Sunday, May 31, 2026 Trinity Sunday

- May 24, 2026

A Full Blue Moon is a rare-night reset: take a twilight walk into the moonrise, finish one lingering task before it appears, burn a “second‑chance” intention in a small fire, and close the night with a quiet porch smoke or prayer under the amplified light.

🜁 Summary

1. Evil is real, personal, and permitted only within God’s providence

The CCC teaches that the devil is a fallen angel who became evil by his own free choice (CCC 391). His power is finite, creaturely, and always subordinate to God’s sovereignty (CCC 395). Evil exists, but it is never an equal rival to God. Catechist Magazine

2. The scandal of evil is answered by the Cross

CCC 309 states that every part of the Christian message is, in some way, an answer to the problem of evil. God brings a greater good from evil — supremely in the crucifixion, where Christ’s sacrifice overthrows the devil’s envy and restores what sin destroyed (CCC 412). Catechist Magazine

3. Evil originates in the misuse of freedom

CCC 385 explains that evil cannot be understood apart from sin. Angels and humans were created good, with freedom ordered toward love. Evil entered history when that freedom was misused — first by Lucifer, then by Adam and Eve. This rupture introduced disorder, suffering, and death. brotherhoodofascension.com

4. Evil today follows the same ancient pattern

Modern manifestations of evil — whether personal sin, cultural corruption, or systemic injustice — still follow the same structure:

Ideology that dehumanizes,
Bureaucracy that routinizes,
Logistics that scale harm,
Incentives that reward wrongdoing.
This pattern is visible across history and remains operative today. insightjournal.ai

🜁 CCC‑Anchored Reflection: Confronting Evil Today

A. Discern the spiritual battle
Evil is not merely psychological or sociological; it is spiritual. The Christian confronts evil first by recognizing its true nature: a distortion of God’s order, rooted in rebellion against Him. CCC 395 reminds us that Satan acts out of hatred for God and humanity, but his power is limited and permitted only for our ultimate good. Catechist Magazine

B. Reject the lie of equivalence
One of today’s most corrosive errors is imagining good and evil as equal forces. The CCC is explicit: God’s dominion is absolute; the devil is a creature. This truth prevents despair and inoculates us against the paralysis that comes from thinking the world is lost. Catechist Magazine
C. Anchor yourself in the Cross
The Cross is not merely consolation — it is the decisive victory. Every modern evil, from cultural decay to geopolitical violence, must be interpreted through the lens of Christ’s triumph. The Christian confronts evil not with fear but with cruciform confidence.
D. Confront evil by restoring divine order
CCC 385 frames evil as a rupture of God’s intended harmony. Confronting evil today means:

Re‑ordering one’s own life to God’s law,
Re‑humanizing those whom ideology dehumanizes,
Resisting systems that routinize harm,
Interrupting incentives that reward sin.
This is spiritual warfare expressed in concrete action. brotherhoodofascension.com

E. Hope is the Christian’s weapon
CCC 309 and Romans 8:28 (quoted in CCC 395) insist that God works all things for good. Hope is not naïveté; it is strategic resistance. Evil feeds on despair. Christians starve it by refusing to surrender the field.

🜁 Final Synthesis

The CCC teaches that evil is real, personal, and active — but always subordinate to God. Its origin is the misuse of freedom; its defeat is the Cross; its battlefield is the human heart and the structures we build. To confront evil today is to live in the victory of Christ, restore divine order in our sphere of influence, and refuse the lie that darkness is equal to the light.

Smoke in This Life, Not the Next

Trinity Sunday — Mystery & Memory
Oscuro. Knob Creek 12.
What mystery do I honor in remembrance?
The Trinity draws you back into alignment. Let the smoke rise like a creed. Let memory become obedience.

Visitation — Joy & Recognition
Candela. Blanton’s.
Who leaps with joy at my arrival?
Grace is recognized before it’s understood. Joy moves first.

Purgatory Note
The saints say the deepest pain is longing delayed — the soul reaching for God yet held back by what still must burn away. Better to face the fire that purifies now than the fire that postpones God later.

Twilight
Pray over land and boundaries.
Candlelight. Open windows. Spring air.
One grace you carry. One person you lift.

MAY 31 Trinity Sunday

Feast of the Visitation of Mary-Orthodox Pentecost-No Tobacco

2 Samuel, Chapter 14, Verse 14-15

We must indeed die; we are then like water that is poured out on the ground and cannot be gathered up. Yet, though God does not bring back to life, he does devise means so as not to banishanyone from him. And now, if I have presumed to speak to the king of this matter, it is because the people have given me cause to FEAR. And so your servant thought: ‘Let me speak to the king. Perhaps he will grant the petition of his servant.

Here David is in a quandary; his beloved son has murdered his brother and should be punished. Yet…how can David save his living son and still be just. Joab brings in a wise woman who points out God does not bring the dead to life but devises ways of returning the banished.

Justice and Mercy[1]

A specific feature of the ethics of St. Thomas is that it puts compassion and justice into the closest connection possible to each other. “Justice without mercy is cruel”, says Thomas. But, “Mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution"—and, one might add, therefore cruel as well. This close connection between justice and mercy is not sufficiently obvious in human life. The reason for this is not merely the fact that people are often merciless. Rather, it is much more due to the finite character of human existence, which makes all the virtues in the life of the soul appear to be separated from each other and their exercise separate as well. This of course also applies to the virtues of justice and charity, the juxtaposition of which may highlight this fact of separation with particular clarity, so that justice and mercy may sometimes appear to us as as downright opposing intentions. The situation is different with God. “The work of divine justice always presupposes the work of mercy and it founded in it,” says Thomas.

Copilot’s Take

David’s dilemma in 2 Samuel 14 is the human dilemma: how to hold justice and mercy together without tearing the soul in half. His son is guilty. His heart is torn. And the wise woman reminds him of the truth that governs all divine action: “God devises means so as not to banish anyone from Him.” Aquinas calls this the deepest law of God’s heart—justice rooted in mercy, and mercy that never dissolves justice. In God these are not competing instincts but one unified movement of love. In us, they fracture because we are finite, fearful, and easily swayed.

The Catechism teaches that justice is giving each his due (CCC 1807), while mercy is the loving response to misery (CCC 2447). Modern culture separates these violently. Justice becomes vengeance. Mercy becomes permissiveness. But Scripture and Aquinas insist that justice without mercy becomes cruelty, and mercy without justice becomes corruption. The modern world is drowning in both extremes—outrage mobs on one side, moral relativism on the other. The Christian must stand in the narrow place where God stands: firm in truth, generous in compassion, unwilling to sacrifice either.

This feast day convergence—Trinity Sunday, the Visitation, Orthodox Pentecost—reveals the antidote. The Trinity shows us that justice and mercy are not abstract principles but the inner life of God Himself: the Father’s authority, the Son’s obedience, the Spirit’s fire. The Visitation shows mercy in motion—Mary carrying Christ into a broken world not with sentimentality but with strength. Pentecost shows justice empowered—truth proclaimed with fire, not apology. These feasts together teach that mercy must be courageous, and justice must be Spirit‑filled.

World No Tobacco Day offers an unexpected but fitting contrast. The issue is not tobacco itself but the deeper reality it symbolizes addiction as a parable of modern bondage. The Catechism teaches that sin creates “structures of sin” (CCC 1869)—patterns that enslave, numb, and erode human freedom. Today the most destructive addictions are not to substances but to distraction, outrage, lust, and despair. These are the fires Jude warns against—flames that consume the soul long before they touch the body. Confronting them requires the same clarity shown in David’s struggle: mercy toward the sinner, and justice toward the sin.

In our day, evil rarely appears as open violence. It appears as normalization. The CCC calls this scandal—the sin that leads others to sin by making evil appear harmless (CCC 2284). Modern scandal is everywhere: entertainment that glamorizes vice, politics that weaponize resentment, technology that monetizes addiction, and a culture that treats the human person as disposable. The Christian response cannot be retreat or rage. It must be the Marian response: carry Christ into the places where He is absent. It must be the Pentecost response: speak truth with fire. It must be the Davidic response: act with justice, but always from a heart that longs to restore the banished.

To live this reading today is to stand where David stood—between guilt and love, between justice and mercy—and to choose the path God Himself walks. It is to confront evil without becoming evil, to rescue the burning without inhaling the smoke, to show mercy without surrendering truth. The Trinity reveals the pattern. Mary shows the posture. Pentecost gives the power. And the modern world, fractured and fevered, needs Christians who can hold justice and mercy together with the same strength God uses to hold the universe together.

ON KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY HOLY[2]

CHAPTER III

DIES ECCLESIAE

The Eucharistic Assembly:
Heart of Sunday

The table of the word

40. In considering the Sunday Eucharist more than thirty years after the Council, we need to assess how well the word of God is being proclaimed and how effectively the People of God have grown in knowledge and love of Sacred Scripture. There are two aspects of this — that of celebration and that of personal appropriation — and they are very closely related. At the level of celebration, the fact that the Council made it possible to proclaim the word of God in the language of the community taking part in the celebration must awaken a new sense of responsibility towards the word, allowing "the distinctive character of the sacred text" to shine forth "even in the mode of reading or singing". At the level of personal appropriation, the hearing of the word of God proclaimed must be well prepared in the souls of the faithful by an apt knowledge of Scripture and, where pastorally possible, by special initiatives designed to deepen understanding of the biblical readings, particularly those used on Sundays and holy days. If Christian individuals and families are not regularly drawing new life from the reading of the sacred text in a spirit of prayer and docility to the Church's interpretation, then it is difficult for the liturgical proclamation of the word of God alone to produce the fruit we might expect. This is the value of initiatives in parish communities which bring together during the week those who take part in the Eucharist — priest, ministers and faithful — in order to prepare the Sunday liturgy, reflecting beforehand upon the word of God which will be proclaimed. The objective sought here is that the entire celebration — praying, singing, listening, and not just the preaching — should express in some way the theme of the Sunday liturgy, so that all those taking part may be penetrated more powerfully by it.

Clearly, much depends on those who exercise the ministry of the word. It is their duty to prepare the reflection on the word of the Lord by prayer and study of the sacred text, so that they may then express its contents faithfully and apply them to people's concerns and to their daily lives.

Trinity Sunday[3]

Sunday is dedicated to the worship of the Triune God, and is called accordingly the Lord s day; but the first Sunday after Pentecost is appointed by the Church a special feast of the Most Holy Trinity, because this mystery, as the fundamental doctrine of the Christian religion, began at once to be preached by the apostles, as soon as they had been enlightened and strengthened by the descent of the Holy Ghost.

What thoughts and affections should occupy our minds on this feast?

Although the mystery of the Trinity is incomprehensible to us, we must consider:

1. That God would cease to be God, if our limited understanding were capable of penetrating the substance of His nature.

2. The mystery of the Blessed Trinity, though incomprehensible to our intellect, is yet not without fruit in our hearts.

The records of revelation show us God the Father as our Creator, God the Son as our Redeemer, God the Holy Ghost as our Sanctifier; and should not this move us to a child-like gratitude towards the blessed Trinity?

In praise of the Most Holy Trinity, the Church sings at the Introit of the Mass, Blessed be the Holy Trinity and undivided Unity; we will give glory to Him, because He hath shown His mercy to us. O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is Thy name in all the earth.

Prayer.

O almighty and eternal God, Who hast created Thy servant to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity, in the confession of the true faith, and to adore the unity in the power of Thy majesty, we beseech Thee, that by firmness in the same faith, we may be ever protected from all adversities.

