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| Oct 28 (Tue) | Ss. Simon & Jude, Apostles | Mission, mystery | Wild Turkey Rare Breed – raw, potent | Tatuaje Black Label | “Where do I follow without full understanding?” | Rosary: Luminous Mysteries – Offer each decade for missionary clarity and civic renewal |
🌫️ Where Do I Follow Without Full Understanding?
There are paths I walk not because I see clearly, but because I trust deeply. I follow into silence, into service, into mystery—not with full understanding, but with a heart inclined toward grace. Faith does not always explain; sometimes it simply invites. I follow when I pray without answers, when I love without guarantees, when I act without applause. I follow through grief that hasn’t resolved, through rituals that still unfold, through landscapes that speak in symbols more than words. Understanding may come later—or not at all. But the following itself becomes holy. It is not certainty that sanctifies the journey, but fidelity.
Candace’s Corner
· Foodie:
o As the day rolls on, why not celebrate Czech Independence Day by exploring a local cultural event or trying out some traditional Czech cuisine?
o Indulge your sweet tooth on National Chocolate Day with a decadent treat. Whether you prefer rich dark chocolate or creamy milk chocolate, savor every bite and let the sweetness lift your spirits.
· Spirit Hour: Desperado Cocktail
· Pray Day 1 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops
· People born today that are questionable:
o Rise and shine, ready for a wild day ahead?
§ Let’s start by immersing yourself in the vibrant world of international animation. Grab your favorite animated movie or cartoon series, whip up some popcorn, and enjoy a heartwarming tales and fantastical adventures.
o Pause for a moment of gratitude on National First Responders Day. Take the time to write a thank-you note or make a small donation to a local fire station or police department. Your support and appreciation can go a long way in brightening someone’s day.
· Bucket List: Vineyard World Tour:
o Weeklong Rioja Vineyard Itinerary
§ Theme: “Refined in Mercy, Witnessed in Light”
Dates: October 28–November 4, 2025
Base: Haro & Logroño, Spain
· o I. Arrival and Orientation (Day 1 – Logroño to Haro)
o Arrive in Logroño via train or bus. Transfer to Haro by regional bus for approximately $9 USD. Lodging at Hostal Ciudad de Haro offers basic comfort for around $52 USD per night. Begin with a walk through Haro’s old town and offer a symbolic toast with local Garnacha.
Symbolic Act: “Opening the Barrel”—bless the witness, name the mercy.
· o II. Bodegas Muga Immersion (Day 2 – Haro)
o Visit Bodegas Muga for a 90-minute tour and tasting, priced at $32 USD. Dine at Bar El Pasadizo, where tapas and wine cost around $14–18 USD.
Symbolic Act: “Refined in Mercy”—honor the fire of the barrel and the clarity of the fruit.
· o III. Barrio de la Estación & Legacy Vineyards (Day 3 – Haro)
o Walk to CVNE and La Rioja Alta for self-guided tastings at $22 USD each. Reflect at Haro’s Wine Cemetery with a candle or journal.
Symbolic Act: “Legacy and Light”—walk among vineyard saints and civic stewards.
· o IV. Vineyard Walk & Symbolic Naming (Day 4 – Haro)
o Spend the morning walking Viña Tondonia. Prepare a picnic lunch from Mercado Municipal de Haro for $8–12 USD.
Symbolic Act: “Naming the Rows”—bless each varietal with a Marian or civic name.
· o V. All Saints Day: Eucharistic Pause (Day 5 – Logroño)
o Return to Logroño. Visit the Church of San Bartolomé and walk the Ebro River. Stay at Pensión La Bilbaina for $39 USD per night. Enjoy a menu del día at Bar Soriano for $13 USD.
Symbolic Act: “I believe and I adore”—pause in vineyard clarity.
· o VI. All Souls Day: Mercy for the Forgotten (Day 6 – Santo Domingo de la Calzada)
o Take a bus to Santo Domingo de la Calzada for $9 USD roundtrip. Visit the cathedral and pilgrim museum. Pack a picnic from Logroño’s market for $6 USD.
