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. "
Introduction: What If We Rewarded the People Who Hold the Country Together?
Every nation has to decide what it values.
Some reward consumption.
Some reward speculation.
Some reward short-term gain.
But what if America chose to reward the people who actually build the country?
What if the path to homeownership — the heart of the American Dream — became easier for those who commit to marriage, raise children, serve their communities, defend the nation, and carry the weight of a lifetime of work into retirement?
Imagine a mortgage system built around civilizational priorities, not bank profits:
–1% mortgage rate for getting married
–1% for each child born or adopted
–1% for military service
–1% for public service (teachers, nurses, first responders)
–1% at retirement
This isn’t a gimmick.
It’s a demographic, economic, and cultural strategy — one that could reshape the country for the better.
Let’s explore the positives, the challenges, and how such a system could help renew the American spirit.
The Positives: How This Strengthens the Nation
1. Marriage Becomes a Foundation, Not a Luxury
A 1% mortgage-rate reduction is a life-changing incentive.
It encourages earlier, more stable marriages — the kind that anchor neighborhoods and raise confident children.
2. Children Become a National Investment
A 1% reduction per child transforms the financial equation.
Families can grow without fear of being priced out of their own future.
Demographic decline slows. Hope rises.
3. Service Is Honored in a Tangible Way
Veterans, teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, EMTs — the people who keep the country alive — receive real, measurable gratitude.
Not a bumper sticker.
Not a slogan.
A home.
4. Retirement Becomes More Secure
A 1% reduction at retirement honors the long arc of contribution.
It keeps seniors in their homes and reduces poverty in old age.
5. Homeownership Expands and Neighborhoods Stabilize
More families qualify for homes.
More children grow up with roots.
More communities flourish.
6. The Economy Grows from the Bottom Up
Children today are tomorrow’s workers, innovators, and taxpayers.
Stable families reduce social costs and increase civic engagement.
This is long-term economic strategy, not short-term accounting.
The Negatives: Real Challenges to Address
1. Housing Prices Could Rise
More demand without more supply pushes prices upward.
This must be paired with zoning reform and incentives for builders.
2. Banks Lose Interest Revenue
Lower rates mean lower profits.
Government-backed programs would need to bridge the gap.
3. Singles May Feel Overlooked
Any pro-family policy risks appearing unfair.
Parallel incentives for community service or elder care could balance the system.
4. Administrative Complexity
Tracking marriages, births, service records, and retirement status requires coordination.
Fortunately, the infrastructure already exists — it simply needs integration.
5. Incentive Timing
Couples may time marriages or pregnancies around mortgage qualification.
But this simply proves the incentive works.
How This Could Renew America
This policy does more than adjust interest rates.
It reshapes the cultural imagination.
It says:
Marriage matters.
Children matter.
Service matters.
Elders matter.
Homeownership matters.
Stability matters.
It re-centers the American Dream around the people who build the future — not the people who extract from it.
It strengthens the middle class, stabilizes neighborhoods, honors sacrifice, and restores a sense of shared purpose.
It creates a culture where the most important work — forming families, raising children, serving communities — is not punished but prized.
This is how a nation renews itself.
Conclusion: A Nation Worth Building Again
A mortgage system that rewards marriage, children, service, and retirement is more than a financial policy.
It is a moral vision.
It tells young couples: “Build a home. Build a family. We’re with you.”
It tells veterans and public servants: “Your sacrifice is seen. Your stability matters.”
It tells retirees: “You carried us. Now we honor you.”
And it tells the entire country: “The future is worth investing in.”
America becomes great not through slogans, but through families, communities, and shared sacrifice.
This policy strengthens all three.
If we want a nation that is strong, stable, hopeful, and growing, then we must reward the people who make that possible.
Rarotonga, Cook Islands — “Baptism Waters of the Pacific”
January 4–10, 2026
Jan 4 – Arrival in Rarotonga (Epiphany Sunday)
Flight: Bariloche → Buenos Aires → Auckland → Rarotonga (typical $1,450–$1,750 per person) • Mass: St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Arorangi – Epiphany Mass at 9:00 AM • Lodging: The Edgewater Resort & Spa (~$185/night) • Meals: ~$75/day (fresh tuna, taro, tropical fruit) • Symbolic Act: Walk the lagoon shoreline and journal on “The Light to the Nations.”
Jan 5 – Lagoon Clarity Day (Monday after Epiphany)
Visit: Muri Lagoon – kayaking + snorkeling • Mass: St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Avarua – Daily Mass at 7:00 AM • Lodging: Edgewater Resort (~$185/night) • Meals: ~$70/day (beach café lunch + island BBQ dinner) • Symbolic Act: Collect a small shell as a reminder of clarity.
Jan 6 – Feast of the Epiphany (Traditional Date)
Visit: Punanga Nui Market (Avarua Market) – crafts, pearls, local culture • Mass: St. Mary’s Catholic Church – Epiphany liturgy • Lodging: Edgewater Resort (~$185/night) • Meals: ~$75/day (poke bowl lunch + grilled mahi‑mahi supper) • Symbolic Act: Offer a small gift to a local vendor — your “gold, frankincense, or myrrh.”
