Smoke in This Life; Not the Next
Sunday, Nov. 15 – Sunday Reflection
Virtue: Endurance & Light
Cigar: Corojo
Bourbon: Russell's Reserve
Modern culture seeks comfort, convenience, and quick escape from suffering. The saints understood something deeper. Endurance is not merely surviving hardship. It is remaining faithful while carrying Christ's light through it. The world grows brighter when ordinary believers continue doing what is right, even when the path is difficult.
St. Bridget of Sweden received several visions concerning the Holy Souls in Purgatory. In one, she saw a soul being purified like gold in a crucible. The image reminds us that God's purification is not punishment for those He rejects, but preparation for those He loves. The fire removes what is unworthy so the beauty of the soul may shine fully in Heaven.
These holy souls teach us an important lesson. The small sacrifices we offer in this life have eternal value. A prayer offered when tired, a temptation resisted, an act of charity performed quietly, or a burden accepted without complaint becomes a light in the darkness. God can use these offerings not only for our own sanctification but also for the relief of souls undergoing purification.
The Swiss pikemen understood that victory belonged to those who held their position when others wanted to retreat. Likewise, the Christian life is won through steadfastness. We do not become saints through occasional heroics. We become saints through daily perseverance.
As the smoke rises today, remember the faithful departed. Offer your prayers for them and let their example remind you that today's endurance prepares tomorrow's glory.
"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
— John 1:5
Question: What sacrifice can I offer today for the Holy Souls and for my own purification?
NOVEMBER 15 Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Psalm 3, Verse 7
I do not FEAR, then, thousands of people arrayed
against me on every side.
This is a psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom
who for all intents and purposes wanted him dead. David is surrounded. God is
(hopefully) ready to answer his prayers. David’s faith is tested because so
many say there is no God or that there is no salvation in God. Yet, David
cannot and will not doubt in God who helped him conquer the giant Goliath.
David is confident in the Lord yet his heart breaks because his own has turned
against him. Today remember our Lord who suffered death via His own. It is when
we are at our weakest and our most vulnerable that the Lord will give
protection. David boasts that the Lord will give protection to him even when he
is lying down to sleep. David prays that the Lord, like a warrior, will defeat
the evil that surrounds him. He knows salvation will come without fail as when
he faced Goliath. He builds his confidence in the Lord,
“I do not fear,
then, thousands of people arrayed against me on every side.”[1]
Say this every morning for ten days and see what
happens!
"Moreover, Christians are born for combat, whereof the
greater the vehemence, the more assured, God willing, the triumph: 'Have
confidence; I have overcome the world' (Jn 16:33)." -Pope Leo XIII
Like David we should approach God in humility and reverence
with childlike confidence and love. Thus, prepared for prayer we will be
pleasing to God. To give our mind this disposition is the purpose of the
preface: "Our Father, who art in heaven." Hence this preface should
be said with devotion and piety. The seven petitions of the "Our
Father" contain everything a Christian ought and may ask for. But what may
and should a Christian ask for? For all things necessary and serviceable for
the proper fulfilment of his life work. This prayer contains petitions for
everything necessary for the attainment of the last end for which we were
created, and that is, in the first place, the glorification of God, and, in the
second place, our eternal salvation. In the first four petitions Christ teaches
us and commands us to beseech for the things that pertain to this last end, and
in the last three petitions for protection against the things which hinder the
attainment of this end.[2]
Copilot’s Take
David's cry in Psalm 3 is a reminder that evil is ultimately defeated
not by numbers, noise, or power, but by fidelity to God. The Catechism teaches
that our struggle is both personal and spiritual: "The whole of man's
history has been the story of dour combat with the powers of evil" (CCC
409). When David declares that he does not fear thousands arrayed against him,
he is not denying the danger. He is proclaiming that God is greater than the
danger. The Christian response to evil is therefore neither panic nor hatred,
but courage, prayer, repentance, and perseverance.
What must change in our world is what must first change in ourselves.
The Catechism teaches that social disorders arise from disorders within the
human heart (CCC 1888). Political parties, governments, families, and
institutions cannot be renewed apart from the conversion of individuals. Fear
must give way to trust, pride to humility, selfishness to charity, and
indifference to responsibility. When Christians sincerely pray, "Deliver
us from evil," they are asking not only for God's protection but also for the
grace to become part of His answer. Renewal begins when we allow Christ to
conquer the evil within us before demanding that He conquer the evil around us.
Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost
Prayer.
Grant,
we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that, ever fixing our thoughts on reasonable
things, we may perform, both in words and works, the things that are pleasing
to Thee. Amen.
