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. "
📅 Year One: The Way of
Witness — Conscience, Community, and Sacrament
Start: November 3, 2025
🔸 November 2025 –
Poverty, Resurrection, and Hidden Grace
Nov 24
– Mouchette (1967)
Robert Bresson's Mouchette (1967) is a stark, minimalist portrait of suffering and alienation, offering a deeply Catholic meditation on innocence, sacrifice, and the mystery of grace.
🎬 Film Summary: Mouchette (1967)
Setting: A rural French village, bleak and isolating.
Protagonist: Mouchette, a teenage girl burdened by poverty, neglect, and abuse.
Plot Highlights:
Mouchette cares for her dying mother and infant brother while enduring her father's cruelty and her school's rejection.
A brief moment of joy at a fair is swiftly interrupted by her father's control.
Lost in the woods, she encounters Arsène, a poacher who rapes her after a seizure.
She returns home to find her mother dead and faces further humiliation from townspeople.
After a series of degrading encounters, she walks to a pond and rolls herself into it—an act of suicide.
✝️ Catholic Lessons and Symbolism
Though Bresson’s approach is more anthropological than doctrinal, Mouchette is rich with Catholic resonance:
1. The Innocent Victim as Christ-Figure
Mouchette’s suffering mirrors Christ’s Passion: she is misunderstood, abused, and ultimately sacrificed by society.
Her gentle care for her brother and mother evokes Marian tenderness and sacrificial love.
2. The Mystery of Grace
Bresson’s Catholicism is subtle but present. He believed in grace as a force that operates mysteriously, even amid despair.
Mouchette’s final act—rolling into the water—can be read as a tragic baptism, a return to God through suffering.
3. The Number Three and Trinitarian Echoes
The film uses symbolic triads (e.g., three dresses offered by the old woman) to evoke the Trinity and spiritual completeness.
4. Critique of Ritual Without Compassion
The villagers’ mechanical religiosity contrasts with their cruelty. Bresson critiques empty ritual divorced from mercy.
The churchgoers in black, the funeral preparations, and the shroud all evoke Catholic rites, but lack true charity.
5. Sacrifice and Redemption
Mouchette’s suicide, though a mortal sin in Catholic teaching, is framed not as condemnation but as a mirror to societal failure.
Bresson invites viewers to reflect on how communities create victims—and whether redemption is possible through empathy.
·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.
🎷 Bucket List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather”
o7-day New Orleans Stay & Reflection Itinerary, anchored at the centrally located Bienville House
($128/night) or Drury Plaza Hotel ($120/night). Each day blends Eucharistic rhythm, civic joy, and musical grace.
o🎺 New Orleans Stay & Reflection Itinerary November 23–30 • Creole Hospitality, Eucharistic Rhythm Lodging: Bienville House or Drury Plaza Hotel – French Quarter
·Day 1: Arrival & French-Creole Benediction (Nov 23) • Afternoon: Walk Jackson Square and pause at the St. Louis Cathedral • Symbolic act: Light a candle and offer a prayer for renewal beneath the cathedral spires • Evening Music: Preservation Hall – intimate jazz in historic rhythm
·Day 2: Eucharistic Anchoring & Civic Wonder (Nov 24) • Morning Mass: Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church – Baronne Street • Midday Visit: The French Market and Café du Monde – reflect on hospitality and sweetness • Symbolic act: Write a prayer for mercy and leave it near a historic fountain or mural
·Day 3: Marian Listening & Swamp Reverence (Nov 25) • Church Visit: Our Lady of Guadalupe Church – International Shrine of St. Jude • Nature Walk: Bayou St. John or City Park trails • Symbolic act: Pour water into the bayou and offer a prayer for healing
·Day 4: Creation Prayer & Musical Joy (Nov 26) • Museum Visit: Kermit’s Tremé Mother-in-Law Lounge – civic rhythm and colorful legacy • Midday Pause: Psalm 98 reflection on music and justice • Symbolic act: Sketch a musical symbol or write a prayer for joy
·Day 5: Thanksgiving Day Benediction (Nov 27) • Morning Mass: St. Patrick’s Church
– Gothic sanctuary with stained glass • Afternoon Event: Thanksgiving Jazz Brunch at The Court of Two Sisters or Commander’s Palace • Symbolic act: Share a meal naming each dish for a virtue or grace • Benediction: “May this city remember my gratitude. May my steps echo music and mercy.”
