This blog is based on references in the Bible to fear. God wills that we “BE NOT AFRAID”. Vincit qui se vincit" is a Latin phrase meaning "He conquers who conquers himself." 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. This blog is dedicated to Mary the Mother of God. "
Virtue: Truth & Purification Cigar: Nothing fancy — plain, honest, unadorned Bourbon: None — clarity without warmth Reflection:“What masks is God tearing away in me?”
The Descent Into the Chamber of Hypocrites
During a series of ecstasies shortly before her death, St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi was shown the “prisons” of Purgatory—those chambers where souls undergo purification precisely fitted to the sins they carried into death.
One chamber held the souls of hypocrites.
She saw them pierced through with sharp swords, cut and divided, their outward appearance finally matching the duplicity they had lived with on earth. The punishment was not arbitrary. It was revelation. The soul that had worn two faces in life now endured the tearing away of every false layer.
This is the sound of truth reclaiming what deception once ruled.
This is the sight of a soul being made whole by being cut apart.
This is the moment when God refuses to let a man remain divided.
Purification is not cruelty.
It is the mercy that refuses to leave us in our lies.
The Shepherd’s Counter‑Movement
Into this chamber of divided souls, the Good Shepherd does not arrive as a judge with a ledger. He arrives as the One who knows the real face beneath the mask.
He does not bypass the swords.
He does not soften the purification.
He walks into the chamber and calls the soul by its true name.
Truth is not self‑expression.
Purification is not self‑improvement.
Both are the Shepherd’s work:
He exposes what we hide.
He cuts away what we cling to.
He restores what we fractured.
He leads upward what has lived too long in duplicity.
The “nothing fancy” cigar mirrors the day’s virtue: plainness, honesty, the refusal to hide behind flavor or flourish.
A smoke stripped of ornament for a soul stripped of disguise.
Your Work at the Table
You smoke today not as a man performing strength, but as a man consenting to truth—letting God tear away whatever you have used to protect yourself from being known.
Ask the question slowly, without flinching:
What masks is God tearing away in me—
and what truth have I been avoiding because it cuts?
🔸 April 2026 – Resurrection & Marian Vision
Apr 6 –King of Kings (1927)
Apr 13 – Lady for a Day (1933)
Apr 20 – The Song of Bernadette (1943)
Apr 27 – The Keys of the Kingdom (1944)
THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM (1944)
Gregory Peck, Thomas Mitchell
A missionary epic where humility, suffering, and steadfast charity shape a priest into a man whose holiness is measured not by success but by endurance.
1. Production & Historical Setting
Released in 1944 by 20th Century Fox and directed by John M. Stahl, The Keys of the Kingdom is one of Hollywood’s most reverent portrayals of priesthood. Adapted from A.J. Cronin’s bestselling novel, the film arrived during WWII, when audiences were hungry for stories of perseverance, conscience, and sacrificial service.
The film sits in the era’s fascination with:
cross‑cultural mission work
the dignity of ordinary, unglamorous virtue
the tension between institutional authority and personal conscience
the cost of vocation in a world shaped by war and upheaval
Gregory Peck plays Father Francis Chisholm, a Scottish priest whose life is marked by tragedy, humility, and a stubborn refusal to compromise charity. Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, and Rose Stradner round out a cast that embodies the Church’s spectrum—from bureaucratic suspicion to heroic mercy.
The world of the film moves between mist‑covered Scotland and the harsh, beautiful landscapes of rural China—two places where faith is tested, refined, and revealed.
2. Story Summary
Father Francis Chisholm (Gregory Peck) is introduced as an old priest whose “unorthodox” methods have drawn scrutiny. Monsignor Sleeth arrives to investigate, and Francis’ journal becomes the frame for the story.
A Life Formed by Loss
As a boy, Francis loses his parents in an anti‑Catholic attack.
As a young man, he loses Nora, the woman he loves, in childbirth.
These wounds do not harden him—they hollow him into humility.
The Mission in China
Sent to a ruined mission in Pai‑tan, Francis refuses shortcuts:
no bribing converts with food
no coercion
no inflated numbers to impress superiors
He rebuilds the mission with patience, honesty, and respect for the Chinese people. His friendship with the agnostic Dr. Willie Tulloch becomes a lifeline. His healing of Mr. Chia’s son earns trust that cannot be bought.
Years of Quiet Heroism
Famine, bandits, political chaos, and loneliness shape Francis into a priest whose holiness is not dramatic but durable. He becomes a father to the community—not by authority, but by presence.
Return to Scotland
Back home, his simplicity is misunderstood as incompetence. But when Monsignor Sleeth finishes the journal, he sees the truth: Francis’ life is a long obedience, not a failure. The recommendation for retirement is withdrawn. The old priest is vindicated—not by triumph, but by witness.
3. Spiritual & Moral Resonances
A. Holiness Is Hidden, Not Flashy
Francis’ mission grows slowly, quietly, without spectacle. The film insists that the Kingdom is built by fidelity, not fanfare.
B. Suffering as the Forge of Vocation
Every loss in Francis’ life becomes a place where God carves out compassion. His wounds make him gentle.
C. Respect as Evangelization
He refuses to treat the Chinese as projects. His reverence for their dignity becomes the heart of his ministry.
D. Conscience Over Convention
Francis obeys the Church, but he refuses to lie, manipulate, or inflate numbers. Integrity becomes his form of obedience.
E. Friendship as Grace
Dr. Tulloch—an unbeliever—becomes one of the film’s clearest instruments of God’s mercy. Grace often arrives through unexpected hands.
4. Hospitality Pairing — The Missionary’s Table
Black tea — simple, steady, the drink of long evenings and longer faith.
A bowl of plain rice — the humility of enough, the dignity of daily bread.
A wooden cross on the table — not ornamental, but worn by use.
