Time to talk of other things ...

 My Kairos Weekend        Thank you all for your prayers and support. Your prayers were heard because we had a most blessed Kairos15 retreat at Salinas Valley State Prison in Soledad, CA from 9/24/26 through 9/27/26. Seeing the face of the Creator       There are some things that defy description, they have to be experienced. The indescribable joy that floods your senses when you first hold your newborn child, bone of bone; flesh of flesh!  Another example is a Kairos Prison retreat, join me for a peek at the face of Jesus ...      Having experienced my very first 72-hour Kairos Prison retreat, I remember the veteran team members telling rookies like me, be prepared to witness the impossible - it was the understatement of the decade.       We've all seen a glorious sunset, one that takes your breath away but also one that soon fades from memory - this is the work our creator; now imagine if you could gl...

 Sep 18 - Feast of St Joseph of Cupertino   A simple, humble and almost illiterate Franciscan friar, known for his mystical experiences, numerous miracles, and above all, for levitating during prayer.    This is Saint Joseph of Cupertino, born Joseph Desa on June 17, 1603, in Copertino, Apulia in southern Italy. He came into the world in extreme poverty, in a stable, and his childhood was marked by hardship, illness and  no access to education.    His father secured an apprenticeship for him with a shoemaker, but he longed to enter religious life but  with little formal education he was rejected by several religious orders.   Finally, he was accepted as a tertiary at the convent of the Conventual Franciscans at La Grottella. His cheerful spirit, willingness to perform humble tasks, and holiness soon convinced his superiors that he was called to religious life. He flourished in his devotion and service, often found engrossed in tasks like gard...

 Sep 15 - The Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows    September 15 is the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows.    One faithful Mother - the most Blessed Virgin Mary - who suffered immensely but her sorrow was never without faith. She remained with Jesus through Passion, Calvary, the Crucifixion, Death and the Silence of the Tomb.  Let us contemplate the seven moments that profoundly pierced the heart of Mary  1. The Prophecy of Simeon Simeon on blessing the infant Jesus foretold Mary that a sword would pierce her [Lk 2:34-35]   2. The Flight into Egypt   Mary and Joseph flee to exile in Egypt when the life of the infant Jesus was threatened when Herod the Great ordered the Massacre of the Innocents [Mt 2:13-14] 3. The Loss of the Child Jesus at age 12   Returning from Jerusalem, Mary and Joseph cannot find Jesus and return to look for him, finding him three days later in the Temple [Lk 2:43-45] 4. Mary Meets Jesus on the Way to Calvary  Mary...

 Sep 12 - Feast of the Most Holy Name of Mary   The most BVM is credited with helping stem the Ottoman Turks who attacked Europe  The first time was when Pope Pius V urged the faithful to pray the Rosary for victory at the Battle of Lepanto (October 7, 1571) when a large fleet of roughly 230+ Ottoman galleys led by Admiral Müezzinzade Ali Pasha were routed by 200 galleys of the European fleet led by Don John of Austria that were larger and more heavily armed.  Continue reading for details about the second time at the Battle of Vienna in 1693 - after a shocking victory over the Ottomans on September 12th Historical reasons for the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary          To understand why September 12th was chosen by Pope Innocent XI as the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, one must go back to July 1683 when a massive army of 300,000 Ottoman Turks led by the Grand Vizier Kara Mustapha laid a two-month siege to Vienna, the capital of the Habsburg ...

 Mellow Tomato Sauce       Tomato sauce with organic garden-fresh San Marzano paste tomatoes originally grown in the volcanic, mineral-rich soil near Mount Vesuvius in Italy.   The perfect reason to make a clean, neutral marinara base — just tomatoes, aromatics, and olive oil — that cooks down and freezes or cans well. No sugar, no heavy herbs, so you can season it however you like later. Tomato Sauce recipe Ingredients     30 pounds ripe tomatoes (Roma/plum preferred), cored     1 cups olive oil     2 large yellow onions, finely diced     10 garlic cloves, minced     3 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more to taste     2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground     2 tablespoons sugar (optional, to balance acidity)     0.3 cups fresh basil leaves, torn (optional, added at the end) Method 1 Prep the tomatoes: Wash and core all 30 pounds ripe tomatoes (Roma/plum preferred), cored. Score a ...

