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Wednesday, November 26, 2025

 Movie "Casablanca" premiered 1942

Casablanca is a wartime romance that explores sacrifice, moral clarity, and the tension between personal desire and the greater good—offering rich Catholic lessons in love, truth, and redemption.


🕊️ Summary of Casablanca

Set in 1941 Morocco during World War II, Casablanca centers on Rick Blaine, a cynical American who runs a nightclub in the neutral city of Casablanca. His world is upended when Ilsa Lund, a former lover, arrives with her husband Victor Laszlo, a resistance leader fleeing Nazi persecution. Ilsa seeks Rick’s help to secure escape papers for Laszlo.

  • Rick and Ilsa’s past romance resurfaces, but Ilsa is now committed to Laszlo’s cause.
  • Rick must choose between rekindling love or aiding Laszlo’s escape.
  • In a climactic act of sacrifice, Rick lets Ilsa go, helping her and Laszlo flee while he stays behind.

The film ends with Rick and Captain Renault walking off together, hinting at newfound purpose and moral clarity.


✝️ Catholic Lessons and Themes

Casablanca resonates deeply with Catholic moral and spiritual reflection:

1. Sacrificial Love Over Passion



  • Rick’s decision to let Ilsa go reflects agape—love that seeks the good of the other over self-gratification.
  • This echoes Christ’s sacrificial love: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

2. Moral Clarity in Ambiguity

  • The film’s setting—neutral Casablanca—is a metaphor for moral limbo.
  • Rick’s journey from neutrality to decisive action mirrors the Catholic call to reject moral relativism and embrace truth, even when costly.

3. Redemption and Conversion

  • Rick and Renault both undergo conversion: from cynicism to moral courage.
  • Their transformation reflects the Catholic belief in metanoia—a turning of the heart toward God and virtue.

4. The Cosmic “Hill of Beans”

  • Rick’s famous line—“It doesn’t take much to see that the problems of three little people don’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world”—underscores the Catholic idea that personal sacrifice can serve a higher, transcendent good.

5. Truth and Integrity

  • Ilsa’s struggle between love and duty reflects the tension between emotional truth and moral truth.
  • Catholic teaching affirms that doing right by doing wrong is never justified—a theme the film dramatizes with painful beauty.

Dara’s Corner

·         How to celebrate Nov 26th

o   Are you ready for a day filled with surprises and sweetness? Start your day by channeling some inner joy and positivity. Dive into moments of nostalgia and share stories that warm your heart. Bake a simple cake or visit a local bakery, savoring each bite with pure delight. Embrace your pets or spend time with animals, connecting with their playful energy. Reflect on life’s ups and downs, finding gratitude even in challenging moments. Embrace the weird and wonderful day ahead, celebrating the joy of life and the little things that make it special.

·         Tina Turners’ birthday 1939-1923 Prepare for the apocalypse

🌍 Dara’s Corner: Aboard The World

Honor & Horizon | Wednesday, November 26 – Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Theme: Chastity, Love of Neighbor & the Grace to Prepare
Coordinates: Departing Bahrain → Sailing toward Muscat, Sur, and the Arabian Sea

🕊️ Wednesday, November 26 – Offshore Bahrain

Title: Veil of Honor

  • Ritual: Pilgrims receive a white ribbon inscribed with “Chastity” to wear as a sign of reverent love
  • Scripture: Romans 12:10
  • Meal: Cardamom rice with rosewater chicken and pistachios
  • Reflection: “Honor is love with boundaries—it protects what is sacred.”


