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. "
Starring: Virginia Bruce, Melvyn Douglas, Reginald Denny Director: Gordon Wiles
⭐ What Makes This Film Special
This is Columbia in its mid‑’30s refinement phase — polished, brisk, and built around the studio’s growing confidence in romantic melodrama softened by comedy. It’s also a fascinating echo of Ladies of Leisure (1930), but with the edges rounded by the Production Code and the emotional palette shifted from raw desperation to aspirational gentility.
Melvyn Douglas, as always, is the stabilizing center:
urbane without being aloof
emotionally available without sentimentality
a man whose decency is never performative
Virginia Bruce brings a luminous, almost aching dignity to the “showgirl with a past” archetype. She plays Gloria not as a fallen woman but as someone who refuses to let the world define her worth.
Reginald Denny adds the right amount of breezy charm, keeping the film from sinking into melodrama.
🧭 Plot in a Nutshell
Gloria Hudson (Bruce), a nightclub entertainer with a reputation she can’t quite outrun, crosses paths with wealthy artist Dick Stark (Douglas). Their connection is immediate but complicated by class expectations, social gossip, and Dick’s entanglement with the calculating Carol Coulter.
As Gloria tries to step into a better life, she discovers that love with a man from a different world requires courage — and that dignity sometimes means stepping back so the other person can see clearly.
The film moves lightly, but beneath the surface is a story about self‑respect, social barriers, and the quiet heroism of choosing the good even when it costs you.
💡 Themes
1. Class and the Illusion of Respectability
The film gently exposes how “respectability” is often a performance. Gloria’s past is judged more harshly than the manipulations of the wealthy, revealing the moral asymmetry of class.
2. The Dignity of the Outsider
Virginia Bruce plays Gloria with a moral steadiness that outshines the society people who look down on her. Her integrity becomes the film’s compass.
3. The Douglas Archetype
Douglas once again embodies the man who sees past surfaces — but only after being humbled. His arc is not about rescuing Gloria but about recognizing her worth.
4. Redemption Through Self‑Knowledge
The film suggests that love becomes possible only when each character confronts their own illusions:
Gloria’s belief that she doesn’t belong
Dick’s belief that he can live by society’s script
Carol’s belief that status can substitute for affection
🍷 A Hospitality Pairing
This film calls for something elegant but unpretentious — a nod to Gloria’s blend of glamour and groundedness.
Suggested pairing:
A dry sparkling wine (Cava or Prosecco — celebratory without pretense)
A small plate of fruit and soft cheese
A simple, candle‑lit setting that mirrors the film’s quiet yearning for beauty and belonging
This is a film best enjoyed in a reflective mood — not rushed, not distracted, but with space to appreciate the emotional gentleness beneath its studio gloss.
✨ A Spiritual Reflection
At its heart, Women of Glamour is about the truth that dignity is not bestowed by society — it is lived.
Gloria’s choices echo the spirit of Romans 12:16: “Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.”
She never demands honor; she simply lives in a way that reveals it.
Douglas’s character learns that love requires humility — the willingness to see another person as God sees them, not as society labels them.
The film becomes a quiet meditation on the holiness of seeing rightly.
Catholic Landscape: Rural France between the wars; a parish marked by spiritual indifference, grief, and quiet hostility
Plot Summary (Clean & Concise)
A young, unnamed priest arrives in the small parish of Ambricourt. He is physically frail, socially awkward, and spiritually earnest. His parishioners mock him, misunderstand him, or ignore him. He keeps a diary to make sense of his vocation, his suffering, and the silence of God.
He becomes entangled in the grief of the Count’s family—especially the Countess, who has lost a child and closed her heart to God. In a single luminous pastoral encounter, he helps her surrender her bitterness before she dies.
The priest’s own health collapses. He travels to a friend’s home, where he dies quietly, seemingly forgotten. His final words—“All is grace”—become the key to the entire film.
Catholic Moral & Spiritual Resonance
1. The Hidden Priesthood
Bresson gives us a priest who is:
mocked
misunderstood
physically broken
spiritually dry
Yet he remains faithful. His priesthood is not measured by success but by availability to grace. This is the priesthood of the Curé d’Ars, of Padre Pio, of every parish priest who labors unseen.
Lesson: Holiness is often invisible, unglamorous, and misunderstood—even by the holy person himself.
2. The Diary as Confession and Lectio
The priest’s diary is not self‑indulgence; it is:
a spiritual examen
a record of temptations
a search for God’s voice in desolation
It models the Catholic conviction that God speaks in the interior life, even when He seems silent.
