June 15
Choose a cigar with backbone today — something that refuses to bend, the way Thomas More refused to betray his conscience.
Better to burn now in truth than later for cowardice.
Prayer
O my God, we beg of Thee in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, through the merits of the Precious Blood offered in every Mass throughout the world, to grant conversion to sinners and to all who will die this day the grace of repentance and a happy death.
If it be Your Will, accept this offering to console the Heart of Jesus in agony for souls lost through error against the true Church of Christ.
Have mercy on the holy souls in Purgatory, especially the forgotten. Do not delay their deliverance, but let the purifying flame consume their defects so they may stand in Your divine presence.
Amen.
Thomas More burned early so he would not burn eternally.
Offer your smoke the same way.
Introduction To 2 Chronicles[1]
If 1 Chronicles is the
uplifting story of Israel's Golden Age, when King David ruled with justice and
mercy, then 2 Chronicles
is the hard right turn. Everything starts out just fine. David's son, Solomon,
builds the Temple in Jerusalem and impresses everyone with his wealth and
wisdom. But when Solomon dies, Israel's fortunes take a nosedive. For starters,
the country breaks into two warring kingdoms. The new king of the unified
kingdom, Rehoboam, isn't as politically savvy as his ancestor, David. Tired of
Rehoboam's heavy-handed rule, the ten northern tribes break away and form their
own kingdom. Both the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel go through a
series of kings that could best be described as a mixed bag—if by "mixed
bag" we mean incompetent, murderous idolaters who'll kill their own
grandchildren if that's what it takes to stay in power. It wasn't all bad news,
though. "Jumpin'" King Jehoshaphat tries to get a peace treaty going
with his friends in the north. King Hezekiah starts the tradition of
celebrating Passover in Jerusalem. And King Josiah rediscovers the first five
books of the Bible during his reign and realizes it would be a good idea to pay
them some serious attention. But these few bright spots aren't enough to
counteract the absolute corruption of the rest of the kings of Israel. Breaking
divine law, killing off family members, worshipping goat-demons—there's all
kinds of shocking stuff going down. Things get so bad that even though God has
promised that David's descendants will always reign in Israel, he lets the Babylonian
Empire invade and destroy Jerusalem, level the Temple, deport much
of the population, and leave the rest to die in various horrible ways.
Eventually, God lets the people return to Jerusalem to rebuild amid the rubble.
But if you were feeling optimistic after 1 Chronicles, with the righteous King
David having things well in hand, prepare to be discouraged.
June 15
Choose a cigar with backbone today — something that refuses to bend, the way Thomas More refused to betray his conscience.
Better to burn now in truth than later for cowardice.
Prayer
O my God, we beg of Thee in union with the Immaculate Heart of Mary, through the merits of the Precious Blood offered in every Mass throughout the world, to grant conversion to sinners and to all who will die this day the grace of repentance and a happy death.
If it be Your Will, accept this offering to console the Heart of Jesus in agony for souls lost through error against the true Church of Christ.
Have mercy on the holy souls in Purgatory, especially the forgotten. Do not delay their deliverance, but let the purifying flame consume their defects so they may stand in Your divine presence.
Amen.
Thomas More burned early so he would not burn eternally.
Offer your smoke the same way.
Introduction To 2 Chronicles[1]
If 1 Chronicles is the
uplifting story of Israel's Golden Age, when King David ruled with justice and
mercy, then 2 Chronicles
is the hard right turn. Everything starts out just fine. David's son, Solomon,
builds the Temple in Jerusalem and impresses everyone with his wealth and
wisdom. But when Solomon dies, Israel's fortunes take a nosedive. For starters,
the country breaks into two warring kingdoms. The new king of the unified
kingdom, Rehoboam, isn't as politically savvy as his ancestor, David. Tired of
Rehoboam's heavy-handed rule, the ten northern tribes break away and form their
own kingdom. Both the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel go through a
series of kings that could best be described as a mixed bag—if by "mixed
bag" we mean incompetent, murderous idolaters who'll kill their own
grandchildren if that's what it takes to stay in power. It wasn't all bad news,
though. "Jumpin'" King Jehoshaphat tries to get a peace treaty going
with his friends in the north. King Hezekiah starts the tradition of
celebrating Passover in Jerusalem. And King Josiah rediscovers the first five
books of the Bible during his reign and realizes it would be a good idea to pay
them some serious attention. But these few bright spots aren't enough to
counteract the absolute corruption of the rest of the kings of Israel. Breaking
divine law, killing off family members, worshipping goat-demons—there's all
kinds of shocking stuff going down. Things get so bad that even though God has
promised that David's descendants will always reign in Israel, he lets the Babylonian
Empire invade and destroy Jerusalem, level the Temple, deport much
of the population, and leave the rest to die in various horrible ways.