  • Hospitality Arc: Serve without being seen—offer reverence

🪨 Thursday, November 27 – Docked in Muscat

Title: Market of Mercy

  • Ritual: Pilgrims select one item from the souk to give away anonymously
  • Scripture: Matthew 6:3
  • Meal: Grilled lamb with cinnamon and dates, saffron couscous
  • Reflection: “Mercy is not transaction—it is gift.”
  • Hospitality Arc: Give without credit—let love be sincere

🕯️ Friday, November 28 – Sailing toward Sur

Title: Lanterns of Fidelity

  • Ritual: Pilgrims light lanterns and write one promise they intend to keep
  • Scripture: Psalm 119:106
  • Meal: Lentil and chickpea stew with preserved lemon
  • Reflection: “Fidelity is not perfection—it is perseverance.”
  • Hospitality Arc: Share a promise you’ve kept—and why it mattered

🌄 Saturday, November 29 – Docked in Sur

Title: Pilgrimage of the Heart

  • Ritual: Pilgrims walk coastal cliffs and reflect on one relationship they wish to honor
  • Scripture: Song of Songs 8:6
  • Meal: Tamarind-glazed fish with citrus and mint salad
  • Reflection: “Chastity is not denial—it is devotion.”
  • Hospitality Arc: Name someone you’ve honored—and how it changed you

🌬️ Sunday, November 30 – Sailing toward Arabian Sea

Title: Wind of Preparation
🕯️ Holy Day: First Sunday of Advent

  • Ritual: Pilgrims write one way they will prepare for Christ’s coming
  • Scripture: Romans 13:12
  • Meal: Cinnamon rice with roasted vegetables and pomegranate seeds
  • Reflection: “Preparation is not panic—it is readiness.”
  • Hospitality Arc: Ask someone how they prepare—and bless their answer
  • Mass Option:
    If near Muscat, attend Sunday Mass at Holy Spirit Church, Ghala
    Otherwise, host a lay-led liturgy or Advent reflection onboard

🕊️ Monday, December 1 – Offshore Arabian Sea

Title: Wreath of the King

  • Ritual: Pilgrims light the first Advent candle (purple for hope) and place evergreen sprigs in a communal wreath
  • Scripture: Isaiah 9:2
  • Meal: Herb frittata with mint tea and flatbread
  • Reflection: “Hope is not optimism—it is light in the dark.”
  • Hospitality Arc: Invite someone into your preparation—share your Advent ritual

🌅 Tuesday, December 2 – Sailing toward the horizon

Title: Eucharist of Readiness

  • Ritual: Sunrise Eucharist with Jesse Tree ornament (Ruth’s sheaf of grain)
  • Scripture: Ruth 1:16
  • Meal: Pistachio-stuffed dates, saffron tea, honeyed figs
  • Reflection: “Readiness is not arrival—it is love in motion.”
  • Hospitality Arc: Share aloud one way you’ve prepared—and one way you still hope to

🍽️ Dara’s Corner – Seven-Course Meal

Theme: From Hidden Flame to Shared Light
Use Case: Advent, hospitality retreats, or symbolic family gatherings

1. 🥂 Welcome Sip – First Light

2. 🫓 Bread & Oil – The Covenant

  • Dish: Rosemary focaccia with olive oil and balsamic glaze
  • Symbolism: Shared promise, sacred nourishment
  • Cue: Invite guests to tear and dip with reverence
  • 🔗 Focaccia Recipe
  • 🔗 Biblical Bread Symbolism

3. 🥣 Soup – Hidden Flame

4. 🥗 Salad – The Garden Within

5. 🍲 Main – Pilgrim’s Portion

6. 🍮 Dessert – Veiled Glory

7. 🍷 Final Toast – The Magnificat



NOVEMBER 26 Tuesday

Wednesday Octave of Christ the King-Advent Sunday-33 Day 

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 9-10

Let LOVE be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.

 

In other words, behave like a Christian. You cannot separate leadership from relationships. Do not assume that everyone will follow you or your ideas because you are a designated leader or that your knowledge qualifies you to lead. People are not interested in what you know but only if you really care. Therefore, be sincere; if you really care about someone you will tell them what they need to know and not necessarily what they like to hear. Paul in this chapter guides us on how to lead through relationships.

