Smoke in this Life; Not the Next
Sat., Nov. 14 – St. Catherine of Sweden
Virtue: Discipline, Freedom & Self-Mastery
Cigar: Natural
Bourbon: Weller Special Reserve
Modern culture often treats discipline as a burden and freedom as the reward. The saints understood the opposite. Discipline is freedom. Freedom is not the ability to do whatever we want whenever we want. It is the ability to do what is good, right, and necessary even when we do not feel like doing it.
St. Catherine of Sweden learned this lesson early. Though born into privilege, she embraced a life ordered toward God. She did not become holy through dramatic visions or heroic battles. Her sanctity was built through daily choices, obedience, prayer, purity, and perseverance. Like a skilled craftsman shaping steel, God used repeated acts of discipline to form a free soul.
The Swiss pikemen understood this principle as well. Their power did not come from strength alone. It came from training. Thousands of hours of drilling transformed ordinary men into a force capable of standing against knights and cavalry. When the battle arrived, they did not rise to the occasion. They fell back on their preparation.
The same is true in the spiritual life. Many of the sins of youth begin with small acts of undisciplined desire. A man who cannot govern his appetites eventually finds his appetites governing him. But each prayer said when tired, each temptation resisted, each duty fulfilled, and each sacrifice accepted strengthens the will. Over time the chains become lighter and the soul becomes freer.
As the smoke rises today, consider where your greatest freedom might actually require greater discipline. The path may be difficult, but the destination is liberty.
"For freedom Christ set us free."
— Galatians 5:1
Question: What one area of my life needs greater discipline today so that I may experience greater freedom tomorrow?
NOVEMBER 14 Saturday Twenty fourth
Week Pentecost
World
Diabetes Day
Luke, Chapter 18, Verse 1-8
Then he told them a parable about
the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary. He said, “There was a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor respected any human
being. And a widow in that town used to come to him and
say, ‘Render a just decision for me against my adversary.’ For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he
thought, ‘While it is true that I neither FEAR
God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I
shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call
out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will
see to it that justice is done for them speedily. But when the Son of Man
comes, will he find faith on earth?”
Will
the Son of Man find faith on earth when he comes?
We
must remain faithful to the gospel of Christ and stand with the Holy Catholic
Church. We must continue to ask Him to come to our assistance against the
Philistines of our age. We must not fail to call out to Him night and day to
save us from the wicked and to pray for their conversion and for the souls of
the Martyrs of freedom that they have made. Our enemy is not men but the devil,
and those are in his control. We must never become to weary or afraid to take
the gospel to those places that are most devoid of faith, hope, and love.
“Only those that see the invisible
can do the impossible.” Tyrese
World Diabetes Day[1]
World
Diabetes Day aims to raise awareness of diabetes, a disease that raises blood
sugar. Diabetes can result in problems with other organs and significantly
increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and death. As of 2015,
approximately 1 in 10 adults worldwide is diabetic, a problem which poses a
massive burden on nations as it threatens their health and economic prosperity.
In 1991, World Diabetes Day was established by the International Diabetes
Federation and the World Health
Organization in an effort to address the increasing number of diabetes cases
and its burden on countries. Currently, diabetes prevalence is highest in
the Middle East and Southern Asia while it is lowest in Sub Saharan Africa.
Diabetes, especially type 2, has been linked to obesity and a sedentary,
inactive lifestyle and thus World Diabetes Day also serves to promote a healthy
and active
lifestyle that can drastically reduce the risk of developing type 2
diabetes.
World Diabetes
Day Facts & Quotes
According to the World Health
Organization, about 350 million people in the world have diabetes. The
organization expects this number to double in the next two decades.
More than 80% of deaths related to
diabetes occur in low and middle-income countries.
Type 2 diabetes is much more common than
type 1. Type 2 diabetes accounts for about 90% of the world's diabetes cases.
50% of people with diabetes die due to
heart disease and stroke (cardiovascular diseases).
I was determined to share my positive
approach and not let diabetes stand in the way of enjoying my life - Paula
Deen, celebrity chef.
World Diabetes
Day Top Events and Things to Do
Visit your doctor if you are overweight,
obese, do not regularly exercise and do not eat a balanced diet. These are all
factors that can cause diabetes.
Participate in one of the American
Diabetes Association's fundraising activities which include, The Tour de
Cure, Step Out: Walk to Stop Diabetes, Rip's B.A.D. Ride or you can create
your own fundraising event by using the organizations' online tools.