Eventually, God lets the people return to Jerusalem to rebuild amid the rubble.
But if you were feeling optimistic after 1 Chronicles, with the righteous King
David having things well in hand, prepare to be discouraged.
Why Should I Care?
Why do bad things happen?
The author of 2 Chronicles knows why, and there's no question about it. Bad
things happen because people disobey God—it's as simple as that. Did your army
just get demolished in battle? Better think twice about worshipping those goat
gods. Got a case of leprosy? Just because you're the king doesn't mean you're
allowed in the Temple doing jobs reserved for the priests. It couldn't be more
clear: if you want health, wealth, victory, and military success, you need to
do what Yahweh asks. He might be forgiving if you're truly sorry, but otherwise
it's just basic math: disobedience = disaster. Don't you wish it were all that
simple? We all know that plenty of bad things definitely happen to very good
people.
Maybe you have a friend who's kind and generous and dying from a
horrible disease. Or a fun, supportive cousin who was killed by a drunk driver.
Maybe one of your parents can't find a job despite being hardworking and smart.
Maybe your sweet little sister gets chosen as the tribute from Region 12.
Natural disasters sure don't make distinctions between good and bad people when
they happen. It all seems so unfair, and it's understandable to want
explanations. And there are plenty of explanations. You've heard them all—God's
will, things happen for a reason, things happen for no reason, we don't have
all the information, they must have deserved it, bad genes, bad luck, bad
parents. We all want to figure it out so we can prevent this stuff from
happening to us. But apart from not doing dumb, avoidable things that put us at
risk for accidents or illness or failure, bad things can happen anyway. And as
long as they do, people will wonder why. Chronicles is one answer to this huge
question, but you'll have to find your own. And while you're looking, don't
text and drive, m'kay?
JUNE 15 Monday Third Week after
Pentecost
2 Chronicles, Chapter 14, Verse 13
Then the Judahites conquered all
the cities around Gerar, for the FEAR
of the LORD was upon them; they plundered all the cities, for there was much
plunder in them.
Argh
sounds like pirates to me. It does not sound very good to us but we must
remember that the only law was “might makes right”. The truth is that most
people were murdering, thieving pirates. What is new is that Israel had a law
that was given them by the creator; however loosely they followed it. Israel
begins to understand that if you seek the Lord; you will find the Lord; if you
forsake the Lord; the Lord will forsake you.
Judah’s
King Asa Wins Big[2]
When
Abijah dies, his son Asa takes over the Kingdom of Judah.
Asa
keeps Judah on the right path. He gets rid of all references to foreign gods
and encourages the people to follow God's law.
He
also builds up Judah's defenses and army in various cities. Even though there
aren't any wars for 10 years, this is a smart move because eventually the
Ethiopians attack Judah.
Zerah
the Ethiopian comes at them with a million soldiers. You read that right. Judah
has about 300,000.
Totally
outnumbered, Asa leads the army into battle and does pretty much the only thing
he can do right then—he prays. God helps the strong and the weak. And boy, is
Judah weak right now.
The
Almighty hears the king's panicked cries and responds with a sweeping victory.
Not only do they drive back the million-man army, but Judah also manages to
kill every last one. No exaggeration whatsoever there.
The
warriors in Judah are able to get all kinds of booty from the Ethiopians, so
it's a pretty big win for them.
Copilot’s Take
The “fear of the Lord” falling on the cities around
Gerar shows a world waking up to the reality that God is not mocked. Ancient
society was a pirate world — raiding, plundering, and surviving by force. Into
that chaos, God introduces covenant, law, and accountability. The Catechism
teaches that the moral life begins with recognizing God’s authority (CCC 1691).
Without that recognition, every society drifts back into piracy, whether with
swords or with statutes.
Asa stands out because he refuses to lead like a pirate
king. He tears down idols, restores worship, and strengthens Judah not for
conquest but for fidelity. His leadership reflects the CCC’s teaching that
authority exists to serve the common good (CCC 1897–1904). When the million-man
Ethiopian army arrives, Asa does not negotiate with evil or rely on numbers. He
prays, fights, and entrusts the outcome to God. His prayer — “Help us, for we
rely on You” — is the masculine heart of biblical leadership.
