Accidental Curmudgeon

Background on Decatur Place Hymn Tune

2011-05-23T23:09:00.006-05:00

View of Decatur Place, Washington, DC looking westward from a location a few hundred feet west of Florida Avenue NW

According to the web site of St John Episcopal Church, West Hartford, Connecticut:

"The [hymn tune] was written specifically for the text for inclusion in The Hymnal 1982 by Richard Wayne Dirksen, former Organist and Choirmaster and Precentor of Washington National Cathedral. The tune name Decatur Place honors the Washington home of Paul Callaway, the composer's longtime friend and predecessor as Organist and Choirmaster of the Cathedral. Hymn note by Raymond Glover and Russell Schulz-Widmar.

The Tale of the Cemetery Watchman

2010-07-30T22:10:00.004-05:00

I received the following through a Yahoo group for US Army personnel for communications and reminiscences among those who served in a certain unit in Germany, in the late 1950s, the -60s and the early -70s. The following is a nice tale that may already be going viral on the Internet, or is at least being touted for such distribution.

Fact or fiction ----- ?????

Cemetery Watchman

I just wanted to get the day over with and go down to Smokey's.
Sneaking a look at my watch, I saw the time, 1655.
Five minutes to go before the cemetery gates are closed for the day.
Full dress was hot in the August sun.
Oklahoma summertime was as bad as ever--the heat and humidity at the same level--both too high.
I saw the car pull into the drive, a '69 or '70 model Cadillac Deville, looked factory-new.
It pulled into the parking lot at a snail's pace.
An old woman got out so slowly I thought she was paralyzed; she had a cane and a sheaf of flowers--about four or five bunches as best I could tell.
I couldn't help myself.
The thought came unwanted, and left a slightly bitter taste: 'She's going to spend an hour, and for this old soldier, my hip hurts like hell and I'm ready to get out of here right now!'
But for this day, my duty was to assist anyone coming in.
Kevin would lock the 'In' gate and if I could hurry the old biddy along, we might make it to Smokey's in time.
I broke post attention.
My hip made gritty noises when I took the first step and the pain went up a notch.
I must have made a real military sight: middle-aged man with a small pot gut and half a limp, in marine full-dress uniform, which had lost its razor crease about thirty minutes after I began the watch at the cemetery.
I stopped in front of her, halfway up the walk.
She looked up at me with an old woman's squint.
'Ma'am, may I assist you in any way?'
She took long enough to answer.
'Yes, son. Can you carry these flowers?
I seem to be moving a tad slow these days.' 'My pleasure, ma'am.'
Well, it wasn't too much of a lie.
She looked again. 'Marine, where were you stationed?'
'Vietnam, ma'am.. Ground-pounder. '69 to '71.' She looked at me closer.
'Wounded in action, I see. Well done, Marine.
I'll be as quick as I can.'
I lied a little bigger: 'No hurry, ma'am.'
She smiled and winked at me.
'Son, I'm 85-years-old and I can tell a lie from a long way off..
Let's get this done. Might be the last time I can do this.
My name's Joanne Wieserman, and I've a few Marines I'd like to see one more time.'
'Yes, ma 'am. At your service.'
She headed for the World War I section, stopping at a stone.
She picked one of the flowers out of my arm and laid it on top of the stone.
She murmured something I couldn't quite make out..
The name on the marble was Donald S. Davidson, USMC: France 1918.
She turned away and made a straight line for the World War II section, stopping at one stone.
I saw a tear slowly tracking its way down her cheek.
She put a bunch on a stone; the name was Stephen X.Davidson, USMC, 1943.
She went up the row a ways and laid another bunch on a stone, Stanley J. Wieserman, USMC, 1944.
She paused for a second. 'Two more, son, and we'll be done'
I almost didn't say anything, but, 'Yes, ma'am. Take your time.'
She looked confused.. 'Where's the Vietnam section, son? I seem to have lost my way.'
I pointed with my chin. 'That way, ma'am.'
'Oh!', she chuckled quietly. 'Son, me and old age ain't too friendly.'
She headed down the walk I'd pointed at.
She stopped at a couple of stones before she found the ones she wanted.
She placed a bunch on Larry Wieserman, USMC, 1968, and the last on Darrel Wieserman, USMC, 1970.
She stood there and murmured a few words I still couldn't make out. 'OK, son, I'm finished.
Get me back to my car and you can go home.'
Yes, ma'am. If I may ask, were those your kinfolk?'
She paused. 'Yes, Donald Davidson was my father, Stephen was my uncle, Stanley was my husband, Larry and Darrel were our sons. All killed in action, all Marines.'
She stopped.
Whether she had finished, or couldn't finish, I don't know.
She made her way to her car, slowly and painfully.
I waited for a polite distance to come between us and then double-timed it over to Kevin, waiting by the car.
'Get to the 'Out' gate quick.. I have something I've got to do.'
Kevin started to say something, but saw the look I gave him.
He broke the rules to get us there down the service road.
We beat her. She hadn't made it around the rotunda yet.
'Kevin, stand at attention next to the gatepost. Follow my lead.'
I humped it across the drive to the other post.
When the Cadillac came puttering around from the hedges and began the short straight traverse to the gate, I called in my best gunny's voice:
'TehenHut! Present Haaaarms!'
I have to hand it to Kevin; he never blinked an eye-- full dress attention and a salute that would make his DI proud.
She drove through that gate with two old worn-out soldiers giving her a send-off she deserved, for service rendered to her country, and for knowing duty, honor and sacrifice.
I am not sure, but I think I saw a salute returned from that Cadillac.
Instead of 'The End,' just think of 'Taps.'
As a final thought on my part, let me share a favorite prayer:
'Lord, keep our servicemen and women safe, whether they serve at home or overseas.
Hold them in your loving hands and protect them as they protect us.'
Let's all keep those currently serving and those who have gone before in our thoughts.
They are the reason for the many freedoms we enjoy.

Sorry about your monitor; it made mine blurry too!

If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under!
You are required to pass this on NOW!

--------------------------
That means you, Soldier!

New Blog for "Themes of Faith" Content

2010-07-30T22:01:00.003-05:00

The themes of faith postings have been a way for this choir member to conveniently post You Tube video performances of church music that I needed to rehearse, and would like to remember. Additional content from the respective church services has unually been included because it pulled the music into the context of the scriptures read that day, and some of the thoughts expressed in the homily (or sermon, if you prefer that term.)

Such postings may now be found at http://themesoffaith.blogspot.com/

Themes of Faith from the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: Independence Day

2010-07-09T15:00:00.005-05:00

A Prayer of George Washington
I now make it my earnest prayer, that God would have ... the State ... in his holy protection, that he would incline the hearts of the Citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to Government, to entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another, for their fellow Citizens of the United States at large, and particularly for their brethren who have served in the Field, and finally, that he would most graciously be pleased to dispose us all, to do Justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that Charity, humility and pacific temper of mind, which were the Characteristicks of the Divine Author of our blessed Religion, and without an humble imitation of whose example in these things, we can never hope to be a happy Nation. Amen

America, the Beautiful, Verse 2 by Katharine Lee Bates
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness
America, America, God mend thine every flaw
Confirm thy soul in self-control
Thy liberty in law

Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America
We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Excerpts from the Gettysburg Address by Abrahan Lincoln
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. ... It is ... for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion— ... that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Luke 9:1-2; Luke 10:1; -17, 19-20
Jesus called the twelve [apostles] together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. ... After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two and two before him into every city and place, where he intended to go... The seventy returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!’ ... See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’

O For a Closer Walk with God, anthem by Charles Villiers Stanford, performed by by the Trinity Choir of Trinity Church, Boston, MA, USA

Themes of Faith from the Sixth Sunday of Easter, 2010

2010-05-09T23:48:00.002-05:00

Themes of Faith from the Fifth Sunday of Easter

2010-05-02T23:44:00.001-05:00

Prayer Intention for the Fifth Sunday of Easter
Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life;

The Mandate to Teach the Gospel to the Gentiles
Acts of the Apostles 11:1-10
Now the apostles and the believers who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also accepted the word of God. So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, saying, "Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?" Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, "I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners; and it came close to me. As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. I also heard a voice saying to me, `Get up, Peter; kill and eat.' But I replied, `By no means, Lord; for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.' But a second time the voice answered from heaven, `What God has made clean, you must not call profane.'

The Apostle John's Vision of God: the Son, in Heaven
Revelation 21:5-6
And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life."

Jesus at the Last Supper: The Eleventh Commandment
The Gospel According to John 13:31-35
At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Where Charity and Love Are
The following video features the Latin text of "Ubi Caritas" set to music by Maurice Duruflé. An English translation would be as follows:

Where charity and love are, God is there.
Christ's love has gathered us into one.
Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him.
Let us fear, and let us love the living God.
And may we love each other with a sincere heart.
Where charity and love are, God is there.

Themes of Faith from the Fourth Sunday of Easter, 2010

2010-04-25T18:28:00.006-05:00

Prayer Intention: O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads.

The Good Shepherd (Psalm 23)
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters.
He revives my soul and guides me along right pathways for his Name's sake.
Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil; for you are with me;your rod and your staff, they comfort me. [Bible translation of Verses 1-4: New Revised Standard Version]

He spreads a sumptuous feast for me
While enemies are viewing;
Annoints my head for all to see.
With oil 0f gladness flowing.
Goodness and mercy surely shall
Follow my steps, and I will dwell
Within His house forever

[Translation of Verses 5-6 - Metrical text by Robert E. Wunderlich translated from the German lyrics of the following composition by Heinrich Schütz performed at St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Coral Gables, Florida ]

Gospel According to the Apostle John 10: 23-29
[In Jerusalem]...Jesus was walking in the temple, in the portico of Solomon. So the [Jewish religious leaders] gathered around him and said to him, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered, "I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.

Themes of Faith from the Second Sunday of Easter, 2010

2010-04-11T22:53:00.003-05:00

Christ Lay in Death's Prison This is the beginning of a text by Martin Luther, which was set to music by JS Bach. The following video is a performance of the "title song" from a cantata, known in German as "Christ Lag in Todesbanden". A different version was the musical offering at our church today. The title refers to the temporary abode of Christ between his phsical death on the cross and the resurrection of his body, which was celebrated in a big way last week, and more generally for the following 49 days of the Easter season.

Thomas and his First Encounter with the Risen Christ

But Thomas, one of the twelve [discipless], was not with the [others] when Jesus [first appeared to them]. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe." Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe."

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name. Gospel According to John 24:24-31

Themes of Faith from Easter Sunday, 2010

2010-04-04T22:45:00.004-05:00

Psalm 118:24

On this day the LORD has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

The Latin translation of this psalm verse is the text for the introit performed in the following video by the choir of St. John's Episcopal Church of Detroit. The composition is Haec est Dies by Jacobus Gallus.

