Posts
AUGUST
August--We may come to appreciate more deeply the various landforms (mountains, deserts, rock formations, valleys, and plains) during vacation time. They give us bearing, direction, and the geological history of our lives. This is the beginning of awareness of the "here" in our lives. The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord shows us the "hereness" of the risen Lord, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary speaks of God's power to the blessed. While we can choose to extend the Savior's redeeming power to our wounded earth, we also can choose to withdraw from this awesome challenge.
Overview of August[1]
August is often considered the transitional month in our seasonal calendar. It is the time of the year we begin to wind-down from our summer travels and vacations and prepare for Autumn — back to school, fall festivals, harvest time, etc. The Church in her holy wisdom has provided a cycle of events in its liturgical year which allow the faithful to celebrate the major feasts in the life of Christ and Mary. Most notably, during August, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration (August 6) and the feast of the Assumption (August 15).
The days of summer have provided a welcome change of pace. However, while vacations afford us the time to relax and refresh, the change of habits and routines can also have a negative impact on our spiritual lives. As if to re-ignite us, the Church offers us in the plethora of August feasts vivid examples of the virtue of perseverance: six martyrs — two who are named in Canon I of the Mass and two who were martyred during World War II; seven founders of religious congregations, as well as three popes and two kings; the apostle, St. Bartholomew; the great Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine and St. Monica, his mother; the humble patron saint of parish priests, St. John Vianney, and the patron of deacons, St. Lawrence, who joked with his executioners while being roasted alive.
It is never too late to begin — as the life of the reformed sinner, St. Augustine teaches us — nor too difficult to begin again, as demonstrated by the conversion of the martyr, St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein). We present-day members of the Mystical Body are certain of the reward to which we are called, for Christ's Transfigured body (August 6) is a preview of that glory. Moreover, in the Assumption of his Mother (August 15), Our Lord has demonstrated his fidelity to his promise. Her privilege is "the highest fruit of the Redemption" and "our consoling assurance of the coming of our final hope — the glorification which is Christ's" (Enchiridion on Indulgences).
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the most perfect example of Christian perseverance, but she is also our advocate in heaven where she is crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth (August 22). Mary is the "Mother of Perpetual Help", the patroness of the Congregation founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori (August 1). "No one who has fled to her protection is left unaided" is the claim of the Memorare of St. Bernard (August 20). Heretics have returned to the faith by the prayers of her Rosary, first preached by St. Dominic (August 8) in the twelfth Century, and hearts have been converted by the graces received while wearing her Miraculous Medal, promoted by St. Maximillian Kolbe (August 14) and adopted as the "badge" for the Pious Union he founded. Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope!
August Travel[2]
· State Fair Season
State
fair season kicks off in August; see the stars of the season like the
Orange County Fair, which draws more than 1.5 million fairgoers, or the
Minnesota State Fair, which Andrew Zimmern calls his own slice of heavenly
obsession. With state fair staples like ice-cold lemonade and fried treats, we
can see why.
Technically the world's largest
yard sale, the flea market known as the 127 Corridor is certainly the LONGEST
outdoor market. Beginning on a highway in Jamestown, TN, this flea stretches
hundreds of miles through North Covington, Kentucky, and continues all the way
to Gadsden, Alabama. There are more than 2,000 vendors along this tour who
clear their schedules for 3 weeks every August. One can imagine the caravan of
Winnabagos that make this annual pilgrimage. Countless treasures and billions
of collectibles hide among bric-a-brac and junk, but the people-watching and
Southern hospitality alone are worth the trip.
Escape
the heat, and take in awe-inspiring glacial views, with a cruise to Alaska.
Cruise ships dock alongside towns from Seward, along Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula,
to Ketchikan, in the Alexander Archipelago. Cruise ships also dock near Katmai
National Park, where July is prime time to see bears gulp up Atlantic salmon on
their run. And if cruise prices prove too high in July, fret not: Alaska’s
prime cruise season stretches through September.
·
July
30-Aug 3rd -Maine
Lobster Festival (Rockland, ME)
The annual Maine Lobster
Festival kicks off this month, and you won't want to miss a moment of it! Over
the course of the 5-day festival, more than 20,000 lbs. of lobster will be
served -- lobster rolls, lobster wraps, lobster Caesar salad. Did we say lobster?
Plus, see the annual Lobster Crate Race, cooking contest and the Maine Sea
Goddess coronation!
·
August 8-16-Elvis
Week (Memphis, TN)
Shake, rattle and roll! Memphis,
TN, marks its annual Elvis Week
celebration each August. There's always something for Elvis fans, including the
big draw each year, the annual Elvis Tribute Artists contest. Who will be
crowned the King?
·
August
13-16 August Doins Rodeo (Payson, AZ)
Slip on a pair of boots, and
head to the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo. First held in 1884, the August
Doins Rodeo takes place each August in Arizona’s cool mountain town of Payson.
Hold on to your hats, you’re in for some heart-stopping action!
·
August 21-Happy Birthday, Hawaii!
· August 28-30-Cowal Highland Gathering (Dunoon, Scotland)
Nice legs! See big, brawny men
in flowing Scottish skirts compete in the largest Highland games in the world
-- the Cowal Highland Gathering. Also known as the Cowal Games, the annual
event is held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, attracting more than 23,000
spectators to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture.
