Hallelujah

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

~ Revelation 21:4

The Blind See

 "Truly this man was the Son of God." 

~ Roman Centurion Longinus

As we all know, there is always more to learn in life. I only recently read the story of St. Longinus, the Roman centurion who pierced the crucified Christ's side with his lance. He is not named in the Gospels; Matthew and Mark refer to him only as "the centurion," while John calls him a "soldier" and includes the important detail about Christ's blood pouring from the stab wound (Jn 19:34). But the name Longinus is recorded in apocryphal writings such as the Gospel of Nicodemus. 

The early Church writings relate that Longinus suffered from very poor eyesight. When the blood from Christ's side came into contact with his eyes, Longinus recovered perfect vision. He converted to Christianity and returned to his home in Cappadocia to spread the word of the Resurrection. This angered the Roman authorities, who sent soldiers to kill him. Details surrounding his demise vary between Catholic and Orthodox traditions, but both accounts seem to agree that Longinus was tortured and beheaded for his Christian faith by the Romans.

Longinus is revered as a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

There are many stories and legends about the spear of Longinus, or The Holy Lance. Who knew? I certainly didn't. I stumbled across St. Longinus and his story while doing my annual spiritual reading during Lent. With a bit of effort, I suspect I can continue having my own eyes opened to something new every day.

Fighting Words

 a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:8

As a Catholic, I wish Pope Leo would either take a seat or keep his focus on Jesus. Whenever he weighs in on current events, he sounds like he just kicked off his sneakers after a "No Kings" political protest. 

According to Pope Leo, "God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war." Well, excuse me, but it's not up to the pope to determine whose prayers are heard by God. He needs a Bible refresher course. Has Pope Leo never read the Book of Joshua? He appears completely unfamiliar it. God's command was to wage war "without mercy" in order to secure the Holy Land.

The New Testament places the emphasis on our fallen human nature and evil influences as the cause of war; James 4:1and especially Ephesians 6:10-18 make a firm point of this perspective. St. Paul's entire passage about the "full armor of God" is hard truth and pure poetry. Spiritual warfare is definitely a factor in the US-Iranian conflict, but so is the goal of preserving the world's security.

And the pope should maybe reread the Book of Revelation, which in Chapter 6 describes global war beyond what we have yet seen, war which God happens to permit--divine power is given "to take peace from the earth" (perhaps coming soon to a continent near you).

But the pope says God won't listen to prayers from war fighters. Really? Oh, Leo. Stop it. You're being silly. God listens to everyone. At this point, I'd rather hear you give another off-topic sermon about dangers to the environment.

Ephesians 6:10-18

No Easy War

 “It is not enough to win a war; it is more important to organize the peace.”

~ Aristotle

There is no doubt that United States military force could obliterate the Iranian infrastructure. The question is, would that be wise?

War is straightforward. Its aftermath is more complicated. As we are witnessing, building a pathway to peace is a goal fraught with pitfalls and perils. The process seems like having a tiger by the tail; which way will it turn, and where will it bite? There is no way of knowing.

There are innumerable questions surrounding the current conflict in Iran. Based on current headlines, my first inquiry is, can "a deal" with proven liars be depended upon? I wouldn't count on it. Who will "control" the Strait of Hormuz, how, and why? What happens to the Iranian people who would emerge from war into the wreckage of their country? The list of questions is lengthy, concerning, and growing.

I think back on forty-seven years of conflict with Iran, which has claimed so many American lives. What is happening in Iran today needed to happen, but I believe it should have happened decades ago. The battle might have been more manageable for the United States back then. But there is no way to know for certain. Because among the endless questions, there is one certainty: no war is easy. 

The Story of St. Patrick

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."

~ Oscar Wilde

Today, St. Patrick's Day, I stumbled across a podcast that presents a dramatic reenactment of his life. Saints Alive did an entertaining job on St. Patrick's story. The podcast reminded me of my parents' tales of listening to radio shows when they were young.

I always enjoy stories of saints' lives. After all, they're just flawed human beings like the rest of us. But saints do hold onto their faith and never give up under the trials of this life. It's uplifting to reflect upon them on special days such as today. Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all! 

"I arise today..." ~ St. Patrick's Breastplate prayer

Our Own Worst Enemy

 "It's in your nature to destroy yourselves."

