Tuesday, September 1, 2026

SEPTEMBER

September--Our buildings need to be winterized. Now is the time to think of energy conservation measures, adding caulking and painting, completing needed repairs, composting yard waste, and protecting garden plants for late fall and winter. Do we regard our abodes as God's dwelling space, a sacred trust and healthy place? Do we cherish the abundance of space and use it properly as good stewards?

Overview of September[1]

The month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose memorial the Church celebrates on September 15. September falls during the liturgical season known as Ordinary Time, which is represented by the liturgical color green. This symbol of hope is the color of the sprouting seed and arouses in the faithful the hope of reaping the eternal harvest of heaven, especially the hope of a glorious resurrection. It is used in the offices and Masses of Ordinary Time.

September is Harvest Time

Since man is both a spiritual and physical being, the Church provides for the needs of man in his everyday life. The Church's liturgy and feasts in many areas reflect the four seasons of the year (spring, summer, fall and winter). The months of August, September, October and November are part of the harvest season, and as Christians we recall God's constant protection over his people and give thanksgiving for the year's harvest.

September is the end of the summer season and the start of the fall season.

Explanation of Ember Days—Three days set apart for fasting, abstinence, and prayer during each of the four seasons of the year. They were the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday after St. Lucy (or Lucia, d. 304) (December 13), the First Sunday of Lent, Pentecost, and the feast of the Holy Cross (September 14). Since the revision of the Roman calendar in 1969, Ember Days are to be observed at the discretion of the National Conference of Bishops. Moreover, their observance may be extended beyond three days and even repeated during the year. Possibly occasioned by the agricultural feasts of ancient Rome, they came to be observed by Christians for the sanctification of the different seasons of the year, and for obtaining God's blessing on the clergy to be ordained during the Ember Days. (Etym. Anglo-Saxon oemerge, ashes.) — Modern Catholic Dictionary by John A. Hardon, SJ, Doubleday, 1980.

So, during these times the Church had a threefold focus:

(1) sanctifying each new season by turning to God through prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

(2) giving thanks to God for the various harvests of each season; and

(3) praying for the newly ordained and for future vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

Since the reorganization of the Roman calendar in 1969 after the Second Vatican Council, Ember Days are still retained in principle, but how and when they are to be observed is at the discretion of each country's Episcopal Conference. There is no longer set Mass readings for the Ember Days in the Ordinary Rite.

Another harvest feast is September 29, the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Before the revision of the calendar, this used to be only the feast of St. Michael. In many countries this day was referred to as "Michaelmas" and is celebrated with traditional foods and customs

September is the time to reflect on the Sorrows of Mary

September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows.[2] Since the 16th century, Catholic piety has assigned entire months to special devotions. Due to her feast day on September 15, the month of September has traditionally been set aside to honor Our Lady of Sorrows. All the sorrows of Mary (the prophecy of Simeon, the three days' loss, etc.) are merged in the supreme suffering at the Passion. In the Passion, Mary suffered a martyrdom of the heart because of Our Lord's torments and the greatness of her love for Him. "She it was," says Pope Pius XII, "who, immune from all sin, personal or inherited, and ever more closely united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father together with the holocaust of her maternal rights and motherly love. As a new Eve, she made this offering for all the children of Adam contaminated through his unhappy fall. Thus she, who was the mother of our Head according to the flesh, became by a new title of sorrow and glory the spiritual mother of all His members."

September is the month dedicated to contemplation of the Angels.

Devotion to the Angels is a mark of Predestination[3]

The Church has always practiced and encouraged devotion to the holy angels. All ancient liturgies mention them and the protection they provide to men. It is their greatest desire to aid us in all our acts of religion by uniting their supplications to ours. We should honor and love angels as well as our fellow mankind, for it is through the Precious Blood of Christ that we are all united. Christ is the head of angels as well as men, and it is as Man that He is Head of the angels. To honor them and love them, we must first know them and earnestly strive to cultivate their friendship.

