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.
"Brother Sun, Sister Moon" is a poetic retelling of St. Francis of Assisi’s radical spiritual awakening, emphasizing his embrace of poverty, nature, and Christ-like humility. Its Catholic lessons center on simplicity, detachment from wealth, and living in communion with creation and the poor.
🌞 Film Summary: Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972)
Directed by Franco Zeffirelli, this visually rich drama traces the transformation of Francesco Bernardone, the privileged son of a wealthy merchant in Assisi, into St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan order:
Francesco returns from war physically and spiritually broken, haunted by the violence he witnessed.
During his recovery, he experiences a profound spiritual renewal, drawn to the beauty of nature and the simplicity of life.
He rejects his family's wealth and status, choosing instead to live among the poor, serve lepers, and rebuild ruined churches.
His confrontation with his father culminates in a dramatic scene where he publicly renounces his inheritance, stripping off his clothes to symbolize his total surrender to God.
Francesco’s relationship with Clare of Assisi is tender but ultimately transcended by his spiritual calling.
The film ends with Francis and his followers seeking papal approval for their new way of life, emphasizing humility and service.
✝️ Catholic Lessons and Themes
1. Radical Poverty as Imitation of Christ
Francis embraces poverty, chastity, and obedience, mirroring Jesus’ life.
He sees wealth as a barrier to spiritual freedom and communal justice.
2. Creation as a Sacred Communion
Inspired by Francis’ Canticle of the Sun, the film portrays nature as a reflection of divine love.
Animals, plants, and the elements are treated as siblings—Brother Sun, Sister Moon—inviting a theology of ecological reverence.
3. Detachment from Materialism
Francesco’s rejection of his father’s textile empire critiques the exploitation and vanity of wealth.
His descent into the dye vats symbolizes a descent into the suffering hidden beneath luxury.
4. Identification with the Poor and Marginalized
Francis’ ministry to lepers and laborers reflects the Catholic call to preferential option for the poor.
His actions challenge societal norms and ecclesial structures, yet remain rooted in deep faith.
5. Obedience and Ecclesial Dialogue
Though radical, Francis seeks approval from the Pope, showing reverence for Church authority.
His humility contrasts with institutional grandeur, offering a prophetic voice within tradition.
The evangelical counsels—poverty, chastity, and obedience—are not just monastic vows but spiritual postures that echo through the Rosary’s mysteries. When prayed with intention, the Rosary becomes a rhythm of surrender, mirroring these three counsels in the life of Christ and Mary.
🌿 Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience in the Rosary
Here’s how each counsel resonates through the Rosary’s structure:
🕊️ Poverty — Detachment and Trust
Joyful Mysteries:
Nativity: Christ is born in a manger—God enters poverty to sanctify it.
Presentation: Mary and Joseph offer the poor man’s sacrifice (two doves), showing humble trust.
Sorrowful Mysteries:
Carrying the Cross: Jesus stripped of everything, even dignity, yet remains sovereign in love.
Glorious Mysteries:
Assumption: Mary’s poverty of spirit is exalted—she is lifted into glory without grasping.
Spiritual Practice: Pray these mysteries with open hands, asking for freedom from material anxiety and a heart that trusts divine provision.
💙 Chastity — Purity and Wholehearted Love
Joyful Mysteries:
Annunciation: Mary’s virginity is not just physical—it’s a symbol of undivided “yes.”
Luminous Mysteries:
Wedding at Cana: Christ blesses marital love, but also transforms it—pointing to divine intimacy.
Glorious Mysteries:
Coronation: Mary, the pure vessel, is crowned Queen—chastity leads to communion.
Spiritual Practice: Offer these decades as a renewal of your own purity—of intention, gaze, and desire. Let Mary’s “fiat” shape your own.
🙇♂️ Obedience — Listening and Surrender
Joyful Mysteries:
Visitation: Mary goes in haste—obedience is active, joyful, relational.