EPISTLE, i. Thess. i. 2-10.
Brethren: We give thanks to God always for you all: making a
remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing, being mindful of the work of
your faith, and labor, and charity, and of the enduring of the hope of Our Lord
Jesus Christ before God and our Father. Knowing, brethren beloved of God, your
election: for our Gospel hath not been unto you in word only, but in power
also, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much fulness, as you know what manner of
men, we have been among you for your sakes. And you became followers of us, and
of the Lord, receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy
Ghost: so that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in
Achaia. For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in
Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which is towards
God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves
relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to
God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from
heaven (Whom He raised up from the dead), Jesus Who hath delivered us from the
wrath to come.
Explanation.
St. Paul wishes grace and peace to the Thessalonians; gives
them the assurance of his prayers without ceasing and declares his joy at their
having received the faith in Christ; at their being zealous in good works and
firm in tribulation, and at their persevering in the hope of reward, whereby
they became a pattern to others, who were led to embrace the true religion, and
were confirmed in it by their example. Oh, that we could say the same of
Christians of the present day! Such a life is- the glory of Christianity. Let
us, therefore, endeavor to have a living faith, shining forth in all good
works, with a firm hope of our salvation, that we too may be an example to
unbelievers.
GOSPEL. Matt. xiii. 31-35.
At
that time Jesus spoke to the multitudes this parable: The kingdom of heaven is
like to a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field: which
is the least indeed of all seeds: but when it is grown up, it is greater than
all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and dwell in
the branches thereof. Another parable He spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven
is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until
the whole was leavened. All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the
multitudes: and without parables He did not speak to them. That it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open My mouth in
parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.
"Why are the Church and the doctrines of Christ
compared to a grain of mustard-seed?
Because they are very similar: the mustard-seed, though
small, in Palestine grows to be very high, spreads wide, and is very prolific.
In like manner the Church and doctrine of Christ, though at the beginning very
small, increased so fast, and in time reached such a large growth, as to
surpass all other religions, so that the princes and wise men of the world
sheltered themselves under the protection of Christianity, as the bird? dwell
under the branches of the tree.
Why are the Church and the doctrines of Christ
compared to leaven?
Because as leaven in a short time penetrates and makes
palatable a large measure of meal, so the Church and the doctrines of Christ
penetrated most rapidly three quarters of the globe, corrected the foolish
opinions of the heathen, and gave them a taste lor divine things and heavenly
wisdom.
Prayer.
Most
amiable Jesus, we thank Thee for having called us to Thy Church, and for having
communicated to us Thy doctrine. Give us grace to become by it each day better
and more pleasing to Thee, and finally to attain eternal happiness. Enlighten
also the nations living in heresy and darkness, that they may know Thee, and be
delivered from the wrath to come. Amen
Like a Drop of Water as It
Falls into the Ocean[3]
The month of November opens with two Feast Days lived intensely by the
Liturgy and by popular piety: All Saints and All Souls. These two feasts give
depth to the month traditionally dedicated to praying for those who have
crossed the threshold of hope. When we pray for the faithful departed, or
better, for those living in the Next World, we are reminded of the ultimate
realities of human existence. Authentic Christians are ever more keenly aware
of this dimension as they pray for the souls in Purgatory, who are unable to
help themselves and rely on our prayers.
“O good Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the
fires of Hell and take all souls into Heaven, especially those most in need of
your mercy.” With this brief and intense invocation, Our Lady in Fatima asked
people to pray to Jesus for the holy souls in Purgatory. Each of us is called
to holiness and if we were to take seriously the wonderful vocation to live
here in earth in communion with the Lord Jesus, then death would be simply
“departing” for Heaven.
Thinking of human freedom there comes to mind what Jesus said: “many are
called but few are chosen” (Mt 22, 14). God calls everyone to holiness, but few
heed the invitation to a banquet of intimate communion with Jesus, the banquet
of eternal life which starts here on earth. We are too distracted by many
things, like the guests in Gospel who make excuses with the host saying: “I
have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my
apologies." Another said, "I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on
my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies." Yet another said,
"I have just got married and so am unable to come." (Lc 14, 18-20).
We may feel we are entitled to live life without entrusting it day after
day to the one who created and redeemed us, without spending it entirely for
the Kingdom of God, because there are so many other important things on which
apparently it can be spent: success, profit, so-called “well-being”, a career,
power… in general anything which favors affirmation of self, among the wide
range of opportunities presented by the world today.
