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. "
🔸 November 2025 –
Poverty, Resurrection, and Hidden Grace
Monday Night at the Movies
Ordet (1955)
Carl Dreyer’s Ordet (1955) is a profound meditation on faith, miracles, and spiritual division. Its Catholic lesson centers on radical belief in resurrection.
🎬 Ordet (1955) – Summary
Set in rural Denmark, Ordet follows the Borgen family, whose members embody contrasting spiritual paths:
Morten Borgen, the patriarch, is a devout Lutheran.
Mikkel, the eldest son, has lost his faith.
Johannes, the middle son, believes he is Jesus Christ, quoting Kierkegaard and wandering in prophetic madness.
Anders, the youngest, seeks to marry Anne, daughter of a tailor from a stricter religious sect.
The family’s tensions escalate when Mikkel’s wife, Inger, dies during childbirth. In a climactic act of faith, Johannes—previously dismissed as mad—prays over her body and she miraculously rises from the dead.
✝️ Catholic Themes and Lessons
Though based on a Lutheran play, Ordet resonates deeply with Catholic sensibilities:
Faith in miracles: The film critiques modern Christianity’s skepticism toward the supernatural. Johannes’ resurrection of Inger echoes Christ’s raising of Lazarus, challenging viewers to embrace radical belief.
Unity beyond doctrine: The film exposes divisions between Christian sects, suggesting that true faith transcends denominational boundaries.
The Word made flesh: The title Ordet means “The Word,” evoking John 1:14—“And the Word was made flesh.” Johannes embodies this incarnational mystery, blending madness with divine truth.
·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.
oLet’s kick off the day by celebrating National Button Day! Go through your closet and dig out any clothing that needs a button replaced or jazzed up. Get creative with mismatched buttons for a funky look.
§Next up, it’s Icelandic Language Day. Challenge yourself to learn a few Icelandic phrases online or listen to an Icelandic music playlist.
·Continue the fun by observing Louis Riel Day with a moment of reflection on the history and culture of the Métis people.
·For National Fast Food Day, treat yourself to a budget-friendly fast food meal of your choice. Make sure to savor every bite and maybe even try a new menu item.
oTo honor International Day for Tolerance, take time to educate yourself on different cultures and traditions through online resources or documentaries.
·Then, on Have a Party with Your Bear Day, gather your teddy bear or any plush toy for a mini celebration. Enjoy a cozy picnic indoors or set up a tea party for you and your fluffy friend. Don’t forget to snap some photos for memories.
oAs you wind down, mark Check Your Wipers Day by giving your car some TLC. Check your wipers for wear and tear, and if needed, replace them to ensure clear visibility on the roads.
Listen to some clarinet performances online or even attempt to play a tune yourself if you have a clarinet lying around.
oFinally, pay homage to Indiana Day. Research the state’s history, famous landmarks, or whip up a classic dish like cornbread or Hoosier pie to experience a taste of Indiana.
🤠 Bucket List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather”
7-day Austin Stay & Reflection Itinerary, anchored at Americas Best Value Inn Austin University (~$75/night). Each day blends Eucharistic rhythm, civic hospitality, and musical joy.
🎶 Austin Stay & Reflection Itinerary November 16–23 • Musical Joy, Eucharistic Rhythm Lodging: Americas Best Value Inn Austin University – Koenig Lane
Rejoice
if you love and no one loves you in return; for He has chosen you! Yet, there
is also the danger that you may have so much love for yourself: that there is
no room to love anyone, but yourself, and people are avoiding you out of
respect for the love affair you have with yourself. Remember the story of the
Grinch are you more like the Grinch or Cindy Lou Who.
The model of love for all true
discipleship is extreme, limitless life for your friends as Jesus modeled, the
price of discipleship will be high. Just as Christ was hated so it will be for
those of us who follow Him. You will be hated, persecuted, unaccepted. Yet,
know that the deep-down crime is that the secular world, the culture of death,
has seen the evidence and refused to believe. Jesus has spoken to them, he has
performed works never done before and they really know nothing about the Father
who sent Jesus and in hating Him they hate the Father also.[1]
Who are hypocrites?