The Testimony of the Apostle Peter:

"I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." Acts of the Apostle 10:34-43

"Pascha Nostra" Canticle Parts 2 & 3

Christ being raised from the dead will never die again;
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he died, he died to sin, once for all;
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin,
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
[Romans 6:9-11]

Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death,
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die,
so in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.
[1 Corinthians 15:20-22]

Prayer Intention:
O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection;

Themes of Faith from Good Friday, April 2010

2010-04-02T15:54:00.009-05:00

The Conclusion of the Story of the Crucifixion of Jesus

Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. They kept coming up to him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and striking him on the face. Pilate went out again and said to them, "Look, I am bringing him out to you to let you know that I find no case against him." So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" Pilate said to them, "Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no case against him." The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has claimed to be the Son of God."

Now when Pilate heard this, he was more afraid than ever. He entered his headquarters again and asked Jesus, "Where are you from?" But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore said to him, "Do you refuse to speak to me? Do you not know that I have power to release you, and power to crucify you?" Jesus answered him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above; therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin." From then on Pilate tried to release him, but the Jews cried out, "If you release this man, you are no friend of the emperor. Everyone who claims to be a king sets himself against the emperor."

When Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus outside and sat on the judge's bench at a place called The Stone Pavement, or in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. He said to the Jews, "Here is your King!" They cried out, "Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!" Pilate asked them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but the emperor." Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them. Pilate also had an inscription written and put on the cross. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." Gospel According to John 19:1-19

When They Crucified My Lord

A traditional hymn for this day presented by the St Petersburg College Madrigalians using an arrangement by Dr. Vernon Taranto, Jr. (This is a hand-held video, but the music is the essence of it.)

Anima Christi

Soul of Christ, sanctify me.
Body of Christ, save me.
Blood of Christ, inebriate me.
Water from the side of Christ, wash me.
Passion of Christ, strengthen me.

Selected Verses from Ship of Death by D.H. Lawrence

O let us talk of quiet that we know,
that we can know, the deep and lovely quiet
of a strong heart at peace!

How can we this, our own quietus, make?

Build then the ship of death, for you must take
the longest journey, to oblivion.

And die the death, the long and painful death
that lies between the old self and the new.

Themes of Faith from Maundy Thursday, 2010

2010-04-01T21:53:00.003-05:00

Jesus' last instructions to his disciples before the events of his crucifixion

1. Then [during the Passover meal, Jesus] took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ 20And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood Luke 22:19-20

2. ... during supper Jesus, ... got up from the table,* took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?Peter said to [Jesus], "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me." John 13:2b, 4-6

3. "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

The following video presents music set to a Latin text that honors the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (i.e. the ordinance of the Lord's Supper). The music is Tantum Ergo, by Charles Marie Widor, and the presentation is by the choir and organ of the basilica in Weingarten, Germany. A CD is advertised through the web site at: http://www.chororgel.de/html/jubilaums-cd.html for the benefit of the organ which apparently needs restoration.

Theme of Faith for Palm Sunday, 2010

2010-03-28T23:20:00.004-05:00

Liturgy of the Palms -
Gospel according to Luke 19:28-40 [Actually Luke talks about cloaks instead of the palm branches mentioned in the other gospels]

After telling a parable to the crowd at Jericho, Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it.'" So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They said, "The Lord needs it."

Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!"

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."

Liturgy of the Passion

Prayer Intention

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection;

Gospel according to Luke 23:1-49

The assembly of the elders of the people rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate [the Roman governor of Judaea]. They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king." Then Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered, "You say so." Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for an accusation against this man." But they were insistent and said, "He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place."

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him."

Then they all shouted out together, "Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!" (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!" A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him." But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent." And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The following video accompanies the above text with a presentation of "Crucifixus" from the Bach Mass in B Minor offered by Bach Choir & Orchestra, directed by Karl Richter.

Themes of Faith from Fifth Sunday in Lent, 2010

2010-03-21T20:22:00.006-05:00

Prayer Intention
Almighty God, you alone can bring into order the unruly wills and affections of sinners: Grant your people grace to love what you command and desire what you promise; that, among the swift and varied changes of the world, our hearts may surely there be fixed where true joys are to be found.

Isaiah 43:16a,18-19
Thus says the LORD, ...
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

Psalm 126: 6-7
Those who sowed with tears *will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying the seed, will come again with joy, shouldering their sheaves.

Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians 3:4b,7-10a, 14
If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: ... Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings. ... I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.

Gospel according to John 12:1-3, 7
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ... [When one of the disciples protested] Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. ..."

Today's Theme In Music:

From different points in time, today's Bible selections look propheticlly forward, and backward, to the crucifixion of Christ. The following motet by Mozart is about the same theme which will be remembered on a special holy day, Good Friday, in 13 days The Latin text of this music begins as follows, in English --- "Hail, true Body, born of the Virgin Mary, who has truly suffered (and) was sacrificed on the cross for mortals ...". The music is presented by the Nino Rota Orchestra and Chorus of Bari, Italy.

Themes of Faith from the Fourth Sunday in Lent

2010-03-14T22:43:00.008-05:00

Prayer Intention:
Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him;

John 6:30b-32b - 33-35:
[A voice from the crowd said] ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? ... Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ 32b ... Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which* comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
35 Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19:
If anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us.

Prone To Wander, Lord ... (a bit of text from the following hymn, which sometimes known by the name Nettleton)

Luke 15:11b-14, 17-22
Jesus told ...this parable: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. ... when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!'

Themes of Faith from the Third Sunday in Lent

2010-03-07T18:32:00.005-06:00

Running On Empty Lyrics by Jackson Browne © Swallow Turn Music
(excerpt)

Everyone I know, everywhere I go
People need some reason to believe. ...
I don't know about anyone but me

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don't know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels ...

Running on, running on empty
Running on, running blind
Running on, running into the sun
But I'm running behind

Prayer Intention

Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul;

Let my people go hymn text
(excerpt)

O let us all from bondage flee, Let my people go,
And let us all in Christ be free, Let my people go.

Exodus 3:13-15

Moses said to God, "If I come to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM Who I AM." He said further, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" God also said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the Israelites, 'The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you': This is my name forever, and this my title for all generations.

Psalm 42: 1-3 is the text set to music in the compostion featured in the following video. The theme is similar to the thought introduced in Psalm 63:1, from the RCL psalm reading for this Sunday. The compostion, by Herbert Howells, is presented by the choir of St. Paul's Cathedral, London.

First Corinthians 10:11,13

These [disasters chronicled in the books of Exodus and Numbers] ... were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall. No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.

Luke 13:4-9

"Do you think that [the victims of a certain recent disaster] were worse offenders than all the others living in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish just as they did." Then [Jesus] told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. So he said to the gardener, 'See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?' He replied, 'Sir, let it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and put manure on it. If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

Quotation from Burt Rutan, aircraft designer: Source: brainyquote.com

Testing leads to failure, and failure leads to understanding.

2010-02-28T20:27:00.004-06:00

Themes of Faith from the Second Sunday in Lent

Prayer Intention

O God, whose glory it is always to have mercy: Be gracious to all who have gone astray from your ways, and bring them again with penitent hearts and steadfast faith to embrace and hold fast the unchangeable truth of your Word

Genesis 15:1-6

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, "Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great." But Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?" And Abram said, "You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir." But the word of the LORD came to him, "This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir." He brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." And he believed the LORD; and the LORD reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Philippians 3:20-21

But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, my beloved.

Luke 13:31-34a, 35b

Some Pharisees came and said to Jesus, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." He said to them, "Go and tell that fox for me, 'Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work. Yet today, tomorrow, and the next day I must be on my way, because it is impossible for a prophet to be killed outside of Jerusalem.' Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ... I tell you, you will not see me until the time comes when you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"

The following video is an elaboration of the final phrase of the above text in Latin. It is the Benedictus from the Mozart Requiem in D Minor, presented here by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Herbert von Karajan

Suggestion from Kelly Demo

"Lent is a great time to reflect on God’s will for us in our lives. How do we try to thwart God’s plans for us? How has God pursued us to make his plans come to fruition? What is God’s plan for our lives?" [Soure: blog of the Christian Foundation for Children and Aging http://www.cfcausa.org ]

Themes of Faith from the First Sunday in Lent, 2/21/ 2010

2010-02-24T00:54:00.003-06:00

Paraphrase of Psalm 27:10 and related texts:

Hide not thou thy face from us, O Lord, and cast not off thy servants in thy displeasure; for we confess our sins unto thee; and hide not our unrighteousness. For Thy mercy's sake deliver us from all our sins. This text was set to music in the following video of a composition by Richard Farrant, performed by the Choir of Westminster Abbey.

From a statement by Tiger Woods to the press 2/19/2010

For all that I have done, I am so sorry. ...

I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me.

Prayer Intention:
Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations; and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save;

The Gospel According to St. Luke (4:1-13)

[Having recently been baptized and affirmed by God], Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan [River] and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread." Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone.'"

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, "To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Worship the Lord your God,
and serve only him.'"

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,' ...

Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Letter from St. Paul to the Romans (10:8b-13)

"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

Themes of Faith from Ash Wednesday, 2010

2010-02-17T21:13:00.005-06:00

Selection from "When Death Comes" by Mary Oliver

When it's over, I don't want to wonder
if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don't want to find myself sighing and frightened,
or full of argument.
I don't want to end up simply having visited this world.

Prayer Intention

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness

Joel 2:12-13

Yet even now, says the LORD,return to me with all your heart,with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the LORD, your God,for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

Psalm 51 :1

Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. ... (NKJV)

Miserere mei Deus secundum misericordiam tuam iuxta multitudinem miserationum tuarum dele iniquitates meas ... (Latin-Vulgate)

In the following video, most of this Psalm is sung by a renowed English choir, using the Latin text.

Matthew 6:21

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Themes of Faith from Sunday, January 31

2010-01-31T19:52:00.005-06:00

1 Corinthians 13:1-10, 12-13

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know only in part, and we prophesy only in part; but when the complete comes, the partial will come to an end. ... For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.

Songs of Solomon 8:6-7

"Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, ...Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it ..." This text is used in a musical compostion sung by the National Lutheran Choir is the following video.

A Gregorian Chant for Maundy Thursday

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.
Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor.
Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur.
Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum.
Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.

A loose translation of the above text

Where true charity and love dwell, God himself is there.
Since the love of Christ has joined us in one body,
let us rejoice and be pleased in him
Let us respect and love the living God,
And from the heart, let us love one another sincerely.

Themes of Faith from Sunday, January 3

2010-01-03T18:14:00.007-06:00

Prayer Intention for the Second Sunday of Christmas

Almighty God, you have poured upon us the new light of your incarnate Word: Grant that this light, enkindled in our hearts, may shine forth in our lives;

From the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians (3:17-19a)

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe ...

Quote from Saint Athanasius

When He became man, the Savior's love put away death from us and renewed us again; for Christ became man that we might become [like him].

A Hymn of the Season
performed by the Sacrum Chamber Choir

From the Gospel of Saint Matthew (2:11-12)

On entering the house, [the wise men] saw the child [Jesus] with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Quote from Rebecca Solnit, a Californian essayist

Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with ... To hope is to give yourself to the future – and that commitment to the future is what makes the present inhabitable.

Themes of Faith from The Third Sunday of Advent, 2009

2009-12-13T23:28:00.007-06:00

Hymn Verse by Saint Ambrose of Milan (translation by William Morton Reynolds) Savior of the nations, come; virgin's Son, here make thy home! Marvel now, O heaven and earth, that the Lord chose such a birth. This English text has essentially the same meaning as the following choral composition by Johann Sebastian Bach, presented by an orchestra and chorus conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt.