Symbolic Act: “Pilgrimage and Penance”—walk with the saints, reflect on mercy.
· o VII. Departure and Optional Extension (Day 7 – Haro)
o Return to Haro. Optional final night at Pensión El Portal for $41 USD. Close with vineyard journaling and cellar prayer.
Symbolic Act: “Sending Forth”—carry vineyard witness into daily vocation.
· 💰 Estimated Total Cost: $468 USD
o Includes 7 nights lodging, 3 vineyard tastings, 3 symbolic meals, and 1 day trip with transit and picnic.
🍷 Seven Courses of Mercy and Light
With Recipes and Preparation Links
1. The Barrel Opens (Appetizer)
Warm Olives with Lemon Zest, Rosemary & Almonds
- Recipe: Feasting at Home
- How to: Sauté garlic, rosemary, cumin, and fennel seeds in olive oil. Add Castelvetrano olives, Marcona almonds, and lemon zest. Warm and serve.
2. Mercy by Fire (Soup Course)
Roasted Piquillo Pepper Soup with Chorizo
- Recipe: June d’Arville
- How to: Sauté onion and garlic, add piquillo peppers, chicken stock, tomato paste, and fresh chorizo. Simmer, blend, and garnish with feta and mint.
3. Legacy Stew (Salad Course)
Mediterranean Beet Salad with Herbs
- Recipe: Barefoot Farm Byron
- How to: Roast beets, combine with arugula, orange segments, goat cheese, and walnuts. Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey.
4. Rows of Grace (Fish Course)
Grilled Trout with Lemon-Parsley Butter
- Recipe: Food Network – Bobby Flay
- How to: Grill butterflied trout, then top with lemon zest, parsley, and butter mixture. Serve with lemon wedges.
5. Pilgrim’s Mercy (Main Course)
Roasted Chicken with Rioja Wine Glaze
- Recipe: Shop Rioja
- How to: Roast chicken stuffed with lemon, garlic, and herbs. Simmer Rioja wine, balsamic vinegar, and honey into a glaze. Drizzle over carved chicken.
6. Marian Board (Cheese Course)
Sheep’s Milk Cheese with Quince Paste & Bread
- Pairing Guide: MarocMama
- How to: Slice Tomme de Brebis or Manchego, pair with quince paste, crusty bread, and grapes. Serve as a symbolic naming board.
7. Witness Poured Forth (Dessert Course)
Pear Poached in Red Wine with Cinnamon & Clove
- Recipe: Simply Recipes
- How to: Simmer pears in red wine with orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and honey. Reduce liquid to syrup and drizzle over pears.
Day 28: St. Lawrence — Humor in the Face of Fire, choreographed to deepen the rhythm of Leafing the World Behind, now moving through the terrain of right judgment—where clarity meets courage, and humor becomes holiness.
🌊 Leafing the World Behind: Day 29
Theme: Humor in the Face of Fire
Virtue: Joy
Virtue Connection: Levity as Love
Symbolic Act: Laugh today in the face of something hard. Let your humor be healing, not hiding.
Location: A kitchen hearth, a vineyard row, a place of pressure—anywhere fire meets faith.
🕊️ Introduction: On Joy
Joy is not escape—it is endurance.
It is not denial—it is defiance.
To leaf the world behind is to laugh not because life is easy, but because love is stronger.
Today, we do not flinch—we smile.
Joy, in this rhythm, is not entertainment—it is Eucharist.
It is the courage to say: “Even this, Lord. Even this.”
🌺 Witness of the Day: St. Lawrence
Lawrence was a deacon in Rome, entrusted with the Church’s treasures.
When ordered to surrender them, he presented the poor, the sick, and the outcast:
“These are the treasures of the Church.”
He was sentenced to death by fire—grilled alive.
And in the midst of agony, he joked:
“Turn me over. I’m done on this side.”
Lawrence reminds us:
Humor is not irreverence—it is resilience.
Levity is not weakness—it is witness.
Joy is not distraction—it is defiance.
🛡️ Virtue Connection: Levity as Love
Joy becomes virtue when it is rooted in love, not escape.