·Day 6: Eucharistic Table & Civic Listening (Nov 28) • Museum Visit: The Historic Voodoo Museum or The Cabildo • Symbolic act: Write a blessing and leave it near a civic altar or exhibit • Evening Music: Frenchmen Street – spontaneous jazz and communal joy
·Day 7: Sending Forth & River Benediction (Nov 29) • Final Walk: Crescent Park or along the Mississippi River • Midday Reflection: Write a closing prayer of sending • Benediction: “May this river remember my reverence. May my steps echo rhythm and renewal.”
🍽️ Creole Hospitality Menu – November 23 with Recipes
1.Aperitif – St. Clements Cocktail A refreshing citrus blend honoring the Holy Trinity. 🍹Make Me a Cocktail – St. Clements Recipe Ingredients: orange juice, lemon-lime soda, lime wedge garnish.
Includes lump crabmeat, Old Bay seasoning, and a classic Creole remoulade.
3.Soup – Creole Turtle Soup or Okra Gumbo Rich with tradition and Eucharistic depth. 🍲Bold Southern Flavor – Creole Gumbo with Okra Features dark roux, okra, shrimp, and the “holy trinity” of Creole cooking.
5.Main Course – Shrimp Étouffée over Rice Symbolizing communion and cultural layering. 🍤Taste of Home – Shrimp Étouffée Recipe Made with a rich roux, Cajun seasoning, and Gulf shrimp.
7.Dessert – Cranberry Sorbet with Mint A joyful cleansing and nod to Espresso Day. 🍧Simply Recipes – Cranberry Sorbet Made with fresh cranberries, cranberry juice, orange zest, and optional mint.
Benediction for the Meal: “May this table remember our gratitude. May each flavor echo mercy, rhythm, and renewal.”
NOVEMBER 23 Last Sunday after Pentecost
Solemnity-Octave
of Christ the King-33 days-Miguel Pro-Espresso Day
Christ out of pure love
frees us from the shame of not being right with God in this He gives us a new
life and peace with God the Father. Christ by His works brings us refreshment
from the filth of our lives by giving us (1) confidence, (2) peace and (3)
eternal life via the sacrifice of the Eucharist. He did this even though we
failed to bear good fruit and fostered sin not living up to the Fathers vision
for us.[1]
Via Christ selfless act
we can today talk to God; now if we could only listen in return.
Copilot’s Take
On November 23, the
Last Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King,
honoring the reign of love that triumphed through sacrifice. Romans 5:8 reminds
us that Christ died for us while we were still sinners—a radical act of mercy that
redefines kingship not as domination but as self-giving. Through the Eucharist,
Christ offers confidence, peace, and eternal life, cleansing us from the shame
of our failures and restoring communion with the Father. Blessed Miguel Pro,
martyred with the cry “¡Viva Cristo Rey!”, embodies this fearless devotion,
showing that true allegiance to the King demands joy and courage even in
suffering. And on Espresso Day, we’re nudged to stay spiritually alert—Christ
speaks through scripture, sacrament, and silence. We talk to God, yes—but
today, let us also listen.
"God
blessed the seventh day and made it holy" (Gn 2:3)
1.The
Sabbath precept, which in the first Covenant prepares for the Sunday of the new
and eternal Covenant, is therefore rooted in the depths of God's plan. This is
why, unlike many other precepts, it is set not within the context of strictly
cultic stipulations but within the Decalogue, the "ten words" which
represent the very pillars of the moral life inscribed on the human heart. In
setting this commandment within the context of the basic structure of ethics,
Israel and then the Church declare that they consider it not just a matter of
community religious discipline but a defining and indelible expression of
our relationship with God, announced and expounded by biblical revelation.
This is the perspective within which Christians need to rediscover this precept
today. Although the precept may merge naturally with the human need for rest,
it is faith alone which gives access to its deeper meaning and ensures that it
will not become banal and trivialized.
Last Sunday after Pentecost-Goffine’s Devout Instructions 1896
Prayer.
Stir up the wills of Thy
faithful, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that, more earnestly seeking after the fruit
of good works, they may receive more abundant help from Thy mercy. Amen.
EPISTLE. Col. i.
9-14.
Brethren : We cease not to pray for you, and to beg
that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom, and
spiritual understanding : that you may walk worthy of God, in all things
pleasing : being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge
of God : strengthened with all might, according to the power of His glory, in
all patience and longsuffering with joy, giving thanks to God the Father, Who
hath made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light : Who hath
delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the
kingdom of the Son of His love : in Whom we have redemption through His blood,
the remission of sins. This epistle teaches us that we should thank God
continually for the infinite grace of calling us to be Christians and members
of the Catholic Church. In like manner should we pray, without ceasing, for
still greater enlightenment, and greater strength in doing good, until, in our
knowledge and in our practice, we attain to likeness with God.
GOSPEL. Matt. xxiv. 15-35.
At
that time Jesus said to His disciples: When you shall see the abomination of
desolation, which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy
place: he that readeth, let him understand. Then they that are in Judea, let
them flee to the mountains. And he that is on the house-top, let him not come
down to take anything out of his house: and he that is in the field let him not
go back to take his coat. And woe to them that are with child, and that give
suck in those days. But pray that your flight be not in the winter, or on the
Sabbath. For there shall be then great tribulation, such as hath not been from
the beginning of the world until now, neither shall be. And unless those days
had been shortened, no flesh should be saved; but for the sake of the elect
those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say to you: Lo here is
Christ, or there, do not believe him. For there shall arise false Christs and
false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch as to deceive
(if possible) even the elect. Behold I have told it to you beforehand. If
therefore they shall say to you: Behold, He is in the desert, go ye not out;
behold, He is in the closets, believe it not. For as lightning cometh out of
the east, and appeareth even into the west: so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be. Wheresoever the body shall be, there shall the eagles also be
gathered together. And immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun
shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall
fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be moved. And then shall
appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of
the earth mourn: and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of
heaven with much power and majesty. And He shall send His angels with a
trumpet, and a great voice: and they shall gather together His elect from the
four winds, from the farthest parts of the heavens to the utmost bounds of
them. And from the fig-tree learn a parable: when the branch thereof is now
tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh. So, you also,
when you shall see all these things, know ye that it is nigh, even at the
doors. Amen, I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these
things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass
away.
Explanation.
" The abomination of
desolation," of which Christ makes mention, is the desecration of the
temple, at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, when it was profaned in
the most frightful manner, by robbery, murder, conflagration, and the setting
up of idols about forty years after the death of Christ. While the Jewish
population were perishing, the Christians, following the warning of Christ,
fled over the mountains to the city of Pella. Thereby Jesus would indicate how
great the danger would be should they be obliged to fly in winter, or on the
Sabbath-day, on which they were forbidden to make a journey of more than five
hundred paces. False Christs and false prophets," like those here spoken
of, according to the testimony of Josephus, were Eleazar, John, and Simon, who
appeared at the time of the Jewish war, and, under the pretense of helping the
Jews, plunged them into still greater misfortunes. Before the end of the world
a false Messias will appear, who is the Antichrist. According to the opinion of
the holy fathers, he will be born from among the Jewish people, and is called
Antichrist because he will claim to be the redeemer and sanctifier of men and
will denounce Christ as an impostor. On account of his malice and cruelty St.
Paul calls him the man of sin and the son of perdition (n. Thess. ii. 3), who,
out of pride, will sit in the temple of God, showing himself as if he were God,
and will command all who will not worship him to be put to death. And he will,
by his splendor, his promises, his false miracles, succeed so far that not only
many Jews (to whom the poor and humble Jesus was too insignificant) will
acknowledge him to be the Messias, but even many Christians will deny Christ
and adhere to him. Even the elect would be in danger of being deceived by him
were it not that for their sake God will shorten those days, as He shortened
the days of tribulation at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus now
goes on to define the time of the destruction of Jerusalem and says that many
of His hearers shall live to see it, which was actually the case. But when the
end of the world is to come no one, He says, knoweth; no, not the angels of
heaven, but the Father alone (Matt. xxiv. 36). Let us, therefore, keep
ourselves always ready, by a pious life, for the coming of the divine Judge,
and with that purpose let us often think on the significant words of Our Lord:
" Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass
away."
Today prior to 1962 we would have celebrated the last
Sunday in October as Christ the King.
