St. Maximilian Kolbe: Witness to the Gospel of Love

What Do You Do? Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15.13) Picture yourself in the death camp at Auschwitz. You’re standing in formation with all your fellow prisoners.  The Nazis who run the camp offer a harsh disincentive to escape: for every inmate who breaks … Continue reading St. Maximilian Kolbe: Witness to the Gospel of Love

Fruit of the Same Tree: St. Valentine and Ash Wednesday

Fruit of the Same Tree St. Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday, believe it or not, are fruit of the same tree. Granted, that's not apparent to everybody. The last time the two feasts shared the same space on the calendar a priest well known on theh internet posted the following: “This year nothing says happy … Continue reading Fruit of the Same Tree: St. Valentine and Ash Wednesday

Fickle Fame and Salieri’s “Gloria”

Fickle Fame   Fickle Fame is a confounding thing. It's often the way that a well-regarded artist falls out of fashion. Despite the worthiness of his or her work, the artist is forgotten by subsequent generations. Even truly great artists can meet this fate: The 16th century poet John Donne was largely unknown until another poet, … Continue reading Fickle Fame and Salieri’s “Gloria”

The Church Militant, Spiritual Warfare, and St. Equitius

The Church Militant    The Church Militant means our Church, here and now.   There’s a battle raging, and we’re all part of it, like it or not.  The growing intensity of the Culture War that’s engulfing our society is just a surface manifestation. The real war has been underway since Satan was cast out of Heaven. In … Continue reading The Church Militant, Spiritual Warfare, and St. Equitius

Puccini’s Dixit Dominus

Dixit Dominus  Dixit Dominus: This is not your grandfather’s Puccini . . . . this is your great, great, great grandfather’s Puccini.The title “Dixit Dominus” comes from the first two words in the Latin text of Psalm 110 (or Psalm 109, depending on how you count). The first verse is: Dixit Dominus Domino meo: Sede … Continue reading Puccini’s Dixit Dominus

The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

The World, The Flesh, and The Devil Who wants to talk about the World, the Flesh, and the Devil? But, hey, It’s summertime! What better to enliven the indolent days of summer? Sorry to be a Gloomy Gus, but this is a topic that has been on my mind recently.   But please, stick with me, … Continue reading The World, the Flesh, and the Devil

Mozart Makes The Gloria Soar

Angels Announcing the Birth of Christ to the Shepherds, by Govert Flinck, 1639 The Gloria      The Gloria starts with "Glory to God in the highest . . ."  If you frequent the Catholic Mass, you know this prayer.  You've heard it hundreds of times, maybe thousands.  But how much do you know about it? Or have you ever … Continue reading Mozart Makes The Gloria Soar