Those who, in order to deceive
their neighbors, show themselves outwardly pious, while within they are full of
evil dispositions and malice; who have honey on the tongue, but gall in the
heart; who, like scorpions, sting when one least expects it. Such men are
cursed by God (Mai. i. 14). The Lord
hateth a mouth with a double tongue (Prov. viii. 13). “Assumed sanctity, says
St. Jerome, “is a double maliciousness.”[2]
Sounds like career Politician’s to me. Yet, this too
shall pass love endureth all things.
Copilot Take
On this Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost, as we honor St. Gertrude
and reflect on John 15:17–19, we are reminded that true discipleship is marked
not by comfort but by costly love. Christ commands us to love one another—not
as a sentiment, but as a sacrificial act that sets us apart from the world. If
we are hated, misunderstood, or rejected, it is because we do not belong to the
world; we belong to Him. Yet this love must not collapse into self-absorption.
Like the Grinch, we risk shrinking our hearts through self-love, leaving no
room for others. Instead, we are called to be like Cindy Lou Who—innocent,
generous, and open to redemption. Hypocrisy, with its sweet words and bitter
heart, is a spiritual poison that corrodes community and mocks holiness. But
love—true, cruciform love—endures all things. It is the fire that purifies, the
balm that heals, and the light that exposes the darkness. Let us rejoice if we
love and are unloved in return, for in that ache, we are chosen.
12.
In the Creator's plan, there is both a distinction and a close link between the
order of creation and the order of salvation. This is emphasized in the Old
Testament, when it links the "shabbat" commandment not only
with God's mysterious "rest" after the days of creation (cf. Ex
20:8-11), but also with the salvation which he offers to Israel in the
liberation from the slavery of Egypt (cf. Dt 5:12-15). The God who
rests on the seventh day, rejoicing in his creation, is the same God who
reveals his glory in liberating his children from Pharaoh's oppression.
Adopting an image dear to the Prophets, one could say that in both cases God
reveals himself as the bridegroom before the bride (cf. Hos 2:16-24;
Jer 2:2; Is 54:4-8).
As
certain elements of the same Jewish tradition suggest, to reach the heart of
the "shabbat", of God's "rest", we need to recognize
in both the Old and the New Testament the nuptial intensity which marks the
relationship between God and his people. Hosea, for instance, puts it thus in
this marvelous passage: "I will make for you a covenant on that day with
the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the
ground; and I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land; and I
will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever; I will
betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in
mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness; and you shall know the
Lord" (2:18-20).
Twenty-Third
Sunday after Pentecost[4]The focus of this
Sunday is a reminder of the Book of Life and the resurrection of the body.
THE Introit of the Mass consoles us, and encourages
us to confidence in God, who is so kind to us, and will not suffer us to be
always in tribulation. “The Lord saith, I think thoughts of peace, and not of
affliction. You shall call upon Me, and I will hear you, and I will bring back
your captivity from all places. Lord, thou hast blest Thy land, Thou hast
turned away the captivity of Jacob.”
Prayer.
Absolve, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the sins of Thy
people, that we may be delivered by Thy goodness from the bonds of sin which,
by our frailty, we have committed.
EPISTLE.
Phil. iii. 17-21; iv. 1-3.
Be followers of me, brethren, and observe them who
walk so as you have our model. For many walk, of whom I have told you often
(and now tell you weeping) that they are enemies of the cross of Christ; whose
end is destruction: whose God is their belly: and whose glory is in their
shame: who mind earthly things. But our conversation is in heaven: from whence
also we look for the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will reform the body of
our lowness, made like to the body of His glory, according to the operation
whereby also He is able to subdue all things unto Himself. Therefore, my dearly
beloved brethren, and most desired, my joy and my crown: so, stand fast in the
Lord, my dearly beloved. I beg of Evodia, and I beseech Syntyche to be of one
mind in the Lord. And I entreat thee also, my sincere companion, help those
women that have labored with me in the Gospel, with Clement and the rest of my
fellow- laborers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
Explanation.
