Association Of Catholic Bloggers

  Gospel :  John 10:1-10                                                                30th  April 2023 Jesus said: ‘ I tell you most solemnly, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but gets in some other way is a thief and a brigand. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the flock; the gatekeeper lets him in, the sheep hear his voice, one by one he calls his own sheep and leads them out. When he has brought out his flock, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow because they know his voice. They never follow a stranger but run away from him: they do not recognise the voice of strangers.’  Jesus told them this parable but they failed to understand what he meant by telling it to them.   So Jesus spoke to them again:  ‘I tell you most solemnly, ...

This week I’ll talk about the SpaceX Starship and ispace test flights. Whether or not they were successful depends on who’s talking. I’ll also look at the usual hand-wringing over threats to the status quo. News and Views “We Will Keep Moving Forward” Fireball After Four Minutes: Starship’s Orbital Test Flight Starship Planned Mission Timelines: April 17 and 20, 2023 Changing the Game, and Why That’s a Good Thing Neocolonization, Environmental Racism and Gentrification: EEK! Villainy Runs Rampant as Chaos Stalks the Streets! Defending the Status Quo: A Cautionary Tale “My End of the Boat”, Obligations and Being Catholic More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The SpaceX Starship and ispace test flights, how SpaceX is changing the game, and hand-wringing over threats to the status quo.)

 In the Bread of Life Discourse in the Gospel of John, (John 6:37) Jesus said: "Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me." I was thinking about this in light of how everyone is always fighting about whether this person or that person should be allowed to receive Holy Communion, not to mention a bunch of other things. It seems to be that we are a bit tougher than Jesus when it comes to judging each other and deciding who's in and who's out. Why is that? I think it is because in our human state, we have pieces of our humanity buried in our judgments.  We get jealous.  We can be self-righteous.  And too often we claim superiority, or absolute knowledge when it comes to what God would or would not do. We need to be super careful about doing this; it is very dangerous. A good dose of humility before God might be helpf...

  The Good Shepherd Marten van Cleve the Elder [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel :   John 10:1-10   (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Jesus said: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus agai...

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It never seems to fail.  I hear a story about someone who goes into a business, or school, or wherever, and shoots the place up, and I hear a quote from the mom, "He's a good boy." This always catches my attention, and if I am being honest, I mostly believe her.  Mothers (and fathers, too, I'm sure) see the person they raised.  Through all of their faults and quirks, they have loved them.  The "good boy" is the one who gave her so many hugs, so many reasons to smile, as well as endless nights of worry over the years. Under every shooter, pedophile or arsonist is a person, a real person, who is tragically impaired in some way.  Sometimes those around them notice something is off, but other times, they don't have a clue. But my point is, naturally, for most of us, it can be pretty hard to see past the evil act and see the person--"the good boy"-- underneath. But this is exactly what we need to do--or at least try as best we can. Seein...

  Supper at Emmaus Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel :  Luke 24:13-35   (English Standard Version, Anglicised) That very day two of the disciples were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,   1 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.   While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.   But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.   And he said to them,  “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?”  And they stood still, looking sad.   Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”   And he said to them,...

"...the glory that was Greece, And the grandeur that was Rome...." (" To Helen ," Edgar Allen Poe (1845) via Wikipedia) I don't yearn for 'the good old days' of my youth, or for more remote golden ages. My memory's too good, and I've studied history. On the other hand, some bygone eras really were comparatively good times. The best of the lot, arguably, was the Pax Romana. That's what I'll be talking about today. Two Centuries of Good times The Roman Republic, Julius Caesar and Defenders of the Status Quo Comparative Peace and Prosperity: Not Perfect, But Not Bad Sic Transit Pax Romana Living Among The Ruins of a Better Age More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The Pax Romana, two centuries of good times, were not perfect. I look at why, two millennia later, they are still remembered.)

For those of you who are not Catholic, you might be tempted to skip over this post, but I strongly encourage that you do not, as I think you will find it helpful. For Catholics, we typically do what we call an Examination of Conscience before we go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession.)  Now you might not go to this sacrament, but an examination is something everyone can (and should) do frequently.  Perhaps even daily. When we examine our conscience, we simply take stock of our day, our actions and attitudes and so forth.  You might be wondering what the point to this would be, but for anyone who realizes they are not perfect, an easy examination will help them become better. I brought this topic up on Good Friday in my post, All Joking Aside . . ., because it was a good fit for that day, but I want to say a little more about it. There are tons of Examinations around, but I copied one awhile ago that I really like.  It is from Pope Francis....

 17th April 2023 Spring Cleaning Forty days of lent, that long, penitential, pilgrimage,   brings us to Holy Week. Holy Week , when, hopefully we've been trying to be more  closely united to Our Lord,  concludes with the three days of the Easter Triduum,  where we try to put even more effort in to accompanying   Jesus and His Blessed Mother, our Mother, on His journey to the cross.  Finally, after all the beautiful liturgies, that are completely draining,  both  spiritually and emotionally  we  reach the climax,  the Easter Vigil and Wow,  now the Joyous season of Easter begins.  Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia   This joy, this hopeful  tone,  this feeling of a new beginning,  spills over into other areas of  my life.   For instance, there's  something, isn't there,   about the warm spring air  that makes us ( it can't be only me !)  want to clean...

  You often hear people talk about Jesus having victory over death.  What exactly does that mean? I heard a comment recently that satan thought he had won on Good Friday because Jesus was crucified, but then on Easter, when Jesus rose from the tomb, the realization came that neither death, nor a tomb, could hold him.  What a shock for satan! This is what is meant by Jesus having victory over death.  Not even death, which we know as finite, was powerful enough to keep Jesus.  Can you imagine that?  It's certainly not something we experience every day, which is why it is so hard for us to comprehend the magnitude of the event and its significance. So what does that mean for us that Jesus was victorious over death? Well, for starters, it shows us that Jesus was who he said he was and he did what he said he would.  And further, it shows us that after our own death, we, too, will rise to new life.  This is no small thing, and it should aff...

