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Showing posts with the label faith and works

Feverish, Weak; But Other Than That, a Pretty Good Week

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I spent part of Monday morning making notes for a talk with our parish priest. Then I called the Parishes on the Prairie office — P. on the P. are six parishes and a school in central Minnesota. I left a message, asking our priest to call me back. So far, he hasn't. Which is probably just as well. A bit after noon Monday, I ran an errand: picked up meds. After that, I — actually, I don't remember just what I did. But I do remember feeling cold. Unaccountably cold. Good news, the furnace was working fine, and inside temperatures were normal. A little below normal in some spots, since my wife was baking. But well within the normal range. Decades of experience told me that checking my temperature was prudent. So I did.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

COVID-19 and People Who Need People, Another Year

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It's been a year and a day since I talked about socializing, the pandemic and individual differences. "...I can sympathize with folks who really do need people: people who are physically close, not 'close' only in a virtual sense. I'm also willing to accept that not everyone is like me. For which we should all be thankful. And that's another topic. "That said, COVID-19 pandemic restrictions haven't cut into my social life all that much. "Before 'social distancing' — a poorly-chosen phrase, and that's yet another topic — started becoming a cliche, most of my social life was online...." (" People Who Need People — and the COVID-19 Pandemic " (January 24, 2021)) Somewhere during the last year, I noticed that I'd been enjoying my research and writing routines less. And had let some projects drop off the back burner. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Light Show in Washington; Law and Life; Masks Back On

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I'd expected to hear about charisms during Mass this morning. I did, in the Bible readings. But the homily was about why killing innocent people isn't a good idea, even if it's legal. And why we should see killing innocent people as a bad idea. And help folks who maybe felt pressured into ordering a hit because it's 'for their own good.' At any rate, The last-minute topic change was due to Saturday's light show outside the National Basilica in Washington, DC., which wasn't part of the prayer vigil happening inside. So far, Saturday's light show doesn't seem to be a hot news item. Not for national-level traditional news media, anyway. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

New COVID-19 Vaccines: Goodish News, Ethical Issues

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The first shipments of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine arrived in America this week. Folks are getting immunized, including health care workers. I think that's good news.... As I see it, all that's good news. I'd prefer focusing exclusively on the 'up' side. But there's an ethical problem with the new vaccines. I'll be talking about that, and why getting immunized when it's my turn still makes sense. COVID-19 Vaccines and a Little History Ethical Concerns HEK 293 Donor: RIP Options and "The Mark of the Beast" Statistics and Death Love, Neighbors and the Common Good Remembering, and Learning From, Our Past First Vaccines Arrive: "...Healing is Coming" The Inevitable Link Lists (and resources, too) From the USCCB My stuff More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Eucharistic Adoration and Social Distancing

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I was at the Eucharistic Adoration chapel yesterday, and the week before. Nothing unusual there. What was different about week before yesterday was that I left early. I'd arrived a half-hour early, again nothing unusual. It's not that I'm so pious that I can't wait to go. I'd reached a stopping point in what I was writing, and figured that showing up early was a good idea. Which it would have been, if we hadn't had new rules. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Jesus Didn’t Stay Dead

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We relive events from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday in close to real time. Our Lord was arrested Thursday night. The Sanhedrin, Pilate and Herod had questioned Jesus by Friday morning.... ...By Friday evening, Jesus was dead.... (More at A Catholic Citizen in America )

Choosing Light or Darkness

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I will live forever. Whether that's good news or bad news is up to me. I'd say 'it depends on me,' but that's not quite true. What I decide and do matters. But having an unending life in God's presence isn't something I achieve. Today's Gospel reading, John 3:14 - 21 , got me started. That's part of our Lord's conversation with Nicodemus. The fourth Sunday of Lent scrutinies Gospel for this year, John 9:1 - 41 , is the "a man blind from birth" account. It's got a similar theme. I'll be talking about believing, doing and sinning. That last may need explaining.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

God, Love and Clouds

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Today's Gospel, Mark 9:2 through 10 , describes the Transfiguration. I'll be talking about that. Partly. Also Peter, perceptions, and laundry detergent. It seems like a better idea than getting upset that not everybody calls the second Sunday in Lent "Transfiguration Sunday." Or that some folks read this part of the Gospel on a different Sunday. Or that we had a different second Sunday Gospel reading last year. Or that our Feast of the Transfiguration is August 6 this year. And is a Monday. Occasions for angst abound. I'd rather look at what today's Gospel says and what's been said about it. Then think for a bit and see what happens. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Changing Rules