Iceman’s Calendar
·
August 1st Fri. MASS First
Friday
·
August 2nd Sat. MASS First
Saturday
·
August 3rd Sun. Eight
Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 4th Mon. Feast
of St. John Vianney
·
August 6th Wed. Feast
of the Transfiguration
o
MASS First
Wednesday
·
August 9th Sat. Full
Sturgeon Moon
·
August 10th Sun. Ninth
Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 11th Mon. Feast
of St. Claire
·
August 15th Fri. Assumption
Blessed Virgin Mary
· August 17th Sun. Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 22nd Fri. Queenship
of Mary
·
August 24th Sun. Eleventh
Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 25th Mon. St.
Bartholomew, Apostle
·
August 29th Fri. Passion
of John the Baptist
·
August 31st Sun. Twelfth
Sunday after Pentecost
Here's a Catholic fast-before-feast schedule
for August 2025, pairing key feast days with suggested fast days to help you
spiritually prepare:
✨ Feast Days & Suggested Fast Schedule –
August 2025
|
Feast Day |
Date |
Suggested Fast Day(s) |
Spiritual Focus |
|
St. John Vianney |
Aug 4 (Mon) |
Aug 2 (Sat) |
Pastoral zeal,
confession, and humility |
|
Transfiguration
of the Lord |
Aug 6 (Wed) |
Aug 5 (Tue) |
Divine glory,
transformation, and hope |
|
St. Dominic |
Aug 8 (Fri) |
Aug 7 (Thu) |
Preaching, truth,
and Marian devotion |
|
St. Teresa
Benedicta of the Cross |
Aug 9 (Sat) |
Aug 8 (Fri) |
Martyrdom,
intellect, and spiritual courage |
|
St. Clare of
Assisi |
Aug 11 (Mon) |
Aug 10 (Sun) |
Simplicity,
poverty, and contemplative prayer |
|
St. Maximilian
Kolbe |
Aug 14 (Thu) |
Aug 13 (Wed) |
Sacrifice,
charity, and Marian consecration |
|
Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary |
Aug 15 (Fri) |
Aug 14 (Thu) |
Heavenly hope,
purity, and Marian glory |
|
St. Bernard of
Clairvaux |
Aug 20 (Wed) |
Aug 19 (Tue) |
Mysticism, love
of God, and monastic wisdom |
|
Queenship of Mary |
Aug 22 (Fri) |
Aug 21 (Thu) |
Marian royalty,
intercession, and peace |
|
St. Monica |
Aug 27 (Wed) |
Aug 26 (Tue) |
Perseverance,
motherhood, and prayer |
|
St. Augustine |
Aug 28 (Thu) |
Aug 27 (Wed) |
Conversion,
theology, and divine mercy |
|
Beheading of St.
John the Baptist |
Aug 29 (Fri) |
Aug 28 (Thu) |
Prophetic
witness, truth, and martyrdom |
🕊️ Tips for Fasting
- Traditional fast: One full meal, two
smaller meals, no snacks.
- Spiritual fast: Abstain from media,
comfort foods, or distractions.
- Pair with prayer: Consider the Rosary,
Lectio Divina, or a novena leading up to the feast.
NIC’s Corner
Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6
· Bucket List trip: Rich vs Poor Tour: 8-Norway vs. 215-Malawi
o Norway ranks 8th in GDP per capita thanks to its vast oil and gas reserves, a massive sovereign wealth fund, and a small population that benefits from strategic economic policies. The quality of life is exceptionally high, with universal healthcare, free education, low crime, and a strong emphasis on nature, work-life balance, and sustainability. Though living costs are steep, generous wages and robust social support make it a rewarding place to call home.
o Malawi’s low GDP per capita stems from rapid population growth, reliance on subsistence farming, limited industrial development, and economic instability marked by inflation and debt. Quality of life is challenged by short life expectancy, healthcare gaps, inconsistent education, and widespread poverty—though the nation is celebrated for its warmth and resilience. Efforts are underway to transform its future through ambitious development goal
🇳🇴 Norway and 🇲🇼 Malawi offer vastly different experiences for expats, shaped by their economies, infrastructure, and cultural rhythms. Here's a side-by-side look:
Feature | Norway | Malawi |
Healthcare | Universal, high-quality, with low wait times in urban areas | Free in principle, but rural access is limited; private care often needed |
Safety | Very safe, low crime, strong rule of law | Generally peaceful, but petty crime and political unrest can occur |
Cost of Living | High, but offset by strong wages and social benefits | Low, though imported goods can be expensive |
Housing | Modern, clean, but expensive | Affordable, often spacious, but infrastructure may be unreliable |
Work-Life Balance | Excellent; short workdays, generous leave | Slower pace; limited formal employment opportunities |
Education | Free public education, high standards | International schools available but costly |
Environment | Pristine nature, clean air, strong sustainability culture | Beautiful landscapes, but frequent power and water outages |
Language | Norwegian widely spoken; English proficiency is high | English is official and widely used |
Social Integration | Reserved culture, but inclusive and egalitarian | Warm, welcoming people; strong community spirit |
Expat Community | Well-established, especially in cities like Oslo and Bergen | Smaller but tight-knit, especially in Lilongwe and Blantyre |
🧭 Summary
- Norway offers a polished, structured lifestyle with exceptional public services, ideal for expats seeking stability, nature, and work-life harmony.
- Malawi provides a more rustic, community-driven experience with lower costs and a slower pace, appealing to those drawn to grassroots development or conservation work.
Norway and Malawi with all costs converted to U.S. dollars, tailored for an expat lifestyle:
✝️ Catholic Perspective
Norway:
· Catholics make up about 5% of the population, mostly immigrants and expats.
· The Church operates in a secular society, focusing on ecumenical dialogue and social justice.
· Organizations like Caritas Norway support migrant communities and global aid efforts.