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name
of our God.” (Luke 19:38)
Behold—our King still comes to us, humbly,
from the Tabernacle. Through the hands of our priests, He is made present in
the Eucharist, offered to us as the Bread of Life. Yet in recent years, many
have found themselves distanced from this mystery. The pandemic, and at times
the confusion or failures of Church leadership, have made the Body of Christ
feel unavailable—or worse, irrelevant. But the Eucharist has not changed.
Christ remains, waiting.
There
was joy and celebration by the people as Jesus entered into Jerusalem, on Palm
Sunday; we learn from the gospel that much later things had taken a terrible
turn for the worst. Jesus was arrested and sentenced to death.
What?
Where were we?
We heard shouting: “Crucify him” “We have no king, but
Caesar.”
Did
we join in the shouting and jeering?
“If you are the king of Jews, come down from the
cross. Save yourself.”
Where
do we stand?
There was a different voice that day from one of the
criminals crucified with Jesus. He rebuked the other criminal who asked Jesus
to save them. With these words:
“Have
you no fear of God?
We have been condemned justly. This man has done
nothing wrong.” Then he turned to Jesus and said: “Remember me when you come
into your kingdom” Jesus replies: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
I ask again.
Where
do we stand as all these events unfold?
How
do we hope we will have the courage to be, to align ourselves in difficult or
challenging circumstances?
There is much to ponder, to think
about.
Solemnity of Our
Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe[4]
The Solemnity of
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, formerly referred to as
"Christ the King," was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 as an
antidote to secularism, a way of life which leaves God out of man's thinking
and living and organizes his life as if God did not exist. The feast is
intended to proclaim in a striking and effective manner Christ's royalty over
individuals, families, society, governments, and nations. Today's Mass
establishes the titles for Christ's royalty over men:
1)
Christ is God, the Creator of the universe and hence wields a supreme power
over all things; "All things were created by Him";
2)
Christ is our Redeemer, He purchased us by His precious Blood, and made us His
property and possession.
3)
Christ is Head of the Church, "holding in all things the primacy”.
4) God
bestowed upon Christ the nations of the world as His special possession and
dominion.
Today's Mass also
describes the qualities of Christ's kingdom. This kingdom is:
1)
supreme, extending not only to all people but also to their princes and kings.
2)
universal, extending to all nations and to all places.
3)
eternal, for "The Lord shall sit a King forever”.
4)
spiritual, Christ's "kingdom is not of this world." —
Indeed, we all are called to be fishers of men; the Lord calls all; truly
we are not powerless for He gives us his very flesh that we may become Christ
to everyone we encounter.
Christ the King as Represented in the
Liturgy
Liturgy
is an album in which every epoch of Church history immortalizes itself.
Therein, accordingly, can be found the various pictures of Christ beloved
during succeeding centuries. In its pages we see pictures of Jesus suffering
and in agony; we see pictures of His Sacred Heart; yet these pictures are not
proper to the nature of the liturgy as such; they resemble baroque altars in a
gothic church. Classic liturgy knows but one Christ: The King, radiant,
majestic, and divine.
With
an ever-growing desire, all Advent awaits the "coming King"; in the
chants of the breviary, we find repeated again and again the two expressions
"King" and "is coming." On Christmas the Church would
greet, not the Child of Bethlehem, but the Rex Pacificus “the King of peace
gloriously reigning." Within a fortnight, there follows a feast which
belongs to the greatest of the feasts of the Church year -- the Epiphany. As in
ancient times oriental monarchs visited their principalities (theophany), so
the divine King appears in His city, the Church; from its sacred precincts He
casts His glance over all the world....On the final feast of the Christmas
cycle, the Presentation in the Temple, holy Church meets her royal Bridegroom
with virginal love: "Adorn your bridal chamber, O Sion, and receive Christ
your King!" The burden of the Christmas cycle may be summed up in these
words: Christ the King establishes His Kingdom of light upon earth!
If
we now consider the Easter cycle, the luster of Christ's royal dignity is
indeed somewhat veiled by His sufferings; nevertheless, it is not the suffering
Jesus who is present to the eyes of the Church as much as Christ the royal Hero
and Warrior who upon the battlefield of Golgotha struggles with the mighty and
dies in triumph. Even during Lent and Passiontide the Church acclaims her King.
