38-48. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 103 (Psalm 103:1-4, 8, 10, 1-13).

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

YouTube: Psalm 103: The Lord Is Kind And Merciful (Haugen setting)

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one as well. If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand over your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Reflection on this feast:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (February 23, 2014)

Msgr. Charles Pope: The Cycle of Violence and Retribution Ends with Me: A Homily for the 7th Sunday of the Year (22 FEB 14)

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio: Turn the Other Cheek?

The Sacred Page: Loving Your Enemies: The 7th Sunday in OT (19 FEB 14)

Word on Fire: Sermon 685: Be Perfect: Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

Dr. Scott Hahn: Holy as God (February 23rd 2014 – Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The Quiet Corner: Jesus’ teachings challenge believers to be merciful, compassionate (20 FEB 14)

The Catholic World Report Blog: The Challenge of Perfection, The Call to Holiness (22 FEB 14)

Spirituality of the Readings: The Temple of God (7th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

The Word Embodied: Militant Faith (7th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

Historical Cultural Context: Regaining Honor (7th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (22 FEB 14)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your call to holiness for each of Your people.

Billy Kangas on the Diversity of the Church

“It’s hard to imagine that only a year ago I was preparing to announce I would be joining the Catholic Church just as Pope Benedict XVI was preparing to retire. It seems like so much has happened since then. In my life I have lived through only three pontificates: John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis. Each of these men has played a crucial role in my journey to the Catholic Church.”

In a recent commentary writer Billy Kangas reflected on the diversity of the Church and the blessing this is.

To access Mr. Kangas’ complete post, please visit:

The Orant: John Paul II introduced me to the Church, Benedict XVI taught me about it, Francis Invited me in (20 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from St. Peter Damian

“Let us faithfully transmit to posterity the example of virtue which we have received from our forefathers.” – Saint Peter Damian (whose feast day was Friday)

22 February 2014

A Cappella Barbershop Quartet

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of an international A Cappella Barbershop Quartet singing the Beatles’ “When I’m Sixty-Four”:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many good Popes You have given Your Church throughout the years and for all You have done for them and through them.

Deacon Mike Bickerstaff on Appreciation for God’s Gifts that Draw Us Closer to Him

“Looking back at my childhood, I am thankful for the many gifts the good God sent my way in the form of people who knew and loved Him and chose to share that knowledge and love with me. There are so many examples from the good Catholic sisters and priests who taught me to my Presbyterian friend, James, who announced that he was going to save me from the ‘chains of my Catholicism!’ He was wrong about the Catholic faith, but there was no doubt concerning his zealous love for the Lord. And his zeal most certainly helped me grow in my Catholic faith.

“Of all the people God has placed in my life, most of all I am thankful for my family. My mother, father and sister were those people who first introduced me to the faith – to Jesus Christ and the Church He gave to us. Their love of Jesus Christ and His Sacred Scripture, their devotion to His Blessed Mother and their love and fidelity to His Church were exactly the gifts that the Lord wanted them to pass on to me so that I would come to faith in Him. I am so thankful that my parents valued these gifts so highly that they asked a priest to baptize me as an infant so I would also grow in faith and be reconciled to God from the very beginning of my life.

“Most important is the realization that God placed within my very being a desire for Him. Faith is His gift to me.”

In a recent commentary, Deacon Mike Bickerstaff (Editor in chief and co-founder of the Integrated Catholic Life eMagazine) reflected on opportunities for deepening our faith and on appreciation for His gifts to us – gifts that help us draw closer to Him.

To access Deacon Mike’s complete reflection, please visit:

The Integrated Catholic Life: The Miracle and Gift of the Eucharist (10 JUN 12)

Reflection Starter from Blessed John Henry Newman

“Fear not that thy life shall come to an end, but rather that it shall never have a beginning.” – Blessed John Henry Newman

21 February 2014

Thank You, Lord

Than you, Lord, for the many ways You encourage us to minister to those in need.

Catholic Athletes for Christ

“Ray McKenna thought he was the only one in professional sports ministry experiencing anti-Catholic bias. In his volunteer work with Baseball Chapel, a Protestant group, he would hear things about the Catholic Church that weren’t true. He initially ignored the slights in the hope of obtaining a greater good: bringing athletes closer to God.

“Yet, as time went on, McKenna discovered that his anti-Catholic experiences were shared by many, including five-time Kansas City Royals All-Star Mike Sweeney. ‘Mike and I met in the mid-1990s, while he was still in the minor leagues. I learned as we spoke over the years that he had experienced many of the same things I had in baseball: a strong Protestant outreach that, despite some of its pluses, had glaring minuses.’

The National Catholic Register recently reported on Catholic Athletes for Christ and its efforts to promote a Catholic sports culture and to share the Gospel of Christ in and through athletics.

To access the complete National Catholic Register article, please visit:

National Catholic Register: Bringing the Church Into the World of Sports (14 FEB 14)

Background information:

Catholic Athletes for Christ

Reflection Starter from George Washington Carver

“I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.” – George Washington Carver

20 February 2014

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for hearing the cry of the poor (as proclaimed in Psalm 34) and for the ways in which You respond to this call.