Sorrowful Mysteries:
Agony in the Garden: “Not my will, but yours”—Christ’s obedience is the hinge of redemption.
Luminous Mysteries:
Transfiguration: The Father says, “Listen to Him”—obedience begins in listening.
Spiritual Practice: As you pray, pause between decades to ask: “Where am I being invited to surrender?” Let obedience be a gentle yielding, not a grim duty.
🔁 Suggested Rosary Flow for the Evangelical Counsels
2026 maybe when I am 73 if only my readers would start a go fund me for the Iceman
I had one of these in high school at 17
Claire’s Corner
·Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.
·Foodie: Wrap up your day with a burst of flavor on National Pulled Pork Day and National Gumbo Day.
oToday is national farmers day: The average farm can grow enough to feed over 160 people according to the U.S Farm Bureau.
§Cook up a storm in the kitchen or support a local restaurant Celebrate cultural diversity on Yerevan Day by cooking a Spanish dish for National Day of Spain. Get fresh ingredients from a farmers’ market on National Farmers Day. Swap recipes with friends and have a virtual cooking session.
·I’m a 6’ girl but Wilt was taller-Basketball player Wilt Chamberlain died 1999
oJust because you are over 6 feet don’t forget about your smaller friends
oHow about starting your day with some brain boost? Dive into a game of chess to celebrate National Chess Day. Challenge a friend or play online to sharpen your strategic skills.
oThen, take a break under the open sky on International Astronomy Day. Grab a blanket, head to a park, and stargaze while contemplating our place in the universe.
biggest hit on you tube for Astronomy-Really
oNext, immerse yourself in music on Universal Music Day. Explore new genres, attend a virtual concert, or even create your own playlist.
oEmbrace nature on Urban Wildlife Conservation Day. Take a walk-in a nearby park, observe the wildlife, and learn about conservation efforts.
oDon’t forget to visit your local bookshop on Love Your Bookshop Day. Pick up a new read or donate a book to spread the love of reading.
Perth—a city of expansive skies, sacred coastlines, and deep Aboriginal wisdom. This 7-day pilgrimage blends cultural immersion, ecological reverence, and symbolic acts of gentle repair, all choreographed to honor your rhythm of clarity, hospitality, and renewal.
🕊️ Perth Pilgrimage & Cultural Immersion Itinerary
October 12–18 • Sacred Clarity, Gentle Repair
A standalone rhythm of spring beauty, Marian devotion, and vineyard stewardship in Western Australia.Day 1: Sending Forth & Blessing (Oct 12)
Since we have heard that some of our number
[who went out] without any mandate from us have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your PEACE of mind, we have with one accord decided to choose
representatives and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and
Paul, who have dedicated
their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The issue that caused the disruption of peace
in the new church was whether it was necessary for salvation for one to be
circumcised. It was determined that it was not and that it was prudent not to
lay on the new gentiles any burden that was not necessary for salvation. It was
determined that the gentiles should abstain from:
But these "essential abstinences” were not
references to fragments of the Mosaic Law at all. This short list of things to
avoid was the very essentials that divided believing Gentile from unbelieving
Gentile. They divided Christian from idolater. Each of these four
"essential" things to avoid were not four things, but one. They were
meant to be read as "never again worship idols by eating with the
idolaters in the sacrificial meals, drinking the cup of blood at the idol
sacrifice ceremonies, do not ceremoniously eat the flesh of animals strangled
during the worship of idols, and abstain from ritual acts of fornication with
temple prostitutes". In other words, these four seemingly disassociated
prohibitions were completely unified around one theme: Christians cannot serve
God and idols. One cannot worship God and also worship idols. Also take note of
the things cited: idols, blood, flesh, unity. Idols are the false gods.
Drinking blood is the false wine of the idol’s communion cup. Strangled flesh
is the false body of the idol’s communion dinner. And the temple prostitute is
the false unity of the idol’s servants. The things listed are the false
communion in the service of the idol. Again, to abstain from those things is
essential.
