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I was reading a Q & A in the paper answered by the financial guru Dave Ramsey. The questioner was complaining about millennials and Gen Zers. Ramsey responded by saying there are two types--"the ones who are unbelievably awesome and the ones who aren't."   He went on to talk about the necessity of them having meaning in their work, that they want to see that "their work connects to something that matters." They have inquiring minds, he tells us, and "most of them want to know why you do things the way you do them."   Ramsey goes on to talk about leadership and bosses--some push and others pull. The "do it this way because I said so" doesn't work so much with Gen Zers and millennials. Heck, I don't think it works with most people.   I thought the push/pull idea of leadership makes an important distinction. And it doesn't just apply in the work world. When it comes to attempts to spread the gospel and help ot

Today recalls the beheading of St. John the Baptist. I'd like to share this video reflection with you that begins with a description of what happened to John but continues with a challenge for us to be personally aware of our own stubborn responses to situations we might find ourselves in. It's a good one!  You can find it HERE . Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com  

Billy Sunday giving another rip-roaring performance. (1915) Pope Francis criticized (some) Catholics in my country. If I had any sense, and was trying to make A Catholic Citizen in America famous, influential, profitable or some combination of those qualities, I’d have long since picked an earnestly wacky political fringe position. And, having picked my target demographic, I would now churn out a rant denouncing the pope for not being sufficiently American; for not supporting the civil rights of wombats — or whatever the Great Cause of the Month was. I don’t, happily, have that sort of “sense”. But I do think this deserves a brief response.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Pope Francis has criticized some American Catholics. I think he has a point. I talk, briefly, about that, and show an excerpt from a Reuters article.)

In today's video, I talk about two key things we need to remember when sharing the gospel with others. Please feel free to comment or send me your questions for future videos. Look for me on Facebook at: (https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith) and on my blog at janetcassidy.com For friends who are not on Facebook, please share this link to the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i1L76ah3wIs Thank you! Have a blessed day! Janet Cassidy

India became the fourth nation to land on Earth's Moon this week. And the first to land near the Lunar south pole. This is a very big deal. So, in a different way, was the "abnormal situation" that turned Russia's Luna-25 lander into an impactor. Humanity is returning to the Moon. I think this is a good thing. I woke up in time to watch ISRO's coverage of Wednesday's historic touchdown near Manzinus crater. Folks in mission control showed more enthusiasm than I did, here in central Minnesota. But they're all younger than I am: so that's no surprise. I was and am delighted at ISRO's successful Lunar landing. And even more pleased about the Indian Prime Minister's upbeat words. Roscosmos, Luna-25, and Russia; Briefly "...The Sky is Not the Limit" "...This Success Belongs to All of Humanity" "... 'The Moon is Only a Tour Away'" Robert Goddard, Opel-RAK, and Missed Opportunities: Another Digress

St Peter El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] 'You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it'  (Matthew 16:18; Gospel).   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 16:13-20 ( English Standard Version Anglicised) Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples,  “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”   And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”   He said to them,  “But who do you say that I am?”  Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”   And Jesus answered him,  “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of h

              En esta Jornada Mundial de la Juventud ,JMJ, que se llevó a cabo en Lisboa el mes de agosto de 2023, hubo diferentes eventos para los jóvenes durante los días que permanecieron ahí. En uno de ellos, Monseñor José Ignacio Munilla, Obispo de Orihuela-Alicante, compartió con los jóvenes una reflexión sumamente interesante sobre un tema en boga y de gran interés para ellos: la Ecología y el desarrollo sustentable. Pero a diferencia de las trilladas conferencias que puede uno escuchar de expertos sobre el tema y de organizaciones internacionales que tienden a ignorar y desechar al hombre mismo en aras de la salvación del planeta, Monseñor Munilla tocó aspectos de la Ecología que estos actores sociales no han incluido en sus agendas: al hombre mismo y su humanidad como parte de las creación Escuchemos esta gran explicación, que nos puede abrir un horizonte y significado nuevos sobre el cuidado de la creación y la labor del hombre. Una visión plenamente católica sobre el t

