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SHEMA YISRAEL ADONAI ELOHEINU ADONAI ECHAD [ U'SHEMO ECHAD ] V'AHAVTA ET HASHEM ELOHEICHA B'CHOL LEVAVCHA U'VCHOL NAFSHECHA U'VCHOL MEODECHA [YAIDA DAI YADA DAI YAIDADAI . . .] Hear, O Israel: The  Lord  our God, the  Lord  is one.   You shall love the  Lord  your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.   And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) . [First Reading; quoted by Jesus in the Gospel]. Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 12:28b-34 (shorter form: 10:42-45)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    One of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”   Jesus answered,...

    I hope you are enjoying Halloween, which for us, of course, has become simply about costumes, parties and candy. Tomorrow, as a Church, though, we celebrate All Saints Day, in honor of those who have gone before us, having already achieved heaven through martyrdom or holy living. Also, there are many who lived their lives in a saintly manner that have not been officially recognized as a saint by the Church, and this is a day to celebrate them as well. The following day, November 2nd, we especially remember those who have faithfully departed, but may not yet have achieved heaven. That day is also highlighted as a day of prayer for those who have died. With so many thinking about evil with the advent of Halloween, I would like to draw your attention to The Letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 6 , verses 10-20 today.  These verses, headlined as "Battle Against Evil," are a great reminder to "stand firm against the tactics of the devil," and that our struggle ...

      Today, as we celebrate the feast of two Apostles--Sts. Simon and Jude--we are reminded of who we are called to be as "fellow citizens," and "members of the household of God." We are built on the foundation of the Apostles, set in Jesus . Each of us has been chosen by God and are called to be disciples of the One who shows us what it means to love and serve others. We must avoid temptations that lead us into darkness, because we follow Jesus, the Light of the World. The responsibility of discipleship is great. It means turning away from sin and living in the freedom that comes to members of God's household. We have been warned that we will be tempted, fooled, into thinking that which is evil, is good.  I would venture to guess that not one of us doesn't understand this warning. Who hasn't, at times, thought they were making a choice that would lead to good, only to discover that they were walking down the wrong path. While we may be ea...

A little over a week from now, November 5, I plan on going to Sauk Centre's polling place. Then I'll vote. I'm not looking forward to that. But I'll vote anyway. That's because I'm an American. Voting is part of being a responsible citizen. Since I'm also a Catholic, voting responsibly involves comparing how we should behave to what the candidates have been saying and — perhaps more to the point — doing. If one of the candidates struck me as an obviously-good choice, then I would cast my vote for that one: and maybe say that you should, too. But I'm stuck with the reality we're experiencing. So instead, I'll — Share links to resources that discuss the 'should behave' aspects of public life Mention why I think voting makes sense Look forward to not seeing election angst in my news feed This week's post is shorter than most: Citizenship Without Hate and Fear: Resources Hot Button Issues and Loving My Country Anyway Obli...

  I was just watching a heartfelt interview with a couple that decided to abort their baby because the baby was diagnosed with Trisomy 18.  Facing some risk to the mother and the painful experience they would surely face in losing their infant in the future, they said they had to go to a different state to have an abortion--which would take the life of their longed-for baby. Because of all of this, they have become a political voice in support of abortion and are held up as poster-parents for the need to have abortion available. I knew someone who gave birth to a baby with a severe condition (as I recall, it was Trisomy 18 as well.) The baby lived for about 3 weeks. Within that time, her family poured out love on her. Her older brothers fawned over her and her parents held and cared for her continuously, knowing she would not live very long. When I visited the family and held their tiny, beautiful, daughter, I was so impressed. That little girl experienced the ...

Christ Healing the Blind Man Eustache L Sueur [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 10:46-52 (shorter form: 10:42-45)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.   And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”   And Jesus stopped and said,  “Call him.”  And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”   And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.   And Jesus said to him,...

My interests are eclectic. So is what my Google News feed puts in my "Picks for you" section. This morning (Thursday, October 24, 2024), I noticed an AP headline about Pope Francis denouncing something: "Pope Francis denounces a world 'losing its heart' in 4th encyclical of his papacy". I could have checked out what AP says the pope said, but long experience tells me that I'll learn more about what a pope — or anyone else — said by reading or hearing what they actually said. So I went to the Vatican website, and took a look at this new encyclical: More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A link to Dilexit nos, English translation, with two brief excerpts. My first reaction to what the pope wrote, and what I expect from an in-depth look.)

    From crude t-shirts, to droopy pants and profane language, I've never had much tolerance for public displays of vulgarity. I am totally appalled at the gratuitous use of foul language on television, in movies, and especially, streaming platforms that seem to allow just about everything. I hope you are equally irritated by these. I just think it says something about who we are. That being said, I'm sure you will agree that this weekend was no exception. I watched the former President waste his precious time on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania highlighting -not policy--but Arnold Palmer's "manhood" and what other pros thought about "it." See for yourself: https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/video/trump-ramps-vulgar-language-campaign-trail-114982681 Disgusting, I know. And if that wasn't enough, we've all heard him say that January 6th was "a day of love" when "nothing was done wrong." But, even beyond all that,...

