The Desert Fathers, Sunday, April 17, 2011

There was in the Cells an old man called Apollo. If someone came to find him about doing a piece of work, he would set out joyfully, saying, 'I am going to work with Christ today, for the salvation of my soul, for that is the reward he gives.'

From Coptic.net

Founder's Friday, Friday, April 15, 2011

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As on the one hand, the necessity for borrowing in particular emergencies cannot be doubted, so on the other, it is equally evident that to be able to borrow upon good terms, it is essential that the credit of a nation should be well established.

Alexander Hamilton, Report on Public Credit, January 9, 1790

Wacky Wednesday, Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Andy Kaufman Taxi

It's Wednesday, we'ver made it half way through the week and it's time to sit back and enjoy a laugh from Andy Kaufman.

Tribute to a Healer

On Tuesday, this past week, I saw in the newspaper that Dr. Lazar died, at the age of only 52, in a skiing accident in Canada. Dr. Lazar was the spinal surgeon who operated on my back nearly ten years ago now. I was only in surgery a couple of hours but, in that brief time, was cured of constant, crippling pain. He was a healer. 

On hearing the news, I felt a sense of tremendous pain and grief at the loss of such a skilled doctor from whose skills I had benefited so much. This is so, even though I only saw him two or three times in my life. After the surgery and one follow up visit, he knew his work was done and there was no further need for his services. I have always respected and admired that. 

I also felt a tinge of anger. What was he doing, a man of such skill, capable of such important work, on a dangerous ski slope in the Canadian Rockies? He had no business being there and putting himself in such danger. Then, I reminded myself of two things. First, we must live our lives the best we can and that means not in fear of the “what if.” To live that way is to not live at all. 

I also thought of the tremendous contingency of our lives; of how fragile life truly is, for any of us and even in the best of circumstances. We are here only by the gift of God’s grace and only moment by moment. We “do well always and everywhere” to give Him our thanks and gratitude – and to be prepared for the time when we return to Him for all eternity. 

It’s the very best we can do.

Desert Fathers, Sunday, April 10. 2011

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He, therefore, who sets himself to act evilly and yet wishes others to be silent, is a witness against himself, for he wishes himself to be loved more than the truth, which he does not wish to be defended against himself. There is, of course, no man who so lives as not sometimes to sin, but he wishes truth to be loved more than himself, who wills to be spared by no one against the truth. Wherefore, Peter willingly accepted the rebuke of Paul; David willingly hearkened to the reproof of a subject. For good rulers who pay no regard to self-love, take as a homage to their humility the free and sincere words of subjects. But in this regard the office of ruling must be tempered with such great art of moderation, that the minds of subjects, when demonstrating themselves capable of taking right views in some matters, are given freedom of expression, but freedom that does not issue into pride, otherwise, when liberty of speech is granted too generously, the humility of their own lives will be lost.

St. Gregory The Great, Pastoral Care

Founders Friday, Friday, April 8, 2011

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A government ought to contain in itself every power requisite to the full accomplishment of the objects committed to its care, and to the complete execution of the trusts for which it is responsible, free from every other control but a regard to the public good and to the sense of the people.


Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 31, January 1, 1788

Miscellaneous Musings, April 4, 2011

Colorado. Here it can be truly said that, if you don’t like the weather, wait a few hours and it’ll change. Saturday at 6:00 PM the temperatures were in the 70’s and it was a beautiful, sunny day. Saturday night, we had high winds, with gusts up to 70 mph, and on Sunday at 6:00 PM it was 32 degrees and snowing. Everyone I’ve spoken to mentioned that the wind made it very difficult to sleep, so we were no exception. It’s supposed to be beautiful the rest of the week. We’ll see!

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Sunday evening we had a missionary priest from Africa celebrate Mass in our parish. I admire men devote their lives to this work, yet, it seems invariably, they bring with them some strange quirks in the way they go about celebrating the Mass. When this happens I, invariably find it disconcerting, as it certainly disturbs one’s concentration. Still though, I hope his appeal touched hearts, and wallets, to help him in his work with African orphans from the AIDS epidemic there. We need more men like him, God knows.

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I mentioned attending Sunday Mass in the evening, a change of schedule brought about by the enjoyable visit of an old friend from Detroit. Attending the last Mass of the weekend always makes me feel like a laggard, even when made necessary by planned events over the weekend. This for reasons unknown. But then, I’m reminded of Jesus teaching about those who would be first should be last, and I accept that it’s all good. As Fr. De Caussade said, “In souls abandoned to God everything is efficacious, everything is a sermon and apostolic.” Amen.