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I still see the occasional "REPENT, THOU WRETCHED SINNER" stuff in my social media feeds. But I very strongly suspect that fire and brimstone fundraisers are passé, and have been for decades. Maybe I'd get more attention if I ranted, raved and seethed with (self?) righteous anger about those sinners over there. You know the ones I mean: reprobates, rogues and rascals who aren't like me. Yeah. Maybe I could. And it would be a bad idea. I'm pretty sure the attention I'd get isn't the sort I'd like. Not in the long run. And I'm quite sure that God wouldn't appreciate my marketing efforts.... ...Something else I haven't noticed on MeWe is folks saying they're giving up social media for Lent. Or Advent. Or whatever. Maybe they have, and I didn't notice. Or maybe more non-crackpot Catholics are paying attention to advice like this.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

  After reading today’s scripture passage celebrating the Immaculate Conception of Mary in the womb of her mother, I read a reflection for the day from Laudate. The gist of the reflection was that it is God that takes the initiative in calling us to him and that there are many accounts in scripture of people being chosen by God. Do you see that you have been chosen by God?   That you do not just happen to be who you are, to have the gifts that you have, but that not unlike the prophets of the Old Testament, your life isn’t simply about your life? People make a big deal about finding one’s purpose in life.   Why am I here?   But I think just as important is the question, “What will I do with the span of years I have been given?” The only real answer that can be given for that lies within our faith.   The time that we spend doing anything disconnected from our loving Father is time wasted. Having said that, our connection to the Father is manifested in many ways.   Living out

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  Mark 2:1-12  and  Luke 5:17-26  The gospel today, Monday of the Second Week of Advent, is St Luke's version of this healing story. Luke 5:17-26   (English Standard Version Anglicised) On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal.   And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralysed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus,   but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus.   And when he saw their faith, he said,  “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”     And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”   When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them,  “Why do you question in

I'll be talking about mRNA vaccines and COVID-19. And why I'll willingly wait for my vaccination, but think the new vaccines are a good idea. But first, I'll look at news, weirdness and a little history. In the News: Prospects and Concerns An Alleged North Carolina-China Conspiracy Mild Curiosity, Real Threat Wanting Immunity Vaccination Viewpoints Smallpox Vaccinations: "a Daring Violation" or "a Precious Discovery" Fear and Ethics Dealing With Differences Dosages and Unpleasant Results Science, Technology and Making Sense Trust and Prudence DNA, RNA and mRNA Vaccines, Briefly Decoding the SARS-CoV-2 Virus SARS-CoV-2 Build-a-Spike mRNA Snippet COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines, Build-a-Spike Code and — Virus Rights?? From the CDC's Factsheets New mRNA Vaccines: Good and Not-So-Good News Willing to Wait For My Turn More at A Catholic Citizen in America .

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 .

    \ St John the Baptist Preaching Joseph Parrocel [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Mark 1:1-8 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,  “Behold, I send my   messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness:   ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,  make his paths straight,’” John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.   And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.   Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt round his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.   And he preached, saying, “After me