ICEMANforChrist

This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Many theologians state that the eighth deadly sin is fear. It is fear and its natural animal reaction to fight or flight that is the root cause of our failings to create a Kingdom of God on earth. By “the power of the Holy Spirit” we can be witnesses and “communicators” of a new and redeemed humanity “even to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:7 8). This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God.

Saturday, November 1, 2025

🌆 Twin Cities of Wealth and Witness

Secular Twin Cities	Top 5 Companies	Constitutional Twin City	Top 5 Companies
San Francisco, CA	1. Wells Fargo & Co 2. Salesforce 3. Uber Technologies 4. Gap Inc. 5. Levi Strauss & Co	St. Louis, MO	1. Centene Corporation 2. Emerson Electric 3. Edward Jones 4. Anheuser-Busch 5. Graybar Electric
New York City, NY	1. JPMorgan Chase 2. Citigroup 3. Verizon 4. Pfizer 5. Goldman Sachs	Charlotte, NC	1. Bank of America 2. Duke Energy 3. Honeywell 4. Nucor 5. Truist Financial
Chicago, IL	1. Boeing 2. McDonald’s 3. United Airlines 4. ADM 5. Mondelez International	Pittsburgh, PA	1. PNC Financial Services 2. U.S. Steel 3. Alcoa 4. Heinz 5. WESCO International
Seattle, WA	1. Amazon 2. Microsoft 3. Starbucks 4. Costco 5. Nordstrom	Colorado Springs, CO	1. Lockheed Martin (regional) 2. UCHealth Memorial 3. Focus on the Family 4. Compassion International 5. Ent Credit Union
Portland, OR	1. Nike 2. Daimler Trucks NA 3. Precision Castparts 4. Columbia Sportswear 5. KinderCare	Nashville, TN	1. HCA Healthcare 2. Dollar General 3. Tractor Supply Co. 4. LKQ Corp. 5. Community Health Systems
Los Angeles, CA	1. Disney 2. Molina Healthcare 3. Edison International 4. Farmers Insurance 5. Live Nation	Dallas, TX	1. AT&T 2. Southwest Airlines 3. Texas Instruments 4. Tenet Healthcare 5. Energy Transfer
Boston, MA	1. General Electric 2. Thermo Fisher Scientific 3. TJX Companies 4. Liberty Mutual 5. Biogen	Houston, TX	1. ExxonMobil 2. Phillips 66 3. Sysco 4. ConocoPhillips 5. Halliburton
Austin, TX	1. Tesla 2. Oracle 3. Dell Technologies 4. Natera 5. CrowdStrike	Tulsa, OK	1. ONEOK 2. Williams Companies 3. Magellan Midstream 4. Helmerich & Payne 5. BOK Financial

🕊️ Choose, But Choose Wisely: Catholic Buyers in Secular Cities

In the marketplace of secular cities, Catholic buyers are not merely consumers—they are stewards, witnesses, and builders of a different kind of economy. Every purchase, partnership, and investment is a choice. And every choice either deepens our fidelity or dilutes it.

Secular wealth builders often operate by metrics of expansion, prestige, and profit. But the Gospel calls us to a different rhythm—one shaped by mercy, dignity, and renewal. The Church does not demand withdrawal from the world, but she does demand wisdom within it. To choose well is to ask: Does this transaction honor the dignity of the human person? Does it reflect justice, care for creation, and solidarity with the poor? Does it build the kind of city where Christ would dwell?

✊ Boycott as Prophetic Witness

One response to moral conflict in the marketplace is the boycott—a deliberate refusal to support a company, product, or system that violates Gospel values. Far from being a reactive gesture, a boycott can be a spiritual act: a way of saying no to complicity and yes to renewal. It is not about punishment, but about purification—clearing space for more ethical, life-giving alternatives.

Boycotts are prudent when:

The offense is clear and ongoing—such as support for abortion, exploitation of workers, or environmental destruction.
Constructive alternatives exist—so the buyer can redirect support toward ethical businesses or local renewal.
The act is communal and strategic—not just personal protest, but part of a larger witness that can influence change.

To boycott well is to love fiercely. It is to say: We will not fund what wounds the world. We will build what heals it.

🧭 How to Boycott Well

Discern the offense: Is it moral, structural, or symbolic? Is it recent or systemic?
Clarify your witness: What Gospel value are you defending—life, dignity, Sabbath, mercy?
Redirect your support: Don’t just withdraw—invest in what heals. Support Catholic cooperatives, ethical builders, or local artisans.
Communicate with charity: Let your boycott be a door, not a wall. Explain your reasons with clarity and mercy.

Boycotts are not the only tool—but they are a vital one. They remind secular wealth builders that Catholic buyers are not passive consumers. We are stewards, witnesses, and builders of a different kind of city—one shaped not by profit alone, but by justice, beauty, and the dignity of every soul.

🌱 Faithful Presence Beyond the Boycott

Even outside moments of refusal, Catholic buyers must practice daily discernment. This means:

Reframing wealth as stewardship—not status or self-glorification.
Engaging secular builders with clarity and charity—stating values upfront, negotiating with mercy, and supporting renewal.
Investing in places that reflect faith—hospitality spaces, gardens, chapels, and symbolic terrains.
Giving generously and strategically—tithing, supporting Catholic charities, and funding local renewal.

To choose well is to choreograph every financial act as a ritual of mercy, dignity, and renewal. It is to live prophetically in the marketplace—refusing what wounds, investing in what heals, and building cities where Christ is not only welcome, but expected.

Day 33: St. John the Apostle — A Saint of Loyalty, choreographed as the final ascent in your Leafing the World Behind devotional rhythm. This entry honors loyalty as the seal of character, and concludes the pilgrimage on All Saints Day, where every virtue becomes communion.

🌊 Leafing the World Behind: Day 33

Witness: St. John the Apostle
Theme: Loyalty as Love That Remains
Virtue: Loyalty
Virtue Connection: Faithfulness Without Fear
Symbolic Act: Stay with someone today—physically, emotionally, spiritually. Let your presence be your promise.
Location: A bedside, a vineyard row, a place of grief or joy—anywhere love remains when others leave.

🕊️ Introduction: On Loyalty

Loyalty is not blind—it is brave.
It is not possession—it is presence.
To leaf the world behind is to remain when others flee, to love when others forget, to stand when others fall.

Today, we do not abandon—we abide.
Loyalty, in this rhythm, is not obligation—it is Eucharist.
It is the courage to say: “I will not leave you.”

🌺 Witness of the Day: St. John the Apostle

John was the beloved disciple.
He reclined at the Last Supper.
He stood at the foot of the Cross.
He received Mary as his own mother.
He wrote of love—not as sentiment, but as sacrifice.

He did not run from Golgotha.
He remained.

John reminds us:
Loyalty is not loud—it is lasting.
It is not dramatic—it is devoted.
It is not heroic—it is holy.

🛡️ Virtue Connection: Faithfulness Without Fear

Loyalty becomes virtue when it endures through pain, silence, and mystery.
When it does not demand reward.
When it does not fear the cross.

John did not flee the suffering.
He stayed with it.
He reminds us:

Loyalty without love becomes control.
But loyalty with love becomes communion.

🕯️ Symbolic Act: Stay

Stay with someone today.
In grief, in joy, in silence.
Let your presence be your promise.

As you stay, say:

“Lord, let my loyalty be love.
Let my love be lasting.
Let my lasting be holy.”

If no one is near, pray for those abandoned.
Let your prayer be a presence.

🌟 All Saints Day: The Communion of Virtue

Today, we do not celebrate one saint—we celebrate all.
The known and unknown.
The canonized and the quiet.
The martyrs and the mothers.
The prophets and the poets.

We leaf the world behind not to escape it—but to sanctify it.
Every virtue we have practiced—mercy, courage, humility, joy—becomes communion.
Every saint we have honored becomes companion.

Today, we say:

“Lord, let my life be liturgy.
Let my virtue be vineyard.
Let my communion be complete.”

🔥 Final Reflection Prompt

Which virtue changed you most?
Which saint stayed with you?
Where will you go now—with loyalty, clarity, and love?