 

The Leader and Relationships (Rom. 12:9-21)[1]

 

1.      Avoid hypocrisy—be sincere and genuine (v.9).

2.      Be loyal to colleagues and treat others like brothers or sisters (v.10).

3.      Give preference to others—honor the desires of others above your own (v.10).

4.      Be hospitable—look for ways to meet the needs of others (v.13).

5.      Return good for evil—act, don’t react, when others hurt you (v.14).

6.      Identify with others, treat other needs or victories as your own (v.15).

7.      Be open-minded towards others—seek to connect with anyone you speak to (v. 16).

8.      Treating everyone with respect is a compliment to any person (v.17).

9.      Do everything possible to keep peace—choose wisely which hills to die on (v.18).

10.  Remove revenge from your life—let God judge others; you love them. (vv.19-21). 

Copilot’s Take 

In the closing moments of Casablanca, Rick and Captain Renault step into a new kind of friendship—one forged not by convenience, but by conviction. What began as a cynical alliance becomes a quiet act of mutual honor: Rick sacrifices personal love for a greater good, and Renault, moved by this integrity, chooses solidarity over self-preservation. Their final walk into the fog is more than cinematic—it’s a parable of Romans 12:10: “Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.” Christian leadership, like their unlikely friendship, is not about control or charisma but about honoring others first, even when it costs us. In a world that rewards power, Paul and Casablanca both remind us: the most beautiful friendships begin when we choose to lead with love. 

Wednesday in the Octave of Christ the King 

·         attend Mass daily or via EWTN or the internet.

·         Mediate on the virtues of Mary (Humility, Generosity, Chastity, Patience, Temperance, Understanding/love and Wisdom. One for each day.

·         Fast doing the Daniel fast (Monday-Saturday).

·         Exercise-Universal Man Plan. 

Chasity a gift[2]

Chastity is sexual self-control. It means placing sexual intimacy within one relationship and one relationship only: marriage.

Although we've used the word abstinence in this book and have encouraged you to abstain from premarital sex, we actually prefer the term chastity when talking about sexual morality.

Abstinence is about what you cannot do (engage in sexual intimacy). Chastity is about what you can do: lead a positive lifestyle that respects self and others. For centuries, chastity has been an admired moral virtue. Author Pat Driscoll defines chastity as sexual goodness living out the truth, beauty, and goodness of human sexuality. In one of her pamphlets, God's Plan for Sex, Driscoll boldly states Sex is great! and then lists some reasons why it is:

  • God created sex, and it's wonderful.
  • God gave us operating instructions for sex (in the Bible).
  • Only the abuse of sex (through fornication, adultery, masturbation, etc.) is wrong.
  • Following God's law brings joy.
  • Disobeying God's law brings unhappiness and problems for ourselves and society.
  • God has given us many ways to express our sexuality genitally (in marriage) and non-genitally (outside of marriage).

Chastity applies to everybody, unmarried people and married people. How?

For unmarried people (both those planning to marry and those who intend to remain single), chastity means staying pure in thought and deed, refraining from sexual intercourse and other forms of deliberate genital arousal, and expressing one's sexuality in non-genital ways.

For married people, chastity means having sex only with your marriage partner. This form of promised faithfulness between husbands and wives giving themselves sexually only to each other, never to anyone else is also known as fidelity. Chastity in marriage also means keeping sex open to life.

Celibacy is a special form of chastity. People with a religious vocation for example, priests, brothers, and nuns take a vow of celibacy. As part of their deep commitment to God and sacrificial service to God's people, they promise to lead a life that excludes all forms of genital sexual intimacy.

Advent begins this Sunday-get ready[3]

 

It may seem strange that in a calendar with only one annual cycle of readings, two of the Sundays share virtually the same Gospel; and it may seem stranger still that these two Sundays occur consecutively. The Gospel for the Last Sunday of Pentecost, taken from St. Matthew, contains Christ's twofold description of the destruction of Jerusalem and of the world. That same speech reemerges the following week on the First Sunday of Advent, though in the abridged form that appears in the Gospel of Luke.

 

Why this redundancy?