Timothy Shriver on the Call of Pope Francis

“Pope Francis has brought a breath of fresh air to the world’s discourse on all things divine. For those seeking meaning and belonging, he’s repeated the gospel invitation, ‘Come all you who are weary and I will give you rest.’ For those seeking peace and justice, he’s walked the talk by eating and celebrating with people who are homeless and in prison. For those seeking acceptance without moralizing, he’s uttered the words to define a generation, ‘Who am I to judge?’

“Like so many others who value progressive political and religious ideals, I welcome Francis’ proclamations of the beautiful ‘fragrance of the gospel.’ But no one should make the mistake of thinking that Francis is merely shifting the discourse from moral and cultural issues to economic and social ones. That’s only a part of the story.

“Most people are applauding Francis’ call to change the Catholic hierarchy, and many are welcoming his challenge to attack economic inequality. But his call to change isn’t just about the social justice we seek for others or the reform of outdated Catholic insularity. It’s also about the deep and often painful work of changing ourselves from the inside out. The Hebrew prophet Joel captured the challenge of the inner life clearly: ‘Change your heart, not your garments.’ Still, changing one’s heart isn’t easy. . . .

“The initial praise for Francis may not endure. Prophets often enjoy popularity until people hear the full depth of their challenge. People on the political right are already distrustful because the pope, like many mystics, seems to be abandoning certainty and trusting in the spirit that ‘blows where it will.’ Order and control are at risk. The layers of conformity are being peeled away and what might emerge is uncertain.

“But the left should be equally nervous because the spirit also invites a firm faith in the divine. It is not elitist. It is not arrogant. It does not come with doctorates in policy and economics and the sciences. It dethrones every kind of power. Its only principle is life – the more vulnerable the more beautiful. It only makes sense with an embrace of faith.”

In a recent commentary, writer Timothy Shriver reflected on the call of Pope Francis to each of us to be open to God’s goodness and to change our hearts accordingly.

To access Mr. Shriver’s complete post, please visit:

OnFaith: Beware of Pope Francis (13 FEB 14)

Thank you, Deacon Greg Kandra, for the tip!

Reflection Starter from St. Francis de Sales

“Many would be willing to have afflictions provided that they not be inconvenienced by them.” – Saint Francis de Sales

19 February 2014

Joseph Haydn: Missa in Angustiis

It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Joseph Haydn’s Missa in Angustiis (“Mass for troubled times”) (Hob. XXII:11), also known as the “(Lord) Nelson Mass,” as played by the Orchestre Lamoureux (conducted by Michael Halász):

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for those You call to the contemplative religious life and for all You do for them and through them.

Fr. Longenecker on Tolkien as an Evangelist

“Last year I was in Oxford and had the privilege of meeting Priscilla Tolkien – J.R.R.Tolkien’s daughter. I commented on her father’s work and said I reckoned he was the best Catholic evangelist of the twentieth century. She asked why I thought that. ‘Because he kept alive through a work of imagination a Christian view of reality.’

“Apparently there is an audio lecture going the rounds slamming Tolkien. I haven’t listened to the lecture, but I understand it is along the lines of ‘Nobody ever came to faith and was baptized by reading fantasy novels like Lord of the Rings and there’s no myth or fantasy literature in the Bible so what good is it?’ Whether I am over simplifying the lecturer’s point or not doesn’t matter, because he does raise an interesting question: Is J.R.R.Tolkien an evangelist or not?”

In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on why he considered Tolkien an evangelist.

To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit:

Standing on My Head: Was Tolkien an Evangelist? (12 FEB 14)

Background information:

Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author

Reflection Starter from Katharine Hepburn

“We are taught you must blame your father, your sisters, your brothers, the school, the teachers – but never blame yourself. It’s never your fault. But it’s always your fault, because if you wanted to change you’re the one who has got to change.” – Katharine Hepburn

18 February 2014

HeartSong: A Mighty Fortress

As we continue living this week, I offer this version of Cedarville University’s HeartSong presenting “A Mighty Fortress”:

Thank You, Lord

Thank You, Lord, for artwork that leads us to reflect on You and Your Goodness.

A Family That Doesn’t Desert You

“Last time I asked for God’s help, He put me here,” 16-year-old Apple Bailey angrily tells the priest visiting her in the hospital following a car accident.

“Perhaps you're exactly where you’re meant to be,” the priest responds.

That exchange in the new movie Gimme Shelter leads to an epiphany of sorts for Apple (Vanessa Hudgens), who is homeless, pregnant, and struggling to escape from the grip of her abusive, drug-addicted mother (Rosario Dawson). When a street thug threatens Apple, she steals a car and gets into the aforementioned accident.  And though she can’t see it at the time, that seemingly-tragic event is what sets her on a course to find love and family in ways she's never before experienced at a shelter run by Kathy DiFiore (Ann Dowd).

The idea of being “where you're meant to be” could also apply to the story behind the making of the film.  One day, someone asked filmmaker Ronald Krauss the fateful question, “Have you heard about this shelter that's helping young women get off the streets?” The shelter in question was created by DiFiore, who is a real-life person, not just a movie character. Her 30-plus year ministry provides shelter and support to homeless, pregnant teenagers in New Jersey, and has saved the lives of thousands of babies.