Jan 7 – Island Circle Day (Wednesday after Epiphany)
Visit: Full island loop via Rarotonga Bus – scenic stops + village churches • Mass: St. Joseph’s Cathedral – Daily Mass at 7:00 AM • Lodging: Edgewater Resort (~$185/night) • Meals: ~$70/day (roadside fruit stand + island curry dinner) • Symbolic Act: Write a reflection titled “God in the Ordinary Villages.”
Jan 8 – Mountain Interior Trek (Thursday after Epiphany)
Visit: Cross‑Island Trek with guide – rainforest + “The Needle” • Mass: St. Mary’s – Daily Mass at 7:00 AM • Lodging: Edgewater Resort (~$185/night) • Meals: ~$70/day (mountain café lunch + seafood supper) • Tickets: ~$55 guided trek • Symbolic Act: Reflect on “The Needle” as a symbol of direction and discernment.
Jan 9 – Baptism Waters Day (Friday after Epiphany)
Visit: Wigmore’s Waterfall + lagoon swim • Mass: St. Joseph’s Cathedral – Daily Mass at 7:00 AM • Lodging: Edgewater Resort (~$185/night) • Meals: ~$70/day (tropical smoothie lunch + Polynesian dinner) • Symbolic Act: Renew your baptismal promises privately at the waterfall.
Jan 10 – Farewell to Rarotonga (Saturday after Epiphany)
Visit: Black Rock Beach – volcanic stones + sunset • Mass: St. Mary’s – Saturday Vigil at 6:00 PM • Lodging: Edgewater Resort (~$185/night) • Meals: ~$70/day (farewell island supper) • Symbolic Act: Leave a written prayer of thanksgiving tucked under a Black Rock stone.
💰 Cost Snapshot (Jan 4–10 Rarotonga Week)
Lodging (6 nights): ~$1,110 Meals (7 days): ~$490–$510 Tickets/Activities: ~$55–$75 Local Transport: ~$120–$150 Flight Bariloche → Rarotonga: ~$1,450–$1,750 round trip per person
➡️ Total per person: ~$3,225–$3,595 for the Rarotonga week
JANUARY 4 Epiphany Sunday
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton-11th
Day of Christmas-Spaghetti
Genesis, Chapter
31, verse 31
Jacob answered
Laban, 'I was AFRAID, thinking you
were going to snatch your daughters from me.
According to
Kabalistic sources[1]
Laban was a powerful man. Laban was a
magi and the whole world feared him. Jacob feared him too, and that was why he
fled from Laban in the middle of the night with his wives Rachel and Leah.
Laban had cheated Jacob many times but in spite of Laban’s sly tricks God had
ensured that Jacob prospered. Jacob feared Laban but when the Lord said to him,
“Go back to the land of your fathers and to your relatives, I will be with
you”, he did so, but in secret. It is natural to fear powerful men or women who
can do us grave harm. What does a person do who finds themselves afraid of
powerful, selfish and perhaps evil people? Naturally your choices are you can
either fight, run, do nothing, come to a compromise or grow by developing a
third alternative as described by the late Dr. Steven Covey[2].
That is to come to a solution that is better than Jacob or Laban in this
example, could have come up on their own.
In this case God intervened for Jacob by coming to Laban in a dream
warning him not to harm Jacob and as a result both Laban and Jacob came up with
a solution that was better than they separately had in mind; and parted as
friends. Next time you are faced with fear;
resist the temptation to react in the classic fight or flight method and try to
discover a way for everyone to win. That is not always possible but that should
be your goal.
Copilot’s Take
Fear often
convinces us that the powerful hold the final word, but Epiphany reminds us
that God’s revelation always outruns human intimidation. Jacob fled because he
saw only Laban’s strength, yet God was already at work in the
unseen—redirecting motives, restraining harm, and preparing a path neither man
could have imagined alone. When we face people whose influence feels
overwhelming or whose intentions seem selfish or destructive, the invitation is
not to collapse into fight or flight but to pause long enough for God to reveal
the third way: the path of creative fidelity, truth without violence, courage
without recklessness, and reconciliation without surrender. It won’t always be
possible, but it is always worth seeking, because the God who intervened for
Jacob still steps into human conflict with light strong enough to break cycles
of fear.
The Day of the Risen Lord
and of the Gift
of the Holy Spirit
The
weekly Easter
19.
"We celebrate Sunday because of the venerable Resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and we do so not only at Easter but also at each turning of the
week": so wrote Pope Innocent I at the beginning of the fifth century,
testifying to an already well established practice which had evolved from the
early years after the Lord's Resurrection. Saint Basil speaks of "holy
Sunday, honored by the Lord's Resurrection, the first fruits of all the other
days"; and Saint Augustine calls Sunday "a sacrament of Easter".
The
intimate bond between Sunday and the Resurrection of the Lord is strongly
emphasized by all the Churches of East and West. In the tradition of the
Eastern Churches in particular, every Sunday is the anastàsimos hemèra,
the day of Resurrection, and this is why it stands at the heart of all worship.
In
the light of this constant and universal tradition, it is clear that, although
the Lord's Day is rooted in the very work of creation and even more in the
mystery of the biblical "rest" of God, it is nonetheless to the
Resurrection of Christ that we must look in order to understand fully the
Lord's Day. This is what the Christian Sunday does, leading the faithful each
week to ponder and live the event of Easter, true source of the world's
salvation.