Prayer intention for the Third Sunday of Advent
Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us.

From the Gospel According to Luke (3:16-18): John [the Baptizer] answered [the pilgrims at the Jordan River] by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

From the Letter from the Apostle Paul to the Philippians (4:8-9): ... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

Quotation from Meister Eckhart Meister Eckhart o. p. (c. 1260–c. 1328) For however devoted you are to (God), you may be sure that he is immeasurably more devoted to you.

Themes of Faith from The Second Sunday of Advent, 2009

2009-12-06T19:33:00.011-06:00

Selections from "In a Dark Time" by Theodore Roethke

I meet my shadow in the deepening shade ...
A lord of nature weeping to a tree
I live between the heron and the wren...

A man goes far to find out what he is ... Dark, dark my light, and darker my desire ... The mind enters itself, and God the mind, and One is one, free in the tearing wind.

Verse 1 From an Hymn by Carol Christopher Drake

What is the crying at Jordan? Who hears, O God, the prophecy? Dark is the season, dark our hearts and shut to mystery.

Verse From an Ancient Hymn (contemporary wording)
Hark! A thrilling voice is sounding, "Christ is near" it seems to say; "Cast away the workds of darkness, O you children of the day"

Prayer intention for the Second Sunday in Advent

Merciful God, who sent your messenges the prophets to preach repenance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer ...

From the Letter of Paul to the Phillipians (1:9-12)

... this is my prayer, that your ... knowledge and full insight ... help you to determine what is best, that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousess that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

Hymn verse by James Mason Neale

O very God of very God, and very light of light, Whose feet the earth's dark valley trod that so it may be bright; we wait in faith and turn our face to where the daylight springs, till Thou shall come our gloom to chase with healing in Thy wings.

Curmudgeon Redux

2009-08-04T01:54:00.002-05:00

On Februry 19, life got a lot busier when 40% of our office staff was laid off. I believe they are all now employed elsewhere, Laus deo. Nevertheless, my days are longer, and I had to give up something --- the daily postings that I used to make here.

Now however I would like to use this space to help spread a virus --- a certain YouTube video that already has 15,000,000 hits. Since it was mentioned favorably in a sermon at church and as we struggle to retain in the 21st century the joy of the ceremony honored by Christ at Cana, the following is worth a look.

Data for Friday, February 20

2009-02-20T05:59:00.002-06:00

This has been the week that was. Next is the week that will be. It seems to be time to put this blog on hiatus. We'll see if the Accidental Curmudgeon, whoever that is, comes back after Lent.

Data for Tuesday, Febr\uary 17

2009-02-17T07:01:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Onesimus, who, as a slave, was the subject of Saint Paul's letter to Philemon

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 11:20-25 -- As [Jesus and his disciples] passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. And Peter remembered and said to him, "Master, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered." And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses."

Word of the Day --- rains -- events in which water precipitates from clouds and falls to earth in the form of liquid drops.

Place of the Day --- Betelu, Navarra, Spain -- 43°01'32"N, 1°58'50"W

Data for Monday, February 16

2009-02-16T08:29:00.012-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Janani Luwum (1922-1977) -- Archbishop of Uganda, Martyr

Scripture of the Day --- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] -1 Timothy 1:12-16 -- [The Apostle Paul wrote the following in the first of two letters to the younger apostle Timothy] "I thank him who has given me strength for this, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful by appointing me to his service, though I formerly blasphemed and persecuted and insulted him; but I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners; but I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience for an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life." --

Word of the Day --- decimal -- 1) a number written using the base 10; 2) more commonly - a number smaller than one divided by 100 and represented by the two digits to the right of a decimal point.

Place of the Day --- Oschatz, Saxony (Sachsen), Germany -- 51°17'57"N, 13°06'46"E - a town located 32 miles east of Leipzig, the largest city in the state of Saxony. The uploaded photo shows the market place in Oschatz as captured by Klaus Brink and posted at http://www.panaramio.com.

Data for Sunday, February 15

2009-02-15T17:11:00.003-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany

Collect: (prayer for intentions designated for this particular Sunday of the church calendar, as specified in the Book of Common Prayer; it may align 0with the designated scripture readings) -- O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you; Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Scripture --- [Selected from the Eucharistic Lectionary for Year B, Revised Common Lectionary] --
First Corinthians 9: 24-25 -- [Saint Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, wrote the following in his first of two letters to the Christians in Corinth around the year 55 AD. Paul uses the metaphor of a race to stress that effort, discipline, goal-orientation are needed by the followers of Jesus Christ.] -- Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable [one]. (RSV)

[The other readings from the Revised Common Lectionary - the Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany - are as follows.]

O.T. LESSON: Second Kings 5:1-14 -- The story of Naaman, army commander for a neighborhing county, who contracted a skin disease (leprosy) who was cured by following the instruction given by the prophet Elisha, 'the man of God".
PSALM 30 -- "I will exalt you, O LORD, becuase you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me. ..."
GOSPEL: Mark 1:40-45 -- Jesus heals a leper, who spreads the news of his healing. Henceforth Jesus can not visit towns openly because of the crowds; and he begins conducting his missions in the countryside.

Place of the Day --- Lietchfield, Kentucky, USA -- 37°28'49"N, 86°17'37"W -- a town on US Highway 62, the seat of Grayson County and just off the Western Kentucky Parkway, 61 miles SW of Louisville, the largest city in Kentucky.

Data for Saturday, February 14

2009-02-15T02:21:00.004-06:00

Saints of the Day --- Cyril (ca. 827 - 869), and Methodius, (ca. 825 - 885) Missionaries to the Slavs

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 10:48-52 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] And many [in the crord] rebuked him, telling him to be silent; but [Bartimaeus, a blind beggar] cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; rise, he is calling you." And throwing off his mantle he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Master, let me receive my sight." And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- rink -- 1) a smooth extent of ice marked off for curling or ice hockey ; 2) a surface of ice used for ice-skating or a smooth surfuace used for roller skating 3) a building that contains such a surfaces

Place of the Day --- Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia -- 28°39'20"S, 151°56'02"E - A town on Highway 15 located about 104 miles SW of Brisbane, the state capital.

Data for Friday, February 13

2009-02-12T21:41:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Absalom Jones of Philadelphia (1746-1818), who with Richard Allen was one of the first two African-Americans ordained in the US.

Scripture of the Day --- 2nd Timothy 3:12-17 - [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] - [In the last days...] All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- seigniors -- feudal lords of manors ; men of rank in pre-revelutionary France or in ancient England after the Norman conquest.

Place of the Day --- Sievering, Vienna (Wien), Austria -- 48°15'07"N, 16°19'15"E - neighborhood of Vienna, located in the district of Döbling, it's about 4 miles (6 km) NW of the city center.

Data for Thursday, Februrary 12

2009-02-12T07:17:00.005-06:00

Hero of the Day --- Saint Ethelwald of Lindisfarne ( - ca. 721), Bishop at Lindisfarne

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 10: 17-27 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." (RSV)

[Comment: For the Christian the message of this passage in as follows --- It is virtually impossible to enter the kingdom of God through one's good works alone. Our best hope is the grace of God, which is earned (as we are told elsewhere in the scriptures) through faith in Christ as one's savior and maintaining a relationship with him through prayer and worship.]

Word of the Day --- coronary -- 1) surrounding like a crown --- used especially to characterize the arteries surrounding the heart; 2) an event in the coronary arteries --- e.g. a "heart attack"

Place of the Day --- Borrano, Abruzzo, Italy -- 42°46'57"N, 13°42'01"E - a small village about 33 miles NE of the provincial capital L'Aquila and 87 miles N of Roma (Roma) the capital of Italy.

Data for Wednesday, February 11

2009-02-11T06:18:00.004-06:00

Hero of the Day --- Caedmon (?-675) -- poet and musician at Whitby

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 10: 13-16 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] - And [people in the crowds] were bringing children to [Jesus], that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- sportsmen -- 1) men who participate in sports; 2) people who observe rules, respect others, and accept victory or defeat graciously

Place of the Day --- Patromeno Uno, Nayarit, Mexico -- 21°45'47"N, 105°15'24"W - a isolated farming village about 5 miles directly SW of the town of Santiago Ixcuintla, and 29 miles NW of the state capital, Tepic and 430 miles WNW of Mexico City.

Data for Tuesday, February 10

2009-02-10T04:28:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Scholastica (c. 480 - 543) OSB, -- nun and abbess

Scripture of the Day --- 2 Timothy 1:7-10 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control. Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- radicchio -- a variety of chicory, with purplish-red, (Cichorium intybus) leaves that form an oval head, used in salads

Place of the Day --- Gonaïves, Haiti -- 19°26'51"N, 72°41'21"W - This city is a seaport and district center located about 67 miles NNW of the national capital Port au Prince.

Data for Monday, February 9

2009-02-09T07:23:00.009-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Apollonia of Alexandria ( - 249), martyr

This uploaded image is a painting of Saint Apollonia by Piero della Francesca currently in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 58:6-11 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, Here I am. "If you take away from the midst of you the yoke, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday. And the LORD will guide you ontinually, and satisfy your desire with good things, and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. The Revised Standard Version The Bible text designated RSV is from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1959, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Word of the Day --- manorial -- pertaining to a manor - i.e the main house on an estate -- originally connoting inherited property with feudal rights (e.g. as ruled by the Lord of the
manor.)

Place of the Day --- Marianna, Arkansas, USA -- 34°46'28"N, 90°46'20"W - a town located on US Highway 79, which happens to be the seat of Lee County, 48 miles SW of the city of Memphis, Tennessee and 85 miles east of the Arkansas state captal, Little Rock.

Data for Sunday, February 8

2009-02-09T07:23:00.008-06:00

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Data for Saturday, February 7

2009-02-07T01:04:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Anselmo Polanco (1881 - 1939) O.S.A., --- Bishop of Teruel, Missionary

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 23:1-6 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] - The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want; he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (RSV)

Word of the Day ---armadas -- 1) large fleets of warships; 2) [by analogy] large groups of military vehicles in formation

Place of the Day --- Dator, Senegal -- 13°18'57"N, 15°41'12"W - near the border of The Gambia, a small village 64 miles NE of Ziguinchor, which is the largest city in the southern half of Senegal.

Data for Friday, February 6

2009-02-06T03:46:00.005-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Dorothy, martyr at Caesarea of Cappadocia (- ca. 288)

Scripture of the Day --- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] --Galatians 5:19-24 -- [Paul, the Apostle, continues with his letter to Christains in the province of Galatia...] Now the works of the flesh are plain: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- throat -1) in human anatomy, the passage from the mouth to the stomach or to the lungs, including the pharynx, esophagus, larynx, and trachea; 2) similar structures in other vertebrates; 3) analagous structures in various mechanical devices.