And so, life is full of concerns which suffocate loving attention for our
Lord and God, and interest for him disappears. The believer is tempted to put
off prayer until 'after' his radical conversion: when I have more time I will
pray, when I have less concerns I will give more thought to others, when I feel
like it I will go more often to church…
The life which the saints lived was not about waiting until tomorrow
simply because tomorrow does not belong to us. Ours is only the present moment
and it is today that we must convert our hearts, refusing compromise with sin,
which is the real enemy of happiness, earthly and heavenly. Grave sin stops
supernatural life and, consequently, holiness, that is growth in Jesus Christ.
On life's horizon, the believer and every person, has to look at death.
Certainly, we celebrate earthly birth, surrounding it with much attention, but
not to be forgotten either, is the “birth” prelude to the great birth to
Heaven! For the believer in Christ, life on earth runs towards eternal Life in
God. The saints knew this and their funerals were celebrations, because their
death was lived as their “birth” to Heaven.
Life on earth is like a drop of water as it falls down into the ocean
waiting to embrace it. It falls in a very short time. What a wonderful,
consoling truth for the believer, awareness, certainty that comes from faith,
of the promises of the Risen Lord, life does not fall into nothingness, it is
joined forever with the infinite love of God, plunged into the boundless sea of
His Divine mercy! As the Holy Father Benedict XVI, said with these luminous
words: “Today we confirm our hope in eternal life founded on the death and
resurrection of Christ. ‘I am risen and will be with you forever, says the
Lord, and my hand will support you. Whenever you fall, you will fall into my
hands and I will be there even at the door of death. Where no one can accompany
you and where you can take nothing with you. There I will be waiting to change
the darkness into light” (Benedict XVI, Angelus, 2 November 2008).
— by Mgr Luciano Alimandi, Agenzia Fides
Study Saints; be a saint[4]
Memorial of St. Albert the Great
(c. 1200-1280),
son of a German nobleman. While studying at Padua when the Master General of
the Dominicans, Jordan of Saxony, succeeded in attracting him to that Order. He
was to become one of its greatest glories. After taking his degrees at the
University of Paris, he taught philosophy and theology at Paris and then in
Cologne. St. Thomas Aquinas was among his pupils. His knowledge was
encyclopedic. In 1260 he was named Bishop of Ratisbon and devoted himself
zealously to the duties of his office. But soon resigned in order to continue
his teaching and research. St. Albert died in Cologne on November 15, 1280.
Leopold of Austria (1073-1136). He was born at Melk in Austria, a
grandson of Emperor Henry III. In 1096 he succeeded his father as fourth
Margrave of Austria. He married Agnes, daughter of Henry IV, by whom he had
eighteen children. He ruled firmly and successfully for forty years, and was
especially interested in the spread of religious institutions. He was the
founder of Mariazell (Benedictine), Heiligenkreuz (Cistercian) and
Klosternenburg (Augustinian). He was buried at Klosternenburg.
Feast of St. Leopold, November
15—Most of Austria would wait for their fall harvest feast until St. Leopold’s
day, as he is the patron saint of Austria. Today was also referred to as “Goose
Day” in Austria.
🛡️ Knights Templar &
Marian Clarity Pilgrimage
Route: Coimbra → Tomar → Fátima
Dates: November 16–22, 2025
Theme: Wisdom, Apparition, and Civic Mercy
🗓️ Daily Itinerary &
Symbolic Acts
Nov 16: Arrival in Coimbra
🕍
Symbolic Act: “Scholarly Light”
Visit the University of Coimbra and Biblioteca Joanina, praying for
wisdom in civic leadership.
🛏️
Stay: Sapientia Boutique
Hotel or Hotel Oslo Coimbra
Nov 17: Coimbra – Monastic Heritage
🕊️
Symbolic Act: “Cloistered Clarity”
Visit Santa
Cruz Monastery, burial site of Portugal’s first kings. Pray for clarity in
governance and humility in power.
Nov 18: Coimbra → Tomar
🚆
Travel to Tomar.
🛏️
Stay: Hotel dos Templários or Hostel 2300 Thomar
Nov 19: Tomar – Templar Stronghold
🏰
Symbolic Act: “Fortified Mercy”
Explore the Convent of Christ,
once the Templar headquarters. Walk the Charola in silence, praying for mercy
in the face of conflict.
Nov 20: Tomar – Civic Reflection
🕍
Symbolic Act: “Civic Benediction”
Visit the Church
of Santa Maria do Olival, burial site of Templar Grand Masters. Offer
prayers for civic renewal and spiritual courage.