Krauss visited the shelter and explained to me during a Christopher Closeup interview, “I didn't have any intention of doing anything. . . . Then I got so touched by some of these young girls’ lives, I approached Kathy and said, ‘I think more people need to find out about this place because this [story] could spread kindness and compassion.’ I never expected it to be this film, but it just blossomed.”

Krauss came to see the shelter as “holy ground,” so he moved in for an entire year to make sure the script he wrote got everything right. He even shot part of the movie there. His approach worked because Gimme Shelter’s greatest strength is that it shows instead of tells.  This isn't a preachy movie, but one in which we walk through Apple’s troubles with her, experiencing betrayal and hopelessness – followed by trust, healing and love.

As DiFiore explained to me during the joint interview with Krauss, this storytelling approach is grounded in reality: “If a young lady seems like she has a dark side to her, it’s usually because she was physically abused or mentally tormented. So we have professional staff that work with them. Over the course of time, through God’s love and an understanding of the Holy Scriptures, they heal.” DiFiore also helps the children born under her care until they’re 18 years old. She said, “We’re your family. We’re not gonna desert you. We love you.”

Krauss is heartened by the reaction Gimme Shelter has received. He said, “People have been brought to tears – tears of joy, hope, compassion, and love.”

DiFiore hopes Gimme Shelter inspires people to start shelters of their own, so she offers a free “How to Open a Shelter Kit,” on her website, SeveralSourcesFD.org. Her other wish for people who see the movie: “I want people to get closer to God. And through the power of prayer, I want people to be inspired to do something, whether it’s for one individual that they personally know that needs help or for something greater than that. God will direct them.”

Krauss added, “My hope as the filmmaker is that this film will give people hope. If you think God’s not there for you, He is. If you just reach out, He’ll be there for you.”

(This essay is a recent “Light One Candle” column, written by Jerry Costello, of 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: Christopher Radio & Video

Background information:

Several Sources Shelters

Reflection Starter from St. Ambrose

“When we speak about wisdom, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about virtue, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about justice, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about peace, we are speaking of Christ. When we speak about truth and life and redemption, we are speaking of Christ.” – Saint Ambrose of Milan

17 February 2014

MassGeneral Staff Members Offer Book on Helping Children Deal with Fractures

Dr. Gleeson Rebello and Jamie Harisiades, who serve respectively as Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon and Clinical Research Coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, recently collaborated to write Dare Bone’s Big Break, a book designed to help parents and their children navigate the experience of breaking a bone with “poetry, great humor, and medical accuracy.”

Media report:

NECN: Mass. hospital employees become children’s book authors with educational story (17 FEB 14)

For more information about the book, please visit:

Dare Bone’s Big Break

Background information:

Massachusetts General Hospital: MassGeneral Hospital for Children

Massachusetts General Hospital

On the Colors of Burano

“Long ago, the fishermen of the island of Burano decided to paint their houses with bright colors so that while coming back home they can easily distinguish them through thick fog. The result is a cheery rainbow-colored town bursting with charm, culture and history.

“Though located in the same lagoon as Venice, Burano has kept its quiet bucolic atmosphere for centuries. An old fishing town, its fishing traditions date back to ancient Roman times. The colors of the houses have been with the resident families for centuries, and if they want to repaint, they need to write the government for a list of colors they’re allowed to use.”

A recent “When on Earth post offered several great photos of Burano (locatd in the Venetian Lagoon of northern Italy) and its colorful buildings.

To access the complete post, please visit:

When On Earth: Burano, Italy’s Technicolor Town

Background information:

Wikipedia: Burano

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the peace of heart You offer us as we cast our selves on You.

Br. Timothy Danaher on Being in the Boat with God

“Salty. Now there’s a word that well describes fishermen. Along with it comes a string of supporting adjectives: Terse. Somber. Laconic. Matter-of-fact. Proud. Quiet.

“Everyone’s familiar with the stereotype, whether you grew up in Baltimore, or simply were forced to read The Old Man and the Sea in high school. During college, I spent two summers working on salmon boats in Alaska. It’s true that fishermen are just these sorts of men. Sure, they know how to keep themselves sane on long hours with little sleep – telling stories, some hoot-n-holler, discussing the state of the union – but at the end of the day, they come to get a job done. Out on the water, there are exhilarating moments, hauling in a full net of fish, or graceful mornings trolling on a glassy surface and laying out lines in the early dawn. But these men don’t come up north just to breathe in clean air and get poetic. They’re there to catch fish and make money.

“Last December I was on a flight sitting next to a tugboat captain. He was quiet and had a large beard, which the stewardess said reminded her of Zac Brown. I’m a talker, so we talked, and I asked him why he chose his profession. He replied very simply, ‘Well, my old man drove boats and showed me how… I’ve spent all my life in boats.’ I was fishing for something like, ‘What kind of meaning do you find in your work?’ He basically shrugged his shoulders and responded, ‘This is just my work. What else would I do?’ It quickly occurred to me that those on the lookout for ‘deeper meaning’ are often outside viewers, like journalists, or inquisitive neighbors prying for some material for their blog posts. Real working men, like our tugboat captain, simply work. They like it or don’t like it, but it’s their life.

“I like to think of the early Simon Peter as one of these men, not looking too much into why Jesus wanted to go to the other side, but just gathering the men to make it happen: ‘Alright, the Master said we’re going to the other side, let’s load up and get rowing.’ But God has a way of changing men, if they hang around him long enough. . . .”

In a recent commentary, Brother Timothy Danaher, O.P., reflected on how God allows certain storms in our lives so we may cast ourselves ever more on Him.

To access Br. Timothy’s complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: In the Boat with God (17 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from George Washington

“When one side only of a story is heard and often repeated, the human mind becomes impressed with it insensibly.” – George Washington (in a letter to Edmund Pendleton, 22 January 1795)

16 February 2014

Yale’s Baby Lab: Babies Are Born with a Moral Core

CNN recently broadcast a few reports on the work of the Baby Lab (technically the Infant Cognition Center) at Yale University. Among other findings, the Baby Lab’s research indicated that babies are born with a moral core (Editor’s note: Hmmm, sounds like the Natural Law in operation.)

Media reports:

CNN: Are we born with a moral core? The Baby Lab says ‘yes’ (14 FEB 14)

CNN: What your baby knows might freak you out (14 FEB 14)

CNN Specials: Baby Brains: What Are They Really Thinking?

Background information:

Yale University: The Infant Cognition Center

“Teach me, O Lord”

As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of the Choir of Somerville College (Oxford) singing Thomas Attwood’s “Teach me, O Lord”:

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Sirach 15:15-20, 1 Corinthians 2:6-10, and Matthew 5:17-37. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 119 (Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34).

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.’ But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife – unless the marriage is unlawful – causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make good to the Lord all that you vow.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is his footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Do not swear by your head, for you cannot make a single hair white or black. Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,' and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

Reflection on this feast:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (February 16, 2014)

Msgr. Charles Pope: A Slide Show of Sanctity – A Homily for the 6th Sunday of the Year (15 FEB 14)

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio: Holiness of the Pharisees – Cut it Off!

The Sacred Page: The Surpassing Righteousness of the New Law: The Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (11 FEB 14)

Word on Fire: Sermon 684: Extreme Demand, Extreme Mercy: Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Dr. Scott Hahn: Affair of the Heart (February 16th 2014 – 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The Quiet Corner: Natural Law: An innate sense of right and wrong (13 FEB 14)

Verbum Domini: Sensing Sin (13 FEB 14)

The Catholic World Report Blog: Jesus: Liberal Rabbi or Incarnate Messiah? (15 FEB 14)

Spirituality of the Readings: Raqa (6th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

The Word Embodied: The Revolution Jesus Announced (6th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

Historical Cultural Context: Proper and Honorable Relationships (6th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (15 FEB 14)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your Law and for the many ways You call us to follow it.

Msgr. Pope on Turning the Tables on Conventional Thinking for Better Evangelization.

Every now and again I am blessed to gather with brother priests to discuss best practices and share pastoral experience. One of my diocesan brothers, Fr. Patrick Smith, Pastor at St. Augustine here in DC, often has memorable advice that tends to turn the tables on conventional wisdom and in effect shift the paradigms we use.”

“A Paradigm is first defined as an outstandingly clear or typical example of something. But in a more extended sense it is a philosophical or theoretical framework that commonly underlies our thinking or actions. We often adopt these frameworks and assumptions in an unreflective or even unconscious way.

“To ‘shift’ a paradigm is to bring it to consciousness, and either adapt it, apply it newly, or sometimes wholly reverse its parameters.”

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on some of the ways one may “turn the tables” in the field of evangelization and parish life. For example, instead of praying for God’s blessing on what we are doing, perhaps we should find out what God is blessing and do that (in other words, really seeking God’s will).

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

Msgr. Charles Pope: Turning the Tables on Conventional Thinking For Better Evangelization. (12 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Fulton Sheen

“The proud man counts his newspaper clippings; the humble, his blessings.” – Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

15 February 2014

Glenn Miller: “In The Mood”

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this Glenn Miller version of “In The Mood”:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for inspirations to praise and thank You and for inspirations to thank those who assist us in any way.

Fr. Longenecker on James III of England

“Did you know that one man had the choice–to be Catholic or to be King of England?”

In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on the story of James III of England.

To access Fr. Longenecker’s complete post, please visit:

Standing on My Head: You Choose – Be Catholic or Be King (28 JAN 14)

Background information:

Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author

Reflection Starter

“A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells people you're at home.” – Source Unknown

14 February 2014

Happy Valentine’s Day, Myrna!

Happy Valentine’s Day, Myrna!!!

As we celebrate this special occasion, I offer this version of Bing Crosby and Grace Kelly singing “True Love” (from the 1956 movie, High Society):

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the many ways in which You call couples together and for the many ways in which You work in their lives.

The Finest People are the Most Broken People

“We made ourselves available in the corners and the crevices and the dark places in the middle of the night.” That’s how Matthew Barnett and 600 volunteers celebrated his 19th anniversary as the pastor of Bethel Temple in Los Angeles’ Skid Row-and his work as founder of the Dream Center, which reaches more than 50,000 people each week through hundreds of ministries for the needy, lost and forgotten.

Though Barnett initially considered throwing a party for his anniversary, he soon felt God calling him to perform 24 straight hours of service for the homeless, drug addicts, prostitutes and anyone else who needed material help, a human touch and God’s grace.