Place of the Day --- Itajubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil -- 22°25'37"S, 45°27'11"W - This city is located 107 miles NE of São Paulo , the nation's largest metropolis; 146 miles WNW of Brazil's former capital city Rio de Janeiro and 205 SE of its state capital Belo Horizonte. I have uploaded a peek at the skyline of downtown Itajuba. The original may be found on Panaramio indexed to the city name or the photographer ''Paulo Márcio da Silv…: "

Data for Thursday, February 5

2009-02-04T23:20:00.005-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Paul Miki and his Companions, the Martyrs of Nagasaki -- 1597

Scripture of the Day --- Isa. 55:6-12 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; 7let the wicked forsake their way, and the unrighteous their thoughts;let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth,making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, 11so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty,but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it. For you shall go out in joy, and be led back in peace;the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Word of the Day --- isomerism -- the state of being an isomer i.e. Any of two or more substances that are composed of the same elements in the same proportions but differ in properties because of differences in the arrangement of atoms.

Place of the Day --- Sherpur, Bangladesh -- 25°01'09"N, 90°00'47"E - This large town / small city is a district capital located NNE of the national capital Dacca (Dhaka).

Data for Wednesday, February 4

2009-02-04T06:18:00.004-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Cornelius the Centurion of Caesarea (NT) Apparently he was the first Christian among the Gentile (non-Jewish) people, according to the Book of Acts, Chapter 10.

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 72: 1-7, 12-14 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] Give the king thy justice, O God, and thy righteousness to the royal son! May he judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with justice! Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people, and the hills, in righteousness! May he defend the cause of the poor of the people, give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor! May he live while the sun endures, and as long as the moon, throughout all generations! May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass, like showers that water the earth! In his days may righteousness flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more! ... For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper. He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy. From oppression and violence he redeems their life; and precious is their blood in his sight. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- ferments -- 1) undergoes [as a food or beverage] a process of fermentation, such as a chemical breakdown of sugars into alcohol ; 2) undergoes [as a group of people] a process whereby some concept [fact, idea, fashion, etc.} is disseminated resulting in a state of unrest or some observable behavior; 3) spoils through a natural process (as wine becomes vingar)

Place of the Day --- Artemisa, Cuba -- 22°48'44"N, 82°45'20"W - a village about 33 miles SW of the national capital Havana (La Habana) . According to the description given by the photographer "Forku", this picture from Panaramio shows the Hotel Sevilla in Artemisa.

Data for Tuesday, February 3

2009-02-03T06:46:00.005-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Anskar (801-865) -- Bishop and Missionary to Denmark and Sweden

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 8:1-6, 8-9 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] In those days, when again a great crowd had gathered, and they had nothing to eat, [Jesus] called his disciples to him, and said to them, "I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come a long way." And his disciples answered him, "How can one feed these men with bread here in the desert?" And he asked them, "How many loaves have you?" They said, "Seven." And he commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground; and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd. ... And they ate, and were satisfied; and they took up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. And there were about four thousand people. (RSV)

[Comment: At one level, this text indicates that Jesus was thoughtful and compassionate and and it suggests that these are virtues that would be highly appropriate for those trying to live a Christian life.

At another level this text raises the issue of what 21st century people are to make of the stories of miracles that one finds in the scriptures. In the telling, they are signs of Jesus' divinity; he is someone not bound by the laws of phyisics, etc. that apply to us mortals. But science and common sense tell us to always look for natural explanations for seemingly unbelievable events. For this particular miracle story, a strictly natural common sense explanation can be hypothesized --- and that may be all there is to this story.

But there are other miracle stories in the Bible that are much harder to explain using natural processes --- at least not in the world of our experience. However the physics we understand does not add up to the universe that we can see. Suppose there are actually four, five or six dimensions in the universe and we are only aware of 3 1/2. (North-south; east-west; up-down; time in one direction)

Ultimately faith requires a belief in things unseen. To believe in the Jesus of the Bible, you must in some way come to know him and trust him.]

Word of the Day --- marcher -- one who walks in a procesion

Place of the Day --- Nazca, Peru -- 14°49'50"S, 74°56'14"W -- a city in an area of archaeological significance --- It is located 75 SE of Ica, the district capital, and about 235 miles SE of Lima, the national captial

Data for Monday, February 2

2009-02-01T19:31:00.005-06:00

Observance of the Day --- The Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (formerly known as Candlemas) -- If one started counting days on Christmas Day, today would be Day 40. This is the observance of an event in the life of Christ, as reported in the third gospel Luke 2:22-40, which occured in fulfillment of the Law of Moses. The uploaded image is a picture of the Holy Family with Simeon the Righteous as described in Luke 2:25-35. Image source - unknown. It has been published on several blogs and web sites without attribution or copyright notice.

Scripture of the Day --- Psalms 57:7-11 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to thee among the nations. For thy steadfast love is great to the heavens, thy faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth!

Word of the Day --- continua -- sets of values that vary within continuous ranges

Place of the Day --- Kalvola, Finland -- 61°05'29"N, 24°07'55"E - a village in southern Finland located near Highway 3 about 31 miles SSE of the major city Tampere and about 70 miles SSE of the national capital Helsinki.

Data for Sunday, February 1

2009-02-01T00:34:00.007-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

Collect: (prayer for intentions designated for this particular Sunday of the church calendar, as specified in the Book of Common Prayer; it may align with the designated scripture readings) -- Almighty and everlasting God, you govern all things both in heaven and on earth: Mercifully hear the supplications of your people, and in our time grant us your peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Scripture --- [Selected from the Eucharistic Lectionary for Year B, Revised Common Lectionary] -- Psalm 111: 2-3, 9-10 -- Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Full of honour and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures for ever. ... He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant for ever. Holy and awesome is his name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practise it have a good understanding. His praise endures for ever. [The other readings from the Revised Common Lectionary are as follows.]

O.T. LESSON: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 -- In this instruction manual for living under the covenant of Abraham, the people of Israel are told to expect a prophet to be raised up from among them.
EPISTLE: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 -- Teaching of the Apostle Paul on food sacrificed to idols.
GOSPEL: Mark 1:21-28 -- At synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus teaches authoritatively and heals a demoniac.

Place of the Day --- Burgoyne, New York, USA -- 43°05'43"N, 73°39'52"W -- a crossroad settlement on state highway 29, 5 miles ENE of the county seat, Saratoga Springs (Saratoga County) and 31 miles NNE of the state capital Albany.

Data for Saturday, January 31, 2009

2009-01-31T19:51:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- John Bosco (1815 - 1888) -- priest, educator

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 51: 4-6 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] --"Listen to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go forth from me, and my justice for a light to the peoples. My deliverance draws near speedily, my salvation has gone forth, and my arms will rule the peoples; the coastlands wait for me, and for my arm they hope. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be for ever, and my deliverance will never be ended." (Comment: In this passage, the prophet --- perhaps the second to write under the name Isaiah --- writes a message to the children of Israel worded as one coning directly from God. This comes in the same part of Isaiah as the "servant songs", which Christians understand as prophecies fortelling the coming of Christ, Jesus. So when Christians read "My deliverance draws near speedily ... my salvation will be for ever", we understand that Christ is our deliverance and through him (if we accept the covenat of Christ) our salvation will be for ever.")

Word of the Day --- ministered -- 1) attended to the wants and needs of others; 2) functioned as a cleric (pastor, priest, deacon, , etc.) or lay minister.

Place of the Day --- Kozel’sk (Козельск), Kaluzhskaya, Russia -- 54°01'52"N, 35°47'21"E - a town on the Zhizdra River and highway P-94 located 31 miles SW on the district capital, Kaluga and 132 miles SW of the Russian capital, Moscow (Москва)

Data for Friday, January 30, 2009

2009-01-30T06:37:00.005-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Hyacintha of Mariscotti (1585 - 1640), Franciscan nun

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 40: 5-6 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] - Great things are they that you have done, O LORD my God! how great your wonders and your plans for us! there is none who can be compared with you. Oh, that I could make them known and tell them! but they are more than I can count. (NRSV)

Word of the Day --- licorice -- (alternate spelling - liquorice) - a perennial bush-like plant, Glycyrrhiza glabra, native to the Mediterranean area; 2) the dried, black, sweet tasting root of this plant; 3) a type of candy flavored with an extract from this plant. Photo of Glycyrrhiza glabra from http://www.pontefractliquorice.co.uk .

Place of the Day --- Durgāpur, West Bengal, India -- 23°29'48"N, 87°19'28"E - A large industrial city on the Damodar River accessible from highway NH2 and located about 90 NE of Kolkata (Calcutta), the capital of the province of West Bengal Photo of Durgāpur Steel plant from Wikipedia "Durgapur" article.

Data for Thursday, Janaury 29, 2009

2009-01-29T05:04:00.004-06:00

Saints of the Day --- Lydia, Dorcas and Phoebe, three women of faith mentioned in the New Testament -- in Acts 16:11-15,40; in Acts 9:36-42 and in Philippians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3:8,12.

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 118:14-17, 21-23 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD is exalted, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!" I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. ... I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation. 22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Word of the Day --- baryons -- subatomic particles that are comprised of three quarks and which participate in strong interactions.

Place of the Day --- Sarcham-e Pā’īn, Zanjan, Iran -- 37°03'58"N, 47°56'42"E - a populated place on Highway A01, about 40 miles NW of the provincial capital, Zanjan and about 215 miles WNW of the national capital, Tehran.

Data for Wednesday, January 28, 2009

2009-01-29T05:03:00.000-06:00

Placeholder Entry

Data for Monday, January 26, 2009

2009-01-25T21:16:00.005-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Conversion of the Apostle Paul (transferred from Sunday, January 25) In Acts 26:9-21, the story of this event is told (by the evangelist Luke) in the words of Paul testifying before King Agrippa, the King of Judea.

Scripture of the Day --- Galatians 1:13 - 17a, 22-23 -- [Selection based on the Daily Office Lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer] - For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, [says Saint Paul in this letter to the Christians in Galatia] how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it; and I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and had called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me [for threee years and then visited Cephas there, and met with James , the Lord's brother, but stayed there only for fifteen days] ... but [then] I went away into Arabia; and again I returned to Damascus. And I was still not known by sight to the churches of Christ in Judea; they only heard it said, "He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy."

Word of the Day --- cinnabars -- 1. moths of the species Callimorpha jacobaeae L. 2. (singular) a mineral, mercuric sulfide, often occring in a crystalline form, used as ore for the production of mercury 3. a shade of the color red characteristc of the mineral cinnabar

Place of the Day --- Abstatt, Baden-Württemberg , Germany -- 49°04'16"N, 09°17'34"E -a village about 6 miles SE of the city of Heilbronn and about 21 miles NNE of the provincial capital, Stuttgart.

Data for Sunday, January 25, 2009

2009-01-25T06:07:00.006-06:00

Observance of the Day ---- Third Sunday after Epiphany

Collect: (prayer for intentions that align,more or less, with the scriptures readings which are designated for this particular Sunday) Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good Newsomf his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Scripture --- Selected from the Eucharistic Lectionary for Year B -- Mark 1:14-20 -- Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of [people]." And immediately they left their nets and followed him., And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zeb'edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him. (RSV - The Bible text designated RSV is from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1959, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission.) [Comment: This departure of the four disciples from their homes sounds pretty abrupt. But remember that Mark's gospel is a gospel of action; he wastes no words on filling in the details. I expect that God in his providence had caused the groundwork to be laid so that their decision to leave was the culmination of a series of fortunate events.]