Copilot’s Take
On this Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, which also falls on Columbus
Day, we are invited to reflect on peace, purity, and the nature of true
communion. In Acts 15:24–26, the apostles respond to a crisis of confusion in
the early Church. Some had gone out without mandate, disturbing the peace of
mind of new Gentile believers with teachings that burdened rather than blessed.
In response, the apostles sent Barnabas and Paul—men who had dedicated their
lives to the name of Jesus—to restore unity and clarity. They discerned that
salvation did not require circumcision and that it was prudent not to impose
unnecessary burdens. Instead, they offered four abstentions: from things
offered to idols, blood, things strangled, and sexual immorality. These were
not fragments of Mosaic Law, but a unified renunciation of false communion.
Each prohibition pointed to a counterfeit table—idols as false gods, blood as
false wine, strangled flesh as false body, and temple prostitution as false
unity. Together, they formed a symbolic rejection of pagan worship and a call
to purity of heart and peace of mind.
Today, these ancient boundaries echo in modern forms. “Things offered to
idols” might be seen in consumer rituals and branded allegiances—when identity
is shaped more by consumption than by covenant. “Blood” reflects our appetite
for spectacle and violence, the emotional addiction to outrage and scandal that
disturbs rather than deepens peace. “Strangled flesh” speaks to disconnected
consumption—exploiting creation without reverence, feeding without gratitude,
and ingesting what has not been ethically or spiritually blessed. And “sexual
immorality,” especially temple prostitution, finds its modern parallel in
pornography—a digital liturgy of disembodied desire, a false sacrament that
distorts eros and fractures unity. In each case, the invitation is not merely
to abstain, but to reorient: to turn from false communion and receive the true.
The body is not shameful—it is sacred. Desire is not to be suppressed—it is to
be sanctified. The peace of Christ is not passive—it is fiercely protected by
clarity, covenant, and communion.
On Columbus Day, often marked by contested narratives of conquest and
pilgrimage, we might reframe our journey—not as one of domination, but of
reconciliation. Like Barnabas and Paul, we are sent to restore peace, to embody
the true communion of Christ, and to walk gently in the world. Let this Sunday
be a rite of renewal—a turning from confusion to clarity, from spectacle to
sacrament, from false unity to the healing Table of the Lord.
IN the
Introit of the Mass the Church prays for the peace which God has promised
through His prophets. “Give peace, O Lord, to them that patiently wait for
Thee, that Thy prophets may be found faithful; hear the prayers of Thy
servants, and of Thy people Israel. I rejoiced at the things that were said to
me; we shall go into the house of the Lord.
Prayer.
We
beseech Thee, O Lord, that the work of Thy mercy may direct our hearts; for
without Thy grace, we cannot be pleasing to Thee.
EPISTLE, i. Cor. i. 4-8.
Brethren:
I give thanks to my God always for you, for the grace of God that is given you
in Christ Jesus, that in all things you are made rich in Him, in all utterance,
and in all knowledge; as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that
nothing is wanting to you in any grace, waiting for the manifestation of Our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who also will confirm you unto the end without crime, in the
day of the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Brief Lessons.
St. Paul
shows in this epistle that he possesses the true love of his neighbor, by
rejoicing and thanking God that He had bestowed on the Corinthians manifold
gifts and graces, and thereby confirmed the testimony of Christ in them. By
this we learn that we should rejoice over the gifts and graces of our
neighbors; should thank God for them, and pray Him to fill all who are in the
darkness of error with knowledge, and love, and all virtues.
GOSPEL. Matt. ix. 1-8.
At that
time Jesus, entering into a boat, passed over the water and came into His own
city. And behold they brought to Him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And
Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart,
son, thy sins are forgiven thee. And behold some of the scribes said within
themselves: He blasphemeth.
