Insanity in Davos

The only time I visited Davos, a lovely place tucked away high in the Swiss Alps, was over 50 years ago. I suspect the town has changed a lot since then, although the scenery, kindly provided by God Himself, has, I'm sure, remained pretty much the same. Other than the beauty of the alps, all I really remember from my brief stay (one day) was that Davos, at 11,000 feet, was billed as Europe's highest town. And judging by what we've been hearing from Davos lately, I would guess many of those visiting are quite high indeed.

Today, of course, Davos has become the renowned haunt of an international cult also known as the World Economic Forum. This year's meeting is actually the 50th held in Davos, and attended by, as John Kerry reminded us, a "select" group of people, numbering about 3,000. Who exactly are they? They include CEOs of woke corporations, government leaders, academics, heads of a variety of international organizations, and climate activists like the young, dumb Greta Thunberg -- the usual suspects.  Yes, indeed, they really do think of themselves as the select, the elite who are obviously much smarter than the rest of humanity. We must all listen to them and obey. I know...it's hard to contemplate obeying Al Gore, but believe me, he expects you to.

For years now the Gore and Kerry show has been warning us of our impending climatological demise, and each year their warnings become more shrill and scarier. Just yesterday Al informed the Davos crowd, along with the rest of the world, that because of our thoughtless attempts to live our lives, we have generated way too much accumulated heat. How much? As much as 600,000 nuclear bombs exploding every day. Wowie kazowie! That's a lot of heat. It might be cooler if we all moved to the sun. Makes you wonder where this genius, this man of science, gets his data. 

For those of us who have paid only moderate attention to Al's warnings over the years, his predictions were never taken seriously. If you have two minutes, check out this video of Al Gore and Rush Limbaugh addressing the "climate crisis" on Nightline back in 1992. Here's the link:

Rush Limbaugh / Al Gore 1992 Nightline debate part 1 - YouTube

Some years later, in 2006, during one of Gore's promotional live shots for his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth (for which Al inexplicably won an Oscar), he declared that the world would reach a point of no return in just 10 years (i.e., 2016) unless we took drastic measures to reduce greenhouse gasses. And yet here we are, 18 years later, still breathing, still enjoying the same coastline. And that's just one of many of his wacko predictions.

Al reminds me of those preachers who like to predict the end of the world, as if they have a private inside track straight to God. They're always wrong, but does that stop them? Nope. They simply advance the date a few years and keep on collecting donations. This always confuses me. Why would they need any money if the world was really going to end? 

And we might ask the same question of Al Gore who owns a $9 million home in Montecito, California, the town where so many uber-wealthy beautiful people live their lives. Interestingly, his mansion is right on the shore, a shore that Al constantly predicts will disappear. Makes you wonder, doesn't? If he really believes all that he says, why live there? 

Al Gore's Montecito Home

This brings up another interesting series of facts. When Al left his taxing job as Vice President, his net worth was slightly less than $2 million. Today his net worth is well over $300 million -- all thanks to his gig as a climate guru whom the wokesters are willing to pay. 

Al is always telling us how the melting of the polar ice caps will inundate coastal communities. Why? Because we drive those nasty cars fueled by gasoline or diesel fuel. Because we cook our food on gas stoves to save money. Because we actually heat our homes. Because we eat meat from cattle and sheep and chickens and would prefer not to eat insects. And yet Gore and Kerry and over 1,000 other Davos participants flew into the conference on private jets. Oh, yes, the meals there were quite sumptuous, with only the best meat and fish flown in for the select ones. As one wag put it: "Steak, lobster, and hookers...what could be better?" That's right, lots of attractions for those who need not obey their own commands.

In the event you actually listen to these people, check out this 2015 article on The Federalist website in which environmentalist predictions are shown for what they are: garbage. Here's the link: 

Seven Big Failed Environmentalist Predictions (thefederalist.com)

I'd say something about John Kerry, our so-called "Climate Czar," but he's not worth my time or effort. A complete phony who married his way to super wealth and disgraced his country through his lies about his service in Vietnam. A man who shopped for medals to cover his lackluster and questionable performance. If you're a Kerry fan, just read John O'Neill's book about Kerry, Unfit for Command. John O'Neill is one of my Naval Academy classmates, a true hero and man of honor.

Maybe tomorrow I'll relate some of the other oddities that have come out of Davos this year. Oh, yes, one other thing. I just love fossil fuels and wouldn’t dream of buying an all-electric car until they make one that can go a minimum of 1,000 miles, at any ambient temperature, between charges. And it also has to be affordable.

Thompson's Clam Bar

OK, I'm posting a little nostalgia today, a glance a few decades back to the 60s and later, remembering a place on Cape Cod I knew well. And it all came about because of a chore I finally took on this morning.

Today I spent a few hours cleaning and straightening my den/office, a task I had put off for far too long. For some unexplained reason it had become so cluttered that trying to enter or walk around in this rather small room was actually dangerous. And at my age no trip and fall would be welcome. So, I cleaned it all up...well, mostly. 

Part of the task involved removing several storage boxes filled with papers, photos, letters, and piles of other stuff and carting them off to the living room where I hope to go through them while listening to music or watching meaningless shows on TV.  I doubt if Diane is real happy with five boxes stacked up in the living room, but she agreed to my plan so long as I carry it out, as we used to say in the Navy, expeditiously.

Among the first items I came across was a 1981 menu from a restaurant called Thompson's Clam Bar. For 25 years Diane and I lived just a block away from Thompson's, a famous eatery located in Harwich Port, Massachusetts on Cape Cod. Actually, Thompson's closed in 1996, so I suppose we lived nearby for only about 18 years. Diane and I sold our home in the fall of 2003 and eventually moved to sunny Florida in February 2004. 