Write, walk, or pray with these questions.
Let St. John the Apostle—and all the saints—remind you:

Sanctity is not weakness—it is witness.
It is the strength to remain, the grace to love, the joy to become communion.

Here is a conclusion for the full 33-day plan of Leafing the World Behind, choreographed to honor the rhythm you’ve cultivated—where virtue becomes vineyard, and every saint becomes companion.

🌿 Conclusion: The Communion of Virtue

You have walked 33 days through mercy, mystery, and mission.
You have leafed the world behind—not to escape it, but to sanctify it.
You have listened to the heart, imagined with the mind, judged with clarity, and lived with character.

Each day was not just a reflection—it was a rite.
Each saint was not just a story—they were a companion.
Each virtue was not just a word—it was a way.

You have practiced:

Mercy with Corrie ten Boom
Tolerance with the Four Chaplains
Generosity with St. Nicholas
Curiosity with Aquinas
Hidden zeal with Thérèse
Gentle discernment with Francis de Sales
Restless aspiration with Augustine
Enduring excellence with Sebastian
Creative authenticity with Joan of Arc
Conscience-bound honesty with Thomas More
Radical respect with Damien of Molokai
Loyal love with John the Apostle

And so many more.

🍷 The Vineyard of Virtue

You now carry a vineyard of virtue within you.
Each row bears fruit from a saint’s witness.
Each vine is a vow.
Each harvest is a holy act.

Let your life be:

A Magnificat of mercy
A table of justice
A fire of joy
A threshold of truth
A dwelling of dignity

🕯️ Final Symbolic Act

Choose one virtue to carry forward.
Name it.
Plant it.
Let it become your daily act.

As you do, say:

“Lord, let my virtue be vineyard.
Let my vineyard be communion.
Let my communion be love.”

🔥 Benediction

You are not leaving the world behind.
You are leafing it into beauty.
You are not escaping the ordinary.
You are consecrating it.

Let every meal be a liturgy.
Let every task be a testimony.
Let every day be a devotion.

You are now the witness.
You are now the saint-in-the-making.
You are now the communion.

Friday, October 31, 2025

Day 32: St. Damien of Molokai — A Saint of Respect, choreographed to deepen the rhythm of Leafing the World Behind, now moving through the terrain of Character of Destiny—where vocation becomes reverence, and respect becomes radical presence.

🌊 Leafing the World Behind: Day 32

Witness: St. Damien of Molokai
Theme: Respect as Radical Presence
Virtue: Respect
Virtue Connection: Dignity in Proximity
Symbolic Act: Touch someone today with reverence—a handshake, a blessing, a gentle word. Let it be a gesture of dignity, not distance.
Location: A hospital room, a vineyard row, a place of exclusion—anywhere where presence becomes healing.

🕊️ Introduction: On Respect

Respect is not distance—it is dignity.
It is not politeness—it is presence.
To leaf the world behind is to draw near to the forgotten, to honor the wounded, to dwell with the cast out.

Today, we do not pity—we participate.
Respect, in this rhythm, is not sentiment—it is sacrament.
It is the courage to say: “I will live among you.”

🌺 Witness of the Day: St. Damien of Molokai

Damien was a Belgian priest who volunteered to serve the leper colony on Molokai, Hawaii.
He did not visit—he stayed.
He built homes, dug graves, bandaged wounds, and celebrated Mass.
He touched the untouchable.
He became one of them.

Eventually, he contracted leprosy himself.
He said:
“We lepers.”
Not “they.” Not “them.”
“We.”

Damien reminds us:
Respect is not sympathy—it is solidarity.
It is not safe—it is sacrificial.
It is not distant—it is divine.

🛡️ Virtue Connection: Dignity in Proximity

Respect becomes virtue when it draws near.
When it does not sanitize suffering—but sanctifies it.
When it does not observe—but inhabits.

Damien did not serve from afar.
He served from within.
He reminds us:

Respect without proximity becomes pity.
But respect with proximity becomes presence.

🕯️ Symbolic Act: Touch with Reverence

Offer one gesture of reverence today.
A touch, a word, a presence.
Let it be healing.
Let it be holy.