Place of the Day --- Carrollton, Ohio, USA -- 40°34'25"N, 81°05'16"W --a town that is the seat of Carroll County, 25 miles SE of the city of Canton and 42 miles SE of Akron and 71 miles SE of Cleveland. This image of the Carroll County courthouse was uploaded from the Wikipedia article on "Carroll County"

Data for Saturday, January 24, 2009

2009-01-24T04:34:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Francis de Sales (1567 - 1622), Bishop of Geneva

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 43:3-4 -- 3 Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise thee with the lyre, O God, my God. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- reload -- to place an additional quantity of material on a platform or in a receptacle from where it may be used or deployed; to empty a firearm of its expended shell, if necssary, and load it with more ammunition

Place of the Day --- Borisoglebsk, Voronezhskaya, Russia --51°22'34"N, 42°04'24"E - a town located about 126 miles ESE of the city of Voronezh, the district capital via Highway A-144.

Zeitgeist --- There's an old hymn (translated from Latin by Benjamin Webb) "Oh love, how deep, how broad, how high....that ... the Son of God, should take our mortal form for mortal's sake" And the following verses follow a pattern illustrated here by the fifth verse; "For us he rose from death again; for us he went on high to reign; for us he sent his Spirit here -- to guide, to strengthen and to cheer". And here is how Barak Obama saluted the builders of our nation, "the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things" "For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans... . For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth. For us they fought and died in place like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh."

Data for Friday, January 23, 2009

2009-01-23T22:36:00.002-06:00

Hero of the Day --- Ildephonsus, (? -667) , Bishop of Toledo --

The uploaded image is a representation of this saint in the framed detail from a painting by El Greco, as posting in the Wikipedia aticle for "Ildephonsus"

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 44:37-41 -- And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and [his disciples] woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?" And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?" (RSV)

Word of the Day --- scarps -- lines of cliffs formed by the faulting or fracturing or warping of rock formations and and their subsequent erosion; escarpments

Place of the Day --- Somerseta, Preiļu, Latvia --- 56°07'55"N, 27°00'24"E -- a village on Highway P62 located about 16 miles SE of the city of Preiļu, the county seat and 25 miles NW of Daugavpils, the second largest city of Latvia. The uploaded image is photo of the Basilica of Our Lady of Aglona. Algona is a nearby village, close enough to include the village of Somseta in its municipal goverrnment.

Zeitgeist --- "When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. " So said St Paul (1st Corinthians 13:11). "... in the words of Scripture, the time has cometo set aside childish things." ---- "petty grievances and false promises ... recriminations and worn-out dogmas" So said Barack Obama in his inaugural address.

Data for Thursday, January 22, 2009

2009-01-21T23:38:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Vincent of Saragossa ( ? - 304), Deacon and Martyr --

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 4:30-32 And [Jesus] said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is [one of] the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all [forbs], and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." (RSV, edited) [Note: The term "forb" is used to describe durable non-woody plants. The term "shrub" in the Bible connotes a woody plant, a category that does not include the mustard plant. The term "smallest of all the seeds" must be interpreted with respect to the natural history knowledge of the first century Judaean. I think the point is that if you seek the kingdom of God ,you will sow the seed for an outstanding life that will benefit others.]

Word of the Day --- wrangled -- 1) quarreled noisily, angrily or disruptively; 2) herded and cared for horses, or other livestock

Place of the Day --- Edendale, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa -- 29°38'54"S, 30°17'40"E - expressway exit / (former?) railway station - a central point in a area of dispersed rural settlement, 7 miles SW of Pietermaritzburg and 46 miles ENE of the state capital, Durban.

Zeitgeist --- "gathering clouds and rising storms" This would seem to be the phrase that President Obama's speech writer must have originally had in mind for the second paragraph of his inaugural address. It hangs together and makes a strong impression --- a little too strong evidently. In the actual speech a less pessimistic wording was used.

Data for Wednesday, January 21, 2009

2009-01-20T22:32:00.005-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Agnes (291-304) of Rome, a martyr

Scripture of the Day --- Mark 4:14-20 -- [Jesus explains to his disciples the Parable of the Sower who plants the seed by casting it over the ground.] "The sower sows the word. And these are the ones [the people who react like the soil] along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." (RSV)

Word of the Day --- barre --1) a handrail mounted on a wall of a ballet studio to help dancers maintain their balance; 2) a fingering technique for a stringed musical instrument with a fretboard, whereby a finger is laid across the strings along a fret so as to stop the sound. Photo uploaded from http://www.flickr.com , contributed by Oude School under Creative Commons copyright

Place of the Day --- Deir ez-Zor, Syria -- 35°19'58"N, 40°08'27"E --a city on the Euphrates River in Syria, about 80 miles upstream (NW) from Iraq; it is a district capital on Highway 7, about 250 miles ENE of the national capital Dimashq (Damacus). Photo of an iconic Euphrates River bridge uploaded from http://www.flickr.com , contributed by hazy jenius under Creative Commons copyright.

Data for Tuesday, January 20, 2009

2009-01-19T18:54:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Fabian ( ? - 250), Bishop of Rome

Scripture of the Day --- Ephesians 4: 17, 20, 22-32 -- Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the [average people] do, in the futility of their minds ... You did not so learn Christ! -- Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Word of the Day --- yardmaster -- (in the US) an individual in charge of a railroad yard

Place of the Day --- Adul, Maharashtra, India -- 19°42'45"N, 75°32'05"E - a town on national highway 211 about 18 miles SE of the city of Aurangabad and about 183 miles ENE of the provincial capital, Mumbai

Data for Monday, January 19, 2009

2009-01-19T14:06:00.003-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Confession of Peter the Apostle [tranferred from Sunday, January 18] On this day the church remembers how the Apostle Peter was led by God's grace to acknowledge Jesus as the Christ (Matthew 16:13-20), and join with Peter, and with all Christians around the world in hailing Jesus as our Lord, God, and Savior. (adapted from commentary by James Kiefer)

Scripture of the Day --- Ephesians 4:1-7 -- I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. [Comment: This is the continuation of a letter from the Apostle Paul, imprisoned in Rome --- or someone who has assumed this persona for pedagogic effect --- to the Christians in the city of Ephesus,; it's a combination of guidance and basic insruction in Christrianity 101]

Word of the Day --- earshot -- the range or distance over which one can hear or be heard [definition from the Compact Oxford English Dictionary of Current English]

Place of the Day --- Österfärnebo, Gävleborgs Län, Sweden -- 60°18'33"N, 16°47'52"E - this community is located on Highway 272 about 22 miles S of the town of Sandvik and 28 miles SW of the city of Gävle which is the political cener of this district.

Data for Sunday, January 18, 2009

2009-01-18T03:31:00.006-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Second Sunday after Epiphany

Collect: (prayer for intentions that align,more or less, with the scriptures readings which are designated for this particular Sunday) Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Selected Scripture of the Day --- John 1: 45-51 -- Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (RSV) [Comment: The last verse is a reference to the vision of the patriarch Jacob -- Genesis 28:12-22 -- and a sign that Jesus would be in direct communication with God. BTW - John is the only one of the four gospel writer who mentions the apostle Nathanael, but he never mentions Bartholomew who is included by the other gospel writers in the list of the 12 apostles. As far as we know, the gospel references to Nathanael and Bartholomew pertain to the same person.]

Place of the Day --- Wannee, Florida, USA -- 29°43'06"N, 82°56'29"W - a rural settlement along the Suwanee River, about 5 miles ESE of the village of Bell on US Highway 129, and about 10 miles NE of the town of Trenton, the seat of Gilchrist County and about 36 miles W of the city of Gainesville.

Data for Saturday, January 17, 2009

2009-01-17T07:38:00.002-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Antony (251-356 ), Abbot in Egypt The uploaded image shows Saint Anthony, the Abbot and Saint Paul of Egypt the hermit (remembered on Monday) in a detailed view of a painting by Diego Velazquez (Image found at http://cgfa.sunsite.dk )

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 110: 1-4 The Lord says to my lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." The Lord sends out from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your foes. Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day you lead your forces on the holy mountains. From the womb of the morning, like dew, your youth will come to you. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." [Comment: Based on numerous New Testament references, acccording to a Bible commentary --- Jamieson, Fausset & Brown --- this Psalm celebrates the exaltation of Christ to the throne of an eternal and increasing kingdom, and a perpetual priesthood.]

Word of the Day --- mania -- 1) an intense enthusiasm, interest, or desire; 2) a craze; 3) violent abnormal behavior; 4) a manifestation of bipolar disorder, characterized by numerous and rapidly changing ideas, exaggerated gaiety, irritability or sexuality, and decreased sleep (definition based on entry in The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.)

Place of the Day --- Valia, Gujarat, India -- 21°34'21"N, 73°09'29"E - a town at the intersection of State Highways 13 & 165, 12 miles ESE of the town of Ankleshwar and about 16 miles SE (direct) from the city of Bharuch, the district center and about 108 miles SSE of Ahmadabad, the leading city of the Gujarat state.

Data for Friday, January 16, 2009

2009-01-15T22:29:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Saint Fursey of Peronne (c.567 - 648) -- monk, abbot, missionary

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 16: 7-11 -- I will bless the LORD who gives me counsel; *my heart teaches me, night after night. I have set the LORD always before me; *because he is at my right hand I shall not fall. My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *my body also shall rest in hope. For you will not abandon me to the grave, *nor let your holy one see the Pit. You will show me the path of life; *in your presence there is fullness of joy,and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore. (NRSV)

Word of the Day --- impersonates -- third person singular form of verb to impersonate - 1) to mimic (someone's) behavior, often for comic effect; 2) to assume the appearance of someone for dratamic or security purposes; 3) to assume the identity of someone, with respect to documents and credit cards, etc. for criminal or covert purposes.

Place of the Day --- Bramen, Jawa Tengah (Central Java), Indonesia --07°41'23"S, 110°36'10"E -- a village near Highway 2 about 2 miles NE of the town of Klaten and about 18 miles ENE of the independant city of Yogyakarta. Uploaded image shows Mount Merapi, a nearby volcano which had a major eruption in 2006. Photo by Eric Lafforgue, a small version of the image posted at http://www.flickr.com - © All rights reserved.

Data for Thursday, January 15, 2009

2009-01-15T03:40:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Paul of Egypt (ca. 230 - 342) hermit

Scripture of the Day --- Ephesians 2:17-21 -- And [Christ Jesus] came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near; for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (RSV)

[AC Exegesis: The apostle Paul, or someone who adopted his technique of ministry, has written the above text as part of a letter to cetain Christians in 1st century Ephesis in Asia Minor, which is today part of Turkey. He is encouraging unity among believers from diverse backgrounds, whom, he says, are all citizens of the household of God, who is known to them through the Holy Spirit and and united in God's new temple, which is, figuratively, the entire Christian community (holy, catholic, diverse and apostolic), --- God's edifice, built with Christ as the chief cornerstone.]

