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Month: April 2007

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Media, Perspective

We don’t need no stinkin’

…badges.

There’s been some discussion recently about a ‘voluntary’ blogging code of conduct (I can get a badge and add more bling to my sidebars). Here’s a perspective from the Index on Censorship.

Now I’m all for manners and civility in the blogsphere. For me it comes down to this. If you want a civil blog, and your com-boxes to contain civil discourse, no badge or code is going to do it. You have to manage your blog. Isn’t that the thing that makes for a great blog, the writers involvment?

Sure, if you want to write a few tidbits here and there about your personal adventures that’s fine – for your and perhaps grandma’s reading enjoyment. But if you, in any way, choose to be serious, you’ll be involved. You’ll write on some sort of regular schedule, prune the comment spam (better yet, use Akismet), and monitor AND respond to your com-boxes.

What you say? You’re Arianna Huffington and you can’t manage the whole thing (we should all have this problem) by yourself. Well then, get yourself down to your local geek, writers, or politicians watering hole and hire a few folks to help you out.

Unfortunately it would appear that some desire cover, just in case they have to unceremoniously delete someone’s snarky commentary. Look, friend, I’m a member of the state, and we don’t put up with that, and because of our laws, I’ve got to delete you.

Uh, yeah. But only if you need a state (read any organized community) to act as cover for your lack of personal standards, courage, fortitude, or management ability.

Don’t you just hate it when a non-system evolves into a system?

anarchy symbol

Current Events, Perspective,

…and the proposed solutions would be wrong

All over the place, but this from Reuters: Gunman kills 32, self, in worst U.S. college massacre.

Gun control, people control,
parent beratting, immigrant rating,
liberal baiting, education failing,
fault of religion …or not.

If and until we all come to the conclusion that it is indeed the fault of each and every one of us, that it is our weakness and the dispossesion with which we regard each other that lies at the heart of such crimes, there will be no end in sight.

Our only hope lies in One who sees past what we are to what we can be.

Lord Jesus, grant them eternal rest.
Grant healing to all those affected.
Fill our hearts with contrition.
Have mercy on us in our sinfulness.
Do not delay any longer.

Current Events

Aloha, to the genuine Ho

I was just taking a look at this morning’s paper and a saw a front page blurb about the passing of Don Ho.

You can read more in Entertainer Don Ho, Hawaii’s best ambassador, dies at 76 from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

Take a look at the article’s listing of all the television shows he performed on. I recollect seeing just about all of them. I also saw him during a trip to Hawaii with my family back in 1978.

Don Ho was the consummate entertainer. For all the alleged kitchiness of his shows, he was the genuine article.

Aloha, Don Ho. Eternal rest grant onto him O Lord.

Everything Else

Which Father are you?

Most certainly why I seem to mesh well with the teaching of the PNCC.

origen.jpg

You’re Origen!

You do nothing by half-measures. If you’re going to read the Bible, you want to read it in the original languages. If you’re going to teach, you’re going to reach as many souls as possible, through a proliferation of lectures and books. If you’re a guy and you’re going to fight for purity … well, you’d better hide the kitchen shears.

Find out which Church Father you are at The Way of the Fathers!

Homilies,

The Second Sunday of Easter (Low Sunday)

None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.

Chrystus Zmartwychwstał
Prawdziwie zmartwychwstał!

Christ is risen
Truly He is risen! Alleluia

You would think that a clergyman preparing a homily for this Sunday would have an easy job. We all connect with Thomas. Doubt —“ a very real thing for all of humanity.

We doubt our lovers, friends, clergy, and fellow parishioners. We doubt the weatherman, the government, God’s existence, heaven.

Thank God for Thomas —“ he makes sermonizing easy.

So why lead off with fear?

Listen again:

None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.

The Apostles were standing at Solomon’s portico.

Now close your eyes and picture the Temple. Solomon’s portico was a covered colonnade at the Eastern part of the temple in Jerusalem. It was an open place, a sort of porch, like you would see on an old Victorian Mansion.