When it lifts others, not mocks them.
When it heals, not hides.
Lawrence did not joke to avoid pain.
He joked to sanctify it.
He reminds us:
Humor without love becomes cruelty.
But humor with love becomes holiness.
🕯️ Symbolic Act: Laugh with Courage
Find one moment today to laugh in the face of pressure.
Let your humor be healing.
Let your levity be love.
As you laugh, say:
“Lord, let my joy be courage.
Let my courage be communion.
Let my communion be fireproof.”
If no laughter comes, pray for those who suffer in silence.
Let your prayer be a spark.
🔥 Reflection Prompt
Where have you feared to laugh?
What pressure still steals your joy?
Can you name one person whose humor healed you?
Write, walk, or pray with these questions.
Let St. Lawrence remind you:
Joy is not weakness—it is witness.
It is the strength to laugh, the grace to endure, the love to sanctify fire.
OCTOBER 28 Tuesday-Feast of Saint’s Simon and Jude
1
Corinthians, Chapter 14, Verse 32-33
Indeed, the spirits of prophets are under the
prophets’ control, since he is not the God of disorder but of
PEACE.
Peace is not maintained in anarchy. Paul is expressing the need for order in church meetings and for rules of order. Paul concludes with specific directives regarding exercise of the gifts in their assemblies and enunciates the basic criterion in the use of any gift: it must contribute to “building up.”
Leaders Organize not Hesitate[1]
He that hesitates is
lost. Yet, to act to quickly is also to be rash. Paul wrote to bring order to a
church in chaos. Like our modern world churches can be in chaos when there is
no leadership. The Corinthian’s were abusing their gifts and calling attention
to themselves rather than to Christ. Paul therefore suggests for them to do
everything “decently and in order.” John Maxwell submits that there is a
leadership lesson that can bring peace to chaos.
- Identify
and pursue your top priorities (v.1).
- Seek
to practice what will benefit the most people (v.2-12).
- Communicate
clearly (v. 7-8).
- See
things through the eyes of an outsider (v. 23-25).
- Order
activities simply for the purpose of adding value to others (v. 26-33).
- Make
sure everything is done in an appropriate manner (v. 40).
On October 28, the Feast of Saints Simon and Jude invites us to reflect
on the quiet strength of apostles who labored without acclaim, anchoring the
Church in fidelity and peace. Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 14:32–33
reminds us that spiritual gifts must be exercised under the guidance of order,
not chaos, for God is not the author of confusion but of peace. In a world—and
often in churches—where charisma can overshadow clarity, Paul’s call to “do
everything decently and in order” becomes a pastoral imperative. Leadership,
then, is not about dominance or haste, but about stewardship: identifying
priorities, communicating clearly, and choreographing communal life so that
every gift builds up the body. John Maxwell’s principles echo this rhythm,
offering a framework for leaders to transform disorder into peace through
intentional action. Saints Simon and Jude, though often hidden in the apostolic
narrative, embody this quiet resolve—reminding us that peace is not passive,
but cultivated through faithful order and humble leadership.
Feast of Saint Simon and Jude[2]
ST. SIMON and St. Jude were probably brothers; the former received the surname Canaanite, to distinguish him from Simon Peter, either because he was a native of Cana, or because of his zeal for Christ (Luke v L 15; Acts i. 13). Judas was surnamed Thaddeus, or Lebbeus, to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. Both were chosen apostles by Christ and were constant witnesses of His life and deeds. It is related of them in the Martyrology that the light of faith was communicated to Egypt and other countries of Africa by Simon, and to Palestine, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Greater Armenia by Thaddeus. Meeting in Persia and propagating the Christian faith there by their preaching and miracles, they both gained the crown of martyrdom. There is extant an epistle of St. Jude which the Church has incorporated into the Holy Scriptures. From these two apostles learn to have zeal for the glory of God, for your own salvation and for that of your neighbor.
Prayer.
O God, Who, by means of Thy blessed apostles Simon
and Jude, hast granted us to come to the knowledge of Thy name, grant that we
may celebrate their eternal glory by making progress in virtue and improve by
this celebration.