Malawi:
· Catholicism is deeply rooted, with the Church playing a major role in education, healthcare, and civic life.
· The 1992 Lenten Pastoral Letter is a landmark moment in Church-led political reform.
· The Church partners with international Catholic organizations, including Norwegian groups, for development and theological exchange.
💰 Cost of Living for Expats (in USD)
Category | Norway 🇳🇴 | Malawi 🇲🇼 |
Monthly cost (single) | ~$2,210–$2,850 | ~$550–$580 |
Rent (1BR city center) | ~$1,190–$1,477 | ~$200–$295 |
Utilities (monthly) | ~$144–$238 | ~$29–$45 |
Groceries (monthly) | ~$725–$875 | ~$220–$250 |
Healthcare | Universal, subsidized | Private care recommended |
Lifestyle | High salaries, high taxes | Low wages, affordable services |
🧭 Key Takeaways
· Norway offers exceptional infrastructure, safety, and public services—but at a premium. Expats benefit from high salaries and efficient systems.
· Malawi provides a low-cost lifestyle, especially for those earning foreign income. Expats often enjoy spacious homes, domestic help, and a slower pace of life.
· Spiritually, Norway invites quiet contemplation in a secular context, while Malawi pulses with communal faith and liturgical vibrancy.
o Have pie for dessert: Today is Braham Pie day
· National Mountain Climbing Day
· Spirit Hour: Albariño Day
o Today is international beer day so it is ok to have only one angels envy shot in only one beer. Believe me, only one will do; it’s called a boilermaker.
· Today is “Lammas” Day
· Get an indulgence
Let Freedom Ring Day 26 Freedom from Pride
o Humility opposes pride. Not that we are called to let ourselves be a "whipping boy" to bolster others' lust for superiority. Humility is a reverence for the truth; a reverence for who we are and what we are called to be; a reverence for the reason we even exist - God. Humility opens the door to the spirit of "gratitude." In our abundant gratitude for all God has done (beginning with setting us into existence) and is doing, we say "YES" to God, and a big fat "NO" to the incessant propaganda of a "new normal" of lies that directly oppose the will of God.
o God help the USA. Some people have the vocabulary to sum up things in a way that you can quickly understand them. This quote came from the Czech Republic. Someone over there has it figured out. It was translated into English from an article in a Prague newspaper.
§ "The danger to America is not Joe Biden, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of a Biden presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Biden, who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Biden, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their president."
AUGUST
August--We may come to appreciate more deeply the various landforms (mountains, deserts, rock formations, valleys, and plains) during vacation time. They give us bearing, direction, and the geological history of our lives. This is the beginning of awareness of the "here" in our lives. The Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord shows us the "hereness" of the risen Lord, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary speaks of God's power to the blessed. While we can choose to extend the Savior's redeeming power to our wounded earth, we also can choose to withdraw from this awesome challenge.
Overview of August[1]
August is often
considered the transitional month in our seasonal calendar. It is the time of
the year we begin to wind-down from our summer travels and vacations and
prepare for Autumn — back to school, fall festivals, harvest time, etc. The
Church in her holy wisdom has provided a cycle of events in its liturgical year
which allow the faithful to celebrate the major feasts in the life of Christ
and Mary. Most notably, during August, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration
(August 6) and the feast of the Assumption (August 15).
The days of summer have provided a welcome change of pace. However, while vacations afford us the time to relax and refresh, the change of habits and routines can also have a negative impact on our spiritual lives. As if to re-ignite us, the Church offers us in the plethora of August feasts vivid examples of the virtue of perseverance: six martyrs — two who are named in Canon I of the Mass and two who were martyred during World War II; seven founders of religious congregations, as well as three popes and two kings; the apostle, St. Bartholomew; the great Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine and St. Monica, his mother; the humble patron saint of parish priests, St. John Vianney, and the patron of deacons, St. Lawrence, who joked with his executioners while being roasted alive.
It is never too late to begin — as the life of the reformed sinner, St. Augustine teaches us — nor too difficult to begin again, as demonstrated by the conversion of the martyr, St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein). We present-day members of the Mystical Body are certain of the reward to which we are called, for Christ's Transfigured body (August 6) is a preview of that glory. Moreover, in the Assumption of his Mother (August 15), Our Lord has demonstrated his fidelity to his promise. Her privilege is "the highest fruit of the Redemption" and "our consoling assurance of the coming of our final hope — the glorification which is Christ's" (Enchiridion on Indulgences).
The
Blessed Virgin Mary is the most perfect example of Christian perseverance, but
she is also our advocate in heaven where she is crowned Queen of Heaven and
Earth (August 22). Mary is the "Mother of Perpetual Help", the
patroness of the Congregation founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori (August 1).
"No one who has fled to her protection is left unaided" is the claim
of the Memorare of St. Bernard (August 20). Heretics have returned to the faith
by the prayers of her Rosary, first preached by St. Dominic (August 8) in the
twelfth Century, and hearts have been converted by the graces received while
wearing her Miraculous Medal, promoted by St. Maximillian Kolbe (August 14) and
adopted as the "badge" for the Pious Union he founded. Hail, holy
Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope!
August Travel[2]
· State Fair Season
State
fair season kicks off in August; see the stars of the season like the
Orange County Fair, which draws more than 1.5 million fairgoers, or the
Minnesota State Fair, which Andrew Zimmern calls his own slice of heavenly
obsession. With state fair staples like ice-cold lemonade and fried treats, we
can see why.