As you act, say:

“Lord, let my respect be presence.
Let my presence be dignity.
Let my dignity be communion.”

If no one is near, pray for those cast out.
Let your prayer be a dwelling place.

🔥 Reflection Prompt

Where have you kept distance from the wounded?
What fear has kept you from proximity?
Can you name one person whose respect restored your dignity?

Write, walk, or pray with these questions.
Let St. Damien remind you:

Respect is not weakness—it is witness.
It is the strength to dwell, the grace to touch, the love to say “we.”

Would you like this formatted into your hospitality calendar or vineyard retreat guide? I can choreograph it with symbolic terrain, cellar acts, or Molokai-inspired meal pairings.

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Day 30: St. Thomas More — Honesty as Conscience and Crown, choreographed to complete the ascent through Character of Destiny in your Leafing the World Behind devotional rhythm. This entry honors More’s witness as the final threshold—where truth becomes testimony, and character becomes crown.

🌊 Leafing the World Behind: Day 31

Witness: St. Thomas More
Theme: Honesty as Conscience and Crown
Virtue: Honesty
Virtue Connection: Truth Without Compromise
Symbolic Act: Speak one truth today that could cost you something—status, comfort, or silence. Let it be gentle, but firm.
Location: A courtroom, a vineyard gate, a family table—any place where conscience meets courage.

🕊️ Introduction: On Honesty

Honesty is not harshness—it is holiness.
It is not bluntness—it is bravery.
To leaf the world behind is to speak truth not for victory, but for virtue.
To let conscience be crown, and clarity be communion.

Today, we do not flatter—we testify.
Honesty, in this rhythm, is not exposure—it is Eucharist.
It is the courage to say: “I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first.”

🌺 Witness of the Day: St. Thomas More

More was a lawyer, scholar, and Lord Chancellor of England.
He served with brilliance, humor, and integrity.
When King Henry VIII demanded allegiance to a false oath, More refused.
He resigned, was imprisoned, and eventually executed.

He said:
“What does it avail a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?”

More reminds us:
Honesty is not convenience—it is conscience.
It is not strategy—it is sanctity.
It is not survival—it is surrender.

🛡️ Virtue Connection: Truth Without Compromise

Honesty becomes virtue when it is rooted in love, not leverage.
When it does not bend to power.
When it does not betray the soul.

More did not speak to win.
He spoke to witness.
He reminds us:

Honesty without conscience becomes cruelty.
But honesty with conscience becomes crown.

🕯️ Symbolic Act: Speak the Costly Truth

Speak one truth today that could cost you something.
Let it be gentle.
Let it be firm.
Let it be holy.

As you speak, say:

“Lord, let my honesty be conscience.
Let my conscience be crown.
Let my crown be communion.”

If no truth arises, pray for those silenced by fear or power.
Let your prayer be a courtroom of grace.

🔥 Reflection Prompt

Where have you compromised truth for comfort?
What truth still waits to be spoken?
Can you name one moment when honesty became your altar?

Write, walk, or pray with these questions.
Let St. Thomas More remind you:

Honesty is not weakness—it is witness.
It is the strength to speak, the grace to lose, the love to remain true.

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

🛤️ Transition: From Right Judgment to Character of Destiny

Right judgment discerns the good.
But character chooses it—again and again.
To leaf the world behind is not only to see clearly, but to live courageously.
To let every decision shape the soul.
To let every virtue become a vow.

This is the final movement of the pilgrimage:
From clarity to character.
From discernment to destiny.
From virtue to vocation.

Character of destiny is not fate—it is fidelity.
It is not a script—it is a summons.
It is the courage to say: “I was born for this.”

🌊 Leafing the World Behind: Day 30

Witness: St. Joan of Arc
Theme: Authenticity as Vocation
Virtue: Authenticity
Virtue Connection: Integrity in Fire
Symbolic Act: Speak one truth today that costs you something. Let it be gentle, but real.
Location: A battlefield, a vineyard gate, a courtroom—any place where truth stands alone.

🕊️ Introduction: On Authenticity

Authenticity is not self-expression—it is self-offering.
It is not rebellion—it is revelation.
To leaf the world behind is to live the truth you were given, even when it burns.