The Clam Bar was open for only 10 to 12 weeks each summer but seemed always to be filled with locals and tourists. Because it was on the water, just inside the harbor entrance, boats could tie up to the restaurant, permitting the sailors to order meals and be served right on their boats. I actually did this a couple of times back in the 60s thanks to several friends who owned boats and let me crew for them. (Just an aside...it's much better to have boat-owning friends than to actually own a boat into which you must pour large amounts of cash every year. The friends are always looking for others to crew for them -- all the benefits, none of the costs.)

The below photo, definitely vintage and probably from the 60s, shows a few boats tied up at the Clam Bar.

As you can see, it was not a small restaurant. Here's a photo showing a typical crowd enjoying Thompson's excellent seafood:

Most of the servers were college kids, spending their summer on Cape Cod and making a few bucks to help with tuition and room and board. As I recall, Thompson's had facilities to house these young folks so they could actually afford to spend a summer on the Cape. When I turned 19 my folks moved from Larchmont, New York to Chatham, a town only about four or five miles from Thompson's. During my Naval Academy summers -- we usually had only about a month's leave -- I actually dated a few of the young ladies who worked at the Clam Bar. I also had access to a car, which was a definite plus. They were a fun group, always ready to party hearty.

I've included all four pages of the Clam Bar's menu. The cover page is an aerial photograph of Wychmere Harbor, showing the Clam Bar (marked with a white circle). I also circled our home (blue circle) where we brought up our four children. 

As you can see by the menu, in 1981 Thompson's opened for the season on June 17. It closed for the season that year on my birthday, September 13. Living so close to Thomason's was a joy. Diane and I would often walk down to the Clam Bar just to sample a few littleneck clams and maybe sip a glass of white wine. Occasionally, we'd even splurge and enjoy a complete meal. 

As you can also see in the photograph, Wychmere Harbor was almost a perfect circle. In fact, back in the late 19th and early 20th century it was not a harbor but a racetrack where the locals would compete racing their horses. Years later, the outer harbor was dredged giving us the beautiful body of water we have today. A brief history of the harbor and the Thompson Brothers' involvement is provided on the back of the menu, below. Click on the photo to view a readable page.

I think the menu itself -- two pages from 43 years ago (1981) -- might interest those who yearn for less costly meals. Just keep in mind, it might have cost less for a good meal in 1981, but for most folks, their income was also much lower. And I think I can truthfully say that I nver had a bad meal at Thompson's Clam Bar. Here's the menu:

2

Thompson’s Clam Bar was one of those places that I'll always remember and always miss. Here's a photo of Wychmere Harbor I took a few years ago, after the Clam Bar closed. The Clam Bar is the long building in the background, now part of a private club.

As a final touch, here's a link to their advertising jingle. Everyone who lived on Cape Cod knew it, and our two girls would sing it often enough.

Thompson's Clam Bar jingle - YouTube

Don't you just love it!

George Cardinal Pell, R.I.P.

Cardinal Pell, the Australian prelate whom liberals love to hate, and, along with Joseph Cardinal Zen, is among the most persecuted of modern cardinals, died last Tuesday at the age of 81. His funeral Mass will be celebrated today in Rome. May he rest in peace. 

I won’t offer a eulogy here since those who knew him best will do that far better than I. But if you want to come to a better understanding of this remarkable man, just read his three-volume Prison Journals. I also suggest reading another of his books: Test Everything: Hold Fast to What Is Good.

How influential was Cardinal Pell? The Wall Street Journal, certainly no particular friend of the Church, described him as “the most influential Catholic churchman in the English-speaking world.” I certainly agree.

Since March of 2022 a rather lengthy memo has circulated among the cardinals who presumably will take part in the next conclave. The anonymous author called himself “Demos” (Greek for “people”) and most knowledgeable folks in the Vatican believed it was written by a cardinal. After Cardinal Pell’s death, Sandro Magister, a veteran Catholic journalist revealed that Pell was actually the memo’s author.

The 2,000-word memo consists of two sections — “The Vatican Today” and “The Next Conclave” — in which Pell provides a detailed and rather intense description of the papacy of Pope Francis. It is not complimentary. Cardinal Pell, who had been a close collaborator of Pope Francis, had been brought in to clean up the Vatican’s messy financial operations. Pell, however, came to believe Francis’ papacy was trying to take the Church in the wrong direction. In another article, apparently written shortly before the cardinal’s death, he expressed his growing concern about what he sees as serious moral lapses and wokeness on the part of the Vatican:

“...deepening confusion, the attack on traditional morals and the insertion into the dialogue of neo-Marxist jargon about exclusion, alienation, identity, marginalization, the voiceless, LGBTQ, as well as the displacement of Christian notions of forgiveness, sin, sacrifice, healing, redemption.”

In the memo Cardinal Pell pulls no punches and states that “Commentators of every school, if for different reasons … agree that this pontificate is a disaster in many or most respects; a catastrophe.” He also declares that “The Holy Father has little support among seminarians and young priests and wide-spread disaffection exists in the Vatican Curia.”

The memo’s first section describes a litany of problems affecting the Church today, largely, Pell believes, resulting from decisions made by Pope Francis. The second section, addressing the next conclave, focuses on what the kind of pope the Church will need in the near future. Cardinal Pell’s description is clear and concise:

“The Pope does not need to be the world’s best evangelist, nor a political force. The successor of Peter, as head of the College of Bishops, also successors of the Apostles, has a foundational role for unity and doctrine. The new pope must understand that the secret of Christian and Catholic vitality comes from fidelity to the teachings of Christ and Catholic practices. It does not come from adapting to the world or from money.”

I could include the entire memo here, but it is readily available elsewhere. You may or may not agree with Cardinal Pell's assessment of Francis' papacy and the current state of the Church, but it is still worth reading. It certainly shouldn't be swept under the rug. Read it and, as you always do, pray for Pope Francis and for the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

Here’s the link to the original memo: A Memorandum. (Note that the memo was posted on the site before the author's identity was revealed.) 

How Smart Were the Ancients?