  Why Joshua and not Moses   Here’s the theological significance of why Joshua and not Moses lead the Jews into the Promised Land. The Promised Land of the Old Testament represents Heaven. Moses was hand-picked by God to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land - along the way he received  the Ten Commandments which was the bedrock of Judaism. Therefore among all the prophets, Moses represents the Law of God.  Yet Joshua, originally named Hoshea, son of Nun, from the tribe of Ephraim - was the one who finally led them across the river Jordan into the Promised Land.   Joshua or Yehoshua, means "the LORD saves" or "the LORD is salvation" and is the Hebrew equivalent of Jesus.     Following just the laws of God will not get you into the Promised Land , therefore Moses wasn't the one to take the Israelites into the Promised Land ; Joshua did because following Jesus will get you to Heaven . Jesus said: " I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he wi...

  August 24: Feast of the Apostle and Martyr St Bartholomew Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus named in Matthew 10:2–4, Mark 3:16–19, Luke 6:14–16, Acts 1:1–13.     The Catholic Church honors Bartholomew as a martyr and saint, and he is the patron of butchers. The name “ Bartholomew ” most likely comes from Aramaic (Bar-Talmay), meaning “ son of Talmay .” He was born in Cana in Galilee, an area renowned for farming. Some identify him as Nathanael (meaning " God has given "), who appears only in the Gospel of John 1:43-51 when introduced to Jesus by his good friend, the apostle Philip. Nathanael was sceptical of Jesus because Philip told him he found the Messiah, who came from Nazareth. Nathanael dismissed this saying, “ Nazareth! Can anything good come from there ?” (John 1:46), but Philip persisted, instead of responding with a sharp comeback he offers a meaningful invitation: " Come and see !".    We are then presented with the Apostle B...

 August 22 - Memorial of the Queenship of Mother Mary    A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. ~Revelation 12:1 The foundation for Mother Mary's Queenship rests on four theological pillars:     Divine Motherhood ( Theotokos ): Because Jesus is the true Eternal King of the Universe, Mary, as His earthly mother, shares in His royal status.     The Gebirah Model : In ancient Davidic kingdoms, the king often had many wives, so royal influence was held not by the spouse, but by the King’s mother—known as the Gebirah or Queen Mother (e.g., Bathsheba to King Solomon). She served as a trusted advocate and advocate for the people before the throne.     Co-Operation in Redemption : Mary participated intimately in the salvation story through her Fiat ("let it be done"), standing at the cross, and suffering alongside Christ. Because she shared in His struggl...

 Reflections on St. Bernard of Clairvaux   Feast Day : August 20 | Doctor of the Church After reading Pope Benedict XVI's tribute to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) during his General Audience to St. Bernard on October 21, 2009, I was immediately drawn to the saint's unabashed dedication to Jesus and the most Blessed Virgin Mary.     St. Bernard of Clairvaux (which translates to "Clear Valley") was a prolific writer who said, " Jesus alone is "honey in the mouth, song to the ear, jubilation in the heart (mel in ore, in aure melos, in corde iubilum) " - earning him the moniker "Doctor Mellifluus" or "the Honey-Sweet Doctor". His singular praise for the most BVM is clearly seen in this homily:  " In danger, in distress, in uncertainty ", he says, " think of Mary, call upon Mary. She never leaves your lips, she never departs from your heart; and so that you may obtain the help of her prayers, never forget the exam...

 Reflections on  St. Maximilian Kolbe    Today August 14, on the Feast of St Maxmillian Kolbe, my thoughts go back to a cold and bleak December 1991 morning when we visited the notorious Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz I with its disingenuous  wrought-iron sign over the entrance gates that said "" Arbeit macht frei " (German for "work makes you free"). It remains one of the most haunting experiences of my life but there was silver lining when we came across the memorial to St Maxmillian Kolbe in cell 11.    The remarkable St Maxmillian Kolbe:   Born Rajmund Kolbe on January 8, 1894, in Zduńska Wola, Poland (then part of the Russian Empire), he was the son of a weaver. As a boy, he reportedly had a vision of the Virgin Mary offering him two crowns—one white (purity) and one red (martyrdom). He said he accepted both. He entered the Conventual Franciscans, taking the name Maximilian, and was ordained a priest in Rome in 1918, where he also earned ...