Today, we do not perform—we proclaim.
Authenticity, in this rhythm, is not ego—it is Eucharist.
It is the courage to say: “I am not afraid. God is with me.”

🌺 Witness of the Day: St. Joan of Arc

Joan was a teenage peasant girl who heard the voice of God.
She led armies, crowned kings, and stood alone before judges.
She wore armor when told to wear silence.
She spoke truth when told to recant.
She was burned for her authenticity—and canonized for it.

She said:
“I am not afraid. I was born to do this.”

Joan reminds us:
Authenticity is not comfort—it is calling.
It is not popularity—it is prophecy.
It is not survival—it is sanctity.

🛡️ Virtue Connection: Integrity in Fire

Authenticity becomes virtue when it costs something.
When it is not curated—but consecrated.
When it is not about being seen—but about being true.

Joan did not invent her truth.
She obeyed it.
She reminds us:

Authenticity without integrity becomes performance.
But authenticity with integrity becomes destiny.

🕯️ Symbolic Act: Speak the Costly Truth

Speak one truth today that costs you something.
Let it be gentle.
Let it be real.
Let it be holy.

As you speak, say:

“Lord, let my truth be Yours.
Let my voice be clear.
Let my courage be communion.”

If no truth arises, pray for those silenced by fear.
Let your prayer be a sword of peace.

🔥 Reflection Prompt

Where have you hidden your truth?
What fire still frightens your voice?
Can you name one moment when authenticity became your altar?

Write, walk, or pray with these questions.
Let St. Joan of Arc remind you:

Authenticity is not weakness—it is witness.
It is the strength to burn, the grace to speak, the love to obey your call.

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Candace’s Corner

· Foodie:

o As the day rolls on, why not celebrate Czech Independence Day by exploring a local cultural event or trying out some traditional Czech cuisine?

o Indulge your sweet tooth on National Chocolate Day with a decadent treat. Whether you prefer rich dark chocolate or creamy milk chocolate, savor every bite and let the sweetness lift your spirits.

· Spirit Hour: Desperado Cocktail

· Pray Day 1 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

· People born today that are questionable:

o Julia Roberts

o Caitlyn Jenner

o Bill Gates

· How to celebrate Oct 28th

o Rise and shine, ready for a wild day ahead?

§ Let’s start by immersing yourself in the vibrant world of international animation. Grab your favorite animated movie or cartoon series, whip up some popcorn, and enjoy a heartwarming tales and fantastical adventures.

o Pause for a moment of gratitude on National First Responders Day. Take the time to write a thank-you note or make a small donation to a local fire station or police department. Your support and appreciation can go a long way in brightening someone’s day.

· Bucket List: Vineyard World Tour:

o Weeklong Rioja Vineyard Itinerary

§ Theme: “Refined in Mercy, Witnessed in Light”
Dates: October 28–November 4, 2025
Base: Haro & Logroño, Spain

· o I. Arrival and Orientation (Day 1 – Logroño to Haro)

o Arrive in Logroño via train or bus. Transfer to Haro by regional bus for approximately $9 USD. Lodging at Hostal Ciudad de Haro offers basic comfort for around $52 USD per night. Begin with a walk through Haro’s old town and offer a symbolic toast with local Garnacha.
Symbolic Act: “Opening the Barrel”—bless the witness, name the mercy.

· o II. Bodegas Muga Immersion (Day 2 – Haro)

o Visit Bodegas Muga for a 90-minute tour and tasting, priced at $32 USD. Dine at Bar El Pasadizo, where tapas and wine cost around $14–18 USD.
Symbolic Act: “Refined in Mercy”—honor the fire of the barrel and the clarity of the fruit.

· o III. Barrio de la Estación & Legacy Vineyards (Day 3 – Haro)

o Walk to CVNE and La Rioja Alta for self-guided tastings at $22 USD each. Reflect at Haro’s Wine Cemetery with a candle or journal.
Symbolic Act: “Legacy and Light”—walk among vineyard saints and civic stewards.

