7°F SSW11mph SR0644 SS1748

Morning Offering given

Village peaceful

Coffee good

St Porphyrius, keeper of the Holy Cross, reminds us of how essential the cross is in our faith. Jesus, let me never lose sight of what You sacrificed for me, and let that constant knowledge inform my life.

Meditations for Each Day, pg. 77, Visits to the Blessed Sacrament Matthew 11:28 ^* “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,^* and I will give you rest. Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth^* with the holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.^m Psalm 33:9 (34:8) Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the stalwart one who takes refuge in him.^c

Good Morning!
Another good night’s sleep, loving it. Easy day ahead, hoping to keep it that way. The man returned late last evening and will leave again shortly. Pondering the different Psalm numbering in the Protestant and Catholic Bibles. Sometimes, finding the verses is confusing. Not to mention the different wording in the recent update of the Catholic Bible, which seems to more closely resemble the Protestant one. Which then brings me to the recent changes in the church during this synodal thing. Reminds me of being Lutheran. I’m not the only one who questions this, but everyone is so gaga over Pope Leo I fear they do not see he is not different than Pope Francis, only perhaps more polished in approach. sigh…

Know you are prayed for.

19°F WNW15mph SR0646 SS1746

Morning Offering given

Village up and at ’em

Coffee-strong-POD

St Walburga reveals how God equips men and women for leadership roles. Father, help me to recognize and embrace the role You reserved for me and to be content with the roles You give others, regardless of gender.

Meditations for Each Day pg. 76, Fervor and Tepidity “The tepid soul cannot remain long in the grace of God, and when God’s grace is removed, it means the death of the soul.”

John Brown SJ wrote “Tepidity: the Habitual Deviation from the Road” in 2010. He said, “Tepidity is a state of the soul brought on by repeatedly missed opportunities to offer oneself in the service of God our King. Tepidity doesn’t stand out as any one particular instance of sin, rather it creeps up on a person due to carelessness and complacency with small offenses of unholy laziness.”

The man should be home sometime today. He’s in SD visiting Henry & Linda Miller. Took a cow with him to leave there.

Easy day for me. Just the workshop & parts along with a quick trip to Barnes & Noble. Should be a fun day.

Know you are prayed for.

15°F SSW16mph SR0647 SS1745

Morning Offering given

Village silent and cold

Coffee good

Today, we remember Valerie Kircher, who passed from this life to the next in 2025. May she rest in peace.

Bl Josepha demonstrated that we all have an important role to play in promoting the power of prayer. Almighty God, by being faithful to prayer and by encouraging others to pray, may I be an effective member of the laity.

Meditations for Each Day, pg 75, Avarice and Ambition
Greed for money, desire for honour and power, have always been and do great harm to the faithful. God encourages us to be humble and detached from the desires of the world. Let us examine our lives and make necessary changes so that we place God and our service to him first in our lives.

Lots happening in the world today. New York is snowbound, and Mexico is in turmoil over the death of a drug lord. The US continues to demonstrate and wreak havoc between the liberals and the conservatives, with those who are stuck in the middle beginning a battle themselves. How unfortunate to have all three spreading lies and dissension. The confusion is unbelievable. Many have lost their conscience (if they even had one). We find ourselves in a real mess. Hopefully, reason will return, truth will prevail, and right order will follow.

Tonight, President Trump will give his State of the Union address. My hope is to hear it.

I’ve cleaned out the subscriptions to this blog. Removing persons I do not know or persons with invalid emails.

Know you are prayed for.

11°F NW8mph SR0649 SS1744

Morning Offering given

Village waking

Coffee good

St. Polycarp teaches us to work at ending division in the Church. Seeking to heal and not hurt fellow Christians whose ideas differ from our own. Father, show me how to appreciate the contributions of all who believe in You so that I may embody love and not division.

Today, we remember back to 1992 when M&S got engaged. Their marriage blossomed and continues to this day.