Every so often, someone, while discussing ancient history, will tell me how fortunate we are to be alive today as opposed to say, 2,000 years ago. I actually hear this fairly frequently. The reasons behind this preference for the now, as opposed to the past, vary. I can certainly understand why the average American might feel this way. After all, at no time in recorded history has a people enjoyed greater freedom and prosperity than those who have lived in the United States during the past century. Of course, as the bumper-sticker says, "Freedom is not free." To stay free a people must resist the forces that strive to grasp power and enslave them. The history of humanity is largely a history of darkness enlightened only occasionally by brief moments of true, responsible freedom. 

Others take a more progressive view, assuming human existence always moves forward to something better. One friend, a scientist, actually claimed we are far more intelligent today than those who went before us. "Like everything else," he explained, "IQs have no doubt increased as we continue our upward evolution." He wasn't happy when I challenged him by reciting a few basic historical facts. For example, the number of people slaughtered in wars since 1914 exceeds the total killed in warfare through all previous recorded history. Does he believe, then, killing people by the millions is a valid indicator of a higher IQ and continual upward evolution? I had other questions. He disliked them all.

Another acquaintance, like me educated as an engineer, took a humbler approach and admitted that knowledge is a continual building process in which we add our own advances and insights to those passed on to us. In this he mirrors the comment of Bernard of Chartres, who in the early 12th century claimed:

"...we [the Moderns] are like dwarves perched on the shoulders of giants [the Ancients], and thus we are able to see more and farther than the latter. And this is not at all because of the acuteness of our sight or the stature of our body, but because we are carried aloft and elevated by the magnitude of the giants."

I suppose, for an engineer, such an attitude makes sense. Progress in engineering, which is really the application of science and technology to current needs and problems, builds on that which has been learned and tested over the centuries. This can, however, result in a kind of temporal bias, in which that which came before is generally considered inferior. 

Indeed, we can argue that in many fields -- the arts, for example -- exactly the opposite is true. I would gladly argue that any fugue and prelude by Bach, a Bethoven symphony, or a concerto by Mozart or Vivaldi, by any reasonable measure far surpasses most of the music to which we are subjected today. Some of today’s music is quite good, but very little of it is great. I believe this applies, too, to many of the visual arts. And interestingly, it seems also to apply, at least in some instances, to engineering. The Pantheon in Rome is a perfect example. Here’s an aerial view of the Pantheon, thanks to Google Earth:

On our first trip to Rome, Diane and I visited the Pantheon, designed as a Roman temple dedicated to all the gods. It was built, in its final form, sometime in the early 2nd century by the Roman emperor Hadrian. By any standard it is a remarkable structure. The Pantheon is a circular building fronted by an impressive rectangular portico supported by huge columns. I took the below photo back in November 2005. Approaching the building from the Piazza della Rotonda we are almost overwhelmed by the large portico and its massive columns.

The interior, the rotunda, sits under a unique concrete dome with a central opening or oculus that lets in sunlight. The dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome, the only dome of its kind that does not need reinforcement. In the photo below we see the oculus along with part of the surrounding dome:

How big is the Pantheon? The dome's height and diameter are identical (142 ft). At its base the dome is 21 feet thick, while at the top, at the oculus, it is only about 4 feet thick. The content of the materials used to make the dome also vary with height. Concrete was a material which the Romans understood well, and as they built the Pantheon, they applied different aggregates to the concrete mix, from travertine limestone at its thick base to terracotta tiles and ultimately at the top very porous light stones like pumice. The oculus also lightens the loads on the structure where it would be weakest. And the inclusion in the dome of multiple bands of sunken panels (or coffers) further reduces the weight. These bands are visible above and also in the following photo of the Oculus.

I’m not a civil engineer but I did make my way through a course on strength of materials in which our professor waxed eloquently about the Romans’ use of concrete in building the Pantheon, the Colosseum, and many other structures. I recall his telling us that modern concrete has a limited life and usually begins to deteriorate after some decades. I think of all the bridges and interstate overpasses that have had problems in recent years and the billions we have spent to repair them and other elements of our national infrastructure. Our professor, again referring to the Pantheon, went on to say that he and his peers could not understand how ancient Roman concrete seemed to last forever. Discussing this he added that perhaps someday we would figure out the secret and catch up with Roman technology.

Well, apparently this has finally been accomplished. It seems that scientists, archaeologists, and historians have been working independently and occasionally together for many years trying to uncover the secrets of Roman concrete technology. This technology and the techniques that derived from it have resulted in some of the most enduring structures ever made. In a study published in Science Advances researchers from MIT and Harvard, assisted by others from research laboratories in Germany and Switzerland, explained what they believe made Roman concrete so durable and of such high quality. (Note: the article is quite technical, but readily understandable by all serious techno-dweebs.)

As a result of extensive examination of Roman concrete, the researchers discovered that the Roman manufacturing techniques included “key self-healing functionalities.” In other words, the concrete would continually heal itself so it wouldn’t deteriorate over time. It seems small, bright white chunks of lime — what are called “lime clasts” — are abundant in Roman concrete. These chunks of hardened lime were always thought to be mere contaminants, the result of sloppy mixing by the Romans. Everyone was certain they were certainly not essential elements of the mix. Well, not everyone. Adam Masic, MIT professor of civil and environmental engineering, had long been skeptical and decided to find out the truth. In his words:

“Ever since I first began working with ancient Roman concrete, I’ve always been fascinated by these features...The idea that the presence of these lime clasts was simply attributed to low quality control always bothered me. If the Romans put so much effort into making an outstanding construction material, following all of the detailed recipes that had been optimized over the course of many centuries, why would they put so little effort into ensuring the production of a well-mixed final product? There had to be more to this story.”

He was right. Using high-resolution imaging and chemical mapping technology they examined the lime clasts at a molecular level and discovered the clasts had been subjected to high heat, producing what’s known as quicklime. Quicklime, then, was an intentional ingredient and not a contaminant. As Professor Masic explained it:

“The benefits of hot mixing are twofold. First, when the overall concrete is heated to high temperatures, it allows chemistries that are not possible if you only used slaked [cold mixed] lime, producing high-temperature-associated compounds that would not otherwise form. Second, this increased temperature significantly reduces curing and setting times since all the reactions are accelerated, allowing for much faster construction.” 