And Jesus
seeing their thoughts, said:
Why do
you think evil in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven
thee: or to say, Arise and walk?
But
that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, then
said He to the man sick of the palsy: Arise, take up thy bed and go into thy
house. And he arose, and went into his house. And the multitude seeing it,
feared, and glorified God that gave such power to men.
Explanation.
The
charity of those who brought the sick man to Christ was so full of faith, so
pleasing to Him, that, out of regard for it, He forgave the palsied man his
sins, and healed him.
Christ
did not heal the man sick with the palsy until He had forgiven him his sins. By
this He teaches us that sins are often the cause of the sicknesses and evils
that pursue us; and that if we sincerely repent of our sins, God would be
likely to remove these evils from us. This is also intimated by the words of
Jesus to him who had been sick eight-and-thirty years: “Sin no more, lest some
worse thing happen to thee” (John v. 14). This should be kept in mind by those
who so impetuously be seech God to free them from their afflictions, but who do
not think to free themselves from the sins which may be the cause of them, by a
sincere repentance and by leading a Christian life.
“He
blasphemeth.”; Thus, in their perverted minds, the Jews thought of Christ;
supposing that, by forgiving the sick man his sins, He had committed an
encroachment on the prerogative of God, and thereby done Him great wrong; for
it is blasphemy against God to attempt to wrong Him, or to think, speak, or do
anything insulting to Him or to His saints.
“And
Jesus seeing their thoughts, said:
Why do
you think evil in your hearts?”
This
is something to be considered by those who suppose their thoughts to be free
from scrutiny, and to whom it does not even occur to make their evil thoughts
matter of confession. God, the most holy and most just, will no more leave
unpunished impure, proud, angry, revengeful, envious thoughts, than He will an
idle word (Matt. xii. 36). Do not, therefore, give yourself up to evil
thoughts; and in order to repel them, remember each time that God sees and
punishes them.
Would
you not drive them away if men saw them?
ON INDULGENCES
What is an
indulgence?
It is the remission granted by the Church,
in the name of God, and on account of the merits of Jesus Christ and of all the
saints, of the temporal punishment which men must suffer, either in this world
or in the world to come, for sins that have been already forgiven.
Whence do we know
that after sins are forgiven there yet remains a temporal punishment?
From Holy Scripture, thus, God imposed
upon Adam and Eve great temporal punishments, although He forgave them their
sin (Gen. iii.). Moses and Aaron were punished for a slight want of confidence
in God (Num. xx. 24; Deut. xxxii. 51). David, though forgiven, was obliged to
submit to great temporal punishments (n. Kings xii.). Finally, faith teaches us
that after death we must suffer in purgatory till we have paid the last
farthing (Matt. v. 26).
Can the Church
remit all temporal punishments, even those imposed by God Himself, and why?
Certainly, by virtue of the power to bind
and to loose which Christ has given her (Matt, xviii. 18). For if the Church
has received from God the power to remit sins which is the greater, she
certainly has authority to remit the punishment of them which is the less.
Moreover, it is by the bands of punishment that we are hindered from reaching
the kingdom of God.
But if the Church
can loose all bands, why not this?
Finally, Jesus certainly had power to
remit the temporal punishment of sins and the power which He Himself had He
gave to His disciples.
What is required
in order rightly to gain an indulgence?
In order to gain an indulgence, it is
necessary:
I. To be in the grace of God. It is proper, therefore,
to go to confession every time that one begins the good works enjoined for the
gaining of an indulgence. In granting partial indulgences sacramental
confession is not usually prescribed, but if one who is in the state of mortal
sin wishes to gain the indulgence, he must at least make an act of true
contrition with a firm purpose of going to confession.
2. It is necessary to have at least a general
intention of gaining the indulgences.
