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    If I am being honest, this jumped out at me in light of the recent conviction of the former president of the United States, in New York yesterday.   His behavior seems to correspond to this passage, which comes from today's reading from The Book of Zephaniah: "It listens to no voice, accepts no correction." Zephaniah included this in his prophesy, hundreds of years before Jesus, during a time of darkness for Judah and Jerusalem.  The people were stubborn, and his prophecy announced the "fire" of God's passion, his anger at the way they were behaving. BUT, at the end of this very short book, we learn that God has left a remnant of people, who "do no wrong and speak no lies."  It was good news to the people of Jerusalem. What stood out for me yesterday at the former president's conviction, was the lack of humility found in one who will not listen to anyone and who cannot take being corrected.  How can anyone be a good leader if t...

      We had a chance to tour an out-of-commission lightship called the Huron.  It was a very nice ship museum (dry-docked).  As we began to walk around it, I felt like I was in one of those roadside Mystery Spot houses that make you feel like you are walking on an angle. I asked about it and the museum docent explained that it was related to the anchor and how it affected the tilt of the ship.  This ship that we call the Church also has an anchor--Jesus.  As we move about, there may be times when we feel a little off-kilter, always being challenged as we are, to steady ourselves when our steps feel a little off. But the truth is, it is Jesus on whom we should rely during those times we need steadying, when we just can't seem to get our bearings.  He is the one who gives us direction, keeps us upright when we feel like we are going to fall, and ultimately, the one who never leaves us alone in the storms of life.  There are lots ...

St Margaret Mary Alacoque Contemplating the Sacred Heart of Jesus Corrado Giaquinto [Web Gallery of Art Web Gallery of Art ] June is the month of the Sacred Heart of Jesus He guides the humble in the right path;  He teaches his way to the poor  (Ps 24[25]:9).   Supper at Emmaus Caravaggio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Corpus Christi, Year B The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, Year B   In most countries  this solemnity, formerly celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, is now celebrated on the Sunday after Trinity Sunday, this year replacing the Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In communities where the Traditional Latin Mass is celebrated Corpus Christi is observed on the traditional day, the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, this year 30 May. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 14:12-16, 22-26   ...

  Remember my butter fiasco while I was attempting to make banana bread with my new-to-me mixer? (See "What a Morning!") Well, I got brave and decided to make some homemade bread, using the recipe that came with the mixer. Making bread and not having to knead it was the one thing I was really anticipating. I excitedly got all of my ingredients together and put on the dough hooks. As I pushed the buttons and turned up the speed, there was an awful screeeeccchhh that I could barely tolerate. After fussing with it a bit, I resorted to hand kneading, as my husband recognized he had a job to do. The bread turned out very good, but my husband spent a few hours in the garage taking the whole mixer apart. Since the mixer is quite old, he figured it probably needed some oil. When he got it all oiled and put back together, he brought it in the house and the offensive screech was gone! He said something still isn't quite right, but it certainly runs fine now. I can hardly wait ...

      Look around you. I suspect, like me, you haven't seen Jesus walking down the street. You haven't actually seen the physical person at a social gathering, at work, or sitting at your breakfast table. In reality, one of the possible ways we CAN see Jesus is in one another. It is the responsibility of each of us to live in such a way that others can see Jesus, especially since he is not walking around in a physical body.  We need to be careful that our own words and behavior do not drive people away, but attract. Just being good, morally upright people--while a positive thing--is not enough.  We need to understand the motivation for such good behavior, if we are going to keep ourselves in check. Without solid grounding--like belief in God--we will be easily moved to less virtuous behavior at the first challenge we face. Then, as our anger rises up, for example, we will lose our footing, and rather than self-correct, we will quickly become less o...

I think the notion that someone can either be a Christian or appreciate the cosmic scale and wonders of God's creation is fading. Sincerely believing in a conflict where champions of science and reason opposed the dark forces of religion didn't, arguably, start in the 19th century. But that's when the idea got traction. In England and America, at any rate. Even so, fallout from the 19th century could be worse. I could be living in a culture where religiously earnest folks insisted that diamagnetism is diabolical. This week I'll be talking about faith, reason, cultural baggage, and why using my brain is a good idea. "The Watch-Dog of Science" and Cultural Baggage Agnosticism, Diamagnetism — and Levitating Frogs Checking Our Cultural Baggage Remembering the Freethought Road Protecting Their Country From People Like Me Darwin, Divinity, and Letter From an English Priest Thinking is Not a Sin Punctured Pride? Perspectives More at A Catholic C...

Holy Trinity Jusepe de Ribera [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel    Matthew 28:16-20     (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.   And when they saw him they worshipped him, but some doubted.   And Jesus came and said to them,  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.     Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,   teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Léachtaí i nGaeilge Antiphona ad introitum   Entrance Antiphon Benedictus sit Deus Pater, Unigen...

    Are you frustrated about your choices for the presidential election this year?  Don't know what to do because of the abortion issue? I came across this excellent article from Word on Fire (Bishop Robert Barron's site) that is very helpful.  It doesn't tell you how to vote, but lays out some very balanced points to consider. I hope you will find it helpful and that you will share it wherever you can. It offers some very good questions for us, and although it is directed to Catholics, please don't think it is limited to Catholics, as we are not the only ones who care about morality and its application to politics! Just go to:  https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/abortion-on-the-ballot-this-election/  Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy

    It all started with two ripe bananas, a new-to-me mixer and the ridiculous notion of "softening" butter on a plate. What a morning! After I "over-softened" the butter, I took it out of the microwave and dumped half the plate of melted butter down my apron, across the counter and all over the floor. Before I could continue, I had to mop the floor, rinse out my apron, and wipe down the counter and cupboards. Then, I took out more butter to soften naturally, a couple of eggs, and started again. My mother-in-law had given me her older mixer/chopper/blender, so I was excited to give it a try.  I mixed up my ingredients, folded in some chocolate chips and carefully placed it in the oven, looking forward to seeing how my banana bread would turn out. It was looking good! But, after placing my pan in the oven, I turned around to face my dishes and realized I had forgotten to add the butter! (I had set it out in a place I normally don't put it.) Out of the o...