In these words, the Apostle gives warning against
the false teachers of his day, who, although outwardly receiving and preaching
Christianity, in heart hated the strict requirements of Christian morals, and
lived according to their sensual lusts. He therefore cautions the faithful not
to take them for patterns, for they are only hastening to eternal perdition,
but rather to be followers of him, and of those who imitate his life. These
warnings and admonitions apply also to us. For are there not among us enemies
of the cross of Christ, who are called Christians, but who will have nothing to
do with self-denial, mortification, chastity, and such like virtues? who indeed
despise them, and count those who practice them fools? Let us not be led astray
by them. For what will be the end of them? Everlasting destruction. For he who
does not crucify his flesh does not belong to Christ (Gal. v. 24); whoever does
not bear about his body the dying of Christ, in his body the life of Christ,
will never be made manifest (n. Cor. iv. 10). Whoever does not already walk in
heaven, that is, direct his thoughts and desires to heavenly goods, will not
find admission there after death.
Ejaculation.
O my God would that I might
say, with St. Paul, the world is crucified to me, and I to the world (Gal. vi.
14).
At
that time, as Jesus was speaking to the multitudes, behold a certain ruler came
up, and adored Him, saying: Lord, my daughter is even now dead; but come, lay
Thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus rising up, followed him with
His disciples. And behold a woman who was troubled with an issue of blood
twelve years, came behind Him, and touched the hem of His garment. For she said
within herself: If I shall touch only His garment I shall be healed. But Jesus
turning and seeing her, said: Be of good heart, daughter, thy faith hath made
thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus was
come into the house of the ruler and saw the minstrels and the multitude making
a rout, he said: Give place, for the girl is not dead, but sleepeth. And they
laughed Him to scorn. And when the multitude was put forth, He went in, and
took her by the hand. And the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into
all that country.
Explanation
The
ruler and the woman here mentioned teach us that in diseases of body or of mind
we should have recourse to Jesus with faith and confidence; and even when the
malady continues, and seems to be incurable, we should not suffer our courage
to sink.
ON MOCKERY AND
RIDICULE
When
Jesus entered the house of Jairus, and said, the girl is not dead, but
sleepeth, the multitude laughed Him to scorn, because they understood neither
the meaning of His words nor what He was about to do. Similar treatment
sensual-minded men of the world often give to those servants of God who, by
word and example, preach the contempt of honors, riches, pleasures, and the
love of poverty, humility, and mortification. Permit not yourself to be led
astray by those who ridicule your zeal for virtue; pay no heed to them,
according to the example of Jesus, and trust in Him Who was Himself derided for
your sake. Say to yourself: I know, O dearest Jesus, that the servant is not
greater than his master. When Thou wast so often mocked, why should it appear
strange to me to be jeered at and called senseless for endeavoring to practice
devotion and virtue? I would not fare differently from Thee, my Lord and my
God.
St. Gertrude the Great, a Cistercian nun,
is one of the most lovable German saints from medieval times, and through her
writings she will remain for all ages a guide to the interior life. When she
was twenty-five years old (1281), Christ began to appear to her and to disclose
to her the secrets of mystical union. Obeying a divine wish, she put into
writing the favors of grace bestowed upon her. Her most important work, Legatus
Divinae Pietatis, "The Herald of Divine Love,".
All too few of us are blessed with the
opportunity for daily Mass and Communion. Even St. Gertrude herself had trouble
doing that (primarily due to her illnesses). In one of her writings, she
relates a conversation with Jesus in which they talked about the graces given
to daily communicants…with a surprising statement about when graces are NOT
given.
Here’s an excerpt from St. Gertrude’s
writings:
Gertrude said, “How far above me in
beatitude will those priests be who communicate every day to fulfill the duties
of their ministry!”