A sprig of sage — endurance, the quiet strength that survives harsh seasons.
A setting for evenings when you need to remember that God builds His Kingdom through patience, wounds, and the long, slow work of love.
5. Reflection Prompts
Where has God asked me to be faithful rather than successful?
Which wounds in my life have softened me instead of hardening me?
Where am I tempted to measure my worth by visible results?
Who has been an unexpected instrument of grace in my story?
What quiet, daily act of charity is forming me into the person I’m meant to be?
Sun, Apr 26 – Fourth Sunday of Easter / Good Shepherd Sunday Virtue: Growth & Communion Cigar: Balanced, resilient (Corojo) Bourbon: Elijah Craig Small Batch – warm, steady Reflection:“What fruit is ripening in me?”
The Descent Before the Shepherd Speaks
She began to cry aloud in lamentation: “Mercy, my God, mercy! Descend, O Precious Blood, and deliver these souls from their prison. Poor souls! you suffer so cruelly, and yet you are content and cheerful. The dungeons of the martyrs in comparison with these were gardens of delight. Nevertheless there are others still deeper. How happy should I esteem myself were I not obliged to go down into them.”
This is the sound of a soul who has seen the depths—and still calls God good.
It is the cry of someone who knows that purification is not punishment but preparation.
It is the cry of someone who understands that growth is costly, and communion is forged in fire.
The Shepherd’s Counter‑Movement
Into that cry, the Good Shepherd steps—not as a rescuer who bypasses suffering, but as the One who walks into the depths and leads out what belongs to Him.
Growth is not self‑improvement.
Communion is not sentiment.
Both are the Shepherd’s work:
He prunes what bears fruit.
He carries what cannot walk.
He calls by name what has forgotten its own.
He leads upward what has lived too long underground.
The Corojo’s balanced resilience and Elijah Craig’s warm steadiness mirror the day’s virtue: strength without harshness, depth without despair, heat without destruction.
Your Work at the Table
You smoke today not as a man escaping the world but as a man consenting to be shaped by the Shepherd who knows every valley you’ve walked.
Ask the question slowly, honestly, without flinching:
What fruit is ripening in me—
and what pruning have I been resisting?
SUMMARY OF THE VIDEO
(Source: YouTube content retrieved above)
The video identifies seven types of women Scripture warns Christian men to avoid, drawing almost entirely from Proverbs and 2 Corinthians:
The Adulteress — Proverbs 5 and 7
Her speech is sweet but leads to destruction.
Her path is spiritual death, not companionship.
The Quarrelsome Woman — Proverbs 21:9, 21:19
Constant strife corrodes a man’s peace and mission.
Better to live in a desert than with perpetual conflict.
The Woman of Constant Conflict
A life of drama and instability signals disorder, not virtue.
The Unbeliever — 2 Corinthians 6:14
Being “unequally yoked” fractures a man’s spiritual direction.
The Seductress — Proverbs 5, 7
Uses charm and sensuality to manipulate.
Leads a man away from God’s purpose.
The Proud Woman — Proverbs 16:18
Pride blinds her to correction and destroys unity.
The Foolish Woman — Proverbs 11:22
Beauty without discretion is spiritually dangerous.
The video ends by contrasting these with God’s design for women: wisdom, kindness, reverence, and partnership in righteousness.
CCC TEACHING RELEVANT TO THIS VIDEO
1. Discernment and Moral Clarity (CCC 1783–1785)
The Catechism insists that Christians must form conscience with Scripture and truth. Avoiding relationships that lead into sin is not fear—it is prudence, a cardinal virtue.
2. Purity of Heart and Chastity (CCC 2517–2520)
The CCC teaches that seduction, lust, and manipulation are distortions of love. The “seductress” archetype is not about women—it is about disordered desire that pulls the heart away from God.
3. The Unequal Yoke (CCC 1633–1634)
Mixed-belief relationships create spiritual tension that can endanger faith. The Church recognizes this as a real pastoral challenge.
4. Peace as a Fruit of the Spirit (CCC 2304)
A quarrelsome or conflict-driven relationship violates the peace God intends for the Christian household.
5. Pride as the Root of Sin (CCC 1866)
Pride is the “queen of vices.” The CCC affirms that pride destroys communion and blinds the soul to grace.
ON CONFRONTING EVIL — DEVOTIONAL FRAME
Here is the distilled, forceful treatment you’ve been building across these Wednesday reflections:
1. Evil is confronted first by naming it.
The CCC is blunt: sin is not a mistake, not a personality quirk, not “just how people are.”
It is a rupture in truth (CCC 1849).
The man who refuses to name evil becomes complicit in it.
2. Evil is confronted by refusing to negotiate with it.
Proverbs warns not because women are evil, but because evil uses people—their wounds, their vanity, their seduction, their pride—to derail a man’s mission.
The Christian confronts evil by refusing to be drawn into its orbit.
3. Evil is confronted by guarding the heart.
The CCC teaches that the heart is the battleground of purity (CCC 2517).
The enemy does not need to destroy a man—only to distract him.
4. Evil is confronted by choosing communion over chaos.
A quarrelsome or pride-driven relationship is not merely unpleasant; it is disorder, and disorder is the enemy’s native language.
Peace is not passive—it is the fruit of justice (CCC 2304).
5. Evil is confronted by aligning with God’s design.
The video ends here, and so does the CCC:
God’s design for man and woman is mutual help, shared mission, and holiness (CCC 1601–1605).
Anything that fractures that design must be resisted.