 

The answer to this question teaches us much about the season of Advent. Advent (from the Latin word for "coming") is generally considered to be the sober yet joyful time of preparation for the Lord's nativity, and rightfully so. This is the beginning of the Church year that corresponds to the ages before Christ, when the world pined away in darkness, waiting for the Messiah. It is also why the closer we come to the Feast of the Nativity, the more we are called by the liturgy to reflect on the events that led up to it, e.g., the Annunciation, the Visitation, and so on. And it is why the season of Advent is marked by an ever-greater urgency in its prayers, begging the Lord to come and tarry not. Yet like the closing Sundays after Pentecost, which strike a predominantly apocalyptic note, the season of Advent also goads us to prepare for the glorious Second Coming of the Lord at the end of time. That is why the last and first Sundays of the liturgical year have the same divine admonition: one is picking up where the other left off. This focus remains throughout Advent, despite the season's increased attention on the Christ Child: in fact, during Advent the traditional Roman Rite frequently speaks of both in the same breath. This double commemoration of the first and second Comings makes sense, since the prophets themselves never distinguished between the two.

 

Yet there is a more profound reason behind the conflation. The Church is teaching us that in order to be ready for the Lord's triumphant return as Judge of the living and the dead, we must prepare as our holy fathers once did for His nativity. The lessons we learn from the season of Advent are to be applied throughout our lives in preparation for our soul's Bridegroom. By liturgically preparing for the Nativity of our Lord, soberly and vigilantly, we prepare ourselves for the Final Judgment.

 

Thus, Advent is a season marked by pious gravitas. Yet it should not be overlooked that it is also a time of restrained joy. The more we are prepared for our Lord's arrival, the more we will truly welcome it, moving beyond our well-deserved sense of unworthiness to an exultation in His arrival. In the collect for the Vigil of the Nativity, for example, we read: "Grant that we who now joyfully receive Thine only begotten Son as our Redeemer, may also, without fear, behold Him coming as our Judge."

 

The goal that the Church holds up for us during this important season is to have our hearts so ready for Christ that they will do nothing but leap for joy when we appear before Him. Let us therefore prepare for our Redeemer and our beloved Judge by heeding St. Paul's advice through Advent, casting off the works of darkness, putting on the armor of light, and draping ourselves in the virtues and graces poured forth upon us by almighty God.

 

Advent wreath and calendar[4]

 

Many Catholics may be surprised to learn that the Advent wreath actually came from Lutherans living in east Germany. Yet though this custom is relatively recent as far as tradition goes, it has rightly earned a place of prominence among our Advent customs. A simple wreath made of evergreen (yew or fir or laurel) is adorned with four candles equidistant from each other. These candles may be of any color: in some European countries they are all white, though in the U.S. they generally correspond to the liturgical colors of the four Sundays of Advent (three purple and one pink or rose). 

In a dark room, a purple candle is lit on the First Sunday of Advent, another on the Second, the rose candle on the Third Sunday (in commemoration of Gaudete Sunday), and the last purple candle on the Fourth Sunday. Thus, all four candles will be lit for the week before Christmas. 

There is no formal ceremony for the lighting of the wreath or for the prayers that are said around it; there is not even an official Roman formula for blessing the wreath. Catholic families simply pray together for a holy preparation and a holy Christmas, concluding with a traditional Advent hymn. The symbolism of the Advent wreath is simple but effective. The wreath, with its crown-like character, reminds us of the King, while its circular shape betokens the "fulfillment of time" that both Comings bring about. The candles, on the other hand, represent the prophets whose inspired words pierced the darkness under which mankind groaned while waiting for the Messiah; they also represent the elects' hearts burning for Christ. 

Advent Calendar

 

Another popular Advent custom, also from Germany, creates a similar build-up of anticipation. Advent calendars are colorful pieces of cardboard on which is depicted a many-windowed house. Behind the shutters of each house is a picture or symbol that points to the coming of Christmas. Beginning December 1, the children are allowed to open the shutters of one window per day. Finally, on December 24, the front door of the house is opened, showing the nativity.

