Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Smoke in this Life Not the Next
Rye & Grancatera
A man once died, crossed the threshold, and was sent back —
not with soft light, but with terror still clinging to him.
His penance afterward was the proof.
No theatrics.
Just the hard discipline of someone who had seen what sin costs.
Rye for sharpness.
Grancatera for gravity.
A pairing meant to remind the living that purification is better chosen than imposed.
Tonight’s smoke is not pleasure.
It is clarity.
JUNE 10 Wednesday within the Octave
of Corpus Christi
1 Chronicles, Chapter 14, Verse 17
Thus, David’s fame was spread
abroad through every land, and the LORD put the FEAR of him on all the nations.
Great leaders are great followers of the Lord.
You're Going Down, Philistines[1]
Back in Jerusalem, David is sitting pretty. He takes on a
few more wives and they start producing princes and princesses.
Obviously, the Philistines are worried. They just got rid
of Saul and now some other more powerful, more holy, more awesome king has
risen up in his place.
So they set out to attack David.
But David (who's pretty smart) asks God what he should do.
God tells David it's okay to go out and crush the Philistine army.
And that's just what David does. Well, he actually beats
them into surrendering and then burns them alive, but still.
When Philistine soldiers attack again, David consults God.
This time, Yahweh gives him some specific battle directions and David's
victorious. God's pretty good at war games.
David's
victories against the Philistines make him famous and all the other nations
start to fear Israel. That's just how David and God like it.
Copilot’s
Take
David’s rise
in 1 Chronicles 14 shows a pattern that has not changed across the
centuries: when a leader submits fully to God, evil loses its footing. The
nations feared David not because of his military strength, but because his
strength was ordered under divine authority. His victories were signs that
God’s sovereignty was breaking into a disordered world, and the Catechism
teaches that divine providence works through the obedience of human beings (CCC
307).
The
Philistines’ repeated attacks reveal something essential about the nature of
evil: it never accepts defeat. It regroups, studies, and returns. Scripture
calls this the ongoing drama of human history, a battlefield where darkness
continually probes for weakness. The same pattern appears in modern times when
hostile powers, extremist movements, or oppressive regimes refuse peace, refuse
truth, and refuse to relinquish their grip on the innocent. The ancient
Philistine spirit — the refusal to repent — still walks the earth.
David’s response becomes the model for every generation. He does not rely on past victories or personal instinct. He seeks God’s will each time, and God answers with clarity. This stands in stark contrast to leaders who act from fear, pride, or self-preservation. Discernment, not impulse, is the mark of a heart aligned with heaven. CCC 1788–1791 teaches that moral clarity comes through prayer, counsel, and the Holy Spirit — the same pattern David lived.
The text’s
blunt description of God giving David tactical instructions is not primitive
imagery but theological truth. God is not distant from the struggles of His
people. He directs, strengthens, and equips. No earthly ideology or power —
ancient or modern — has the right to command the conscience of those who belong
to the true King. The battle against evil is not improvisation; it is obedience
to the One who sees the whole field.
David’s fame
spreads, but fame is not the point. Witness is. The nations fear David because
they see a man who is not self-directed. In a world built on self-exaltation, a
man who bows to God is a threat to every false power. Holiness is not passive;
it is a force that unsettles the enemies of truth. CCC 2015 teaches that the
path to holiness is the path of spiritual combat — and David embodies that
truth long before the language of the Catechism existed.
Evil today
is more subtle than Philistine armies, but no less real. It appears in
ideologies that deny human dignity, in cultural currents that normalize vice,
in political movements that weaponize fear, and in regimes that suppress the
innocent and destabilize peace. Whether in ancient Gaza or modern Iran, the
pattern is the same: evil refuses surrender. It must be confronted not with
worldly rage but with holiness, truth spoken in charity, courage rooted in the
Cross, and obedience that refuses compromise.
Shavuot —
beginning at sundown on June 10, 2027 — stands as a reminder of the source of
David’s strength. It is the feast of the Word given at Sinai and fulfilled at
Pentecost. God speaks. The faithful listen. Evil trembles. This is the pattern
that shaped David, the pattern that shaped the apostles, and the pattern that
still shapes every soul who stands against the darkness.
OK I missed this; this year so here
is your notice a year in advance.
Sundown June 10-2027---Shavuot – The Holiday that Nurtures Our Souls[2]begins at sunset
Shavuot is one of the three major Jewish festivals and comes exactly fifty days after Passover. After being redeemed from Egyptian slavery, the Jews arrived on Mount Sinai and received the Torah from God. This wonderful event took place 3,319 years ago. The word Shavuot means “weeks.” It marks the completion of the seven weeks, 49 days, between Passover and Shavuot during which the Jewish people prepared themselves for the giving of the Torah. During this time period they prepared themselves spiritually and entered into an eternal covenant with God with the giving of the Torah. Shavuot also means “oaths.” With the giving of the Torah, the Jewish people and God exchanged oaths, forming an everlasting covenant, not to forsake one another. Every year on this day we celebrate and renew our acceptance of God’s gift and our eternal bond with Him. There are several interesting customs associated with this holiday. We stay up all night learning Torah, read the Ten Commandments and the book of Ruth, and eat milk products, especially cheesecake. The custom of learning is especially fitting for the holiday that commemorates the giving of the Torah.