During an interview on Christopher Closeup about his book God’s Dream for You: Finding Lasting Change in Jesus, Barnett discussed his first day at Bethel 19 years ago, when a teenage boy was murdered outside the church. Though he wasn’t sure he could handle this type of environment, he said, “What kept me going was ministering to the family [of that boy]. We paid for the funeral, and we walked into their house and said, ‘We’re gonna make sure that we’re there for you.’  After that day, there was no way I could ever quit.”

That commitment eventually led Barnett to take in a drug addict, then later, a homeless family. As the dream of helping others grew, Barnett noticed the now-closed Queen of Angels Hospital in Echo Park, which had been run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Though major entertainment companies wanted to buy the facility, the Archdiocese sold it to Barnett’s church at a discount because he promised to make it a place of spiritual healing.

Now named the Dream Center, the facility’s website describes it as “a place to offer God’s love to the homeless and addicted, to victims of sex trafficking and domestic violence, to emancipated foster youth and to those who hunger for food and hope.”

Barnett explained that he modeled the Dream Center’s approach after Jesus’s approach: “Jesus didn’t say, ‘When you believe, we'll let you belong.’ He allowed people to belong first in order that they may believe. That’s one of the great things that compassion does. It opens up the door where people begin to understand that we’re gonna love them unconditionally, whether they receive the message of Christ or if they don’t. But it gets hard not to believe when people have loved you so long and been so consistent in your life.”

Not being able to save everyone bothered Barnett early on, but time and experience resulted in hard-earned wisdom.

He said, “I began to find that you can’t let your heart be destroyed by the ones that fall on the wayside. You have to build upon something, and that's the success of the ones who do make it. 60 percent of my staff are graduates of our Drug and Alcohol Rehab program. In our church, we’ve got ex-pimps, ex-murderers. And that’s just the pastoral staff. When I started to see what God can do with these people, I began to realize that some of the finest people I’ve ever met are some of the most broken people I've ever met.”

(This essay is a recent “Light One Candle” column, written by Jerry Costello, of 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: Christopher Radio & Video

Background information:

The Dream Center

Reflection Starter from Viktor Frankl

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” – Viktor E. Frankl

13 February 2014

“Holy, Holy, Holy”

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of “Holy, Holy, Holy”:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the skills You give to and /or guide the development of in craftsmen/women and for the many ways You work through them.

Msgr. Pope on the Return of God to His Temple in Jerusalem

“The Feast [recently] of the Presentation of Jesus was a rich fare. . . . Frankly, the moment of the Presentation was one of the most dramatic in Biblical history, and yet almost no one noticed. Lets consider this astonishing moment. . . . To understand what it is, let’s look back to 587 BC.

“The Babylonians had invaded Jerusalem and the unthinkable had happened. The Holy City was destroyed and, along with it, the Temple of God. Inside the Temple something even more precious than the building had been housed: the Ark of the Covenant.

“Recall what the Ark of Covenant was in the Old Testament. It was a box of Acacia wood, covered in gold. Inside it were placed: the two tablets on which God inscribed the Ten Commandments. Also in it was the staff of Aaron, and a vial of the Manna. More importantly, in this box, this ark, dwelt the very Presence of God in Israel. God mysteriously dwelt within, much as is the case today in our understanding of the tabernacle in our Catholic Churches.

“The Lost Ark – Incredibly however, the Ark was lost when the Babylonians destroyed the temple and Jerusalem in 587 BC. It was never found again. Some thought Jeremiah had hid it in the Mountains, others that the priests had hastily hid it in the maze of caves beneath the Temple Mount. Others argue it was taken to Ethiopia. But in the end, the Ark had gone missing.

“Empty Temple – When the Temple was rebuilt some eighty years later, the Holy of Holies was restored but the Ark was missing. The High Priest still performed the yearly ritual and entered the Holy of Holies, but the room was empty. . . .”

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on the return of God to His Temple in Jerusalem.

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

Msgr. Charles Pope: A Dramatic Biblical Moment that almost Every one Missed (2 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Vera Nazarian

“Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.” – Vera Nazarian

12 February 2014

Franz Schubert: Symphony No.1 in D-major

It’s time for some classical music. This is a presentation of Franz Schubert’s Symphony No.1 in D-major (D.82) as played by the Failoni Orchestra (conducted by Michael Halász):

Abraham Lincoln

Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States, is considered by many people to be one of the greatest Presidents the U.S. has had.

This is an excerpt from his official White House brief biography:

“The son of a Kentucky frontiersman, Lincoln had to struggle for a living and for learning. Five months before receiving his party's nomination for President, he sketched his life:

“‘I was born Feb. 12, 1809, in Hardin County, Kentucky. My parents were both born in Virginia, of undistinguished families - second families, perhaps I should say. My mother, who died in my tenth year, was of a family of the name of Hanks . . . . My father . . . removed from Kentucky to . . . Indiana, in my eighth year. . . . It was a wild region, with many bears and other wild animals still in the woods. There I grew up. . . . Of course when I came of age I did not know much. Still somehow, I could read, write, and cipher . . . but that was all.’

“Lincoln made extraordinary efforts to attain knowledge while working on a farm, splitting rails for fences, and keeping store at New Salem, Illinois. He was a captain in the Black Hawk War, spent eight years in the Illinois legislature, and rode the circuit of courts for many years. His law partner said of him, ‘His ambition was a little engine that knew no rest.’