Scripture warns men not because women are dangerous, but because evil is opportunistic. The adulteress, the quarrelsome woman, the seductress, the unbeliever—these are not categories of women but patterns of disorder that pull a man away from his mission. The Catechism teaches that sin is a lie against truth (CCC 1849), that pride destroys communion (CCC 1866), and that peace is the fruit of ordered love (CCC 2304). To confront evil, a man must name what is disordered, refuse to negotiate with it, guard his heart, and choose the path of communion over chaos. God’s design is not fragility but strength—two lives aligned in righteousness. Anything that fractures that alignment must be resisted with clarity, courage, and obedience.
APRIL 26 Fourth
Sunday after Easter
Our
Lady of Good Counsel
Psalm 23, verse 4:
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will FEAR no evil, for you
are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me.
Saint Pope John
Paul II was an example of someone who walked through the valley of the shadow
of death and feared no evil. The Lord’s rod and staff sustained him through the
nightmare of the Nazis and the Communists. Both were evil empires devoted to
the destruction of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all except
for the few selected elite. These
empires systematically replaced God with the rule of the chosen ones of the
State. People from both the Fatherland and the Motherland sat by and watched
the evil grow without taking decisive action, making the adage ‘All that is necessary for the triumph of
evil is that good men (or women) do nothing.’ Remember to measure our
nation and our politics with Gods Rod
(Rods were often used in ancient times to measure) and not the political States
or the media nor the opinion of the rich and the powerful. Let us be ever ready
to speak up for what is righteous using Gods rod, which are His laws of justice
and mercy, working tirelessly and remember Saint Pope John Paul II words of
encouragement, “I plead with
you – never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become
discouraged. Be not afraid.”
Let us also carry
with us for the journey the Staff of God which is truth, not worldly truth but
Gods truth. “The word of truth, publicly, indeed almost liturgically,
proclaimed was the antidote the Rhapsodic Theater sought to apply to the
violent lies of the Occupation. The tools for fighting evil included speaking
truth to power.” [1]
Copilot’s Take
The Catechism teaches that humanity lives in a real
spiritual contest: “A dramatic situation of the whole world, which is in the
power of the evil one” (CCC 409). Yet this same paragraph insists that the
struggle is not hopeless—God has already acted, and grace is stronger than
fear. Psalm 23:4 is not poetic comfort; it is a battlefield promise. The rod
and staff are not decorative—they are instruments of guidance, correction, and
protection for those who refuse to bow to darkness.
The Church is clear that evil is confronted not by
mirroring its methods but by choosing the good with courage. CCC 1808 defines
fortitude as standing firm in the face of danger, persevering in the pursuit of
the good, and resisting fear. This is the virtue embodied by those who, like
Saint John Paul II, endured totalitarian regimes without surrendering truth or
charity. Their witness reflects CCC 2471: “The disciple of Christ consents
to live in the truth.” Truth spoken with integrity becomes a weapon that
evil cannot counterfeit.
Our Lady of Good Counsel reminds the Church that
discernment is not guesswork but obedience: “Do whatever He tells you.”
Her counsel is not sentimental—it is strategic. CCC 2847 teaches that God
provides the grace to discern and resist evil, and Mary’s role is to lead the
faithful toward that grace. In a world where lies are loud and fear is
fashionable, the Christian confronts evil by anchoring in truth, practicing
justice and mercy, and refusing despair. Hope is not naïve; it is an act of
defiance.
35.
Therefore, the dies Domini is also the dies Ecclesiae. This is
why on the pastoral level the community aspect of the Sunday celebration should
be particularly stressed. As I have noted elsewhere, among the many activities
of a parish, "none is as vital or as community-forming as the Sunday
celebration of the Lord's Day and his Eucharist". Mindful of this, the
Second Vatican Council recalled that efforts must be made to ensure that there
is "within the parish, a lively sense of community, in the first place
through the community celebration of Sunday Mass". Subsequent liturgical
directives made the same point, asking that on Sundays and holy days the
Eucharistic celebrations held normally in other churches and chapels be
coordinated with the celebration in the parish church, in order "to foster
the sense of the Church community, which is nourished and expressed in a
particular way by the community celebration on Sunday, whether around the
Bishop, especially in the Cathedral, or in the parish assembly, in which the
pastor represents the Bishop".
Fourth
Sunday after Easter[3]A description of the meekness
and patience of Christ's flock and an explanation of the necessity of the
Ascension.
THE Introit of the Mass of to-day
is a song of praise and thanksgiving.
Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle,
alleluia, for the Lord hath done wonderful things, alleluia. He hath revealed
His justice in the sight of the gentiles, alleluia, alleluia. His right hand
hath wrought for Him salvation, and His arm is holy.
Prayer.
O God, Who dost unite the hearts of
the faithful in one will, grant to Thy people to love what Thou commandest, and
to desire what Thou dost promise, that among the changes of this world our
hearts may be fixed on that place where true joys reside.
EPISTLE. James i. 17-21.
Dearly Beloved: Every best gift,
and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights,
with Whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration. For of His own will
hath He begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of
His creatures. You know, my dearest brethren. And let every man be swift to
hear but slow to speak, and slow to anger. For the anger of man worketh not the
justice of God. Wherefore casting away all uncleanness, and abundance of
naughtiness, with meekness receive the engrafted word, which is able to save
your souls.
Practice.
In this epistle the Church teaches
us that every good gift comes from God. But the most precious gift is, that He
of His grace through the doctrines and institutions of Christianity, has made
us new men, children of God, and heirs of the kingdom of heaven. The Church
admonishes us, further, to walk worthy of this grace; to love God as our
Father, to listen to His word willingly, without complaining when He chastises
us, and to shun all impurity, anger, and multiplicity of words, in which “there
shall not want sin” (Prov. x. 19).
Aspiration.
Help me, O God, to preserve the
grace received in baptism; give me, therefore, a great love for Thy word.
Deliver me from all inordinate passions, that I may walk worthy of Thee, purely
and with patience.
GOSPEL. John xvi. 5-14.