The custom of dairy products seems surprising. Among the different explanations given for this custom, one points out that the Hebrew word for milk is chalav. When the numerical value of the letters in this word are added together – 8; 30; 2 – the total is forty. Forty hints to the number of days Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Torah. I would like to present another, perhaps more personal and spiritual reason for this custom. Unlike meat that nourishes the flesh, milk is full of calcium which nourishes the bones. The Hebrew for bones is “Atzmot תמוצע ” which is also the word that means “essence.” This custom hints to the fact that on this holiday we absorb the Torah which nourishes our essence. Additionally, milk is the most basic of foods that a nursing mother shares with her infant. The mother literally gives of her essence and nurtures the essence of the baby. This relationship parallels the personal bond and love that a mother shares with her child. On Shavuot we celebrate the personal relationship that we have with God, when He gives over His essence, the Torah, and we absorb it into the essence of our soul.
On Shavuot, it is
customary to adorn the Synagogue and home with flowers and green plants.
This is in memory of the foliage around Mount Sinai
On Shavuot, it is
customary to eat milk products. Many Jewish houses, replace the normal
meat/chicken dinners with a festivity of milk products, including cheesecake,
blintzes, cheeses and ice cream. This custom commemorates the acts of the
children of Israel at Sinai. Having received the Law, they understood
that their dishes were no longer Kosher, having been used for milk and meat
together. They also were in need of teaching on the intricate details of
ritual slaughter (Shechitah). Lacking these, they opted to eat only milk
products.
It is customary in
Orthodox and some traditional communities to partake in Bible/Jewish Law
lessons throughout the eve and night of Shavuot. This is in order to
accept the Torah for their generation. In Jerusalem, many people learn
the whole night through until dawn and then walk to the Western Wall at sunrise
and pray the morning and festival prayer from around 5-8 am. Thereafter,
they go home for a hearty festive breakfast and then sleep the rest of the
morning.
The Book of Ruth is read
in the Synagogue in the Morning of Shavuot. Ruth converted to Judaism and
it is her descendant, David, who became King in Israel. The book of Ruth
demonstrates that achieving a high level in Judaism, is neither ethnic nor
genetic.
It is customary to wear
new clothes on Shavuot. In the seven weeks (the Omer) preceding Shavuot,
people refrain from purchasing major clothing items.
Shavuot Top Events and
Things to Do
Visit Mount Sinai
(Egypt) or Israel.
Read the Book of Exodus,
Joshua or Ruth in the Bible.
Watch the epic film Moses
with Burt Lancaster, available for viewing on Youtube
Eat Milk products.
Apostolic
Exhortation[4]
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 III
Loving and Adoring the Eucharistic Lord
V.
Brother priests, make the Eucharist the source of all your priestly
fruitfulness.
92.
Holy Thursday is the day in which Christ instituted the inseparable Sacraments
of the Eucharist and Holy Orders. As the Church has reminded us in countless
ways, Holy Orders, in particular the Priesthood, is ordered to the Eucharist.
For this reason, I offer this Exhortation on Holy Thursday, not only to all the
faithful, but in a special way to my brother priests.
93.
From where does true priestly fruitfulness spring? Saint John Paul II was a
priest who bore much fruit in his over fifty years of priestly ministry: his
teaching, preaching, missionary trips, social and political impact, and wise
shepherding the Church through many challenges, to name but a few. But his
priestly “success” wasn’t the result of his own natural talents or unaided work
ethic. In a teleconference, he once shared with the young people of Los Angeles
that it was his daily closeness to the Eucharistic mystery from which
everything flowed. “I am deeply grateful to God for my vocation to the
priesthood. Nothing means more to me or gives me greater joy than to celebrate
Mass each day and to serve God’s people in the Church. That has been true ever
since the day of my ordination as a priest. Nothing has ever changed it, not
even becoming Pope” (September 15, 1987). Despite the almost unimaginable
demands of his schedule, he knelt before the Eucharist in private prayer each
day.
94. When a priest makes time each day simply to be in the presence of the Eucharistic Christ, he is tapping into the deepest source of his priesthood: Jesus himself. Even when prayer seems dry or challenging, this time “wasted” with the Lord becomes the taproot for pastoral charity. How the Lord’s words to His chosen Apostles at the Last Supper penetrate the heart of us priests when we feel discouraged, alone, or a failure: “Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit” (Jn 15:5). When we priests have the courage to spend daily time in the presence of Christ in the Eucharist, we find ourselves surprised and even overwhelmed, again and again, in the great mystery that He is truly and personally with us, that He is bringing life and fruit through even our most painful experiences, and that before He desires us to work, He wants to be with us like a father, brother, and friend.