Epiphany Sunday
WHAT mystery does
the Church celebrate today?
She celebrates
to-day a threefold mystery:
1. The arrival in Bethlehem of the Wise Men from
the East to adore the new-born, Savior.
2. The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.
3. The first miracle of Jesus at the wedding in
Cana.
Why is this
festival called Epiphany, or the manifestation?
Because in the
three events just mentioned Jesus manifested Himself not only to the Jews, but
also to the gentiles, as the expected Messiah, the Redeemer of the world, and
the beloved of His heavenly Father. The Church sings to-day with joy at the
Introit, “Behold the Lord, the Ruler, is come, and a kingdom in his hand, and
power and dominion” (Mai. iii. 1). “Give to the king Thy judgment, O God, and
to the king’s son Thy justice” (Ps. Ixxi. 2).
Prayer.
O God, Who
didst on this day reveal Thy only-begotten Son to the gentiles by the guidance
of a star, grant in Thy mercy that we, who know Thee now by faith, may be
brought to be hold the beauty of Thy majesty.
EPISTLE.
Is. Ix. 1-6.
Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light
is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold darkness
shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall arise upon
thee: and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the gentiles shall walk in thy
light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thy eyes round about
and see all these- are gathered together, they are come to thee: thy sons shall
come from afar and thy daughters shall rise up at thy side. Then shalt thou see
and abound, and thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of
the sea shall be converted to thee, the strength of the gentiles shall come to
thee. The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Madian and
Epha: all they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and
showing forth praise to the Lord.
Of what does the
prophet here speak?
He foretells
the future manifestation of the light of the Lord Jesus to Jerusalem, which was
a type of the Church, and that by that light the gentiles should enter into the
one Church of Christ.
Prayer.
Give praise, O
ye heavens, and rejoice, O earth; ye mountains, give praise with jubilation,
because the Lord hath comforted His people, and will have mercy upon His poor
ones (Is. xlix. 13).
GOSPEL. Matt. ii.
1-12.
When Jesus, therefore, was born in Bethlehem of
Juda, in the days of King Herod, behold, there came Wise Men from the East to
Jerusalem, saying: Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen
His Star in the East and are come to adore Him. And King Herod hearing this,
was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling together all the chief
priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be
born. But they said to him, In Bethlehem of Juda: for so it is written by the
prophet: And thou Bethlehem, the land of Juda, art not the least among the
princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the Captain that shall rule
My people Israel. Then Herod, privately calling the Wise Men, learned
diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them: and sending
them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child: and when
you have found Him, bring me word again, that I also may come and adore Him.
Who having heard the king, went their way: and behold, the star which they had
seen in the East, went before them, until it came and stood over where the
child was. And seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And
entering into the house, they found the child with Mary, His Mother, and falling
down, they adored Him: and opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts,
gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having received an answer in sleep that they
should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.
Why did the Wise Men come from afar to
seek the Savior in Jerusalem?
They lived in Arabia, and had acquired some
information of the prophecies of Israel, particularly of the noted prophecy of
Balaam, “A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a scepter shall spring up from
Israel” (Num. xxiv. IT), which was the more significant to them because they
were, as their name denotes, skilled in astronomy. But to these human
considerations must be added the light of divine inspiration, as St. Leo says,
“The star shone also in their hearts a beautiful example for us to follow,
without delay, the inspirations of divine grace, and to do the will of God
without fear of men”.
What was the significance of the presents
which the Wise Men offered to the Savior?
In offering gold, the Wise Men honored the infant
Jesus as King; in frankincense, as God; in myrrh, as suffering Man.
How can we offer to Jesus similar gifts?
We can present Him with gold by giving up to Him
what we value most, our will; also, by giving alms in His name to the poor. We
can present Him incense in fervent and devout prayers ascending to heaven; and
myrrh, by preserving purity of body and soul.
Prayer.
Give to me, O my divine Savior, the faith of these
Wise Men; enlighten my understanding with the light which enlightened them; but
move my heart also, that I may follow that light, and sincerely seek Thee, and
Thee only, Who didst first seek me. Grant that I may find and adore Thee, with
the Wise Men, in spirit and in truth, offering to Thee, like them, gold in my
obedience and alms, incense in my prayers, myrrh in my penances and
mortifications, that, after having brought Thee the offerings of my faith on earth,
I may adore Thee in Thy eternal glory. Amen.
This wife, mother and foundress of a religious
congregation was born Elizabeth Ann Bayley on August 28, 1774, in New York
City, the daughter of an eminent physician and professor at what is now
Columbia University. Brought up as an Episcopalian, she received an excellent
education, and from her early years she manifested an unusual concern for the
poor.
In 1794 Elizabeth married William Seton, with whom she
had five children. The loss of their fortune so affected William's health that
in 1803 Elizabeth and William went to stay with Catholic friends at Livorno,
Italy. William died six weeks after their arrival, and when Elizabeth returned
to New York City some six months later, she was already a convinced Catholic.
She met with stern opposition from her Episcopalian friends but was received
into full communion with the Catholic Church on March 4, 1805.