The act of homage on Palm Sunday is intensely stirring; singing psalms in
festal procession we accompany our Savior singing: Gloria, laus et honor tibi
sit, Rex Christe, "Glory, praise and honor be to Thee, Christ, O
King!" It is true that on Good Friday the Church meditates upon the Man of
Sorrows in agony upon the Cross, but at the same time, and perhaps more so, she
beholds Him as King upon a royal throne. The hymn Vexilla Regis, "The
royal banners forward go," is the more perfect expression of the spirit
from which the Good Friday liturgy has arisen. Also, characteristic is the
verse from Psalm 95, Dicite in gentibus quia Dominus regnavit, to which the
early Christians always added, a ligno, "Proclaim among the Gentiles: The
Lord reigns from upon the tree of the Cross!" During Paschal time the
Church is so occupied with her glorified Savior and Conqueror that kingship
references become rarer; nevertheless, toward the end of the season we
celebrate our King's triumph after completing the work of redemption, His royal
enthronement on Ascension Thursday.
Neither
in the time after Pentecost is the picture of Christ as King wholly absent from
the liturgy. Corpus Christi is a royal festival: "Christ the King who
rules the nations, come, let us adore" (Invit.). In the Greek Church the
feast of the Transfiguration is the principal solemnity in honor of Christ's
kingship, Summum Regem gloriae Christum adoremus (Invit.). Finally at the
sunset of the ecclesiastical year, the Church awaits with burning desire the
return of the King of Majesty.
We
will overlook further considerations in favor of a glance at the daily Offices.
How often do we not begin Matins with an act of royal homage: "The King of
apostles, of martyrs, of confessors, of virgins — come, let us adore"
(Invit.). Lauds is often introduced with Dominus regnavit, "The Lord is
King". Christ as King is also a first consideration at the threshold of
each day; for morning after morning, we renew our oath of fidelity at Prime:
"To the King of ages be honor and glory." Every oration is concluded
through our Mediator Christ Jesus "who lives and reigns forever."
Yes, age-old liturgy beholds Christ reigning as King in His basilica (etym.:
"the king's house"), upon the altar as His throne.
Excerpted
from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
The most
holy council, then, earnestly entreats all the laity in the Lord to answer
gladly, nobly, and promptly the more urgent invitation of Christ in this hour
and the impulse of the Holy Spirit. Younger people should feel that this call
has been directed at them especially and they should respond to it eagerly and
generously. The Lord renews His invitation to all the laity to come closer to
Him every day, recognizing that what is His is also their own (Phil. 2:5), to
associate themselves with Him in His saving mission. Once again, He sends them
into every town and place where He will come (cf. Luke 10:1) so that they may
show that they are co-workers in the various forms and modes of the one
apostolate of the Church, which must
be constantly adapted to the new needs of our times. Ever productive as they
should be in the work of the Lord, they know that their labor in Him is not in
vain (cf. 1 Cor. 15:58).
·A
procession for Christ the King on this feast day, either in the Church or at
home is appropriate for this feast. The Blessed Sacrament would be carried, and
the procession would end with a prayer of consecration to Christ the King and
Benediction. Try to participate if your parish has a Christ the King
procession. If not, try having one at home (minus the Blessed Sacrament).
·Being
a relatively newer feast on the Liturgical calendar, there are no traditional
foods for this day. Suggested ideas: a wonderful family Sunday dinner, and bake
a cake shaped as a crown or King Cake or a bread in shape of a crown in honor
of Christ the King.
·A
partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who piously recite the Act of
Dedication of the Human Race to Jesus Christ King. A plenary
indulgence is granted; if it is recite publicly on the feast of our Lord Jesus
Christ King.
On the last Sunday
of the liturgical year, we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King. Now see how
he takes our nature out of love in His passion; Jesus is alone; the crowds who
sang ‘hosanna!’ as he entered Jerusalem just five days previously are now shouting,
‘Crucify him!’ He has been accused unjustly. His mission has all but
collapsed. His friends have run away; one of them has sold him, another says
that he does not even know him. And now he stands before the most
powerful person in the land on a falsified charge. This is a really bad
day, and it is about to get worse. He will be flogged; he will walk the
way of the Cross ... what happens next is well known to us all. It is a
day which seems, by our normal standards, to be characterized by failure and
abandonment. This is not our usual idea of what happens to a
king. What we have here are two worlds, two kingdoms that come face to
face as Jesus stands before Pilate. On the one side we have this earthly ruler
representing the most successful empire the world had ever seen, a man with
economic, political and military power: a successful man, with a reputation.