EPISTLE. Rom. xi. 33-36.

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are His judgments, and how unsearchable His ways!

For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counsellor? Or who hath first given to Him, and recompense shall be made Him?

For of Him, and by Him, and in Him, are all things: to Him be glory forever. Amen.

Explanation.

The ground of St. Paul’s admiration in this epistle is the unfathomable wisdom and love of God, by which He permitted the Jews and heathen to fall into unbelief, that He might have mercy on all, and make all perceive that they were justified, not through their merits, but only through His grace. But the Church makes use of these words to express her reverent admiration for the greatness of the mystery of the All Holy Trinity. Though we can neither measure nor comprehend this mystery, yet no man of sound reason will hesitate to believe it, if he considers that it is most plainly revealed by God; that as God, the Infinite, cannot be comprehended by the spirit of man, so also He can reveal more than we can understand; and that, finally, there are many things in man himself, and in nature, which we acknowledge as true, but cannot comprehend. Besides, does not our holy religion assure us, that one day we shall behold face to face the Infinite Whose image is now reflected dimly in the mirror of nature? Let us add hope, therefore, to our faith, and if true and sincere love be based upon these two, our understanding and heart will have abundant consolation in regard to this great mystery.

GOSPEL. Matt, xxviii. 18-20.

At that time Jesus said to His disciples: All power is given to Me in heaven and in earth; going therefore teach ye all nations: baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

What command does Our Savior give in this gospel?

He commands His apostles to teach all nations, and to baptize them.

Is Baptism a sacrament?

Yes, for by it we receive the grace of God, through an outward sign instituted by Christ.

What is the outward sign?

Pouring water on the head of the person to be baptized and pronouncing at the same time the words: “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

What is the effect of the grace of Baptism?

Through water and the Holy Ghost, the baptized person is cleansed from original sin, and from all actual sins, if he has committed such; is spiritually new-born, and made a child of God and a joint heir with Christ (John iii. 6; Rom. viii. 17).

What is the use of sponsors?

1. In the name of the child, they express the desire to be baptized, and make the profession of faith, together with the promise to live according to the doctrine of Christ.

2. In case the parents should die, or neglect their duty, the godparents may provide for the instruction of the children.

3. They are witnesses that such a person has been baptized.

Who is God?

God is an infinite being, of all possible perfections, the most sublime and excellent of all goods, existing from all eternity, and containing within Himself the principle of His own being and substance; from Whom all other things have received their existence and life, “for of Him, and by Him, and in Him are all things” (Rom. xi. 36).

What is the blessed Trinity?

It is this one God, Who is one in nature and threefold in person, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Is each of these persons God?

Yes, for each possesses the divine nature and substance.

Is any of these three persons older, more powerful, or greater than another?

No; they are all three, from eternity, equal in power, sublimity, and majesty, and must therefore be equally adored.

From Whom is the Father?

From Himself, before all eternity.

From Whom is God the Son?

The Son is begotten of the Father before all ages.

From Whom is God the Holy Ghost?

He proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Holy Sunshine and Rain[4]

After the Son revealed His relation to the Father through Good Friday and Easter, and the Spirit revealed Himself at Pentecost, the most Holy Trinity can now be fully worshipped.

Though the mystery of the Holy Trinity is the greatest dogma of the Christian faith and the Feast of the Holy Trinity one of the beloved annual feasts of Christianity, there are not many customs or rituals quintessentially associated with this day. It has always been the custom, however, to keep this day with great reverence and solemnity. Festivals after Mass featuring thunderous preachers and thunderous bands aroused their listeners to joyful heights, while Holy Trinity Confraternities (which were once very influential) would sponsor special events and devotions on this their name day. Superstition also ascribed great powers to the weather on Holy Trinity Sunday, regardless of what it was: "Trinity rain" was considered as healthy as "Trinity sunshine."

Trinity Sunday Facts[5]

The Nicene Creed and similar Apostle's Creed often recited during mass for many denominations affirms the Trinity. The creeds are a profession of faith. The Catholic version of The Apostle's Creed is:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord: Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

The Trinity does not explicitly appear in the Bible. The interpretation and belief in the three-in-one God came out of several councils in the early church that wrestled with the question of the divinity of God the Creator, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, taught non-Christians the Trinity with a shamrock.

The Orthodox Church celebrates the Trinity in its Feast of the Pentecost. Pentecost Sunday is sometimes even called Trinity Day.

Trinity Sunday Top Events and Things to Do

The Trinity is often described as a holy mystery beyond complete human understanding. To mark Trinity Sunday, consider other things that are beyond human understanding, like the universe, or the concept of time never ending.

Listen to a sermon on Trinity Sunday to see what examples the pastor uses to illustrate the concept of God in three persons.

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote music to celebrate the Trinity. Listen to one of his Trinity Sunday cantatas on YouTube.

Experience the Trinity in art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. One painting that depicts this is The Trinity by Italian painter Angulo Gaddi.

The Doudou of Mons[6]

Thousands of bystanders stand with necks craned, cheering on Saint George as he goes into battle with the ferocious dragon in a small circle in the middle of Mons’ Grand-Place. The curious scene is a highlight of the Belgian city’s Doudou festival, an ancient feast of lush parades, fights with wicker monsters, and buckets of crowd participation.

Up in the forested Belgian Ardennes, slightly bizarre folkloric celebrations have long been a part of the annual diet – just think of Binche’s carnival with its white-masked, orange-pelting figures, or Andenne with its bear-filled streets. Local identity and pride in one’s cultural heritage play a major part in these festivities, and they are, in fact, the reason they still exist today, and this is no less true in Mons’ case. The 800-year-old Ducasse de Mons on Trinity Sunday, lovingly dubbed ‘le Doudou’ by locals, is perhaps the most raucous of them all. As Saint George on horseback and a giant wicker dragon make their way to the middle of the main square for their epic brawl, members of the crowd jump forward to try and grab a handful of straw from the mythical beast’s tail. A handful of its hairs, legend has it, will bring brave audience member’s luck.