~ Terminator 2: Judgment Day

There are so many contributing factors to consider in the current Iranian conflict, from nearly a half-century of bloody Islamic terrorism to the present-day threat of nuclear war. Thinking back upon my personal history, I realized that I was born during a war, came of age during a war, and lived most of my adulthood watching numerous ongoing armed conflicts unfold. As this point in my life, it's reasonable to assume I'll probably die during a war.

It's difficult to trust or believe anything said or heard on the airwaves. We have heard too much over the years, listened to too many lies, seen too much equivocating, witnessed too few positive results. Today the element of hatred permeates our national politics and culture to a suicidal degree. It's difficult to do anything except hold on and hope for a good outcome. But I am, as so many others are, doubtful that will happen.

Human nature is fallen; history proves we are prone to choose the worst options for solving our problems. After all the war and carnage we have lived through, worldwide over the decades, it's easy to believe that humans are our own worst enemy. Far from seeming like fanciful science-fiction from 1991, the Terminator's ominous words alluding to humanity's demise sound prophetic today.

Scene from Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Respect the Sacrifice

"Honor to the Soldier and Sailor everywhere, who bravely bears his country's cause." ~ Abraham Lincoln

We live in a (mostly) free country. People are allowed to criticize the actions of political leaders. Public figures can speak out against military action without being dragged off in handcuffs.

In some cases, that's a shame.

The California Gov. Gavin Newsom, always reliable for a ridiculous quote, calls Israel "an apartheid state." Hey Gov'ner, who claims he can't read but is on tour promoting the book he wrote: The Arabs who live in Israel not only have equal voting rights, but it is also one of the only places in the Mideast where women can vote.

Podcasters Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly are blaring their discontent with the US-Israel operations against Iran. Carlson calls it "Israel's war," ignoring the 47 years of radical Islamist terrorist attacks against the United States that began with the seizing of American hostages in 1979.

Kelly, obviously considering herself profoundly wise, gravely announces that no American should die "for a foreign country." It prompts one to wonder if Megs has ever heard of D-Day or the bloody battles throughout the Pacific theatre in World War II.

Such strident negativity while our troops are in harm's way is, to me, inexcusable. Doubts can be expressed in a respectful manner while honoring the enormous sacrifice that our military families--families! --are making at this crucial time. Our troops' job is to keep us all safe in the homeland, including the naysayers who denigrate their mission. Gratitude and prayers to each and every US service member, especially those now serving in the Mideast.

US Army Soldier saying goodbye to his toddler son.

For Our Deployed Military

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, 
defend us in battle. 
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. 
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, 
and do thou, 
O Prince of the heavenly hosts, 
by the power of God, 
thrust into hell Satan, 
and all the evil spirits, 
who prowl about the world 
seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

St. Michael the Archangel overcomes Evil
Patron of Military Personnel & First Responders

Adventures in Lent

"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

~ Matthew 26:41 

This Lenten season, which began with Ash Wednesday (February 18) and ends on Easter Sunday (April 5), I decided to try pursuing an aggressive fasting protocol. Fasting is not limited to food. It also pertains to leisure time and entertainment.

The key word is "try." How hard could it be, I reasoned in advance. HA! Nothing will prove how human we are than attempting to forego our favorite refreshments and pastimes.

For example, podcasts. For many months I had been wondering how to address my obsessive reliance on numerous podcasts. Then, presto! Lent arrived and presented me with the perfect opportunity to stop listening to all except Battle Ready with Fr. Dan and The Bible in a Year with Fr. Mike. Yes, I thought, this routine would be manageable. Silly me.

It was a good thought, indeed a worthy aim. Although not a complete failure, I've already slipped nearly daily. At least I'm down to one or two pods a day, instead of constant streaming. Progress, not perfection, seems to be achievable. Thank God for small favors, as Mom would've said.

I must say that giving up podcasts has been harder than not drinking wine. I haven't had a glass since Fat Tuesday, but I don't miss that nearly as much as The Shawn Ryan Show or The Nerve (which I admit, I have cheated once or twice to listen to). And Victor Davis Hanson? Well, he's an exception. Whenever he's on air in the midst of his ongoing recovery, I think God understands that I just have to listen to VDH: In This Own Words.

I'm sharing all this holy angst as a reminder that it's not too late to choose a simple pleasure to forego this Lenten season. If you're not already doing so, I challenge you to test yourself. It's a healthy and revealing exercise in self-control. As I did, you may find yourself amazed at how very human we are.

My Lenten Challenge 2026

Our Yearly Reminder

Genesis 3:19 ~ "...for dust you are and to dust you will return."