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  Christ Cleansing the Temple Luca Giordano [ Web Gallery of Art ] And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold,  saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of robbers"  (Luke 19:45-46; Gospel). I featured the painting above in  Sunday Reflections  for yesterday in connection with the Gospel for the Traditional Latin Mass for the Eighth Sunday After Pentecost. That Gospel and Luca Giordano's painting show a side of Jesus that is not particularly emphasised these days. But the longer form of yesterday's Gospel for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, shows something of that side of Jesus:  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.   When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.   So it will be at the close of the age. The ange...

    Today is the anniversary of my dad's death. He died back in 1967 of a heart attack on my grandma's birthday (his mother-in-law). I was less than a month away from turning nine. He was 38. Death strikes everyone differently, and memories vary depending on age and circumstances. I knew he died young, but now that I am past the age of his death, I can really appreciate just how young he was. Now that I think about it, he was just a few years older than Jesus was when he died. Whenever one's earthly existence ends, it leaves a hole. I often ponder how some people make such a huge impact, like St. Teresa of Calcutta, and others leave behind memories for their immediate family, rather than the entire world. But when I think about it, as in my dad's case, their children and their children's children become their quiet legacy. So you could say they do, in fact, make a huge impact on the world for generations to come. The truth is, it really doesn't matter if ...

Nerd alert! This week I used words like deuterium and magnetohydrodynamics. And I may have gone into more detail that necessary about why we didn’t have fusion power generators in the 1960s. A British company's plans for test-firing a fusion rocket engine got my attention last week. I'd planned on writing about it then, but a dental procedure and household matters got in the way. So I researched and made more notes over the weekend, and when my town's power came back online late Monday afternoon: the notes weren't there any more. That's something I may talk about, sometime next week. Anyway, I re-researched, got stuck and/or distracted a couple times — I'll talk about tralphium and mindsets in a bit — and ended up with this post. Which, as it turned out, included a bit about NASA's interest in UAPs and the serious search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Sunshine, Energy and Mass: Fusion Basics Thermonuclear Weapons, History and Ideas: Ver...

  Girl with a Pearl Earring Vermeer [ Web Gallery of art ] Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 13:44-52 [Shorter version: 44-46]  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Jesus said to his disciples: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.   “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,   who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. [ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.   When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.   So it will be at the c...

Typically, my husband and I listen to Bishop Robert Barron's Sunday homilies. I think the one for this week "The Parasite of Evil" is especially good so I want to share it with you, in case you haven't heard it. What a remarkable reflection on good and evil! He brought up some very interesting insights that I really appreciate. I hope you will take the time to watch it, and like it as much as I do! You can find it here: https://www.wordonfire.org/videos/sermons/the-parasite-of-evil/ Have a blessed Sunday. Janet Cassidy BLOG: janetcassidy.com Follow me on Facebook at: reflectionsinfaith

On this date in 1598 William Shakespeare submitted "The Merchant of Venice" to the authorities. The play was entered in the Stationers' Register as "The Marchaunt of Venyce or otherwise called The Jewe of Venyce". Before I say anything else, I'd better make something clear. In my considered opinion, late 16th century England is not early 21st century America.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (The Merchant of Venice: Elizabethan England is not today's America, and other more-or-less obvious observations. Plus a good idea or two.)

  Sheaves of Wheat Vincent van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 13:24-43 [Shorter version: 24-30]  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Jesus put another parable before them, saying,  “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,   but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.   So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.   And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’   He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’   But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you ...

  Today's blog post is on the subject of transgenderism.  I have never quite heard it explained as well as in the video I am including in this link. Fr. Mike Schmitz is a popular Catholic speaker and his gentle, truthful, logical approach to this subject is sure to clarify concerns around this topic.  It's not very long, but it is well worth your time. Please feel free to share it with anyone you know who may be conflicted about how to walk with someone with gender identity issues while staying faithful to God's design for man and woman. Here is Father Mike's video, The Transgender Question : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-9_rxXFu9I Have a blessed day! Janet Cassidy BLOG:  janetcassidy.com Follow me on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/  

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Storytelling is a very "human" thing. But not all of us are storytellers. And some of us don't even care for reading stories. Which is just as well, since we're not supposed to be all alike. "Fiction is Lies" Giving and Getting Impressions Coming at Reality from Different Directions "Little Less Than a God" Imaginary Worlds and Human Dignity More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Fiction and truth, human nature and creativity, remembering who and what we are. Looking at reality from different directions. Attitudes and impressions.)

  The Sower, June 1888, Arles Vincent van Gogh [ Web Gallery of Art ] A sower went out to sow . . . Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 13:1-23 [Shorter version: 1-9]  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.   And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.   And he told them many things in parables, saying:  “A sower went out to sow.   And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.   Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,   but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they wither...

It's been a rough softball season for our son, and others as well, as it seems like every time he is scheduled to practice, there are either Canadian smoke issues or rain. Since he is quite the weather enthusiast, he watches it closely to see if it is going to impact his practices or game.   As we get drawn into it with him, we keep talking about how the weather changes from hour to hour (sometimes minute to minute.) For one practice, we headed out under questionable, but sunny, skies. Before we got to practice ten minutes away from home, we were in the midst of a pounding hail storm! In the Gospel of Matthew (16:1-3) Jesus is being tested by two well-known groups. The Pharisees (legal experts who believed in the resurrection) and the Sadducees (more political, who did not believe in the resurrection).   They wanted Jesus to show them a sign from heaven.    He responded by asking how it is that they cannot judge the signs of the times, but when they look at the s...

  "Sometimes people just won't listen! No matter how many times you repeat yourself, no matter how many ways you try to get your point across, they just don't hear you. Can you relate? What do you do when this happens to you?" Continue reading on my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ where you will find my daily posts. Please follow me and don't forget to share this with anyone you think might like it, too! Janet Cassidy BLOG: janetcassidy.com

This week I'm sharing what Fr. Mark Botzet said during Mass on the last Sunday in June. I was going to just post his homily and let it go at that. But then I thought his focus on fear might make more sense if I put it in context of what's been happening in my part of the world. So I've put a short (for me) look at life in central Minnesota, and the big picture, after Fr. Botzet's homily. Fr. Mark Botzet's Homily — June 25, 2023 Four Decades, Two Millennia and the Long Haul (Brian H. Gill) Under the Circumstances... Promises and the Best News Ever More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Dealing with changes in Parishes on the Prairie ACC. Remembering priorities. Not letting fear distract us from what is important.)

  First Holy Communion Holy Family Home for Girls, Bacolod City, Philippines Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 11:25-30  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) At that time Jesus declared,  “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;   yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.   All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.   Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.   Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will fi...