3. It is necessary to perform in person and with
devotion all the good works enjoined as to time, manner, end, etc., according
to the terms in which the indulgence is granted. To gain plenary indulgences,
confession, communion, a visit to some church or public oratory, and pious
prayers are usually prescribed. If visits to a church are prescribed, Holy
Communion may be received in any church, but the indulgenced prayers must be
said in that church in which the indulgence is granted, and on the prescribed
day. As to prayers, it is recommended that there be said seven times the Our
Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, and Creed.
Prayer for gaining an Indulgence.
“We beseech Thee, O Lord, graciously accept the
petitions of Thy holy Church, that Thou wouldst deliver her from all
adversities, root out from her all heresies, unite all Christian rulers and
princes, and exalt Thy holy Church on earth, that we may all serve Thee in
peace and quietness. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Bible in a Year Day 99 The Word
Became Flesh
Today we begin reading the Gospel of John! Fr. Mike
emphasizes the significance of Jesus' divinity, and explains how the story of
salvation culminates in Christ as the Messiah.
Columbus
Day is the celebration of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the Americas
on October 12, 1492. Christopher Columbus was an Italian-born explorer who
discovered the Americas for the Spanish King Ferdinand of Spain. Columbus set
off into the Atlantic with three ships, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa
Maria. Two months later he would set foot on the Bahamas and establish
settlements on Hispanola Island (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Upon his
return to Spain, he spoke of gold in the New World and thus the Americas were
opened up for European colonization. In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
declared October 12th every year as Columbus Day. In the US, Columbus Day is
celebrated by all US states except for Hawaii, South Dakota and Alaska.
Columbus Day now occurs on the second Monday in October each year.
Columbus Day Facts
& Quotes
·Colorado
was the first state to officially recognize and celebrate Columbus Day in 1906.
·Christopher
Columbus' first settlement on Hispaniola Island was called Villa de Navidad
(Christmas Town)
·In
1971, the official holiday was moved to the second Monday in October in order
to give workers in the US a long weekend. This was part of the Uniform Monday
Holiday Act.
·Only
those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. - Robert F. Kennedy
·You
can never cross the ocean
unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. - Christopher Columbus
Columbus Day Top
Events and Things to Do
·Attend
the Columbus Day Parade. The parade in New York City is one of the
largest.
·Eat
some good Italian food.
·Watch
a parade.
·Visit
the Library of Congress's online exhibit 1492: An Ongoing Voyage.
·Host
a scavenger hunt for the neighborhood kids and let them become Explorers for
the afternoon.
Thanks to the
efforts of Father Michael J. McGivney, assistant pastor of St. Mary’s Church in
New Haven and some of his parishioners, the Connecticut state legislature on
March 29, 1882, officially chartered the Knights of Columbus as a fraternal
benefit society. The Order is still true to its founding principles of charity,
unity and fraternity. The Knights was formed to render financial aid to members
and their families. Mutual aid and assistance are offered to sick, disabled and
needy members and their families. Social and intellectual fellowship is
promoted among members and their families through educational, charitable,
religious, social welfare, war relief and public relief works. The history of
the Order shows how the foresight of Father Michael J. McGivney, whose cause
for sainthood is being investigated by the Vatican, brought about what has
become the world's foremost Catholic fraternal benefit society. The Order has
helped families obtain economic security and stability through its life insurance,
annuity and long-term care programs, and has contributed time and energy
worldwide to service in communities. The Knights of Columbus has grown from
several members in one council to 15,342 councils and 1.9 million members
throughout the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Poland, the
Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Panama, the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, Cuba,
Guatemala, Guam, Saipan, Lithuania, Ukraine, and South Korea.
Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. A slave does not remain in a household forever, but a son always remains. So if a son frees you, then you will truly be free. (John 8:31-36)
·Texas State Fair (Dallas) September 27-Oct 20 “Our state fair is a great state fair.” How can it not be when it’s in Texas? Beginning the last Friday in September, the annual Texas State Fair unfolds over 24 days in Dallas, TX, with plenty of fun for the whole family, including the chance to ride this Ferris wheel – the largest in North America.
oFlagstaff’s Hotel Monte Vista has its fair share of paranormal guests who have seriously overstayed their welcome. Some of the most popular ghouls include a long-term boarder who had a habit of hanging raw meat from the chandelier in room 210, and two women who were thrown from the third floor and now attempt to asphyxiate male guests in their sleep. There’s also reportedly an infant whose disturbing cries have sent staff members running upstairs from the basement. (Actor John Wayne even once had a paranormal encounter here.) Book your stay today!
·How to celebrate Oct 11th
oStart your day with a nutritious breakfast featuring eggs. Get creative with your cooking, try a new recipe like a spicy Shakshuka or fluffy Japanese rolled omelet.
§Throw a spontaneous party for yourself or with a few close friends. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; a simple get-together with music and snacks can lift your spirits.
·Explore the rich culinary heritage of the American South by preparing a traditional Southern dish. Think fried chicken, collard greens, or cornbread for a taste of Southern comfort
·Bucket Item trip:🥾 Camino Francés: Santo Domingo → León
oA Week of Bridges, Chant, and Civic Memory
§Oct 11: Santo Domingo → Belorado (~23 km)
·🌉Symbolic Act: “Bridge Blessing” at the exit of Santo Domingo—recall the saint’s legacy of repair.
🌿 Leafing the World Behind: Day 11 (Alternate Path) Saint: St. Francis of Assisi Theme: Cooperation Through Humility and Brotherhood Virtue: Simplicity Virtue Connection: Communion Symbolic Act: Share food with another creature—human or animal Location: A table, trail, vineyard, or garden—anywhere life gathers
🕊️ Introduction: On Cooperation
To leave the world behind is not to isolate—it is to reconnect. Today we do not assert dominance; we practice kinship. Cooperation, in this rhythm, is not strategy—it is sacrament. It is the humble recognition that we belong to one another.
This pilgrimage is not a solo ascent—it is a communal descent into love. Each day, we leaf behind pride and separation, so that what remains is brotherhood: gentle, joyful, and shared.
Cooperation, in this rhythm, is not control—it is communion. It is the courage to walk together.
🌺 Saint of the Day: St. Francis of Assisi
Born into wealth, Francis chose poverty. Born into privilege, he chose kinship. He kissed lepers, preached to birds, and called the sun his brother. His humility was not weakness—it was wonder.
He founded the Franciscan order, rebuilt the Church, and lived with radical simplicity. His cooperation was cosmic: he saw all creation as family. He did not dominate—he danced.
He once said, “What we are looking for is what is looking.” His life was a mirror of divine humility—a brother to all, a servant of joy.
Francis’s witness reminds us: cooperation is not compromise—it is communion.
🛡️ Virtue Connection: Communion
Communion is the virtue that sees unity in diversity. It is not uniformity—it is harmony. Francis’s simplicity made space for others. He did not need to be first—he needed to be faithful.
Like St. Clare of Assisi and Bl. Carlo Acutis, Francis lived in joyful interdependence. He did not fear weakness—he embraced it as a doorway to love.
Let his witness remind you: cooperation without humility becomes control. But cooperation with humility becomes brotherhood.
🍞 Symbolic Act: Share Food with Another Creature
Prepare or offer food—simple, real, and shared. Give it to a neighbor, a friend, a bird, a dog, or even the soil. Let it be a gesture of kinship, not charity.
As you share, pray: “Lord, let me live as brother. Let my humility be joy. Let my cooperation be communion.”
If no creature is nearby, imagine the act in prayer. The gesture is the same: sharing as sacrament.
🔥 Reflection Prompt
Where have you resisted cooperation out of pride?
What creature has taught you humility?
Can you name one person whose brotherhood has healed your isolation?
Write, walk, or pray with these questions. Let St. Francis’s witness remind you: cooperation is not weakness—it is wonder. It is the humility to belong, the simplicity to share, the joy of being one among many.