At that time Jesus said to His
disciples: I go to Him that sent Me; and none of you asketh Me: Whither goest
Thou? But because I have spoken these things to you, sorrow hath filled your
heart. But I tell you the truth: it is expedient to you that I go: for if I go
not, the Paraclete will not come to you: but if I go, I will send Him to you.
And when He is come, He will convince the world of sin, and of justice, and of
judgment; of sin: because they believed not in Me. And of justice: because I go
to the Father: and you shall see Me no longer. And of judgment: because the
prince of this world is already judged. I have yet many things to say to you:
but you cannot bear them now. But when He the Spirit of truth is come, He will
teach you all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself; but what things soever
He shall hear, He shall speak, and the things that are to come He shall show
you. He shall glorify Me because He shall receive of Mine and shall show it to
you.
Why
did Jesus say, “I go to My Father”?
To reprove
His disciples for giving way to excessive sorrow over His departure, which was
to be the means of purifying and strengthening their virtue, and of perfecting
the work of redemption, for them and for all the world. Learn from this, not to
give way to too much sorrow in adversity.
How
has the Holy Ghost convinced the world of sin, of justice, and of judgment?
He has
convinced the world:
1.of
sin, by making the Jews know and lament the monstrous crime which they
committed against Christ, and this He effected particularly at Pentecost.
2.Of
justice, by teaching the innocence and holiness of Jesus, on account of which
God gave Him a kingdom, and required men to worship Him as the true God.
3.Of
judgment, by everywhere overcoming the prince of darkness, destroying his
kingdom, casting down the temples of idolatry, and in their place, by seemingly
weak means, establishing the kingdom of truth and virtue.
How
does the Holy Ghost teach all truths?
By
preserving the pastors and teachers of the Church from all errors, in their
teaching of faith and morals, and by instructing each member of the Church in
the truths of salvation.
Aspiration.
Whither am I going? Will my life
bring me to God? O my God and my Lord direct my feet in the way of Thy
commandments, and keep my heart free from sin, that the Holy Ghost, finding
nothing in me worthy of punishment, may teach me all truth, and bring me safely
to Thee, Who art the eternal truth. Amen.
On the Feast of Saint
Mark, April 25, 1467, the people of Genazzano, Italy witnessed a marvelous
sight. A cloud descended upon an ancient church dedicated to Our Lady of Good
Counsel. When the cloud disappeared, an image of Our Lady and the Child Jesus
was revealed which had not been there before. The image, on a paper-thin sheet,
was suspended miraculously. Soon after the image's appearance many miracles
were attributed to the intercession of Our Lady of Good Counsel. Because of
this, Pope Paul II ordered an investigation, and the results have been
preserved. It was later discovered that the very same image had been seen in a
church dedicated to the Annunciation in Scutari, Albania. The image in this
church was said to have arrived there in a miraculous manner. Now, the image
had been transported from Albania miraculously to avoid sacrilege from Moslem
invasion. A commission of enquiry determined that a portrait from the church
was indeed missing. An empty space the same size as the portrait was displayed
for all to see. Many miracles continue to be attributed to Our Lady of Good
Counsel. Pope Saint Pius V, for example, credited victory in the Battle of
Lepanto to Her intercession. Several Popes have approved the miraculous image.
In 1682 Pope Innocent XI had the portrait crowned with gold. On July 2, 1753,
Pope Benedict XIV approved the Scapular of Our Lady of Good Counsel and was the
first to wear it.
Bible in a
year Day 296 Know
Your Heart
As we begin to wrap up 1 Maccabees, Fr. Mike directs our attention
to how 2 Maccabees will tell the same story in a different way. In Sirach, we
are encouraged to know our own hearts, so that we can know our strengths,
weaknesses, and where we might need healing. The readings are 1 Maccabees 15,
Sirach 36-37, and Proverbs 23:26-28.
THIS WE BELIEVE
PRAYERS AND TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC
CHURCH
Examination of
Conscience
What sins
have I committed of thought, word, deed and omission, against God, neighbor,
and self?
·King’s
Day in Amsterdam--April 27--Enjoy a ride
along Amsterdam’s canals, and
don your brightest orange, for the Netherlands’ annual King’s Day. The national
holiday celebrates the Dutch royal house (and current King Willem-Alexander)
with plenty of “orange madness,” in keeping with the Dutch national colors.
·Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival—April
23 thruMay 3--Take in the small-town charm of
Winchester, VA, in this 6-day celebration of spring. First held in 1924, the
annual festival packs a wallop of more than 30 events into its lineup: band
competitions, dances, parades, carnival, a 10K race, the coronation of Queen
Shenandoah and so much more, attracting crowds in excess of 250,000.
·Tucson's tropical
escape Kon Tiki hits 63 years old
The midtown tiki bar is the fifth-oldest working tiki bar
in America.
George Raft, Sylvia Sidney
A crime‑romance where loyalty, shame, and the possibility of redemption collide—and where two wounded people discover that love requires truth, not performance.
1. Production & Historical Setting
Released in 1938 by Paramount and directed by Fritz Lang, You and Me is one of the most unusual crime films of the late ’30s—part noir prototype, part social parable, part romantic drama. Lang, fresh from Germany’s expressionist tradition, brings sharp lighting, moral tension, and a restless sense of fate to what could have been a simple studio picture.
The film sits in the era’s fascination with:
rehabilitation and recidivism
the Depression‑era struggle to “go straight”
the tension between mercy and suspicion in American society
George Raft plays Joe Dennis, an ex‑convict trying to rebuild his life; Sylvia Sidney plays Helen, a fellow parolee hiding her past. Their employer runs a department store staffed by ex‑cons—a quietly radical idea for 1938.