To
be continued…
Bible in a year Day 340 The
Power of the Holy Spirit
Fr.
Mike emphasizes the power of the Holy Spirit exemplified in Paul's interaction
with those in Ephesus in Acts 19 and reminds us that God wants to fill each of
us with the same Holy Spirit so we can walk in his strength. Fr. Mike also
highlights the power of sacramentals, the reality of demons acknowledging
Jesus, and the importance of removing things in our lives that are harmful.
Lastly, as we begin reading the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, we
get a glimpse of Paul's heart for the people of Corinth. Today's readings are
Acts 19, 2 Corinthians 1-2, and Proverbs 28:22-24.
Around the Corner
Fairness is
giving animals their due too this is “Responsible
Animal Guardian Month”.
10 coolest
summer getaways in Arizona: Mountains, lakes and a chilly cave trek
Spirit Hour: Royal Scot
Cocktail in honor of St. Margaret of Scotland
Bucket List: Vineyard World Tour: Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod
Foodie: Lobster Rolls
Daily
Devotions
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Establishing
true Catholic governance
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
Religion in the Home for
Preschool: June
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
Rosary
[2]http://jewsforjudaism.org/knowledge/articles/judaism-spirituality/holidays-and-life-cycle-events/shavuot2004/
[3]http://www.wincalendar.com/Shavuot
THE UNSEEN (1945)
Joel McCrea • Gail Russell • Herbert Marshall
Directed by Lewis Allen
A fog‑draped mystery steeped in shadows and whispered dread,
The Unseen is not merely a ghost story.
It is a meditation on the things we refuse to face —
the guilt we bury,
the wounds we hide,
and the quiet courage required
to confront what haunts us.
It is the tale of a lonely governess,
a widower burdened by secrets,
and a house where the past
presses against the walls
like a presence longing to be acknowledged.
And then the reckoning comes —
not through terror,
but through truth emerging
from the places we least expect.
1. Production & Historical Setting
A Postwar Audience Seeking Shadows and Solace
Released in 1945, as the world staggered out of war,
the film offered something different from escapism:
a space to explore fear, loss, and the unseen wounds
that linger after catastrophe.
Gail Russell: The Luminous Innocent in a Dark House
Russell’s Elizabeth is fragile yet resolute —
a woman whose gentleness becomes her strength.
She walks into a house of secrets
and refuses to be intimidated by its silence.
Her presence is the light that reveals
what others have tried to ignore.
Joel McCrea: The Man Shadowed by His Own Past
McCrea’s David Fielding is steady, guarded,
a man carrying burdens he will not name.
His restraint is not coldness
but the armor of someone
who fears what honesty might cost.
Herbert Marshall: Elegance with Ambiguity
Marshall brings the soft menace
of a man who knows more than he says.
His charm is a veil,
and the film invites us to wonder
what lies beneath it.
2. Story Summary
A House That Remembers
Elizabeth arrives to care for two children
in a home marked by whispers,
strange sounds,
and a locked room that no one discusses.
A Family Bound by Silence
David Fielding is distant,
the children are fearful,
and the servants speak in half‑truths.
Something has happened here —
something no one will name.
The Past Breaks Through
As Elizabeth uncovers the truth,
the house’s mysteries unravel:
a death, a secret, a betrayal.
The haunting is not supernatural alone —
it is moral, emotional, human.
Truth as Deliverance
In the end,
the terror yields to revelation.
The unseen becomes seen,
and the family can finally breathe again.
3. Spiritual & Moral Resonances
A. Secrets Become Spirits
What we refuse to confront
returns in other forms —
fear, suspicion, unrest.
Hidden guilt always finds a voice.
B. Innocence Illuminates Darkness
Elizabeth’s purity of heart
does what force cannot:
it reveals truth without violence.
C. Fear Thrives in Silence
The house is haunted
because no one will speak.
Confession is the doorway to peace.
D. The Past Must Be Faced, Not Fled
David’s burden is not lifted
until he stops running from it.
Redemption requires honesty.
E. Light Is a Moral Force
The film’s final message:
darkness is not defeated by strength
but by illumination.
4. Hospitality Pairing — A Fogbound Table
Drink: A rye‑based Old Fashioned — sharp, clean, clarifying, like truth cutting through mist.
Plate: Warm bread with salted butter — simple comfort against the chill of the unknown.
Atmosphere: Low lamplight, a cracked window letting in the night air,
the sense that the house itself is listening.
Symbol: A single key —
the object that opens the locked room
and the metaphor for unlocking the past.
5. Reflection Prompts
- What truth in my life have I avoided naming.
- Where have I allowed silence to become a kind of haunting.
- Who has brought light into my darkness — and how did I receive it.
- What “locked room” in my memory still needs to be opened.
- Where is God inviting me to face what I fear,
so that peace can finally enter.
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