Before the meticulously choreographed “Battle of the Lumeçon”

begins, however, visitors are reminded that the dragon isn’t the only adversity Mons has had to reckon with in its history. Indeed, true fans have started the day’s celebrations off much earlier in the Sainte-Waudru Collegiate Church. Here, the shrine of Sainte Waudru, foundress of the city and miracle worker, is taken out in the morning to meet a temple overflowing with worshippers. Believed to have saved Mons from a sweeping plague in the 14th century, the holy woman’s relics are loaded onto an elaborately decorated wagon called the Car d’Or (“the Golden Cart”).

A whole parade of local organizations dressed up in medieval garb join the procession, and when the draft horses pulling the ornate wagon invariably struggle on one particularly steep alley, the watchful masses never fail to reunite forces and help them up the slope. Locals especially have a stake in this: superstition has it that if the cart doesn’t get up in one try, bad things await the city. Meanwhile, the daredevils who plan on doing some tail-grabbing later have had the opportunity to gain a little liquid courage at the food and drink stalls lining the parade’s route. With each victory – getting the cart up the hill, the slaughter of the wicker dragon – the audience yells out joyously: “Et les Montois ne périront pas!” (“And the people of Mons will not perish!”). Folklore fans who are longing to join in know where and when to plan their next trip.

Which are the fruits of the Holy Ghost? They are the twelve following:

1. Charity.

2. Joy.

3. Peace.

4. Patience.

5. Benignity.

6. Goodness.

7. Longsuffering.

8. Mildness.

9. Faith.

10. Modesty.

11. Continency.

12. Chastity.

These fruits should be visible in the Christian, for thereby men shall know that the Holy Ghost dwells in him, as the tree is known by its fruit.

Notice I have placed the Fruits of the Holy Spirit in stairstep fashion so we may reflect on them seeing that by concentrating on each step of our growth in the spirit we may progress closer and closer to our heavenly Father. Today we will be focusing on the sixth step which is goodness.

It is evident from Holy Scripture that God is pleased to make frequent use of the ministry of the heavenly spirits in the dispensations of His providence in this world. The Angels are all pure spirits; by a property of their nature, they are immortal, as is every spirit. They have the power of moving or conveying themselves at will from place to place, and such is their activity that it is not easy for us to conceive of it. Among the holy Archangels, Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are particularly distinguished in the Scriptures. Saint Michael, whose name means Who is like unto God? is the prince of the faithful Angels who opposed Lucifer and his followers in their revolt against God. Since the devil is the sworn enemy of God’s holy Church, Saint Michael is given to it by God as its special protector against the demon’s assaults and stratagems.

Various apparitions of this powerful Angel have proved the protection of Saint Michael over the Church. We may mention his apparition in Rome, where Saint Gregory the Great saw him in the air sheathing his sword, to signal the cessation of a pestilence and the appeasement of God’s wrath. Another apparition to Saint Ausbert, bishop of Avranches in France, led to the construction of Mont-Saint-Michel in the sea, a famous pilgrimage site. May 8^th, however, is destined to recall another no less marvelous apparition, occurring near Monte Gargano in the Kingdom of Naples. In the year 492 a man named Gargan was pasturing his large herds in the countryside. One day a bull fled to the mountain, where it could not be found. When its refuge in a cave was discovered, an arrow was shot into the cave, but the arrow returned to wound the one who had sent it. Faced with this mysterious occurrence, the persons concerned decided to consult the bishop of the region. He ordered three days of fasting and prayers. After three days, the Archangel Michael appeared to the bishop and declared that the cavern where the bull had taken refuge was under his protection, and that God wanted it to be consecrated under his name and in honor of all the Holy Angels. Accompanied by his clergy and people, the pontiff went to that cavern, which he found already disposed in the form of a church. The divine mysteries were celebrated there, and there arose in this same place a magnificent temple where the divine Power has wrought great miracles. To thank God’s adorable goodness for the protection of the holy Archangel, the effect of His merciful Providence, this feast day was instituted by the Church in his honor. It is said of this special guardian and protector of the Church that, during the final persecution of Antichrist, he will powerfully defend it: “At that time shall Michael rise up, the great prince who protects the children of thy people.”

Feast of the Visitation of Mary[7]

THIS day is called the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, because on it Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, whom, as the angel had told her, God had blessed with a son in her old age. In the Introit of the Mass the Church sings: “Hail, holy parent, who didst bring forth the King Who rules heaven and earth forever. My heart hath uttered a good word; I speak of my works for the King.”

Prayer. Vouchsafe, O Lord, we beseech Thee, unto us Thy servants the gift of Thy heavenly grace, that, as in the childbirth of the Blessed Virgin our salvation began, so from the votive solemnity of her visitation we may obtain an increase of peace. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, etc. Amen.

EXPLANATION OF THE CANTICLE “MAGNIFICAT”

In this hymn Mary with joy praises God, the Lord, that He has regarded her humility, and made her to be the Mother of His only begotten Son, wherefore she should be called blessed by all generations; and she declares the truths and mysteries which the incarnation brought to light. The mercy of God, namely, reaches from generation to generation to them that FEAR Him. He scatters the thoughts of the proud, and puts down from their seats the mighty; but He exalts the humble. He fills those who hunger for justice with good things, but those who think themselves rich He sends away empty. He receives all true Israelites, and performs in them the promises which He gave to the fathers. This hymn is repeated by the Church every day at Vespers, in praise of the work of redemption, begun by the incarnation of the Son of God in Mary. Would that every Christian, since he becomes one only by Christ being, as it were, born in him, might share those feelings which the Blessed Virgin and Mother has expressed in this hymn of praise, and, with the Church, daily praise God for the mystery of the incarnation!