The lime clasts resulting from this hot mixing process are brittle, so brittle that when the concrete starts to crack over time, the force is shifted to the lime clasts, which also begin to crack. Here’s where it gets truly amazing. These crumbling, cracking lime clasts then react with water penetrating the concrete through the cracks. This results in a calcium-saturated solution that hardens and fills all the cracks in the concrete. It then reacts with the pozzolanic materials and adds extra strength to the concrete blocks. The lime clasts, then, long thought to be contaminants, automatically heal Roman concrete whenever the forces of nature threaten to break it apart. 

And so, the Pantheon, constructed almost entirely of concrete still stands strong after 2,000 years. And it only took that long for us moderns to learn the secrets of Roman construction technology. Pretty smart people, them ancients. Oh, yes, and the ancients are also the folks who, guided by the Spirit, wrote the Bible.

An afterthought: I’ve added a couple of other Pantheon photos below, just to give you a sense of the interior of this wonderful building which is now a Catholic Church. The first shows the interior empty of tourists because a special Mass was about to begin, a Mass we attended.

And here’s a photo of the Pantheon’s entrance. The doors are original, and I believe they’re the world’s largest bronze doors.

Finally, a photo I took in 2008 showing a typical crowd of tourists roaming about the Pantheon rotunda.

If you ever get to Rome, spend at least a few hours in the Pantheon, then enjoy a meal at one of the restaurants around the Piazza della Rotonda. It’s a wonderful way to spend a morning or afternoon.

Homily: Christmas Weekday - January 5

Readings: 1 John 3:11-21; Ps 100; John 1:43-51

_____________________________

Today’s readings are so remarkably appropriate given the condition of our world, given the state of the hearts and minds of so many.

We seem to be immersed, almost smothered, in a world lacking any kind of spiritual unity, a world too often typified by division and hatred. We watch the news, we scan the internet, read all the social media posts, and we must dig deep to encounter true faith, or to see the signs of hope that should mark our lives.

And how easy it is to add to the divisions and hatreds that increasingly separate us from each other. Families are torn apart because of political differences, or moral confusion, or a simple lack of trust. And the bonds of friendships dissolve for many of the same reasons. So many are simply unwilling to set it all aside and just love each other.

As John, the Apostle of Love, reminds us in his first letter, “Whoever does not love, remains in death.” He’s speaking here of spiritual death, a rejection of everything good, a rejection of God’s call to “love one another as I have loved you” [Jn 13:34].

John goes on to remind us that words mean little unless they are manifested in “deed and truth”, or to use a more common expression: to walk the talk. Who in your life needs the touch of your love, of God’s love? A family member? A friend, perhaps someone who hurt you, someone from whom you have withheld forgiveness? A maybe just a neighbor who irritates you no end? Reach out to them, not to receive anything, simply to extend God’s love.

Often enough we form little personal biases, pre-judgments that are hard to shatter. Just look at Nathaniel in our Gospel passage. Philip told him wondrous things about Jesus, that He is the one promised by God through Moses, a promise every Jew kept in his heart.

“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kindred, and will put my words into the mouth of the prophet; the prophet shall tell them all that I command” [Dt 18:18].

But none of this impressed Nathaniel, who like Philip was probably from Bethsaida, and thought little of folks from Nazareth. The villages of Galilee, places like Bethsaida, Cana, and Nazareth, were just small country towns, subject to the same petty jealousies and rivalries that affect us today. 

I lived on Cape Cod for 25 or so years. It's a lovely little slice of God's earth, but the old-timers can be a bit...well, provincial. Here's a local story that displays how rivalries between the small towns manifest themselves: 

Two elderly men, both from the town of Chatham and both from old Cape families, were standing at the fence separating their front yards lamenting the number of tourists filling their Chatham streets. One said to the other, "Pretty soon, with all these tourists, there'll be no room for us natives." The other gave a snort and replied, "Natives? I heard that your great-great grandfather was born in Harwich." (Harwich was a neighboring town.)  

Yes, those Galilean villages were no doubt similar to our own versions, even here in The Villages. Not long ago, speaking with a woman who lives in a village that abuts ours, she said: “Our village is wonderful. We all love to get together in block parties and holiday celebrations. But I've noticed your village doesn’t do a lot of that.” This, of course, was just a slightly nicer way of saying, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” [Jn 1:46] 

I wish I could say that, meeting me, she immediately changed her attitude. But no, she just continued with more of the same. But not Nathaniel. Philip, accepting his new role as evangelist, said to his friend: "Come and see." 

Yes, indeed, come and see Jesus and you will be changed. After only a few minutes with Our Lord, Nathaniel exceeded even Philip:

“Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel” [Jn 1:49].

Declaring what the Spirit has revealed to him, he joined Philip and followed Jesus in "deed and truth.” And this is what every encounter with Jesus is like, or should be like.

Maybe we should spend more time away from all the modern, technological wonders that clutter our lives and our minds, and, like Nathaniel, just sit down for a while under our own figurative fig trees, and let God come to us. How good it is to just experience God’s creation and enjoy the peace that He extends to us.

I think it especially interesting that in 1^st Kings, we encounter the fig tree as a symbol of peace:

“During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel lived in safety…all of them under the vines and the fig trees.” [1 Kgs 5:5]

And in Zechariah, an angel of the Lord assured the high priest with the words:

“On that day you will invite one another under your vines and fig trees” [Zech 3:10].

Our homes and our communities should also be places of safety, places of peace, places on invitation, where love overcomes all conflict. Then we, too, can join the psalmist and “serve the Lord with gladness…give thanks to Him; bless His name” [Ps 100:2,4]

Mr. Speaker?