Abandoned by her friends and relatives, Elizabeth was
invited by the superior of the Sulpicians in Baltimore to launch a school for
girls in that city. The school prospered, and eventually the Sulpician
superior, with the approval of Bishop Carroll, gave Elizabeth and her
assistants a rule of life. They were also permitted to make religious
profession and to wear a religious habit.
In 1809 Elizabeth moved her young community to
Emmitsburg, Maryland, where she adopted as a rule of life an adaptation of the
rule observed by the Sisters of Charity, founded by St. Vincent de Paul.
Although she did not neglect the ministry to the poor, and especially to
Negroes, she actually laid the foundation for what became the American
parochial school system. She trained teachers and prepared textbooks for use in
schools; she also opened orphanages in Philadelphia and New York City. She died
at Emmitsburg on January 4, 1821, was beatified by Pope John XXIII in 1963, and
was canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1975.
Elizabeth Seton was born of a wealthy and
distinguished Episcopalian family. She was baptized in the Episcopal faith and
was a faithful adherent of the Episcopal Church until her conversion to
Catholicism.
Read: Today we remember
the first native-born citizen of the United States to be canonized as a saint, Elizabeth Ann Seton.
Reflect: Only if people
change will the world change; and in order to change, people need the light
that comes from God, the light which so unexpectedly [on the night of
Christmas] entered into our night.
The 11 pipers piping is a sign for the eleven
faithful apostles. It is interesting to note that Judas’ sin was due to
fear, greed, pride, and envy. Today would be a good day to read about the
remaining 11 pipers and their courage to create a Kingdom of God that changed
the world.
One of the world’s favorite dishes, spaghetti, is more than deserving
of its own little holiday. And because it is both simple and delicious,
spaghetti is the perfect dish to make to bring out your inner chef, even if you
don’t have all that much cooking experience!
Many people don’t know that the first historical reference to boiled
noodles suggests that the Arabs invented the dish thousands of years ago, long
before it became a staple of Italian cuisine.
What’s especially remarkable about this is that historical records
actually refer to dried noodles being purchased from a street vendor, which
means that pasta has been sold in stores since at least the 5th century
A.D.! Of course, today we associate pasta with the Italians, who revolutionized
the dish and invented a wide variety of pasta shapes.
The first Western pasta was likely long, thin forms made in
Sicily around the 12th century; till this day, spaghetti is the most common
round-rod type of pasta and in Italian, “spaghetti” means “little lines.”
However, the popularity of pasta only spread across the whole country of Italy
after the establishment of pasta factories in the 19th century, substantially
shortening the time needed for making dishes like spaghetti and enabling the
mass production of pasta for the Italian market.
The steady flow of Italian immigrants to the United States brought
traditional Italian dishes with it, and spaghetti was offered in restaurants as
early as the 19th century. Spaghetti then gained popularity all over the world.
Spaghetti Day Recipe
Ingredients: (serves 2)
1/2 medium onion
1-1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
200g tin chopped tomatoes
20g pack basil leaves, chopped finely
200g dried spaghetti (roughly half of a 500g pack)
100g ball mozzarella
a few pinches of salt & a bit of oil for the pasta
Preparation:
Peel the onion and the garlic and chop both
finely. Set a large frying pan over medium heat and when hot, pour in the
oil then add the onion. Cook the onion for about 4-5 mins, or until it softens,
stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, cook 2 mins more until fragrant. Then,
add the tomatoes and half the basil. Leave to gently bubble for 15 mins or so,
stirring occasionally–the sauce should become thick and pulpy. Break up any
large clumps of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon.
Pour water ¾ of the way up your largest pot.
Heat over a high heat and add several large pinches of salt and a spoon or so
of oil. When water has reached a rolling boil, put the spaghetti in it. Giving
it a stir every now and then stir to separate the pasta, cook it according to
pack instructions, usually about 10 mins. Before you finish cooking it, taste a
strand of the pasta. It should be just soft, but not mushy. Scoop out a cup of
water before draining and set aside (this will help to loosen your sauce). Put
the drained pasta back into its cooking pan, then pour in the tomato sauce.
Give everything a good stir. The sauce should
just coat the pasta, but if it is thick and looks dry, stir in a few spoons of
the pasta water you set aside before. If it is watery, cook over a low heat for
2-3 mins or until evaporates, stirring often.
Use your hands to break the mozzarella into
chunky pieces and stir through the pasta along with the remaining basil leaves.
Fr. Mike recalls Hezekiah's
prayer for more time and reveals how Hezekiah did not use that time wisely. We
all are only given a specific amount of time on this earth, and it's up to us
to use that time to become more like Christ, so we can spend eternity with him
in heaven. Today's readings are 2 Kings 21, 2 Chronicles 32, and Psalm 145.
A Southern Parable of Truth, Mercy, and Restoration
Jean Renoir’s Swamp Water is more than a backwoods thriller. Beneath the moss and mud of the Okefenokee lies a moral drama about what happens when a man chooses truth over reputation, mercy over vengeance, and communion over exile.
Ben Ragan (Dana Andrews) enters the swamp looking for his lost dog and instead finds Tom Keefer (Walter Brennan), a fugitive living in isolation after being falsely accused of murder. Their uneasy alliance becomes the film’s moral center: two men, one young and untested, the other wounded and hardened, learning to trust each other in a world that has already judged them.
