A quote from Georges Bernanos

 A nous entendre on croirait trop souvent que nous prêchons le Dieu des spiritualistes, l’Être suprême, je ne sais quoi, rien qui ressemble, en tout cas, à ce Seigneur que nous avons appris à connaître comme un merveilleux ami vivant, qui souffre de nos peines, s’émeut de nos joies, partagera notre agonie, nous recevra dans ses bras, sur son cœur.

To hear us, one would too often think that we are preaching the God of the spiritualists, the supreme Being, I don't know what, nothing resembling, in any case, this Lord whom we have come to know as a marvelous and living friend, who suffers our sorrows, is moved by our joys, will share our agony, and finally, receive us into his arms, on his heart.

                                                                                   --Georges Bernanos, Journal d'un curé de campagne

Achemon Sphinx Moth

I accidently disturbed this beautiful achemon sphinx moth (Eumorpha achemon) who was sitting under a trumpet vine.  I've seen other large sphinx moths sitting under this same enormous vine, presumably waiting for nightfall, so I'm thinking that they must drink the trumpet vine's flower nectar as food during their nocturnal activity.  After I disturbed the moth, he went and sat under a cluster of sunflowers, where I was able to get a photograph of him even though it was cloudy, breezy, and there was a sprinkle of rain.  He was dry and comfortable under the sunflowers, and not in the least concerned about me.  (My wife, Libby, commented that he looked a lot like a dried leaf where he was sitting.)  The caterpillars of these moths are fond of Virginia creeper and other members of the grape family.  Fortunately, birds have brought Virginia creeper seeds into our back yard from a stand on a neighbor's fence, and it is now thriving under the pomegranates (and occasionally on them) thanks to last year's heavy summer rains, which helped it get established in a number of spots.  There is now plenty of Virginia creeper for the next generation of achemon sphinx moths, as well as other moths whose larvae use it as food.

World Bee Day 2022

 

Whether they belong to more evolved species like humans or to simpler ones such as animals, all beings primarily seek peace, comfort, and security. Life is as dear to the mute animal as it is to any human being; even the simplest insect strives for protection from dangers that threaten its life.  

                                                                                   --His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet

St. Francis of Paola

 

Put aside your hatred and animosity. Take pains to refrain from sharp words. If they escape your lips, do not be ashamed to let your lips produce the remedy, since they have caused the wounds. Pardon one another so that later on you will not remember the injury. The recollection of an injury is itself wrong. It adds to our anger, nurtures our sin, and hates what is good. It is a rusty arrow and poison for the soul. It puts all virtue to flight. It is like a worm in the mind: it confuses our speech and tears to shreds our petitions to God. It is foreign to charity: it remains planted in the soul like a nail. It is wickedness that never sleeps, sin that never fails. It is indeed a daily death.

                                                                                                --St. Francis of Paola

Today is the feast day of St. Francis of Paola, a Franciscan hermit of the fifteenth century.  He founded a community of hermit mendicants that eventually became the Minimi (the least ones).  And, in addition to establishing rules for friars and nuns, he created a “third order” for lay people.  Though he was a hermit, he was eventually drawn into a more active life, preaching and ministering to people of all social classes, defending the poor and oppressed, and making peace between kingdoms.  He was renowned for his humility and the austerity of his life, as well as his kindness and charity, which extended even to animals.  There are tales of his performing miracles on behalf of his animal friends, including a fish!  He was a strict vegan, as were all his fellow hermits.  They kept a year-round Lenten fast, abstaining not only from meat but all animal products including milk, eggs, and cheese.  Despite this, and the extreme austerity of his life (or perhaps because of it), he lived to be ninety-one-years-old.

The Snails

 Einst gingen zwei Jünglinge spazieren und fanden im Fahrweg einige Schnecken, die sie, besorgt, daß sie von einem Fuhrwagen zerdrückt werden möchten, in den Busch dabei warfen. »Ihr Mutwilligen«, riefen die Schnecken, »warum stört ihr uns aus unsrer friedlichen Ruhe und werft uns so mutwillig hierher.«

     Menschenbrüder, mit wem hadert ihr, wenn euch ein kleines Ungemach geschieht? Mit einem Allweisen? O! ihr Kurzsichtigen!

 

On one occasion, two youths went for a walk and found some snails on the roadway, which they threw into the bush, afraid they might be crushed by a wagon. "You mischievous ones," cried the snails, "why are you disturbing our peace and wantonly throwing us about?"

     Brothers and sisters, with whom do you quarrel when a little trouble befalls you? With an All-Wise? Oh, you short-sighted ones!

                                                                                    --Novalis, “Die Schnecken”

 

Because we are truly children of God, we want to understand all things.  But because we are obstinate children, we are not willing to be taught.  To perceive is to know how little we know.  Instead of waiting for the story to unfold, we demand the climax on the first page.  And when the train is traveling to strange and harsh and mysterious lands, we insist on getting off at the nearest stop.

 

Our Lady of Guadalupe 2021

Listen to me, my faithful children: open up your petals,

like roses planted near running waters;

Send up the sweet odor of incense,

break forth in blossoms like the lily.

Raise your voices in a chorus of praise;

bless the Lord for all his works!

Proclaim the greatness of his name,

loudly sing his praises,

With music on the harp and all stringed instruments;

sing out with joy as you proclaim:

The works of God are all of them good;

he supplies for every need in its own time.

                                  --Sirach 39:13-16

 

Feast of St. Cecilia

Take the case of people singing while harvesting in the fields or in the vineyards or when any other strenuous work is in progress. Although they begin by giving expression to their happiness in sung words, yet shortly there is a change. As if so happy that words can no longer express what they feel, they discard the restricting syllables. They burst out into a simple sound of joy, of jubilation. Such a cry of joy is a sound signifying that the heart is bringing to birth what it cannot utter in words.

      Now, who is more worthy of such a cry of jubilation than God himself, whom all words fail to describe? If words will not serve, and yet you must not remain silent, what else can you do but cry out for joy? Your heart must rejoice beyond words, soaring into an immensity of gladness, unrestrained by syllabic bonds. Sing to him with jubilation.

                                                                    --St. Augustine, A Commentary on Psalm 32