The world of the film is a blend of realism and stylization: warehouses, back rooms, parole offices, and the shadowed corners where old loyalties tug at new beginnings.
2. Story Summary
Joe Dennis (George Raft) is determined to stay out of trouble. He works hard, keeps his head down, and falls for Helen (Sylvia Sidney), unaware she is also on parole. They marry in secret, each carrying wounds they don’t know how to name.
But Joe’s past keeps circling him. Old criminal associates pressure him to join a planned robbery of the department store. Helen, desperate to keep Joe from falling back into crime, hides her own history—creating the very misunderstanding that drives him toward the gang.
What follows is a collision of truth and illusion:
Joe’s pride meets Helen’s hidden shame.
His fear of being deceived meets her fear of being rejected.
His old loyalties meet her fragile hope for a clean life.
The film’s turning point is Helen’s bold intervention: she confronts the gang and exposes the heist as bad math, bad odds, and bad faith. The robbery collapses, the truth comes out, and Joe must decide whether he will cling to pride or choose the harder path of love and responsibility.
The resolution is not sentimental: redemption is offered, but only if the characters choose it.
3. Spiritual & Moral Resonances
A. Love Cannot Grow in the Dark
Joe and Helen hide their pasts from each other, believing secrecy will protect love. Instead, it weakens it. The film insists that communion requires truth.
B. The Gravity of Old Sin
The gang represents the gravitational pull of former habits. Lang shows how sin is not just an act but a community—a world that wants you back.
C. Mercy as a Radical Act
The store owner’s willingness to hire ex‑cons is a quiet parable of grace:
mercy is not softness; it is disciplined hope.
D. Pride as the Enemy of Redemption
Joe’s downfall is not crime but pride. He would rather be wrong than be humbled. The film exposes how masculine pride can sabotage the very life a man longs for.
E. Redemption Through Honest Work
The film’s moral center is simple: A man becomes new not by wishing but by working.
The job, the marriage, the daily discipline—these are the sacraments of rehabilitation.
4. Hospitality Pairing — The Ex‑Con’s Table
Black coffee — the drink of men rebuilding their lives one shift at a time.
A slice of rye bread — plain, sturdy, honest.
A metal key on the table — symbol of the doors that open only when a man chooses truth.
A sprig of rosemary — remembrance, the courage to face one’s past without being defined by it.
A setting for evenings when you need to remember that second chances are real—but they demand courage, humility, and work.
5. Reflection Prompts
Where am I hiding parts of my story from the people who love me?
What old loyalties or habits still pull at me when I’m tired or afraid?
Where is pride keeping me from receiving mercy?
Who in my life believes in my redemption more than I do?
What small act of honesty or responsibility would move me toward the man I’m meant to be?
Sat, Apr 25 – Feast of St. Mark the Evangelist (Venice) Virtue:Courage & Clarity Cigar:Italian-grown Toscano‑style — rugged, maritime, pilgrim’s smoke Bourbon:Four Roses Single Barrel — clean, direct, no haze
Reflection — “Walk Like a Man Who Plans to Die Well”
St. Mark built Venice’s backbone: a Gospel that cuts through fog. His lion stands on every pier because a man who carries truth must roar, not whisper. Venice learned that lesson early—build on water, but build with conviction.
St. Mary Magdalene de’ Pazzi adds the harder edge: “Live in such a way that death finds nothing left to burn.” She meant it literally. Strip the vanity. Strip the excuses. Strip the soft habits that make a man flammable. A soul trained in small daily purifications dies like a soldier—packed, ready, unafraid.
So tonight’s smoke becomes a Venetian discipline:
steady draw, steady gaze, steady conscience.
I ask myself one question:
If death walked through my door tonight, what unfinished business would shame me?
Then I cut it out. No drama. No delay. A man who dies well lives clean.
This was a
low point for Israel. Probably many of them thought, “What we really need is a
king. A king would solve our problems.” Now they have a king, and the problems
are still there. We often think things will “fix” problems when they won’t at
all. “And hereby God intended to teach them the vanity of all fleshly
confidence in men; and that they did not one jot less need the help and favor
of God now than they did before, when they had no king.” [1]
Israel’s collapse under Saul reveals the anatomy of
fear when God is no longer enthroned in the heart. The soldiers, seeing the
Philistine threat, scatter into caves and cisterns, hiding in the dark places
where faith cannot breathe. They had demanded a king, believing a human figure
would secure what obedience once provided. Yet the Catechism teaches that human
authority cannot replace divine sovereignty, and that trust in human power
becomes a form of idolatry when it displaces trust in God. Their trembling
behind Saul exposes the truth: a king without God is no king at all, and a
people without trust are already defeated.
Fear always creates a vacuum, and evil rushes to fill
it. The Catechism warns that fear distorts judgment, enslaves the heart, and
becomes a doorway through which injustice enters. Israel’s fear made them blind
to God’s presence; the same dynamic unfolds centuries later at Gabbatha. Pilate
presents Christ as King, and the chief priests—terrified of losing
influence—declare, “We have no king but Caesar.” Fear and pride always travel
together. When faith leaves, fear enters; when fear enters, pride grasps for
control; and when pride grasps, evil finds its foothold.
Yet the Gospel reveals a deeper paradox: Christ’s
kingship is manifested not in the triumph Israel expected, but in the
humiliation they feared. The Catechism teaches that Jesus reigns from the
Cross, and that His obedience unto death is the definitive victory over evil.
The crowd chooses Caesar, but God enthrones His Son with thorns. The trembling
army behind Saul and the shouting mob before Pilate are mirror images of the
same spiritual crisis—both scenes ask who truly rules the human heart when
danger rises.