Julie (Anne Baxter), Tom’s daughter, embodies quiet dignity amid poverty and mistreatment. Her presence becomes the film’s Marian counterpoint to the jealousy and false accusation that swirl around Ben’s former sweetheart, Mabel.
By the end, truth emerges, the real killers are exposed, and Tom walks back into town clean‑shaven and restored — a prodigal welcomed home not because he sinned, but because the community finally sees him clearly.
Catholic Lessons from the Swamp
1. Mercy Over Vengeance
Tom’s refusal to kill the surviving Dorson brother is the film’s most explicitly Christian moment. He chooses mercy not because the man deserves it, but because Tom refuses to let injustice deform his soul.
2. Fortitude in the Face of False Judgment
Ben risks everything — reputation, relationships, even his life — to clear Tom’s name. This is fortitude in its purest form: truth pursued at personal cost.
3. The Dignity of the Outcast
Tom’s return to town, washed and restored, mirrors the Prodigal Son’s reintegration. The community’s acceptance becomes a sacrament of healing.
4. Jealousy vs. Charity
Mabel’s false accusation, born of jealousy, shows how disordered desire leads to injustice. Julie’s humility and purity offer the Marian alternative.
5. The Swamp as the Human Heart
Renoir’s swamp is a moral landscape — murky, dangerous, full of hidden sins — yet also the place where truth is found, purified, and brought back into the light.
The Okefenokee Mercy Supper
A hospitality pairing inspired by the film’s themes of grit, truth, and restoration.
🍽️ Meal: Tom Keefer’s Redemption Stew
A rustic, Southern one‑pot meal that feels like something Tom would have eaten the night he finally came home.
Ingredients
Smoked sausage or ham hock
White beans
Onion + garlic
Collard greens
Splash of cider vinegar
Black pepper + thyme
Method
Brown the sausage or ham hock. Add onions and garlic until translucent. Add beans, greens, and broth. Simmer until everything softens into unity. Finish with a splash of cider vinegar.
Symbolism
Everything in one pot → unlikely partnerships
Slow transformation → the long arc of justice
Greens and beans → poverty transfigured into dignity
Vinegar at the end → the sting of truth that sets a man free
🍸 Drink Pairing: The Swamp‑Clearing
Built entirely from your bar stock.
Ingredients
1.5 oz bourbon
0.5 oz Kraken rum
0.5 oz Cointreau
2 oz cider
Lime squeeze
Method
Shake bourbon, Kraken, and Cointreau. Pour over ice. Top with cider. Finish with lime.
Why It Works
The drink begins dark and ends bright — a liquid retelling of Tom’s journey from exile to restoration.
✝️ A Table Prayer for the Film
“Lord, grant us the courage to stand for truth like Ben, the humility to receive mercy like Tom, and the charity to welcome the outcast back into communion. May this meal be a sign of the restoration You desire for every human heart.”
oAccording to the almanac today we are having a
Full Wolf Moon; plan to go with your children or grandchildren around a fire
and howl a little at the moon having fun together. Also, you could sit down
together and listen to the music from Peter and the Wolf. As a child this was
one of my favorite record albums that I would make my mother play repeatedly
much to her distress.
Around the World in Perfect Weather: A 52‑Week Dream Trip
🎨 Valparaíso • Neruda’s Bohemian Port January 3 – January 10, 2026
Jan 3 – Arrival in Valparaíso • Travel: Easy coastline drive or short flight north from Bariloche/Santiago ($120–$180 one‑way) • Lodging: Hotel Da Vinci Valparaíso ($95/night) – boutique stay in the historic quarter • Meals: ~$60/day (seafood empanadas + local wine) • Symbolic Act: Journal on “Port of arrival” — reflect on thresholds and beginnings
Jan 4 – Hillside Colors & Neruda’s House (Sunday, Epiphany Vigil) • Visit: La Sebastiana, Pablo Neruda’s House – museum of poetry and views • Mass: Iglesia de la Matriz de Valparaíso — Sunday Mass (Epiphany Vigil) • Lodging: Hotel Da Vinci (~$95/night) • Meals: ~$65/day (harbor café lunch + bohemian supper) • Tickets: ~$10 entry • Symbolic Act: Sketch a hillside mural as a symbol of layered stories
Jan 5 – Feast of the Epiphany (Holy Day of Obligation) • Mass: Catedral de Valparaíso — Epiphany Mass • Visit: Cerro Concepción — panoramic views and street art • Lodging: Hotel Da Vinci (~$95/night) • Meals: ~$70/day (celebratory Epiphany supper with seafood and citrus) • Symbolic Act: Journal on “Light to the nations” — reflect on the Magi’s journey in a port city
Jan 6 – Port & Market Communion • Visit: Mercado Cardonal — bustling local market • Mass: Daily Mass at 11:00 AM or 8:00 PM • Lodging: Hotel Da Vinci (~$95/night) • Meals: ~$60/day (market lunch + seafood supper) • Symbolic Act: Share fruit or bread with fellow travelers
Jan 7 – Civic Art & Street Murals • Walk: Cerro Alegre — famous street art neighborhoods • Mass: Daily Mass at 11:00 AM or 8:00 PM • Lodging: Hotel Da Vinci (~$95/night) • Meals: ~$65/day (street café lunch + wine bar dinner) • Symbolic Act: Journal on “Walls that speak” — reflect on civic joy