The people, both Jews and gentiles, gathered together on this covered porch to experience spiritual conversation.

There they are, the Apostles, the original eleven and Matthias who was elected to replace Judas. There they were, among the people, right under the noses of the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin, the Council, and the Chief Priest.

There they were, talking about Jesus, healing in His name.

None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.

Now Solomon was King David’s son, the second king of Israel, the builder of the original temple. He was the man after whom the portico was named, and in essence his name means “Peace”.

As such the portico was really named the Peace portico. It was a place for people to come and experience God’s peace.

Standing in the Peace portico:

None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.

How remarkable and how strange; in a place of peace, speaking the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, and people were gripped with fear.

That, my friends, was Thomas’ problem. Fear!

My brothers and sisters,

Whenever we hear of remarkable and heroic deeds we are both amazed and gripped with fear.

Would I have the courage to do that, to give up a kidney, to jump on a live grenade, to rush into a burning building, to stand up to anyone who would speak ill or disrespectfully of another?

Would I be able to stand up to the ridicule of declaring absolute faith in Jesus Christ and my membership in His Church?

Anyway, thank God that person had the courage…

None of the others dared to join them, but the people esteemed them.

The heroes, the courageous, the martyrs, the peacemakers, the confessors —“ had what it took to be more than admirers, people holding others in esteem. By the grace of God they dared to follow the Apostles example. They joined them.

Brethren,

People are searching for meaning. Perhaps they visited our church once or twice. Perhaps they were faithful members somewhere and something happened which caused them to leave that church.

All of us, and these seekers, really want the food that will not leave us hungry and the drink that will not leave us thirsty. We all seek that which will satisfy, but do not know where to look anymore.

Let’s admit it – the church can be the most political institution in the world! We don’t like to admit it, but it is true. None of us are hungry for more politics. No one is looking for more expertise. We are not seeking something to do with our spare time. Most of us have none!

What all are doing is seeking the face of God. Jesus, Who is the Bread of Life and the Cup of Eternal Salvation.

Let us have the courage to welcome all. Let us have the courage to set our fears aside and to cry out together, along with Thomas: —My Lord and my God!— Lord, grant us the courage to stand on the Peace portico with Peter, Andrew, James and John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Matthew, Simon, Jude, and Matthias.

Do not be afraid. Jesus is here and He is ready to do for you what He did for John:

He touched me with his right hand and said, —Do not be afraid.
I am the first and the last, the one who lives.
Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.

Amen. Alleluia.

Poland - Polish - Polonia

Learning Polish

If you’re interested in learning Polish here are a couple of on-line resources, compliments of Sandy and Keith from the Polish American Forum:

Everything Else,

I installed Flock and other computing fun…

I installed Flock —” the social web browser last night.  It’s pretty much based on Firefox but has a lot of great social networking features built in.

I especially like the way it interfaces with blogging packages and Flickr.  It has a very clean interface as well.

I did notice several things that need work, the most annoying being that there’s no easy way to import favorites from Firefox

While I was messing around I decided to change my WordPress theme.  I’m using Lorem Ipsum by Let’s Mint.  I modified it a little by adding a sub-page list call to the pages template.  Other than that the install was clean.

Blogged with Flock

Calendar of Saints, PNCC

April 14

St. Justin Martyr, Martyr, (165)
St. Ardalion, Martyr, (300)
St. Lambert of Lyons, Bishop, (688)

But we, after we have thus washed him who has been convinced and has assented to our teaching, bring him to the place where those who are called brethren are assembled, in order that we may offer hearty prayers in common for ourselves and for the baptized [illuminated] person, and for all others in every place, that we may be counted worthy, now that we have learned the truth, by our works also to be found good citizens and keepers of the commandments, so that we may be saved with an everlasting salvation. Having ended the prayers, we salute one another with a kiss. There is then brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water; and he taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. This word Amen answers in the Hebrew language to γένοιτο [so be it]. And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion. — Justin Martyr, First Apology, Chapter LXV, Administration of the sacraments.

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