Confronting evil, then, begins with enthroning the
right King. The Church teaches that Christ’s lordship is the antidote to fear,
that His Cross shatters the dominion of the evil one, and that the Holy Spirit
strengthens believers to resist deception. Evil is not defeated by louder
voices, stronger leaders, or more impressive systems. It is defeated by
fidelity, obedience, humility, and the courage that comes from knowing God—not
Caesar, not Saul, not any human power—is King.
The soldiers hid in caves; the apostles hid in the
upper room. But Scripture commands again and again: stand firm, do not fear, be
still and know that I am God. The spiritual life is not a flight into safety
but a stand under sovereignty. When fear tempts us to scatter, the Cross calls
us to remain. When pride tempts us to grasp for control, the Crucified King
calls us to surrender. When evil tempts us to choose the wrong king, the Gospel
calls us to choose the only One who conquers by love.
In the end, this passage confronts us with a simple,
searching truth: we all enthrone something when we are afraid. Israel crowned
Saul. The priests crowned Caesar. The disciple must crown Christ. The question
is not whether fear will come—it will—but whether fear will drive us into caves
or drive us to the King who reigns from the Cross.
St. Mark, Evangelist
EPISTLE. I Peter 5:5-14
Beloved: Clothe
yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: God opposes
the proud but bestows favor on the humble. So humble yourselves under the
mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he
cares for you. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the Devil is prowling
around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast
in faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world undergo
the same sufferings.
The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus will
himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered
a little. To him be dominion forever. Amen. I write you this briefly
through Silvanus,
whom I consider a faithful brother, exhorting you and testifying that this is
the true grace of God. Remain firm in it. The chosen one at Babylon sends you
greeting, as does Mark, my son. Greet one another with a loving kiss. Peace to
all of you who are in Christ.
GOSPEL. Mark 16:
15-20
Jesus
appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim
the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever
does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who
believe:
in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will
pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Then the Lord Jesus,
after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached
everywhere, while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
But they went
forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them ….
Saint Mark the Evangelist, like St. Luke, was not an
apostle, as were the evangelists Matthew and John. Yet various prayers
and Scriptures in the Sacred Liturgy are taken today from those set aside for
the apostles. Why is this? Is the Church just too lazy to compose
prayers specifically for the evangelists? Of course not.
The entire New Testament is apostolic in origin. Out
of the 27 books of the New Testament, only two were not composed by apostles:
the Gospel accounts of Mark and Luke. Yet even these
two books are apostolic in origin, for St. Mark was a disciple of St. Peter,
and St. Luke of St. Paul.
That St. Mark handed down the Gospel account that he had
received from an apostle reminds us of two things. First, the Church is
apostolic in origin, by the design of Jesus. It’s in unity with our
bishops under the guidance of the Pope that we can hear the fullness of the
Gospel. Second, each of us, like St. Mark, lives one’s own vocation to
hand on to others the same Good News that’s been handed down through history by
the apostles and their successors.
John Mark, later known
simply as Mark, was a Jew by birth. He was the son of that Mary who was
proprietress of the Cenacle or "upper room" which served as the
meeting place for the first Christians in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12). He was still
a youth at the time of the Savior's death. In his description of the young man
who was present when Jesus was seized and who fled from the rabble leaving
behind his "linen cloth," the second Evangelist might possibly have
stamped the mark of his own identity. During the years that followed, the
rapidly maturing youth witnessed the growth of the infant Church in his
mother's Upper Room and became acquainted with its traditions. This knowledge
he put to excellent use when compiling his Gospel. Later, we find Mark acting
as a companion to his cousin Barnabas and Saul on their return journey to
Antioch and on their first missionary journey. But Mark was too immature for
the hardships of this type of work and therefore left them at Perge in
Pamphylia to return home. As the two apostles were preparing for their second
missionary journey, Barnabas wanted to take his cousin with him. Paul, however,
objected. Thereupon the two cousins undertook a missionary journey to Cyprus.
Time healed the strained relations between Paul and Mark, and during the
former's first Roman captivity (61-63), Mark rendered Paul valuable service
(Col. 4:10; Philem. 24), and the Apostle learned to appreciate him. When in
chains the second time Paul requested Mark's presence (2 Tim. 4:11). An
intimate friendship existed between Mark and Peter; he played the role of
Peter's companion, disciple, and interpreter. According to the common patristic
opinion, Mark was present at Peter's preaching in Rome and wrote his Gospel
under the influence of the prince of the apostles. This explains why incidents
which involve Peter are described with telling detail (e.g., the great day at
Capharnaum, 1:14f)). Little is known of Mark's later life. It is certain that
he died a martyr's death as bishop of Alexandria in Egypt. His relics were
transferred from Alexandria to Venice, where a worthy tomb was erected in St.
Mark's Cathedral. The Gospel of St. Mark, the shortest of the four, is, above
all, a Roman Gospel. It originated in Rome and is addressed to Roman, or shall
we say, to Western Christianity. Another high merit is its chronological
presentation of the life of Christ. For we should be deeply interested in the
historical sequence of the events in our blessed Savior's life. Furthermore,
Mark was a skilled painter of word pictures. With one stroke he frequently
enhances a familiar scene, shedding upon it new light. His Gospel is the
"Gospel of Peter," for he wrote it under the direction and with the
aid of the prince of the apostles. "The Evangelist Mark is represented as
a lion because he begins his Gospel in the wilderness, `The voice of one crying
in the desert: Make ready the way of the Lord,' or because he presents the Lord
as the unconquered King."
Symbols:
Winged lion; fig tree; pen; book and scroll; club; barren fig tree; scroll with
words Pax Tibi; winged and nimbed lion; lion. Often Pictured as: Man writing or holding his gospel; man with a halter
around his neck; lion in the desert; man with a book or scroll accompanied by a
winged lion; holding a palm and book; holding a book with pax tibi Marce
written on it; bishop on a throne decorated with lions; helping Venetian
sailors; rescuing Christian slaves from Saracens.
