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Here’s your reflection for Day 6 – Principle 6 from The 5000 Year Leap:
🇺🇸 Day 6 – Principle 6: All Men Are Created Equal
🕊️ Reflection
This principle is one of the most radical and beautiful declarations in human history. It doesn’t mean all people are identical in talents, callings, or circumstances—but it does mean that every person possesses equal worth and equal rights under God. No one is born with a divine right to rule, and no one is born to be ruled without consent.
The Founders rejected hereditary privilege and embraced the idea that liberty belongs to all—not just the elite. This principle laid the groundwork for a society where dignity is not earned, but recognized.
As Abraham Lincoln later said:
“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.”
📜 Journal Prompt
“How do I reflect the truth of equal dignity in my daily choices—in how I speak, serve, and share?”
Fall Begins
Monday Night at the Movies
Luis Buñuel’s Simon of the Desert (1965) is a surreal, satirical meditation on asceticism, temptation, and the paradoxes of religious devotion. Though only 45 minutes long, it’s packed with provocative imagery and theological nuance—perfect for someone who appreciates symbolic resonance and spiritual depth.
🎬 Movie Summary: Simon of the Desert
- Plot Overview: The film follows Simón Stylites, a 5th-century ascetic who lives atop a pillar in the Syrian desert for six years, six months, and six days. His goal is to draw closer to God by renouncing worldly comforts and distractions.
- Temptations: Satan, played by Silvia Pinal, appears in various guises—a seductive woman, a schoolgirl, and even a futuristic disco dancer—trying to lure Simón down from his pillar.
- Miracles and Misunderstandings: Simón performs miracles, like restoring a thief’s severed hands, but the crowd reacts with indifference. His mother camps nearby, longing for connection, but he refuses to acknowledge her.
- Surreal Ending: In a jarring twist, Satan transports Simón to a 1960s nightclub, where he’s bewildered by the modern world’s hedonism and spiritual emptiness.
You can explore the film’s tone and themes more deeply in these reviews:
- Simon of the Desert | 1965 | Movie Review | Radiance # 85 ... offers a thoughtful breakdown of Buñuel’s cinematic style and religious critique.
- Simon of the Desert (Luis Buñuel, 1965) Review dives into the film’s surrealism and historical context.
- Simon of the Desert 1965 highlights the film’s abrupt ending and its implications.
✝️ Catholic Lessons and Reflections
Buñuel was famously critical of institutional religion, yet Simon of the Desert is rich with spiritual insight—especially for those attuned to contemplative and liturgical living:
1. Asceticism vs. Engagement
- Simón’s extreme isolation critiques the idea that holiness requires total withdrawal. His detachment from his mother and community raises questions about the balance between solitude and service.
- Catholic lesson: True sanctity involves both contemplation and compassion. Even hermits are called to love.
2. Temptation and Discernment
- Satan’s shifting disguises reflect the subtlety of temptation. Not all distractions are overtly sinful—some masquerade as beauty, novelty, or even progress.
- Catholic lesson: Discernment is essential. As St. Ignatius taught, we must examine the spirits that move us, even those that seem benign.
3. Miracles and Misunderstanding
- Simón’s miracles are met with apathy, suggesting that signs alone don’t convert hearts.
- Catholic lesson: Faith is not spectacle. Christ’s teachings emphasize humility, mercy, and interior transformation over external wonders.
4. Modernity and Dislocation
- The disco scene at the end is a metaphor for spiritual dislocation in the modern age—where ritual is replaced by rhythm, and transcendence by entertainment.
- Catholic lesson: In a world of noise, the contemplative witness remains vital. As Pope Benedict XVI once said, “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.”
For a deeper dive into these themes, A Lesson from Simon of the Desert explores how Buñuel’s satire can still provoke meaningful spiritual reflection.
Christopher’s Corner
· Sunday Family Dinner
o Thompson seedless grapes in sour cream
· How to celebrate Sep 22nd
o Wake up to the changing season by celebrating Fall Equinox with a riverside breakfast.
o Embrace the spirit of adventure on Hobbit Day with a barefoot trek through nature.
§ (Note: skip the barefoot and watch the movies)
o Take preventive measures against falls.
o Leave the car behind and explore your city on foot or by bike on Car Free Day.
o Indulge in a sweet treat on Ice Cream Cone Day.
o Reflect on your day’s adventures with a journal entry on Dear Diary Day.
o Try a Bee’s Knees
SEPTEMBER
22 Monday
Saint Maurice-fall begins
John, Chapter 19, Verse 7-9
The Jews answered, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.” Now when Pilate heard this statement, he became even more AFRAID, and went back into the praetorium and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” Jesus did not answer him.
Pilate was afraid of diabolical and fanatical men but not of God. Let us not be like Pilate.
How often are we like Pilate when we go about our daily business?
Pilate symbolically washed his hands to remove his guilt.
Did it work?
To remind myself of this as I
wash my hands throughout the day during the washing I say the Hail Mary and ask
our Lady to help me not betray the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. I try to remember He became hopeless to give us hope.