3. The Countess Scene — A Masterclass in Pastoral Care
This is the film’s spiritual summit.
The priest, trembling and unsure, speaks with the Countess about her grief and bitterness. What unfolds is:
a spiritual breakthrough
a surrender of resentment
a return to trust in God
It is one of cinema’s greatest depictions of accompaniment, showing that grace often works through weakness, not strength.
4. Suffering as Participation in Christ
The priest’s stomach illness, exhaustion, and humiliation are not romanticized. They are simply there, like the Cross.
His suffering:
strips him of illusions
purifies his motives
unites him to Christ’s hidden life
Bresson refuses sentimentality. He shows the Catholic truth that grace does not remove suffering; it transfigures it.
5. “All is grace.”
The final line is the film’s theology in miniature.
It is not naïve optimism. It is:
a recognition that God wastes nothing
a surrender of self-judgment
a trust that even failure can be fertile soil
This is the spirituality of Thérèse of Lisieux, Bernanos, and the French school of holiness.
Catholic Landscape Notes
this film offers a rich French Catholic atmosphere:
rural parish life
the tension between faith and secular modernity
the legacy of French spiritual giants (Thérèse, Vianney, Bernanos)
the quiet endurance of the Church in a skeptical age
It’s a portrait of a Church wounded but alive, fragile but faithful.
Hospitality Pairing
Meal: A simple bowl of soup, a crust of bread, and a small glass of table wine Why:
The priest’s ascetic diet—often just bread soaked in wine—becomes a symbol of:
poverty
humility
Eucharistic longing
A simple meal honors the film’s spirit: nothing wasted, nothing extravagant, everything offered.
Conversation Starter:
“How do we recognize grace when it comes disguised as failure?”
Dates: March 2–9, 2026 Theme:Mississippi Gulf Coast Ordinary Time – Restoration, Rhythm & the Gentle Mercy of God Route: Key West → Biloxi → Ocean Springs → Gulfport → Bay St. Louis Style: Coastal contemplative pilgrimage, slow rhythms, Eucharistic mercy Climate Alignment: Daily highs 70–73°F (Mississippi Gulf Coast)
💰Estimated Cost Overview
Category
Estimated Cost
Lodging (7 nights)
~$720 (mid‑range coastal inns)
Food (daily meals)
~$260
Transit (flight + rental car)
~$340 (EYW → GPT + compact rental)
Symbolic extras
~$70
Total Estimate
~$1,390
🛏️Lodging Options
Biloxi: White House Hotel Bay St. Louis: Pearl Hotel
🌠 Day 1 – Monday, March 2
Location: Biloxi – Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Symbol:Mercy Begins Again Ritual Prompt: “Let God begin restoring what has worn thin.” Arrive from Key West; quiet cathedral visit + evening coastal walk. 🥗 Foodie Stop: Half Shell Oyster House (~$24)
🌊 Day 2 – Tuesday, March 3
Location: Ocean Springs – Front Beach Symbol:Rhythm Ritual Prompt: “Walk at the pace of grace.” Unhurried shoreline walk; journal on restoring healthy rhythms. 🍲 Foodie Stop: The Tatonut Donut Shop (~$12)
🌿 Day 3 – Wednesday, March 4
Location: Gulf Islands National Seashore – Davis Bayou Symbol:Renewal Ritual Prompt: “Let creation renew what the world has drained.” Boardwalk trails, marsh stillness, quiet prayer under the pines. 🥘 Foodie Stop: Aunt Jenny’s Catfish Restaurant (~$22)
🕊️ Day 4 – Thursday, March 5
Location: Biloxi – St. Michael the Archangel Church Symbol:Protection Ritual Prompt: “Stand under the wings of the Defender.” Visit the iconic fishermen’s church; pray the Prayer to St. Michael. 🍷 Foodie Stop: Mary Mahoney’s Old French House (~$32)
🌅 Day 5 – Friday, March 6
Location: Gulfport – Jones Park Pier Symbol:Steadfastness Ritual Prompt: “Hold steady in the winds of ordinary life.” Pier walk + Stations of the Cross in the open air. 🧺 Foodie Stop: Shaggy’s Gulfport Beach (~$20)
🌴 Day 6 – Saturday, March 7
Location: Bay St. Louis – Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church Symbol:Healing Ritual Prompt: “Let the Lord heal what you bring into the light.” Holy Hour + confession; quiet time in the church’s coastal garden. 🍽️ Foodie Stop: The Blind Tiger (~$26)
🌠 Day 7 – Sunday, March 8 (Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Location: Bay St. Louis – Our Lady of the Gulf (Sunday Mass) Symbol:Blessing Ritual Prompt: “Receive the blessing that prepares you for the next stretch.” Sunday Mass + blog reflection: “Gulf Coast Mercy & the Restoration of Rhythm.” 🍷 Foodie Stop: 200 North Beach Restaurant (~$34)
Our loving God knew
Israel would become full of hubris and haughtiness and forget the commandments
that He enjoined them, and they needed a savior. Let us not be like the Angels
of God who fell from heaven by an act of pride and rebellion by refusing to honor
Mary the Mother of God. Let us be like unto Gabriel who on announcing the
conception of Christ said to Mary:
Let
us this day emulate Christ’s mother and ours: Mary and never weary of union
with Christ through the most Holy Eucharist. This day try to spend some time in
the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
As
human beings, we long for connection with others, a sense that we belong to
each other. The greatest obstacle to this, many times, is that we have
difficulty trusting others. Embracing trust comes when we trust in God. Not
only are we called to trust in God, but as stewards of God’s mysteries, we are
called to be found trustworthy (1 Cor. 4:2).
