The Pandemic Lockdown And Passages From The Books of Exodus & Leviticus

The other day, YouTube  made a suggestion that led to a view of this video entitled Effect of Lock down on Marine Life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8flENuIWUA&t=5s.

The video inspired a comment by Jai Mankondar, quoted below:

“You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

— Exodus 23:10-11


“Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you come into the land which I shall give you, then the land shall have a sabbath to the Lord. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard. Your harvest’s aftergrowth you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year. All of you shall have the sabbath products of the land for food; yourself, and your male and female slaves, and your hired man and your foreign resident, those who live as aliens with you. Even your cattle and the animals that are in your land shall have all its crops to eat.

— Leviticus 25:2-7

On land, the world would be greener if every household grows something edible, something small, next to a window sill where there is natural light.  People with gardens, backyards can grow more.  For those who are interested can watch this video on YouTube  entitled Inspiring Woman Growing a Huge Amount of Food in a Tiny Backyard in the City!  Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9ZukMyejLk

A Song From The Past -1973- "I Don't Know How To Love Him"

This song is from Jesus Christ Superstar, the 1973 movie.  There are many uploads of this song on YouTube, here is one of them:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wE1sKKZqos

Jesus Christ Superstar  started out as "a 1970 rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice."  [1]   

Here are the lyrics [2]:

I don't know how to love him

What to do, how to move him

I've been changed, yes really changed

In these past few days, when I've seen myself

I seem like someone else

I don't know how to take this

I don't see why he moves me

He's a man. He's just a man

And I've had so many men before

In very many ways

He's just one more

Should I bring him down?

Should I scream and shout?

Should I speak of love

Let my feelings out?

I never thought I'd come to this

What's it all about?

Don't you think it's rather funny

I should be in this position

I'm the one who's always been

So calm, so cool, no lover's fool

Running every show

He scares me so

I never thought I'd come to this

What's it all about?

Yet, if he said he loved me

I'd be lost. I'd be frightened

I couldn't cope, just couldn't cope

I'd turn my head, I'd back away

I wouldn't want to know

He scares me so

I want him so

I love him so

In the comment section, Sara Wilkinson said this:

Beautiful song from the perspective of a woman who has only ever known how to show  'Love'  to a man through the act of sex. 

She is now confronted with a man (Jesus) who loves her unconditionally.  He does not expect anything from her......his love is absolutely pure. 

Mary Magdalene is at a loss to understand this kind of love.....it overwhelms her and amazes her.....it also terrifies her because she realizes that she loves him too.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Christ_Superstar
[2] https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/yvonne-elliman/i-dont-know-how-to-love-him

God Called Home Many Of His Shepherds In Italy

Avvenire.it  reported on 13 April 2020 that 110 priests died in Italy from the coronavirus.  Many were elderly but one was 46 years old.  The article was published in Italian.  Google Translate  was relied on for the translation of the title: Coronavirus: victims rise to 110, a 46-year-old priest dies.  The title in Italian: Coronavirus: le vittime salgono a 110, muore un prete di 46 anni  [1].

It is sad that they had left the world that was shared by all during their lifetimes for many years, yet one must accept the fact that this was God's will.  When God calls, one ought to be ready for it.  Even the holiest of saints were called home by God, and many had suffered before the call came, including the Son of God Himself.

Of those who died from COVID-19, were they victims of the pandemic?  But for the coronavirus they might not have died so soon; thus, in a way, they were most definitely victims of the virus.

Is not every person on this earth a victim?  But for Adam and Eve's Original Sin, everyone would still be in the Garden of Eden without ever seeing death.  These were God's words regarding the Forbidden Fruit told by Eve herself: "You shall not eat it or even touch it, or else you will die." [2]

Still, she ate it.  She then gave it to Adam and he ate it. [3]  God's promise of death continues to be true to this day.

Everyone dies.  Timing, cause and manner of one's death are of God's choosing, except for those who refuse to abide by God's will and commit suicide.


[1] https://www.avvenire.it/attualita/pagine/coronavirus-i-preti-morti-emilia-lombardia
[2] http://usccb.org/bible/genesis/3/, at 3.
[3] Ibid., at 6.

Easter Sunday Thoughts April 12, 2020

The resurrection of Christ is a day of celebration, recalling an event that took place approximately 1,987 to 1,990 years ago. [1]

After dying on the cross, Jesus appeared to His disciples after emerging from His tomb, but on the 40th day following His resurrection, He left the world once more, until He comes again.