 

Jesse Tree[5]

The Jesse Tree dates back to the Middle Ages and came from Europe. Even some ancient cathedrals have Jesse Tree designs in their stained-glass windows. The "tree" is usually a branch or sapling and is decorated with various symbols that remind us of the purpose and promises of God from Creation to the Birth of Jesus Christ. Jesse was the father of King David and God promised David that his Kingdom would last forever. Two centuries after the death of King David, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah and said: And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots: and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord. (Isaiah 11:1-2) Each Jesse Tree ornament usually consists of a handmade symbol or drawing that represents one of the major stories of the Old Testament along with a brief verse of Scripture from that story.

Jesse Tree Ornaments

If you decide to use one symbol each day during December, there are 24 symbolic ornaments to make for your Jesse Tree, so each family member will need to make several. Making the ornaments is a good project for Sunday afternoons during Advent. To make an ornament, first read the Scripture verses for the day. Then pick out one or two short verses that give the main idea. Copy these verses on the back of the ornament. By this time, you will probably be thinking of various ways to illustrate your Scripture verses. Use lots of creativity in making your ornament! You can use pictures from magazines or old greeting cards. Or draw pictures or symbols yourself. Color them with crayons, pencils, markers or paint. Look around the house for bits and pieces that will make your design beautiful! If you prefer to have a pattern already made, Caryn Talty, at Organic Living for a Healthy Family, has created 26 excellent ornaments which she graciously offers free – both full color and black and white.

Jesse Tree Scriptures (The Symbols Are Only Suggestions)

December 1 Creation: Gen. 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbols: sun, moon, stars, animals, earth

December 2 Adam and Eve: Gen. 2:7-9, 18-24 Symbols: tree, man, woman

December 3 Fall of Man: Gen. 3:1-7 and 23-24 Symbols: tree, serpent, apple with bite

December 4 Noah: Gen. 6:5-8, 13-22; 7:17, 23, 24; 8:1, 6-22 Symbols: ark, animals, dove, rainbow

December 5 Abraham: Gen. 12:1-3 Symbols: torch, sword, mountain

December 6 Isaac: Gen. 22:1-14 Symbols: bundle of wood, altar, ram in bush

December 7 Jacob: Gen. 25:1-34; 28:10-15 Symbols: kettle, ladder

December 8 Joseph: Gen. 37:23-28; 45:3-15 Symbols: bucket, well, silver coins, tunic

December 9 Moses: Ex. 2:1-10 Symbols: baby in basket, river and rushes

December 10 Samuel: 1 Sam. 3:1-18 Symbols: lamp, temple

December 11 Jesse: 1 Sam. 16:1-13 Symbols: crimson robe, shepherd's staff

December 12 David: 1 Sam. 17:12-51 Symbols: slingshot, 6-pointed star

December 13 Solomon: 1 Kings 3:5-14, 16-28 Symbols: scales of justice, temple, two babies and sword

December 14 Joseph: Matt. 1:18-25 Symbols: hammer, saw, chisel, angle

December 15 Mary: Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38 Symbols: lily, crown of stars, pierced heart

December 16 John the Baptist: Mark 1:1-8 Symbols: shell with water, river

On December 17, the Church begins to intensify the preparation for Christmas with the use of the "O" Antiphons during the Liturgy of the Hours. The symbols for the Jesse Tree from December 17 to 23 are based on the "O" Antiphons.

December 17 Jesus is Wisdom: Sirach (or Ecclesiasticus in old Bibles) 24:2; Wisdom 8:1 Symbols: oil lamp, open book

December 18 Jesus is Lord: Ex. 3:2; 20:1 Symbols: burning bush, stone tablets

December 19 Jesus is Flower of Jesse: Isaiah 11:1-3 Symbols: flower, plant with flower

December 20 Jesus is Key of David: Isaiah 22:22 Symbols: key, broken chains

December 21 Jesus is the Radiant Dawn: Psalm 19:6-7 (in older Bibles this will be Psalm 18) Symbols: sun rising or high in sky

December 22 Jesus is King of the Gentiles: Psalm 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:14-20 Symbols: crown, scepter

December 23 Jesus is Emmanuel: Isaiah 7:14; 33:22 Symbols: tablets of stone, chalice and host

December 24 Jesus is Light of the World: John 1:1-14 Symbols: candle, flame, sun

Activity Source: Jesse Tree Kit, A by Betsy Walter, Pauline Books and Media, Boston, MA, 1983

🌿 Day 5 – Love of Neighbor

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory
Scripture: Romans 12:9–10

“Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good. Love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.”