This is someone to be taken seriously. And in Jesus we have God’s world, the
Kingdom of God personified, and a completely different set of values where we
are not subjects or slaves, but we are now friends. We are not equals; God is
the Creator, the maker and author of all, but our relationship with God has
been restored. We have a king who rules over an eternal kingdom which, in the
Preface of the Eucharistic Prayer for this feast, is described as:
·a
kingdom of truth and life,
·a
kingdom of holiness and grace,
·a
kingdom of justice, love and peace.
But which world do we value?
Inevitably
as Christians we inhabit both of these worlds, we move between them. We
may spend six days a week living in one kingdom, but only one matters, and we
know which one, but it is often hard to choose. Pilate represents one
kingdom; Jesus represents the other. In the Nicene Creed there are only two
people (apart from Jesus) that are mentioned by name – Pilate and Mary – and
again they show this same contrast: Pilate is wealthy, powerful, male,
successful, secure, safely married; he has most of the things that many of us
desire. Mary on the other hand, at the Annunciation, is a young woman,
pregnant out of wedlock and therefore suspect, and at risk of exclusion from
the Jewish community.
She is one of the anawim,
the voiceless, the poor who yearn for good news. Few of us desire to be
like this. We have these two worlds, two kingdoms. Only one of them
is the Kingdom of God; only one of them is true, eternal and universal.
But which do we choose? Which do we hope for?
For which am I ambitious?
If we
are honest with ourselves, very often we would rather be Pilate. But it is
not about us, it is about Jesus. He is king, no one else. To talk
of kingship or lordship can evoke images of oppressive or coercive systems, but
for Jesus kingship is about humility and service.
This feast is not
to flatter a king with a fragile ego in need of reassurance, but to celebrate
in gratitude the love and kindness of someone who is so committed to us that he
will not compromise even in the face of the most powerful in the land, and who
will not baulk even at death itself. The image of the Shepherd King may
not be an especially rich one for most of us, but it was immensely powerful for
the people of Israel, evoking ideas of care and love. All of this is in
contrast to the kingship of power and domination, the reigns of kings that do
not have the best interests of everyone at heart. This is the king who is
lord over life and death and all there is. There is plenty of ambition in
this world; that is not necessarily a bad thing.
But Christians are
called to be ambitious for the Kingdom, not for us; to seek power not in order
to dominate, but to serve. The only throne that this king found was the
cross. We are not to seek thrones of glory on which we can be admired,
and if we do get them then we ought to pray for a very large dose of humility;
we are to pray before the Throne of Glory from which we will receive
mercy, love and hope. In a world where we are so often encouraged to seek
power and success, it can be difficult to accept the truth of this; however,
this truth is not a proposition or an idea, but a person to get to know.
‘Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice’, says Jesus – and
Pilate does not hear him.
One of the reasons
the Church says that each Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation is because in
order to get to know this person, in order to be people of the truth we have to
meet him – in the Word and sacrament – and spend time with him, listen to his
voice: to find out about the Kingdom of God. This is not easy, and we need the
support of each other, the support of the Church. We, like Jesus, will
probably encounter denial or betrayal. Like Judas and Peter, we may at
times betray or deny him; these are risks for us also. But Christians are
future-oriented people, and we are asked to have a vision of a better world,
not just in the next life but in this, and to dream of a kingdom in which
Christ is the king. We are people of hope –people who, in the future, can
be free from our past and the worst we have done: our spectacular sins – the
betrayals, the denials; and our mundane, ordinary and petty ones. But
this hope is fragile and needs to be protected.
In the Mass for
the Feast of Christ the King we are asked to bring our worst to the Lord, to
bring our nightmares and our horror. Our nightmare can be turned into
dreams of hope; there is a future, death is not the end, Good Friday is
followed by the resurrection. God will make all things new. The
life, death and resurrection of Jesus show us this. Bring your best and
your worst, your dreams and your nightmares to the altar. We have a king
who can cope with that, a king who can cope with us. Thank God for
that.