First of all, politically I’m a conservative, and I’m likely far more conservative than Matt Gaetz or any of the other Republican reps who voted against Kevin McCarthy in today’s first and second votes for Speaker of the House. From what I can tell, these men and women simply despise Kevin McCarthy and are conservative simply because their constituents are conservative. I’ve heard nothing from them that addresses exactly what they seek in a Speaker, exactly what they want as members of Congress. When they address policy issues, they speak in gross generalities but their words tell us only one thing: they simply don’t want McCarthy. Their hatred for Kevin McCarthy drives their votes for Speaker. It has little to do with policy but everything to do with personality. 

Who are these guys and gals? Trying to describe them isn’t easy, but then I recalled one of my favorite movies, One Eyed Jacks, starring Marlon Brando. At one point in the film Brando’s character, Rio, turned to a guy even more evil than himself, and used a rather descriptive epithet. He called him a “scum-sucking pig” which I will now refer to as an SSP. Although remarkably nasty, it was neither obscene nor profane, but simply a wonderfully vulgar descriptive. I must admit, although I’ve always liked it, i’ve never used it…until now. 

Don’t these elected representatives realize what the American people want from the Congress they have elected? They want action, not a soap opera of personal vendettas. McCarthy even helped several of the these SSPs in their recent elections, providing both funds and personal support. The SSPs are also making the Republican Party look remarkably foolish. Note that the Democrats are solid in their support for Hakeem Jeffries (NY) while more than a few Republicans seem to enjoy the Congressional chaos they have created. One can only hope enough of them come to their senses so our government can move forward in the direction the people want. 

We live in strange times, folks. Even the good guys despise each other.

Fear and Spiritual Paralysis

Much of humanity seems to be afflicted by a kind of spiritual paralysis, something that has infected far too many of the once Christian nations of Europe and the Americas. Sadly, it has also infected many in our Church. And the cause? I wish I were smart enough, or holy enough, to give a definite answer, but I'll instead just pass along my best guess. It's a guess based on what I see, and hear, and sense as I interact with so many others. Quite simply, the cause, as I see it, is fear.

So many seem to fear the world, its ills, and its threats. For instance, the COVID pandemic left much of the world paralyzed in fear. President Putin rattles his nuclear saber and the West trembles. Communist China declares its intent to displace the United States as the reigning world power and we cower, wondering, fearing when and how this will happen. We seem to seek out things to fear. Terrorism, climate change, crime, border crises -- they're all packed together into the collection of fears we've created. I suppose if I believed this brief time on earth was all there is, I too would be overwhelmed with fear. But we are believers, faithful Christians, who trust in the Lord, so why should we be fearful? 

Many Christians believe the absence of faith — that is, faith’s opposite — is disbelief, doubt, or denial. But for me I’ve always considered the opposite of faith to be fear, which so often leads to despair. It’s why faithless people are never truly happy. Lacking faith in God, they cannot help but see life as something that must end, followed by absolutely nothing. And that must be a fearful realization. I’ve always liked  Mark Twain’s comment on fear of life and death: “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is ready to die at any time.” I would only modify the second sentence to read: “A man of faith is ready to die at any time.” But I suppose the two mean the same thing, for to live a life of faith is to live fully.

Mark Twain might have had a clever way with words, but God’s Word, revealed in Sacred Scripture tells us a lot more about faith and fear. Sometime ago I read that the phrase “Be not afraid” (or similar words) appears 365 times in the Bible, presumably once for each day of the year. I can’t recall where I read this, but it was probably on some Bible-Study website written by someone with way too much time on his hands. I also don’t know if this claim is true, and I suppose I’ll never know since I don’t intend to pore over the entire Bible to find out. Anyway, if I wanted to be picky, I’d ask if the deuterocanonical books were included in the count. And what about all those leap years that include 366 days? Are we free to fear every February 29th? 

As you might suspect, I’m not a big fan of such an approach to Sacred Scripture. I suppose there’s nothing inherently wrong with it, but it can cause us to focus a bit too much on the numbers at the expense of the message. And it’s the message that’s so important, especially today. So, let’s just say our loving God commands us to be fearless always. In effect, that command, whether or not it occurs 365 times, covers the entirety of the human condition. We must, then try to avoid responding in fear to all that we encounter in our messy lives. 

Looking back to my days as a Navy pilot, I can recall a number of occasions when things got pretty dicey, and I had to follow my training and rely on my experience to deal with potential life and death situations. But do you know what was most interesting about each of these situations? I was so busy trying to keep my crew and me alive that I never really knew fear. If I experienced any kind of fear, it was after the fact when the fight surgeon asked, "Maybe you'd like a little glass of brandy?" I recall thinking that was a marvelous idea.

Maybe, then, as Christians the key to avoiding fear is simply to stay busy doing the work of discipleship. I can't help but recall what St. Paul had to say on the subject to the Philippians:

"Brothers, I for my part do not consider myself to have taken possession. Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. [Phil 3:13-14]

Yes, indeed, that's our job: working and pursuing the goal. We must also accept that “Be not afraid!” and “Fear not!” aren't mere suggestions. They are imperatives, commands God issues to all His disciples. But they’re not mindless, arbitrary commands of the sort we humans tend to utter. How often as a child did you hear the words “Because I said so!” when you questioned a parent’s command? Our God isn’t like that, for He is the perfect Father who always tells us why. Yes, He reveals everything we need to know to become true disciples, everything needed for salvation. 

If we are believing, faithful Christians, we should know that our God cares for us, that He loves us with a love far greater than any human love. The Incarnation, and the Life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of God’s only Son is, of course, the miraculous proof and manifestation of His love. But God’s love is also an eternal love, one that extends beyond our lives on earth. It is a love that offers us salvation, an eternal life greater than anything we could ever imagine. How did St. Paul put it?

"…no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him" [1 Cor 2:9].

Understanding this, we must develop an eternal worldview, one that focuses on the salvation promised to us. Once again St. Paul comes through with another of his wonderful metaphors:

Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified [1 Cor 9:24-27].