· o IV. Vineyard Walk & Symbolic Naming (Day 4 – Haro)

o Spend the morning walking Viña Tondonia. Prepare a picnic lunch from Mercado Municipal de Haro for $8–12 USD.
Symbolic Act: “Naming the Rows”—bless each varietal with a Marian or civic name.

· o V. All Saints Day: Eucharistic Pause (Day 5 – Logroño)

o Return to Logroño. Visit the Church of San Bartolomé and walk the Ebro River. Stay at Pensión La Bilbaina for $39 USD per night. Enjoy a menu del día at Bar Soriano for $13 USD.
Symbolic Act: “I believe and I adore”—pause in vineyard clarity.

· o VI. All Souls Day: Mercy for the Forgotten (Day 6 – Santo Domingo de la Calzada)

o Take a bus to Santo Domingo de la Calzada for $9 USD roundtrip. Visit the cathedral and pilgrim museum. Pack a picnic from Logroño’s market for $6 USD.
Symbolic Act: “Pilgrimage and Penance”—walk with the saints, reflect on mercy.

· o VII. Departure and Optional Extension (Day 7 – Haro)

o Return to Haro. Optional final night at Pensión El Portal for $41 USD. Close with vineyard journaling and cellar prayer.
Symbolic Act: “Sending Forth”—carry vineyard witness into daily vocation.

· 💰 Estimated Total Cost: $468 USD

o Includes 7 nights lodging, 3 vineyard tastings, 3 symbolic meals, and 1 day trip with transit and picnic.

🍷 Seven Courses of Mercy and Light

With Recipes and Preparation Links

1. The Barrel Opens (Appetizer)

Warm Olives with Lemon Zest, Rosemary & Almonds

Recipe: Feasting at Home
How to: Sauté garlic, rosemary, cumin, and fennel seeds in olive oil. Add Castelvetrano olives, Marcona almonds, and lemon zest. Warm and serve.

2. Mercy by Fire (Soup Course)

Roasted Piquillo Pepper Soup with Chorizo

Recipe: June d’Arville
How to: Sauté onion and garlic, add piquillo peppers, chicken stock, tomato paste, and fresh chorizo. Simmer, blend, and garnish with feta and mint.

3. Legacy Stew (Salad Course)

Mediterranean Beet Salad with Herbs

Recipe: Barefoot Farm Byron
How to: Roast beets, combine with arugula, orange segments, goat cheese, and walnuts. Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey.

4. Rows of Grace (Fish Course)

Grilled Trout with Lemon-Parsley Butter

Recipe: Food Network – Bobby Flay
How to: Grill butterflied trout, then top with lemon zest, parsley, and butter mixture. Serve with lemon wedges.

5. Pilgrim’s Mercy (Main Course)

Roasted Chicken with Rioja Wine Glaze

Recipe: Shop Rioja
How to: Roast chicken stuffed with lemon, garlic, and herbs. Simmer Rioja wine, balsamic vinegar, and honey into a glaze. Drizzle over carved chicken.

6. Marian Board (Cheese Course)

Sheep’s Milk Cheese with Quince Paste & Bread

Pairing Guide: MarocMama
How to: Slice Tomme de Brebis or Manchego, pair with quince paste, crusty bread, and grapes. Serve as a symbolic naming board.

7. Witness Poured Forth (Dessert Course)

Pear Poached in Red Wine with Cinnamon & Clove

Recipe: Simply Recipes
How to: Simmer pears in red wine with orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and honey. Reduce liquid to syrup and drizzle over pears.

Day 28: St. Lawrence — Humor in the Face of Fire, choreographed to deepen the rhythm of Leafing the World Behind, now moving through the terrain of right judgment—where clarity meets courage, and humor becomes holiness.

🌊 Leafing the World Behind: Day 29

Witness: St. Lawrence
Theme: Humor in the Face of Fire
Virtue: Joy
Virtue Connection: Levity as Love
Symbolic Act: Laugh today in the face of something hard. Let your humor be healing, not hiding.
Location: A kitchen hearth, a vineyard row, a place of pressure—anywhere fire meets faith.

🕊️ Introduction: On Joy

Joy is not escape—it is endurance.
It is not denial—it is defiance.
To leaf the world behind is to laugh not because life is easy, but because love is stronger.