How
do we navigate this course?
How
do we protect our hearts from the fears and anxieties that threaten to close
them?
St. Francis de Sales would say, “We shall steer safely
through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our
courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God.”
Copilot’s Take
The lesson from
Deuteronomy — that a people lose their way when reverence fades — applies far
beyond ancient Israel. Whenever a society forgets humility before God, it
inevitably forgets how to honor one another. The fallen angels fell through
pride; Israel stumbled through forgetfulness; and today we see similar
fractures in our civic life. The gestures we witness in public — including
leaders choosing not to participate in shared national moments — are not the
root problem but the symptom of a deeper spiritual drift. When reverence
collapses, unity collapses with it. When fear of the Lord diminishes, fear of
one another grows. The cultural atmosphere begins to mirror the interior
disorder of a people who no longer stand together before something greater than
themselves.
This is why Lent presses
us back into humility, Eucharistic union, and trustworthy friendship. Evil
isolates; grace gathers. Pride fractures; reverence heals. The way forward is
not outrage or analysis but conversion — beginning with our own hearts. A nation
cannot be healed by political attendance but by spiritual alignment. When we
return to the fear of the Lord, honor Mary as Gabriel did, and anchor ourselves
in the quiet strength of the Eucharist, we become the kind of people who can
rebuild trust, restore communion, and confront evil not with noise but with
holiness. The public sphere will always reflect the spiritual condition of its
people; therefore, the most powerful civic act is the interior one: a heart
right with God.
Monday of the Second
Week of Lent
GRANT, we beseech Thee, O
Almighty God, that Thy family, who, afflicting their flesh, abstain from food,
by following justice may fast from sin. Through Jesus. Amen.
EPISTLE.
Daniel ix. 15-19.
In those days Daniel
prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, Who hast brought forth Thy people
out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand, and hast made Thee a name as at
this day : we have sinned, we have committed iniquity, Lord, against all Thy
justice : let Thy wrath and Thy indignation be turned away, I beseech Thee,
from Thy city Jerusalem, and from Thy holy mountain. For by reason of our sins,
and the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem, and Thy people are a reproach to
all that are round about us. Now, therefore, O our God, hear the supplication
of Thy servant, and his prayers: and show Thy face upon Thy sanctuary which is
desolate, for Thy own sake. Incline, O my God, Thy ear and hear open Thy eyes,
and see our desolation, and the city upon which Thy name is called: for it is
not for our justifications that we present our prayers before Thy face, but for
the multitude of Thy tender mercies. O Lord, hear: O Lord, be appeased: hearken
and do:delay not for Thy own sake, O my God: because Thy name is invoked upon
Thy city, and upon Thy people.
GOSPEL.
At John viii. 21-29.
AT that time Jesus said to the
multitude of the Jews: I go, and you shall seek Me, and you shall die in your
sin. Whither 1 go, you cannot come. The Jews therefore said: Will He kill
Himself, because He said: Whither I go, you cannot come? And He said to them:
You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this
world. Therefore, I said to you, that you shall die in your sins. For if you
believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sin. They said therefore to
Him: "Who art Thou? Jesus said to them: The beginning, Who also speak unto
you. Many things I have to speak and to judge of you. But He that sent Me is
true : and the things I have heard of Him, these same I speak in the world. And
they understood not that He called God His Father. Jesus therefore said to them
: When you shall have lifted up the Son of man, then shall you know that I am
He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but as the Father hath taught Me, these
things I speak : and He that sent Me is with Me, and He hath not left Me alone
: for I do always the things that please Him.