I'll be talking about ChatGPT, artificial intelligence, and why I don't think we're doomed. Search Engines, Iron Gall Ink and Me Prolonged Paragraphs, Abundant Adjectives: a Prolix Style From Another Age It's New, it's Scary and it's (Not) the End of Creative Writing ChatGPT and Three Fears 1. Loss of Economic Security (or Maybe a New Job) 2. Loss of Originality: Being Homogenized Diversity and a Discerning Chatbot 3. Loss of Creativity (Quoth the Chatbot: "Nevermore"?) Twitter Terror and the Chatbot of Doom Psst! Know Where a Buddy Can Get a Nuke? "It Can Only be Attributable to Human Error" From "I Read it in a Book" to "I Saw it Online" Nostalgia, Memory and Job Security More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Chatbots and three fears. ChaosGPT: Twitter terror and the chatbot of doom. Accepting change, and why I do not think creative writing is ...

  The Incredulity of St Thomas Caravaggio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Second Sunday of Easter, Year A Divine Mercy Sunday Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel :   John 20:19-31   (English Standard Version, Anglicised) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,  “Peace be with you.”   When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.   Jesus said to them again,  “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”   And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,  “Receive the Holy Spirit.   If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven th...

When you have your newborn baby in your arms, you have a very real sense of your responsibility in taking care of this little person.  It is easy to assume when they are very young, that you are in control.  It only takes a few quick years to realize that this little person will become responsible for their own actions and that you actually have no control over what they do! I was reading Psalm 8 and verses 5-8 struck me: "What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet." Step back and read that again.  What struck me was the reality that God made all of creation and he put us over it!  What was he thinking?  Indeed, he crowned us with glory and honor, which tells you something about how highly he thinks of us mere humans, but then, to put us in charge? Im...

The good news is that this week's SNAFU doesn't happen nearly as often as it might. And I live in an era where folks like me have options that simply were not available in my youth. The not-so-good news is that I'm not perfectly perfect in every way. Nobody currently living here on Firebase Earth is, actually; but I'm a tad more positively off both the 50th percentile and society's fluctuating notion of perfection than many. And that's another topic. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (One of my meds is a controlled substance, so each month I need to ask permission to get the prescription. This month my request may have been lost. Again.)

Recapping Friday's post: whether Jesus died from cardiac rupture, cardiorespiratory failure or something else, the main point is that he died. Then Jesus was buried. Again, let's remember that he was, in the words of the Munckin coroner in "Wizard of Oz", sincerely dead: More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Jesus was dead and buried. Saturday passed. Sunday morning, some women came to finish what had been a rushed interment. What happened next still matters.)

Today, Holy Saturday, we wait in the silence of the tomb for Jesus to rise as promised.  We know he will because he said he would.  Just like we know he loves us, forgives us and is our Savior. To all of you who have made the daring step to be received into the Church tonight at the Easter Vigil, may the God in whom you are putting all your hope reveal himself to you.  May your encounter with the risen Christ make present to you his wonderful outpouring of grace in his beautiful sacraments. Never leave his side.  Never walk away from him, and in the future, continue to be open to all that he has to give you.  This journey of faith you have begun will be amazing! Welcome! Janet Cassidy (Follow me on Instagram, turn on your notifications, and never miss a new post!)    

The Resurrection of Christ El Greco [ Web Gallery ofArt ] The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA ) At the Mass during the Day Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 20:1-9     (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.   So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”   So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going towar...

There may have been times when one generation's world was much like another's. This is not one of those times. Science textbooks of my youth included speculation that Earth's mountains exist because our planet has been cooling and shrinking. One of my geology professors didn't "believe in" continental drift, and that's another topic. Back then, we knew that planets orbit our star, but weren't sure how the star we call the Sun and the Solar System formed. We still don't, for that matter. Not for sure. But the nebular hypothesis, or something very much like it, is a pretty good fit with observations. I'll get back to that, and some of what we've been learning about planetary systems: including TRAPPIST-1 and its seven worlds. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (New planetary system pattern discovered. TRAPPIST-1 worlds. Solar System formation and evolution ideas, from Descartes to pulsar planets. Psalms 115:3.)

One of the things we are supposed to do on Good Friday, in addition to abstaining from meat, is to fast.  Two of our meals throughout the day should not equal the third.  I always like to joke that this is easy to do if you just make your third meal really big!  If you do that, then the other two can be normal as they will never equal the third. I know, kind of a silly thought on this Good Friday, but, hey, it's how I think.  Of course, that way of thinking is erroneous, and admittedly, it's not my practice, but a foodie can dream can't she? All kidding aside, this is a great day to make an examination of conscience.  There are many out there.  Some people like to review there sins against the Ten Commandments.  I prefer one of the Daily Examination of Consciences under the Prayers in the list on the Laudate App on my phone. Anyway, whichever you choose, just remember that an examination is not supposed to be a time when you beat yourself ...

Jesus had been run back and forth between Caiaphas', Pilate's and Herod's places; tortured, and nailed to a cross on Golgotha. ( Matthew 26:47 - 27:2 ; Mark 14:53 - 15:41 ; Luke 22:66 - 23:49 ) No question about it. He was having a really bad day. No, that's not quite true. There have been alternative versions run up the flagpole.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Jesus had been having a really bad day. But before he died, he made a promise. I talk about that, and the best news humanity has ever had.)