Technically the world's largest
yard sale, the flea market known as the 127 Corridor is certainly the LONGEST
outdoor market. Beginning on a highway in Jamestown, TN, this flea stretches
hundreds of miles through North Covington, Kentucky, and continues all the way
to Gadsden, Alabama. There are more than 2,000 vendors along this tour who
clear their schedules for 3 weeks every August. One can imagine the caravan of
Winnabagos that make this annual pilgrimage. Countless treasures and billions
of collectibles hide among bric-a-brac and junk, but the people-watching and
Southern hospitality alone are worth the trip.
Escape
the heat, and take in awe-inspiring glacial views, with a cruise to Alaska.
Cruise ships dock alongside towns from Seward, along Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula,
to Ketchikan, in the Alexander Archipelago. Cruise ships also dock near Katmai
National Park, where July is prime time to see bears gulp up Atlantic salmon on
their run. And if cruise prices prove too high in July, fret not: Alaska’s
prime cruise season stretches through September.
·
July
30-Aug 3rd -Maine
Lobster Festival (Rockland, ME)
The annual Maine Lobster
Festival kicks off this month, and you won't want to miss a moment of it! Over
the course of the 5-day festival, more than 20,000 lbs. of lobster will be
served -- lobster rolls, lobster wraps, lobster Caesar salad. Did we say lobster?
Plus, see the annual Lobster Crate Race, cooking contest and the Maine Sea
Goddess coronation!
·
August 8-16-Elvis
Week (Memphis, TN)
Shake, rattle and roll! Memphis, TN, marks its annual Elvis Week celebration each August. There's always something for Elvis fans, including the big draw each year, the annual Elvis Tribute Artists contest. Who will be crowned the King?
·
August
13-16 August Doins Rodeo (Payson, AZ)
Slip on a pair of boots, and
head to the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo. First held in 1884, the August
Doins Rodeo takes place each August in Arizona’s cool mountain town of Payson.
Hold on to your hats, you’re in for some heart-stopping action!
·
August 21-Happy Birthday, Hawaii!
·
August
28-30-Cowal
Highland Gathering (Dunoon, Scotland)
Nice legs! See big, brawny men
in flowing Scottish skirts compete in the largest Highland games in the world
-- the Cowal Highland Gathering. Also known as the Cowal Games, the annual
event is held in the Scottish town of Dunoon, attracting more than 23,000
spectators to celebrate Scottish and Celtic culture.
Iceman’s Calendar
·
August 1st Fri. MASS First
Friday
·
August 2nd Sat. MASS First
Saturday
·
August 3rd Sun. Eight
Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 4th Mon. Feast
of St. John Vianney
· August 6th Wed. Feast of the Transfiguration
o
MASS First
Wednesday
·
August 9th Sat. Full
Sturgeon Moon
·
August 10th Sun. Ninth
Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 11th Mon. Feast
of St. Claire
·
August 15th Fri. Assumption
Blessed Virgin Mary
·
August 17th Sun. Tenth
Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 22nd Fri. Queenship
of Mary
·
August 24th Sun. Eleventh
Sunday after Pentecost
·
August 25th Mon. St.
Bartholomew, Apostle
·
August 29th Fri. Passion
of John the Baptist
·
August 31st Sun. Twelfth
Sunday after Pentecost
Here's a Catholic fast-before-feast schedule
for August 2025, pairing key feast days with suggested fast days to help you
spiritually prepare:
✨ Feast Days & Suggested Fast Schedule –
August 2025
|
Feast Day |
Date |
Suggested Fast Day(s) |
Spiritual Focus |
|
St. John Vianney |
Aug 4 (Mon) |
Aug 2 (Sat) |
Pastoral zeal,
confession, and humility |
|
Transfiguration
of the Lord |
Aug 6 (Wed) |
Aug 5 (Tue) |
Divine glory,
transformation, and hope |
|
St. Dominic |
Aug 8 (Fri) |
Aug 7 (Thu) |
Preaching, truth,
and Marian devotion |
|
St. Teresa
Benedicta of the Cross |
Aug 9 (Sat) |
Aug 8 (Fri) |
Martyrdom,
intellect, and spiritual courage |
|
St. Clare of
Assisi |
Aug 11 (Mon) |
Aug 10 (Sun) |
Simplicity,
poverty, and contemplative prayer |
|
St. Maximilian
Kolbe |
Aug 14 (Thu) |
Aug 13 (Wed) |
Sacrifice,
charity, and Marian consecration |
|
Assumption of the
Blessed Virgin Mary |
Aug 15 (Fri) |
Aug 14 (Thu) |
Heavenly hope,
purity, and Marian glory |
|
St. Bernard of
Clairvaux |
Aug 20 (Wed) |
Aug 19 (Tue) |
Mysticism, love
of God, and monastic wisdom |
|
Queenship of Mary |
Aug 22 (Fri) |
Aug 21 (Thu) |
Marian royalty,
intercession, and peace |
|
St. Monica |
Aug 27 (Wed) |
Aug 26 (Tue) |
Perseverance,
motherhood, and prayer |
|
St. Augustine |
Aug 28 (Thu) |
Aug 27 (Wed) |
Conversion,
theology, and divine mercy |
|
Beheading of St.
John the Baptist |
Aug 29 (Fri) |
Aug 28 (Thu) |
Prophetic
witness, truth, and martyrdom |
🕊️ Tips for Fasting
- Traditional fast: One full meal, two
smaller meals, no snacks.
- Spiritual fast: Abstain from media,
comfort foods, or distractions.
- Pair with prayer: Consider the Rosary,
Lectio Divina, or a novena leading up to the feast.