From the Last Sunday of
the Liturgical Year to the First Sunday of Advent
“Everyone who belongs to
the truth listens to my voice.” — John 18:37
🕊️ Why an Octave?
Though the Church does
not formally observe an Octave of Christ the King, we propose one—not to
flatter a monarch, but to dwell in the mystery of a Shepherd King whose throne
is the Cross. In the early Church, octaves marked joyful retreats for the newly
baptized. Today, we reclaim this rhythm as a time of allegiance, discernment,
and hope.
🔔 The Two Kingdoms
As Jesus stands before
Pilate, two kingdoms collide: one of domination, the other of divine
friendship. Pilate represents power, reputation, and control. Jesus, abandoned
and accused, embodies the Kingdom of truth, life, holiness, grace, justice,
love, and peace.
Which kingdom do we
serve? Which do we desire?
This octave is a time to
choose again.
📅 Daily Structure for the
Octave Retreat
Day
Marian
Virtue
Eucharistic
Glory Theme
Practice
Sunday (Christ
the King)
Humility
Jesus,
the King of Glory
Attend Mass.
Begin the 33 Days to Eucharistic Glory. Offer your allegiance anew.
Monday
Generosity
Give
your strength to God’s will
Begin the Daniel
Fast. Exercise with the Universal Man Plan. Serve someone in need.
Tuesday
Chastity
Purify
your intentions
Meditate on
Mary’s fiat. Fast from distractions. Practice interior silence.
Wednesday
Patience
Endure
with Christ
Reflect on Jesus
before Pilate. Offer your frustrations to the Cross.
Thursday
Temperance
Balance
your desires
Examine your
ambitions. Are they for the Kingdom or for self?
Friday
Understanding/Love
Love
that does not compromise
Pray the
Stations of the Cross. Bring your worst to the altar.
Saturday
Wisdom
Hope
that endures beyond death
Reflect on the
Resurrection. Prepare your heart for Advent.
·Universal Man Plan (daily movement and
discipline)
·33 Days to Eucharistic Glory (to
Christmas)
·Marian Virtue Meditation (one per day)
·Journaling: Record your dreams and
nightmares, your betrayals and hopes. Bring them to the altar.
🕯️ A Kingdom Worth Our
Ambition
This octave is not about
escaping the world, but about choosing which kingdom we will serve within it.
Pilate or Mary?
Domination or surrender? Reputation or relationship?
We
are not called to be admired on thrones of glory, but to kneel before the
Throne of Mercy.
Let this retreat be a
time of holy ambition—not for power, but for service. Not for self, but for the
Kingdom.
33 Days to Eucharistic
Glory – Day 2
Theme: Give All Your Strength to Doing God’s
Will
Marian Virtue: Generosity
Liturgical Echo: Christ the King, the Servant of the Father’s Will
“My food is to do the will of the one who sent
me.” — John 4:34 “Let it be done to me according to your word.” — Luke 1:38
🕊️ Reflection
To give all your strength to doing God’s will is
not weakness—it is Eucharistic glory. It is the strength of Mary’s fiat, the
strength of Jesus in Gethsemane, the strength of the Cross. This is not passive
surrender, but active love. It is the strength to say “yes” when the world says
“no,” to serve when others seek power, to love when betrayal is near.
Today, we
ask: Where is God’s will inviting me to act with strength, not for self, but
for the Kingdom?
📿 Daily
Practices
Practice
Description
Prayer & Meditation
Begin and end your day with intentional prayer.
Ask for strength to do God’s will.
Scripture Reading
Reflect on Luke 1:26–38 and John 4:34. Let the
Word shape your will.
Service to Others
Seek one act of kindness today. Let your
strength be poured out in love.
🧭 Mindful Actions
·Seek God’s Guidance: Before decisions, pause and
ask: Is this Your will, Lord?
·Act with Compassion: Let love—not ego—drive your
choices.
·Live with Integrity: Be faithful in the small
things. Strength is built in quiet fidelity.
🤝 Community and Support
·Engage in Worship: Attend Mass or join online.
Unite your will with Christ’s.
·Share Your Journey: Speak with a friend or
journal your reflections.
·Seek Accountability: Reach out to someone who can
walk with you in this journey.
