In the psalm we find David feeling hugely relieved. Was it because A. absalom was wacked by his general, and he didn't have to do it himself? But wasn't Absalom just mad about Bathsheba in the end? How come David could do it and he couldn't? Was David on a power trip? was Absalom on a power trip? You decide.
The letter of Paul is once again all about Fundraising and the miracles of Jesus are connected in some mysterious way to the solidarity of the human family. So -- UBI. G cards. maybe just maybe--"its not communism, it's Jesus-ism." DISCUSS.
The Pope always says buon pranzo, that is--"enjoy not only the Lord's supper but the earthly food dinner too". LOL
June 28 we find Abraham who is so holy that God is actually "standing before him" even after the angels depart...telling Abraham the cities of the plains are going to perish. Some might think he was warning Abraham and making an example of him "this is what's going to happen if you dont obey me" but as the story unfolds we realize God is open to negotiation.
He listens to Abraham's defense of the cities, even though Abraham probably only did it because he didn't want Lot to die. In fact death is due to the devil not to God, as we saw yesterday. The devil just wants to blame god like a pouty child who got hurt jumping off a swingswet then blaming God for the ground being hard. Again "dont wee on my leg and then say its raining"
We always play the blame game. It's just in our nature.
Like Moses, Abraham is a great advocate of mercy and those are the people God seems to love to appear to face to face.
It seems however that God did not find even one good person in Sodom or Gomorrah--but did send an angel to warn Lot to get out. Does this mean Lot was corrupted?
In the Gospel jesus is also rather definitive about the situation. As if the disciple who wanted to bury his father was like Abraham mourning too long over the dead he cried FOLLOW ME AND LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR DEAD.
FEAST OF PETER AND PAUL, APOSTLES AND MARTYRS
(these too titles go togehter more often than we mortals would like.)
Peter and Paul squabbled much but they agreed on the one thing necessary--the identity of Jesus.
And for that they both got on the FBI's most wanted list, back in the day. Cue "bad boys" theme.
On the bright side, the FBI didnt write "angelic jailbreaks" into their play book.
Ok for those who desire a serious discussion of how the government interacts with the revolution of Christ, the whole BEATO thing, its' about organic regeneration, its non violent resistance.
Paul was better than Peter at articulating all this, because he was formally educated in the culture of the day.
Yesterday we celebrated our lady of the angelus and today we see the angels in action, organizing a jail break for Peter.
He is so amazed not to mention traumatized (having just witnessed the beheading of one of his closest BFFs, St. James which would fall more on the tragic end of drama not exactly a comedy hour) that he thinks the angel is not really in the jail cell but rather is a vision. Maybe he's having a "dream attack" lol, but no, the practical angel tells him to get up get dressed and GET THE FUGAZZI OUT. This may have been the same angel that said the same thing to St Joseph when Herod was on the prowl back in the day. (cue bad boys theme.)
Amazingly the gates open and they pass the guards without incident.(cue Uriel gate) Angels are cool that way. JEJEJ
BEATO TU SIMON BAR JONAH, (he's like Giorgio too lol he's beato) Upon this rock, Jesus says...upon this runaway fraidy cat, quarrelsome, loudmouthed loveable rock I will build this new kingdom. Because God can do anything he wants. LOL
ONe final comment, Peter has the keys to the kingdom so he's kind of like Uriel JUST SAYING
Today our final day of June, we continue with our biblical telenovela.
Sarah is worried that Ishmael might get part of Abraham's estate (does this not sound like a soap opera) so she basically kicks him and him mom out.
Hagar's water bottle runs dry in the desert. It's basically game over except God sends an angel to cheer up the poor woman and point out that there is water nearby and that Ishmael is going to be handy with a bow and arrow which he might never have been if he hadn't had to be.
God also promises Hagar that the estate of Ishamel is not going to be anything to sneeze at.
in the gospels, we find an ad hoc mental hospital where the patients are too scary to approach much less heal. The miserable demons that are bothering them do not recognize that Jesus loves them and feels compassion for them, and shout, why are you here Jesus to make us more miserable which we already are anyways?
Jesus of course does as the demons request, and sends them into a herd of pigs which commit suicide immediately since demons do that a lot, but they never actually die, they just wreck stuff around them. and the townsfolk say get out Jesus before you ruin our bacon sammiches.
Its a bit like kicking out Hagar except even more so, since Jesus is God and owns everything.
JULY 1st, ANNIVERSARY OF VALANGA DI VITA.
THE STONE THAT THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THE STUMBLING STONE IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE NEW CITY
Today is many things, including the memory of Juniper Serra --and since the valanga di vita doesnt know anything about that, really, we won't say anything-- and the place in Genesis where monetine mondiali gets its idea for G cards "on the mountain of the lord God will provide."
This day is also the feast of the dedication of two churches in San Giovanni Rotondo, the day three years ago when the pilgrims came from Gargano and the angel told the Valanga di Vita to tell a true story to the public,.
for this reason we say simply "the stone which the builders rejected has become the stone of the corner" and the priest gave a realy good explanation of how the church in SGR is built.
We are the stones that build our world.
Finally for those who happened to be tuned in to the Guadalupe Basilica, we happened to notice that a priest was giving his first mass and they were talking about Frassati.
FIRST FRIDAY OF JULY.
One: In today's reading from Genesis, Sarah dies, and Abraham instructs his servant to go and do what? A. Find a dealer to sell his flocks. B. Find a road to Paradise. C. Find a wife for Isaac among his own people. D.bring him a glass of water.
Two: Isaac is meditating and sees Rebekka coming with A. Camels. B. penguins. C. field mice. D. bears.
Rebekkah perhaps comforted by the obvious wealth of ISaac, agrees to live with Isaac on the spot.
In the gospel written by Matthew, Matthew recalls the day Jesus calls him to follow him, though he is a tax collector like Zacchaes and is similarly looked down upon by the people.
Just as with Zacchaeus though Jesus only wants Matthew to follow him, which he does, immediately.
FEAST OF ST THOMAS THE APOSTLE
in which incidentally you get an apostolic blessing that only happens 12 times a year. IF you're like yours truly, you missed a whole slew of graces already for First Friday, due to broken driers and other problems, and then proceeded to sleep in this morning after dreaming heavily about sweet flying chariots piloted by angels.
but its ok just send Gemmy or your guardian angel to mass to get the graces, they are not limited by time or space.
By insisting on "proof" Thomas not only digs deep into the mysterious mercy of Christ but provides the foundation for the scientific method, ingredients in a ten dollar ice cream cone, evidence in a criminal trial, all of the above.
In fact we are no longer strangers and sojouners but built firmly into the A subway system. B. NYU dormitory. C. Union square fruit market. D. City of God.
So let's be a university worthy of the name "Uriel" and investigate A volcanos B stars C Angels D all of these and their relationship to each other.