In Italy April 25th is
Liberation Day, a national holiday commemorating the end of World War II in
1945 and the Nazi occupation of Italy. But for Venetians April 25th is an even
older holiday, Festa di San Marco, or The Feast of St Mark. April 25th is the
anniversary of St Mark’s death in 68 A.D. and in Venice is a lively
celebration. Mass is held in the morning at Saint Mark’s Basilica, and there is
music, dancing, concerts and carnivals throughout the day. Of course it
wouldn’t be a festival in Venice without a Gondola Race! The "Regata di
Traghetti" starts at the island of Sant’Elena and ends at the Punta della
Dogana, at the entrance of the Grand Canal. One look at Saint Mark’s Square
with Saint Mark’s Basilica is proof enough that the city is anything but subtle
about their pride in their patron saint. The winged lion, which represents St
Mark and is the famous symbol of the city of Venice, can also be found in
Piazza San Marco, and all over Venice for that matter. Saint Mark may be a
ubiquitous symbol in Venice today, but before the year 828 Saint Mark's remains
were in Alexandria. Being an important maritime power, Venice needed equally
important relics, a status symbol at the time. Venetian merchants Buono da
Malamocco and Rustico da Torcello were up for the job, and smuggled Saint
Mark’s remains from Alexandria into Venice. They accomplished the difficult
task by hiding the relics in shipments of pork meat, which were understandably
off-putting to the Islamic inspectors. Perhaps it’s because of the great effort
taken to "import" Saint Mark’s remains that Venetians have always
been so proud of their patron saint.
Festival of the Blooming Rose
The celebration is also
known as the "Festival of the Blooming Rose,” and it is tradition for men
to give the woman they love a "bocolo," a red rose bud to symbolize
their love. The legend surrounding the tradition of the rosebud centers on two
star-crossed lovers, Maria Partecipazio, the Doge’s daughter, and Tancredi the
troubadour. Maria was a beautiful noblewoman, whose father forbid her romance
with Tancredi because of his lower social class. Tancredi enrolls in the army,
seeking fame and glory through battle that would elevate his social status,
making him able to return home worthy of Maria. He fought valiantly, but was
ultimately killed in battle in Spain. Tancredi fell mortally wounded onto a
rosebush, and with the last of his strength picked a rosebud and asked his
friend Orlando the Paladin to take it back to Maria. Orlando returned to Venice
on April 24th, and true to his word gave Maria the rosebud, still stained with
Tancredi’s blood. The next day, on April 25th, Maria was found dead with the
rose over her broken heart. So, while flowers are always a welcome gesture, if
you’re in Venice for April 25th, be sure to symbolize your eternal love with a
red rosebud!
The Rogation Days
These are the Church's special days of prayer during which the faithful beseech
God for mercy in behalf of the bodily and spiritual needs of humanity, and
especially to obtain His blessings upon the new growth in the fields. The term Rogation
has been given these days because of the supplicatory and penitential exercises
which characterize them. Outstanding are the special prayers (given in the
Ritual and Breviary), the violet color of the vestments of the clergy and of
the vestures, the Litany of the Saints sung during the procession and the
special Rogation Mass.
Formerly such observances were more numerous than today, and
they included fasting and abstinence. They were held in time of public calamity
to appease the just wrath of God because of sin or to beseech Him to avert
impending calamities. It is still common in many places for clergy and people
to proceed to the fields, imploring God's blessing upon them. Antedating the
Christian observance, and which the latter replaced, was the pagan festival of
the Robigalia which sacrifices were offered to the god Robigus whose
special task it was, as popularly believed, to keep blight from grain.
Today the Church has four such days to be observed during
the year. The one replacing the pagan festival of April 25 coincides with the
feast of St. Mark, celebrated on this day, and is called the Greater
Litanies. The procession is held, and the Mass of Rogation is offered up.
If the procession cannot possibly be held, whether out of doors or within the
church, the Mass is of the feast of St. Mark, unless it occurs on a still
greater feast, or during Easter week, when it is transferred. The three other
Rogation Days, also called the Lesser Litanies immediately priced the
feast of the Ascension. Their observance has come down to use form the
institution at Vienna in France by Bishop Mamertus in the fifth century. Pope
St. Leo III, towards the end of the eighth century, introduced practice for the
universal church.
—Excerpted from "The Mind of the Church
after Easter and at Whitsuntide: Participation Outlines" by Rembert
Bularzik, OSB, Orate Fratres 1935-05-18: Vol 9 Iss 7, pp. 292-293
Fr. Mike mirrors the story of 1 Maccabees and Israel’s
expectations of continued success onto our own lives, emphasizing that God’s
marvelous plan exceeds our expectations and what we think should happen next in
our lives. He invites us to worship and give to the Lord with freedom and
generosity in response to God’s sacrificial love for us. Today’s readings are 1
Maccabees 14, Sirach 34-35, and Proverbs 23:22-25.
Come, Holy
Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your
love.
Send forth
your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the
earth.
O God, who
by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant
that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy his
consolations.
Through the
same Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Fitness Friday-Sleeping Workout
Recognizing
that God, the Father created man on Friday the 6th day I
propose in this blog to have an entry that shares on how to recreate and renew
yourself in strength, mind, soul and heart.
Having trouble
sleeping? Try some light catholic reading.
“The
reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest men of the past
centuries.” This quote is by the famous philosopher Descartes.
Although I am not a fan of everything Descartes has to say, I don’t think
he’s too far off here. Reading a good book by a good author is
indeed like having a conversation with them. By reading their book you’re
looking into their mind, experiencing their world, and learning their wisdom.