“He married Mary Todd, and they had four boys, only one of whom lived to maturity. In 1858 Lincoln ran against Stephen A. Douglas for Senator. He lost the election, but in debating with Douglas he gained a national reputation that won him the Republican nomination for President in 1860.

“As President, he built the Republican Party into a strong national organization. Further, he rallied most of the northern Democrats to the Union cause. On January 1, 1863, he issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy.

“Lincoln never let the world forget that the Civil War involved an even larger issue. This he stated most movingly in dedicating the military cemetery at Gettysburg: ‘that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’

“Lincoln won re-election in 1864, as Union military triumphs heralded an end to the war. In his planning for peace, the President was flexible and generous, encouraging Southerners to lay down their arms and join speedily in reunion.

“The spirit that guided him was clearly that of his Second Inaugural Address, now inscribed on one wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D. C.: ‘With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds. . . ‘

“On Good Friday, April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre in Washington by John Wilkes Booth, an actor, who somehow thought he was helping the South. The opposite was the result, for with Lincoln’s death, the possibility of peace with magnanimity died.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A selection of quotes from Abraham Lincoln:

“A capacity, and taste, for reading, gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others. It is the key, or one of the keys, to the already solved problems. And not only so. It gives a relish, and facility, for successfully pursuing the [yet] unsolved ones.” (from an address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, 30 September 1859)

“The old general rule was that educated people did not perform manual labor. They managed to eat their bread, leaving the toil of producing it to the uneducated. This was not an insupportable evil to the working bees, so long as the class of drones remained very small. But now, especially in these free States, nearly all are educated - quite too nearly all, to leave the labor of the uneducated, in any wise adequate to the support of the whole. It follows from this that henceforth educated people must labor. Otherwise, education itself would become a positive and intolerable evil. No country can sustain, in idleness, more than a small percentage of its numbers. The great majority must labor at something productive.” (from an address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, 30 September 1859)

“Every man is proud of what he does well; and no man is proud of what he does not do well. With the former, his heart is in his work; and he will do twice as much of it with less fatigue. The latter performs a little imperfectly, looks at it in disgust, turns from it, and imagines himself exceedingly tired. The little he has done, comes to nothing, for want of finishing.” (from an address before the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society, 30 September 1859)

“When the conduct of men is designed to be influenced, persuasion, kind, unassuming persuasion, should ever be adopted. It is an old and a true maxim, that a ‘drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gall.’” (from an address given to the Springfield Washington Temperance Society. 22 February 1842)

“Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same God; and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered; that of neither has been answered fully.” (from his Second Inaugural Address, 4 March 1865)

“Adhere to your purpose and you will soon feel as well as you ever did. On the contrary, if you falter, and give up, you will lose the power of keeping any resolution, and will regret it all your life.” (in a letter to Quintin Campbell, 28 June 1862)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For a chronology of Abraham Lincoln’s life, please visit:

Northern Illinois University Libraries: Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization Project: Abraham Lincoln Chronology

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the ways in which our lives reflect Your glory.

Fr. Rutler on Letting the Light Shine

“As a rather observant child, I made a mental note of the fact that my maternal grandmother would ask me to ‘make a light’ instead of asking me to switch it on. When she was a child, no one switched lights on.  At night, light was not had without effort, not in her English town nor in most places yet.  She was born on the day that Gladstone introduced his Irish Home Rule bill in the House of Commons, the same Gladstone who gave a lamp to Newman who had ‘never sinned against the Light,’ a lamp that still can be seen on his desk in Birmingham, and it certainly was not electric. Four years after my grandmother’s birth, Florence Nightingale recorded her voice on a wax cylinder patented by the Edison Company.  My grandmother harbored a devotion to the ‘Lady with a Lamp’ for her town’s regiment had fought in the Crimean War and some of them remembered the Lady visiting at night the wards in the Selimye Barracks of Scutari and it most definitely was not an electric lamp:  that was the year Thomas Edison was born.”

In a recent commentary, Father George W. Rutler reflected on light and life going together and on how the Lord dignifies the human race by enabling His own light to shine through his human creatures.

To access Fr. Rutler’s complete post, please visit:

Crisis Magazine: On Letting the Light Shine (7 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Henry Ward Beecher

“Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith.” – Henry Ward Beecher

11 February 2014

“The Lourdes Hymn” (“Immaculate Mary”)

As we continue to live this week, I offer this version of “Immaculate Mary” (also known as the Lourdes Hymn):

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift that each conceived person is – for his/her parents and for the world.

World Day of the Sick

Today, the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, the Church observes the 22nd World Day of the Sick. The theme for this year is Faith and charity: “We too must give our lives for the brethren.” World Day of the Sick is a time, in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, to “to reflect upon the mystery of suffering and above all to make our communities and civil society more sensitive to our sick brothers and sisters.”

To access Pope Francis’ message for this year’s observance of World Day of the Sick, please visit:

Message of Pope Francis for the 22nd World Day of the Sick 2014

Reflection Starter

“Why not learn to enjoy the little things – there are so many of them.” – Source Unknown

10 February 2014

Tex Ritter: “The Deck Of Cards”

For a different type of reflection, I offer this version of Tex Ritter presenting “The Deck Of Cards”:

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for Your constant presence in our lives, whether we are aware of it or not.