Yes, indeed, salvation is quite a prize. Why, then, do we fear when as Christians we are offered an eternal life that must overcome all the hardships, the challenges, the sorrows, and, yes, the fears of this short life on earth? Because, I suppose, we're human and are plagued by the effects of sin, especially the original sin of our first parents. We turn to the past and fear repeating the same mistakes, the same sins, we've committed again and again. And we look to the future, the unknown, and fear that which might happen and its consequences. We worry about our children, our grandchildren, forgetting that they, too, are loved by our merciful God. We fear the global effects of sinfulness and wonder how, as a people, we will ever solve the problems we have created. Here's the Good News: We won't. Only God can do that.

We fear all these things and many more because we forget the unconditional love and infinite power of our God. We need only turn to Him as a Christian people, accepting that only He can bring His creation to the wholeness He intended from the beginning. The power of prayer is far greater than any human power, but how many of us truly believe this? Wouldn't it be wonderful if the Catholic Church, our Holy Father and our bishops, joined together with the other Christian communities of the world and set aside a day, even better, a week of prayer? We need not pray for specific intentions; far better if we came together and prayed only that God's holy will be fulfilled. St. Paul reminded us of this as well when he instructed the Romans with those now-famous words:

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" [Rom 8:28].

And I suspect our Jewish brothers and sisters might well join us in this prayerful effort. As the psalmist reminds us:

Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God! Let thy good spirit lead me on a level path! [Ps 143:10]
…and

Not to us, LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your mercy and faithfulness [Ps 115:1].

We must also repent, both as individuals and as God's Church -- no excuses, no rationalizations, no evasions. We need only turn to God, motivated by an honest desire to return His love for us and to change our lives.

Be not afraid, brothers and sisters. God is in charge.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (1927-2022) - Rest in Peace

I've met a few famous people during my 78 years, but the greatest, the humblest, surely the most intelligent was Joseph Ratzinger, better known to the world as Pope Benedict XVI. This wonderful, faithful servant of God died this morning in his residence at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens at the age of 95. My personal belief is that Pope Benedict XVI was among the greatest of the modern popes, not only for what he accomplished during his papacy, but also for all he did during his many years as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith where he served the Church as the leading theological advisor to Pope John Paul II.

Pope Benedict XVI (2005)

This morning, as I sat here in my messy den considering this remarkable man, I happened to glance at one of my bookcases in which several shelves are filled entirely with books by and about him. I suppose that's one thing I have in common with Pope Saint John Paul II: we both listened to Jospeh Ratzinger on all things theological.

I actually met then-Cardinal Ratzinger years ago on February 26, 2000. The Church had set aside a week of that Holy Year expressly for deacons, so Diane and I joined a few thousand other permanent deacons and their wives from around the world and made the pilgrimage to Italy, where we visited Florence, Assisi, Venice, Orvieto, and, of course, Rome and the Vatican.

When we arrived in Rome, we intended to call a friend, Fr. Adam Domanski, a Polish priest who had served in our parish on Cape Cod for a few summers. Fr. Adam was studying in Rome, earning his doctorate in Sacred Scripture. Afterwards, he would return to his native Poland and teach in one of the seminaries. Anyway, on our first morning in Rome, before we had an opportunity to call Fr. Adam, we ran into him on a small street as we searched for a particular vestment shop. If I believed in coincidences, which I don't, it would have been a remarkable one. We asked Fr. Adam if we could take him to lunch the following day, and he agreed.

The next day he met us at our hotel and then led us to a lovely, little restaurant on Borgo Pio, a pedestrian-only street just a block from St. Peter's Square. As we made our way to a table, Fr. Adam laughed and said, "A lot of bishops and cardinals eat lunch here, so we'll have to be on our best behavior." And he was right, I noticed several bishops sitting at nearby tables.

Afterwards, as we made the short walk back to the Vatican, Fr. Adam turned to me and said, "Well, well, there's a very important man in the Church." I looked up and saw Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger walking toward us. He was accompanied by a young, tall priest who I believe was George Gänswein, a member of his staff and his future personal secretary.

If you know me, you'll guess that I didn't hesitate, but instead went right up to the cardinal and introduced myself as one of the American deacons on our Holy Year pilgrimage. He asked about my bishop, Sean O'Malley, then Bishop of Fall River, and I then expressed my thanks for teaching me so much through the many books he had written. He was extremely kind, soft-spoken, and very interested in Diane's work as a teacher in a Catholic elementary school. I asked if we could take a picture and Fr. Adam volunteered to handle my new digital camera. I've included the photo below. I believe I was instructing Fr. Adam on how to use the camera, when he snapped the photo.

Our brief meeting had a pleasant epilogue. Weeks later, our local diocesan newspaper wrote a front-page story about this meeting between me and Cardinal Ratzinger and included the photo. I had expected only a brief mention in a longer article about the deacons' Holy Year pilgrimage, but the writer, another deacon, had other ideas. When the issue appeared, I sent a copy to Cardinal Ratzinger, along with a letter thanking him for taking the time to chat with us on the streets of Rome. Surprisingly, he responded with a beautiful, personal letter, now among my most cherished possessions.

Pope Benedict may well have been the most brilliant theologian who ever served the Church as pope. I certainly think so. He was a man who had no desire to be pope, a man with no personal ambition, a saintly man who wanted only to serve his Lord by helping the Church stay true to the deposit of faith with which it is entrusted.

A little over a year ago, commenting on the death of a close friend, the Pope Emeritus wrote, “Now he has arrived on the other side, where surely many friends already await him. I hope that I can join their company soon.” Today this hope is fulfilled.

Rest in peace, Holy Father. Today may we come together as Church and sing our Song of Farewell:

May the choir of angels, come to greet you.

May they speed you to paradise.

May the Lord enfold you in His mercy.

May you find eternal life.

Homily: Feast of the Holy Innocents

 Readings: 1 Jn 1:5-2:2; Ps 124; Mt 2:13-18

______________________________

More than any other time in the liturgical year, Christmas is a celebration of life. It’s the day we celebrate the remarkable gift of the Father – the gift in which He gives us His Son, Jesus Christ, by having Him share in our human life. During this season God sends Himself into the world. He becomes one of us:

“And the Word became flesh, and made His dwelling among us” [Jn 1:14].  