Word of the Day --- adorably -- [behaved or acted] in a delightful, attractive or charming manner

Place of the Day --- San Marcos de Colon, Choluteca, Honduras -- 13°26'02"N, 86°48'39"W - a town on the Pan-American Highway, about 5 miles W of the Nicaraguan border and about 25 miles ENE of the district capital, Choluteca. As the crow flies, this town is about 50 miles SE of the national capital Tegucigalpa.

Data for Wednesday, January 14, 2009

2009-01-14T04:06:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Sava (ca. 1175 - 1235) -- monk, Archbishop of the Serbs

Scripture of the Day --- Ephesians 2:1-2a, 3-5a., 6a -- And [God] made you alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world. ... Among these we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, following the desires of body and mind, and so we were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ ... and raised us up with him... (RSV, modified)

Word of the Day --- homelands -- the territories of the place in which [someone] was born or where [somewhat] lives

Place of the Day --- Homeland, Polk County, Florida, USA -- 27°49'04"N, 81°49'28"W a village located along US Highway 17, about 4 miles S of the town of Bartow and about 15 miles S of the city Lakeland, which is the county seat.

Data for Tuesday, January 13, 2009

2009-01-13T07:11:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Hilary of Poitiers (315-367) -- Bishop and Theologian

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 40:28-30 [...] The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint..

Word of the Day --- spenders -- people who pay out money in order to obtain goods or hie services

Place of the Day --- Deshkovka, Kaluzhskaya, Russia -- 54°00'28"N, 35°47'16"E a rural settlement, 2 about miles south of the town of Kozel'sk and roughly 40 miles southeast of the district capital of Kaluga.

Data for Monday, January 12, 2009

2009-01-11T22:53:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Aelred O. Cist. (1109-1167) Abbot of Rievaulx

Scripture of the Day --- Ephesians 1:9-10,13-14 -- For [God the Father] has made known to us in all wisdom and insight the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fulness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. ... In him you ..., who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. - (RSV) The Bible text designated RSV is from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1959, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission..

Word of the Day --- manliness -- the trait of being manly, having the characteristics of an adult male (Note - The WOD is generated by a quasi-random algorithm applied to a datum entry specific and unique to this particular date.)

Place of the Day --- Kleidorf, Bavaria, Germany -- 48°31'11"N, 11°52'20"E -- a hamlet about 1 miles W of the village of Mauern, 9 miles NNE of Freising the district center and about 25 miles NNE of the state capital, Munich.

Data for Sunday, January, 11, 2009

2009-01-11T00:33:00.002-06:00

Observance of the Day ---First Sunday after Epiphany: The Baptism of Christ

Orientation: For the past two weeks, the Church has been celebrating the birth of Jesus, as the incarnation of Christ. Now we fast forward 30 years ahead to the beginning of Jesus' ministry as the long-expected Emmanuel (i.e. God with us)

Collect: (prayer for intentions that align with the special observance and the scriptures readings which are designated for this particular Sunday) Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed himwith the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldlyconfess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the HolySpirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen

Selected Scripture of the Day --- Mark 1:9-11 --In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. (NRSV)

Place of the Day --- Delisle, Ohio, USA -- 40°01'11"N, 84°33'06"W - a village on highway 49 about 6 miles SE of the town Greenville, the seat of Darke County, and about 25 miles northeast of the city of Dayton.

Data for Saturday, January 10, 2009

2009-01-10T18:02:00.006-06:00

Saint of the Day --- William Laud, (1573-1645) Archbishop of Canterbury, and Martyr -- He served during the height of the Puritan attacks against the traditions of the church. At the beginning of the English Civil War between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists, Parliament decreed Laud's execution without a verdict of guilty at his trial.

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 65:1-2 -- I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, "Here am I, here am I," to a nation that did not call on my name. I spread out my hands all the all the day to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, following their own devices. (Comment: Through the words of the prophet, God speaks to the ancient Hebrews and perhaps to the people of the today.)

Word of the Day --- trampoline -- gymnastic and recreational apparatus consisting of a Västervikstrong taut fabric attached to coil springs and stretched horizontally inside a metal frame so to permit a gymnast jump on the fabric surface and be propelled with upward force on the rebound.
Photo: Copyright © 2003 Eurotramp Trampoline http://www.eurotramp.com/Produkte.html

Place of the Day --- Ekvik, Kalmar, Sweden -- 58°04'42"N, 16°11'00"E - a rural community located near route 35 about 28 miles NE of the town of Västervik, and roughly 80 miles north of the provincial capital of Kalmar.

Data for Friday, January 9, 2009

2009-01-09T07:15:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Adrian of Canterbury (ca. 630 -710) abbot

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 122:1 -- I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!"

Word of the Day --- hogan -- a traditional Navajo building used a house or a lodge; made with a wood framework with the doorway always facing east, the building is typically covered with earth.

Place of the Day --- Horta, Azores, Portugal -- 38°31'57"N, 28°37'35"W - the principal town on the island of Faial. Image by "fotoditzi" uploaded from http://www.panaramio.com and reduced in size © All rights reserved

Data for Thursday, January 8, 2009

2009-01-08T01:18:00.005-06:00

Hero of the Day --- Nate Saint (1923 - 1946) and the martyrs of the Ecuadorean mission. For more information, several links may be found at last year's entry for this blog. http://accidentalcurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2008/01/wallpaper-for-tuesday-january-8.html

Scripture of the Day ---Psalm 113: 1-4 -- Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD! Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised! The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!

Word of the Day --- homesteaded -- past tense of verb"to homestead" - moved on to some rural land, built a house and subsequently conducted farming operations - (and, in the case of certain US government land, filed a claim for eventual owneship of the land under the provision of the Homestead Act)

Place of the Day --- Stranger, Texas, USA -- 31°19'36"N, 96°43'30"W - A settlement (possibly just a single ranch) on Ranch Road 1771, about 9 miles east of the town of Marlin, the county seat (Falls County), and roughly 25 miles SE of the city of Waco. [If there's a name of a popuated place on a map that Google Earth can find, Place of the Day may go there.]

Data for Wednesday, January 7, 2009

2009-01-07T00:46:00.004-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Raymond of Peñafort, O.P. (ca. 1175 - 1275) legal scholar.

Scripture of the Day --- John 2:1-5 -- On the third day there was a marriage at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; Jesus also was invited to the marriage, with his disciples. When the wine failed, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "O woman, what have you to do with me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." [Observation: A message from Mary to you and me.]

Word of the Day --- blanches -- third-person singular simple present indicative form of the verb to blanch -- (transitive verb senses) to remove color or whiten something by bleaching or by removing sunlight, etc.; to scald something with boiling or hot water as a step in food proparation; to cause something to turn pale or white (intransitive verb sense) to turn white or pale

Place of the Day --- Bullas, Murcia, Spain -- 38°02'53"N, 1°40'16"W - 30 miles WNW of Murcia the provincial/regional capital

Data for Tuesday, January 6

2009-01-05T22:19:00.002-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Feast of the Epiphany -- celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles, i.e. the non-Jewish peoples of the world as told in Matthew 2:1-12.

Collect: O God, who by the leading of a star manifested your only Son to the Peoples of the earth: Lead us, who know you now by faith, to your presence, where we may see your glory face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

Scripture of the Day --- Ephesians:8b-12 -- This grace was given to me [says St. Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus] to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in* God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

Word of the Day --- replete -- abundantly supplied, filled to capacity

Place of the Day --- Replach, Grafenstein, Austria -- 46°38'10"N, 14°26'09"E - a hamlet between Haldach and Oberwuchl about 2 miles NW of the town of Grafenstein and about 4 miles east of the city of Klangenfurt, which is the capital of the state of Carinthia (Kärnten)

2009-01-05T06:29:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- John Nepomucene Neumann, C.Ss.R. (1811-1860) Priest, Bishop of Philadelphia

Scripture of the Day --- Hebrews 11:32, 12:1-2 [Words attributed to Saint Paul or a Christian writer of the same era writing to Jewish Christians] Time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets... Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God (RSV)

Word of the Day --- nonsectarian -- said of an organization or action that is not limited to, or for the benefit of, or directed toward a particular religion or religious sect or denomination

Place of the Day --- Warnerville, New York, USA -- 42°39'42"N, 74°30'17"W -- a hamlet in the Schoharie valley on Highways 7 & 10 about 1 mile WSW of the town of Cobleskill and about 25 miles WSW of the city of Schenectady. This location is near the northern limits of the Catskill Mountains.

Data for Sunday, January 4, 2009

2009-01-04T03:34:00.004-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Second Sunday after Christmas

Orientation: On this Sunday (the 11th day of Christmas), the church is still celebrating the birth of Jesus and more importantly for us, the incarnation of Christ in human form. The church is also looking forward to the Feast of Epiphany (January 6th) which celebrates the visit of the magi (the three wise men), which is an early sign that the importance of Jesus will not be limited to the role of the long-expected Messiah for the Jews. In Jesus, the Divine Presence is made known for all the peoples of the Earth. AC

Collect of the Day: O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and regins with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

An Anthem Text: But now as at the ending, The low is lifted high; The stars shall bend their voices, And every stone shall cry. In praises of the Child By whose descent among us The worlds are reconciled. Author: Richard Wilbur

Selected Scripture of the Day --- Ephesians 1:17-19 [In the words of the Apostle Paul writing to the Church in Ephesus] I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. [Selected from among of the designated and alternarive readings of the Eucharistic Lectionary (ECUSA) for the Second Sunday after Christmas]

Place of the Day --- Echague, Isabella, Philippines -- 16°42'18"N, 121°40'34"E - a town located on Highway 5, about 28 miles SSW of Ilagan, the district capital and about 70 mile NE of the city of Baguio.

Data for Saturday, January 3, 2009

2009-01-03T15:13:00.010-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Sainte Geneviève (422-502), Nun (Comment: 1000 years before Joan of Arc, she gave the people in France courage in the face of adversity)

Scripture of the Day --- John 10:7b, 9bc, 10b, 14-16 [Jesus said] I am the gate for the sheep. Those whoever enters through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find pastures. I have come that they may have life in all its fullness.... I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. (Amalgamated translation/paraphrase edited by The Accidental Curmudgeon)

Word of the Day --- colonialists -- those who advocate a policy of control by a nation over territory or people beyond its borders

Place of the Day --- National Park, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand -- 39°10'25"S, 175°23'50"E - a village on the North Island, bordering Tongariro Natonal Park. It's located on State Highway 4 about 45 miles NNE of the city of Wanganui, one of the two urban centers of this amalgamated district. Uploaded here is a photo of nearby Mts. Raipahu & Tongariro which was posted at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomraven/3040788436/ The photographer is identified as "TomRaven"

Data for Friday, January 2, 2009

2009-01-01T18:24:00.010-06:00

The Saint of the Day --- Seraphim of Sarov (1759-1833) monk, mystic, priest

The Scripture of the Day --- John 6:37-40 -- [Jesus said to the people ] "All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me; and this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

The Word of the Day --- referendums -- proposed laws or government regulations submitted for the approval of the voters in a general election, having been initiated by a legislative body, a commission or a petition from the people

The Place of the Day --- Messiger, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany -- 53°48'45"N, 12°54'59"E - a small town situated near a lake, Kummerower See and served by Route K34. This town is located about 8 miles SW of Demmin, the district seat (via Highway B194) and roughly 40 miles SE of Rostov, which is the largest city in this state, known in English as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

This view of Kummerower See was posted on http://www.panaramio.com by the contributor known as chpagenkopf.

