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Advent doesn't start for another week, but my country's Christmas season is already off to a running start. I've mentioned Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Buckster Bunny and "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas" before. Maybe I will again, but not this week. This is another 'clip post': excerpts from stuff I’ve posted before.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A quick pre-Advent review: Deborah, Barak, and Jael,wife of Heber; Judith and editors; examination of conscience. Also the Macy parade and Buckster Bunny.)

The Last Judgement , Michelangelo  [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 25:31-46  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India) Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.   Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.   And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.   Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.   For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was ...

Jordan Navor and Louella 'Lala' Vicente I have used the photo above many times, especially to mark  Lala's birthday on 27 September , the feast of St Vincent de Paul. It was taken in  L'Arche  in Cainta, Rizal, part of the Metro Manila sprawl. Jordan, born with multiple disabilities, became part of the community as a child and I met him many times over the years. Lala joined some years later.  Punla , the Tagalog for seedling, is the official name of the community. I was very saddened to learn yesterday of Jordan's death on Wednesday. But my instinctive reaction was a conviction that he is now surely in heaven with God. In the Irish language we have a beautiful expression for someone like Jordan:  duine le Dia  - a person with God. He was someone who was a great grace to those who knew him because he drew out their generosity and love in responding to his needs. The photo at the top shows this beautifully. The photos above and below of Jordan, taken from th...

  I have to admit, on this sacred shopping day, I'm not much of a shopper. There really isn't anything I NEED. I'm more at that stage in life where I am trying to get rid of stuff. So on this day, I won't be online or at the stores early. I may just make it a lazy day and enjoy our Thanksgiving day leftovers. We had a laugh the other day when talking about one of my brothers who is traveling with his wife to England for a wedding this weekend. I commented that it seemed a little unusual for someone to plan a wedding for Thanksgiving weekend. Duh. Naturally, Thanksgiving, as a holiday, wouldn't have any significance to the people of England, like it does to us (although some do celebrate the autumnal harvest.) We Americans sometimes think that the rest of the world is just like us. This type of thinking is evidenced by those of us who go overseas and say or do things that would be okay in the U.S.A., but lands them in jail in other countries. I've often thou...

  Gobble Gobble! I heard on the news the other day that many of us overeat on Thanksgiving. What a surprise! They showed a couple of people who had lost 100-200 pounds and they were talking about how they just don't eat as much as they used to. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving but be sure not to over-stuff, and while you're at it, thank God for the opportunity to serve up love, patience, and self-restraint at your table, and in your conversations, as needed! Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Follow me on Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith

This week will be less routine than usual, partly due to Thanksgiving Day. I'll be staying home, and haven't decided whether or not I'll try finding free online streaming of Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. This — and probably my regular 'Saturday' post — will be the text equivalent of a clip show: excerpts from stuff I've posted before. So: Happy Thanksgiving Day, Greetings on November 23, or whatever seems appropriate. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Stuff happens: wealth and poverty, sickness and health. None of that is a sure sign of virtue or sin. What I do with what I've got: that is what matters.)

  I was reading an unfamiliar passage from the Second Book of Maccabees yesterday (Chapter 6, Verse 31). The story, simply put, was about someone (Eleazar) who was given the choice of pretending to eat something he shouldn't, so he could live, or die refusing it. He chose the latter. In the last verse of this chapter, it says, he left "a model of courage and an unforgettable example of virtue not only for the young but for the whole nation." When we lean into those, like scripture says, we set an example for others. In what way is God calling you to be courageous? How do you practice virtue? According to the "Catechism of the Catholic Church (¶1803)": "A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good. It allows the person not only to perform good acts, but to give the best of himself." Courage is a moral virtue, which helps us to be strong when faced with difficulties as we pursue good. Like Eleazar, we may need to take the hard road, whic...