Count Charles of Flanders
was called "the good" by the people of his kingdom. They named him
for what they found him to truly be. He was the son of St. Canute, king of
Denmark. Charles was just five years old when his father was murdered in 1086.
When Charles grew up, he married a good young woman named Margaret. Charles was
a mild and fair ruler. The people trusted him and his laws. He tried to be an
example of what he expected the people to be.
Some nobles accused
Charles of unjustly favoring the poor over the rich. He answered kindly,
"It is because I am so aware of the needs of the poor and the pride of the
rich." The poor of his realm were fed daily at his castles.
Charles ordered the
abundant planting of crops so that the people would have plenty to eat at
reasonable prices. Some wealthy men tried to hoard grain to sell at very high
prices. Charles the Good found out and forced them to sell immediately and at
fair prices. An influential father and his sons had been reprimanded by Charles
for their violent tactics. They joined the little group of enemies who now
wanted to kill him.
The count walked every
morning barefoot to Mass and arrived early at the Church of St. Donatian. He
did this in a spirit of penance. He longed to deepen his own spiritual life
with God. His enemies knew that he walked to church and also that he prayed often
alone before Mass. Many people who loved Charles feared for his life. They
warned him that his walks to St. Donatian could lead to his death. He replied,
"We are always in the middle of dangers, but we belong to God." One
morning, as he prayed alone before the statue of Mary, his attackers killed
him. Charles was martyred in 1127.
—Excerpted from Holy
Spirit Interactive
Patronage: counts; Crusaders; diocese of Burges, Belgium
Symbols and
Representation: nobleman with a purse and a sword;
depicted after his martyrdom in the cathedral; sword
I went to Bruges with my family when I was
stationed in Belgium, I believe I was in this church.
Bible in a
year Day 243 The
Lord’s Plans
Fr. Mike highlights verse 11 from Jeremiah 29:
"I know the plans I have for you...plans for welfare and not for evil, to
give you a future and a hope." Since we know God is a good Father, we too
can count on this promise and know that God has a plan for each of us. The
reading are Jeremiah 28-29, Daniel 10-11, and Proverbs 16:13-16.
A Jewish Holiday which commemorates Jewish people
being saved from extermination in Persia. The story of Purim comes from
the Biblical book of Esther. In it, Haman a high-ranking advisor to King
Ahasuerus sought to kil all Jews in ancient Persia. He is motivated by an
incident in which Mordechai, a Jewish leader, defied the king's orders and
refused to bow to Haman. Haman is stopped through the actions of Mordechai and
his niece Esther, a beautiful and courageous Jewish woman. Esther initially
disguises her Jewish Identity and eventually becomes Queen. Through their
actions the King becomes aware of Haman's plot and is persuaded to have him
hanged.
Purim Facts & Quotes
·Purim
is considered to be a joyous Holiday often accompanied by celebrations, plays,
festive food and costume parties.
·Purim
holiday is often preceded by fast, referred to as the Fast of Esther.
This fast commemorates Esther's three days of fasting in preparation for
her meeting with the king. The fast is observed from dawn until dusk on
the eve of Purim.
·The
story of Purim is told in the book of Esther, which is also known as "the
Scroll" (Megillah in Hebrew).
·If
I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me
my life - this is my petition, and the life of my people - this is my request.
(Esther 7:3)
Purim Top Events and Things to Do
·Make
a Mishloach Manot (also known as mishloach manos or
shalach manos). This is a gift of at least two kinds of food that are
ready to eat. Give them out to neighbors, friends and associates.
·Make
Hamantaschen cookies. These are pocket triangle
shaped cookies that are often made with fruit, poppy seed or cheese filling.
·Attend
a Purim Carnival or Festival. Some of the more popular
ones are the Carnival at Mamilla (Jerusalem) and Cirque Du Purim in
Minneapolis.
The winds of March point to the power of God's Spirit
working in us. We need to listen and respond to the gentle breezes of the
Spirit; but will we, or will we be too distracted? The rebirth of spring
reminds us of the energy of nature so that we ask ourselves whether we waste or
wisely use energy –electricity, oil, gas, etc. Can we and should we continue to
use nonrenewable fossil fuels, often with accompanying air pollution, at the
rate we do? Or will the environmental ills we cause today call us in the future
as a society to use wind and solar energy?
The entire month of
March is the liturgical season of Lent which is represented by the liturgical color
violet or purple — a symbol of penance, mortification and the sorrow of a
contrite heart. All saint days that are usually Memorials are shifted to
Optional Memorials during the season of Lent.