EPISTLE. Ephes. iv.
7-13.
Brethren: To every one of us is given grace
according to the measure of the giving of Christ. Wherefore He saith: Ascending
on high He led captivity captive; He gave gifts to men. Now that He ascended,
what is it, but because He also descended first into the lower parts of the
earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens,
that He might fill all things. And He gave some apostles, and some prophets,
and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors: for the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ: until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of
Christ.
GOSPEL. John xv.
17-25.
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: These
things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hate you, know ye
that it hath hated Me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would
love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out
of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember My word that I said to
you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me,
they will also persecute you: if they have kept My word, they will keep yours
also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake: because they
know not Him that sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not
have sin: but now they have no excuse for their sin. He that hateth Me, hateth
My Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no other man hath
done, they would not have sin: but now they have both seen and hated both Me
and My Father. But that the word may be fulfilled which is written in their
law: They hated Me without cause.
Explanation.
From the fact that Christ and His disciples were
hated and persecuted by the world the greatest consolation and encouragement
may be derived by those who are obliged to suffer mockery, contempt, and
persecution because they are not of the world; that is, because they do not
follow its foolish principles and sinful customs. But they who, to escape the
derision and hatred of the world, side with it, rather than with Christ, may
learn to be ashamed of their cowardice and baseness. For as it is an honor to
the servant to be treated like his master, so it is a great disgrace to him to
be treated better than his master; if, then, the master is pleased to submit to
the hatred and persecution of the world, why do his servants refuse to do so?
When Christ says that the Jews could not excuse themselves on the ground that
they did not know Him, but had hated and persecuted Him when it was easy for
them to have known Him by His works, He teaches us that ignorance is not in
every case an excuse for sin. Those Christians, therefore, are in the highest
degree culpable who, like the Jews, might easily learn what they ought to
believe and do, but who fail to do so either through maliciousness or neglect,
and accordingly remain in ignorance by their own fault. Acting in this kind of
ignorance, they become guilty of sin, and will be justly condemned forever. It
is otherwise with men who, without any fault of theirs, hear nothing of Christ
or of the true faith, on account of which they are not punishable, but who will
be condemned for such sins as they commit against that natural law which is
inscribed on the heart of every man.
Saint Simon and Jude[3]
St. Simon is represented in art with a saw, the instrument of his martyrdom. St. Jude's square points him out as an architect of the house of God. St. Paul called himself by this name; and St. Jude, by his Catholic Epistle, has also a special right to be reckoned among our Lord's principal workmen. But our apostle had another nobility, far surpassing all earthly titles: being nephew, by his father Cleophas or Alpheus, to St. Joseph, and legal cousin to the Man-God, Jude was one of those called by their compatriots the brethren of the carpenter's Son. We may gather from St. John's Gospel another precious detail concerning him. In the admirable discourse at the close of the last Supper, our Lord said: "He that loveth Me, shall be loved of My Father: and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him." Then Jude asked Him: "Lord, how is it, that Thou wilt manifest Thyself to us, and not to the world?" And he received from Jesus this reply: "If any one love Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and will make Our abode with him. He that loveth Me not keepeth not My word. And the word which you have heard is not Mine, but the Fathers who sent Me."
St. Jude Patron: Desperate situations; forgotten causes;
hospital workers; hospitals; impossible causes; lost causes; diocese of Saint
Petersburg, Florida.
St. Simon Patron:
Curriers; sawmen; sawyers; tanners.
Bible in a
Year Day 114 David saves Keilah
Fr. Mike explores the actions of David before saving the city of Keilah, and
how he sets an example for us while discerning God's will. He also points out
how God is working constantly in our lives, even if we don't see half of what
he's doing. Today's readings are 1 Samuel 23 and Psalm 54.
Daily Devotions
·
Unite
in the work of the Porters of St.
Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: Binding
and suppressing the Devils Evil Works.
·
joining
them in fasting: Today's Fast: Authentic
Feminism
·
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: October
·
Litany
of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
·
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
·
Rosary
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