Watch a documentary about diabetes and
diabetes-related topics such as obesity, sugar consumption and fast food. Our
favorites are Sugar Babies, The Human Trial, Simply Raw
Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days and Diabetes Cure Documentary
Learn about ways to control and lower the
risk of developing diabetes. The American Diabetes Association provides some
great ways to reduce your risk which include:
1) Eat a healthy balanced diet
2) Exercise regularly
3) Ensure that you are not overweight or obese
4) Remove unnecessary processed foods with high sugar content from your diet
5) Get checked for high blood pressure or abnormal cholesterol levels
Try the Iceman’s Universal Man
Plan
Learn about the symptoms and signs of
diabetes. Many cases of diabetes go undiagnosed for long periods of time while
causing irreversible damage to the body. Some common signs and symptoms
include:
-Hunger
-Fatigue
-Frequent urination
-Constant Thirst
-Blurred vision
Rich vs Poor Tour
🇬🇾 Guyana vs 🇲🇱 Mali — Oil Wealth and Desert Faith
Two More Stops on
the Rich vs Poor Tour: A Catholic Contrast in Postcolonial Terrain
This pairing invites
pilgrims to contemplate how Catholic witness unfolds in vastly different
settings: Guyana, a rainforest nation newly rich from oil, and Mali, a desert
land where Catholicism survives as a quiet minority amid poverty and conflict.
Together, they extend NIC’s Corner’s journey into spiritual resilience and
economic disparity.
🇬🇾 Guyana — Oil-Rich, Rainforested, and Quietly Catholic
GDP per capita (PPP):
~$70,300 USD (2024) — Ranked #20 globally
🧮 Why Guyana Ranks High
Oil Boom: Offshore reserves have transformed
Guyana into one of the fastest-growing economies.
Small Population: ~800,000 residents
concentrate wealth.
Export Surge: Petroleum, gold, and bauxite
dominate trade.
Foreign Investment: ExxonMobil and others
fuel infrastructure growth.
Rapid Development: Roads, ports, and energy
grids are expanding.
✝️ Catholic Landscape
Minority Faith: ~8% Catholic, with
Portuguese and Amerindian roots.
Single Diocese: Georgetown oversees 24
parishes.
Missionary Legacy: Jesuits and Sisters of
Mercy shaped education and healthcare.
Indigenous Outreach: Santa Rosa Church
(1818) serves Amerindian communities.
Civic Witness: The Catholic Standard
newspaper challenged dictatorship in the 1970s.
⚠️ Challenges
Wealth Inequality: Oil wealth hasn’t reached
all communities.
Urban-Rural Divide: Remote parishes lack
resources.
Youth Disengagement: Secularization affects
catechesis.
Environmental Risk: Coastal flooding and
deforestation threaten development.
🌿 Pilgrimage Cue
Guyana is a journey
of quiet witness—where the Eucharist meets rainforest silence, and the Church
walks gently through postcolonial memory and emerging hope.
🇲🇱 Mali — Deserted
Economies, Desert Fathers
GDP per capita (PPP):
~$2,900 USD (2024)
🧮 Why Mali Ranks Low
Landlocked Geography: Desertification and
drought limit agriculture.
Political Instability: Coups and
insurgencies disrupt governance.
Islamic Majority: ~90% Muslim; Christianity
is a small minority.
Foreign Aid Dependency: Development relies
on external support.
Gold Exports: Mining is growing but benefits
are uneven.
✝️ Catholic Landscape
Tiny Minority: ~2.2% Catholic.
Seven Dioceses: Including Bamako, Mopti, and
Sikasso.
White Fathers Legacy: Missionaries
established hospitals and schools in the 19th century.
Interfaith Dialogue: The Church promotes
peace in a Muslim-majority context.
Women’s Empowerment: Catholic missions
support education and healthcare for women.
⚠️ Challenges
Security Risks: Northern Mali faces jihadist
violence.
Resource Scarcity: Parishes often lack basic
infrastructure.
Cultural Marginality: Catholicism is
unfamiliar to many Malians.
Climate Hardship: Drought and displacement
affect Church outreach.
🌿 Pilgrimage Cue
Mali is a journey of
endurance and intercession—where the Eucharist is offered in desert silence,
and the Church prays in the shadow of the Sahara with hidden holiness and
missionary courage.
🕊️ Editorial Reflection
At first glance,
both Guyana and Mali seem to ache—one flush with oil wealth but spiritually
quiet, the other materially poor but spiritually resilient. But this is the
heart of the Rich vs Poor Tour: not to rank or romanticize, but to reveal.
Guyana’s challenge is comfort without communion; Mali’s is faith
without favor. Neither “sucks.” But both aches. And both invite us to ask:
What does it mean to
be rich in Christ?