Jan 8 – Coastal Rest & Reflection • Visit: Playa Las Torpederas — quiet beach near the port • Mass: Daily Mass at 11:00 AM or 8:00 PM • Lodging: Hotel Da Vinci (~$95/night) • Meals: ~$60/day (beach picnic + farewell supper) • Symbolic Act: Journal on “Rest after Epiphany” — pause in the light of revelation
Jan 9 – Ascensor & Panoramic Farewell • Visit: Ascensor Artillería — historic funicular with panoramic views
• Mass: Daily Mass at 11:00 AM or 8:00 PM • Lodging: Hotel Da Vinci (~$95/night) • Meals: ~$65/day (harbor café lunch + farewell dinner) • Tickets: ~$1.50 funicular ride • Symbolic Act: Write a closing note of gratitude and leave it at the port
Jan 10 – Departure from Valparaíso • Travel: Return to Santiago (~$120–$180 one‑way) • Meals: ~$60/day (light breakfast + airport lunch) • Symbolic Act: Journal on “Port of departure” — reflect on transitions and onward journeys
💰 Cost Snapshot (Jan 3–10 Valparaíso Week)
Lodging (7 nights): ~$665
Meals (7 days): ~$445–$460
Tickets/Activities: ~$25–$30
Local Transport (funiculars, buses): ~$50–$70
Flight/Drive Santiago → Valparaíso: ~$120–$180 per person
➡️ Total per person: ~$1,300–$1,400 for the Valparaíso week
January 3 First
Saturday
Holy
Name of Jesus-10th Day of Christmas-Full Wolf Moon
Genesis, Chapter 28, Verse 17
He was AFRAID and said, 'How awe-inspiring this place is! This is nothing
less than the abode of God, and this is the gate of heaven!'
This verse is about Jacob, who was the
grandson of Abraham and he was on a journey to the ancestral home of Abraham,
Haran. During this journey he had a
dream while sleeping in the desert that put him in a Holy fear. Almost all fear is destructive but holy fear is the beginning
of wisdom and prepares one to do the will of God. A holy fear helps us to have
a great respect for life in all its stages from the child that goes in the
mother’s womb to the elderly that are approaching their end of life. Holy fear
also encompasses a great respect for the earth and all its creatures. The earth
in its grandeur reminds us of the awe of our God. Make plans to go out to some
awe-inspiring place to experience heavens gates. Holy fear compels us to protect others and nature; realizing that the
earth and each life in it are sacred and deserving of protection.
Copilot’s
Take
Jacob
wakes from his desert dream trembling, not with the panic that scatters a man,
but with the holy fear that gathers him. “How awe‑inspiring this place is… this
is the gate of heaven.” On the tenth day of Christmas, under the Full Wolf
Moon, the Church whispers the Holy Name of Jesus — the Name before which every
fear is sifted, sorted, and redeemed. Jacob’s fear becomes reverence; his
loneliness becomes encounter; his stone pillow becomes an altar. Holy fear does
this: it reorders the heart so we can recognize the sacred in front of us — the
unborn child, the aging parent, the stranger, the land itself. It teaches us
that creation is not raw material but entrusted gift, that every life bears the
imprint of the One whose Name we invoke today. On this First Saturday, let
Jacob’s awakening become our own. Go somewhere that stirs awe — a canyon
overlook, a winter field, a quiet chapel — and let the veil thin. Holy fear is
not the dread that shrinks us but the clarity that enlarges us, reminding us
that we walk daily on the threshold of heaven, and that our task is to guard
what God calls good.
The
practice of the First Saturday devotion was requested by Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared to three shepherd children in Fatima,
Portugal, multiple times starting in 1917. She said to Lucia, the oldest of the
three children: “I shall come to ask . . . that on the First Saturday of every
month, Communions of reparation be made in atonement for the sins of the
world.” Years later she repeated her request to Sr. Lucia, the only one still
living of the three young Fatima seers, while she was a postulant sister living
in a convent in Spain: “Look, my daughter, at my Heart, surrounded with thorns
with which ungrateful men pierce me at very moment by their blasphemies and
ingratitude. You at least try to console me, and say that I promise to assist
at the hour of death, with the graces necessary for salvation, all those who,
on the first Saturday of five consecutive months, shall confess, receive Holy
Communion, recite five decades of the rosary, and keep me company for 15
minutes while meditating on the 15 mysteries of the rosary, with the intention
of making reparation to me.”
Conditions to
Fulfill the First Saturday Devotion
There are
five requirements to obtain this promise from the Immaculate Heart of Mary. On
five consecutive first Saturdays of the month, one should:
1.
Have the intention of consoling the Immaculate Heart in a spirit of reparation.
2.
Go to confession (within eight days before or after the first Saturday).
5.
Meditate for 15 minutes on the mysteries of the
Holy Rosarywith the goal of
keeping Our Lady company (for example, while in church or before an image or
statue of Our Lady).