Randy Hain on Obstacles to Catholic Authenticity

“Why is it difficult to be the same person at work, home, church and with our friends? I have observed this problem for several years, but lately I have become more aware of the challenges people have with consistently being ‘real.’  In a few recent discussions with friends, I received blank stares and perceived a lot of discomfort when I advocated for being the same person at all times and for being transparent about our lives with others. Why is authenticity, especially Catholic authenticity, so uncomfortable?”

In a recent commentary, writer Randy Hain, Senior Editor for The Integrated Catholic Life, reflected on a few obstacles Catholics may face in their striving to authentically live their faith. These obstacles include lack of self-awareness, fear of people not liking the real us, and lack of confidence in our opinions.

To access Mr. Hain’s complete post, please visit:

The Integrated Catholic Life: Six Obstacles to Catholic Authenticity (6 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from William Shakespeare

“How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.” – William Shakespeare, in The Merchant of Venice

09 February 2014

“I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”

As our Sunday celebration continues, I offer this version of the Alumni of the University of Notre Dame Liturgical Choir singing “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”:

Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. The assigned readings are Isaiah 58:7-10, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, and Matthew 5:13-16. The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 112 (Psalm 112:4-9).

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

YouTube: Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 112 “The Blessings of the Just”

The Gospel reading is as follows:

Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”

Reflection on this feast:

Oblates of St. Francis de Sales: Sundays Salesian: Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (February 9, 2014)

Msgr. Charles Pope: Pass the Salt and Put on the Lights! – A Homily for the 5th Sunday of the Year (8 FEB 14)

Dr. Marcellino D’Ambrosio: Salt of the Earth, Light of the World

The Sacred Page: Church, Temple, Lighthouse: The Fifth Sunday in OT (5 FEB 14)

Word on Fire: Sermon 683: Salt, Light, and a City Set on a Hill: Fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Dr. Scott Hahn: Light Breaking Forth (February 9th 2014 – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The Quiet Corner: True charity is the spice, and light of life (6 FEB 14)

Verbum Domini: Simply Brilliant (6 FEB 14)

The Catholic World Report Blog: Salt, Cities, and Disciples (7 FEB 14)

The Integrated Catholic Life: How to Overcome Feeling Dissatisfied and Unfulfilled (9 FEB 14)

National Catholic Register: Sunday Guide: If We Are the Light of the World, Why Is the World So Dark?

Spirituality of the Readings: Becoming Ourselves (5th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

The Word Embodied: Christian Faith and Politics (5th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

Historical Cultural Context: Salt and Fire (5th Sunday of Ordinary Time A)

Word to Life Radio Broadcast: Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (9 FEB 14)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for calling us and helping us to be the salt of the earth.

Andrew Haines on Why Catholic Social Teaching Is Important

“There’s never a dull moment where Catholic social teaching is concerned. A litany of examples abound. . . .

That the Church’s social doctrine is important is no wonder. Why it is important, on the other hand, is perhaps still – and for many – a great mystery.

“Permit me some reflections.”

In a recent commentary, writer Andrew M. Haines reflected on how the social teaching the Church offers examples of how to think through the types of concerns associated with making good social decisions.

To access Mr. Haines’ complete post, please visit:

Ethika Politika: Catholic Social Teaching: Why We Fight (6 FEB 14)

Reflection Starter from Pope Benedict XVI

“Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed. Each of us is loved. Each of us is necessary.” – Pope Benedict XVI

08 February 2014

“Steelband Paradise”

As this blessed week draws to a close, I offer this version of the Humboldt State University Calypso Band performing “Steelband Paradise”:

Congratulations and Welcome!!!

Congratulations to son Adam and his wife, Erin, on the birth of their son, Lincoln John!!! Welcome, Lincoln!!!

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of our families.

Tim Drake on Our Family and What It Means

“Over the past couple of weeks I’ve dug out my family tree to try to tie up some loose ends. It’s been both an enjoyable and an enriching experience. With the advent of technology, there are a lot more tools available than when I first started keeping records in 1984. Websites and available public family trees, immigration records, census data, and even military records make genealogy work much easier.

“In a matter of days, utilizing online records, I was able to go further back in my family tree, and obtain information that would have required much more effort only a few years back.

“Doing such work has made me realize some truths.

“We all come from a family. Whether we know that family or not, each of us is the result of a biological mother and a biological father. The two, as science clearly demonstrates, are cooperators with God, in bringing new life to fruition. Whether or not we belong to a family, we most assuredly came through the result of one man and one woman. Even if we’re adopted, or the result of infidelity, or an unplanned pregnancy, we cannot escape our biological origins. Even our Lord’s genealogical family tree wasn’t spotless.

“When you start looking at a family tree going back two, three, or four generations, and consider all of the male-female combinations that were necessary in order for you to exist, it’s rather incomprehensible. Remove even one person from the equation and you wouldn’t be here. Had your great-great-great grandfather on your mother’s side not courted that farm girl, married her, and had children... then ‘poof,’ you’re gone from the equation. It’s a humbling realization, and it gives new meaning to what the Lord said to Jeremiah: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you’ (Jer 1:5).”