AUGUST 1 First Friday-Saint Alphonsus Liguori
Saint Peter in Chains
Luke, Chapter 7,
Verse 16
FEAR
seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has
arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.”
This
was said after Jesus had raised the widow’s son in Nain. There exists no better
model for Godly leadership than our Lord. Everything he spoke he did. He had
compassion on the high and the low. He had compassion on this poor widow. He
looked around him and where he saw misery; he acted. He healed the sick, cast
out evil spirits and raised the dead. They came to Him broken and empty, and He
filled them with faith, hope and love as well as taking physical action to help
with their suffering. His focus was to restore the widow her son: to restore
the family which is the true tabernacle of the Holy Spirit.
Copilot
Luke
7:16 captures a stunning moment—not only the miracle itself, but the response:
a holy fear, a reverent awe that recognizes the presence of divine
intervention. It’s as if the veil between heaven and earth briefly lifted, and
the crowd could glimpse God’s mercy moving among them.
Christ’s
leadership so radical and transformative. He didn’t just speak truth—He
embodied it. His compassion wasn’t abstract; it was tangible, decisive, and
restorative. To look upon suffering and respond with healing is to participate
in the divine rhythm of creation and redemption.
And
the idea of the family as the “true tabernacle of the Holy Spirit”—that’s a
sacred insight. In restoring the widow’s son, Christ wasn’t merely performing a
miracle, He was reweaving the spiritual fabric of a broken household, anchoring
divine grace in the intimacy of family life.
Luke
7:16 offers a rich tapestry of lessons on holy fear—a reverent awe that
awakens the soul rather than paralyzes it. Let’s draw out some key insights:
🌌 1. Fear as Recognition of
Divine Presence
·
The
crowd’s fear wasn’t terror—it was awe in the face of divine power. Jesus
had just raised the dead. Their response— “God has visited His people”—shows
that fear can be a gateway to recognizing God’s nearness.
o
This
kind of fear is the soul’s instinctive response when eternity touches time.
🔥 2. Fear That Leads to Worship
·
The
people didn’t run—they glorified God. Holy fear doesn’t drive us away; it draws
us into praise.
o
It’s
the trembling joy of knowing we’re in the presence of something far greater
than ourselves.
🕊️ 3. Fear That Awakens Hope
·
“A
great prophet has arisen among us”—this fear wasn’t just about power; it was
about hope. The people saw in Jesus a sign that God was restoring what was
broken.
o
Fear,
in this sense, is the soul’s gasp before grace.
🛐 4. Fear That Transforms
Perspective
·
The
miracle reframed their understanding of suffering, death, and divine mercy.
Fear became a lens through which they saw God’s compassion, not just His might.
o
It
teaches us that fear rightly ordered leads to deeper faith, not despair.
🕊️ Who Was Saint
Alphonsus Liguori?
- Born:
1696 in Marianella, near Naples, Italy
- Died:
1787 at age 90
- Roles:
Lawyer, priest, bishop, theologian, composer, artist, and founder of the
Redemptorists
- Canonized:
1839; declared a Doctor of the Church in 1871
- Legacy:
- Founded
the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) to preach
missions among the poor and abandoned
- Authored
over 100 works, including Moral Theology, The Glories of Mary,
and The Way of the Cross
- Patron
saint of confessors, moral theologians, and those suffering from
arthritis
🔍 His Theology on Fear
Saint Alphonsus had a nuanced and pastoral
approach to fear, especially in contrast to the rigorism of Jansenism, which
emphasized harsh moral judgment and fear of damnation:
- Fear as a Starting Point:
- He acknowledged that fear of hell or
punishment can initiate conversion, especially for those steeped in sin
- But he insisted this fear must evolve
into love-based reverence for God
- Holy Fear vs. Servile Fear:
- True fear of the Lord, for Alphonsus,
is not terror but a loving dread of being separated from God
- It’s rooted in love, not
self-preservation: “One fears sin not because of punishment, but because
it wounds the One we love”
- Scrupulosity and Mercy:
- Alphonsus himself suffered from
scruples and wrote extensively to help others overcome them
- He taught that freedom and rational
consent are necessary for sin—bad thoughts alone do not condemn a soul
- He emphasized obedience to a wise
confessor as a remedy for scrupulous minds
- Pastoral Gentleness:
- He famously said he never preached a
sermon that “the poorest old woman could not understand”
- He rejected fear-based preaching and
urged confessors to treat penitents as souls to be saved, not criminals
to be punished
Saint Alphonsus’ theology invites us to move
from fear to love, from scrupulous anxiety to confident trust in divine mercy.
His writings remain a balm for those navigating moral complexity with trembling
hearts.
Today commemorates St. Peter’s miraculous escape from prison by the hand of an angel. He had been incarcerated by Herod Agrippa, who had already killed St. James the Greater and intended to bring St. Peter before the people also after Easter. But, as the Acts of the Apostles tells us, “Prayer was made without ceasing by the church unto God for him”, and he was delivered by an angel who awoke him in the night, led him past the guards and out of prison.
The
chains of St. Peter in Rome
Though no longer included
in the general liturgical calendar, the feast of St. Peter in Chains is
nonetheless an important day for the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. The
pilgrims who joined the Fraternity on our 30th Anniversary Pilgrimage to Rome
last October visited the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains, where they were able
to venerate the chains of St. Peter.