Our Lord
appeared to Sr. Lucia on May 29, 1930, and gave her the reason behind the five
Saturdays devotion. It is because there are five types of offenses and
blasphemies committed against the Immaculate Heart of Mary:
1.
Blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception
2.
Blasphemies against Our Lady’s perpetual virginity
3.
Blasphemies against her divine maternity, in refusing at the same time to
recognize her as the Mother of men
4.
Blasphemies of those who publicly seek to sow in the hearts of children,
indifference or scorn or even hatred of their Immaculate Mother
5.
Offenses of those who outrage Our Lady directly in her holy images
Never
think that Jesus is indifferent to whether or not His mother is honored!
Devotion
to the Holy Name of Jesus was originally reserved to the Feast of the
Circumcision, since it was at His circumcision that our Lord received His name.
But because of the growth of this devotion, a separate feast was instituted,
first by the Franciscans in the seventeenth century, then by the universal
Church (its date was permanently fixed by Pope St. Pius X). One of the most
cherished customs of this feast is singing the hymn, Jesu, Dulcis Memoria by
St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the great medieval monk and tireless promoter of
devotion to the Holy Name. The Litany of the Most Holy Name of Jesus, recited
either after Mass or in procession, is also a popular devotion.
The
Name Jesus as had been foretold by the angel. The feast is meant to impress on
us Christians the dignity of the Holy Name.
What
did a name signify originally?
The name should
express the nature of a thing. Thus, Adam in paradise gave the animals names in
accordance with their being. Among the Jews God's name expressed His essence,
Yahweh, i.e., I (alone) am who am (and cause all else to be). The Jews had the
highest respect for the name of God, a reverence that finds continuation in the
Our Father: "Hallowed be Thy Name." Persons who played prominent
roles in the history of salvation often received their names from God Himself.
Adam — man of the earth; Eve — mother of all the living; Abraham — father of
many nations; Peter — the rock. The Savior's precursor was given the name God
assigned him. According to divine precedent, then, the name of the Redeemer
should not be accidental, of human choosing, but given by God Himself. For His
name should express His mission. We read in Sacred Scripture how the angel
Gabriel revealed that name to Mary: "You shall call His name Jesus."
And to St. Joseph the angel not merely revealed the name but explained its meaning:
"You shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their
sins." The Messiah should not only be the savior but should be called
Savior. With Jesus, therefore, the name actually tells the purpose of His
existence. This is why we must esteem
His name as sacred. Whenever we pronounce it, we ought to bow our heads; for
the very name reminds us of the greatest favor we have ever received,
salvation.
His
name was called Jesus, which was called by the Angel before He was conceived in
the womb."
LUKE ii. 21.
1. It is not difficult to meditate upon the Holy Name,
or to use the Holy Name in prayer. More than any other name, perhaps alone
among all proper names, it is appropriate to the One Who owned it. Usually, the
names of men are given at random; they mean nothing in themselves; a man who
happens to be called John might just as well have been called Thomas or
William; the mere name tells us nothing about him; it is a convenient means of
distinguishing him from others, a label put upon him and little or no more With
a few human beings it has been otherwise: Adam, Abraham, Josue, John the
Baptist were given names that signified the men on whom they were bestowed. But
with none is this so true as it is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. With
care the Angel impressed it on His Mother's mind: "Thou shalt call His
name Jesus," he said, and there followed the description of His future
greatness. With care it was repeated to Joseph: Thou shalt call His name Jesus,
for He shall save His people from their sins.
2. The Name stands as a complete summary and
description of our Lord's character and office, and it is under this aspect
that it has been regarded by thousands of saints, whose hearts have melted at
its mere sound. To them Jesus is their God, Jesus is their King, Jesus is their
Redeemer, Jesus is their Mediator, Jesus is their Savior, Jesus is their great
Priest, Jesus is their Intercessor, Jesus is the Captain under Whom they fight,
Jesus is the Leader Whom they follow, Jesus is their Teacher, Jesus is the
Giver of their law, Jesus is the Spouse and Shepherd of their souls, Jesus is
their Light, Jesus is their Life, Jesus is the Judge before Whom they rejoice
to think that they must one day stand, Jesus is their final and eternal Reward,
for which alone they live.
3. But He is also to them the mirror of all the most
glorious and winning virtues. He is, and His Name tells them that He is,
unbounded Charity, infinite Mercy, extremist Kindness, deepest Humility, most
devoted Piety, transparent Simplicity, uttermost Poverty, Chastity without a
stain. It is the prerogative of love to transform those who love into the
likeness of Him Whom they love; and as the mere name of one who is loved cannot
sound in the ear or be thought of in the mind without adding to the love which
is already there, so the thought of the Holy Name and the mention of the Holy
Name have a kind of sacramental power in the hearts of His saints. They seem to
convey the grace which enables men to think like Him, to speak like Him, to act
like Him, to sacrifice themselves like Him, and to Him, and for Him, and along
with Him, to make Him known to others, not by word only, but also by
reproduction of Him in themselves, and to win all men to love Him.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and let all that is
within thee bless His Holy Name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget
all He hath done for thee. Ps. cii. i, 2.
