October 24, 2020
Good Morning, God and All! Keep me safe, O God; in you I take refuge. You are my Lord, you are my only good (Psalm 16: 1-2).
By The Numbers:
It’s the 298th day of the year, with 68 days remaining.
Days ‘til All Hallows’ Eve”: 7
Days remaining to vote in the US General Election, after which the real nightmare begins: 10
Days ‘til Veterans Day: 18
Days ‘til World Kindness Day: 20
Start Your Day With A Song:
I Luv Myself Better Than I Luv Myself (1976)
Saint Anthony Mary Claret, Pray For Us!
Anthony Mary Claret (December 23, 1807 – October 24, 1870) was a Spanish Roman Catholic archbishop and missionary, and was confessor of Isabella II of Spain. He founded the congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, commonly called the Claretians. In addition to the Claretians, which in the early 21st century had over 450 houses and 3100 members, with missions in five continents, Archbishop Claret founded or drew up the rules of several communities of religious sisters. His zealous life and the wonders he wrought, both before and after his death, testified to his sanctity. Claret is the patron saint of weavers. (Source: Wikipedia)
Out of an Overabundance of Caution… (the Message):
As I began the week, I was beginning to wonder if I would find material that hasn’t turned into election fodder, and then have the time to write a reflection on it. As is, I’ll be tiptoeing through a minefield, but at least one point is being rather misstated from the reading I’ve done thus far, and I sense it’s necessary to point that out. Here we go…
In this week’s drama-laden Gospel passage (Matthew 22:34-40) the letter-of-the-Law Pharisees ‘ask’ Jesus what the greatest commandment is (much like the Senate Judiciary Committee members ‘ask’ Amy Coney Barrett anything). The Pharisees tended to enforce the 613 different tenets which made up Mosaic Law, which grew out of the Ten Commandments God handed to Moses at Mount Sinai. Jesus responds with the Shema, something his audience could quote from memory: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matt 22:37; cf. Deut. 6:5). Then without skipping a beat, he adds: And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:39). The inability to understand this may be one reason why there is such hatred rampant in today’s society.
Out of an overabundance of caution, I’ll leave this thought for the moment: Love does not equate to sexual intercourse. Read 1 Corinthians 13 for more detail.
Pope Francis surprised just about everyone mid-week when mainstream media picked up on his statement in support of legal civil unions for same-sex couples. Of course, our media equates this to mean support of same-sex marriage. Outside the Church, the terms may seem synonymous. But within the Church, much goes into a sacramental marriage. While the pope might be in favor of secular law protecting the rights of same-sex couples for things such as health insurance and death benefits, and while he rightly preaches that they’re fellow humans and are to be treated with dignity and respect; the line is clearly drawn there. Reception of the sacraments (except Reconciliation) can’t happen for anyone who flaunts the LGBTQI+++…lifestyle. And therein lies the argument. America has already gone down the path of offering civil union protections. The Left wouldn’t settle for that. Now they’re afraid that putting another constitutionalist justice on the SCOTUS will reverse all their gain. Out of an overabundance of caution, we’ll have to wait…and watch.
Then, lest we forget we’re attempting to make the best out of one of the worst combined situations in modern times, are the all but quiet reminders that we are still begging the mercy of God with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. New cases have risen sharply since the beginning of October. About half of Illinois residents are now seeing indoor seating at restaurants and bars being closed down again, just as autumn’s falling leaves are reminding us of winter’s imminent arrival. Schools are trying to open; only to go back to full remote distance learning out of an overabundance of caution. And the virus has grazed one of my parish communities; a staff member tested positive. Although not on Church grounds, this has caused the pastor and office staff to self quarantine. The first round of tests all came back negative, and (so far, as I write) there is no change to the capacity limits or scheduled Masses in the meantime. Still, out of an overabundance of caution, we’ve all been duly notified and reminded that as far as the east is from the west, so far reaching are the effects of the pandemic…even to those who may not be seeing all that much difference.
With ten days remaining for eligible Americans to vote, maybe we could ask for an end to the campaign ads? Out of an overabundance of caution. I participated in the opportunity afforded to vote early, and not even by mail; so all of the vitriol is more or less lost where I'm concerned. They’re not saying very much positive anyway, and…maybe we really need this time to pray, and to think before we take matters too seriously and into our own hands…out of an overabundance of caution.