Also commemorated today
are the seven Maccabees, the holy brothers who were tortured and killed before
the eyes of their mother in the 2nd century before Christ for refusing to
abandon the Jewish faith. Please pray today for the priests of our Fraternity,
that, through the intercession of our patron St. Peter and the holy Maccabees,
we may ever possess the same fortitude and love for the Faith that enabled them
to endure all things for its sake. “And Peter coming to himself, said: Now I
know in very deed, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out
of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews.”
This
is an extraordinary demonstration of God’s mercy in removing the chains of sin
from those who devoutly and faithfully seek to gain the indulgence by
completing its requirements. It is said that St.
Francis was given this day by Our Lord because the Feast of the Chains of St.
Peter celebrated on August first is the day Peter was released from prison and
his chains removed.
Conditions
The
conditions to obtain the Plenary Indulgence of the Forgiveness of Assisi is
(for oneself or for a departed soul) is as follows:
·
Sacramental
Confession to be in God’s grace (during eight days before or after.)
·
Participation in the
Holy Mass and Eucharist
·
Recitation of The
Apostles Creed, Our Father and also a prayer for the Pope’s Intention (such as
an Our Father, Hail Mary, etc.).
The
Portiuncula Indulgence is a grace not to be missed—not only for yourself but
for the many suffering souls in Purgatory. Mark your calendar for the Feast of
Our Lady of the Angels beginning at Vespers (Noon) on the First of August to
August 2nd at Midnight.
Baked Rockfish for St. Peter in
Chains (feast Aug. 1st)[6]
o
Ingredients:
§ 5 cups fresh spinach
§ 2 (6 ounce) fillets rockfish
§ 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
§ 1/2 cup vegetable broth
§ 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
§ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
§ 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
§ 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
§ salt and ground black pepper to taste
§ 2 lemon slices
§ 2 onion slices
§ 1 teaspoon butter
§ Directions:
§ 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees
C).
§ 2. Layer the spinach in the bottom of a 2
quart baking dish. Lay the rockfish atop the spinach. Scatter the tomatoes
around the fish. Pour the broth into the dish. Season the fillet with the dill,
garlic powder, lemon pepper, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Place the lemon,
onion, and butter on the rockfish. Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil.
§ 3. Bake in preheated oven until the fish
flakes easily, 20 to 25 minutes.
Novena
in Honor of Saint John Marie Vianney[7]
Dispeller
of Satan
O Holy Priest of Ars, the
infamous attacks of the devil which you had to suffer and the trials which
disheartened you by fatigue would not make you give up the sublime task of
converting souls. The devil came to you for many years to disturb your short rest,
but you won because of mortification and prayers. Powerful protector, you know
the tempter’s desire to harm my baptized and believing soul. He would have me
sin, by rejecting the Holy Sacraments and the life of virtue. But good Saint of
Ars dispel from me the traces of the enemy. Holy Priest of Ars, I have
confidence in your intercession. Pray for me during this novena especially for
... (mention silently your special intentions).
Our
Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be.
Our
first path to holiness is through the Eucharist! Yes, prayers, confessions, the
rosary and the saints, angels and our Lady help us in that path to holiness,
but when we receive honorably, we become the resurrected Christ to others and us
radiant His presence. Today make the Eucharistic Stations of the Cross.
Bible in a Year-Day 44 Priestly Garments
Fr. Mike provides us with a mental picture of the ark of the covenant and
reminds that the small details of worship matter as we read Exodus 25-26,
Leviticus 19, and Psalm 119:1-56
International
Beer Day[8] another hedonistic holiday but
even the saint enjoyed a beer-check out “Pints
with Aquinas”. International
Beer Day celebrates the taste of beer and the achievement of beer brewers. Beer
is an ancient alcoholic drink brewed mainly from malted barley, hops, yeast and
water
although it is possible to brew it from other grains such as maize, wheat and
rice. Records of beer date back to 4000 BC, making it one of the oldest
alcoholic beverages in the world. The three stated goals of the International
Beer Day are to: appreciate brewers and servers, enjoy the taste of all beers
from around the world, and to unite the world under the banner of beer.
Founded in 2007 by the Association of California Brewers, International
Beer Day has become an international event that is observed in more than 50
countries worldwide. It is held annually on the first Friday of August.
International Beer
Day Facts & Quotes
·
International
Beer Day began in Santa Cruz, California, in 2007. It was founded by beer
enthusiasts, Jesse Avshalomov and Evan Hamilton.
·
As
far back as ancient Egypt, beer was a staple food. Known as Hqt, heqet or
heket, beer was a thick and sweet source of nutrition including vitamins,
minerals and protein that was consumed daily by adults and children.
·
On
average, a can of beer contains 100-150 calories and 10-15g carbohydrates.
·
I
work until beer o'clock - Stephen King
International Beer Day Top Events
and Things to Do
·
Visit
your local watering hole and try a new beer that you have never had.
·
Attending
a beer festival to taste beer from around the world and learn more about
brewing and craft beers.
·
Visit
a local craft brewery in your state.
·
Try
a Orval beer or a Chimay.
My father was not always a blameless and upright man, but he
had a great devotion to St. Jude. He always swore it was St. Jude’s prayers and
intercession that brought him home from the war in the pacific and maybe it
was. He got my grandmother to sign the papers and he was in combat before his
18th birthday. He was a ghost diver during WWII; his job was to scuba dive in
before invasions and set up radio beacons for the invasion and avoid detection
or capture. He went on 26 missions with 11 others in frogman teams. The normal
mortality rate for these teams was 50%.
After the war, my father drank a lot to forget. As his
disease of alcoholism ramped up, he stopped going to church refusing to go to
church drunk. I don’t know if my father was aware St. Jude admonishes false
teachers who used the church as a sort of country club and caroused fearlessly
looking after themselves. My father did not see the church as a social
institution but as a place where one encounters our Holy God, our Holy mighty
one; our Holy immortal one.