The victory that follows is not a celebration of
plunder but a revelation of alignment. Judah wins because Judah is ordered
toward God. The surrounding cities tremble not at Judah’s swords but at Judah’s
God. This is the biblical pattern: when a people fear the Lord, even their
enemies recognize it. When they do not, they become indistinguishable from the
pirate world around them.
This is where the reality of congressional pirates
and the people who empower them must be understood theologically. Scripture
does not call people stupid — but it does call them foolish when they
reject wisdom. The Catechism teaches that sin darkens the intellect and weakens
the will (CCC 1866). A society that abandons the fear of the Lord loses its
ability to discern good leadership. It elevates the loud, the lawless, and the
self-serving — not because the people lack intelligence, but because their
moral vision has been dimmed. A Godless congress is not an accident; it
is the mirror of a God-forgetting people.
In biblical terms, the problem is not stupidity but folly
— a spiritual condition. When a people lose the fear of the Lord, they empower
leaders who reflect their own disordered loves. When they return to God, they
begin to recognize and support righteous authority. Asa’s story is not merely
about a king confronting pirates; it is about a people learning to stop
following them.
The Catechism calls believers to “work to purify social
structures from sin” (CCC 1888). That begins not with contempt but with
clarity, courage, and covenant — the same pattern Asa lived. The world may
still be full of pirates, but the man who fears the Lord becomes unshakable,
because he knows the battle is not won by numbers, noise, or elections, but by
alignment with the One who judges all leaders and all peoples.
Apostolic Exhortation[3]
Why do bad things happen? The author of 2 Chronicles knows why, and there's no question about it. Bad things happen because people disobey God—it's as simple as that. Did your army just get demolished in battle? Better think twice about worshipping those goat gods. Got a case of leprosy? Just because you're the king doesn't mean you're allowed in the Temple doing jobs reserved for the priests. It couldn't be more clear: if you want health, wealth, victory, and military success, you need to do what Yahweh asks. He might be forgiving if you're truly sorry, but otherwise it's just basic math: disobedience = disaster. Don't you wish it were all that simple? We all know that plenty of bad things definitely happen to very good people.
Maybe you have a friend who's kind and generous and dying from a horrible disease. Or a fun, supportive cousin who was killed by a drunk driver. Maybe one of your parents can't find a job despite being hardworking and smart. Maybe your sweet little sister gets chosen as the tribute from Region 12. Natural disasters sure don't make distinctions between good and bad people when they happen. It all seems so unfair, and it's understandable to want explanations. And there are plenty of explanations. You've heard them all—God's will, things happen for a reason, things happen for no reason, we don't have all the information, they must have deserved it, bad genes, bad luck, bad parents. We all want to figure it out so we can prevent this stuff from happening to us. But apart from not doing dumb, avoidable things that put us at risk for accidents or illness or failure, bad things can happen anyway. And as long as they do, people will wonder why. Chronicles is one answer to this huge question, but you'll have to find your own. And while you're looking, don't text and drive, m'kay?
JUNE 15 Monday Third Week after
Pentecost
2 Chronicles, Chapter 14, Verse 13
Then the Judahites conquered all
the cities around Gerar, for the FEAR
of the LORD was upon them; they plundered all the cities, for there was much
plunder in them.
Argh
sounds like pirates to me. It does not sound very good to us but we must
remember that the only law was “might makes right”. The truth is that most
people were murdering, thieving pirates. What is new is that Israel had a law
that was given them by the creator; however loosely they followed it. Israel
begins to understand that if you seek the Lord; you will find the Lord; if you
forsake the Lord; the Lord will forsake you.
Judah’s
King Asa Wins Big[2]
When
Abijah dies, his son Asa takes over the Kingdom of Judah.
Asa
keeps Judah on the right path. He gets rid of all references to foreign gods
and encourages the people to follow God's law.
He
also builds up Judah's defenses and army in various cities. Even though there
aren't any wars for 10 years, this is a smart move because eventually the
Ethiopians attack Judah.
Zerah
the Ethiopian comes at them with a million soldiers. You read that right. Judah
has about 300,000.
Totally
outnumbered, Asa leads the army into battle and does pretty much the only thing
he can do right then—he prays. God helps the strong and the weak. And boy, is
Judah weak right now.
The Almighty hears the king's panicked cries and responds with a sweeping victory. Not only do they drive back the million-man army, but Judah also manages to kill every last one. No exaggeration whatsoever there.