Scripture Reading for Day 6 of Lent
Years ago I was told the following:
A person who refuses to accept God’s forgiveness is not considered to have their sins forgiven.
CCC 1864...“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be
forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be
forgiven.”136 There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone
who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects
the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy
Spirit.137 Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and
eternal loss.
Matthew 12:31 ^q Therefore, I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit^* will not be forgiven.
Mark 3:29 But whoever blasphemes against the holy Spirit^* will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.”
Luke 12:10 “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven.^f

So, for those of you who refuse to go to confession, refuse to believe that God will forgive your sins, refuse to believe God has forgiven your sins, apparently, you are committing the unforgivable sin. Not because you can’t be or wouldn’t be or wasn’t forgiven, but because you yourself have refused to accept what God freely gives if one truly repents. It really is time to look at your life, make note of your sins, and get to confession, do penance, believe you have been forgiven, and actively work on improving yourself.

L iving in
E ternity
N ecessitates
T ransformation

Know you are prayed for.

14°F NW19mph SR0650 SS1743

Morning Offering given

Village chilly this morning

Coffee ok, pod

Today we remember Fay Cue who passed in 1978. May he rest in peace.

Chair of St Peter... by choosing Peter to lead His Church, Jesus showed us that perfect faith is both a process and a gift. Lord, help me to learn from my mistakes and blunders, as St Peter did, so that I can spend my lafe drawing ever closer to You.

Beautiful sunshine today. Deceiving in the warmth area, but beautiful for the day. Our faith can be like that. All cozy, warm, obedient, and devout on the outside with nothing touching us on the inside. This morning in Adoration I started a book on lukewarmness. Revelation 3:15-16 “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot.* I wish you were either cold or hot. 16* So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
Lukewarm Christians are those who sit in the pews, believing the message, but have no meaningful engagement in the mission. Matthew 25:1-13…The Maidens; Matthew 25: 14-30…The Wicked Servant: Matthew 25:31-46…The Goats The saddest thing about faith is that there is no middle ground. You are either committed, all in, or not. Are you a SHEEP or a GOAT? Do you use your talents for the good of God or hide them? Do you want to be saved from your sin, or just saved from the penalty of your sin? The sign of genuine, saving faith is a passionate commitment to the fame of God, the people of God, and the mission of God.

Know you are prayed for

19°F WNW12 mph SR0652 SS1741

Morning Offering given

Village digging out after 11″ of snow on Friday morning. The snow removal crew here in the village is awesome.

Coffee good (yesterday’s cleaning/arranging has now installed Kcup)

Today, we remember Jim Hayward. He would have been 96. One of the best Lt’s I ever worked under. May he rest in peace.

Blessed Noel Pinot‘s martyrdom reveals that even governments should be defied if they try to separate us from God. Lord, please make me brave enough to espouse and practice Your teachings in the face of leaders who do not.

Meditations for each Day, pg. 72, Lord that I May See

Scripture Read for Day 4 of Lent
•1 Samuel 2:1-2• And Hannah prayed:^*“My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted by my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in your victory.^a 2 There is no Holy One like the LORD; there is no Rock like our God.^b
• Hebrews 4:16• So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.^j
• 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18• Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.^h
• Philippians 4:6-7• Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.^e 7 Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.^f

Prayer
Eerdman’s Bible Dictionary...any form of communication with God on the part of believing people.
Fr. J Hardon’s Catholic Bible Dictionary… a peaceful internal repose by which the soul is captivated by the divine presence. It is the result of contemplative love and is a fruit of the gift of wisdom. At first, prayer is short; under the influence of grace, it becomes longer and may eventually become habitual.

How’s your prayer?

Know you are prayed for.

27°F NW19 snowing SR0654 SS1740

Morning Offering given

Village covered in drifting snow with winds blowing. No school and a wonderful day to stay home.

Coffee strong

St. Eucherius taught us to surrender the solitude you treasure and learn the true blessing of obedience of God’s will. God, enlighten and enkindle my mind and heart when I read scripture.

Today we remember Kaye Krogmann, who died in a car accident in 1999. May she rest in peace.

Meditations for Each Day pg. 70, The Five Tribunals: public opinion, our own conscience, penance, civil court, and the judgment seat of God.

Scripture Readings for Day 3 of Lent.
•Matthew 6:16-18• “When you fast,^* do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to others to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.
•Isaiah 58:6-7• Is this not, rather, the fast that I choose: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; Setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke?^d 7 Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh?^e
•Mark 2:18-20• The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.^e People came to him and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast^* while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day.
•Acts 13:2-3• While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.
•Leviticus 23:27-32• Now the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement.^* l You will have a declared holy day. You shall humble yourselves and offer an oblation to the LORD. 28 On this day you shall not do any work, because it is the Day of Atonement, when atonement is made for you before the LORD, your God. 29 Those who do not humble themselves on this day shall be cut off from the people. 30 If anyone does any work on this day, I will remove that person from the midst of the people. 31 You shall do no work; this is a perpetual statute throughout your generations wherever you dwell; 32 it is a sabbath of complete rest for you. You shall humble yourselves. Beginning on the evening of the ninth of the month, you shall keep your sabbath from evening to evening.