In my opinion there are no greater people to have “conversations” with through
their writing than Catholic saints. Catholic saints have written some of
the most beautiful literature which inspires, educates, encourages, and informs
us how to live a holy and happy life. Here is a list of ten classic Catholic books which any and every Catholic
should read at some point in their life.
*If
you’re not much of a reader, or if you don’t have much free time to pick up a
book, many of these classic Catholic books have audio book versions.
As you
can tell, this list of great Catholic books by wonderful Catholic saints is in
no particular order. These are just 10 of the many Catholic books written
by wonderful saints who have so much timeless wisdom to share. Who
wouldn’t want to have a conversation with any of these wonderful saints?
What books would you add to this list of classic Catholic books?
What does your favorite classic Catholic books list look like?
ovilla
fleur will captivate guests transcending them into an eclectic atmosphere of
rich prints and bold textures, striking visuals and lush florals. set under
romantic lighting, guests will settle into parlor-style seating designed to
ignite the senses while enjoying chef-driven fare and elixirs and a
state-of-the-art projection show designed exclusively for villa fleur. this
rare journey is available for a limited time from March 14 – May 11.
Fido is welcome to join you for specialty
cocktails at the dog-friendly attraction Copper Still Distillery. A small
family-owned distillery, you and Fido are invited to the front or rear patios
to enjoy a wide selection of flavored moonshine, vodka, whiskey, gin, and rum.
Copper Still has a full bar and showcases tasty seasonal signature cocktails
which you can remake at home using spirits sold on the premises. Light snacks
are available as you sit and relax with a delicious refreshing summer cocktail
or whiskey.
·New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival--April
23-May 3--Love jazz? Join fellow music lovers at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Held every year since
1970, the annual Jazz Fest, as it’s called, showcases nearly every music genre,
from blues to R&B, and everything else in between. It’s all performed
across 12 stages during the last weekend in April.
·Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival—April
24 thruMay 3--Take
in the small-town charm of Winchester, VA, in this 6-day celebration of spring.
First held in 1924, the annual festival packs a wallop of more than 30 events
into its lineup: band competitions, dances, parades, carnival, a 10K race, the
coronation of Queen Shenandoah and so much more, attracting crowds in excess of
250,000.
IT’S LOVE AGAIN (1936)
Jessie Matthews, Robert Young, Sonnie Hale
A light‑on‑its‑feet musical comedy where ambition, imagination, and identity collide—and where a woman’s courage to step into a role she doesn’t yet deserve becomes the very thing that transforms her.
1. Production & Historical Setting
Released in 1936 by Gaumont British and directed by Victor Saville, It’s Love Again is a quintessential mid‑’30s British musical—stylish, brisk, and built around Jessie Matthews’ star power. bing.com
The film sits in the era’s fascination with celebrity culture, gossip columns, and the blurred line between publicity and reality. Matthews plays the aspiring performer; Robert Young the columnist who fabricates a glamorous adventuress to fill his empty page; Sonnie Hale the comic foil. Wikipedia
The world of the film is London at its most theatrical—nightclubs, newsrooms, stage doors, and the fantasy of overnight fame. It’s a society hungry for spectacle, where truth is optional but charm is mandatory.
2. Story Summary
Gossip columnist Peter Carlton (Robert Young), desperate for a story, invents a mysterious high‑society daredevil named Mrs. Smythe‑Smythe—a woman who hunts tigers, leaps from airplanes, and captivates every man in London. Wikipedia
Enter Elaine Bradford (Jessie Matthews), a struggling singer‑dancer who sees opportunity in the lie. She impersonates the fictional woman, stepping into a world of glamour, danger, and attention she’s never known.
What follows is a dance of deception and discovery:
Elaine’s courage meets Peter’s cynicism.
Her hunger for a break meets his hunger for a headline.
Her innocence meets the absurdity of a society that believes anything if it sparkles.
As the ruse grows, so does the chemistry. Elaine’s talent and sincerity begin to outshine the invented persona, and Peter finds himself drawn not to the myth he created but to the woman who dared to embody it.
The film resolves not with punishment for the lie but with recognition: sometimes stepping into a bigger story is how a person grows into their true self.
3. Spiritual & Moral Resonances
A. Identity as Vocation, Not Costume
Elaine begins by pretending—but the pretense reveals her real gifts. The film suggests that sometimes a man or woman must act “as if” in order to become.
B. The Power of Courageous Imagination
Elaine’s leap into the invented role mirrors the spiritual truth that courage often precedes clarity. She risks humiliation to pursue her calling.
C. Vanity vs. Authenticity
The world around her loves the glamorous lie; Peter and Elaine grow only when they confront what’s real. Truth becomes the foundation for love.
D. Humility as Strength
Elaine’s charm comes from her humility—she knows she’s pretending, and that self‑knowledge keeps her grounded even as the world inflates her.
E. Redemption Through Honest Work
Her success ultimately comes not from the persona but from her talent, discipline, and willingness to show up. The lie opens the door; the work keeps it open.
4. Hospitality Pairing — The London Stage Table
Strong black tea — the working performer’s fuel.
Tea biscuits with a thin layer of marmalade — sweetness earned, not assumed.
A single theatrical playbill on the table — reminder that every vocation begins backstage.
A sprig of mint — freshness, reinvention, the courage to step into the light.
A setting for evenings when you need to remember that boldness and humility can coexist—and that sometimes the role you dare to play becomes the life you were meant to live.
5. Reflection Prompts
Where am I waiting for permission instead of stepping into the role I’m called to play?
What “invented identities” in my life are actually pointing toward real, undeveloped gifts?
Where do I rely on spectacle instead of substance?
Who in my life helps me distinguish between performance and vocation?
What small act of courage would move me from backstage to center stage in my own story?
If you want, I can also build a double‑feature devotional pairing this with Evergreen or First a Girl for a Jessie‑Matthews‑as‑vocation arc.
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