Data for Thursday, January 1, 2009

2008-12-31T22:37:00.005-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Holy Name of Jesus -- Comment: On the 8th day after the birth of a male Jewish child it was time for the "bris", a modern abbreviated reference to the Hebrew term for covenant of circumcision. In the church the January 1 observance has traditionally been known as the Feast of the Circumcision --- historically appropriate, to be sure, but probably a bit off-putting for many. Like a christening (i.e. infant baptist), the circumcision would have been the first ceremonial occasion on which the name of the male infant was spoken. It was therefore an appropriate date for thinking about the holy name of Jesus, and its theological significance; and this form of observance for January has become common in the Roman and Anglican Churches

Scripture of the Day --- Philippians 2:5c-11 -- "Christ Jesus ... , though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (RSV) [Selected by the Accidental Curmudgeon]

Word of the Day --- nonobservant -- said of someone who fails to observe certain doctrines, disciples, or customs of a particular religion to which they claim adherence.

Place of the Day --- Šventupys, Lithuania -- 55°36'58"N, 25°25'59"E - a hamlet on Highway 18, in the townsip of Utena. It's about 10 miles NW of Utena on Highway 118. Utena in eastern Lithuania, is also a county seat --- for one of ten counties in the country.

Data for Wednesday, December 31

2008-12-30T21:31:00.006-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Sylvester I (??? - 335), Patriarch 0f the Roman Church -- First person to be elected to the papacy after the Roman emperor Constantine ended the official policy of treating Christians as traitors. In our time, Saint Sylvester is perhaps most remembered for the date of his remembrance --- the last day of the year, where you would encounter his name in the brand new Farmer's Almanac if you got one for Christmas.

Scripture of the Day --- [Selected by the Curmudgeon from the Daily Office Lectionary, which may be found in the Book of Common Prayer and in various locations on the Internet] --- 2nd Corinthians 5:17-21 -- ... if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (RSV)

Word of the Day --- comity -- a state of mutual harmony, friendship, and respect
[Comment: Although the WOD is essentially random data, this word would be a good theme for the new year --- 2009: The Year of Comity. Certainly comity has been in short supply recently in the poliltical life of the US]

Place of the Day --- Tonichi, Sonora, Mexico -- 28°35'52"N, 109°33'57"W --- a village located about 10 miles SSE of the municipal center Soyopa via Calle Agua Salada (according to Google Earth), and roughly 90 miles ESE of Hermosillo, the state capital of Sonora via Federal Highway 16.)

Data for Tuesday, December 30

2008-12-29T21:36:00.002-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Saint Thomas a Becket (1118-1170), Archbishop of Canterbury, martyr (observance transferred from December 29, which was pre-empted by the transfer of the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem, a major observsance)

This uploaded image of Thomas a Becket is a detail from a stained glass window at Canterbury Cathedral.

Scripture of the Day --- Revelation 1:9-10, 11-15, 17-19 -- I John, your brother, who share with you in Jesus the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet ... I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden girdle round his breast; his head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters; ... When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Now write what you see, what is and what is to take place hereafter." (The Revised Standard Version The Bible text designated RSV is from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1959, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

[Observation: Who was this Jesus whose birth is celebrated this week? In this text a vision by the author of the Book of Revelation, gives us part of the answer. ]

Word of the Day --- disabused -- Freed someone from an erroneous belief or misconception

Place of the Day --- Ngawi, Jawa Timur, Indonesia -- 7°24'42"S, 111°26'18"E - a county seat (administrative center of a kabupaten) located roughly about 14 miles NW of nearby center, Maidun, and 80 miles east of East Java capital, Surabaya.

Data for Monday, December 29

2008-12-28T19:41:00.005-06:00

Observance of the Day --- The Holy Innocents of Bethlehem (transferred from Sunday, December 28) -- commemorating the infants of Bethlehem slain by King Herod following the departure of the Magi, as the story is told in Matthew 2:16-18.

Scripture of the Day --- Matthew 18:1b-5 -- (T)he disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me." (RSV)

Word of the Day --- noodle -- 1. a stupid person; 2. someone's head; 3. a strip of pasta made with egg; 4. to improvise on a musical instrument so as provide unobtrusive background music

Place of the Day --- Pille, Võrumaa, Estonia -- 57°55'46"N, 27°06'32"E - a rural village in the township of Lasva

Data for Sunday, December 28

2008-12-28T08:33:00.004-06:00

Observance of the Day --- First Sunday after Christmas

Uploaded Hubble Telescope view of interstellar space © NASA

Scripture of the Day --- John 1:1-5, 9-14 -- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. ... The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (NRSV)

[Comment: This sublime text is the prologue of the Gospel of John, the apostle and evangelist who, after several years of contemplation, framed the story of Jesus Christ with a theological perspective that tremendously magnifies the awe one feels about who Jesus was and how he arrived to live among us as a human being.]

Place of the Day --- Braidwood, Illinois, USA -- 41°16'16"N, 88°13'37"W - a village in Will County located about 18 miles south of Joliet, the county seat; and about 53 miles southwest of Chicago. Site of a nuclear power station; formerly a coal mining center.

Data for Saturday, December 27

2008-12-28T00:23:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Saint John, Evangelist and Apostle

Scripture of the Day --- John 13: 34-35 -- A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. [RSV] [Comment: In the Gospel of John, this is the beginning of the Final Discourse --- the last opportunity that Jesus has to give instruction to this disciples.]

Word of the Day --- abettor -- one who actively encorages (an activity) or who assists or supports (someone in a partcular activity, often wrongdoing)

Place of the Day --- Börta, Västra Götaland, Sweden -- 58°01'38"N, 12°31'41"E

Data for Friday, December 26

2008-12-26T01:28:00.007-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, NT --

The uploaded image is a detail from the reduction of a photo by "Lawrence OP" that may be found at

www.flickr.com. the artwork is a stained glass window in the Leicester Cathedral of St Stephen

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 28:7-9 -- The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Word of the Day --- plasterboard -- a type of building construction material used for interior walls, available in the form of panels made of several layers of fiberboard, paper, or felt bonded to a hardened gypsum plaster core. [Updated WOD; initial posting was based on arbitrarily truncated data due to volume-related restrictions in the online data transformation capability that is central to the process of generating the WOD]

Place of the Day --- Polish Hill, Pennsylvania, USA, -- 40°27'24"N, 79°58'04"W - a neighborhood in Pittsbugh, on the east side of the Allegheny River overlooking the 31st Street Bridge

The uploaded image is a reduced-size version of a photo by "Niemster" that may be found at www.flickr.com

Data for Thursday, December 25

2008-12-25T01:14:00.003-06:00

Observance of the Day --- The Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Scripture of the Day --- I John 4:7-11 -- Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. (RSV) [Scriptures of the Day are selected from the Daily Office Lectionary - q.v. http://satucket.com/lectionary/ ]

Word of the Day --- Immanuel -- a term from ancient Hebrew scriptures meaning "with us is God"; hence, the name given the king and deliverer of the Jews; Messiah [Non-random selection; ordinarily it is generated by a virtually random process based on data specific to the date]

Place of the Day --- Beit Lahm, Palestinian Territory (West Bank of Jordan) -- 31° 42′ 11″ N, 35° 11′ 44″ E [Non-random selection; ordinarily it is generated by a somewhat random process based on the input data for the Word of the Day selection].

Data for Wednesday, December 24

2008-12-23T22:21:00.003-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Christmas Eve

Scripture of the Day --- Luke 1:68-70a, 78-79 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favourably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty saviour for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, .... By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." [NRSV] Note: These verses are parts of the canticle of Zechariah that celebrates the birth of his son John the Baptist who would be the forerunner of "the mighty savior" Jesus Christ.

Word of the Day --- rid -- to make [someone or something] free from [something undesirable] - "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" a quotation attributed to King Henry II of England, which is supposed to have led to the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury on December 29, in 1170.

Place of the Day --- Dari, Benin -- 9°32'29"N, 2°53'27"E - a small village between the village of Beniakou and the town of Alafiarou of the commune of Perere in the department of Bourgou in NE Benin

Data for Tuesday, December 23

2008-12-22T22:00:00.003-06:00

Saint of the Day --- John of Kanty (1390-1473) --- priest and theologian at Krakow - Image shows detail from an altarpiece of John Cantius Church in Chicago.

Scripture of the Day --- Revelation 21:1-8 -- Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband; and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling of God is with the people of the earth. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away."

And he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true." And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the fountain of the water of life without payment. Those who overcome the tests of life shall have this heritage, and I will be their God and they shall be my sons and daughters. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death." [Curmudgeon paraphrase based on RSV]

Word of the Day --- procurement -- the act of obtaining materials and supplies; often used in reference to procedures for acquiring items in large quantities

Place of the Day --- Estacion Madero, Coahuila, Mexico (aka Madero) -- 25°43'12"N, 102°11'21"W - a village west of Saltillo in the municipality of Parras

Data for Monday, December 22

2008-12-21T21:24:00.006-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Thomas, the Apostle (observance transferred from Sunday 12/21, the traditional date) -- Actions of Thomas were reported in the following gospel texts --- John 11:16, John 14:5 and John 20:24-29. - Thumbnail image from photo by "Lawrence OP", posted at www.flickr.com The stained glass window was photographed at St. Mary Aldermary Church, London

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 11:1-9 -- There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. (RSV) [Commentary: This messianic prophecy fortells the coming of a new king of Israel from the lineage of Jesse, father of King David and grandfather of King Solomon. His reign would be an age of unparalleled justice and peace. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this prophecy of a shoot from the root of Jesse. Matthew and Luke give (different) genealogies to establish the connection. The messianic kingdom described here would seem be a vision of the "kingdom of heaven" as proclaimed by Jesus. ]

Word of the Day --- eradicators -- persons or things that uproot or do away with something completely

Place of the Day --- Sonderham, Bavaria (Bayern), Germany -- 47°52'20"N, 11°22'52"E - a hamlet in the district (Kreis) of Bad Tölz. It lies south of the village of Degerndorf, which is SSE of the town of Münsing. It lies between a road (Schulstrasse) and a lake. Thumbnail image from photo by "nice places 2008", posted at www.panaramio.com © All rights reserved.

Data for Sunday, December 21

2008-12-21T08:31:00.003-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Fourth Sunday of Advent

"The Annunciation" This image illustrates the Scripture of the Day with detail from a painting by Philippe de Champaigne that may be found at the Web Gallery of Art site: http://www.wga.hu/ © Web Gallery of Art, created by Emil Kren and Daniel Marx.

Scripture of the Day --- Luke 1:26-38 -- In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!" But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. [The Revised Standard Version The Bible text designated RSV is from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1959, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission.]