Today, we do not flinch—we smile.
Joy, in this rhythm, is not entertainment—it is Eucharist.
It is the courage to say: “Even this, Lord. Even this.”

🌺 Witness of the Day: St. Lawrence

Lawrence was a deacon in Rome, entrusted with the Church’s treasures.
When ordered to surrender them, he presented the poor, the sick, and the outcast:
“These are the treasures of the Church.”

He was sentenced to death by fire—grilled alive.
And in the midst of agony, he joked:
“Turn me over. I’m done on this side.”

Lawrence reminds us:
Humor is not irreverence—it is resilience.
Levity is not weakness—it is witness.
Joy is not distraction—it is defiance.

🛡️ Virtue Connection: Levity as Love

Joy becomes virtue when it is rooted in love, not escape.
When it lifts others, not mocks them.
When it heals, not hides.

Lawrence did not joke to avoid pain.
He joked to sanctify it.
He reminds us:

Humor without love becomes cruelty.
But humor with love becomes holiness.

🕯️ Symbolic Act: Laugh with Courage

Find one moment today to laugh in the face of pressure.
Let your humor be healing.
Let your levity be love.

As you laugh, say:

“Lord, let my joy be courage.
Let my courage be communion.
Let my communion be fireproof.”

If no laughter comes, pray for those who suffer in silence.
Let your prayer be a spark.

🔥 Reflection Prompt

Where have you feared to laugh?
What pressure still steals your joy?
Can you name one person whose humor healed you?

Write, walk, or pray with these questions.
Let St. Lawrence remind you:

Joy is not weakness—it is witness.
It is the strength to laugh, the grace to endure, the love to sanctify fire.

OCTOBER 28 Tuesday-Feast of Saint’s Simon and Jude

1 Corinthians, Chapter 14, Verse 32-33

Indeed, the spirits of prophets are under the prophets’ control, since he is not the God of disorder but of PEACE.

Peace is not maintained in anarchy. Paul is expressing the need for order in church meetings and for rules of order. Paul concludes with specific directives regarding exercise of the gifts in their assemblies and enunciates the basic criterion in the use of any gift: it must contribute to “building up.”

Leaders Organize not Hesitate[1]

He that hesitates is lost. Yet, to act to quickly is also to be rash. Paul wrote to bring order to a church in chaos. Like our modern world churches can be in chaos when there is no leadership. The Corinthian’s were abusing their gifts and calling attention to themselves rather than to Christ. Paul therefore suggests for them to do everything “decently and in order.” John Maxwell submits that there is a leadership lesson that can bring peace to chaos.

Identify and pursue your top priorities (v.1).
Seek to practice what will benefit the most people (v.2-12).
Communicate clearly (v. 7-8).
See things through the eyes of an outsider (v. 23-25).
Order activities simply for the purpose of adding value to others (v. 26-33).
Make sure everything is done in an appropriate manner (v. 40).

Copilot’s Take

On October 28, the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude invites us to reflect on the quiet strength of apostles who labored without acclaim, anchoring the Church in fidelity and peace. Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 14:32–33 reminds us that spiritual gifts must be exercised under the guidance of order, not chaos, for God is not the author of confusion but of peace. In a world—and often in churches—where charisma can overshadow clarity, Paul’s call to “do everything decently and in order” becomes a pastoral imperative. Leadership, then, is not about dominance or haste, but about stewardship: identifying priorities, communicating clearly, and choreographing communal life so that every gift builds up the body. John Maxwell’s principles echo this rhythm, offering a framework for leaders to transform disorder into peace through intentional action. Saints Simon and Jude, though often hidden in the apostolic narrative, embody this quiet resolve—reminding us that peace is not passive, but cultivated through faithful order and humble leadership.