Aspiration. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, Who didst descend from the highest heavens to the womb of the Virgin Mary, didst therein rest for nine months, and with her didst condescend to visit and sanctify St. John, grant that we, by the practice of good works, particularly of humility, may become partakers of the fruits of Thy incarnation.

Things to Do[8]

Read Luke 1:39-47, the story of the Visitation. Read and meditate on the words of the Magnificat and the Hail Mary, two prayers from this feast. For those with children, depending on the ages, assign memorization for these prayers. Also discuss the meaning of the text as a family.
This feast reminds us to be charitable to our neighbors. Try to assist some mother (expectant or otherwise), visit the elderly or sick, make dinner for someone, etc.

The Feast of the Visitation?[9]

The Church celebrates the Feast of the Visitation, when Mary went to visit her sister Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist.

The Gospels tell us that when John felt the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb, he leaped for joy in his own mother’s womb. At this moment, John was cleansed of original sin, and filled with the grace of God.

The earliest evidence of this feast’s celebration in the Church is its adoption by the Franciscan Chapter in 1263, under advisement from St. Bonaventure. The feast spread to many churches, but was celebrated on various dates. On April 6, 1389, Pope Urban VI extended the feast to the entire Church, with the hope that Christ and Our Lady would put an end to the Great Schism that was threatening the Church at the time.

The feast was originally assigned to July 2, the day after the octave of St. John, which is estimated to be around the time that Mary returned to Nazareth. However, during the Schism, many opposing bishops refused to adopt the feast, until it was confirmed at the Council of Basle in 1441. Pius IX raised the feast to the rank of a double of the second class on May 13, 1850.

Orthodox Pentecost[10]

Fifty days after the Resurrection, on the excising Jewish feast of Pentecost, while the disciples and many other followers of Jesus Christ were gathered together to pray, the Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of "cloven tongues of fire," with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and they began to speak in languages that they did not know. There were many visitors from the Jewish diaspora to Jerusalem at that time for the Jewish observance of the feast, and they were astonished to hear these untaught fisherman speaking praises to God in their alien tongues. This account is detailed in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2.

The number fifty, as in the fiftieth day after Pascha, stands for eternal and heavenly fulfillment, seven times seven, plus one.

Feast of Pentecost

The Orthodox Church sees Pentecost as the final fulfillment of the mission of Jesus Christ and the first beginning of the messianic age of the Kingdom of God, mystically present in his Church. It is traditionally called the beginning of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Besides celebrating the coming of the Holy Spirit, the feast also celebrates the full revelation of the divine Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Hymns of the Church, celebrate the sign of the final act of God's self-disclosure to the world of His creation.

To Orthodox Christians, the feast of Pentecost is not just a celebration of an event in history. It is also a celebration their membership in the Church. They have lived Pentecost and received "the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit" in the sacrament of chrismation.

Celebration of the feast

For the feast of Pentecost the icon of the Holy Trinity, the three angelic figures who appeared to Abraham, is placed in the center of the church for veneration. This icon is used with the traditional Pentecost icon. The church building is decorated with flowers and the green leaves of the summer to show that God's divine breath comes to renew all creation. Green vestments and coverings are also used.

In many parishes the feast is celebrated starting the evening before with Great Vespers. Some parishes also serve Matins on the morning of the feast before the Divine Liturgy.

The Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom with special hymns replacing the standard Antiphons. The hymns O Heavenly King and We have seen the True Light are sung for the first time since Easter, calling the Holy Spirit to "come and abide in us," and proclaiming that "we have received the heavenly Spirit."

An extraordinary service called the Kneeling Vespers, is observed on the evening of Pentecost. This is a Vespers service to which are added three sets of long poetical prayers, the composition of Saint Basil the Great, during which everyone makes a full prostration, touching their foreheads to the floor (prostrations in church having been forbidden from the day of Pascha (Easter) up to this point). In many parishes, this service is done immediately after the Liturgy.

After Pentecost

The Monday after Pentecost is the Feast of the Holy Spirit in the Orthodox Church, and the Sunday after Pentecost is the Feast of All Saints.

Even though the start of the Church year is considered to start in September, the liturgical center of the annual cycle of Orthodox worship is the feast of Pascha, preceded by Great Lent, and pre-lent, and followed by the fifty days of paschal celebration until the feast of Pentecost. Until the start of the next Great Lent, the Sundays and weeks following Pentecost, are numbered from Pentecost. Liturgical readings and hymns will be based on the "weeks after Pentecost" as listed in the Octoechos, Apostolos, and Lectionary arranged Gospel.

Veneremur Cernui – Down in Adoration Falling

of The Most Reverend Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop of Phoenix,
to Priests, Deacons, Religious and the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Phoenix on the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist

My beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Part II

III. Worthy Reception of Holy Communion – Conforming our life with Christ.

58. John Paul II reminded us of this perennial teaching of the Church, that “the celebration of the Eucharist, however, cannot be the starting point for communion; it presupposes that communion already exists, a communion that it seeks to consolidate and bring to perfection” (Ecclesia et Eucharistia, no. 35). To receive all the graces and benefits from Holy Communion that was mentioned above, the Eucharist requires that we live and persevere in sanctifying grace and love, remaining within the Church as one body and one spirit in Christ. Reaffirming the clear teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Saint John Paul II stated, “Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion” (CCC 1385).

59. It is important to underline this intrinsic connection between the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist because, as Pope Benedict wrote, we are “surrounded by a culture that tends to eliminate the sense of sin and to promote a superficial approach that overlooks the need to be in a state of grace in order to approach sacramental communion worthily” (Sacramentum Caritatis, 20). A common and mistaken trend of our times is to presume that all have the right to approach and partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord and that limiting such a ‘right’ would go against the practice of Jesus Christ, who welcomed all sinners.