A Time of Penance and Promise
Here
and there in the stark March landscape, a few plants and trees are beginning to
give evidence of the new life that winter’s frost and chill had concealed from
our eyes. The Church’s vibrant new life has been obscured, too, by the
austerity of the penitential season of Lent. But that life is indisputable, and
it will burgeon forth on Easter as Christ coming forth from his tomb!
During
this month we will continue our journey to the cross with our acts of
penitence. We will reflect on our mortality ("Remember man thou art
dust") and the shortness of life ("and to dust thou shall
return"). We will heed the call, "Now is the acceptable time, now is
“the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).” Just like Our Lord's earthly life
every moment of our lives is leading up to the last moment—when for eternity we
will either go to God or suffer the fires of hell. During this month we will go
from the suffering of Good Friday to the joy of Easter Sunday. We will trade
the purple of penance for the white of victory and resurrection.
Let us
not tire of doing our good works and penance but continue with the enthusiasm
of the catechumens on their way to Easter and Baptism. May our Lenten
observance be a joyful journey — and not a forced march.
As the
weeks of Lent progress let us not tire of doing our good works and penance but
continue with the enthusiasm of the catechumens on their way to Easter and
Baptism. May our Lenten observance be a joyful journey — and not a forced
march.
“This
patronage must be invoked as ever necessary for the Church, not only as a
defense against all dangers, but also, and indeed primarily, as an impetus for
her renewed commitment to evangelization in the world and to
re-evangelization,” wrote St. John Paul II in Redemptoris Custos (Guardian
of the Redeemer).
John
Paul II further said, “Because St. Joseph is the protector of the Church, he is
the guardian of the Eucharist and the Christian family. Therefore, we must turn
to St. Joseph today to ward off attacks upon the real presence of Christ in the
Eucharist and upon the family. We must plead with St. Joseph to guard the
Eucharistic Lord and the Christian family during this time of peril.”
·Daytona, Florida-Bike Week February
27-March 8-Rev up for a week of diesel and fun at Daytona Bike Week.
The annual motorcycle rally attracts some of the fiercest bikers, clad in
leather (and sometimes little else) to celebrate the freedom of the open road.
·Las
Fallas in Valencia, SpainMarch 1-19 Enjoy a high-spirited fiesta in Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city.
The annual bash, held in commemoration of Saint Joseph, sees neighborhoods
transformed into lively parties over a boisterous five-day period.
·Holi
in IndiaMarch 2nd Celebrate Spring
with a dash of color. The annual Holi festival in India inspires revelers to
hit the streets, playfully throwing powdered colors on each other. Once your
clothes are doused with all sorts of hues, you’ll understand why this is called
a festival of colors.
·Patrick’s Day
March 17thDon your friendliest green for St.
Patrick’s Day. Boston is the place to be, with the city’s official St.
Patrick’s Day Parade drawing anywhere from 600,000 to 1 million people every
year.
·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.
If you’re up for an adventure, start your day with a big smile and share compliments with everyone you meet. Get into the spirit of spreading joy and positivity. Attend a wheelchair awareness event to show your support, then grab a cup of coffee at a local cafe to celebrate baristas. Try a peanut butter treat and spend time with a Welsh Corgi if you can find one. Research Endometriosis Awareness and support the cause online.
Later, plan your dream wedding or solo vacation. Take time to appreciate the artistry of black women in jazz. Indulge in a delicious fruit compote and a hearty meal to celebrate National Dadgum That’s Good Day.
Learn about the Asiatic Fleet Memorial and reflect on history. Support horse and pig protection causes. Thank someone special with a heartfelt compliment for World Compliment Day. Take a self-care day to manage stress, perhaps with a luxurious hotel slipper day at home.
Explore risk management ideas and make small changes at home for safety. Learn about Peace Corps volunteering or solo travel tips. Dive into seagrass conservation and environmental awareness. Remember the sacrifices made on Independence Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
End your day with a good book on your refired, not retired journey. Finally, enjoy a peaceful moment under the stars, appreciating the uniqueness of each weird holiday.
Events
oLas Fallas in Valencia, SpainMarch 1-19 Enjoy a high-spirited fiesta in Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city. The annual bash, held in commemoration of Saint Joseph, sees neighborhoods transformed into lively parties over a boisterous five-day period.
Claire’s Perfect Weather World Tour
🇲🇹 Week 9 — Valletta, Malta “Fortress Faith & Mediterranean Light” March 1–7, 2026 Base: Valletta — Baroque Capital by the Sea
🌦️ Overview Early March in Malta is warm, bright, and breezy — 62–68°F, perfect for walking the golden limestone streets and coastal paths. Malta is one of the oldest Christian nations on earth, shaped by St. Paul’s shipwreck and centuries of fortress faith. Theme: resilience, apostolic courage, and walking with God in Mediterranean light.