A helicopter carrying two pilots, a flight technician, and at least five other folks crashed yesterday. They’re all dead. One of them was Iran’s president: which made the aviation accident international news. News “ Iran’s president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast ” Jon Gambrell, AP (May 20, 2024) “ Iran declares five days of mourning for president ” Michael Sheils McNamee, BBC News (May 20, 2024) Wikipedia 2024 Varzaqan helicopter crash Ebrahim Raisi I am not happy that at least eight people died in that helicopter. I am particularly troubled, because at least one of those deaths may make life difficult for a great many other folks. All of which may take a little explaining.... But not all that much: more at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Ebrahim Raisi was President of Iran. Now he is dead. So are at least seven other folks. I respond to that, very briefly.)

This month's analysis of a piping hot Super-Earth's atmosphere is a big deal. But it's not the "first" detection of a terrestrial exoplanet's atmosphere, not by about eight years. 1 I'll be talking about how scientists sift through data, 55 Cancri e's atmosphere, its planetary system, why 55 Cancri e — the exoplanet was officially named Janssen in 2015 — and why calling Janssen a "diamond planet" may be appropriate. Scientists and 55 Cancri e: How They Know What They Know Bayesian Basics and Dealing With Incomplete Data Studying Starlight: Transits, Eclipses, and a Whole Lot of Math Welcome to the Copernicus Planetary System There's No Place Like Home: But the Copernicus System Comes Close Copernicus: Giant Planets and a Super-Earth Circling a Slightly Strange Star Janssen: 'Terrestrial', But Not Like Earth Like a Diamond in the Sky? Carbon Planets: Carbides and Maybe Diamonds More at A Catholic Citizen in...

    As my mother grew older and her needs increased, my brothers and I took care of her with great love.  As we, her children, cared for her, I'm sure it brought her great comfort and joy in her final years. Today around the world, Christians have reason to celebrate. This is a special day to honor Mary, Mother of the Church. (It always comes on Monday, the day after Pentecost.) Of course, none of us worship idols. Neither do we worship Mary. We honor her.  As Christians, we simply accept her designated role as our Mother, whom Jesus gave us from the cross, using these words from the Gospel of John, Chapter 19 : "When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, 'Woman, behold, your son.' Then he said to the disciple, 'Behold, your mother.'” Representing each of us, the "beloved disciple" accepted Mary as his mother, and took her into his home to care for her. We were given to Mary, as her children, in...

Pentecost El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] All [the apostles]  with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers . . .  When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place.   (Acts 1:14; 2:1). Pentecost Sunday,  at the Vigil Mass  (Saturday evening), Years ABC NB: The Vigil Mass has its own prayers and readings. Those for the Mass During the Day on Sunday should not be used – though some priests seem to be unaware of this. It is incorrect to refer to this Vigil Mass as an ‘anticipated Mass’. It is a celebration proper to the evening before Pentecost Sunday and may be celebrated in an extended form. It also fulfils the Sunday obligation.   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA Gospel   John ...

    I came across an ABC Special that Peter Jennings did years ago which was an attempt to search for Jesus. True to his journalistic style, he set out to visit the places identified to be where Jesus was born, grew up, died and was resurrected.  He investigated whether Jesus was a political figure, whether he was truly resurrected, and whether facts outside of the Bible could verify the events around Jesus as non-fiction. Jennings introduced scholars and various, conflicting opinions, and "evidence" that led to more questions than answers. It was all a bit frustrating to me, since I know that there is so much true about Jesus that cannot be known by just looking into facts. Details will never change who I know him to be through my relationship with him. But it also confirmed for me one of the reasons I don't feel motivated to visit the Holy Land.  I'm not saying it's not good to do so, but if you go because you are looking for affirmations of your bel...

        I was listening to a podcast and this paragraph from the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" came up: " Death puts an end to human life as the time open to either accepting or rejecting the divine grace manifested in Christ." ( CCC 1021 ) Now before you roll your eyes, hear me out . . . However we are living our lives, right now, makes a difference when we die.  The good news is that through Jesus we are receiving divine grace, and if we are open to it and living in it, we will get some good news upon our death. But, the bad news is that when our human life ends (which could be today, who knows?), so will the time for us to accept his grace. I don't bring up this topic to scare you, but just to be sure you are intentional about the choices you are making from this day forward.  Our merciful God will love you through your past sins, but realize, today, you have the opportunity to "accept or reject the divine grace" being offered to you...

    I am absolutely confident that you need to watch this 30 minute VIDEO by Dr. Edward Sri, a Catholic theologian. He gives this short presentation in the midst of a retreat on the Eucharist, and his engaging, encouraging approach will leave you inspired in your prayer life. Through experience, Dr. Sri knows the struggles that we often have in prayer and he offers down-to-earth examples to help us cut right through all of our discouragements. Please, take the time to watch this. You won't regret it. I promise. Janet Cassidy janetcassidy.com Follow my Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/ Check out my YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy