Things of Beauty

Day's Saints
Dymphna, Martyr
Joan of Arc, Martyr

Sir 35:1-12
To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one's offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one's sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.
For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.

Gospel Mk 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus,

'We have given up everything and followed you."

Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,

there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters

or mother or father or children or lands

for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel

who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:

houses and brothers and sisters

and mothers and children and lands,

with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.

But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first."

+

Day's Highlights

The scene of battle. The solitary life of a hermit or a monk or nun is a battlefield, where the soul is engaged in relentless combat, and strives against unseen merciless enemies of the soul, but at the end of the day, in the dark of night and the intangible solitude, God comes to comfort all my wounds :)

One of the worst things to come from war is waste; the incredible waste of resources that could have supplied those in need, and the energy wasted hating other people and working so hard, and wasting so much genius discovering things that kill. Let us hope, that those who died, gave their lives in hope of a better future - then let us build it, not to be torn down again +

Joan was but a child when the Lord grew
fondof her, so that she surrendered her life
for His honor and out of love. Be like her.

One can fall in love with the Lord, by reading the Scriptures, for the words He has spoken are the means by which He scupts souls, to ready them for bliss, and an unimaginably beautiful life in eternity.

Can a sculpture cry out against the sharp blows of the chisel? Yet even stone can come to life in His hands, to bequile the mind that loves beauty.

So, be patient, and work steadilly, passive in the hands of the Lord, attentive to everything He says, anticipating Him in love and piety, so as to be a soothing ointment to His wounds, suffered out of love.

None of us are stones, nor mountain ranges of tortured rock, yet the rock cannot prevail against wind and rain, and cold and heat, until, finally, it has all become frtile ground in which He plants the splendid crop of human beings.

At their hands He suffered the unimaginable and the unendurable, so that we may not come to unending grief when the time comes to leave our body behind.

Gaze upon Him who was pierced for us, and let His gaze open your heart, and clear your vision to see the farthest reaches of His glory and love. Surely your heart can be opened as easily as He may lift you up out of yourself to experience Him without imepediment. Linger long at the banquet of the Lord, for in the hours close to His Heart, you shall learn to be one with Him and save your brothers and sisters from their sins, because all sin is death, and love is the Lord.

Things of Beauty

Day's Saints
Dymphna, Martyr
Joan of Arc, Martyr

Sir 35:1-12
To keep the law is a great oblation,
and he who observes the
commandments sacrifices a peace offering.
In works of charity one offers fine flour,
and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.
To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,
and to avoid injustice is an atonement.
Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,
for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.
The just one's offering enriches the altar
and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.
The just one's sacrifice is most pleasing,
nor will it ever be forgotten.
In a generous spirit pay homage to the LORD,
be not sparing of freewill gifts.
With each contribution show a cheerful countenance,
and pay your tithes in a spirit of joy.
Give to the Most High as he has given to you,
generously, according to your means.
For the LORD is one who always repays,
and he will give back to you sevenfold.
But offer no bribes, these he does not accept!
Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion.
For he is a God of justice,
who knows no favorites.

Gospel Mk 10:28-31

Peter began to say to Jesus,

'We have given up everything and followed you."

Jesus said, "Amen, I say to you,

there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters

or mother or father or children or lands

for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel

who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age:

houses and brothers and sisters

and mothers and children and lands,

with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.

But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first."

+

Day's Highlights

The scene of battle. The solitary life of a hermit or a monk or nun is a battlefield, where the soul is engaged in relentless combat, and strives against unseen merciless enemies of the soul, but at the end of the day, in the dark of night and the intangible solitude, God comes to comfort all my wounds :)

One of the worst things to come from war is waste; the incredible waste of resources that could have supplied those in need, and the energy wasted hating other people and working so hard, and wasting so much genius discovering things that kill. Let us hope, that those who died, gave their lives in hope of a better future - then let us build it, not to be torn down again +

Joan was but a child when the Lord grew
fondof her, so that she surrendered her life
for His honor and out of love. Be like her.

One can fall in love with the Lord, by reading the Scriptures, for the words He has spoken are the means by which He scupts souls, to ready them for bliss, and an unimaginably beautiful life in eternity.