Place of the Day --- Heavener, Oklahoma, USA -- 34°53'21"N, 94°36'10"W - a town in LeFlore County in the Ouachita Mountains; it is SSE of the city of Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Data for Saturday, December 20

2008-12-20T02:25:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Dominic, OSB, (1000-1073) - Abbot at Silos

Scripture of the Day --- Jude 1:17-23a -- But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; they said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." It is these who set up divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And convince some, who doubt; save some, by snatching them out of the fire; on some have mercy... [Revised Standard Version - The Bible text designated RSV is from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1959, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission]

Word of the Day --- asininely -- [behaving] in a silly or utterly stupid manner; [behaving] like an ass

Place of the Day --- Arrigas, Gard Departement, (Languedoc-Roussillon Region), France -- 43°59'21"N, 3°28'50"E - a small village west of Le Vigan, encompassed by the Cevennes National Park, a rugged forested upland area of small plateus and deep valleys (accrding to http://les.cevennes.free.fr/en/national-park.htm )

Data for Friday, December 19

2008-12-19T05:51:00.000-06:00

Church Hero of the Day --- Pope Urban V of Avignon, OSB, 1310 - 1370

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 51:2-12 -- Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. - [Revised Standard Version - The Bible text designated RSV is from The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version. Copyright 1946, 1952, 1959, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved. Used by permission]

Word of the Day --- activation -- making [something] active and effective - applied to credit cards, time bombs, military units, aerobic bacteria in sewage sludge, etc.

Place of the Day --- I-n-Tikilatène, Niger -- 14°54'04"N, 3°32'01"E - location appears to be in the Tillabéri Region and its Filingue Department.

Data for Thursday, December 18

2008-12-17T23:26:00.001-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Winebald, OSB-- Abbot at Heidenheim (710 ca. - 761)

Scripture of the Day --- Matthew 3:7-9a, 10-12 -- But when [John] saw many of [the religious leaders] coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit that befits repentance... Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Word of the Day --- wassails -- toasts at a festival occasion - beverages served for a festive occasion, such as a Christmas party, typically sweetened ale or wine heated with spices and apples - revelry at such a celebration

Place of the Day --- Balagati, Albania -- 40°59'43"N, 19°45'55"E - a hamlet NW of the town of Hysgjokaj in the District of Lushnjë in the County of Fier, which is south of the national capital of Albania, Tirane.

Data for Wednesday, November 17

2008-12-16T22:13:00.001-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Begga of Ardennes (620-693) founder of churches

Scripture of the Day --- 2 Peter 2:1-7, 9-10 -- But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentiousness, and because of them the way of truth will be reviled. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words; from of old their condemnation has not been idle, and their destruction has not been asleep. For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of nether gloom to be kept until the judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven other persons, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomor'rah to ashes he condemned them to extinction and made them an example to those who were to be ungodly; and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the wicked ... then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and wilful, they are not afraid to revile the glorious ones. [Revised Standard Verson] - Commentary: Merchants this year are telling us "Tis the Season". They mean that it's time to shop for that great holiday that they used to be able to call Christmas. However, readers of the Daily Office Lectionary know that it's still the season of Advent, a time of expectation for the return of Jesus and examination our lives to see if we are ready for that. Personally, I don't really get into the mood for Christmas shopping until I hear the the Lessons and Carols service from King's College, Cambridge, broadcast on December 24.

Word of the Day --- rhea -- a type of large flightless bird native to South America - smaller than similar types from Africa (ostrich) and Australia (emu)

Place of the Day --- Rabba, Al Karak, Jordan -- 31°16'24"N, 35°44'017"E

Data for Tuesday, December 16

2008-12-16T03:45:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Saint Adelaide, 931-999, wife of Emperor Otto I --- founder of monasteries

Scripture of the Day --- 2 Peter 1:16-19 -- For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased," we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Word of the Day --- befriending -- making a friend of somone; acting as a friend to a stranger or a mere acquintance

Place of the Day --- Banersville, Liberia -- 6°22'24"N, 10°44'00"W

Data for Monday, December 15

2008-12-14T20:17:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Virginia Centurione Bracelli of Genoa (1587 - 1651), benefactor, founder of a charitable institution

Scripture of the Day --- 2 Peter 1:2-7 -- May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature. For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. [Revised Standard Version]

Word of the Day --- john -- room equipped with toilet facilities; the customer of a prostitute [The daily WOD is generated in a seemingly random fashion by an algorithm that starts with data unique to this date.]

Place of the Day --- Obern, Tyol, Austria -- 47°21'33"N, 11°07'27"E - a hamlet near the community of Leutasch. A nearby location is the subject of this photo posted on Panaramio by Florian 4240. [The daily POD is generated as a byproduct of the WOD algorithm. It seems to favor European and African locations due to linguistic factors and the level of detail available in online gazeteer and Google Earth data.]

Data for Sunday, December 14

2008-12-14T05:27:00.000-06:00

Observance of the Day --- Third Sunday of Advent

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 61:1-3 -- The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor. [Revised Standard Version] As reported in Luke 4:16-20, This is the scripture that Jesus read at the beginning of his public ministry in the synagogue at Nazareth.

Place of the Day --- Sholaksay, Kostanay, Kazakhstan -- 51°46'06"N, 64°46'58"E

Data for Saturday, December 13

2008-12-13T09:16:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Lucy of Syracuse, virgin and martyr, (ca. 283 - ca. 304)

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 42: 1-3 -- Like as the hart desireth the waterbrooks: so longeth my soul after thee, O God. My soul is athirst for God, yea, even for the living God: when shall I come to appear before the presence of God? My tears have been my meat day and night: while they daily say unto me, Where is now thy God? [Tranlation from the score of an anthem by Herbert Howells]

Word of the Day --- nemtodes - tiny thread-like worms, many types of which are parasites

Place of the Day --- Molnträsk, Finland -- 60°18'45"N, 25°18'05"E

Data for Friday, December 12

2008-12-13T05:18:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Jane Frances de Chantal (1572-1641) founder of a religious order

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 31:23-24 -- Love the LORD, all you his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but abundantly rewards him who acts haughtily. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD! (Loosahatchie translation)

Word of the Day --- reunites -- joins together again

Place of the Day --- Uitwierde, The Netherlands -- 53°20'29"N, 6°53'51"E - a village at the edge of the town Delfzil, which is on the seacoast northeast of the town of Groningen.

Data for Thursday, December 11

2008-12-11T06:31:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- María Maravillas de Jesús O.C. (1891-1974) nun, founder of an abbey

Scripture of the Day --- Psalms 37:1-6 -- Fret not yourself because of the wicked, be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday.

Word of the Day --- seaworthier -- more ready for a voyage at sea

Place of the Day --- Konjevrate, Sibernik, Croatia -- 43°46'58"N, 16°01'11"E

Data for Wednesday, December 10

2008-12-11T00:59:00.000-06:00

Hero of the Day --- Thomas Merton, (1915 - 1968), monk at Gethsemani, poet, spiritual writer

Scripture of the Day: --- Psalms 119:33-37 --Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may keep thy law and observe it with my whole heart. Lead me in the path of thy commandments, for I delight in it. Incline my heart to thy testimonies, and not to gain! Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; and give me life in thy ways. (Revised Standard Version)

Word of the Day -- raves -- enthusiastic reviews -- all-night dance parties

Place of the Day --- Separa, Lohusuu, Estonia -- 58°57'36"N, 27°02'28"E

Data for Tuesday, December 9

2008-12-08T22:49:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Peter Fourier, priest, founder 1565 - 1640 Stain

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 28: 6-9 --- "Blessed be the LORD! for he has heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The LORD is the strength of his people, he is the saving refuge of his anointed. O save thy people, and bless thy heritage; be thou their shepherd, and carry them for ever" (Revised Standard Version)

Word of the Day --- smoother -- more free from surface irregularities

Place of the Day --- Kortenbos, Limburg, Belgium -- 50°51'27"N, 5°14'24"E - a village located northeast of the town of Sint-Truiden

Data for Monday, December 8

2008-12-07T22:20:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day ---Ambrose of Milan, bishop and theologian (338-397) - transferred from December 7 which falls on a Sunday this year. He is illustrated in this painting by Peter Paul Rubens, A Study of a Head (Saint Ambrose), done in preparation for painting an altarpiece as found at the National Galleries of Scotland site. http://www.nationalgalleries.org/collection/online_az/4:322/result/0/5381?initial=R&artistId=4777&artistName=Sir%20Peter%20Paul%20Rubens&submit=1

Observance of the Day --- "Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception" -- Today the Roman Catholic church observes a doctrine that helps to define the special nature of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Scripture of the Day --- Luke 21:20-28 --"And [in those days] there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." This text comes from Luke's version of the Olivet Discourse --- i.e. the instruction that Jesus gave to some of his his disciples on the Mount of Olives during the last days before his crucifixion

Word of the Day --- redecorating -- changing the appearance of a place without changing its structure

Place of the Day --- Tavaregere, Karnataka, India -- 13°47'31"N, 76°48'15"E

Data for Saturday and Sunday, December 6-7

2008-12-07T22:16:00.000-06:00

This is a place holder to be used if I ever have time to come back and insert the appropriate data for these dates.

Data for Friday, December 5

2008-12-05T04:13:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- John of Damascus, (ca. 150 - ca. 215) -- teacher and apologist

Scripture of the Day --- Psalm 22:22-26 -- I will tell of thy name to my brethren; in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee: You who fear the LORD, praise him! all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel! For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; and he has not hid his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him. From thee comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD! May your hearts live for ever!

Word of the Day --- (Resource needed for the algorithm is temporarily unavailable)

Data for Thursday, December 4

2008-12-03T21:54:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Clement of Alexandria, (ca. 150 - ca. 215) teacher and apologist

Scripture of the Day --- John 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life." (Revised Standard Version)

Word of the Day --- hurtled -- moved rapidly, violently or in an out-of-control manner

Place of the Day --- Lautrec, France, Midi-Pyrénées, France -- 43°42'19"N, 02°08'10"E - a village NNW of Castres (ENE of Toulouse)

Data for Wednesday, December 3

2008-12-02T23:08:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- Francis Xavier (1506-1552, SJ) --- missionary to India and Japan

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 2:3b-4 -- "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Revised Standard Version) - This is a vision of the Messianic Age that the world awaits 2,700 years after these lines were written.

Word of the Day --- carelessly --a manner of action that results from lack of care or attention

Place of the Day --- Barrydale, Western Cape Province, South Africa -- 33°54'12"S, 20°43'15"E

Data for Tuesday, December 2

2008-12-01T21:02:00.000-06:00

Saint of the Day --- The Prophet Habakkuk, author of a book of the Old Testament is honored as a saint by many Orthodox churches.

Scripture of the Day --- Isaiah 1:21-26 -- How the faithful city has become a harlot, she that was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. Your silver has become dross, your wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Every one loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not defend the fatherless, and the widow's cause does not come to them. Therefore the Lord says, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: "Ah, I will vent my wrath on my enemies, and avenge myself on my foes. I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city." (Revised Standard Version) -

Note: Here the prophet Isaiah laments the coming downfall of Jerusalem, but we may have some concern as to the applicabliity of this language to 21st century society.

Word of the Day --- revisers -- ones who revise

Place of the Day --- Liverera, Zambia -- location reference: 14°38'00"S, 28°51'00"E; northeast of Lusaka