With the election cycle upon us let us take
these verses to heart.
Why should I fear evil in the future or the
injustice of our nation on the faithful?
Instead, we should look
seriously at the candidates for their faith in God and their virtues. Look and
see which of the candidates have the virtues of our Lady:
humility, generosity, chastity, patience,
temperance and love of fellow man.
It is not the economy in coin; but the
bankruptcy of our cultural heart that is killing this nation that sacrifices
the future of children for the future of the mother. No amount of future
happiness or gain in liberty is worth the life of an innocent. Know that life
is greater than liberty and liberty is greater than wealth.
Beloved: Teach and urge these things. Whoever
teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord
Jesus Christ and the religious teaching is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come
envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, and mutual friction among people with
corrupted minds, who are deprived of the truth, supposing religion to be a
means of gain. Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain. For we brought
nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of
it. If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. Those who want
to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish
and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love
of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have
strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains. But you,
man of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith,
love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal
life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the
presence of many witnesses. (Tm. 6:2-12)
If we truly wish to make our nation great again;
we ourselves must grow in holiness and then in turn our families will, which in
turn our communities will; and thus, our nation will have a rebirth.
Copilot’s Take
October 11: Divine Maternity, Day of the
Girl, and the Race That Matters
On October 11, the calendar marks a striking
convergence: the Feast of the Divine Maternity of Mary, the International Day
of the Girl, and the Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona. Each event
honors a form of strength—maternal, youthful, and athletic—but only one offers
the path to lasting renewal: the fiat of Mary, who bore the Prince of Peace.
Acts 10:36–38 reminds the faithful that Jesus,
anointed with the Holy Spirit and power, went about healing and proclaiming
peace. In a time of political tension and cultural unrest, this passage offers
a clear directive: do not fear the future or the injustice that threatens the
faithful. Instead, discern wisely. Look to candidates not for their charisma or
economic promises, but for their embodiment of virtue—especially the virtues of
Our Lady: humility, generosity, chastity, patience, temperance, and love of
neighbor.
The International Day of the Girl invites a deeper
examination of national priorities. The cultural narrative often sacrifices the
future of children for the fleeting desires of adults. Life is greater than
liberty, and liberty is greater than wealth. The true bankruptcy of the nation
is not economic, but moral—a loss of heart that cannot be repaired by policy
alone.
1 Timothy 6:2–12 offers a sobering exhortation: reject
the traps of greed and conceit and instead pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness. The Ironman athletes in Hawaii may
compete for a fading crown, but Christians are called to a race of eternal
consequence. Competing well for the faith means rising each day with
gentleness, speaking truth without venom, and protecting the innocent without
compromise.
October 11 becomes a liturgical hinge—a civic novena,
a spiritual checkpoint. If the nation is to be made great again, it must begin
with holiness. Holiness in the individual leads to holiness in the home, which
leads to holiness in the community. Only then can the nation experience true
rebirth—not through slogans or wealth, but through sanctity and conscience.
This reflection is not a retreat from civic
engagement, but a call to deeper participation. The race worth running is not
for power, but for mercy. And the strength worth cultivating is not in the body
alone, but in the soul that says yes to God, as Mary did, and in doing so, says
yes to the world.