Most of us remember the elementary school
playground and the mean names kids called each other. Author and speaker, Kary
Oberbrunner, states that we all have a secret name that the One who made us
gives us. Oberbrunner said, “My name is Kary, and I have a girl’s name.” He was
no stranger to mean names on the playground. He went on to say that each of us
has three names:
Our
birth name – the name assigned to us when we arrive in this world.
Our
given names – the names assigned to us as we walk through the world. These
names can be positive and negative, ranging from successful, beautiful,
star athlete to those names assigned by mean kids, like concentration camp
victim, stupid, addict.
Our
secret name – the name granted to us by God, Oberbrunner said the problem
is our birth names and given names don’t ever fill up the void inside us.
We pretend and wear masks.
What would God call you?
When Christ called his apostles; He revealed to some of them God’s
name for them. Sons of Thunder for John and James and for Simon son of John, He
called him Peter which means “Rock”.
Read "But the one name that contains
everything is the one that the Son of God received in his incarnation: JESUS.
The divine name may not be spoken by human lips, but by assuming humanity the
Word of God hands it over to us and we can invoke it: "Jesus,"
"YHWAH saves." The name "Jesus" contains all: God and man
and the whole economy of creation and salvation. To pray "Jesus" is
to invoke him and to call him within us. His name is the only one that contains
the presence it signifies. Jesus is the Risen One, and whoever invokes the name
of Jesus is welcoming the Son of God who loved him and who gave himself up for
him. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2666)
Reflect "May he—who did not shrink from taking a
beginning like ours—perfect in us his gifts, and may he also make us children
of God, he who for our sakes wished to become a child of man." — St.
Augustine, Sermons, 184
Pray Today we remember and honor the Most Holy
Name of Jesus. Take time to read the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Act Make reading the daily readings a part of
your New Year's habits this year.
Today is the tenth
day of Christmas the 10 Lord’s leaping are a sign for the Ten
Commandments.
Bible in a
Year Day 186 Struggles with Self-Interest
Fr. Mike highlights the goodness of Hezekiah as king of
Judah but also points out his failure to protect the future of his people.
While Hezekiah let his self-interest cloud his judgment, we are reminded to
pray for those who will come after us, doing our best to preserve what will be
theirs one day. Today's readings are 2 Kings 20, 2 Chronicles 31, and Psalm
144.
Starring: Jean Arthur, Fred MacMurray, Melvyn Douglas Director: Wesley Ruggles Studio: Columbia Pictures Based on:Home and Beauty (1919) by W. Somerset Maugham, retitled Too Many Husbands for New York; inspired by Tennyson’s Enoch Arden.
⭐ Plot Summary
Vicky Lowndes (Jean Arthur) believes her husband Bill (Fred MacMurray) has died in a boating accident. Grieving and lonely, she eventually marries Henry (Melvyn Douglas), Bill’s best friend and business partner.
Six months into her new marriage, Bill unexpectedly returns—very much alive—after surviving on a deserted island.
What follows is a screwball triangle of:
two husbands who both want her,
a wife who enjoys being adored by both,
and a legal/moral puzzle about marriage, loyalty, and desire.
The men bicker, compete, and even share a bedroom to keep an eye on each other, while Vicky refuses to choose until they “work it out.” The film plays the situation for comedy rather than scandal, leaning into rapid-fire dialogue, jealousy, and gender-role satire.
🎭 Why It Works
Jean Arthur is the engine of the film—vivacious, mischievous, and fully aware of her power. MacMurray and Douglas play beautifully off each other: one rugged and impulsive, the other refined and strategic.
It’s stage‑bound (Columbia kept the budget tight), but the performances and pacing make it sparkle.
✝️ Catholic Moral & Virtue Reflections
This is where your hospitality‑and‑formation lens shines. The film’s comedic premise actually opens up rich moral territory.
1. Marriage as Covenant, Not Convenience
The film treats marriage lightly—almost as a social contract that can be rearranged.
Catholic teaching insists marriage is:
exclusive,
permanent,
ordered toward mutual self-gift.
The comedy works precisely because the audience knows the situation is morally impossible. The absurdity highlights the seriousness of the real thing.
2. The Temptation of Being “Wanted by Two”
Vicky enjoys the attention.
This is the spiritual danger of vanity—the desire to be adored rather than to love.
Her indecision becomes a mirror for our own temptations to keep options open instead of committing fully.
3. Friendship Tested by Rivalry
Bill and Henry were business partners and friends.
Their rivalry exposes:
envy,
suspicion,
the fragility of male ego.
Catholic virtue calls for justice and charity—even when desires collide.
4. Providence and the Return of the “Dead”
Bill’s reappearance echoes Enoch Arden—a story about sacrifice, not competition.
Maugham’s play satirizes that ideal; the film softens it into farce.
But the underlying question remains: What do we owe the people we once vowed to love?
🍸 Hospitality Pairing: A 1940 Screwball Cocktail
Your bar stock is perfect for this era.
The “Vicky’s Dilemma”
A playful, balanced drink representing her two husbands:
1 oz gin (Bill’s boldness)
1 oz bourbon (Henry’s steadiness)
0.5 oz Cointreau
0.5 oz lemon juice
Shake hard; serve up; garnish with a lemon twist split down the middle.
A drink that shouldn’t work—but does—just like the film’s premise.
Posts