“It is true,” replied Our Lord, “that
those who celebrate worthily shall shine in great glory, but the love of him
who communicates with pleasure should be judged of very differently from the
exterior magnificence that appears in this mystery. There will be one reward
for him who has
approached with desire and love.
There will be another for him who
approaches with fear and reverence.
and another for him who is very diligent
in his preparation.
But those who habitually celebrate through
custom only shall have no share in My gifts.”
–The Life and Revelations of St. Gertrude
the Great
How many of us Catholics judge our
sanctity by the numbers of Masses and Communions we experience? Holiness is not
a numbers game, but a “heart game.” The most eloquent prayers–even the Mass
itself–are of little value without engagement of the heart. But prayers fueled
by love, devotion and confidence will move the highest mountains.
Reflection: At Communion time, we must
always be aware of the awesome significance of what we are about to do. Our
hearts must be in the game. It is Christ Himself, Creator of the Universe, whom
we receive in the form of the Host.
Before approaching the table of the Lord,
we pray to be worthy; we pray to be in the moment when God blesses us with this
indescribable Eucharistic miracle. We pray to be prepared.
Bible in a Year Day 134 The Counsel of Hushai
Fr. Mike explains the events of today's readings, breaking down
Hushai's advice to Absalom, David's warning and charge of Solomon, and the
theme of centralized worship. We all desire to be temples of the Holy Spirit,
and we bring this prayer to God through today's episode. Today's readings are 2
Samuel 17, 1 Chronicles 22, and Psalm 36.
oStart your day by practicing safety on National Seat Belt Day. Ensure you buckle up before hitting the road.
oMake a spicy guacamole snack to enjoy the flavor on National Spicy Guacamole Day.
oEmbrace comfort and togetherness on National Family PJ Day by lounging in your favorite pajamas with loved ones.
oShow appreciation for healthcare workers on Operating Room Nurse Day by sending a heartfelt thank you note or treat to a nurse you know.
oLoosen Up Lighten Up Day encourages you to let go of stress; try yoga, meditation, or simply taking a walk outside.
oFocus on quality aspects of your life on World Quality Day by reflecting on ways to improve and adjust where needed.
oCelebrate the joy and innocence of childhood on Children’s Day by engaging in playful activities or volunteering with kids. Honor World Diabetes Day by being mindful of your health; go for a walk, prepare a balanced meal, or schedule a check-up.
oDedicate time to family bonding on National American Teddy Bear Day; reminisce about childhood memories or share stories with loved ones.
oMake a crunchy snack to enjoy on National Pickle Day while embracing the simple pleasures in life.
Shenandoah National Park's stunning fall foliage and comfortable weather (think: temperatures in the low 50s to low 60s) last through mid-November, making this a great time to take in the landscape while exploring the park. Hit up the Virginia park's miles of hiking trails, including popular (albeit challenging) Old Rag Mountain and Fort Windham Rocks, which is part of the Appalachian Trail. Or, bring a bike and enjoy a scenic ride down tree-lined Skyline Drive. Read More
Travelers seeking a cheap European vacation should consider a November getaway to Portugal's capital city. Temperatures remain comfortably in the 50s and 60s throughout the month, and although you can expect an increase in precipitation, the lack of crowds and inexpensive hotel prices more than make up for the rain. You'll appreciate the extra elbow room while riding Tram 28, a must-see Lisbon symbol that takes tourists past top sights like St. George's Castle and many beautiful miradouros (scenic viewpoints). What's more, the popular yellow tram provides easy access to Alfama, Lisbon's picturesque historic district. Read More
Thursday Feast
Thursday is the day of the week that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday commemorates the last supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is the holiest day of the week. We should then try to make this day special by making a visit to the blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the grave of a loved one. Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank our Lord. Plan a special meal. Be at Peace.
Therefore a strong people will honor you, ruthless nations will FEAR you.
Pope Emiratis Benedict XVI wrote in his Theology of the Covenant that we are a people of many faiths with one covenant with God. Therefore, it is reasonable that strong people will honor us in our faith as we have the same covenant with the living God but may worship in a different way.