✍️ Journaling Prompt
Where am I being invited to give my strength to
God’s will today? What resistance do I feel? What grace do I need?
🙏 Closing
Prayer
Lord Jesus, King of Glory, I offer You my strength today. Not
for my own gain, but for Your Kingdom. Teach me to serve with joy, to surrender
with courage, and to love with the generosity of Mary. May I not seek my own
will, but Yours. Amen.
Miguel
Pro was born January 13, 1891, at Guadalupe Zacatecas, Mexico. From his
childhood, high spirits and happiness were the most outstanding characteristics
of his personality. The loving and devoted son of a mining engineer and a pious
and charitable mother, Miguel, had a special affinity for the working classes
which he retained all his life. At 20, he became a Jesuit novice and shortly
thereafter was exiled because of the Mexican revolution. He traveled to the
United States, Spain, Nicaragua and Belgium, where he was ordained in 1925.
Father Pro suffered greatly from a severe stomach problem and when, after
several operations his health did not improve, in 1926 his superiors allowed
him to return to Mexico in spite of the religious persecution in the country.
The churches were closed, and priests were in hiding.
Father
Pro spent the rest of his life in a secret ministry to the sturdy Mexican
Catholics. In addition to fulfilling their spiritual needs, he also carried out
the works of mercy by assisting the poor of Mexico City with their temporal
needs. He adopted many disguises to carry out his secret ministry. In all that
he did, he remained filled with the joy of serving Christ, his King, and
obedient to his superiors. Falsely accused in a bombing attempt on the
President-elect, Pro became a wanted man. He was betrayed to the police and
sentenced to death without the benefit of any legal process. On the day of his
death, Father Pro forgave his executioners, prayed, bravely refused the
blindfold, and died proclaiming "Viva Cristo Rey!" (Long Live Christ
the King).
Things to
Do:
Watch this
short Catholic News Agency You Tube video of Fr.
Miguel Pro.
Fr. Mike starts to unpack the
character of Solomon and explains how we can see the beginning of his downfall
in today's readings. Although Solomon has been blessed with wisdom, he lacks
obedience, which is much more important in maintaining a relationship with God.
Today's readings are 1 Kings 1, 2 Chronicles 1, and Psalm 43.
The
voodoo priest and all his powders were as nothing compared to espresso,
cappuccino, and mocha, which are stronger than all the religions of the world
combined, and perhaps stronger than the human soul itself. Mark Helprin
·Rich
and powerful, espresso is a nitro-boost to your day and a go-to for coffee
drinkers looking for a way to get through those long hard days and nights. It
is a refinement of coffee, distilled down to its most potent elements and
delivered in special cups that should have a warning label that reads “High
Vibration and Caffeine Jitters Ahead”. Espresso day celebrates the history of
this delicious and powerful solution to an otherwise dreary day.
History Of
Espresso Day
·In
Turin, in 1884 an incredible new innovation was developed that would change the
way work would be done for all of history. No longer would tired laborers have
to rely on pure willpower to get them through the day or lean on the
watered-down attempt at caffeination that was normal coffee and tea. Instead,
thanks to the innovative methods of Angelo Moriondo coffee had seen a new age
of enlightenment, as his new machine found a way to separately control the
passing of steam and water through the coffee. This innovation made it possible
to extract the fullest possible potential from the humble coffee bean.
·Espresso
Day was created to honor this invention and the wonderful man who made it all
possible. True, the machine has undergone multiple upgrades and innovations
since then, with homemade espresso machines now being available, and the latte
is now one of the most popular methods of imbibing this drink. From Turin,
Italy this beverage spread throughout the world, earning a place of prominence
in Europe, the USA, and eventually the world at large.
How To Celebrate
Espresso Day
·Celebrating
Espresso Day is as simple as skipping on down to your local caffeination
station, be it a Starbucks, Tim Horton’s, or whatever your local flavor of
coffee shop is. Order yourself the strongest drink on the menu, a triple-shot
espresso if they have them, and raise a small ceramic glass of high-powered
octane the those in attendance. Toast Angelo Moriondo and his works and let all
who will listen know that it is he who drives the modern worker and increases
production. Then stop on the way home and buy yourself your own personal
espresso machine, because weekends need coffee too.
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