Yes, Christmas is a wonderful manifestation of God’s love for us – His regard for the gift of life He has given us.

Today, however, in our Gospel reading we witness an event describing man’s rejection of this gift. Herod, so afraid of losing his earthly power, a power that cannot last, turned his fear into hate, and hate into the destruction of innocent life. In a very real sense, these little ones gave their lives so the Son of God could be Emmanuel and live among us.

Like many of today’s political leaders, Herod foolishly believed he could defeat the will of God. Driven by fear and hatred, he became a mass murderer of the most innocent among his people.

Slaughter of the Innocents

Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Today we face with something very similar, but in truth it’s something far worse. Since 1973 over 60 million of our nation’s most innocent have been slaughtered by abortion. And that’s just a small percentage of the global total. It’s time to stop this child-killing and put the Life back into Christmas, to eradicate the culture of death.

I’m convinced, though, this won’t come about through politics. No, it will happen only when we as God’s People undergo a change of heart, when we all begin to lead the Christian life the Gospel calls us to lead. As Catherine Doherty phrased it, when we learn to live “the Gospel without compromise.”

We can start by following Joseph and obeying God’s commandments – quite simply, to do what He tells us, even if He tells us to get up in the middle of the night and go to where we don’t want to go.

We are called also to love, and that means loving even the Herods of today’s world. Love them into God's kingdom by forgiving them, praying for them, suffering for them, and sharing the love of Jesus with them.

We are called, too, to repentance, to ask God to heal our apathy, our own weak faith. As John told us in our reading today,

"If we acknowledge our sins, He Who is just can be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong" [1 Jn 1:9].

You see, brothers and sisters, you and I aren’t engaging in battle with people. No, our real battle is with Satan. By prayer and fasting we can drive out the demons of abortion and hatred, as well as the plagues of war and terrorism.

And finally, we can fix our eyes always on Jesus. It is He who welcomes the innocents of yesterday, today, and tomorrow into the Kingdom, and it is He, and only He, Who can forgive those who took their precious lives.

Only Jesus Christ, and the grace He showers on us through His holy Church, can save us from our sinfulness and from eternal death.

Only Jesus Christ can give us the gift of life, eternal life, for He is the Lord of Life.

We must never forget that.

Sick and Tired

I’ve been sick, with something that’s made me very tired. I’m really not sure what hammered me about a week ago, but it sure made an impression. It feels like the flu but I won’t hazard a diagnosis except to say that I’ve been out of commission ever since it appeared. The symptoms were pretty standard: aches and pains, upper respiratory congestion and cough, chills, weakness, loss of appetite, and all the rest. To my knowledge I never had a fever, so I guess that’s a good thing. But the best thing has been the loving care provided by Diane who kept me hydrated, medicated, fed, warm and cozy, and let me get the rest I needed. She has been wonderful indeed. Anyway, thanks to Diane, I’m now on the mend, and should be back to normal within a day or two. In the meantime I’ll continue to remain cloistered here at home and just goof off until I feel well enough to rejoin polite society. 

Sadly, today I’ll have to miss the Parish Staff Christmas Luncheon, always an enjoyable event, except perhaps for the irritating Yankee Swap gift exchange. Okay, okay…a lot of folks apparently enjoy it, but it just seems to turn gift-giving into an unnecessarily complicated process that ensures the right gifts too often get to the wrong people. Just seems to me a “secret Santa” approach would be a lot simpler, leave everyone happier, and be more attuned to Christian values. But what do I know? Obviously, not much, because I think I’m alone in my, until now, unvoiced criticism. I’d already bought a gift for the luncheon, one that met the $25 limit. I think I’ll ask Diane to give it to some deserving soul whom she believes will enjoy it,

Diane’s undergoing another of her frequent physical therapy sessions, so while she’s out I’ll ask a compliant Alexa to play a little Vivaldi or Bach while I take a brief restorative nap right here in my easy chair. But first I must extricate my right foot from under Maddie who decided to settle down on top of it. This is something new with Maddie who’s normally not much of a cuddler. Perhaps it’s a symptom of her advancing age — Maddie turns 15 this month — and reflects a long-repressed desire to establish a closer relationship with the pack. Then again, maybe she just decided my slippered foot was a handy pillow. 

In the meantime, get your heart and soul ready for Jesus. He arrives soon. 

Happy Birthdays

Last evening we celebrated two birthdays. Yesterday was our friend Andy Truax’s birthday and today is Diane’s birthday. Andy is married to Jamie, who’s been Diane’s close friend since they first became best pals in grade school in Pensacola. A few years ago she and Andy moved to Central Florida and now live nearby, so Diane and Jamie get together frequently, usually to shop. 

And so, the four of us decided to celebrate over dinner at Coastal Del Mar, a fairly new seafood restaurant here in The Villages. We had a delightful time and enjoyed the food and the stories. The restaurant even surprised us with free birthday desserts, a wonderful key lime pie. A good time was had by all.

Here’s a photo of Jamie and Andy from last night…cute couple.

And here’s a photo of an even cuter couple…yep, that’s us.

When I first met Diane, as I was making my way through flight training in Pensacola, she was entering her senior year at Florida State and was a few months shy of her 21st birthday. That was a while ago, but I’d better be discreet and not mention the year. I will say, however, that Diane seemed to enjoy the fact that Andy is exactly one day older than she.

Just Some Stuff…

Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated. President Biden, and his sidekick, Dr. Anthony Fauci, have spoken frequently and loudly about the “pandemic of the unvaccinated.” Their purpose was always to shame those who haven’t gotten the mRNA COVID shots or, almost as bad, neglected to be boosted. In the spirit of full disclosure, Dear Diane and I both got the two Moderna shots and the 1st booster…but that’s it. We’ve decided to get no more COVID shots until we know more about the effects of these still experimental drugs. 