The
apostles during the transfiguration heard the voice of the Father; saw the
light of the Holy Spirit and were touched by the Son of God, Christ the
Messiah. They fully experienced the triune God which empowered them for the
trial ahead.
Copilot
The Gospel of the Transfiguration shows the apostles
overwhelmed by the Father’s voice, the Spirit’s radiance, and the touch of
Christ Himself. They fall in fear—not the fear of evil, but the awe that comes
when human frailty meets divine majesty. This is the heart of Reminiscere, the
ancient cry of the Church: “Remember, O Lord, Your mercies.” Lent begins by
reminding us that courage is born from remembering who God is. Fear loses its
grip when we recall the glory we have already seen, the covenant we belong to,
and the Beloved Son to whom we are commanded to listen.
This remembering becomes the foundation for confronting
evil. Jesus does not give the apostles a strategy or a warning; He gives them
His presence. “Rise, and do not be afraid.” Evil is not defeated by staring
into the shadows but by fixing our eyes on “Jesus alone.” His touch steadies
the heart, His voice cuts through deception, and His glory exposes every
counterfeit power. The Transfiguration teaches that holy fear—reverence before
God—drives out the paralyzing fear that evil tries to sow. We confront darkness
not by our strength but by proximity to Christ, who stands between us and every
storm.
Here La Falla becomes a vivid Lenten symbol. In Valencia,
towering monuments of vanity, corruption, and human folly are burned to ash in
a single night. What is false cannot survive the fire. The same truth unfolds
on the mountain: the light of Christ reveals what is real and consumes what is
hollow. When the cloud lifts, the apostles see “Jesus alone” because everything
else—fear, confusion, the illusions of evil—has been burned away by divine
clarity. Lent invites us into that same purification: to remember God’s mercy,
to stand unafraid in Christ’s presence, and to let His light reduce every
falsehood in us to ash.
Rosary Virtue — Spiritual Courage
In this mystery, the Rosary gives us the virtue of spiritual
courage, which is simply the Transfiguration lived out in daily life.
Reminiscere teaches us to remember God’s mercy; La Falla shows us that what is
false must burn; and the mountain reveals that courage is born not from our
strength but from Christ’s touch. Spiritual courage is the grace to rise when
fear presses down, to walk toward the Cross with clarity instead of confusion,
and to let the light of Christ expose every illusion that evil tries to cast.
It is the courage to remember what we have seen on the mountain, to carry that
fire into the valleys below, and to stand firm because the Beloved Son walks
beside us.
The Day of the Risen Lord
and of the Gift
of the Holy Spirit
The
day of the gift of the Spirit
28.
Sunday, the day of light, could also be called the day of "fire", in
reference to the Holy Spirit. The light of Christ is intimately linked to the
"fire" of the Spirit, and the two images together reveal the meaning
of the Christian Sunday. When he appeared to the Apostles on the evening of
Easter, Jesus breathed upon them and said: "Receive the Holy Spirit. If
you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any,
they are retained" (Jn 20:22-23). The outpouring of the Spirit was
the great gift of the Risen Lord to his disciples on Easter Sunday. It was
again Sunday when, fifty days after the Resurrection, the Spirit descended in
power, as "a mighty wind" and "fire" (Acts 2:2-3),
upon the Apostles gathered with Mary. Pentecost is not only the founding event
of the Church but is also the mystery which forever gives life to the Church.
Such an event has its own powerful liturgical moment in the annual celebration
which concludes "the great Sunday", but it also remains a part of the
deep meaning of every Sunday, because of its intimate bond with the Paschal
Mystery. The "weekly Easter" thus becomes, in a sense, the
"weekly Pentecost", when Christians relive the Apostles' joyful
encounter with the Risen Lord and receive the life-giving breath of his Spirit.
AT the Introit to-day the Church asks of God the grace to
fall -no more into sin: Remember, O God, Thy bowels of compassion, and Thy
mercies that are from the beginning of the world, lest at any time our enemies
rule over us; deliver us, O God, from all our tribulations. To Thee, O Lord,
have I lifted up my soul. In Thee, O God, I put my trust, let me not be
ashamed; (Ps. xxiv.).
Prayer.
O God, Who beholdest
us destitute of every virtue, preserve us both inwardly and outwardly, that we
may be defended from all adversities in body, and purified from all evil
thoughts in mind.
EPISTLE, i. Thess. iv. 1-7.