  I went on retreat recently (if you've never been, you need to do it!) and I got stuck on Psalm 140. Thinking I might not be alone in needing to hear what this Psalm has to say, I thought I would share some of the highlights of it here. If you have ever been aware of the various ways the evil one works his way between God and us, you are not alone. Way back when this Psalm was written, it was quite clear that the author understood that we need God to get us out of the messes in which we find ourselves. Once we know this, our prayer turns to asking for God's grace, as we know we can be tempted to give into our weaknesses. What a relief it is to know that we don't have to go it alone and that God overpowers any evil snares we fall into. "Keep me, Lord, from the clutches of the wicked; preserve me from the violent, who plot to trip me up." Sometimes we need to be protected from ourselves, don't you think? Pride, over-confidence, stubbornness, etc. Satan kno...

    As you know I posted my interview last week with Amanda Daloisio, one of the Managing Editors of the Catholic Worker, a newspaper started by Dorothy Day back in 1933. We covered a lot of interesting topics in our discussion and I thought it was a very timely interview, considering everything going on throughout the world. You can imagine my surprise when I checked my posting the morning it was to be published and it had been removed by Facebook because it said it potentially contained some partially false information. They re-posted it, but they kept a warning attached to it. I hope that doesn't scare you away from watching it if you came across the warning. The truth is, there is nothing in the video that needs a warning because there is absolutely nothing false about the information contained in it. I'm really not sure why it was marked, but I think the best way to handle this is to send you to my YouTube Channel, where you can easily find the video. Just go to https:...

I'll be talking about a cartoon, a bishop, and brittle bigwigs. But first, an explanation or three may be in order. Politics, Pigeonholes, and Me Conservative? Liberal? Republican? Democrat? No: Catholic Out of Step: a Half-Century-Plus and Counting Protecting Americans From Unsanctioned Ideas Caricature and Sensitivity "...War Rages as Outcry Grows...." Self-Appointed Guardians of Freedom and Decency: Then and Now American and Catholic He Said WHAT? Resources: Political Life From a Catholic Perspective Irks, Ilks, Ethics, and Being Catholic Cancel Culture: New Phrase, Old Habit (Only) Free to Agree With Me is Not Freedom "Leaves of Grass", Underground Comix, and "Banned in Boston" More at A Catholic Citizen in America . How I see a cartoon, a bishop, and brittle bigwigs. Also politics, pigeonholes and me; caricature and unsanctioned ideas; and McCarthyism as cancel culture.

Married Couple in a Garden Frans Hals [ Web Gallery of Art ] An excellent wife who can find?   She is far more precious than jewels.   The heart of her husband trusts in her,   and he will have no lack of gain.   She does him good, and not harm,   all the days of her life  (Proverbs 31:10-12; First Reading). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 25:14-30  ( English Standard Version Anglicised, India)   [ For the shorter form (25:14-15, 19-21), omit the text in brackets .] Jesus told this parable to his disciples: “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.   To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. [ He who had received the f...

  Our little granddaughter loves apples. The other day she proudly showed what was left of her snack, and I can honestly say I've never seen an apple so completely demolished; you could barely see the core! There was about an inch of it left! I appreciated her efforts because we have been really trying to work on not being wasteful, although, admittedly, I think she just thoroughly enjoyed her apple! I'm not a big leftovers person, and this can be a problem if you are trying not to be wasteful. I swear my husband could eat leftovers for three days in a row and not really care. I get bored eating the same thing everyday. I think I've noticed a pattern, because I get bored praying the same prayers as well. I love praying with scripture and the daily readings, probably because they are new every day and often speak to me. Don't be afraid to change up your prayer routine from time to time. Not only does it give God an opportunity to speak to you in a new way, it also fr...

  I drove past a local bank with a sign out front: "Christmas Cash Loans Available." "Don't do it!" I wanted to yell. If you have to take out a loan to buy gifts for Christmas, you are better off getting creative with non-costly gifts than to put yourself and your family in debt. Years ago my husband and I made a deal that we would give each other gifts that we didn't buy. I don't remember what we came up with that year, but we both stayed true to our deal. It required a little more thought and time, but proved to be a wonderful exchange on Christmas morning. You can make personal gifts, like a book which might include free foot rubs, a gift allowing one's personal preference to prevail for dinner, or you might commit to doing a chore for them around the house. These kinds of gifts, which can last for more than one exchange, offer a more meaningful way to express your love, not to mention they are greatly appreciated. Over the year...