A man asked Jesus "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" in last Sunday's Gospel reading. That's what Fr. Greg talked about — our Lord's answer is simple, by the way, and can be boiled down to 'be prudent'. There's an election looming in our country, so Fr. Greg also talked about acting as if love matters, and making prudent choices. Then he shared a prayer that I've had in my daily routine for a while. But (more than) enough about me. Here's what Fr. Greg said: Eternal Life Definitions and Choosing Wisely Love, Choices, and Wisdom Prudence Judges, the Constitution, and Freedom A Wedding Cake Artificial Contraception Second Amendment and the Right to Defend Myself Abortion Choice: and Responsibility Bodies and Rights Roe v. Wade, the Constitution, and a Eureka Moment Let Love Choose Wisely Video: Gospel Reading and Homily at St. Paul's, Sauk Centre, MN; October 13, 2024 More at A Catholic Citizen in ...

St James the Elder Rembrandt [ Wikipedia ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 10:35-45 (shorter form: 10:17-27)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    [James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”   And he said to them,  “What do you want me to do for you?”   And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”   Jesus said to them,  “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?”   And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them,  “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized,...

    I woke up with the thought "People need to marry." An odd early-morning thought I know, but here I am writing about it now. My thoughts actually turned to the importance of marriage.  Marriage is important for us as a society, and it is important for children. If you doubt that, just look around you at the state of families today. Naturally, strong, healthy marriages is the ideal, where the spouses are both "in" when it comes to their values and lifting each other up, creating a family forged in love. Unfortunately, not all marriages look like that. Sometimes people marry the wrong person, I get that. Because of this danger, and for many other reasons, we have become a nation of live-ins. It seems that we have given up on marriage. That, quite honestly, is not a good thing. Marriage contributes to the fabric of our culture in ways that may not be obvious to some. In marriage, a man and a woman give of themselves completely to one another. Their covena...

  I remember learning something in history about how people of Japanese descent were held in internment camps in the United States during World War II, just because being Japanese made people suspicious of them. It didn't matter if they had any association with criminal activity; what mattered was how they LOOKED. This was made possible because of an Act the former President wants to invoke. Recently he visited Aurora, Colorado and dropped quite a bomb during his event. I received this link (see * below) as to what he said. Apparently, if elected, he is going to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which is a " widely condemned immigration law that gives the president sweeping powers to bypass equal protection and due process while targeting foreign citizens. When it has been invoked, it has led to human rights crises that history looks down upon — but the law has not formally been repealed by Congress." Yes, that's right, the same law that "In 1988, w...

First, the good news. Folks in Florida knew that another major hurricane was heading their way. That, and some out-of-the-box thinking, helped them get ready. Now, the bad news. Folks in Florida were still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene, when Hurricane Milton hit. Cleaning up after this double-header disaster won't be easy. But there are a few bright spots, which I'll eventually get around to. Topical Twaddle The Usual Doom, Gloom, and Politics "Up, Up and Away": Weather Modification and the Montgolfier Brothers Tenants of Tampa Bay This May Be the End of Civilization As We Know It Customary Protocols, Private Citizens, and Pinellas County Flamingos and Being Human Making Sense: It's an Option Wednesday Evening: Hurricane Milton Arrives Milton in Context: Numbers and a Little History A Handy Hurricane Wind Scale Just How Bad Was It? Memorable Hurricanes Now What? Something I Can Do More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Tw...

Christ and the Rich Young Ruler Heinrich Hoffmann [ Wikipedia ;  attribution ]  Jesus, looking at him, loved him . . .   (Mark 1o:22; Gospel) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Mark 10:17-30  (shorter form: 10:17-27)   (English Standard Version, Anglicised)    As Jesus was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”   And Jesus said to him,  “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.   You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honour your father and mother.’”   And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.”   And Jesus, looking at him, loved him...

    I couldn't believe it was true.  I had heard that there was another run on toilet paper due to the short-lived dock workers strike, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but sure enough, when I went to pick up toilet paper that I actually needed, the shelves were nearly empty. It would almost be funny, except when I consider how it reflects the mindset of people today. And speaking of strange mindsets, I am so confused by anyone who supports the former President. Now don't go and get all mad at me, but I am very concerned, especially, about Christians who think they MUST vote for him out of an erroneous sense of morality (as for others who just like him, I have no comment.) If you are Catholic and you have heard a homily that either directly, or indirectly, insinuates that you must vote for a particular candidate, do not be guilted into voting a certain way. The Catholic Church never tells anyone how they should vote, except to say we must vote by a ...

We've known about “black hole jet systems” for some time, but never one as big as Porphyrion: a 23,000,000 light-year giant. I'll be talking about that today, along with how astronomers have been studying it, a plausible explanation for its extraordinary length, and a quick overview of how we've been thinking about this universe. Cosmology: From the Cosmic Ocean to the Cosmic Web Mesopotamian Musings William Herschel, “Our Sidereal System”, and Finding Galaxies Galaxies, Clusters, Superclusters, and the Cosmic Web Porphyrion and Cosmic Scale Backgrounder: Black Holes, Accretion Disks, and Relativistic Jets Radio Galaxies and Porphyrion's Position Black Hole Jets and the Scale of the Cosmic Web Radio Telescopes: LOFAR and — — GMRT — and DESI ?! Fanaroff-Riley Classification That's Odd: Porphyrion's Size, and an Explanation "...The Heavens ... Like a Tent to Dwell In" More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A huge black hole ...

Servant of God Chiara Corbella Petrillo (9 January 1984 - 13 June 2012) [Photo from  official website ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 10:2-16 or 10:2-12   (English Standard Version Anglicised: India) And Pharisees came up and in order to test him asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”   He answered them,  “What did Moses command you?”   They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of divorce and to send her away.”   And Jesus said to them,  “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment.   But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’   ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife,     and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one...