My father knew he was a sinner. He always said that St. Jude
was his patron saint because; St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes, and
my father swore that’s what he was. As his disease progressed, he stopped going
to church but built a shrine to our Mother Mary. Every day he would cut fresh
roses for the shrine and sit at twilight, with beer and cigarette in hand;
silently staring at the shrine.
In the end my father did receive his last rights and was
ushered into our Lord by our Lady and St. Jude.
Prayer of St. Alphonsus Dc Liguori to the Sacred Heart.
O adorable heart of my
Jesus, heart created expressly for the love of men, until now I have shown
towards Thee only ingratitude. Pardon me, O my Jesus. Heart of my Jesus, abyss
of love and of mercy, how is it possible that I do not die of sorrow when I reflect
on Thy goodness to me and my ingratitude to Thee? Thou, my Creator, after
having created me, hast given Thy blood and Thy life for me and, not content
with this, Thou hast invented a means of offering Thyself up every day for me
in the Holy Eucharist, exposing Thyself to a thousand insults and outrages. Ah,
Jesus, do Thou wound my heart with a great contrition for my sins, and a lively
love for Thee. Through Thy tears and Thy blood give me the grace of
perseverance in Thy fervent love until I breathe my last sigh. Amen.
Amen.
Fitness Friday: The 5
Switches of Manliness: Legacy
We started the last post in this
series with a surprising fact–that only about 33% of our ancestors were
male. We’ll begin this post the same way:
When the Titanic
sunk, the survival rate for the rich, first-class men (34%), was
lower than that for the poor, third-class women (46%).
Most people know that the
Titanic had less lifeboats than were needed for the number of passengers, and
that the richest passengers were given first dibs on those limited seats. And
yet, the numbers tell an interesting tale. What happened? Many of the wealthy
men decided to let the women, regardless of class, get on the lifeboats first,
choosing instead to go down with the ship themselves.
Women and children first.
You’ve probably heard this expression all your life, so much so that you may not have paused to ask yourself the reasoning behind it…why have the lives of women historically been worth more than the lives of men?
The Expendability of Men
The answer goes back to what we
discussed last time in the Switch of Challenge and can
be traced to the biological differences between men and women. A woman can only
get pregnant by one man (at a time) while one man can impregnate multiple
women. A group with five men and one woman is not going to be able to have as
many babies as a group of five woman and one man. This is why a woman’s eggs,
and her womb, have always been much more valuable than a man’s seed. And why,
coupled with our greater physical strength and propensity for risk, men have
always been slotted for society’s dirtiest and most dangerous jobs. Like
hunting and war. This is true from primitive times down until the
present day. Societies had to protect their women if they wanted
to survive and thrive.
In World War I, there were 9.7
million, almost exclusively male, military deaths. The number
boggles the mind: 10 million men went off to war and never came home.
Enormously tragic, but on a certain level we accept it; it is inconceivable to
imagine 10 million women being sent to the slaughter instead.
6,026 American service
members have died in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Only 2% of the fallen
were women.
Men made up 93% of the 6,000
on-the-job deaths last year.
We cheer and are touched when
we hear stories of men laying down their lives for women who covered his wife’s
body with his to save her from the Joplin tornado and lost his life in doing
so. It would be much more surprising to hear a story that happened in the
opposite way–where the wife sacrificed her life to save her husband.
It is also still common to hear
newscasters and journalists report on an accident or disaster by saying that
the death toll included even women and children. Even. Because
the death of men is one thing, but the passing of women makes
the tragedy seem all the more terrible.
So, we know what the practical
result of the greater expendability of men is–men have historically been called
upon to do society’s most dangerous jobs and have often lost their
lives in doing so. But have you ever stopped to think about the effect of
this system on the male psyche?
The Chance for Immortality
When Kate and I began to talk
about having kids, she asked me why I wanted to have children. I said something
like, “I really like the idea of having a part of myself still go on in the
world after I’m gone.”
She looked at me blankly.
“What?”
I asked. “Haven’t you
thought about that?”
She hadn’t. She wanted
to have kids because it would be an expression of our love and something to
love, and other things revolving around love.
Men have always been
particularly interested in the idea of legacy.
And who can blame us?
In the back of our mind,
we know we’re expendable, we know that if duty calls, we may have to sacrifice
our lives, likely when we are still in our prime, to protect those of the tribe
and those we love. At the same time, our primal brains tell us we may never
have a chance to be a dad. So, a biological legacy is not guaranteed.
And so, we turn to creating
non-living things, things that will bring value to the world. Time
is short, and we want to make our mark and leave behind a part of
ourselves. We want just a bit of immortality, and the act of creation, in which
a man brings into existence something that did not exist before, is the most
godlike thing a man can do. We may blow on and off the earth quickly, but we
hope that when we depart, something, however small, is a little different
because we were here.
Create More, Consume Less
Of course, even if you’re not
buying my personal, more philosophical theory for the origin of a
man’s drive for legacy, there are still very practical reasons for the
development of this desire.
In the days before settled
agriculture, tribes were likely very egalitarian. Women gathered nuts and
seeds, and men hunted big game. Anthropologists think that their contributions
to the tribe were about equal.
But women contributed something
extra: children! So, what were men going to do for their extra
contribution? Well, if women were handling the reproductive tasks, the
men needed to step up and create something extra in the productive
realm.