60. However, the teachings of the Church have always been clear and based on Scripture. Holy Communion is reserved for those, who with God’s grace make a sincere effort to live this union with Christ and His Church by adhering to all that the Catholic Church believes and proclaims to be revealed by God.

To be continued…

Bible in a year Day 330 Sauls' Conversion

Fr. Mike breaks down Saul's miraculous conversion, explaining the significance of Jesus sending Ananias to heal Saul, and how it reveals that Jesus works through his Church just as powerfully as he worked through the incarnation. Fr. Mike also reminds us that if we belong to the Lord, we will have to participate in his suffering. Lastly, as we conclude St. Paul's letter to the Romans, Fr. Mike leaves us with the exhortation that the Gospel advances primarily through family and friendship. Today's readings are Acts 9, Romans 15-16, and Proverbs 27:18-20.

World No Tobacco Day[11]

Better to smoke in this life than then next.

World No Tobacco Day serves to generate awareness about the health risks of tobacco use and to advocate for more effective policies that can help reduce worldwide tobacco use.

World No Tobacco Day Top Events and Things to Do

· Think about your health. Quit smoking or encourage others to do so. Many help books are available online to coach you through the withdrawal and help you find alternative solutions to the cravings.

· Educate youth and teenagers in your neighborhood about the negative effects of smoking and encourage them to quit if they have already picked up the habit. The best way to eradicate smoking is by educating the new generation of the negative effects of tobacco use.

· Volunteer for the Freedom from Smoking program or another like program that helps smokers quit.

· Watch a movie or documentary about smoking and tobacco. Our favorites: The Tobacco Conspiracy, We Love Cigarettes and Passion for Cigarettes.

· Lobby for stricter tobacco advertisement laws and smoking laws in your community. Tobacco companies continue to be pressured legally to disclose the negative effects of their product and your help in supporting this legal action can lead to even stricter laws.

Around the Corner

Today in honor of the Holy Trinity do the Divine Office giving your day to God. To honor God REST: no shopping after 6 pm Saturday till Monday. Don’t forget the internet.

Bucket List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather” Lisbon

Spirit Hour: Bourbon Milk Punch

· Autism Acceptance Month

On Sundays Pray:

O Glorious Queen of Heaven and Earth, Virgin Most Powerful, thou who hast the power to crush the head of the ancient serpent with thy heel, come and exercise this power flowing from the grace of thine Immaculate Conception. Shield us under the mantle of thy purity and love, draw us into the sweet abode of thy heart and annihilate and render impotent the forces bent on destroying us. Come Most Sovereign Mistress of the Holy Angels and Mistress of the Most Holy Rosary, thou who from the very beginning hast received from God the power and the mission to crush the head of Satan. Send forth thy holy legions, we humbly beseech thee, that under thy command and by thy power they may pursue the evil spirits, counter them on every side, resist their bold attacks and drive them far from us, harming no one on the way, binding them to the foot of the Cross to be judged and sentenced by Jesus Christ Thy Son and to be disposed of by Him as He wills.

St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church, come to our aid in this grave battle against the forces of darkness, repel the attacks of the devil and free the members of the Auxilium Christianorum, and those for whom the priests of the Auxilium Christianorum pray, from the strongholds of the enemy.

St. Michael, summon the entire heavenly court to engage their forces in this fierce battle against the powers of hell. Come O Prince of Heaven with thy mighty sword and thrust into hell Satan and all the other evil spirits. O Guardian Angels, guide and protect us. Amen.

Consider a saltwater pool.

A saltwater pool is an alternative to a traditional chlorine pool. Although you don’t add chlorine tablets to a saltwater pool, it does still contain chlorine. It just has a smaller amount that’s generated through the filter system.

A saltwater pool contains 10 times less salt than the ocean. There’s around 3,000 ppm (parts per million) salinity in a saltwater pool. By comparison, there’s 35,000 ppm in the ocean. Some people find this type of pool less harsh on their hair, eyes, and skin than a chlorinated pool.

Saltwater pools are becoming more common at hotels, resorts, and on cruise ships. You can find natural saltwater lagoon pools in places like Mozambique and Bolivia. You can also choose to have a saltwater pool installed in your own home.

Saltwater pools for health

Swimming in a saltwater pool may be better for someone who has asthma or allergies. That’s especially true when it comes to indoor pools. You might notice a strong chlorine smell upon entering an indoor pool area. That’s because of the chloramines, the mix of chlorine and ammonia. In an outdoor pool, the smell quickly evaporates, whereas it’s contained indoors.

It usually is most strong around the surface of the pool, where swimmers take their breaths. If you have trouble breathing, you may find swimming in an indoor chlorinated pool irritating.

One 2003 study found that young children who swim regularly in an indoor chlorinated pool were at greater risk for lung inflammation and developing asthma. But more research is needed to determine if a saltwater pool is the best alternative.

Daily Devotions

· Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: An End to Addictions

· Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus

· Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus

· Drops of Christ’s Blood

· Universal Man Plan

· Rosary

[1]http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/4304/the_relationship_of_mercy_and_justice_according_to_st_thomas_aquinas.aspx

[2]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=419

[3]Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896.