Pristine snow covers the land this morning. The wind has blown it through the cracks and swirled it around objects, turning things into a sort of nature snow sculpture. The whiteness reminds me of how clean a person is scrubbed by baptism or confession and penance. How blest we are that Christ willingly chose to take all our sins (past, present, future), giving himself as a sacrifice for us. It is only right that, moving forward, we do our best to keep our souls clean for him. I know how difficult this is. Even as we reach our elderly years, we need to keep ourselves from sinning by thought, word, or deed. Sometimes we forget the thought and word part of sinning. Take time today while you fast to make note of those types of sin, carrying them to the confessional for forgiveness.

Home today. All thoughts of the SUV leaving have been cancelled. Later in the day, when the wind dies down and the highways are cleared, I’ll think about a bank run and taking someone home. Otherwise, office cleaning and arranging are in the works.

Know you are prayed for.

28°F NW7mph SR0655 SS1739

Morning Offering given

Village peaceful

Coffee strong

Today we remember Clair Packer, who would have been 112. May he rest in peace. My grandfather and my Godfather.

St. Conrad of Piacenza (incorruptable) teaches us we must be ready always to confess our sins and to make restitution whenever possible. Father, give me the courage of St. Conrad, who confessed and paid for his thoughtless sin, saving a man’s life in the process.

Scripture Reading Day 2 of Lent
•1 John 1:8-10 If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves,^* and the truth is not in us.^g 9If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing.^h 10If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.ⁱ
•Matthew 3:5-6 At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him 6and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.^*
•Acts 19:18 Many of those who had become believers came forward and openly acknowledged their former practices.
•Mark 1:5 People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
•1Timothy 6:12-13 Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.^j 13 I charge [you] before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession,^k

The “Ash” service last evening at St. Augustine’s was very nice. Well attended. I am grateful to Fr. Bowes for making this available in all his parishes. This is another example of his love and concern for each of the parishes he shepherds.

Today will be a relatively normal day for me. The regular workshop workers, part delivery, and pick up and drop off things. Looking forward to a regular evening at home with the man. If we allowed it work could consume us 24/7/365, so we need to learn moderation.

Know you are prayed for.

47°F WSW19mph SR 0657 SS1737

Morning Offering given

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Draw me deeper into union with You,
prepare me to celebrate Your resurrection

Village quiet

Coffee okay

ASH WEDNESDAY

Remember That You Are Dust quote by Bishop Varden:
” To take the ashes is to confess kinship with this world of dust,
to declare our readiness to abdicate pretensions to omnipotence.
Standing before God in this way,
I profess that I am not God.
I admit the chasm that separates me from him.”

Scripture Reading for Lent Day 1
Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, Until you return to the ground, from which you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.ⁱ

Know you are prayed for.

ESE19mph SR0658 SS1736

Morning Offering given

Village wakes

Coffee ok

St Fintan shows us how self-denial demonstrates less is more when it come to indulging appetites at the expense of devotion to God. Jesus, help me to temper my desires and appetites so that I can be hungry for you.

Meditations for Each Day pg. 67 The Will

Scripture Readings for Day 17
•The Love of God• Psalm 136:26 Praise the God of heaven, for his mercy endures forever.
• Names of God• Jeremiah 23:5-6 See, days are coming—oracle of the LORD—when I will raise up a righteous branch for David; As king he shall reign and govern wisely, he shall do what is just and right in the land.^e 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, Israel shall dwell in security. This is the name to be given him: “The LORD our justice.”^f
• Love• 2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ.

Good Morning! An achy one it is for the joints. This weather does not help. Sometimes I find my faith shallow this time of year. Sometimes it seems a struggle to just wake up and pray each morning. This is where “free will” comes in. The decision to keep going, persevere no matter what, will eventually bring you to Easter. Sometimes the road is sluggish, and we get mired down. Sometimes the road is too happy clappy, feeling more like a party than a time for contemplation. Keep going.

Know you are prayed for.