The
warriors in Judah are able to get all kinds of booty from the Ethiopians, so
it's a pretty big win for them.
Copilot’s Take
The “fear of the Lord” falling on the cities around
Gerar shows a world waking up to the reality that God is not mocked. Ancient
society was a pirate world — raiding, plundering, and surviving by force. Into
that chaos, God introduces covenant, law, and accountability. The Catechism
teaches that the moral life begins with recognizing God’s authority (CCC 1691).
Without that recognition, every society drifts back into piracy, whether with
swords or with statutes.
Asa stands out because he refuses to lead like a pirate
king. He tears down idols, restores worship, and strengthens Judah not for
conquest but for fidelity. His leadership reflects the CCC’s teaching that
authority exists to serve the common good (CCC 1897–1904). When the million-man
Ethiopian army arrives, Asa does not negotiate with evil or rely on numbers. He
prays, fights, and entrusts the outcome to God. His prayer — “Help us, for we
rely on You” — is the masculine heart of biblical leadership.
The victory that follows is not a celebration of
plunder but a revelation of alignment. Judah wins because Judah is ordered
toward God. The surrounding cities tremble not at Judah’s swords but at Judah’s
God. This is the biblical pattern: when a people fear the Lord, even their
enemies recognize it. When they do not, they become indistinguishable from the
pirate world around them.
This is where the reality of congressional pirates
and the people who empower them must be understood theologically. Scripture
does not call people stupid — but it does call them foolish when they
reject wisdom. The Catechism teaches that sin darkens the intellect and weakens
the will (CCC 1866). A society that abandons the fear of the Lord loses its
ability to discern good leadership. It elevates the loud, the lawless, and the
self-serving — not because the people lack intelligence, but because their
moral vision has been dimmed. A Godless congress is not an accident; it
is the mirror of a God-forgetting people.
In biblical terms, the problem is not stupidity but folly
— a spiritual condition. When a people lose the fear of the Lord, they empower
leaders who reflect their own disordered loves. When they return to God, they
begin to recognize and support righteous authority. Asa’s story is not merely
about a king confronting pirates; it is about a people learning to stop
following them.
The Catechism calls believers to “work to purify social structures from sin” (CCC 1888). That begins not with contempt but with clarity, courage, and covenant — the same pattern Asa lived. The world may still be full of pirates, but the man who fears the Lord becomes unshakable, because he knows the battle is not won by numbers, noise, or elections, but by alignment with the One who judges all leaders and all peoples.
Apostolic Exhortation[3]
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,
Conclusion
107.
What we should humbly and fervently ask from God, then, is a deepening of our
love for Him with our whole heart. We should ask for this gift because love of
God is the only way to God. What rouses us to love God more than the Sacrament
of Love, the Eucharist? But as Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote, the mystery of love
in the Eucharist is available not to our unaided senses but only to faith: “Sight,
touch, taste fail with regard to Thee, but only by hearing does one believe
surely; I believe whatever God’s Son said: nothing is truer than the word of
Truth”. The Church’s ultimate reason to believe in the Eucharist is because
she trusts Jesus. She has faith in her Lord’s words spoken up and down the
centuries on the lips of her priests: “This is My Body given up for you”.
The Blessed Sacrament is thus the greatest sign given by God to stir up love in
the hearts of His people until He comes again. Let us beg God for the grace to
be on fire with the divine love which flows from the heart of Christ in the
Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
108.
My dear sons and daughters in Christ, the Eucharist is the heart of our faith.
It is the center of the faith of the Church for it is Christ Himself. All the
concrete expressions of Eucharistic faith I mention above represent our humble
response to this mystery. If done in trusting surrender to God, they are meant
to draw us closer to the eternal wedding banquet to which every Eucharistic
celebration is a foretaste. May we never tire of discovering that the Eucharist
is the source and summit of Christian life! As from the source of a great
river, everything that matters in life flows from it. As to a great mountain
peak, all the striving and struggle of life seeks it.
109.
For this reason, while we continue this earthly journey towards the eternal
Promised Land, we rejoice that the Eucharistic Christ is our protection against
powerful currents of selfishness and worldly temptations. In all of his
Eucharistic hymns, Aquinas always ends them pointing out the connection between
the Eucharist and heaven. In the hymn “Panis Angelicus”, he gives voice
to the ultimate desire and longing of every human heart: “We ask You, O God
Three and One, to visit us just as we celebrate You; along Your paths, lead us
to where we are headed, to the light where You dwell”. He reminds us that
the most effective way for us to prepare for eternal life is to seek to be
nourished by Jesus in the Eucharist.