Nov 21: Tomar – Day of Rest & Local Hospitality
🍷
Symbolic Act: “Table of the Templars”
Share a meal with locals. Optional visit to Pegões
Aqueduct, symbol of enduring stewardship.
Nov 22: Departure
🕊️
Symbolic Act: “Final Light”
Light a candle at Chapel
of São Gregório, sealing the week with gratitude and clarity.
💶 Cost Breakdown (Per
Person)
|
Category |
Budget (USD) |
Mid-Range (USD) |
|
Lodging (6 nights) |
$180–$300 |
$360–$600 |
|
Meals |
$90–$150 |
$180–$300 |
|
Transport |
$30–$60 |
$60–$120 |
|
Sightseeing & Tips |
$30–$60 |
$60–$120 |
|
Total Estimate |
$330–$570 |
$660–$1,140 |
Dates: November
16–22, 2025
Theme: Wisdom, Mercy, and Civic Stewardship
Each course
echoes a symbolic act from the week’s journey through Coimbra and Tomar,
inviting pilgrims to taste the legacy of the Templars and the scholars who
shaped Portugal’s soul.
1. Appetizer –
“Scholarly Light”
Dish: Queijo da Serra with
roasted chestnuts and honey
Symbol: The sweetness of wisdom and the warmth of learning
Reflection: As you taste this pairing, recall the candlelit halls of Coimbra’s Biblioteca
Joanina and pray for clarity
in civic thought.
2. Soup –
“Cloistered Clarity”
Dish: Sopa de Pedra (Stone Soup)
Symbol: Communal strength drawn from humble offerings
Reflection: Sip slowly, remembering the monks of Santa Cruz Monastery and the power of shared sacrifice.
3. Fish –
“Fortified Mercy”
Dish: Grilled dourada (sea bream) with lemon and herbs
Symbol: The balance of defense and grace
Reflection: Let each bite remind you of the Charola’s circular chapel in the Convent of Christ—fortified
yet open to heaven.
4. Vegetable –
“Civic Benediction”
Dish: Braised greens with garlic and olive oil
Symbol: The rootedness of civic virtue
Reflection: Taste the simplicity of the land and pray for leaders who serve
with humility at Church of Santa Maria do Olival.
5. Meat – “Table
of the Templars”
Dish: Porco Preto with
rosemary and wine reduction
Symbol: Strength tempered by hospitality
Reflection: As you eat, imagine the Templars sharing bread with pilgrims and
strangers alike.
6. Palate
Cleanser – “Final Light”
Dish: Tangerine sorbet with basil
Symbol: The light of discernment and the freshness of departure
Reflection: Let this course clear your senses and seal your week with
gratitude. Light a candle at Chapel of São Gregório.
7. Dessert –
“Legacy of the Scroll”
Dish: Arroz Doce (Portuguese rice pudding) with cinnamon cross
Symbol: The sweetness of memory and the written word
Reflection: As you savor this final dish, recall the scrolls, sermons, and
silent prayers that shaped your pilgrimage.
🍷
Communal Toast – “To the Cloister and the Crown”
Drink: A glass of Dão red or sparkling Bairrada
Blessing: “To the wisdom that defends, the mercy that welcomes, and the light
that endures.”
Around the Corner
In
contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no
law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
Spirit hour:
How to celebrate Nov 15th
Clean out your refrigerator for a
fresh start, celebrating National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day.
Indulge your sweet tooth with a
homemade batch of spicy hermit cookies for National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day.
Get creative by designing and
wearing a camp T-shirt for National Camp T-Shirt Day.
When in the woods beware of
falling trees!
Show your appreciation for our
planet by committing to recycling on National Recycling Day.
I used to help my Grandpa
recycle his beer cans cigarette butts and all-yuck.
Take time to enjoy music, perhaps
learning a drumming rhythm for National Drummer Day.
Honor wildlife conservation like
Steve Irwin by watching a documentary or visiting a local zoo.
Enjoy a bowl of Raisin Bran cereal
in the morning to mark National Raisin Bran Cereal Day.
Daily Devotions
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Families of St. Joseph’s Porters
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
[1] The Collegeville Bible Commentary, 1986.
[2]Frings, Math Josef. The Excellence of the Rosary
Conferences for Devotions in Honor of the Blessed Virgin (Kindle Locations
520-521).
THE IRON CURTAIN (1948) - THE COST OF TRUTH AND THE COURAGE TO STAND
From Soviet Secrecy to the Freedom That Comes from Conscience
(Based on The Iron Curtain, 1948)
When a Man Must Choose Between Safety and Truth
Every man eventually faces a moment of decision.
Most are not dramatic.