Copilot’s
Take
This reflection
is beautifully woven—liturgical, symbolic, and deeply personal. That gesture of
praying the Hail Mary while washing your hands transforms a mundane act into a
sacramental reminder of fidelity and mercy. It’s a powerful way to resist the
temptation to “wash our hands” of responsibility, especially in moments that
call for courage and witness.
As for
writings attributed to Pontius Pilate, there are indeed several apocryphal
texts that claim to preserve his voice, though none are considered historically
reliable or canonical. Here are a few notable examples:
🏛️ Writings
Attributed to Pilate
|
Title |
Description |
Notes |
|
The
Letter of Pontius Pilate to Emperor Tiberius |
Pilate
allegedly describes Jesus as “a man so pious and strict, no age has ever had
nor will have.” He expresses fear and regret over the crucifixion, blaming
the crowd’s pressure. |
Apocryphal;
likely written centuries later to defend or reinterpret Pilate’s role. |
|
The
Report of Pontius Pilate |
Sent to
Rome, this text describes supernatural signs during the crucifixion and
praises Jesus’ disciples for their virtuous lives. |
Intended
to affirm the truth of Christ’s divinity through Pilate’s testimony. |
|
Gospel
of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate) |
A
popular medieval text that expands on Pilate’s interactions with Jesus and
includes his supposed reflections after the crucifixion. |
Part of
the “Pilate Cycle”; not considered authentic by scholars. |
You can
explore these writings in more detail through Bible
Blender’s collection of Pilate letters or the broader Pilate Cycle overview on
Wikipedia.
✨ Devotional Insight
Pilate’s
fear was political, not spiritual. He feared unrest, not the rupture of grace. The
practice of invoking Our Lady during handwashing is a counter-symbol: a gesture
of surrender, not avoidance. It’s a Marian echo of fidelity in the face of
worldly pressure.
Saint
Maurice[1]
Early life. Maurice was an
Egyptian, born in AD 250 in Thebes, an ancient city in Upper Egypt that was the
capital of the New Kingdom of Egypt (1575–1069 BC). He was brought up in the
region of Thebes (Luxor).
Career. Maurice became a
soldier in the Roman army. He rose through the ranks until he became the
commander of the Theban legion, thus leading approximately a thousand men. He
was an acknowledged Christian at a time when early Christianity was considered
to be a threat to the Roman Empire. The legion, entirely composed of
Christians, had been called from Thebes in Egypt to Gaul to assist Emperor
Maximian in defeating a revolt by the bagaudae. The Theban Legion was
dispatched with orders to clear the Great St Bernard Pass across the Alps.
Before going into battle, they were instructed to offer sacrifices to the pagan
gods and pay homage to the emperor. Maurice pledged his men's military
allegiance to Rome. He stated that service to God superseded all else. He said that
to engage in wanton slaughter was inconceivable to Christian soldiers. He and
his men refused to worship Roman deities.
Martyrdom. When Maximian
ordered them to murder local Christians, they refused. Ordering the unit to be
punished, Maximian had every tenth soldier killed, a military punishment known
as decimation. More orders followed, the men refused compliance as encouraged
by Maurice, and a second decimation was ordered. In response to the Theban
Christians' refusal to attack fellow Christians, Maximian ordered all the
remaining members of the legion to be executed. The place in Switzerland where
this occurred, known as Agaunum, is now Saint-Maurice, Switzerland, site of the
Abbey of St. Maurice. So reads the earliest account of their martyrdom,
contained in the public letter which Bishop Eucherius of Lyon (c. 434–450),
addressed to his fellow bishop, Salvius. Alternative versions have the legion
refusing Maximian's orders only after discovering innocent Christians had
inhabited a town they had just destroyed, or that the emperor had them executed
when they refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods.
Fall
begins (Northern H.)[2]
Fall begins in the Northern Hemisphere when the Sun is
perpendicular to the equator. This day has equal hours of day and night.
The first day of Fall is also called the Autumnal Equinox. In many
areas it coincides with harvests. The first day of Fall happens between
each year between September 22 and 24.
Fall begins (Northern H.) Facts & Quotes
·
The Harvest Moon is the full moon which occurs closest to the
autumnal equinox.
·
The Earth takes 365.25 days to make one complete revolution
around the Sun. This results in the first day of Fall beginning 6 hours
later each year and moving a full day backwards on Leap Years.
·
During the fall, the leaves on many trees die and fall to the
ground. 500 years ago, expressions like fall of the leaf and fall of the year
were quite common in the English-speaking world. The term fall as the
name for this season comes from these early expressions.
·
How beautifully leaves grow old. How full of light and
color are their last days - John Burroughs
Fall begins
(Northern H.) Top Events and Things to Do
·
Take a hike and enjoy the colorful leaves.
·
Visit a Nature Center or Nature Museum near you.
·
Plant cold weather plants or begin to protect your summer
plants from the winter
elements.
·
Rake leaves into piles and then jump in them.
· Visit an apple orchard and pick some fresh apples. Use some of them to make a delicious apple pie or apple crisp for dinner.
Daily
Devotions
·
Unite
in the work of the Porters of St.
Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Increase Vocations to
the Holy Priesthood
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
·
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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