Feast of Saint Simon and Jude[2]

ST. SIMON and St. Jude were probably brothers; the former received the surname Canaanite, to distinguish him from Simon Peter, either because he was a native of Cana, or because of his zeal for Christ (Luke v L 15; Acts i. 13). Judas was surnamed Thaddeus, or Lebbeus, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. Both were chosen apostles by Christ and were constant witnesses of His life and deeds. It is related of them in the Martyrology that the light of faith was communicated to Egypt and other countries of Africa by Simon, and to Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Greater Armenia by Thaddeus. Meeting in Persia and propagating the Christian faith there by their preaching and miracles, they both gained the crown of martyrdom. There is extant an epistle of St. Jude which the Church has incorporated into the Holy Scriptures. From these two apostles learn to have zeal for the glory of God, for your own salvation and for that of your neighbor.

Prayer.

O God, Who, by means of Thy blessed apostles Simon and Jude, hast granted us to come to the knowledge of Thy name, grant that we may celebrate their eternal glory by making progress in virtue and improve by this celebration.

EPISTLE. Ephes. iv. 7-13.

Brethren: To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the giving of Christ. Wherefore He saith: Ascending on high He led captivity captive; He gave gifts to men. Now that He ascended, what is it, but because He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. And He gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors: for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ.

GOSPEL. John xv. 17-25.

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hate you, know ye that it hath hated Me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember My word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake: because they know not Him that sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. He that hateth Me, hateth My Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no other man hath done, they would not have sin: but now they have both seen and hated both Me and My Father. But that the word may be fulfilled which is written in their law: They hated Me without cause.

Explanation.

From the fact that Christ and His disciples were hated and persecuted by the world the greatest consolation and encouragement may be derived by those who are obliged to suffer mockery, contempt, and persecution because they are not of the world; that is, because they do not follow its foolish principles and sinful customs. But they who, to escape the derision and hatred of the world, side with it, rather than with Christ, may learn to be ashamed of their cowardice and baseness. For as it is an honor to the servant to be treated like his master, so it is a great disgrace to him to be treated better than his master; if, then, the master is pleased to submit to the hatred and persecution of the world, why do his servants refuse to do so? When Christ says that the Jews could not excuse themselves on the ground that they did not know Him, but had hated and persecuted Him when it was easy for them to have known Him by His works, He teaches us that ignorance is not in every case an excuse for sin. Those Christians, therefore, are in the highest degree culpable who, like the Jews, might easily learn what they ought to believe and do, but who fail to do so either through maliciousness or neglect, and accordingly remain in ignorance by their own fault. Acting in this kind of ignorance, they become guilty of sin, and will be justly condemned forever. It is otherwise with men who, without any fault of theirs, hear nothing of Christ or of the true faith, on account of which they are not punishable, but who will be condemned for such sins as they commit against that natural law which is inscribed on the heart of every man.

Saint Simon and Jude[3]

St. Simon is represented in art with a saw, the instrument of his martyrdom. St. Jude's square points him out as an architect of the house of God. St. Paul called himself by this name; and St. Jude, by his Catholic Epistle, has also a special right to be reckoned among our Lord's principal workmen. But our apostle had another nobility, far surpassing all earthly titles: being nephew, by his father Cleophas or Alpheus, to St. Joseph, and legal cousin to the Man-God, Jude was one of those called by their compatriots the brethren of the carpenter's Son. We may gather from St. John's Gospel another precious detail concerning him. In the admirable discourse at the close of the last Supper, our Lord said: "He that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him." Then Jude asked Him: "Lord, how is it, that Thou wilt manifest Thyself to us, and not to the world?" And he received from Jesus this reply: "If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My word. And the word which you have heard is not Mine, but the Fathers who sent Me."

St. Jude Patron: Desperate situations; forgotten causes; hospital workers; hospitals; impossible causes; lost causes; diocese of Saint Petersburg, Florida.

St. Simon Patron: Curriers; sawmen; sawyers; tanners.

Bible in a Year Day 114 David saves Keilah

Fr. Mike explores the actions of David before saving the city of Keilah, and how he sets an example for us while discerning God's will. He also points out how God is working constantly in our lives, even if we don't see half of what he's doing. Today's readings are 1 Samuel 23 and Psalm 54.

Daily Devotions

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Binding and suppressing the Devils Evil Works.

· joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Authentic Feminism

· Religion in the Home for Preschool: October

· Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan

· Rosary

[1] John Maxwell, The Maxwell Leadership Bible.

[2] Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.

[3]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2016-10-28