This goes back to what we
talked about last time, in that womanhood has always been a status sort of
automatically conferred, while manhood had to be continually proven. When a
woman had a baby, that in most cases forced her to grow up. But a man needed an
external push to propel him into maturity, to keep him from wanting to slide
back into infantile dependency. And this is why the mark of a manhood,
according to sociologist
Steven L. Nock, became whether or not he produced more than he consumed
…did he do his part to add
value, power, and wealth to society?
When he passed from the
earth, would he leave the tribe stronger than he came into it?
Or was he a lazy leech?
Ancient societies around
the world agreed on this point: the latter was not a man.
The Modern Obstacles to the
Drive for Legacy
You don’t hear much about
“legacy” these days. There are a few reasons for that.
First, we live in
an incredibly present-minded society. There is very little sense of
history and understanding of what has come before. There is a sense that
our society is the only one that has ever existed and the only one
that matters. We don’t have a broad, expansive view of history and
time. Because we do not acknowledge the legacy we have inherited, we
don’t see the value in leaving a legacy ourselves.
Second. We’re
also a culture that wants to believe we can live forever. We venerate youth
culture, try to stay looking young as long as possible, hide away our old
folks, and shield our eyes from death. The more we deny the inevitability
and reality of death, the less motivated we feel to work to create a legacy.
After all, who needs to
leave something behind if you’ve convinced yourself that you’ll always be
around?
Third, we live in
an extremely disposable society. Everything is designed to be used a few
times and then thrown away. And every advancement is soon replaced by an even
better update. And so we lose faith in the idea that anything can truly
be lasting.
We feel like–why bother?
–whatever I can possibly
add to the world will soon be obsolete anyway.
Fourth, we live
in a very impatient society. We want things to
happen immediately. Waiting for our computer to boot
up makes us want to punch someone. But building a legacy is a slow
process, and more importantly, the results of our effort may take a very long
time to manifest themselves…they may not even come to fruition until after
we are gone. Talk about an instant-gratification buzzkill.
Turning the Switch of Legacy
in Your Life
“Yet man dies not whilst the
world, at once his mother and his monument, remains. His name is lost, indeed,
but the breath he breathed still stirs the pine-tops on the mountains, the
sound of the words he spoke yet echoes on through space; the thoughts his brain
gave birth to we have inherited to-day; his passions are our cause of life; the
joys and sorrows that he knew are our familiar friends—the end from which he
fled aghast will surely overtake us also!
Truly
the universe is full of ghosts, not sheeted churchyard spectres, but the
inextinguishable elements of individual life, which having once been, can never
die, though they blend and change, and change again for ever.” -H. Rider
Haggard, King Solomon’s Mines
What does it mean to leave a
legacy?
My definition comes from
what I learned from Boy Scouts: leave your campsite better than you found it. So,
it is with life. To leave a legacy means to leave the places you go and
the people you meet a little better than you found them.
Many men will likely say that
their children are their greatest legacy. And that’s fantastic. But as
discussed, I believe men have an innate desire to leave a legacy that touches
the broader world around them as well.
The comparison between children
and creating value in the world is quite apt. They both involve a man’s seed.
With the former, a man’s reproductive seed, thousands of sperm fight to
reach the egg, but only one will find purchase. With the latter, a man’s productive
seed, thousands of attempts to create value in the world may end up on barren
soil, but a few will hit the mark and sprout new life.
Thus, every man should be
a Johnny Appleseed of sorts, scattering their seeds of
creation wherever they go, and being content to know that the seeds
may not bear fruit until long after they have moved on. It requires patience,
and a sort of faith, a faith in the idea that we have not lived in vain, that
the world is a little different from our being here.
I was surprised at how popular
last week’s Manvotional, Facing the Mistakes of Life, turned
out to be; it was shared over 1,000 times on Facebook. The passage came from a
book written in 1909 by William George Jordan. Perhaps Jordan’s books were
popular in his lifetime, which is a nice reward, but how extraordinary
is it that 100 years after penning those words, they would be read by thousands
of people on a medium of technology he could not have even conceived of?
Sitting at your desk on a
rainy day, as you type words into the computer, can you imagine people a
century later finding inspiration in your writing?
That’s legacy.
And legacy comes not just from
the creation of physical and literary objects. A legacy can come from an idea,
a business, a tradition, a thought…anything that changes a person, the
world, just a little and gets passed on, anything that lasts.
There are lots of little ways
to create your legacy. A man never knows when an encouraging word given to
another may change the course of that person’s life, and in turn, alter the
course of history and add value to the world. Here are a few ways to create
your legacy every day:
- Keep a journal
- Start
a manliness club at your college or high school
- Begin
a new tradition at your fraternity
- Take
steps to start your own business
- Start
a blog
- Be a mentor–become a Big Brother,
coach Little League, take someone new at work under your wing, etc.
- Share
your ideas in a Master Mind
Group
- Start
a Bible Study or small group at church
- Figure
out new and better ways of doing things at work
- Make a
piece of furniture or another item that you can pass on to your children,
and they can pass on to their children
- Start
a new program in your community–a rec league, a recycling program,
etc.
- Tinker with an invention
What are some other ways a
man can create a legacy?
What are you doing to create
your own legacy?
Switches of Manliness Series:
The
Cure for the Modern Male Malaise
Switch #1: Physicality
Switch #2: Challenge
Switch #3: Legacy
Switch #4: Provide
Switch #5: Nature
Daily Devotions
·
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: End
to abortion
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: August
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
[3]https://www.cntraveler.com/story/is-alaskas-summer-cruise-season-still-happening?verso=true
[7]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=1129
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