I actually believe I contracted COVID back in early 2020, before I had been vaccinated. I felt so bad I went to the doctor on a weekend and was treated by a very nice and seemingly competent PA. I had all the symptoms of COVID, but since no test was yet available, she assumed I had a bad case of some random virus. She gave me meds and told me to rest, drink liquids, and come back if it got worse. After a week or so, I recovered and forgot about it. But many months later I spoke to several others who had suffered from COVID and our symptoms, although they varied in intensity, were identical. Despite my age, I am in good health, so I think I just slid through my case more easily than many. 

Anyway, yesterday the CDC released its latest data on COVID deaths and — surprise, surprise! — “a majority of Americans dying from the coronavirus received at least the primary series of the vaccine.” This, of course, alters the narrative that it is only the unvaccinated who will die from COVID. My unscientific guess is that those who are dying today are folks with serious comorbidity issues and compromised immune systems. Perhaps the president should change his mantra since it apparently doesn’t reflect the “science,” which is always a moving target.

Dumbing Down the Legal Profession. The American Bar Association has decided that those hoping to enter law school should no longer be required to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and apparently Harvard and Yale have decided to go along with this. Interestingly, the LSAT is designed to measure prospective law students’ ability to reason, solve problems, comprehend what they read, along with other intellectual traits that lawyers believe they should possess. I certainly won’t argue with the need for these traits. If I ever need a lawyer, I want him to be rational and smart. But one can only assume that by failing to test for these traits and abilities, some aspiring lawyers will lack them. I suppose, then, we can conclude that, on average, the lawyer of tomorrow will be less rational, less capable, and not nearly as smart as today’s lawyer, assuming such an outcome is even possible.

Okay, okay…my apologies to all my lawyer friends for that last remark. Perhaps I was thinking only of those lawyers who gravitate to government and subsequently do everything they can to siphon political power from the people, who are sovereign.

Abortion, Religion, and Politics. Shortly before the recent mid-term elections, during one of those “after Mass” conversations with a parishioner, I was told that “the Church really shouldn’t get involved in politics. After all,” he added, “our country was founded on the concept of separation of church and state.” I assumed he was telling me this because of his tacit acceptance, and the Church’s adamant condemnation, of abortion. As it turned out, my assumption was correct. Of course, his supporting statement was false. Our nation was not “founded on the concept of separation of church and state.” In fact, that specific concept was voiced by only one man, Thomas Jefferson, in a rather obscure letter written to a Baptist Association in Danbury, Connecticut in 1802. The Constitution does not demand separation. Here’s the actual text of the First Amendment:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Note that the first freedom, that which the founders believed to be most important, is the freedom of religion. The Constitution prohibited Congress from establishing a state religion of the sort found at the time in many European countries, especially England where the ruling monarch was, and remains today, the head of the established church. But it said nothing about banning religious faith from influencing political thought or action. Indeed, for true believers of any faith, religious values have a major influence on every aspect of their lives. This understanding no doubt drove the founders to add the second clause in which the government may not prohibit citizens from freely exercising their religious faith. Both religious freedom clauses are further supported by the subsequent clause that guarantees the freedom of speech. 

Because our bishops — and, yes, even priests, deacons, religious, and the faithful — are citizens, they may scream to high heaven about the gross injustice of the government’s support for the willful slaughter of the unborn. Abortion is by no means solely a religious issue. It is also moral and political, as we all saw in the last election. Politics, religion, and morality cannot and should not be separated. Religious values have always had an impact on politics. We need only consider the Ten Commandments and their place in many of the world’s legal systems. 

When I said all this to our parishioner, he just shrugged and mumbled something about disagreeing. But he apparently decided not to argue the issues with me and walked away. At first, I was pleased because his silence told me I had “won” the argument. But then I realized I had done little to change his opinion. In truth I had focused more on myself and my ability to argue effectively than on his need for conversion. We must learn to listen to Jesus and let the Holy Spirit speak through us:

“…do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say" [Lk 12:11-12].

I’ll have to talk with this parishioner again.

Breaking with the Left. I often must remind myself of the reality of the passage of time. For example, anyone younger than 35 really has little memory of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European puppet states. After all, by the early 1990s much of the world had been transformed. For decades all of these nations had been ruled by the iron fist of communism, an ideology that maintained power only through the application of terrorism against its own people.

The exploited and the poor, those who suffered under earlier tyrannies, had liked the sound of socialism. It seemed to provide a solution to their problems, to offer a better life, to promise a leveling that would eliminate the vast disparity among the classes. Yes, indeed, socialism, and even its more violent and oppressive manifestation in communism, sounded so very good to the uninformed. Often enough, war and revolution created the catalytic environment needed to bring about radical societal change and a total shift in the balance of power. The Soviet Union was born out of the chaos of World War One and its subsequent discord, while Communist China arose in the aftermath of World War Two. 

But once the left assumes power and the people actually experience the reality of totalitarianism, they realize their lives are controlled by a corps of elites who wield absolute power. Even after they come to understand the truth about socialism, it becomes very difficult to turn back the clock. Only when an oppressed people decide that their freedom and that of their children is more important than life itself do they rise up, cast off their chains, and overthrow the tyrants. Perhaps the people of China, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and too many other nations will someday make that decision.

Now for something a bit lighter, a wonderful fish story. 

A Goldfish Story. When I was growing up, like a lot of kids, I had a few goldfish. I managed to keep them alive, at least for a while, and I suppose the biggest ones might have grown to four or five inches long. The size of the tank seemed to be the limiting factor, so they never got much bigger. I just assumed that goldfish were by nature small fish. But the other day I was hooked by a story about a man who caught a rather large goldfish in a French lake. How large was it? A whopping 67 pounds. Here’s a photo of the UK fisherman, Andy Hackett, with his catch, a goldfish appropriately named “Carrot” by the locals. And don’t worry, after photographing his record catch, Hackett released Carrot so the remarkable fish could gain a few more pounds and continue to set new world records.