No battlefield.
No cheering crowd.
No grand speech.
Simply a choice between what is safe and what is right.
In The Iron Curtain, Igor Gouzenko works within the Soviet system as a cipher clerk entrusted with sensitive information. From the outside, he appears successful and secure. Yet the more he learns, the more he discovers a troubling reality. He realizes that remaining silent may preserve his comfort, but it will cost his integrity.
The struggle is familiar to every Christian.
Many temptations arrive disguised as security.
Keep quiet.
Look the other way.
Accept the lie.
Avoid the conflict.
Protect yourself.
Yet truth always demands something from us.
A husband may need to confront a difficult problem at home.
A father may need to stand against a popular error.
A worker may need to speak honestly when dishonesty would be easier.
A believer may need to defend the faith when silence would be more comfortable.
The saints understood that courage is not the absence of fear.
It is the decision that truth matters more than fear.
Christ Himself stood before Pilate knowing exactly what faithfulness would cost Him.
The Cross reminds us that obedience often appears foolish in the eyes of the world before it is revealed as victory by God.
The lesson is that freedom is never built upon lies.
The verdict is that a clear conscience is worth more than temporary safety.
Film Card - The Iron Curtain (1948)
The Iron Curtain • Drama • Espionage • Cold War • 1h 27m
Based upon the true story of Soviet cipher clerk Igor Gouzenko, who defects to Canada and exposes a Soviet espionage network operating in the West.
Themes: Truth & Conscience • Courage & Freedom • Duty & Sacrifice
Cast: Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, June Havoc
Production: Twentieth Century-Fox
Historical Frame: Released in the early years of the Cold War, the film introduced audiences to the growing ideological conflict between Soviet communism and the Western democracies.
Production & Cultural Setting
The Beginning of the Cold War
The film emerged at a time when tensions between the Soviet Union and the West were steadily increasing.
Based on Real Events
The story draws from the actual defection of Igor Gouzenko, whose revelations exposed Soviet intelligence activities.
Ideological Conflict
The struggle portrayed is not merely political but moral, focusing on individual conscience versus state control.
Freedom and Risk
The film explores the reality that liberty often requires personal sacrifice.
Truth Under Pressure
Ordinary people must decide whether truth is worth the consequences that may follow.
Story Summary
The Discovery:
A Soviet cipher clerk gains access to information that alters his understanding of the regime he serves.
The Dilemma:
He realizes that remaining loyal to the system conflicts with his conscience.
The Decision:
He chooses truth despite enormous personal risk.
The Danger:
Authorities move to silence and recover the information he possesses.
The Struggle:
His family faces uncertainty while seeking safety and freedom.
The Resolution:
The choice for truth exposes hidden wrongdoing and begins a new life built on liberty.
Moral & Spiritual Resonances
A. Truth Requires Courage
Integrity often demands difficult choices.
B. Conscience Must Be Protected
A man who repeatedly ignores conscience eventually stops hearing it.
C. Freedom Carries Responsibility
Liberty is sustained by people willing to defend truth.
D. Fear Cannot Be Master
Fear is a poor guide for important decisions.
E. God Honors Faithfulness
The Christian is called to be faithful even when outcomes remain uncertain.
Hospitality Pairing - An Evening of Truth and Freedom
Food - Cold War Supper
- Beef stew
- Buttered bread
- Roasted carrots
- Apple pie
Drink - Freedom's Toast
- Black coffee
- Bourbon and water
- Weller Special Reserve
- Sparkling water
Cigar
- Natural Wrapper
Atmosphere - Quiet Resolve
- Soft lamplight
- Mid-century instrumental music
- Historical photographs from the early Cold War
- Discussion about conscience, freedom, and moral courage
Personal Reflection
Where am I tempted to sacrifice truth for comfort?
Do I avoid difficult conversations because I fear the consequences?
What convictions am I unwilling to compromise?
How do I respond when honesty becomes costly?
Am I forming a conscience shaped by Christ or by convenience?
What area of my life requires greater moral courage?
The hero of The Iron Curtain does not win through strength alone.
He wins by choosing truth.
Before freedom could be secured, fear had to be confronted.
Before justice could advance, someone had to speak.
Before a new life could begin, conscience had to be obeyed.
The same pattern appears throughout Scripture.
Moses confronted Pharaoh.
Nathan confronted David.
John the Baptist confronted Herod.
The Apostles confronted the powers of their age.
Truth has never been popular.
Yet God continues to work through men and women willing to stand for it.
For the Lord is not merely seeking people who are comfortable.
He is seeking people who are faithful.
