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Easter Sunday: when we celebrate the best news humanity's ever had — so far.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Happy Easter! A music video, a few words, and I'm done for the day.)

I'd planned on posting this today, with an 'Easter' post tomorrow. But, although I'm not feeling as awful as I did Wednesday morning: that's not going to happen. It's "nothing serious". Probably the same "nothing serious" that's been plaguing this household for a month and more. My temperature's stayed below the 103° F threshold, so I'm a comparatively happy camper. And that's another topic. Now, about these cards: the first three are Victorian-era, part of this selection.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Three Victorian-era humorous Easter cards, one from the early 20th century. Not what I had planned posting this week, but I hope you enjoy them.)

There's a winter weather advisory in effect until 2:00 p.m. — but most of the snow has already fallen and/or gotten blown around. I gather that three to five inches came down here. That's three to five inches more than we had before. This has been an unusually warm and dry winter, so this snow is welcome. I hope it changes our status from "moderate drought" to merely "abnormally dry". I haven't heard anything about my brother-in-law (February 7, 2024) — so I'll assume that no news is good news, and that he can walk again. Number-two daughter started radiation therapy March 11, so this is her third week of taking maybe three hours out of each weekday.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (A side-effect of radiation therapy. Winter storm and drought. Getting a leaking pipe fixed. Weather, and the week before Easter.)

The Holy Family with the Father and the Holy Spirit Carlo Dolci [ Web Gallery of Art ] I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you for ever,   even the Spirit of truth  (John 14:16-17; Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel :  John 14:15-21  (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.   And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you for ever,   even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.   Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.   In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in m

  Apostle St Thomas El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”   Jesus said to him,  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life"   (John 14:5-6; Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel :   John 14:1-12  (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Jesus said to his disciples: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.   In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?   And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.   And you know the way to where I am going.”     Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”   Jesus said to him,  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life

  Supper at Emmaus Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel :  Luke 24:13-35   (English Standard Version, Anglicised) That very day two of the disciples were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem,   1 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.   While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them.   But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.   And he said to them,  “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?”  And they stood still, looking sad.   Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”   And he said to them,  “What things?”  And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man

  The Incredulity of St Thomas Caravaggio [ Web Gallery of Art ] Second Sunday of Easter, Year A Divine Mercy Sunday Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel :   John 20:19-31   (English Standard Version, Anglicised) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,  “Peace be with you.”   When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.   Jesus said to them again,  “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”   And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,  “Receive the Holy Spirit.   If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called th

Recapping Friday's post: whether Jesus died from cardiac rupture, cardiorespiratory failure or something else, the main point is that he died. Then Jesus was buried. Again, let's remember that he was, in the words of the Munckin coroner in "Wizard of Oz", sincerely dead: More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Jesus was dead and buried. Saturday passed. Sunday morning, some women came to finish what had been a rushed interment. What happened next still matters.)

The Resurrection of Christ El Greco [ Web Gallery ofArt ] The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA ) At the Mass during the Day Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 20:1-9     (English Standard Version, Anglicised) Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.   So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”   So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going towards the tomb.   Both of them were running together, but the

Jesus had been run back and forth between Caiaphas', Pilate's and Herod's places; tortured, and nailed to a cross on Golgotha. ( Matthew 26:47 - 27:2 ; Mark 14:53 - 15:41 ; Luke 22:66 - 23:49 ) No question about it. He was having a really bad day. No, that's not quite true. There have been alternative versions run up the flagpole.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Jesus had been having a really bad day. But before he died, he made a promise. I talk about that, and the best news humanity has ever had.)

Here in central Minnesota, palm fronds are part of our Palm Sunday Mass. We generally take them home, fold them into the shape of a cross while they're still green and pliable, and put them somewhere in the home where they'll be visible. Before next year's Lent, we'll return them to the parish church, where they're burned to make ashes for Ash Wednesday. That's the idea, at any rate. Some years, including this one, I forget about bringing last year's back. Letting that upset me is an option. But not, I think, a reasonable one. And that's another topic. Last weekend, my now-grown son asked my wife about the palm fronds he'd brought home from Mass. That reminded me that it's been 11 years since I made a short video, and 10 since I've shared it online. It's a short (4:26) how-2, showing how we fold our fronds. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (How my family folds palm fronds into a Saint Andrews cross, using a lanyard weave.

Today is Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week. Lent is almost over. At Mass this morning, we walked through our Lord's last days in Jerusalem, starting with the first century equivalent of a ticker tape parade. Jesus was top of the charts, wildly popular. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Holy Week: Jesus went from top of the charts to torture and execution. Two millennia later, we're still celebrating. Which sounds crazy, but isn't.)

  The Last Supper El Greco    [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 13:31-33a, 34-35 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)    When Judas had gone out, Jesus said,  “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.   If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.   Little children, yet a little while I am with you.  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.   By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”   Léachtaí i nGaeilge John 13: 31-33a, 34-35 in Filipino Sign Language A familiar sight four years ago here in St Columban's, Dalgan Park, Ireland, where we have a community of more than 60 Columban priests, mostly

  The Good Shepherd Early Italian Christian Sculptor [ Web Gallery of Art ] WGA note on this sculpture :  The allegorical figure of the Good Shepherd was originally based on the pagan representation of a man bringing his offering to the altar but, by the 3rd century, had also come to represent the 'ram bearer' with its connotations of philanthropy and loving care. The latter image accorded well with the Christians’ understanding of a divine Shepherd who would lay down his life for his flock.  In a period of persecution, such images had the advantage of directly addressing the adherents of the Christian faith while not drawing attention to them, since the images were already popular with non-Christians  [ emphasis  added]. Readings ,  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings ,  (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel ,  John 10:27-39 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)