September Travel and Events

Belgian Beer Weekend September 4-6. The drinking fun doesn’t end in Budapest! Head to Belgium for Belgian Beer Weekend. Held at Brussels ’ Grand Place square, this annual celebration in early September showcases Belgian brews from more than 30 small and big breweries.

· Southern Arizona Beer Tour

· Northern Arizona Beer Tour

Oktoberfest

September 19-Oct. 4. Raise a stein to Oktoberfest. This annual 16-day celebration of all things beer kicks off in late September in Munich. Can’t make it to Germany?

Bring your taste for brewski to these US Oktoberfest events.

· Oktoberfest in Arizona 2026 Oct 9-11

Constitution Day: Celebrate Constitution Day and the anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution with a trip to Washington, DC, on September 17. The National Archives has the original Constitution on display in the Rotunda, along with the Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence. Make the most out of your trip to DC and pay a visit to the Smithsonian museums and monuments along the National Mall.

Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival: Call it an excuse to party: Come Sept. 25^th, 2026, the 1-day Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival begins. In mainland China, the annual festival is the second biggest holiday of the year (right behind the country’s Spring Festival).

· Autumn Festival Arizona Sat. Sep 12

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance (Hong Kong) September 24-26. Top off Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations with the Tai Hang fire dragon dance. This 3-day-long event, held during the Mid-Autumn Festival, carries on a tradition that’s more than 100 years old. In the Hong Kong community of Tai Hang, some 300 performers take to the streets, dancing, waving incense sticks and animating a 220-foot-long dragon.

Texas State Fair (Dallas) September 25-Oct 18 “Our state fair is a great state fair.” How can it not be when it’s in Texas? Beginning the last Friday in September, the annual Texas State Fair unfolds over 24 days in Dallas, TX, with plenty of fun for the whole family, including the chance to ride this Ferris wheel – the largest in North America.

· Arizona State Fair Oct 1-Nov 1

Iceman’s Calendar

· Tue. September 2^nd MASS First Wednesday

· Fri. September 4^th MASS First Friday

· Sat. September 5th MASS First Saturday

· Sun. September 6^th Fifteen Sunday after Pentecost

· Mon. September 7^th Labor Day

· Tue. September 8^thNativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

· Fri. September 11^th Thu. Patriot Day

o Start 33-day consecration to Mary ends on Oct 13^th

o Rosh Hashanah begins at Sunset

· Sun. September 13^th Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

· Mon. September 14^th Feast of the Holy Cross

· Tue. September 15^th Our Lady of Sorrows

· September 16^thEmber Wednesday fast

· September 18^th Ember Friday fast

· September 19^th Ember Saturday fast

· Sun. September 20^th Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost

o Yom Kippur begins at sundown

· Mon. September 21^st Feast of St. Matthew

· Tue. September 22^nd fall begins

· Wed. September 23^rd Padre Pio

· Fri. September 25^th Sukkoth begins at sunset

· Sat. September 26^th Full Harvest Moon

· Sun. September 27^th Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

· Tue. September 29^thFeast of St. Michael the Archangel

o Begin 33-day prayer for the Feast of All Saints

Daily Prayers for September

At Morning

O most holy Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ: by the overwhelming grief you experienced when you witnessed the martyrdom, the crucifixion, and the death of your divine Son, look upon me with eyes of compassion, and awaken in my heart a tender commiseration for those sufferings, as well as a sincere detestation of my sins, in order that, being disengaged from all undue affection for the passing joys of this earth, I may sigh after the eternal Jerusalem, and that henceforward all my thoughts and all my actions may be directed towards this one most desirable object. Honor, glory, and love to our divine Lord Jesus, and to the holy and immaculate Mother of God. Amen. --Saint Bonaventure

At Noon

Mary, most holy Virgin and Queen of Martyrs, accept the sincere homage of my filial affection. Into thy heart, pierced by so many swords, do thou welcome my poor soul. Receive it as the companion of thy sorrows at the foot of the Cross, on which Jesus died for the redemption of the world. With thee, O sorrowful Virgin, I will gladly suffer all the trials, contradictions, and infirmities which it shall please our Lord to send me. I offer them all to thee in memory of thy sorrows, so that every thought of my mind, and every beat of my heart may be an act of compassion and of love for thee. And do thou, sweet Mother, have pity on me, reconcile me to thy divine Son Jesus, keep me in His grace, and assist me in my last agony, so that I may be able to meet thee in heaven and sing thy glories. Amen.

At 3PM

Most holy Virgin. and Mother, whose soul was pierced by a sword of sorrow in the Passion of thy divine Son, and who in His glorious Resurrection wast filled with never-ending joy at His triumph; obtain for us who call upon thee, so to be partakers in the adversities of Holy Church and the sorrows of the Sovereign Pontiff, as to be found worthy to rejoice with them in the consolations for which we pray, in the charity and peace of the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

At Twilight

O most holy and afflicted Virgin! Queen of Martyrs! thou who didst stand motionless beneath the Cross, witnessing the agony of thy expiring Son--through the unceasing sufferings of thy life of sorrow, and the bliss which now more than amply repays thee for thy past trials, look down with a mother's tenderness and pity on me, who kneel before thee to venerate thy dolors, and place my requests, with filial confidence, in the sanctuary of thy wounded heart; present them, I beseech thee, on my behalf, to Jesus Christ, through the merits of His own most sacred death and passion, together with thy sufferings at the foot of the cross, and through the united efficacy of both obtain the grant of my present petition. To whom shall I resort in my wants and miseries if not to thee, O Mother of Mercy, who, having so deeply drunk of the chalice of thy Son, canst compassionate the woes of those who still sigh in the land of exile? Offer for me to my Savior one drop of the Blood which flowed from His sacred veins, one of the tears which trickled from His divine eyes, one of the sighs which rent His adorable Heart. O refuge of the universe and hope of the whole world, do not reject my humble prayer, but graciously obtain the grant of my petition.

At Slumber.

Mary most sorrowful, Mother of Christians, pray for us. Virgin most sorrowful, pray for us.

September is the month of Angels and Mary Queen of Angels

The church traditionally honors angels during the month of September. Paul in Colossians states of Christ, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.”

“St. Michael and the Angels” is a beautiful and inspiring book telling all about the angels. Filled with stories from the lives and writings of the saints, it tells of the role which the good angels play in the divine economy of saving souls. Led by St. Michael, the Prince of the heavenly host, the angels act as our guardians, serve as messengers from God to us and from us to God, surround the altar during Mass, and bear the graces of the Mass like incense to the altar of God on high. Here is explained the relationship of the angels to the Blessed Virgin Mary and how, if she is to send them to our aid, we must request her to do so. Included too is the prayer to our guardian angel asking him to go in our place to attend Mass when we cannot, plus the way the good angels protect us against the evil spirits. The book also discusses in detail the pre-eminent role of St. Michael as "Champion of the Church," "Defender of Christians," "Guardian of Purgatory," and "Helper of the Sick and Dying."

It is also a good practice to ask for angelic help throughout our day. There are nine choirs of angels and three hierarchies three within three. Remember to ask their assistance about every two hours throughout your day

First Sphere

The angels of the first sphere serve as the heavenly servants of God the Son incarnated. It includes the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones.

Upon rising (7 am) address the first choir of angels, the Seraphim. Their chief characteristic is great and ardent love. They were made for one thing alone-----to love the God of Love. Without ceasing they honor, praise, and love the most Blessed Trinity-----they can do nothing else-----this is their happiness.

Practice upon rising to try to become a Seraph of love: let this be your habitual disposition. Love and do what God wills. Ask this great gift fervently.
Aspiration: "Oh! Blessed Seraphim! Make us love." Say the Shema Yisrael and make a Morning Offering.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Seraphim, may it please God to make us worthy to receive into our hearts the fire of his perfect charity. Amen.
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the second hour (9 am) of the day address the second choir is the Cherubim

who continually are employed in contemplating the beauty and perfections of God and will share with us their admirable wisdom, if we ask them, and show ourselves in earnest, by the practice of supplication and prayer. Cherubim are full of zeal for the glory of God and stand ready at all times to defend His honor. Cherubim should be invoked when one is troubled with doubts against faith those who experience temptations against holy purity.

Practice: Spend time before praying in great silence and recollection; endeavor to "know God, and Him Whom He has sent, Jesus Christ."
Aspiration: "Blessed Cherubim! Teach us to pray."
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Cherubim, may God in his good pleasure, grant us grace to abandon the ways of sin, and follow the path of Christian perfection. Amen.
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the fourth hour (11 am) of the day address the third choir is the choir of Thrones. They are called Angels of Peace; calm, tranquility, and stability. Ask them for that peace of soul which is the fruit of a good conscience. Invoke their aid for such as are prone to hatred, passion and impatience; and after their example, practice being meek, calm, and peaceful with all.

Practice: Dispose yourself to great sweetness and patience.
Aspiration: "O Holy Thrones! Obtain that Divine peace, which surpasses all understanding, may keep our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, Our Lord."
By the intercession of St. Michael and the sacred Choir of Thrones, may it please God to infuse into our hearts the spirit of true and sincere humility. Amen.
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

Second Sphere

Second, Sphere angels are considered to work as heavenly governors of creation by subjecting the matter and ruling and guiding the spirits. The second sphere includes the Dominions or Lordships Virtues and the Strongholds Powers or Authorities.

At the sixth hour (1 pm) of the day address the fourth choir of angels which is the choir of Dominations.

They are consumed by their yearning for the interests of God: their principal office is to manifest His will. We should also beg of God to manifest His will to us by these Blessed "Intelligences" and then take care to fulfill it scrupulously, as being the shortest way to perfection and sanctity. We should ask these Angels to help us to spread God's kingdom upon earth, for the conversion of heretics and infidels, and for the return of lukewarm and fallen away Catholics to the practice of the faith.

Practice: Give practical proof of your zeal for the glory of God; do something for His reign in souls, as instructing the ignorant.
Aspiration: "Holy Dominations! Animate us with thy zeal." It was also at the sixth hour that Jesus was crucified. Traditionally Catholics recite the Angelus at noon, some pray it at six in the morning and six in the evening. For those who wish to make personal change this is a good time to examine our day so far and offer ourselves to our God. It is at the turning point of our day that we recall the turning point of history: the moment when the angel appeared to a young woman named Mary.
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of the Dominations, may it please God to grant us grace to have dominion over our senses, and to correct our depraved passions. Amen
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the eighth hour (3 pm) of the day address the fifth choir of angels which is the choir of Virtues. Energy and strength are attributed to the Virtues. They have dominion over the elements; all nature is subjected to their control. Hence they can raise or appease the tempest. We may profitably invoke them in unforeseen accidents, sickness, etc. We may also have recourse to them for that strength necessary to lead a penitential life, and root out the inclinations of depraved nature. All persons inclined to the contemplative life should call on this choir of Angels for help, for good thoughts alone do not make holy, one needs also strength to persevere and to accomplish this great task.

Practice: (After work) Visit the Blessed Sacrament to obtain grace to overcome your evil dispositions.
Aspiration: "Holy Virtues! Strengthen and fortify us."
By the intercession of St. Michael and the admirable heavenly Choir of the Virtues, may it please God to keep us from falling into temptation, and may He deliver us from evil. Amen.
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the 10th hour (5 pm) of the day address the sixth choir of angels the Powers. These Angels have unlimited mastery over the wicked Spirits; they are endowed with great intelligence and are able to discover their schemes and plans for our destruction. Their power is so amazing that one alone of them would be able to destroy the entire infernal host. It is well to invoke them in temptation: but to merit their assistance we must take care to avoid the occasions of sin.

Practice: Resist the attacks of vice and passion; frequently make acts of diffidence in self and confidence in God; combat your evil inclinations.
Aspiration: "Lord! Send Thy Angels to assist us."
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of the Powers, may God vouchsafe to keep our souls from the wiles and temptations of the devil. Amen.
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

Third Sphere

The angels of the third sphere function as heavenly protectors, messengers and guides to human beings.

At the 12th hour (7 pm) of the day address the seventh choir of angels the Principalities. The Principalities watch over Empires, Provinces, and Dioceses. Purity of intention is the virtue ascribed to them, for in their high functions they never seek but the honor and interest of God alone. Let us imitate them. It is the intention which stamps the action with merit or demerit.

Practice: In all you do and say, seek the greater glory of God.
Aspiration: "O Holy Spirits! May we, like thee, seek God, for God alone."
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Principalities, may it please God to fill our souls with the spirit of true and sincere obedience. Amen.
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the 14th hour (9 pm) of the day address the eighth choir of angels the Archangels. The Archangels are distinguished from the Angels by the greater importance of their functions: the Guardians of those invested with authority in the Church and State and are remarkable for their love and care of men. Let us imitate them, doing our neighbor all the good we can and invoking in his behalf these Blessed Spirits. Members of this choir are the holy spirits who stand before the throne of God, ever ready to announce His commands. St. Michael is the warrior leader of God’s angels. St. Gabriel is the special messenger of The Holy Spirit. St. Raphael is the angel of Joy.

Practice-----Two Acts of Charity, with great affection.
Aspiration: "Holy Archangels! Pray for us, and for our priests."
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of Archangels, may it please God to grant us the gift of perseverance in the faith, and in all good works, that we may be thereby enabled to attain the glory of paradise. Amen.
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

At the 16th hour (11 pm) of the day address the Ninth choir of the angels. They are charged with the execution of the Divine ordinances and are appointed the Guardians of men. Humility is the virtue particularly ascribed to them-----for though the least among the Choirs, yet they see their celestial companions without desiring their greater, more excellent endowments. The Guardian Angels exercise continual watchfulness over the souls committed to their care. Their number is exceedingly great, and it is not necessary when an Angel has accompanied his charge into Heaven, that he be again assigned to a soul in any future generation. Our Guardian, who is our companion in life, will also be forever at our side in Heaven. The joy of these Angels is immeasurably increased when souls entrusted to their care enter Heaven. The Guardian Angels of the lost souls are not deprived of their share of joy. God in His justice increases also theirs with the others, and then assigns them to the special guard of the Queen of Angels, where they with great joy praise the Infinite Justice of God. Let us, like the humble Guardian Angels, love the lowest place, especially when placed therein by Divine Providence, and to behold with joy the preference given to others.

Practice: Three Acts of Humility, interior and exterior.
Aspiration: "Who is like God!"
By the intercession of St. Michael and the heavenly Choir of all the Angels, may God vouchsafe to grant us their guardianship through this mortal life, and after death a happy entrance into the everlasting glory of heaven. Amen
(1 Our Father and 3 Hail Mary's)

Information was obtained from:

[1]https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/09.cfm

[2]http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/prayers/view.cfm?id=762

[3] St. Michael and the Angels, Tan Books, 1983.

SMOKE IN THIS LIFE NOT THE NEXT

Tue, Sep 1 — Fifteenth Tuesday after Pentecost Witness & Warning

Tonight’s smoke is a straight line of truth. A severe Habano burns without ornament, its heat refusing to console. Springbank 12 stands beside it with its salt‑and‑iron edge, tasting like the moment a blade meets whetstone. This pairing is not for comfort. It is for clarity.

Blasio’s vision continues to press upon the imagination. He saw what most men spend their lives avoiding: the consequences of pride, avarice, impurity, and the quiet betrayals that seem small until they mature into judgment. Faces he had known appeared among the tormented. Choices had become punishments. Life had become revelation.

Then came Buccerelli and Frascha, newly dead, entering the realm their deeds had prepared. Frascha’s damnation was precise. He kept what was not his. He clung to ill‑gotten goods. He preferred possession to justice. The wealth he hoarded became the chains that bound him.

But the sharper lesson is the son.

Struck like a man hit by lightning, he understood instantly. He made full restitution. Then he surrendered the rest of his fortune. Then he embraced the monastic life. He refused to inherit his father’s bondage. Terror became clarity. Clarity became action. Action became freedom.

Tonight’s meditation narrows to a single truth:

A man is not saved by what he sees, but by what he does after seeing.

The smoke rises as witness and warning — that revelation demands response, that justice is the first gate of mercy, and that freedom begins with surrender.

SEPTEMBER 1 Tuesday Fourteenth Week Pentecost

1 Maccabees, Chapter 10, Verse 75-76

He encamped near Joppa, but the people of the city shut him out because Apollonius had a garrison in Joppa. When they attacked it, the people of the city became AFRAID and opened the gates, and so Jonathan took possession of Joppa.

After Jonathan becomes the high priest, Demetrius (Greek) attempts to win back the Jews by offering them stuff. Jonathan and his supporters do not take the bait, and the Hellenizing Jews are ignored. Jonathan takes the offer and forms an alliance with Egypt (Rome), and Jonathan is honored by Alexander. Demetrius appoints Apollonius as governor to hold Joppa, which is crucial to his campaign. Joppa switches sides and opens the gates to Jonathan. Checkmate.

Victory over Apollonius[1]

Demetrius tried to win back his father's throne (147), and Apollonius Taos, governor of Cœle-Syria, who probably had joined Demetrius, challenged Jonathan to battle, saying that the Jews might for once leave the mountains and venture out into the plain. Thereupon Jonathan and Simeon appeared, with 10,000 men, before Joppa, where the forces of Apollonius lay and the gates of which were opened to them out of fear. Reinforced from Azotus, Apollonius appeared with 3,000 men in the plain, relying on his cavalry, and forced Jonathan to engage in battle. The missiles of the horsemen rebounded from the shields of Simeon's men, who successfully resisted the enemy's onslaughts. Jonathan in the meantime, vanquished the infantry, scattered it in wild flight, and pursued it to Azotus, which city he took by assault, burning it and its villages, including the Temple of Dagon.

Copilot’s Take

Jonathan’s encampment before Joppa is a study in the anatomy of fear. The city shuts him out not because of loyalty to Apollonius, but because a garrison sits inside its walls — a foreign power lodged like a stone in the throat. When Jonathan attacks, fear shifts direction. The people open the gates. Covenant courage displaces political intimidation. In a single motion, the geometry of the battlefield changes, and Jonathan takes possession of Joppa. Fear is revealed as a gatekeeper, opening to whichever force seems stronger, steadier, or more righteous.

Demetrius attempts to reclaim influence through gifts, favors, and political seduction. Jonathan refuses. The Hellenizing Jews — those who traded covenant identity for Greek convenience — are ignored. Jonathan aligns instead with Egypt and Rome, securing honor from Alexander. Demetrius counters by appointing Apollonius to hold Joppa, hoping to anchor his campaign on the coast. But the city senses the moral tide. It opens its gates to Jonathan. Checkmate. The battle that follows is not merely military; it is theological. Jonathan and Simeon descend from the mountains with 10,000 men, their shields absorbing the cavalry’s missiles, their discipline outlasting intimidation.

Jonathan’s pursuit to Azotus is a purification. He scatters the infantry, storms the city, and burns the Temple of Dagon — a symbolic act declaring that idolatry cannot coexist with covenant fidelity. The destruction is not cruelty; it is clarity. A false god is removed so that the true God may be honored. The narrative becomes a meditation on how evil is confronted: not by sentiment, not by negotiation, but by disciplined courage rooted in truth.

The Catechism teaches that evil is resisted first through interior fortitude, then through communal fidelity. Jonathan’s shield wall is a picture of CCC 1905–1912: the common good defended by solidarity. His refusal of Demetrius’s gifts echoes CCC 2408: unjust gain deforms the soul and the community. His destruction of Dagon reflects CCC 2113: idolatry is not merely statues but anything elevated above God — power, ideology, wealth, identity. Jonathan’s campaign becomes a template for confronting corruption without becoming corrupted.

Applied to America, the lesson is severe but necessary. Evil thrives where fear governs, where institutions open their gates to intimidation or convenience. Gifts cannot replace integrity. Idolatry must be named. Courage must be communal. Purification precedes renewal. CCC 1808 calls fortitude the virtue that resists fear and sustains the pursuit of the good. Jonathan embodies it. A nation must, too. Confronting evil in America requires the same clarity: naming what is false, resisting what is seductive, and standing together in disciplined fidelity to truth.

30 DAY TRIBUTE TO MARY 18^th ROSE: Sin of Pontius Pilate

o 30 Days of Women and Herbs – Frauendreissiger

§ Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria, spirea)

MEDICINAL PLANTS Day 18 NERVOUS SYSTEM-Revealed by Heaven to Luz De María

NETTLE Scientific name: Urtiga dioica L. Family: Urticaceae

As a painkiller, it helps to manage both anxiety and stress and to treat other nervous problems. It has benefits to retard aging and prevent memory-related problems. Anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, hepato-protective. It can be used to combat many ailments. The most effective way to ingest it is as an infusion.

The Blessed Mother announced to me a disease that will attack the nervous and immune system, causing serious problems on the skin, for which she told me to use the leaf of the nettle and ginkgo plants. Luz de María Reflection, 11.10.2014

Around the Corner

· Bucket List trip[2]: USA 70-degree year trip:

o 🗓️ Week 1: Coastal Farewell & Eastern Oregon Wilderness Miles: ~300 Theme: Transition from ocean to mountains

§ 🏖️ Days 1–2: Newport to Bend

· Stop at Sisters, OR for mountain views and coffee shops

· Explore Newberry National Volcanic Monument: lava flows, obsidian fields, and Paulina Lake

· Optional: soak in Belknap Hot Springs

§ 🏞️ Days 3–5: Bend to Baker City via John Day

· Scenic drive through Ochoco Mountains and Strawberry Mountain Wilderness

· Visit Kam Wah Chung Museum in John Day (Chinese American frontier history)

· Camp or lodge near Anthony Lakes for alpine serenity

§ 🏛️ Days 6–7: Baker City

· Explore Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

· Stroll historic downtown and dine at local bistros

· Foodie-National Rice Month

o The Feast of St. Giles on September 1st marks the beginning of the autumn festivals-Catholic Recipe: Soupe Basque

· Spirit Hour: Rosolio

o Classique

§ Rtveli

· St. Anthony Novena 12-on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays.

· Pray Day 5 of the Novena for our Pope and Bishops

· Religion in the Home for Preschool: August

· Drops of Christ’s Blood Bottom of Form

Make a comfy dish that celebrates fall's harvest.

· How to celebrate Sep 1^st

Harness your strategic skills for American Chess Day. Challenge a friend to a game of chess or try your luck against a computer opponent online. It’s a great way to exercise your brain and have some fun.

Celebrate National Chicken Boy Day by indulging in a tasty chicken dish. Whether you prefer fried chicken, grilled chicken, or a vegetarian alternative, whip up a delicious meal to enjoy with friends or family.

Get in touch with your creative side for World Letter Writing Day. Grab some paper and a pen, and write a thoughtful letter to someone you care about. It’s a simple gesture that can brighten someone’s day.

Daily Devotions

· Unite yourself in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them in fasting: Today's Fast: End to abortion

· Religion in the Home for Preschool: September

· 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.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8773-jonathan-maccabeus

[2] Schultz, Patricia. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List Workman Publishing Company. Kindle Edition.

THE AFFAIRS OF SUSAN (1945)

Joan Fontaine • George Brent • Dennis O’Keefe • Don DeFore Directed by William A. Seiter • Paramount Pictures A Comedy of Testimonies, Memory, and the Fractured Self Where Identity Splinters, and a Woman Is Seen Through the Eyes of Those Who Loved Her
The Affairs of Susan is a postwar chamber piece disguised as light comedy — a tribunal of memory in which four men testify to four different Susans. Each recounts a version of her shaped by affection, disappointment, projection, and longing. The film becomes a meditation on the instability of identity: how a soul is refracted through the stories others tell, how truth is revealed not in a single portrait but in the composite of imperfect witnesses.
Fontaine plays Susan with luminous restraint, allowing each man’s recollection to shape her differently — earnest ingénue, ambitious actress, impulsive romantic, idealistic dreamer. The comedy is gentle, but the structure is severe: a woman confronted with the mosaic of her own life, forced to see herself through the eyes of those she has touched.
This is comedy without frivolity. The danger is self‑deception. The fire is truth. The verdict is self‑knowledge.

🎞️ Film Card — The Affairs of Susan (1945) The Affairs of Susan • 1945 • Romantic Comedy • Character Study • 1h 30m

Susan’s former suitors recount their memories of her, each revealing a different facet of her character. Their testimonies form a mosaic of identity, prompting Susan to confront who she truly is beneath charm, ambition, and romantic entanglement. Romantic Comedy • Postwar Character Study • Memory & Testimony • Gentle Irony

Director William A. Seiter Cinematography Charles Lang Stars Joan Fontaine, George Brent, Dennis O’Keefe, Don DeFore Studio Paramount Pictures Notable Four testimonies; Fontaine’s shifting persona; a rare comedic exploration of identity through narrative witness.

1. Production & Cultural Setting

Postwar Uncertainty America emerging from conflict, unsure of its moral footing, fascinated by questions of identity.
Comedy as Disguise Lightness used to explore deeper fractures of selfhood.
Testimony Structure A narrative built like a courtroom of memory — each witness sincere, each incomplete.
Fontaine’s Versatility A single actress embodying four interpretations of one woman.
Identity as Narrative The self revealed through the stories others tell.

2. Story Summary

The Four Men Each recounts a different Susan — earnest, ambitious, impulsive, idealistic.

The Mosaic Their testimonies form a fractured portrait.

Susan’s Reckoning She confronts the gap between who she is and who she has been perceived to be.

The Choice She must decide which version of herself is true — and which she will become.

3. Moral & Emotional Resonances

A. Identity Is Not Possession It is shaped by memory, witness, and humility.
B. Love Reveals Character Each suitor exposes a different moral contour.
C. Self‑Knowledge Requires Listening Truth emerges from hearing how one has lived in others’ lives.
D. Charm Without Integrity Fractures Susan’s shifting persona exposes the danger of unrooted selfhood.
E. The True Self Must Be Chosen Identity becomes vocation when embraced consciously.

4. Hospitality Pairing — Drawn From the Film’s Spirit

Food — Light, Reflective, Postwar Domestic Chicken à la King — elegant but humble. Butter Rolls — soft, comforting, domestic. Peaches — sweetness with a hint of nostalgia.

Drink — Gentle, Honest, Conversational Light Bourbon — warm, revealing. Black Coffee — clarity without adornment.

Atmosphere — The Chamber of Testimony Lighting: Soft, domestic glow. Sound: Quiet conversation, reflective pauses. Setting: A parlor with four chairs — each holding a memory. Symbol: A mirror framed by four photographs — identity seen through witness.

5. Reflection Prompts

Where have others’ memories shaped my understanding of myself.
Where do I live differently in different rooms.
Where must I listen to the witnesses of my own life.
Where is the truest version of me waiting to be chosen.
Where does charm need to give way to integrity.