A Picture Says a Thousand Words

Andrew Toles.  The Man, The Myth, The Legend.

Storylines

As we enter into September, there are many scintillating storylines in baseball:

1.) Will Baltimore or Boston be able to hold on to their two wild card spots?

2.) Kansas City, who were appeared to be done in the beginning of August are only 3.0 games away from Baltimore for the second WC spot.  Going 17-5 in the last twenty-two games, they were able to turn it around.  Can they continue this brilliance and give themselves a chance to win a third straight Pennant?

3.) The Yankees are only 3.5 games out from the second WC spot.  Yes, you read that correctly.

4.) Who gets the second WC spot in the Senior Circuit?  Cards, Buccos, Mets, Miami?

5.) Can the Dodgers hold on the NL West lead?

September baseball is bitter sweet because it signals the end of the regular season. Pretty soon October will roll around and post-season play will begin.

Let us see how the final act is played out!

No to Hatred

“The deiform soul cannot nurse hatred against a man and yet be at peace with God, the giver of the commandments. ‘For’, He says, ‘if you do not forgive men their faults, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you your faults’ (cf. Matt. 6:14-15). If your brother does not wish to live peaceably with you, nevertheless guard yourself against hatred, praying for him sincerely and not abusing him to anybody.”

-St. Maximus the Confessor

Good Rule

“There is a good rule in spiritual life, which we all forget continually,” he said, “that you must see more of your own sins than other people’s.” He remarked that the sum of human sin has been growing since Adam’s time, and we all share some of the blame. “So I think everyone must say to himself, ‘We must change our thinking.’ We cannot see what is in the heart of another person. Maybe he is a holy man, and I can see only that he is wearing a wrong jacket.”

-Arvo Part

The Sound of Spirit by Arthur Lubow

NORCIA

Please pray for the Monks of Norcia as they have to deal with this difficult situation which the earthquake has placed them in.

They are very holy, traditional, and make awesome beer.  May God help all them and all those in need in Italy.

No Business

"Do not lose your temper with those who sin. Do not have a passion for noticing every sin in your neighbor and judging it, as we usually do. Everyone will give an answer for himself before God. Especially, do not look with evil intention on the sins of those older than you, with whom you have no business. But correct your own sins, your own heart."

-St. John of Kronstadt 

Sajna Ve Sajna

Exactly two weeks ago, I was able to see Gurdas Maan, a cultural hero of mine in a concert here in Los Angeles.  He really is a living legend in our Punjabi culture and thankfully this was the third time I was able to see him live.  There really is no words in the English lexicon that can really describe such an experience.

Please keep my beloved Punjab in your prayers.

Tabula Rasa - Arvo Part - II. Silentium: Senza moto

God Still Performs Miracles

Patience

“Let nothing perturb you, nothing frighten you. All things pass. God does not change. Patience achieves everything.”

-St. Teresa of Avila 

Start of the New Season

As Arsenal starts their season on Sunday against Liverpool, let us call to mind the glorious end of the 1989 season.

Tabula Rasa by Arvo Part

Tragic

I think one of the tragic things about life is how much time many of us spend looking at the actions of our brother and then spending more time condemning him.  Why do we not examine our hearts for the dirt that lies there?  Why are we so quick to look at what we think are flaws in the hearts of others?  If their hearts are pure, God will reward them.  If they are not, God will punish them.  What is it to us?  Let us love them for that is what Christ has instructed us to do.  If we are to judge, let us judge our own hearts.

Pray for me, a sinner.

Fur Alina by Arvo Part

Sierra Nevada

To many more years to the best beer company that has ever existed.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Our Story

Our Lady of Snows

"In the time of Pope Liberius, there lived at Rome a certain nobleman named John and a noble lady his wife, who had no children to whom to leave their substance. Then they vowed that they would make the most holy Virgin Mother of God their heiress, and earnestly besought her in some way to make known to them upon what godly work she would that the money should be spent. The blessed Virgin Mary graciously listened to their prayers and heart-felt earnestness, and by a miracle assured them of her will.

On the 5th day of August, which is that time when the heat of summer waxeth greatest in Rome, a part of the Esquiline Hill was covered by night with snow. And on this same night the Mother of God appeared in a dream to John and his wife separately, and told them that on that spot, which in the morning they should see clad with snow, they should build a Church, to be dedicated in the name of the Virgin Mary, for that this was the way in which she chose that they should make her their heiress. John went and told it to Pope Liberius, who declared that he also had been visited by a like dream.

Therefore he came in a solemn procession of Priests and people to the snow-clad hill, and traced upon that spot the plan of a Church which was built with the money of John and his wife. It was afterwards rebuilt by Sixtus III. At the beginning it was called by divers names, sometimes the Liberian Basilica, sometimes the Church of St Mary-at-the-Manger. Howbeit, since there are in Rome many Churches called after the Holy Virgin Mary, and this Church doth excel them all, both in honour, and because of the strange sign wherewith it was dedicated, it hath come to be called the Church of St Mary, the Greater. The memory of the dedication thereof is kept every year by a Feast-day that taketh name from the wonderful fall of snow which on this day took place."

-Matins, Second Nocturn, Feast of Our Lady of Snows

What a beautiful title for Our Lady.  Ever since I entered the Church, I have had a great affinity for this title. Also, thinking about snow in the heat of August is a very consoling thought!!!