“On
this occasion the heavenly Lady was full of the Holy Ghost and moreover bore
within Her, as His Mother, the Divine Word, who proceeds from the Father and
the Holy Ghost. Saint Joseph received special enlightenment and the plenitude
of divine graces, and altogether renewed in fervor of spirit he said:
“Blessed art Thou, Lady, among all women, fortunate
and preferred before all nations and generations. May the Creator of heaven and
earth be extolled with eternal praise, since from his exalted kingly throne He
has looked upon Thee and chosen Thee for his dwelling place and in Thee alone
has fulfilled the ancient promises made to the Patriarchs and Prophets. Let all
generations bless Him: for in no one has He magnified his name as He has done
in thy humility; and me, the most insignificant of the living, He has in his
divine condescension selected for thy servant.” In these words of praise and
benediction Saint Joseph was enlightened by the Holy Ghost, in the same manner
as Saint Elizabeth, when she responded to the salutation of Our Queen and
Mistress. The light and inspiration received by the most holy spouse was
wonderfully adapted to his dignity and office. The heavenly Lady, upon hearing
the words of the holy man, answered in the words of the Magnificat, as She had
done on her visit to Saint Elizabeth, and She added other canticles. She was
all aflame in ecstasy and was raised from the earth in a globe of light, which
surrounded Her and transfigured Her with the gifts of glory. At this heavenly
vision Saint Joseph was filled with admiration and unspeakable delight; for
never had he seen his most blessed Spouse in such eminence of glory and
perfection. Now he beheld Her with a full and clear understanding, since all
the integrity and purity of the Princess of heaven and mystery of her dignity
manifested themselves to him. He saw and recognized in her virginal womb the
humanity of the infant God and the union of the two natures of the Word. With
profound humility and reverence, he adored Him and recognized Him as his
Redeemer, offering himself to his majesty. The Lord looked upon him in
benevolence and kindness as upon no other man, for He accepted him as his
foster-father and conferred upon him that title. In accordance with this
dignity, He gifted him with that plenitude of science and heavenly gifts which
Christian piety can and must acknowledge.
Bible in a Year Day 98 Israel asks
for a King
Fr. Mike
draws our attention to Samuel's sons who turned away from God as they ruled
over Israel and how the people of Israel rejected God from being their king.
Today's readings are 1 Samuel 6-8 and Psalm 86.
International Day of the Girl
International
Day of the Girl aims to recognize girls' rights and the unique challenges that
they face around the world. Every day, young girls everywhere face
challenges involving their rights, access to education, inequality, discrimination,
domestic violence and child marriage. Gender inequality is so prevalent in the
world that the United Nations introduced a Gender Inequality Index (GII) to
measure gender disparity in countries.
Day of the Girl
Facts & Quotes
·It
is estimated that over 100 million women from the world are missing. Female
infanticide and selective abortion are still commonly practiced in Asia and
have led to uneven ratios of men and women all over Asia.
·In
India, there are laws that prevent expecting mothers from finding out the sex
of the baby due to selective abortions and discrimination against baby girls.
·One-third
of girls in the developing world are married before the age of 18, increasing
the risk of HIV, unwanted pregnancy and discontinued education.
·To
call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man's injustice to woman. If by
strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man.
If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man's superior.
Has she not greater intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing, has she not
greater powers of endurance, has she not greater courage? Without her, man
could not be. If nonviolence is the law of our being, the future is with woman.
Who can make a more effective appeal to the heart than woman? - Mahatma Ghandi
Day of the Girl
Top Events and Things to Do
·Get
active for girls on social media. Use one of UNICEF's recommended social
networking hashtags: #dayofthe girl, #mylifeat15, #girl4president and #girlhero!
·Take
out a girl in your life (your daughter, niece, granddaughter, family friend).
Take her out to do her favorite activity on her special day.
·Watch
movies that empower young girls and portray strong female characters.
1) Brave (2012)
2) Bend it like Beckham (2002)
3) Anne of Green Gables (1985)
4) Mulan (1998)
·Attend
one of many events held nationally and internationally. Look for an event
organized in your local community by schools and girl clubs, if not attend the
online event. The online event involves sharing baby photos of yourself (if
you're a girl), or daughters, sisters and other girl family members and discuss
your/their dreams while growing up.
See some of the world’s most elite athletes compete in the
big daddy of Ironman
events. More than 2,000 athletes from around the world will set out
on a 140.6-mile triathlon race from Kona, HI. Come as a participant, spectator
or volunteer because this is one competition you won’t soon forget.
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