To be continued
Bible in a year Day 345 One in Christ
In Acts 24, Fr. Mike notes how Felix remained unmoved
by Paul's teaching despite being compelled by it initially, showing us that
unless we act on what we believe, there is no change. As we begin reading St.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians today, Fr. Mike highlights Paul's explanation of
the role of Jewish law in the Age of the Church, clarifying that through
baptism, we are all one in Christ and heirs to the promises of the Father
regardless of our backgrounds.
Around the Corner
Father's
Day 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.
Do
not ask everyone’s opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank
and simple as a child with him. Simplicity of life can drive out demons.
Honesty is a weapon to defeat Satan, the Liar. When we lie, we put a foot in
his camp, and he will try to seduce us all the more.
Bucket
List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather” Geneva, Switzerland
Eat waffles and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
Spirit
Hour: Something with Mount Gay Rum
Monday: Litany of Humility
Foodie-Potato Rosti
Daily Devotions
Unite in the work of
the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Families of the
Porters of St. Joseph
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
Rosary
My beloved
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Conclusion
107.
What we should humbly and fervently ask from God, then, is a deepening of our
love for Him with our whole heart. We should ask for this gift because love of
God is the only way to God. What rouses us to love God more than the Sacrament
of Love, the Eucharist? But as Saint Thomas Aquinas wrote, the mystery of love
in the Eucharist is available not to our unaided senses but only to faith: “Sight,
touch, taste fail with regard to Thee, but only by hearing does one believe
surely; I believe whatever God’s Son said: nothing is truer than the word of
Truth”. The Church’s ultimate reason to believe in the Eucharist is because
she trusts Jesus. She has faith in her Lord’s words spoken up and down the
centuries on the lips of her priests: “This is My Body given up for you”.
The Blessed Sacrament is thus the greatest sign given by God to stir up love in
the hearts of His people until He comes again. Let us beg God for the grace to
be on fire with the divine love which flows from the heart of Christ in the
Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
108.
My dear sons and daughters in Christ, the Eucharist is the heart of our faith.
It is the center of the faith of the Church for it is Christ Himself. All the
concrete expressions of Eucharistic faith I mention above represent our humble
response to this mystery. If done in trusting surrender to God, they are meant
to draw us closer to the eternal wedding banquet to which every Eucharistic
celebration is a foretaste. May we never tire of discovering that the Eucharist
is the source and summit of Christian life! As from the source of a great
river, everything that matters in life flows from it. As to a great mountain
peak, all the striving and struggle of life seeks it.
109.
For this reason, while we continue this earthly journey towards the eternal
Promised Land, we rejoice that the Eucharistic Christ is our protection against
powerful currents of selfishness and worldly temptations. In all of his
Eucharistic hymns, Aquinas always ends them pointing out the connection between
the Eucharist and heaven. In the hymn “Panis Angelicus”, he gives voice
to the ultimate desire and longing of every human heart: “We ask You, O God
Three and One, to visit us just as we celebrate You; along Your paths, lead us
to where we are headed, to the light where You dwell”. He reminds us that
the most effective way for us to prepare for eternal life is to seek to be
nourished by Jesus in the Eucharist.
To be continued
Bible in a year Day 345 One in Christ
In Acts 24, Fr. Mike notes how Felix remained unmoved
by Paul's teaching despite being compelled by it initially, showing us that
unless we act on what we believe, there is no change. As we begin reading St.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians today, Fr. Mike highlights Paul's explanation of
the role of Jewish law in the Age of the Church, clarifying that through
baptism, we are all one in Christ and heirs to the promises of the Father
regardless of our backgrounds.
Around the Corner
Father's
Day 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.
Do
not ask everyone’s opinion, but only the opinion of your confessor; be as frank
and simple as a child with him. Simplicity of life can drive out demons.
Honesty is a weapon to defeat Satan, the Liar. When we lie, we put a foot in
his camp, and he will try to seduce us all the more.
Bucket
List Trip: Around the World “Perfect Weather” Geneva, Switzerland
Eat waffles and Pray for the assistance of the Angels
Spirit
Hour: Something with Mount Gay Rum
Monday: Litany of Humility
Foodie-Potato Rosti
Daily Devotions
Unite in the work of
the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Families of the
Porters of St. Joseph
Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus
Offering to the sacred heart of Jesus
Rosary
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