Where does the Gospel burn brightest—in silence or in struggle?
🍽️ Ritual Meal: Guyana vs
Mali
Theme: Comfort vs Communion, Silence vs Struggle
🥂 Aperitif
El
Dorado Rum Punch with Lime, Sorrel, and Nutmeg (Guyana)
Symbol: Rainforest abundance and colonial sweetness
Prep: Brew sorrel, mix with citrus juices, ginger syrup, rum, and
bitters. Garnish with lime and nutmeg.
Reflection: Begin with a toast to Guyana’s oil boom and ecological
intimacy. Sorrel’s tartness evokes the ache beneath prosperity.
🥣 Soup
Baobab
and Millet Porridge (Mali)
Symbol: Desert endurance and maternal strength
Prep: Simmer millet flour into porridge, stir in baobab powder for tang
and nutrition.
Reflection: A humble offering from Mali’s Catholic missions. Baobab pulp
nourishes like hidden holiness in the Sahara’s shadow.
🥗 Salad
Cassava
Salad with Gold-Dusted Plantains (Guyana)
Symbol: Resource extraction and civic witness
Prep: Boil cassava, toss with homemade mayo, capers, celery, and
carrots. Add pan-fried plantains dusted with edible gold.
Reflection: The gold dust is both blessing and burden. Remember the
Catholic Standard’s prophetic voice against dictatorship.
🍝 Fish Course
Grilled
Mahi Mahi with Tamarind Glaze (Guyana)
Symbol: Coastal resilience and Eucharistic simplicity
Prep: Grill mahi mahi, glaze with tamarind, lime, soy, and fish sauce.
Reflection: Honor the Catholic minority’s quiet witness. Tamarind’s
sour-sweet profile evokes catechesis in a secular tide.
🍖 Main Course
Lamb
Tagine with Dates and Cinnamon (Mali)
Symbol: Interfaith peace and sacrificial love
Prep: Slow-cook lamb with saffron, ginger, cinnamon, and finish with
date syrup.
Reflection: The sweetness of dates softens the spice of struggle. A dish
to honor Mali’s Catholic courage amid cultural marginality.
🧀 Cheese Course
Rice Pilaf
with Dried Fish and Desert Herbs (Mali)
Symbol: Scarcity and missionary intercession
Prep: Sauté rice, simmer in broth, fold in dried fish and herbs like
parsley or dill.
Reflection: A meal for those who pray in silence. Dried fish evokes the
Church’s perseverance in drought and danger.
🍮 Dessert
Coconut
Pudding with Nutmeg and Hibiscus Syrup (Guyana–Mali fusion)
Symbol: Communion across continents
Prep: Simmer coconut milk with sugar and cornstarch, chill, top with
nutmeg and hibiscus syrup.
Reflection: End with sweetness that doesn’t erase struggle. Let nutmeg
and hibiscus remind you that joy and justice must kiss.
Around the Corner
Find
your delight in the LORD who will give you your heart’s desire.
(Psalm 37:4)
Spirit Hour: El Dorado Rum Punch with
Lime, Sorrel, and Nutmeg
How to celebrate
Nov 14th
Make a spicy guacamole snack to enjoy
the flavor on National Spicy Guacamole Day.
Embrace comfort and togetherness on
National Family PJ Day by lounging in your favorite pajamas with loved ones.
Show appreciation for healthcare
workers on Operating Room Nurse Day by sending a heartfelt thank you note or
treat to a nurse you know.
Loosen Up Lighten Up Day encourages
you to let go of stress; try yoga, meditation, or simply taking a walk outside.
Celebrate the joy and innocence of
childhood on Children’s Day by engaging in playful activities or volunteering
with kids. Honor World Diabetes Day by being mindful of your health; go for a
walk, prepare a balanced meal, or schedule a check-up.
Make a crunchy snack to enjoy on
National Pickle Day while embracing the simple pleasures in life.
Daily Devotions
Unite in the work of the Porters of St. Joseph by joining them
in fasting: Today's Fast: Catholic
Politicians & Leaders
Litany of the Most Precious
Blood of Jesus
Offering to
the Sacred Heart of Jesus
THUNDER BIRDS: SOLDIERS OF THE AIR (1942) - THE CALL TO DUTY AND THE COURAGE TO GROW
From Flight School Discipline to the Truth That Great Missions Require Great Formation
(Based on Thunder Birds: Soldiers of the Air, 1942)
When a Man Wants the Wings Without the Training
Every generation admires heroes.
We notice the fighter pilot, the decorated soldier, the champion athlete, the successful businessman, or the saint whose life inspires millions.
