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I've decided that the best time to be sick is when there are back to back episodes of the West Wing running 24 hours a day.  I'm just sayin'. Seriously, though, there really isn't any good time to be sick, but if you are rather holy, you are able to be conscientious enough to offer up your suffering for others, and if you are really saintly, you will be grateful for the opportunity to do so. Sadly, I cannot hold claim to either of those positions when I am at my worst.  I wonder if the greater your suffering, the more valuable your offering.  For ordinary, every day stuff, I can offer it up, but I must say, dealing with real sickness mostly solicits from me a promise to live life with extreme gratitude when I get better. But, naturally, that typically lasts a few days beyond the sickness. And the truth is, whenever I feel rotten and whining becomes my default, I always come across someone who is not only sicker, but definitely more saintly than me. I am alw

When I saw "Vatican" and "elegant demon" in my news feeds, I cringed. Just a little. But not because I feared that the four horsemen of the Apocalypse were saddling up and the Antichrist was running rampant.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Finding a summary of what the Pope said.)

  Adoration of the Shepherds Murillo, painted 1646-50 [ Web Gallery of Art ] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger  (Luke 2:12; Gospel). The Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord  has four different Mass formularies, each with its own prayers and readings. Any of the four fulfils our obligation to attend Mass. These are: Vigil Mass , celebrated 'either before or after First Vespers (Evening Prayer) of the Nativity'; that means starting between 5pm and 7pm. Mass During the Night , known before as 'Midnight Mass'. Mass at Dawn . Mass During the Day . The readings from the Jerusalem Bible for the four Masses are all on one page but with links to each individual Mass. When you click on 'Readings' below from the New American Bible you will find links to the readings for each of the four Masses.   Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, Sout

My culture's Christmas season begins with Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Our traditionally-frenzied holiday shopping season does, at any rate. That's not a particularly good thing, considering what stress can do to folks. On the other hand, America's shopping frenzy inspired "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas." I'll be talking about that, more-or-less-recent news, and events we're still celebrating, two millennia later.... More at A Catholic Citizen in America . (Recent news, holiday stress and a hipster nativity. Yogi Yorgesson and C. S. Lewis: views regarding Christmas. Joseph, Mary and decisions.)

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A tip of the hat to Anthony Stevens, whose recent op-ed started me thinking about this week's topics. " NoMoNASA " Anthony Stevens, Anthony Stevens' Weblog (November 25, 2022) I'll be talking about ideas that didn't work out, or haven't yet; three cool single-stage-to-orbit vehicles, including one that flew; and, finally, looking back and ahead. Or, rather, the other way around. Plus, I've included short videos showing Skylon, the VentureStar, and a test flight of the McDonnell Douglas DC-X Delta Clipper prototype. More at A Catholic Citizen in America . Spaceplanes, from Max Valier to Skylon. DC-X: a single-stage-to-orbit vehicle that was canceled. Historical perspective and the Kardashians.

  The Dream of St Joseph Georges de La Tour [ Web Gallery of Art ] An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife ’   (Matthew 1:24). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 1:18-24 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.   And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.   But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.   She will bear a so

  Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town Written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie Arranged by Jim Clements Sung by Voces8 My Auntie Madge (Margaret Collins) would have been ten or eleven when this song first appeared in 1934. But she never heard the marvellous arrangement above of the song that has just been issued by Voces8, the British choir that I have often used in  Sunday Reflections , singing a different kind of music. Auntie Madge was the youngest of my mother's six sisters Jennie, Nan, Neita, Bridie, Eileen and Madge. I'm not sure where Bridie, who died in infancy, came in the sequence but I often heard my mother, Mary, talking about her. Three boys, Mick, Paddy and Jack, completed the family of my maternal grandparents, William Patrick Collins and Annie Dowd. My grandfather died early in 1945 when I was nearly two but I don't have any memories of him, though I am happy that he knew me, his third grandchild, and that he held me. He was only 59 when he died of lung cancer

  Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day: 12 December Patroness of the Americas ,  of Mexico,  of Unborn Children  and Secondary Patroness of the Philippines The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe Please continue at Bangor to Bobbio .

  St John the Baptist in Prison Juan Fernández de Navarrete [ Web Gallery of Art ] Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”  (Matthew 11:2-3; Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 11:2-11 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” As they wen

T he Virgin of the Immaculate Conception El Greco [ Web Gallery of Art ] The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, observed on 8 December, is a holyday of obligation in many countries, eg, Ireland, the Philippines.  Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Gospel   Luke 1:26-38 ( New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition, Canada)     In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,  to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, ‘Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.’   But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.  The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.  And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a

NASA launched the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) December 25, 2021. By July of 2022, the JWST had settled into position at the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point: about 1,500,000 kilometers, 930,000 miles from Earth. Then, after deploying its heat shields and mirrors, the JWST started sending back remarkable images. 1 And, even more remarkable, it was still called the James Webb Space Telescope. I've no idea why NASA didn't admit their mistake and submit an acceptable name. Particularly when 'everybody knows' that James Webb was one of THOSE people: More at A Catholic Citizen in America . The James Webb Space Telescope is still named after a NASA chief, despite protests. This week I talk about how America has changed since my youth. Except for how it hasn't.

  St John the Baptist Preaching Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,   “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”  (Matthew 3:1; today's Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 3:1-12 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,   “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”   For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord;     make his paths straight.’” Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they wer

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Old Woman Dozing Nicolaes Maes [ Web Gallery of Art ] Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming  (Matthew 24:42; Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 24:37-44 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Jesus said to his disciples: For as were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.   For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark,   and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.   Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left.   Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left.   Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.   But know