[4]http://www.holytrinitygerman.org/postpentecostcustoms.htm#Trinity_Sunday

[5]http://www.wincalendar.com/Trinity-Sunday

[6]https://theculturetrip.com/europe/belgium/articles/a-brief-history-of-belgiums-doudou-and-why-you-should-attend/

[7]Goffine’s Devout Instructions, 1896

[8]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2019-05-31

[9] https://angelusnews.com/faith/saint-of-the-day/feast-of-the-visitation-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary/

[10] https://orthodoxwiki.org/Pentecost

[11] https://www.wincalendar.com/World-No-Tobacco-Day

THE COME ON (1956)

Sterling Hayden • Anne Baxter • John Hoyt
Directed by Russell Birdwell

A sun‑scorched noir of desire, deception, and the slow corrosion of conscience,
The Come On is not merely a crime story.
It is a study in how temptation disguises itself as rescue,
how passion becomes entrapment,
and how a man can lose his footing one compromise at a time.

It is the story of a drifter who wants a clean life,
a woman who wants escape at any cost,
and a husband whose intelligence makes him more dangerous than his cruelty.

And then the trap snaps shut —
not suddenly,
but with the inevitability of sin left unattended.

1. Production & Historical Setting

A Mid‑Century Noir in Broad Daylight

Released in 1956, The Come On belongs to the late‑noir period —
when the shadows moved from alleys to beaches,
and moral darkness hid in the brightness of the sun.

Shot largely on location in Mexico, the film trades the urban claustrophobia of classic noir
for a humid, open landscape where escape seems possible
but never is.

Sterling Hayden: The Weathered Conscience

Hayden’s Dave Arnold is the archetypal noir wanderer —
a man trying to outrun his past,
only to collide with someone else’s.

His strength is real,
but his judgment is flawed,
and noir punishes flawed judgment.

Anne Baxter: The Desperate Magnetism of the Femme Fatale

Baxter’s Rita Kendrick is not a cartoon seductress.
She is frightened, trapped, and morally frayed —
a woman whose desperation becomes its own form of manipulation.

Her plea for rescue is sincere,
but sincerity does not make it safe.

John Hoyt: Intelligence Turned Malevolent

Hoyt’s husband, J.J. Kendrick, is the film’s cold center —
a man whose brilliance has curdled into cruelty.
He is not violent;
he is calculating.
And that makes him lethal.

2. Story Summary

A Chance Meeting That Isn’t Chance

Dave meets Rita on a lonely beach.
She is beautiful, frightened, and married to a man she claims will kill her.
The classic noir invitation:
Help me.

A Marriage Built on Control

J.J. Kendrick is wealthy, manipulative, and always two steps ahead.
He knows his wife wants out.
He knows she is looking for a rescuer.
He knows how to use that.

A Drifter Drawn In

Dave tries to walk away.
But desire, pity, and the illusion of heroism pull him back.
Every step he takes to “save” Rita
tightens the snare.

A Murder Plot Without a Clean Exit

When Kendrick disappears,
nothing is what it seems.
Rita’s story shifts.
Evidence surfaces.
Motives blur.
Dave realizes he has been drawn into a design older than his arrival.

Noir Justice

The ending is not triumphant.
It is inevitable.
In noir, the bill always comes due.

3. Spiritual & Moral Resonances

A. Temptation Often Arrives as a Cry for Help
Rita’s plea is genuine —
but genuine need can still be the doorway to ruin.
Discernment is the first virtue of a man.
B. Desire Can Masquerade as Compassion
Dave believes he is rescuing her.
But he is also rescuing the version of himself he wants to believe in.
Noir exposes the motives beneath the motives.
C. Evil Is Most Dangerous When It Is Intelligent
Kendrick is not a brute.
He is a strategist.
The film warns that malice with a brain
is far more deadly than malice with a fist.
D. Sin Is a Web, Not a Moment
Dave’s downfall is not one decision
but a chain of small concessions.
Noir teaches what Scripture teaches:
the slope is always slippery.
E. Truth Arrives Late, But It Arrives
When the façade collapses,
every character is revealed for who they truly are.
Noir is a moral x‑ray.

4. Hospitality Pairing — A Night of Heat & Suspicion

Cigar: A spicy Habano — dry heat, sharp edges, desert‑sun bitterness.
Drink: Rye whiskey — clean burn, no sweetness, moral clarity in a glass.
Plate: Salted nuts, charred citrus, something simple and unsentimental.
Atmosphere: Low light, open window, warm air, the sense that someone is watching.

5. Reflection Prompts

Where have I mistaken desire for duty.
When have I stepped into someone else’s chaos thinking I could fix it.
What “cry for help” in my life needs discernment, not rescue.
Where am I one compromise away from a snare.
What truth about myself have I been avoiding until the moment of reckoning.

JUNE

Wildlife fills our life with joy and refreshment. Songbirds and birds of prey, squirrels and rabbits, butterflies and lightning bugs all carry a message worth discovering in early summer. Do we see and hear them, or do we overlook them, even despise them? Are they simply an annoyance, or do we come to know, love, and even serve these fellow creatures by providing protection and habitat?

June: The Sacred Heart of Jesus – The Sacred Heart of Jesus is the revelation of God’s immense love for us. It is often depicted as a fiery furnace, pierced and broken, but beating with love. The Sacred Heart is also a profound reminder of the humanity of our Lord, for his heart is not a mere symbol, but a true physical reality.

Overview of June[1]

Following Pentecost, the Church begins her slow descent from the great peaks of the Easter Season to the verdant pastures of Ordinary Time, the longest of the liturgical seasons. Like the lush June growth all around us, the green of the liturgical season points to the new life won for us by the Redemption of Jesus Christ, the new life of Charity. For Our Lord came to cast the fire of His love on the earth, and to that end, sent His Holy Spirit at Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire. Ordinary Time is the hour to “go out to all the world and tell the good news.” The feasts of June highlight this expansion of the Church. At least ten times, the Church vests in the red of the martyrs whose blood is the very seed of her growth. She also celebrates the feasts of the apostles Peter and Paul, and the birth of St. John the Baptist, proto-disciple and prophet. We too are called to be witnesses like the apostles and martyrs. May the Heart of Jesus inflame our hearts so that we may be worthy of our Baptismal call to holiness. Immaculate Heart of Mary, pray for us.