Heaven help us all...we need it more than we know.
Memorable Moments:
1260 – Chartres Cathedral is dedicated in the presence of King Louis IX of France.
1795 – Poland is completely consumed by Russia, Prussia and Austria.
1861 – The first transcontinental telegraph line across the United States is completed.
1901 – Annie Edson Taylor becomes the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel.
1911 – Orville Wright remains in the air nine minutes and 45 seconds in a glider at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina.
1926 – Harry Houdini's last performance takes place at the Garrick Theatre in Detroit.
1929 – "Black Thursday" on the New York Stock Exchange.
1931 – The George Washington Bridge opens to public traffic over the Hudson River.
1945 – The United Nations Charter comes into effect.
1947 – Famed animator Walt Disney testifies before the House Un-American Activities Committee, naming Disney employees he believes to be communists.
1949 – The cornerstone of the United Nations Headquarters is laid.
1954 – President Eisenhower pledges United States support to South Vietnam.
1980 – The government of Poland legalizes the Solidarity trade union.
1992 – The Toronto Blue Jays become the first Major League Baseball team based outside the United States to win the World Series.
2005 – Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in Florida, resulting in 35 direct and 26 indirect fatalities and causing $20.6B USD in damage.
2008 – "Bloody Friday" saw many of the world's stock exchanges experience the worst declines in their history, with drops of around 10% in most indices.
2015 – A driver crashes into the Oklahoma State Homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring 34.
Happy Birthday!!!
1788 – Sarah Josepha Hale, American author and poet (d. 1879)
1838 – Annie Edson Taylor, American stuntwoman and educator (d. 1921)
1904 – Moss Hart, American director and playwright (d. 1961)
1915 – Bob Kane, American author and illustrator (d. 1998)
1930 – The Big Bopper, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (d. 1959)
1947 – Kevin Kline, American actor and singer
1986 – Drake, Canadian rapper and actor
1989 – PewDiePie, Swedish YouTuber
We Remember:
1537 – Jane Seymour, English queen and wife of Henry VIII of England (b. c.1508)
1601 – Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer and alchemist (b. 1546)
1725 – Alessandro Scarlatti, Italian composer and educator (b. 1660)
1852 – Daniel Webster, American lawyer and politician, 14th United States Secretary of State (b. 1782)
1922 – George Cadbury, English businessman (b. 1839)
1944 – Louis Renault, French engineer and businessman, co-founded the Renault Company (b. 1877)
1972 – Jackie Robinson, American baseball player and sportscaster (b. 1919)
1991 – Gene Roddenberry, American captain, screenwriter, and producer, created Star Trek (b. 1921)
1994 – Raul Julia, Puerto Rican-American actor and singer (b. 1940)
2005 – Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist (b. 1913)
2015 – Maureen O'Hara, Irish-American actress and singer (b. 1920)
2016 – Bobby Vee, American pop singer (b. 1943)
2017 – Fats Domino, American pianist and singer-songwriter (b. 1928)
2017 – Robert Guillaume, American actor (b. 1927)
2018 – Tony Joe White, American singer/songwriter (b.1943)
Parting Words:
Next week, out of an overabundance of caution, I forego the usual & customary rant over what is traditionally celebrated next Saturday and what we’re supposed to celebrate, as well as further commentary over the coming election. I learned, as I’m guessing you did, that the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown’s scraggly Christmas Tree, and Linus’ dramatic rendering of the Nativity Story will no longer be broadcast on network TV. Apple has locked up the broadcast rights, so only those paying for Apple TV will have the privilege of seeing these holiday classics…unless, out of an overabundance of caution, you’ve managed to score a DVD recording of the shows. Next Saturday, we remind ourselves that nothing of this world lasts forever. With all due respect and dignity, we will remember some notable names. Sadly, those who made this cut didn’t make it through the year.
Wash up, mask up, back off - you know the drill. You are most loved for the God and good things you are for others.
Until we meet again, may God be with you - and may God have mercy on us all…
+the Phoenix
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