Today's video reflection is for YOU if you have ever found yourself telling God, "It's not fair!" In this two-minute reflection we zoom in on what God's justice looks like and I encourage you to not miss a day of his grace!  If you, or someone you know, has questioned how someone can live their entire life rejecting or ignoring God, and then, at the very end ask for--and receive--forgiveness, you will want to hear this message. If you are hanging on to a sin--or a sinful life--you will want to hear this message! Please share my YouTube link, which you will find HERE ! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com  

Humanity is returning to the Moon. Vikram, the Chandrayaan-3 mission's lander, will, if all goes well, touch down near the Moon's south pole today: Wednesday, August 23, 2023. A successful landing will make India one of four spacefaring nations with a presence on the Lunar surface.... ...The time of day depends on where you are. For me, it'll be early Wednesday morning. That's why I've embedded an ISRO YouTube video in this post: so I'll have something queued up and ready to view. That's assuming I wake up in time.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A successful landing will make India one of four spacefaring nations with a Lunar presence. Embedded ISRO YouTube live video, a little background.)

There are some that may think it is best to ignore what is happening in the world today, but in my short video I talk about how important it is to know what is going on around us. Here is a shareable YouTube LINK to the video. Have a blessed day! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com    

If you are struggling with understanding today's gospel reading about the interaction between Jesus and the woman where he refers to her as a dog, you will NOT want to miss this video by Bishop Robert Barron. I have to say, I think it is one of the best I have heard from him (and that's saying a lot.) Please take a few minutes and listen to his teaching on Matthew, Chapter 15th. It is pure genius. Here's the link: https://www.wordonfire.org/videos/sermons/chosen-for-the-sake-of-the-world/ Janet Cassidy BLOG: janetcassidy.com

Folks living in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, are not having a good time. The last I checked, the Northwest Territories capital was being evacuated. Understandably, since there’s less than a mile of open water between Yellowknife and one of Canada’s wildfires. Since Yellowknife has been in the news, and I knew next to nothing about the place, I did a little checking and took a quick virtual trip to the Northwest Territories’ capital. I'll be talking about something else for next week's post, so what I found gets a once-over-lightly treatment.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Canadian wildfires and folks living in Yellowknife, capital of Northwest Territories: and a remarkable house. Also a cursory glance at crazy rumors.)

Are you a fan of Chris Stefanick? If not, you might want to become one! Here is a video he did from World Youth Day this year. You might think, "Why should I care about World Youth Day?"   Well, the Church is worldwide and to see so many people gathered together "united around their faith" is quite an amazing thing. It is a sign of hope. Stefanick gives us a first-hand look at what it was like to be there.    Allow yourself to be uplifted today! Check it out on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ro9x3GgjGc   Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com  

  Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Fahey (née Phelan) 14 February 1945 – 2 August 2023 Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 15:21-28  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.   And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”   But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”   He answered,  “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”   But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”   And he answered,  “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.”   She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.”

I'll be talking, briefly, about my most recent effort to both follow the rules and get a needed prescription. (Spoiler alert: I finally got the stuff, and have maybe three weeks before wading into this mess again.) But first, an even briefer look at something I'd much rather have been talking about. Yellowstone: Earthquakes Happen Prescribed Medications, Controlled Substances, and Me It Could be Worse Postscript: Success! Until Next Month More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (My monthly efforts to get a prescribed medication were more than usually frustrating this time. I talk a little about that, and less about Yellowstone geology.)

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    I came across a quote stressing that capitalism and philanthropy are connected, that one cannot exist without the other. If you think about it, it is true that capitalism and philanthropy must go hand in hand. It is great that we have the freedom to create and acquire money and possessions from our own labor, but just imagine if we universally agreed to share it! I know this is a complex issue, but we do need to do a better job of connecting the ability to grow and accumulate personal wealth with the responsibility of sharing it. Let's teach our kids not to pursue money for the sake of money: "work hard so you can have a big house (or an extra house) and live the good life."  How about teaching them that no matter how hard they work, no matter how much they accumulate, it doesn't actually belong to them so long as there are so many vulnerable, under-served people living among us?  Let's teach them that their very ability to work, and the circumst