Devotional Reflection

To love your neighbor as yourself is not a slogan—it’s a summons. Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12 is not sentimental; it’s sacramental. It calls us to sincere love, not flattery; to honor, not hierarchy. This kind of love is Eucharistic: it pours itself out, anticipates the needs of others, and refuses to retaliate.

In Casablanca, Rick’s final act is a parable of this love. He sacrifices personal happiness for a greater good, and Renault responds with unexpected solidarity. Their foggy walk into friendship is not just cinematic—it’s Eucharistic. It’s what happens when love becomes sincere, when honor is mutual, and when leadership bows to relationship.

🕊️ Chastity: The Soil of Sincere Love

Chastity is not repression—it’s reverence. It teaches us to love rightly, to honor the dignity of others, and to express our sexuality in ways that reflect truth and beauty. Whether single, married, or celibate, chastity is the virtue that protects love from becoming possession. It is the virtue that makes love of neighbor possible.

  • Unmarried: purity in thought and deed, expressing love non-genitally.
  • Married: fidelity, openness to life, mutual self-gift.
  • Celibate: total consecration to God through the gift of self.

Chastity is the virtue that says: “I will not use you—I will honor you.”

🌳 Jesse Tree Connection

Today’s Jesse Tree symbol might be Ruth’s sheaf of grain—a sign of loyalty, sacrifice, and love of neighbor. Ruth’s story is one of quiet fidelity: she leaves her homeland to care for Naomi, gleaning in the fields with humility and grace. Her love is sincere, her honor anticipatory. She is a living icon of Romans 12.

🛠️ Practices for the Day

Cultivate Empathy

  • Listen actively to others’ stories.
  • Walk in their shoes—honor their joys and sorrows.

Practice Kindness

  • Offer small acts of kindness.
  • Volunteer your time and presence.

Show Respect and Understanding

  • Acknowledge differences with grace.
  • Be patient, especially when it’s hard.

Support and Encourage

  • Offer help without being asked.
  • Celebrate others’ victories as your own.

Reflective Practice

  • Examine your attitudes toward others.
  • Pray for the grace to love sincerely and honor deeply.

🕯️ Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, teach me to love my neighbor with sincerity and honor.
Let my love be chaste, my friendships Eucharistic, and my leadership rooted in relationship.
May I walk into the fog of uncertainty with the clarity of Your love.
Like Ruth, may I glean with grace. Like Rick, may I sacrifice with conviction.
And like You, may I love to the end. Amen.

Bible in a Year Day 147 Temple Worship 

Fr. Mike reinforces the power of God's presence in the Temple, and the importance of worshipping God the way he desires to be worshipped. We also begin to hear how Solomon starts disobeying God and setting himself up for idolatry. Today's readings are 1 Kings 5, 2 Chronicles 7-8, and Psalm 66.

Every Wednesday is Dedicated to St. Joseph

The Italian culture has always had a close association with St. Joseph perhaps you could make Wednesdays centered around Jesus’s Papa. Plan an Italian dinner of pizza or spaghetti after attending Mass as most parishes have a Wednesday evening Mass. You could even do carry out to help restaurants. If you are adventurous, you could do the Universal Man Plan: St. Joseph style. Make the evening a family night perhaps it could be a game night. Whatever you do make the day special.

·         Devotion to the 7 Joys and Sorrows of St. Joseph

·         Do the St. Joseph Universal Man Plan.

Daily Devotions

·         Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Growth of Catholic Families and Households.

·         Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

·         Drops of Christ’s Blood

·         Universal Man Plan

·         Rosary



Domus Vinea Mariae

Domus Vinea Mariae
Home of Mary's Vineyard

Bourbon & Cigars

Bourbon & Cigars
Smoke in this Life not the Next