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Today's tech and social norms aren't what they were in my youth. It's exciting. Or bewildering. Or unstable. Or dynamic. or any of a myriad other options. Change happens, even if I don't approve. What matters is making good choices. More about that later. These are the 'Good Old Days' I'll indulge in nostalgia. Occasionally. Parts of my past are nice places to visit. But I wouldn't like living there. Taking a stroll down memory lane lets me see the best times places, people and experiences. It's a 'best-of' selection. But I certainly don't yearn for the days before social media, smart appliances, and online search software. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Advent: Our Long Watch

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'Tis the season for frantic shopping, eye-popping light shows in suburban front yards, and Christmas television specials. It's also the start of Advent. This is a season when we look back at ancient hopes for a Messiah, and our Lord's first arrival. And look ahead to when Jesus will be back.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Seeing the Big Picture

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Today's Mass is something new, introduced by Pius XI in 1925. We've had it on the last Sunday in Ordinary Time since 1970. Focusing on who and what our Lord is seems like a good way to wrap up the Church calendar. That's how I see it. Today's Gospel reading is Matthew 25:31 - 46 . That's the one starting with "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him...." It's an important part of the Gospels, and not what I'll be talking about today. I'd better explain that. I'm okay with what the Church says about Mass, including how the annual schedule works. I'm not a religious scofflaw, disdaining the laws of God and man. But I don't try to coordinate these 'Sunday' posts with what happens in Mass. I figure it's not a problem, since I'm a Catholic layman — and you're probably not here looking for a homily.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Anxiety Optional

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Today's second reading from Philippians 4 says to have "no anxiety at all," praise God, and "your requests known to God." Then we'll have the "peace of God...." I think that's a good idea: but it's not the whole picture. More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Predestination

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I think that God knows everything, including what I'll do for the rest of my life. I also think I have free will, deciding what I do for the rest of my life. I'm not, however, emulating the White Queen.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Second Collections

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The neighborhood parish took a second collection again today. This week's was to help folks hit by Hurricane Irma. The one before that was for those affected by Harvey. Folks in the Caribbean, Gulf Coast, and Florida weren't the only ones dealing with disaster recently.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Calling Us

13th Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2017 By Deacon Lawrence N. Kaas July 2, 2017 What a week this has been, a Deacons Retreat at the Abbey of the Hills, resulting in thoughts, reflections, and stories to share.... ...His theme for the weekend became known as old books. Besides the Bible, obviously an old book, he spoke extensively on G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis, and a bit on Tolkien.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

"Renewed and Expansive Hope"

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Wanting respect is reasonable. I think folks who support Gay/LGBT Pride Month for that reason have a point. I don't agree with much of what's said on the gay/LGBT pride issue — and explained why I won't spit venom in today's earlier post. Basically, I should love God, love my neighbor, and see everybody as my neighbor. No exceptions.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Respecting Everyone

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Gay/LGBT Pride Month will be over in about two weeks. Wanting respect is reasonable, but I don't agree with much of what's said on this issue. Don't worry, I won't be spitting venom. Even if I felt like it, which I don't, that kind of trouble I don't need. First, I'd better talk about love and respect, and why I think both are important.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

London: Death, Hope, and Love

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This is bad, but could have been much worse. Yesterday evening, starting around 10:00, three people in a van drove across London Bridge, deliberately running down pedestrians. 1 After crossing the bridge, they left the van and attacked folks out for an evening with friends and family near Borough Market. A few minutes later, they were dead; shot by police. They had killed seven folks by then, 48, were taken to hospitals, 36 are still hospitalized, 21 in critical condition, as I write this.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Acting Like Truth Matters

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"Folks have thought truth is important for quite a while... "...I think truth is important, too. As a Christian, I'd better...." More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

Truth and Love

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I take God very seriously. I also think people matter. I care deeply about truth and love. By some standards this isn't a particularly "religious" blog. For one thing, I keep saying that loving my neighbor and seeing everybody as my neighbor is a good idea. I'll get back to that. For another, I write about science each Friday; real science. And I don't see it as a threat. I don't 'believe in' science, in the sense that I expect it to replace God. That would be as silly as trying to find life's meaning in the second law of thermodynamics . It would also be a very bad idea.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .