Thursday, September 17, 2026
World Mitochondrial Disease Week Sep 14-20
Feed your Cells-Mitochondrial health
🔋 Why Mitochondria Matter
Mitochondria
are the “powerhouses” of your cells, producing up to 95% of your cellular
energy (ATP). They also regulate apoptosis (cell renewal), calcium signaling,
and stem cell activity. Healthy mitochondria support:
Energy and endurance
Cognitive clarity
Longevity and cellular repair
Resistance to oxidative stress and
inflammation
🏃♂️ Exercise
That Boosts Mitochondria
Mitochondrial biogenesis—the creation of new mitochondria—is triggered by
physical stress and energy demand. Here are the most effective forms:
|
Type of Exercise |
Mitochondrial Benefit |
Symbolic Tie-In |
|
Aerobic (walking, swimming) |
Improves oxygen use and mitochondrial density |
Rhythmic, contemplative movement—ideal for sunset rituals |
|
Strength training |
Builds muscle and increases energy production |
Stewardship of the body as temple |
|
HIIT (intervals) |
Maximizes mitochondrial growth and efficiency |
Short bursts of effort—like liturgical seasons of fasting and feasting |
|
EWOT (Exercise with Oxygen Therapy) |
Restores microvascular health and boosts mitochondrial function |
Breath as spirit—oxygen as renewal |
🥗 Dietary
Strategies for Mitochondrial Health
Your food choices provide the raw materials for mitochondrial repair and
energy production. Here’s a guide:
🌿 Key
Nutrients
Antioxidants:
Berries, leafy greens, nuts—combat free radical damage
Healthy
fats: Omega-3s from fish, flax, walnuts—support mitochondrial membranes
Protein:
Eggs, legumes, lean meats—build enzymes and muscle tissue
Micronutrients:
B
vitamins (B2, B3, B12): Convert food into energy
Magnesium:
Supports ATP production
CoQ10:
Vital for the mitochondrial energy cycle
🧘♂️ Symbolic
Eating Practices
Colorful
meals: Reflect the diversity and beauty of creation
Fasting
rhythms: Calorie restriction can enhance mitochondrial efficiency and longevity
Sacramental
pairings: Wine, bread, and oil—each with mitochondrial and spiritual resonance
🔄
Autophagy: Cellular Renewal Through Fasting & Movement
Autophagy (“self-eating”) is a cellular process that recycles damaged
mitochondria. It’s activated by:
Exercise
(especially aerobic and HIIT)
Fasting
or calorie restriction
Low-carb,
high-fat diets (though balance is key)
This renewal mirrors spiritual purification—clearing space for grace and
vitality.
SMOKE IN THIS LIFE, NOT THE NEXT
Thu, Sept 17 — Consolation in the Fire
Cigar: Oliva Connecticut Reserve Drink: Four Roses Single Barrel
Reflection: What consolation does God send into my purification?
Purification is never only fire; it is also consolation. God does not leave His children alone in the work of justice meeting mercy. He sends signs, friendships, and glimpses of glory to remind us that the fire is not meant to destroy but to perfect.
John de Lierre offers such a consolation. Faithful to his promise to St. Lutgarda, he appeared after death clothed in a triple robe: white for purity preserved, red for labors endured, blue for the perfection of the spiritual life. Lutgarda knelt in awe, struck by the beauty of what suffering had accomplished. His garments revealed that purification is not humiliation but transfiguration.
St. Vincent Ferrer’s sister offers another consolation. She lived steeped in worldly pleasure, unmoved by her brother’s preaching, racing toward ruin. Yet at the edge of death, grace broke through. She confessed sincerely, repented deeply, and entered God’s mercy not as a rebel but as a daughter returning home. Ferrer’s prayers had followed her, and God answered. Even at the final breath, the fire became healing.
These stories remind us that God accompanies every soul through purification. He clothes the faithful in glory. He receives repentance even at the last moment. He turns sorrow into splendor.
Tonight’s Oliva and Four Roses ask quietly: What consolation is God already sending into my purification — and do I recognize it?
SEPTEMBER
17 Thursday Sixteenth Week Pentecost
St. Hildegard-Constitution Day
2 Maccabees, Chapter
15, Verse 8
He
urged his men not to FEAR the attack
of the Gentiles, but mindful of the help they had received in the past from
Heaven, to expect now the victory that would be given them by the Almighty.
As an old, retired military man,
it was common for us to say while we were loading our magazines with bullets,
“Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition. We knew that without faith it is
impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he
exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Optimists see stepping stones
where pessimists see stumbling blocks.
Heavenly Intercession[1]
"Stretching
out his right hand, Jeremiah presented a gold sword to Judas. As he gave it to
him, he said 'Accept this holy sword as a gift from God; with it you shall
crush your adversaries.' " —2 Maccabees 15:15-16
Nicanor planned to slaughter the Jews on the Sabbath. Because they would not break the Sabbath by fighting, they would be easily killed. "Nevertheless, he did not succeed in carrying out his cruel plan" (15:5). "Maccabeus remained confident, fully convinced that he would receive help from the Lord" (15:7). He had a dream that Onias the high priest and Jeremiah the prophet were interceding in heaven for the Jews. "Nicanor and his men advanced to the sound of trumpets and battle songs. But Judas and his men met the army with supplication and prayers. Fighting with their hands and praying to God with their hearts, they laid low at least thirty-five thousand, and rejoiced greatly over this manifestation of God's power" (15:25-27).
Copilot’s
Take
The account
of Judas Maccabeus begins with a summons to courage rooted in memory: do not
fear the Gentiles, but remember the help Heaven has already given. Scripture
treats memory as a weapon, not nostalgia. Israel’s victories arise from
recalling the God who has acted before — the One who split seas, raised
leaders, and delivered the faithful when they stood with trembling hands but
steadfast hearts. Judas’ confidence is not arrogance but fidelity to the
pattern of divine rescue woven through Israel’s history. This remembrance
becomes the ground on which courage stands.
The
Catechism calls this virtue fortitude, the moral strength that enables a person
to remain firm in the pursuit of the good. CCC 1808 teaches that fortitude
“ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good,”
and CCC 409 reminds us that humanity lives within a “dramatic struggle between
good and evil.” Judas embodies this truth. He confronts danger with prayer in
his heart and readiness in his hands, showing that the Church never glorifies
violence but always blesses courage — the courage to resist evil, to speak
truth, and to defend human dignity when the age demands silence. CCC 2246
affirms that the Church “must make moral judgments” even when they confront the
powers of the age.
St.
Hildegard of Bingen stands in this same lineage of courageous fidelity. She
lived in a century marked by corruption, spiritual lethargy, and political
intrigue, yet she refused to bow before the powers of her age. Her visions were
not private consolations but public commissions. She confronted emperors,
bishops, and nobles with luminous clarity, insisting that truth must be spoken
even when it provokes resistance. In her life, the Catechism’s teaching becomes
flesh: CCC 956 teaches that the saints “do not cease to intercede,” and
Hildegard’s prophetic witness shows how heavenly light strengthens earthly
courage. She wielded no sword of iron, yet her words cut through deception with
the sharpness of righteousness.
The vision
of Jeremiah handing Judas a golden sword reveals the deeper mystery of heavenly
intercession. The saints do not merely console; they strengthen. Onias and
Jeremiah do not remove the battle; they fortify the fighter. Hildegard
understood this intimately. She taught that God arms His people with clarity,
discernment, and truth — a spiritual sword capable of exposing falsehood and
restoring order. CCC 2683 affirms that the saints participate in God’s
providential care, and Hildegard’s theology of “viriditas,” the greening power
of divine life, becomes a Christian continuation of the Maccabean sword: grace
perfecting human effort, light overcoming shadow.
America’s confrontation with evil echoes the challenges Hildegard faced.
The threats do not march with trumpets; they seep through institutions, screens, and cultural narratives that numb the conscience. Cynicism, contempt for life, the erosion of truth, and the normalization of division form a kind of modern Nicanor — confident, calculating, and convinced that the faithful will not resist. CCC 1869 warns that evil can become “structures of sin,” embedded in society, requiring courageous resistance from those who see clearly. Hildegard’s witness shows that confronting such evil does not require anger but integrity; not noise but light; not dominance but fidelity.
To confront
evil in America is to reclaim the Maccabean posture in a Christian key: prayer
that fuels action, courage that refuses despair, and memory that anchors hope.
Judas fought with his hands and prayed with his heart; Hildegard spoke with her
voice and prayed with her visions. Both trusted that God equips those who
stand. The American soul will not be defended by outrage or nostalgia but by
citizens who embody this same fortitude — steady, truthful, rooted in divine
memory, and strengthened by the intercession of the saints. The golden sword
given to Judas is given again in every age, and Hildegard shows how it is
wielded: with clarity, courage, and unwavering fidelity to the light.
St.
Hildegarde[2]
Called the "Sibyl of the Rhine," Hildegard of Bingen became the most
famous mystic and prophet of her time. Her writings and music are still found
in all major bookstores, and no woman saint is more popular in her native
Germany. When she was eight, she was placed in a convent, where she later
became abbess. She was a biblical exegete, visionary, preacher, composer, and
herbalist, who corresponded with the major royalty and church leaders of her
day, including four popes. Her greatest vision came when she was forty-two,
which is recorded in her famous Scrivias, or Know the Ways of the Lord,
a treatise whose magnificence rivals William Blake's visionary work.
Hildegard's spiritual writings found approval during her lifetime, and her
lectures on the spiritual life drew crowds from all over Europe. She wrote
prolifically on topics as varied as history and drama, politics and liturgical
poetry. Her monastery joyfully sang the praises she wrote. During the last year
of her life, when she was eighty-one, she entered into a conflict with
ecclesiastical authorities because she allowed a young man who had been
excommunicated to be buried in her abbey cemetery, and her convent was placed
under interdict. It is probably that, for this reason, Hildegard was never
formally canonized, although she is found in all major saints' books and her
cult was approved locally because of so many miracles reported at her tomb.
—
Excerpted from Women Saints, Madonna Sophia Compton
Things to Do:
Learn more about St. Hildegarde.
Visit Hildegard's Medieval Garden
St. Hildegard was a composer, visit
this page to read more.
Read St.
Hildegard of Bingen: A Visionary for All Time
St.
Hildegarde’s Vision of Present Times[3]
The Black Pig (1991-present)
It is an open question as to how
future historians will view the West since 1991 and what sort of titles will be
used to characterize the period. From the experience of the last quarter
century, one might be tempted to call it “The Age of Globalization”. The dominant
themes have been free trade, elimination of borders and for much of Europe, a
common market, passport, and currency. This title also suits the continuing
migrations of millions to Europe from the Middle East and Africa.
Note that Hildegard states clearly
that she is referring only to the era’s “leaders” in her description. The
generation of leaders since the 1990s have not been, in general, the same type
of people as their predecessors. Today’s leaders tend to be pro-abortion
and pro-homosexual marriage, imposing many laws, like Obergefell vs.
Hodges, that are contrary to Christian teaching.
Hildegard writes:
“…[T]his epoch will have leaders
who blacken themselves in misery and wallow in the mud of impurity. They will
infringe the divine law by fornication and other like evils and will plot to
diverge from the holiness of God’s commands”
As the agenda of political
correctness, gender theory, homosexuality, race, etc., gradually became more
radicalized in the higher educational system through the 70s and 80s, naturally
so have our leaders who were educated in those times. Think of Clinton, Blair,
Obama, Trudeau, Cameron, Holland, Merkel, etc.; think also of the thousands of
their political appointees, including judges, that further the cause of
political correctness, the goals of which “infringe the divine law”. Historian
Paul Johnson has described it in terms of social engineering and
referred to it as “the salient evil of our time”.
Constitution Day[4]
Constitution Day commemorates the adoption of the United States Constitution and celebrates the citizens of the United States. The Constitution was written because the existing charter of government, known as the Articles of Confederation, had resulted in creating a weak and ineffective central government. The Constitution defines the supreme law of the United States, with each article of the constitution pertaining to aspects such as the congress, president, judicial system, interrelationship between the state and federal government and process of amendments to the Constitution. James Madison,
Oliver Ellsworth, Nathaniel Gorham, Alexander Hamilton, William Johnson, Rufus King, Gouverneur Morris, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington wrote the Constitution. Constitution Day originally began in 1939 with the suggestion of a holiday to celebrate American Citizenship. President Harry Truman then declared that the third Sunday of May become I am American Day. A decade later, 1953, President Dwight Eisenhower changed the date to coincide with the signing of the Constitution and renamed it Citizenship Day. Constitution or Citizenship Day is observed annually on September 17th, the same day as the US Constitution was signed in 1787.
Constitution Day Top Events and Things to Do
To learn more about
judicial system, read the Constitution of the United States. The Constitution
is only a few pages in length and well-organized.
Visit the National
Museum of American History to view displays about the heritage of the United
States. Displays include those related to the political, social, cultural,
scientific and military history of the United States, including the
Constitution. The museum is located in Washington D.C.
The United States
Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were debated and
accepted at the floors of Independence Hall, located in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. Visit Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia,
which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visit the National
Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It offers a range of
activities for kids and adults, videos and educational
material about the U.S. Constitution.
Watch documentaries
relating to the United States Constitution including Constitution USA
with Peter Sagal (2013), The Constitution Project (The
Documentary Group, 2014), and The United States Constitution
(2007).
Our National Principles[5]
There are 28 principles-we will review them
for the next 28 days.
Declaration
of Independence is in July, and the Constitution is in September; let us once
again reflect on the marvelous principles underlying these two documents. The
following is a review of these principles together with a comment or a quote by
the Founders. Documentation may be found in The Five Thousand Year Leap.
Principle 1–The only reliable basis for sound
government and just human relations is Natural Law.
Best Place to visit in September: Kenai Fjords, Alaska[6]
Home to over forty glaciers, gorgeous fjords, and unspoilt
islands, Kenai
Fjords National Park is a unique and beautiful spot!
The temperatures remain mild this month, and I love that the
days are still long. Amidst the crisp air, icy waters, and lush forests, the
park’s diverse wildlife continues to thrive!
My favorite activity was spotting seals and puffins; they’re
adorable and fun to watch. I also highly recommend whale-watching, hiking the
impressive Harding Icefield, kayaking, and going on one of the many boat tours
and cruises on offer here.
Visitor
Center Address: 1212 4th Avenue Seward, AK 99664
Average
temperature – 45 to 55
My favorite highlights…
Going
on an incredible whale-watching tour with Major Marine Tours.
Visiting
Exit Glacier and hiking the very photogenic Glacier Overlook Trail.
Thursday Feast
Thursday is the day of the week
that our Lord gave himself up for consumption. Thursday commemorates the last
supper. Some theologians believe after Sunday Thursday is the holiest day of
the week. We should then try to make this day special by making a visit to the
blessed sacrament chapel, Mass or even stopping by the grave of a loved one.
Why not plan to count the blessing of the week and thank our Lord. Plan a
special meal. Be at Peace.
Italian Wine
Around the Corner
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.
Historically it is the commemoration of
the Imprinting
of the Holy Stigmata on the Body of St. Francis
Watch the Count of Monte Cristo
Wake up to some country
music tunes to get in the mood for the day ahead.
Start the day with a
hearty breakfast of apple dumplings to fuel your adventures.
Head
to a local table shuffleboard spot for a friendly game or two.
Visit a museum or
historical site to learn more about the constitution and its impact.
Indulge in a delicious
Monte Cristo sandwich for lunch or dinner.
Keep the festivities
going by watching a Smithsonian documentary before bedtime.
Daily
Devotions
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Individuals
with Mental Illness
Religion
in the Home for Preschool: September
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
Offering to
the sacred heart of Jesus
Rosary
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK (1952)
Bud Abbott • Lou Costello • Dorothy Ford • Buddy Baer Directed by Jean Yarbrough • Warner Bros. A Fairy‑Tale Comedy of Innocence, Courage, and Two Men Who Climb Toward a World Larger Than Their Fears Where Childhood Stories Become Moral Landscapes, Comedy Reveals Character, and a Timid Man’s Courage Grows Taller Than Any Beanstalk.