Can a sculpture cry out against the sharp blows of the chisel? Yet even stone can come to life in His hands, to bequile the mind that loves beauty.

So, be patient, and work steadilly, passive in the hands of the Lord, attentive to everything He says, anticipating Him in love and piety, so as to be a soothing ointment to His wounds, suffered out of love.

None of us are stones, nor mountain ranges of tortured rock, yet the rock cannot prevail against wind and rain, and cold and heat, until, finally, it has all become frtile ground in which He plants the splendid crop of human beings.

At their hands He suffered the unimaginable and the unendurable, so that we may not come to unending grief when the time comes to leave our body behind.

Gaze upon Him who was pierced for us, and let His gaze open your heart, and clear your vision to see the farthest reaches of His glory and love. Surely your heart can be opened as easily as He may lift you up out of yourself to experience Him without imepediment. Linger long at the banquet of the Lord, for in the hours close to His Heart, you shall learn to be one with Him and save your brothers and sisters from their sins, because all sin is death, and love is the Lord.

Ashes of the Phoenix

Day's Saints
Blessed Gerardesca, Camaldolese
Pope Saint Paul VI

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Gospel Jn 19:25-34

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

            and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

            and Mary of Magdala.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,

            he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”

Then he said to the disciple,

            “Behold, your mother.”

And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished,

            in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

            Jesus said, “I thirst.”

There was a vessel filled with common wine.

So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop

            and put it up to his mouth.

When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

            “It is finished.”

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Now since it was preparation day,

            in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,

            for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,

            the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken

            and they be taken down.

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first

            and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,

            they did not break his legs,

            but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,

            and immediately Blood and water flowed out.

+

Water lilies are beginning to bloom.

Today has been an arduous day. In the last several days I have created several weblogs only to hit an immoveable object. So I left Wordpress and am back at Blogger. Having used Blogger for a long time, I grew used to the ease with which you can set up a web page, compared to Wordpress, which I would have to pronounce an abomination.

One can hardly escape the news, and it has been on the one hand hilarious, and on the other, almost apocalyptic. It is enough to make the hairs in your nose curl up as if singed by the emissions of a sulfer-spewing volcano.

But now, by this evening, things have mellowed out, after dinner, and I hope I get some sleep tonight.

Life as a hermit is elemental, meaning very simple and mostly uneventful. Every now and again, events arrange themselves such that life gets interesting, without being frightening. I still urge people to pray. That may require more effort than usual, but it will be so efficacious.

God bless you all, Brother Michael of the Cross +

Ashes of the Phoenix

Day's Saints
Blessed Gerardesca, Camaldolese
Pope Saint Paul VI

Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church

Gospel Jn 19:25-34

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

            and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,

            and Mary of Magdala.

When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved,

            he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”

Then he said to the disciple,

            “Behold, your mother.”

And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

After this, aware that everything was now finished,

            in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled,

            Jesus said, “I thirst.”

There was a vessel filled with common wine.

So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop

            and put it up to his mouth.

When Jesus had taken the wine, he said,

            “It is finished.”

And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit.

Now since it was preparation day,

            in order that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath,

            for the sabbath day of that week was a solemn one,

            the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken

            and they be taken down.

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first

            and then of the other one who was crucified with Jesus.

But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead,

            they did not break his legs,

            but one soldier thrust his lance into his side,

            and immediately Blood and water flowed out.

+

Water lilies are beginning to bloom.

Today has been an arduous day. In the last several days I have created several weblogs only to hit an immoveable object. So I left Wordpress and am back at Blogger. Having used Blogger for a long time, I grew used to the ease with which you can set up a web page, compared to Wordpress, which I would have to pronounce an abomination.

One can hardly escape the news, and it has been on the one hand hilarious, and on the other, almost apocalyptic. It is enough to make the hairs in your nose curl up as if singed by the emissions of a sulfer-spewing volcano.

But now, by this evening, things have mellowed out, after dinner, and I hope I get some sleep tonight.

Life as a hermit is elemental, meaning very simple and mostly uneventful. Every now and again, events arrange themselves such that life gets interesting, without being frightening. I still urge people to pray. That may require more effort than usual, but it will be so efficacious.

God bless you all, Brother Michael of the Cross +

 This is a placeholder post.

 This is a placeholder post.