What are some of the traits we and our cousins in the covenant may have as strong people?
According to the daily elite-the voice of generation Y there are 20 things that strong people DON’T do[1]:
What Strong people DON’T do.
1.Dwell on the past (but stay in the present).
2.Stay in their comfort zone.
3.Refuse to listen to the opinion of others.
4.Avoid change.
5.Keep a closed mind (but are open to new ideas).
6.Let others make decisions for them.
7.Get jealous over the success of others.
8.Dwell on the possibility of failure (they keep a positive perspective).
9.Feel sorry for themselves.
10.Focus on their weaknesses.
11.Try to please people.
12.Blame themselves for things outside their control.
13.Be impatient.
14.Let misunderstandings continue.
15.Feel they are entitled or privileged.
16.Repeat mistakes.
17.Give into their fears.
18.Act without using prudence.
19.Refuse to help.
20.Quit.
However, on the other hand, we must realize that ruthless nations will fear a covenant people because ruthless nations are made up of ruthless people and ruthless people fear what they cannot control.
These are 6 assumptions that the ruthless people make according to Askmen.com.
·Emotion is to be avoided in all decision making.
·No tolerance for incompetence.
·Never forgive.
·Punish quickly and brutally.
·Instill fear in others.
·Stay focused and determined.
To be a people of the covenant we must remember the urgings of Christ that
“This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”(Mark 1:15).
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law of the prophets.” (Mt. 7:12)
Catechism of the Catholic Church
IV. The Sacraments of Salvation
Day 155
CHAPTER TWO-THE SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION OF THE PASCHAL MYSTERY
1135 The catechesis of the liturgy entails first of all an understanding of the sacramental economy (Chapter One). In this light, the innovation of its celebration is revealed. This chapter will therefore treat of the celebration of the sacraments of the Church. It will consider that which, through the diversity of liturgical traditions, is common to the celebration of the seven sacraments. What is proper to each will be treated later. This fundamental catechesis on the sacramental celebrations responds to the first questions posed by the faithful regarding this subject: - Who celebrates the liturgy? - How is the liturgy celebrated? - When is the liturgy celebrated? - Where is the liturgy celebrated?
Article 1-CELEBRATING THE CHURCH'S LITURGY
I. Who Celebrates?
1136 Liturgy is an "action" of the whole Christ (Christus totus). Those who even now celebrate it without signs are already in the heavenly liturgy, where celebration is wholly communion and feast.
The celebrants of the heavenly liturgy
1137 The book of Revelation of St. John, read in the Church's liturgy, first reveals to us, "A throne stood in heaven, with one seated on the throne": "the Lord God."1 It then shows the Lamb, "standing, as though it had been slain": Christ crucified and risen, the one high priest of the true sanctuary, the same one "who offers and is offered, who gives and is given."2Finally it presents "the river of the water of life . . . flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb," one of most beautiful symbols of the Holy Spirit.
1138 "Recapitulated in Christ," these are the ones who take part in the service of the praise of God and the fulfillment of his plan: the heavenly powers, all creation (the four living beings), the servants of the Old and New Covenants (the twenty-four elders), the new People of God (the one hundred and forty-four thousand), especially the martyrs "slain for the word of God," and the all-holy Mother of God (the Woman), the Bride of the Lamb, and finally "a great multitude which no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes, and peoples and tongues."
1139 It is in this eternal liturgy that the Spirit and the Church enable us to participate whenever we celebrate the mystery of salvation in the sacraments.
The celebrants of the sacramental liturgy
1140 It is the whole community, the Body of Christ united with its Head, that celebrates. "Liturgical services are not private functions but are celebrations of the Church which is 'the sacrament of unity,' namely, the holy people united and organized under the authority of the bishops. Therefore, liturgical services pertain to the whole Body of the Church. They manifest it, and have effects upon it. But they touch individual members of the Church in different ways, depending on their orders, their role in the liturgical services, and their actual participation in them." For this reason, "rites which are meant to be celebrated in common, with the faithful present and actively participating, should as far as possible be celebrated in that way rather than by an individual and quasi-privately."