The 1952 fantasy‑comedy Jack and the Beanstalk takes Abbott and Costello’s vaudeville chemistry and plants it inside a fairy‑tale world. Beneath its slapstick humor and Technicolor charm lies a deeper spiritual truth: innocence is a kind of bravery, and courage often grows in the hearts of those who feel smallest. The beanstalk becomes a symbol of ascent — from fear to fortitude, from ordinary life to moral testing.
Lou Costello’s Jack is the soul of the film: bumbling, frightened, and unexpectedly heroic. Bud Abbott’s Dinkle is his foil — skeptical, sharp, and perpetually exasperated. Together they stumble into a world of giants, danger, and exaggerated morality. The giant is not merely an enemy; he is fear itself, oversized and loud, demanding confrontation. Jack’s climb becomes a moral ascent: the timid man rising toward courage, the comic becoming the protector.
The fantasy kingdom becomes a symbolic interior: bright, innocent, and demanding virtue. Every cloud‑level corridor, every oversized room, every perilous escape becomes a place where fear confronts courage, and where laughter becomes a weapon against despair.
This is Americana through fairy tale. The danger is fear. The fire is courage. The verdict is innocence rising.
Film Card — Jack and the Beanstalk (1952)
Jack and the Beanstalk 1952 • Fantasy Comedy • Warner Bros.
A timid man climbs a magical beanstalk, confronts a giant, rescues innocence, and discovers courage he never knew he had. Fairy‑tale morality, slapstick bravery, and the ascent from fear to fortitude. Courage Tested • Innocence Defended • Fear Confronted
Director Jean Yarbrough
Writer Based loosely on the classic English fairy tale
Stars Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dorothy Ford, Buddy Baer
Studio Warner Bros.
Themes Courage, innocence, fear, loyalty, moral ascent
1. Production & Cultural Setting
Post‑Vaudeville Fantasy Era Produced during Abbott and Costello’s late‑career period, blending comedy with children’s fantasy.
American Fairy‑Tale Mythos The beanstalk becomes a symbol of rising above fear — a moral climb toward courage.
Costello’s Innocent Bravery Lou’s performance anchors the film, showing that courage often hides inside the timid.
Comedy Against Danger The giant’s world exposes the contrast between fear’s size and courage’s persistence.
Moral Simplicity with Heart The stripped‑down fairy tale reveals the soul’s choices plainly: flee or climb, fear or courage.
2. Story Summary
The Ordinary World Jack, a timid babysitter, reads a fairy tale and slips into a dream‑world of danger.
The Ascent He climbs the beanstalk into a kingdom ruled by a giant who embodies fear.
The Captive Innocence A princess and her people suffer under the giant’s tyranny.
The Comic Courage Jack and Dinkle bumble, stumble, and somehow rise to the challenge.
The Rescue Jack confronts the giant, rescues innocence, and returns home changed.
3. Moral & Emotional Resonances
A. Courage Grows in Small Souls Jack’s ascent reveals bravery hidden beneath timidity.
B. Fear Appears Larger Than It Is The giant’s size mirrors the exaggerated nature of our own anxieties.
C. Innocence Needs Defenders The princess’s plight becomes the measure of Jack’s moral growth.
D. Comedy Is a Kind of Hope Laughter becomes resistance against despair.
E. Ascent Transforms the Heart Jack returns not taller, but braver.
4. Hospitality Pairing — Drawn From the Film’s Spirit
Food — Light, Playful, Comforting Popcorn — the childlike staple. Vanilla cookies — simple sweetness. Roast chicken — fairy‑tale hearth comfort.
Drink — Gentle, Nostalgic, Warm Cream soda — innocence in a glass. A mild bourbon — warmth without weight.
Atmosphere — Storybook Evening Lighting: Soft lamplight with golden glow. Sound: A quiet house, distant laughter. Setting: A living room with old‑movie charm. Symbol: The beanstalk — the soul’s climb toward courage.
5. Reflection Prompts
Where do I still feel small.
Where is fear appearing larger than it truly is.
Where is innocence asking for my protection.
Where is God inviting me to climb rather than flee.
Where does courage wait to rise in me.
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