June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart[2]

Since the 16th century Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. The month of June is set apart for devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. "From among all the proofs of the infinite goodness of our Savior none stands out more prominently than the fact that, as the love of the faithful grew cold, He, Divine Love Itself, gave Himself to us to be honored by a very special devotion and that the rich treasury of the Church was thrown wide open in the interests of that devotion." These words of Pope Pius XI refer to the Sacred Heart Devotion, which in its present form dates from the revelations given to Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque in 1673-75.

The devotion consists in the divine worship of the human heart of Christ, which is united to His divinity and which is a symbol of His love for us. The aim of the devotion is to make our Lord king over our hearts by prompting them to return love to Him (especially through an act of consecration by which we offer to the Heart of Jesus both ourselves and all that belongs to us) and to make reparation for our ingratitude to God.

Prayer:

INVOCATION

O Heart of love, I put all my trust in Thee; for I fear all things from my own weakness, but I hope for all things from Thy goodness. Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque

PRAYER TO THE SACRED HEART

Devotion to the Sacred Heart was the characteristic note of the piety of Saint Gertrude the Great (1256-1302), Benedictine nun and renowned mystic. She was, in fact, the first great exponent of devotion to the Sacred Heart. In our efforts to honor the Heart of Jesus we have this prayer as a model for our own: Hail! O Sacred Heart of Jesus, living and quickening source of eternal life, infinite treasure of the Divinity, and burning furnace of divine love. Thou art my refuge and my sanctuary, Oh my amiable Savior. Consume my heart with that burning fire with which Thine is ever inflamed. Pour down on my soul those graces which flow from Thy love, and let my heart be so united with Thine, that our wills may be one, and mine in all things be conformed to Thine. May Thy divine will be equally the standard and rule of all my desires and of all my actions. Amen. Saint Gertrude

FOR THE CHURCH

O most holy Heart of Jesus, shower Thy blessings in abundant measure upon Thy holy Church, upon the Supreme Pontiff and upon all the clergy; to the just grant perseverance; convert sinners; enlighten unbelievers; bless our relations, friends and benefactors; assist the dying; deliver the holy souls in purgatory; and extend over all hearts the sweet empire of Thy love. Amen.

A PRAYER OF TRUST

O God, who didst in wondrous manner reveal to the virgin, Margaret Mary, the unsearchable riches of Thy Heart, grant that loving Thee, after her example, in all things and above all things, we may in Thy Heart find our abiding home.

ACT OF LOVE

Reveal Thy Sacred Heart to me, O Jesus, and show me Its attractions. Unite me to It forever. Grant that all my aspirations and all the beats of my heart, which cease not even while I sleep, may be a testimonial to Thee of my love for Thee and may say to Thee: Yes, Lord, I am all Thine; pledge of my allegiance to Thee rests ever in my heart will never cease to be there. Do Thou accept the slight amount of good that I do and be graciously pleased to repair all m] wrongdoing; so that I may be able to bless Thee in time and in eternity. Amen. Cardinal Merry del Val

MEMORARE TO THE SACRED HEART Remember, O most sweet Jesus, that no one who has had recourse to Thy Sacred Heart, implored its help, or sought it mercy was ever abandoned. Encouraged with confidence, O tenderest of hearts, we present ourselves before Thee, crushes beneath the weight of our sins. In our misery, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, despise not our simple prayers, but mercifully grant our requests.

Prayer Source: Prayer Book, The by Reverend John P. O'Connell, M.A., S.T.D. and Jex Martin, M.A., The Catholic Press, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, 1954

JUNE TIMETABLE

June Travel?^{^[3]}

Machu Picchu Explore the incredible Inca ruins of Peru’s Machu Picchu, often called “Lost city of the Incas.” Take an adventurous climb to see the Temple of Condor and Sun Gate -- the end point for the Inca Trail. Visit in June to take advantage of the dry season and to avoid the heavy crowds in July and August.

Whale Watching, Stellwagen Bank—May thru October-- Did winter come and go without you getting a chance to see whales? There’s still time: Between May and September, more than 400 orcas swim in the waters around Canada’s Vancouver Island. Or head to the Azores, the Portuguese archipelago about 1,000 miles from Lisbon, where sperm whales gather from May to October. Closer to home, Stellwagen Bank, a submerged sandbank between Cape Cod and Cape Ann in Massachusetts, attracts the endangered North Atlantic right whale to its waters.

San Diego Whale Watch

Chicago Blues Festival-June 4--Chicago is the place to visit in June, especially if you’re a fan of the blues. The Chicago Blues Festival is the largest free blues music festival in the world. Over three days, more than 500,000 people converge on Grant Park to hear well-renown performers perform on the festival’s five stages.

Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival—June 11-14--From indie rock to reggae, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, draws thousands of fans every year. Previous notable acts include Bob Dylan, Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, The Beach Boys and The White Stripes. During this four-day music festival, bands, rappers, musicians and singers perform from around noon until 4 a.m. or later at Great Stage Park, which is located on a 700-acre farm.

Father's Day June 21 Don’t forget about Dad this month. Spend some extra time with your father figure by planning a trip to go fly fishing, rock climbing or skydiving. For a getaway minus the adrenaline-pumping thrills, we have a few Father’s Day travel ideas like a brewery tour in Portland, Oregon, or game of golf in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Arizona

Iceman’s Calendar

Mon. June 1^st St. Justin

Marilyn Monroes Birthday

Wed. June 3^rd MASS First Wednesday

World Bicycle Day

Thu. June 4^th MASS Corpus Christi Traditional

Fri. June 5^th MASS Sacred Heart of Jesus

MASS First Friday

Saint Boniface

Sat. June 6^th MASS Immaculate Heart of Mary

First Saturday