Rudard Kipling -- Happy Birthday

Today would be 135th birthday of Rudard Kipling (1865- 1935).

One of the English languages greatest story tellers and poets with the versatility to write convincingly in a wide varity of motiefs and settings. Ironically while he is much criticized for political reasons, especially by those who have never read more than a selected tag line, he often states their concerns better than they do. One of his best gifts was to describe the feeling and viewpoints of others in their voice (edited for family hour). Anyone who has ever been in barracks would recognize Barrack Room Ballads as an authentic voice of the common soldier.

"IF" is one of his most popular poems.



A few of his lesser known poems.






Check out more at the Kipling Society

Rachel Weeping for Her Children

Today is the feast of the Holy Innocents


Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him." And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt, 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more."
Mathew 2: 16-18

Merry Christmas

What Child is This? Sung by Mahalia Jackson

Celebrate Christ's Mass on Christmas

and


Keep Christ in Christmas.

Click here forMass times and places

Happy Hanukkah

I guess I’m late again.




He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt offering, which had been profaned. 4And they thought it best to tear it down, lest it bring reproach upon them, for the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar, and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until there should come a prophet to tell what to do with them. Then they took unhewn stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one. They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts. They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. Then they burned incense on the altar and lighted the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple. They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.

Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year, they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which they had built. At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and offered burnt offerings with gladness; they offered a sacrifice of deliverance and praise. They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and furnished them with doors. There was very great gladness among the people, and the reproach of the Gentiles was removed.

Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with gladness and joy for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.
1 Mecc 4 42:59

HT: Deans World

The Fourth Sunday of Advent 2010

From Agnus Day


A prophesy is made

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, "Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test." And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanu-el.
Issiah 7: 10-14

And fulfilled

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way.

When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.
Mathew 1: 18-24

Note to me: He IS coming!

American Arrogance

Michael Yon recently made a humors/serious post on American Arrogance.

There have been many comments about American arrogance. During my travels to 48 United States and over 50 countries -- most of those states and countries multiple times -- some themes have emerged. continue reading

My contribution to the comments:
The best country in the world?
The one you call home!

The Third Sunday of Advent

From Agnus Day

Issiah tells of the Lord’s coming

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and
rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the LORD,
the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands, and
make firm the feeble knees.
Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
"Be strong, fear not!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
with the recompense of God.
He will come and save you."

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and
the ears of the deaf unstopped;
then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and
the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.
For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert;

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and
come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness, and
sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Isaiah 35:1-6,10

James calls us to patience, for He will come again

Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.
Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains!
You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord’s coming will be soon.
Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgment yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates.
For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
James 5:7-10

Note to me: Be patient!., Jesus will come again!

The Second Sundayof Advent

From Agnus Day



Isaiah foretold it!

A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse,
a scion thrusts from his roots:
on him the spirit of the Lord rests,
a spirit of wisdom and insight,
a spirit of counsel and power,
a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)

He does not judge by appearances,
he gives no verdict on hearsay,
but judges the wretched with integrity,
and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.
His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless,
his sentences bring death to the wicked.
Integrity is the loincloth round his waist,
faithfulness the belt about his hips.

The wolf lives with the lamb,
the panther lies down with the kid,
calf and lion feed together,
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear make friends,
their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobra’s hole;
into the viper’s lair
the young child puts his hand.
They do no hurt, no harm,
on all my holy mountain,
for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters swell the sea.

That day, the root of Jesse
shall stand as a signal to the peoples.
It will be sought out by the nations
and its home will be glorious.
Isiah 11 1:10



John the Baptists announced it!

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight."
Mathew 3-1:3

Indeed -- Jesus is coming!


Note to me: prepare the way in your heart.