In a recent commentary, writer Tim Drake reflected on family trees and on our relationship as adopted children of God in His Church.

To access Mr. Drake’s complete post, please visit:

Catholic Pulse: The Family We All Belong To, And the Consequences (28 JAN 14)

Reflection Starter

“Better do a kindness near home than go far away to burn incense.” – Chinese Proverb

07 February 2014

Kristina Johannes on Indulgences

“Through the communion of saints, the Church has a spiritual ‘Treasury,’ which is primarily made up of the infinite value of Christ’s saving actions, but which also includes the merits of the prayers and works of the saints starting with the Blessed Virgin Mary. As members of the communion of saints, we continually contribute to and benefit from this treasury. But Christ also gave the Church the authority to dispense and apply these merits to the faithful at special moments.

“Unlike material treasure, this ‘Treasury of the Church’ can never be exhausted. One significant way the Church makes use of this spiritual benefit is through indulgences – a remission of the remaining temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.”

In a recent commentary, writer Kristina Johannes reflected on indulgences and the spiritual resource that they are.

To access Ms. Johannes’ compete post, please visit:

The Catholic Thing: Indulgences: An Embarrassment of Riches (2 FEB  14)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your mercy.

Br. Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P., on Mercy and Evangelization

“‘I’m all out of darts of love, kid; all I have left are shafts of justice.’ Each semester the philosophy classes of Fr. A.C. Fabian, O.P., included the same inimitable exhortation to pursue excellence, right up through the final exam. ‘Half-time heroes’ he would say ‘can be end-of-the-game zeroes.’ Then, with a gleam in his eye only he was capable of mustering, he would continue, ‘I don’t want any of you showing up in my office whining: ‘Oh come on, Father, gimme a break’ [he made whining sounds, too, naturally]. I just might look at you and say, ‘I’m all out of darts of love, kid; all I have left are shafts of justice.’’

“We, his students, all knew Father was entirely capable of serving up shafts of justice on quizzes, exams or report cards. Admittedly his rock-star status was partly earned by his unmatched eccentricities (the sweaters, the recitation of class roll-call from memory, the phone call if you were absent, the ‘optional, informal review sessions’, the dreaded ‘see me, please’), but in fact something much deeper drew us to him. Despite his emphasis on justice in the classroom, the goodness Father Fabian showed to us as our priest (hearing our confessions, listening to our rants, and drying our tears) revealed that he also embodied that other, even greater virtue: mercy.

“For many of us, mercy is a word we toss around lightly, recognizing in it vaguely religious connotations. We associate it with nondescript acts of kindness or a nebulous feeling of sympathy. But as Pope Francis exemplifies in word and deed, there’s more to mercy than Hallmark sentiments.”

In a recent commentary, Brother Patrick Mary Briscoe, O.P. reflected on the gift of mercy and its role in evangelization.

To access Br. Patrick Mary’s complete post, please visit:

Dominicana: Pope Francis’s Key Virtue for the New Evangelization (24 JAN 14)

Reflection Starter from St. Teresa of Avila

“Be gentle to all, and stern with yourself.” – Saint Teresa of Avila (a.k.a. Saint Teresa of Jesus)

06 February 2014

Dr. Patrick Lee on Pro-Abortion Rhetoric

In a recent commentary, Dr. Patrick Lee, John N. and Jamie D. McAleer Professor of Bioethics and the director of the Institute of Bioethics at Franciscan University of Steubenville, reflected on the fallacies in the way the abortion supporters often approach the abortion issue. He also reflected on the moral responsibilities men and women have to the children they help procreate.

To access Dr. Lee’s complete post, please visit:

The Catholic World Report Blog: The Illogic of Pro-Abortion Rhetoric (31 JAN 14)

Thank You, Lord

Thank you, Lord, for everyday Catholic heroes, and for all that You do for them and through them.

Randy Hain on Everyday Catholic Heroes

“Feeling let down by politicians and public figures who say they are Catholic, but their words and actions are often contrary to the teachings of the Church? Do we seek good examples for ourselves, our children or our grandchildren to emulate because we hope they will demonstrate in word and deed what it means to be authentically Catholic?  Perhaps we are looking in the wrong places. Maybe for too long we have placed the wrong people on pedestals. It is entirely possible that we need look no further than our own parishes, workplaces and communities for good examples, or as we may want to call them, ‘regular Catholic heroes’.

“They are all around, but we may fail to notice them as it is easy to overlook the faithful, virtuous, humble and selfless among us. We are not drawn to them because they go about serving Christ and His Church in often quiet ways, avoiding the spotlight whenever possible. They care more about doing good than getting the credit. When they are not working, they are likely to be spending quality time with their families, serving others in the community or on their knees in prayer. They provide a powerful witness in the simplest of actions.”

In a recent commentary, writer Randy Hain, Senior Editor for The Integrated Catholic Life, reflected on the lives of three individuals who are humbling serving others and living a prayerful and authentically Catholic life.

To access Mr. Hain’s complete post, please visit:

The Integrated Catholic Life: Everyday Catholic Heroes (9 JAN 14)

Reflection Starter from Norman Vincent Peale

“In every difficult situation is potential value. Believe this, then begin looking for it.” – Rev. Norman Vincent Peale