1141 The celebrating assembly is the community of the baptized who, "by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood, that . . . they may offer spiritual sacrifices." This "common priesthood" is that of Christ the sole priest, in which all his members participate:
Mother Church earnestly desires that all the faithful should be led to that full, conscious, and active participation in liturgical celebrations which is demanded by the very nature of the liturgy, and to which the Christian people, "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a redeemed people," have a right and an obligation by reason of their Baptism.
1142 But "the members do not all have the same function." Certain members are called by God, in and through the Church, to a special service of the community. These servants are chosen and consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders, by which the Holy Spirit enables them to act in the person of Christ the head, for the service of all the members of the Church. The ordained minister is, as it were, an "icon" of Christ the priest. Since it is in the Eucharist that the sacrament of the Church is made fully visible, it is in his presiding at the Eucharist that the bishop's ministry is most evident, as well as, in communion with him, the ministry of priests and deacons.
1143 For the purpose of assisting the work of the common priesthood of the faithful, other particular ministries also exist, not consecrated by the sacrament of Holy Orders; their functions are determined by the bishops, in accord with liturgical traditions and pastoral needs. "Servers, readers, commentators, and members of the choir also exercise a genuine liturgical function."
1144 In the celebration of the sacraments it is thus the whole assembly that is leitourgos, each according to his function, but in the "unity of the Spirit" who acts in all. "In liturgical celebrations each person, minister or layman, who has an office to perform, should carry out all and only those parts which pertain to his office by the nature of the rite and the norms of the liturgy."
World Diabetes Day aims to raise awareness of diabetes, a disease that raises blood sugar. Diabetes can result in problems with other organs and significantly increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and death. As of 2015, approximately 1 in 10 adults worldwide is diabetic, a problem which poses a massive burden on nations as it threatens their health and economic prosperity. In 1991, World Diabetes Day was established by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in an effort to address the increasing number of diabetes cases and its burden on countries. Currently, diabetes prevalence is highest in the Middle East and Southern Asia while it is lowest in Sub Saharan Africa. Diabetes, especially type 2, has been linked to obesity and a sedentary, inactive lifestyle and thus World Diabetes Day also serves to promote a healthy and active lifestyle that can drastically reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
World Diabetes Day Facts & Quotes
·According to the World Health Organization, about 350 million people in the world have diabetes. The organization expects this number to double in the next two decades.
·More than 80% of deaths related to diabetes occur in low and middle-income countries.
·Type 2 diabetes is much more common than type 1. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90% of the world's diabetes cases.
·50% of people with diabetes die due to heart disease and stroke (cardiovascular diseases).
·I was determined to share my positive approach and not let diabetes stand in the way of enjoying my life - Paula Deen, celebrity chef.
World Diabetes Day Top Events and Things to Do
·Visit your doctor if you are overweight, obese, do not regularly exercise and do not eat a balanced diet. These are all factors that can cause diabetes.
·Participate in one of the American Diabetes Association's fundraising activities which include, The Tour de Cure, Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes, Rip's B.A.D. Ride or you can create your own fundraising event by using the organizations' online tools.
·Watch a documentary about diabetes and diabetes-related topics such as obesity, sugar consumption and fast food. Our favorites are Sugar Babies, The Human Trial, Simply Raw Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days and Diabetes Cure Documentary
·Learn about ways to control and lower the risk of developing diabetes. The American Diabetes Association provides some great ways to reduce your risk which include: 1) Eat a healthy balanced diet 2) Exercise regularly 3) Ensure that you are not overweight or obese 4) Remove unnecessary processed foods with high sugar content from your diet 5) Get checked for high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol levels
·Learn about the symptoms and signs of diabetes. Many cases of diabetes go undiagnosed for long periods of time while causing irreversible damage to the body. Some common signs and symptoms include: -Hunger -Fatigue -Frequent urination -Constant Thirst -Blurred vision