Brethren: We pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as
you have received of us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you
would walk, that you may abound the more. For you know what precepts I have
given to you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your
sanctification: that you should abstain from fornication, that every one of you
should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor: not in the
passion of lust, like the gentiles that know not God: and that no man overreach,
nor circumvent his brother in business: because the Lord is the avenger of all
these things, as we have told you before, and have testified: for God hath not
called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification.
Explanation. St.
Paul exhorts all Christians to live chastely and honestly, and continually to
aspire to higher perfection. Such is the will of God, Who has called us to
holiness, and will punish severely all impurity and injustice.
Prayer.
Grant, O Lord, that,
according to my vocation, I may never be addicted to earthly and fleshly lusts
like the heathen, who know Thee not, but may live in modesty, chastity, and
holiness, and adorn my name as a Christian with good works. Amen.
Traditionally for this Sunday Paul
exhorts us to keep up our progress and we hear the story of the Transfiguration
as a heartening foretaste of Christ's ultimate triumph.
GOSPEL. Matt. xvii. 1-9.
At that time: Jesus taketh unto Him Peter and James, and
John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart: and He was
transfigured before them. And His face did shine as the sun: and His garments
became white as snow. And behold there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking
with Him. And Peter, answering, said to Jesus: Lord, it is good for us to be
here: if Thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles, one for Thee, and one
for Moses, and one for Elias. And as he was yet speaking, behold a bright cloud
overshadowed them. And lo a voice out of the cloud saying: This is My beloved
Son, in Whom I am well pleased: hear ye Him. And the disciples, hearing, fell
upon their face: and were very much afraid. And Jesus came and touched them:
and said to them: Arise, and fear not. And they lifting up their eyes saw no
one, but only Jesus. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged
them, saying: Tell the vision to no man, till the Son of man be risen from the
dead.
Why was Jesus transfigured before
His disciples on Mount Tabor?
1. To give them manifest proof of
His divinity.
2. To prevent all doubt on their
part when they should see Him on Mount Calvary.
3. To encourage all the faithful to
patience under agony and suffering.
4. To show us how our glorified
bodies shall rise from the dead (i. Cor. xv. 52).
Why did Moses and Elias appear with
Our Lord?
To
testify that Jesus was the Savior of the word spoken of by the law and the
prophets.
Reflect: “The
Transfiguration reminds us that the joys sown by God in life are not finishing
lines; rather they are the lights he gives us during our earthly pilgrimage in
order that “Jesus alone” may be our Law and his word the criterion that directs
our existence.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus, February 28, 2010)
Pray: Pray for
strength today to continue your Lenten promises and fasting with this prayer
from Catholic
Relief Services. . . .
Act: It’s the
second Sunday of Lent, but there are three more to go. Rededicate yourself to
your Lenten promises today and enter the week ready to tackle what’s
ahead.
Italy is not the only
country that claims great love for Saint Joseph. Here's an explanation of the
festivities in Valencia, Spain.
·Among
the many folk festivals of Spain which each year attract large numbers of
tourists, Saint Joseph's Day in Valencia takes a unique position. La Falla
de San Chusep, as it is called in the local dialect, has been celebrated
for centuries, and it is perhaps the most spectacular, the most colorful of all
Spanish holidays. It starts on March 13 and attains its gala climax six days
later, after a solid week of fun and festivities.
·San
Chusep (St. Joseph) is the patron saint of Valencia, and since the sixteenth
century his day has been celebrated by the city's artisans and craftsmen with a
great deal of zest, humor, and originality. In the Valencian dialect, falla
means "pyre." It seems that the term originated in the annual custom
of the carpenters who cleaned their shops of shavings and discarded wood at
this time of the year and burned the debris with a short ceremony. With the
scraps, a comical wooden figure depicting the most inept and backward of the
carpenter's apprentices was thrown into the flames. Eventually this developed
into a local tradition with all the guilds participating in the burning of
humorous and satirical effigies of animals, people, or subjects of local or
national ridicule and scorn. Apparently the falla figures are also a
product of Baroque art, with its emphasis on painting on wood, for which
Valencia's craftsmen became justly famous.
·Today,
each guild, club, or association builds a falla of wood or papier-mâché.
A queen, la reine del Falla, is chosen, and a band accompanies the
queen, her court, and the falla to the contest on the main plaza of
Valencia. The lavish preparations for the festival attract artists and
musicians from the provinces who help the various groups build and exhibit
their entries to the contest of falla. During the week, bullfights are
held every day. The streets are jammed with visitors admiring the fallas.