What we often overlook is the preparation.
The long hours.
The failures.
The corrections.
The discipline.
In Thunder Birds: Soldiers of the Air, young aviation cadets arrive with dreams of becoming military pilots. They desire the excitement of flight and the honor of serving their country. Yet before they can earn their wings, they must endure intensive training.
The Air Corps understands a truth that applies far beyond aviation.
Responsibility must be earned before it can be trusted.
The same principle operates in the spiritual life.
Many people desire the rewards of holiness without accepting the disciplines that produce it.
They want peace without prayer.
Strength without sacrifice.
Wisdom without study.
Virtue without struggle.
Yet God often forms souls the same way military instructors form pilots.
Patiently.
Firmly.
Repeatedly.
Mistakes become lessons.
Failures become opportunities.
Weakness becomes strength through practice.
The goal is not humiliation.
The goal is transformation.
A pilot who shortcuts training endangers lives.
A Christian who neglects formation endangers his soul.
The saints became saints because they submitted themselves to God's school of discipline.
They learned obedience.
They practiced perseverance.
They accepted correction.
Eventually, what began as effort became character.
The lesson is that preparation is not the obstacle to greatness.
Preparation is the path to greatness.
The verdict is that God forms faithful servants before He entrusts them with important missions.
Film Card - Thunder Birds: Soldiers of the Air (1942)
Thunder Birds: Soldiers of the Air • Drama • Military Aviation • 1h 18m
Young Army Air Corps cadets undergo demanding flight training while learning the discipline, responsibility, and maturity required to become military aviators.
Themes: Duty & Discipline • Growth & Maturity • Courage & Service
Cast: Gene Tierney, Preston Foster, John Sutton
Production: Twentieth Century-Fox
Historical Frame: Released during World War II, the film served both as entertainment and as a tribute to America's rapidly expanding military aviation program during a time of global conflict.
Production & Cultural Setting
America at War
Produced during the Second World War, the film reflected the nation's massive effort to prepare young men for military service.
Aviation's Golden Age
Military pilots represented some of the most admired figures of the era, embodying courage, skill, and patriotism.
Training Before Combat
The film emphasizes preparation rather than battlefield action, highlighting the demanding work required before pilots could serve effectively.
Character Through Discipline
The focus is not merely flying aircraft but developing judgment, responsibility, and maturity.
Service Above Self
The story reflects a generation willing to sacrifice comfort and personal ambition for a cause larger than themselves.
Story Summary
The Arrival:
Young cadets enter training with enthusiasm and ambition.
The Instruction:
Experienced officers impose rigorous standards and expectations.
The Challenges:
Students confront mistakes, setbacks, and personal weaknesses.
The Growth:
Skill begins to develop as discipline and experience increase.
The Testing:
Each cadet must demonstrate both competence and character.
The Achievement:
Those who persevere earn the privilege and responsibility of military aviation service.
Moral & Spiritual Resonances
A. Formation Precedes Mission
God typically prepares people before assigning greater responsibilities.
B. Discipline Creates Freedom
Proper training enables confident and effective action.
C. Humility Welcomes Correction
Growth begins when we accept that we still have much to learn.
D. Service Is Greater Than Self
The highest callings require sacrifice for the good of others.
E. Perseverance Produces Character
Strength emerges through repeated effort rather than instant success.
Hospitality Pairing - An Evening of Duty and Honor
Food - Wartime American Supper
- Meatloaf
- Mashed potatoes
- Green beans
- Apple cobbler
Drink - Ready Room Refreshments
- Black coffee
- Iced tea
- Buffalo Trace Bourbon
- Sparkling water
Cigar
- Dark Habano
Atmosphere - Wings of Responsibility
- Historic aviation photographs
- Patriotic big-band music
- Low lamplight
- Discussion about service, leadership, and personal discipline
Personal Reflection
What mission is God preparing me for right now?
Am I resisting a lesson that would make me stronger?
Where do I seek results without accepting the training required to achieve them?
How do I respond when corrected?
Do I view discipline as punishment or preparation?
What area of my life needs greater consistency and commitment?
The cadets in Thunder Birds dreamed of soaring through the skies.
Before they could fly, they had to learn.
Before they could lead, they had to obey.
Before they could serve, they had to be formed.
The same pattern appears throughout salvation history.
Moses spent years in the desert.
David tended sheep before wearing a crown.
The Apostles spent years learning before they were sent.
God's greatest servants are rarely rushed.
They are trained.
They are tested.
They are refined.
For the Lord is not merely looking for people who want the mission.
He is preparing people who are ready for it.
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