Saturday, July 6, 2024

A Fool Describes God

I must try to do what seems very foolish – describe God.

God is simple, without body or distinction of parts.

He is simple, because He has nothing borrowed.

He is good without qualities, great without quantity, Creator, yet needing nothing; everywhere, yet without place; eternal, without term, and changing all things, without change Himself.

He is good with an infinite goodness, and good to all, but especially good to men.

He is infinite in the multitude of His perfections, in their intensity, and in their magnificence.

He is present everywhere, in different manners, yet nowhere contracting soil or stain.

He is immutable; His eternity defends Him from time, His immensity from change of place, and His wisdom from change of purpose.

He is eternal without beginning as well as without end, and eternal with a life which exists all at once and altogether, and with a perfect possession of it.

He subsists by the incomparable unity of His blessed nature, and it is the crowning interest of every man in the world that God should be but One.

He is sovereign purity, unspeakable sanctity, and most resplendent beauty.

He is always in adorable tranquility; no trouble can come nigh to His being.

He is known to nature, to faith, to glory, yet He is incomprehensible by all.

His name is the ineffable God.

His science is beyond all thought, and is the source of His ravishing joy.

His being is Truth itself, and His life is the inexhaustible fountain of life.

His will is worshipful, unblamable, supreme, and His liberty is without parallel and beyond words.

His love of His creatures is eternal, constant, gratuitous and singular; and His mercy is an unfathomable abyss of the most beautiful compassions and condescensions, and no less also of the most delicate judgments and the most tender retributions.

His justice is as irreproachable as His sanctity, and as benevolent as His mercy.

His power is illimitable, and full of love; and His blessedness is inaccessible.

Yet all these are not separate perfections; but He is Himself all these excellencies, and He is one: Three co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial Persons, One only God.

Such, in the dry language of the schools, is the description of Him who is our loving and indulgent Father, God over all, blessed forevermore! Amen.

 

- From "All For Jesus or The Easy Ways of Divine Love" by Frederick William Faber

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

How Exciting

When I use the website for my local wholesale outfit to order groceries for an afternoon pickup, I think it odd to get a confirmation text saying, "Exciting News!" to acknowledge that my order was received.

If you want to get me fired up, tell me something like how my groceries are free because I'm lucky online shopper #1,000,000.

Informing me that a routine matter like submitting an online order is "exciting" sends a mixed message - as if we should cheer because the courier made it past the enemy sentry line with my grocery order.

And yes, the order had butter on the list.
 

 

Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Storm Prayer

The Blessing of Saint Benedict Joseph Labre

************

Jesus Christus Rex gloriae venit in pace.
Deus homo factus est.
Verbum caro factum est.
Christus de Maria Virgine natus est.
Christus per medium illorum ibat in pace.
Christus crucifixus est.
Christus mortuus est.
Christus sepultus est.
Christus resurrexit.
Christus ascendit in coelum.
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
Christus ab omni fulgure nos defendat.
Jesus nobiscum est.
Pater noster - Ave Maria - Gloria Patri

+

Jesus Christ, the King of glory, came in peace.
God was made man.
The Word was made flesh.
Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.
Christ passed through the midst of them in peace.
Christ was crucified.
Christ died.
Christ was buried.
Christ is risen.
Christ ascended into heaven.
Christ conquers, Christ reigns, Christ commands.
From every lightening bolt may Christ defend us.
Jesus is with us.
Our Father - Hail Mary - Glory be

************

In June 1771, early in his career as a pilgrim recluse, Saint Benedict Joseph visited Fabriano, Italy, to venerate the relics of Saint Romuald, the founder of the Camaldolese monks. Being treated with kindness by a local family, and desiring to thank his benefactors, he wrote out in Latin this set of aspirations, drawn from, or inspired by Holy Scripture, the Creeds, the Papal Laudes, and his own piety, exhorting his hosts to pray in these words for protection against thunder, lightening and earthquake. Just a few years later, during his lifetime, a devastating earthquake did strike Fabriano, but the home of this family and the houses immediately around it stood firm and unharmed. Subsequently, copies of this blessing were printed and distributed at Fabriano.

Saint Benedict Joseph, pray for us.

Wednesday, February 2, 2022

Men and Women

A man is an adult human male.

  • XY chromosomes
  • Male reproductive system
  • On average, is taller than a woman
  • In comparison to a woman, a man also tends to have:
    • Greater muscle and bone mass
    • Thicker cartilage and stronger joints
    • Faster reflexes
    • Narrower pelvis and hips
    • Greater oxygen uptake
    • Lower body fat composition
    • More facial and other hair
    • Deeper voice
    • Larger larynx
    • Smaller breasts

A woman is an adult human female.

  • Double-X chromosomes
  • Female reproductive system
  • Capable of pregnancy and giving birth
  • Experiences menopause later in lifer

"When God created human kind, he made them in his own image. Man and woman both, he created them, and gave them his blessing…" - Genesis 5:1-2

Sunday, January 3, 2021

Holy Name Society Pledge

IHS

Blessed be God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

I profess publicly my belief that Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Son of God, made man for the salvation of mankind.

I recognize His divine authority, and believe that all power on earth, civil and religious, comes from Him.

All lawfully constituted authority I respect and promise to obey.

May the God of Justice guide the minds and uphold the hands of those vested with its power.

May the God of Might break asunder the bonds of those met together against the Lord and against His Christ.

In honor of His divine Name, I pledge myself against perjury, blasphemy, profanity, and obscene speech.

Praised be the Name of God, and blessed be the name of His divine Son, now and forever.




Sunday, October 18, 2020

Abby Normal

Fair enough. Here are a few links to help with research into Cannabis-Induced Psychosis (CIP).


Psychiatric Times
Reports have shown a staggering increase in cannabis-related emergency department visits in recent years.
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/cannabis-induced-psychosis-review


WebMd
People who used pot on a daily basis were x3 times more likely to have a first-time diagnosis of psychosis, and x5 times more likely if they used high-potency marijuana every day.
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20190320/can-high-potency-pot-make-you-psychotic


AP
Five years after Colorado first legalized marijuana, pot’s bad effects are sending more people to the emergency room.
https://apnews.com/article/a6b485be1d2f42bab3dfcb2947f546ce


NPR
Daily marijuana use and highly potent weed are linked to psychosis.
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/03/19/704948217/daily-marijuana-use-and-highly-potent-weed-linked-to-psychosis


USA Today
There was a 77% increase in suicide deaths from 2010 to 2015 among Colorado 10- to 19-year-olds with marijuana in their systems.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/12/15/weed-psychosis-high-thc-cause-suicide-schizophrenia/4168315002


Smart Colorado
Highly potent marijuana is linked to one in four cases of psychosis.
https://smartcolorado.org/marijuana-linked-psychosis-new-study

Saturday, October 3, 2020

Sr. Lucia on America

The visionary of Fatima, Sr. Lucia, being questioned about the United States, gave this reply:

“America will be brought to its knees but will survive the great chastisement, because of the generosity and goodness of the American people.”