In decorated booths and pavilions food and drinks are being served. And in the
streets and on the city squares people dance to the music of the innumerable
bands which accompany the fallas.
·The
best productions in art and music are judged for subject matter and
presentation and awarded prizes. The most outstanding falla is
transferred to a special museum which harbors the prize winners of previous
years. On March 19, at midnight, all the other fallas, some towering
three stories in height, are burned in huge bonfires. Strings of firecrackers
explode around the plaza, and elaborate fireworks illuminate the scene with
brilliant flashes of color. As each falla crumbles into ashes, the
crowds shout with glee amidst the furiously burning pyres. As the fires slowly
burn down to the last embers, the merrymakers leave the scene, exhausted and
jubilant, already dreaming of next year, of the next falla.
Bible in a
year Day 242 King
Nebuchadnezzar's Role
Fr. Mike explains why God
asks his people to surrender to king Nebuchadnezzar even though it seems
contradicting. We learn that God can use evil circumstances to win the hearts
of his people back. In Daniel, as we read about the vision of the ram and the
goat, Fr. Mike reminds us that prophecy is always shrouded in mystery. Today we
read Jeremiah 26-27, Daniel 8-9, and Proverbs 16:9-12.
The Caisson Horses of The
Old Guard participate in all Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps Full Honors
Funerals performed in Arlington National Cemetery. These magnificent animals
serve with the men of the Caisson Platoon daily to ensure final honors are given
in a dignified, professional, and respectful manner; and they love their job.
Each Caisson Horse offered for adoption has served on average for over a
decade. During the course of their service, they participate in thousands of
funerals for our nation’s heroes. Because of the long and distinguished service
of each and every horse in our stables, The Old Guard has introduced the
Caisson Horse Adoption Program to ensure each horse is rewarded with a great
home following its well-earned retirement.
The primary goal of the Caisson Horse
Adoption Program is to select a home for a retiring Caisson Horse. The program
publishes Horses ready for retirement to a website, identifies potential
adopters, and selects the best candidate from a pool of applicants seeking to
adopt a retired Caisson Horse. The specifics of the Caisson Horse Adoption
Program is governed by The Old Guard.
Starring: Melvyn Douglas, Merle Oberon, Burgess Meredith Director: Ernst Lubitsch
⭐ What Makes This Film Special
This is Lubitsch in his late‑period mode — lighter, airier, and more psychologically playful than his pre‑Code work. Instead of the sparkling sexual innuendo of Trouble in Paradise, you get a comedy of manners built around emotional hesitation, marital drift, and the strange ways people rediscover each other.
Douglas is at his best here:
smooth but not smug
wounded but never pathetic
witty without ever breaking the emotional truth of the scene
Merle Oberon brings a cool, refined presence that plays beautifully against Douglas’s warmth. And Burgess Meredith — as the neurotic, self‑absorbed pianist — is the perfect destabilizing force.
🧭 Plot in a Nutshell
A married woman (Oberon) develops hiccups — a classic Lubitsch metaphor for emotional blockage — and visits a psychoanalyst. There she meets a temperamental pianist (Meredith) who draws her into a flirtation that threatens her marriage to her steady, affectionate husband (Douglas).
The comedy comes not from slapstick but from the elegant dance of misunderstandings, hesitations, and the subtle ways people test the boundaries of loyalty.
💡 Themes
1. The Fragility of Contentment
Lubitsch suggests that marriages don’t fall apart from catastrophe but from boredom, routine, and the desire to feel “interesting” again.
2. The Comedy of Self‑Discovery
Oberon’s character isn’t malicious — she’s simply trying to understand herself. The film treats this with gentleness rather than judgment.
3. The Douglas Touch
He plays the husband as a man who refuses to fight dirty. His dignity becomes the film’s moral center — and ultimately its romantic engine.
4. Lubitsch’s Moral Playfulness
No one is a villain. Everyone is a little foolish. And love, in the end, is something you choose again, not something you merely possess.
🍷 A Hospitality Pairing
This film pairs beautifully with something light, civilized, and slightly effervescent — a nod to the hiccup motif and the emotional carbonation of the story.
Suggested pairing:
A chilled white (Riesling or Gewürztraminer)
Light European snacks — olives, almonds, a soft cheese
A quiet evening where conversation can drift as easily as the film’s tone
✨ A Spiritual Reflection
The film quietly affirms that fidelity isn’t just about resisting temptation — it’s about remembering the goodness of what you already have.
Douglas’s character embodies Romans 12:10 without ever quoting it: “Outdo one another in showing honor.”
He honors his wife even when she is uncertain of herself, and that honor becomes the path home.
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