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Advent started November 29, a couple Sundays back. It's my faith's Christmas warmup. I'll get back to that. My culture's Christmas begins after Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.... ...Today I'll be talking about Advent's serious side: a song that's been sung at funerals, a Nativity painting's crucifix, introspection and shortcomings. Also ♪ magi on Segways with Amazon cartons. ♪ (Try singing it to the tune of "My Favorite Things," from "Sound of Music:" The bit that goes "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens....") Anyway, these are today's headings: "Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel" — Plainsong, Burial Chant and Advent Hymn Heaven's Peace: a Work in Progress Advent: Ordinary Folks, Unique Events Something Odd O Hipster Night Illustrators and Illustrations Joy and Shadow Joseph's Options News: Not Entirely Bad; Unsettling; and Disbelieved Herod,

  The “Come Holy Spirit” prayer really hit me the other day in the midst of the darkness surrounding us due to the pandemic, especially this line: “Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.” As I sat with scripture and my lighted Advent wreath, I reflected on the fact that God is, in fact, renewing the face of the earth!   My candles brought light into the cloudy day and I felt comforted by God’s presence. In the midst of this virus that is running rampant, the best thing we can do is protect ourselves from hopelessness. I remember on various occasions, my Mom would tell me she had to turn off the news because it was too depressing.   For those who lived through September 11, 2001 and watched the replays of the planes hitting the twin towers, you know what I mean.   You can only take so much bad news. It occurred to me the other day after I watched yet another account of a family who lost a loved one, that watching the excruci

    St John the Baptist Donatello [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   John 1:6-8, 19-28 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.   He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.   He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”   He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”   And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”   So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”   He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the

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 .