The present age is a continuation from that 40th day when Christ ascended into Heaven. [2]

Had Christ not resurrected, neither Christianity would have come into existence nor would Catholic Church.  While today is a day to rejoice an extraordinary event that changed the world, it is also a bit sad to realize that Christ's resurrected physical presence did not last.

Christ's disciples were left alone after Christ's ascension into Heaven.

Those who were born since Christ's ascension could only experience Christ through a spiritual rather than a interpersonal physical relationship.  This relationship is unique for every individual because each person is called to be with Christ in a different way.

Free Will allows each person to respond or not to respond to Christ's call.  Those who choose to respond do not necessarily respond with uniformity.  Even though all are called to pray or supplicate, not every prayer that is said is the same.  Differences include the depth of one's faith, of one's sincerity, of one's concentration (without the mind wandering), of one's gratitude, as well as the depth of one's love for God, His Son and the Blessed Virgin Mary, and of one's understanding of the Holy Spirit.

An Easter celebration is easy, especially since it is pretty much over with and forgotten in a day or two.  What is difficult is maintaining one's close relationship with the resurrected Lord continuously throughout life.  For those who want the relationship with the Lord to last an eternity, one ought to have eternity always at the forefront of one's mind, either an eternity in Heaven (having peace forever in the constant presence of the Lord ) or an eternity in Hell (regretting forever the torment from total absence of the Lord).


[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crucifixion_of_Jesus
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feast_of_the_Ascension

Thoughts Inspired By Archbishop Joseph Harris, CSSp's Easter Vigil Homily

Archbishop Joseph Harris at one point in his homily during the Easter Vigil Mass of the Lord's Resurrection  [1], [2] mentioned COVID-19 being a "leveler".

Classifying COVID-19 as "leveler" by Archbishop Joseph Harris describes perfectly the realities in today's world.  There are large gaps between who those live a high standard of living in developed countries and those who live in abject poverty in underdeveloped ones in terms of having fundamental necessities such as sufficient food and clean water, basic hygiene and adequate healthcare.   Now, during this present COVID-19 period, those who live in developed countries are experiencing shortages in medical necessities and looking at empty shelves in grocery stores and at times, even having to stand in line to enter, similar in a way to those who are poor who have to wait in long lines for handouts because they cannot afford to buy food for their loved ones.


[1]  The live broadcast just ended and the link to the Easter Vigil Mass of the Lord's Resurrection  is not yet online.  This link should direct to the videos posted by Missionaries of the Poor:  https://www.youtube.com/user/mopmediaproductions/videos (will update the link when it becomes available).  The live broadcast took place in Kingston, Jamaica:

[Place de la] Paix
​@MOP is this live from Kingston, Jamaica?

Missionaries of the Poor​yes, it's live from Kingston, Jamaica
[2] Link update: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gRv-Coe_H0

Missionaries Of The Poor Good Friday Homily April 10, 2020

The homily begins here: https://youtu.be/MFlPJn0vIsY?t=1707.  It was delivered by Archbishop Joseph Harris, CSSp (Congregation of the Holy Spirit under the Protection of the Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary [1]) at one of the Missionaries of the Poor's [2] chapel.  The location of the chapel was not indicated. [3]


[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congregation_of_the_Holy_Spirit
[2] https://missionariesofthepoor.org/about-mop/
[3] Update on 4/11/2020: Watching live broadcast -- Easter Vigil Mass of the Lord's Resurrection -- : It was recorded in Kingston, Jamaica:

[Place de la] Paix​@MOP is this live from Kingston, Jamaica?

Missionaries of the Poor​yes, it's live from Kingston, Jamaica

A Talk By Fr. John Riccardo

Just came across this on You Tube.  Fr. John Riccardo's talk starts here: https://youtu.be/vIGEtZycp4M?t=81.  It is entitled All In.

Since this is Good Friday, here is what Fr. John Riccardo says about Jesus on the Cross: https://youtu.be/vIGEtZycp4M?t=350

On being called, Fr. John Riccardo's talks about The Calling Of Saint Matthew depicted by Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio: https://youtu.be/vIGEtZycp4M?t=481

 https://youtu.be/vIGEtZycp4M?t=481

On the matter of faith and conversion, he mentions the beheading of Coptic Christians: https://youtu.be/vIGEtZycp4M?t=894

Palm Sunday Homily At The Vatican

Vatican News  published an article entitled Pope Palm Sunday Homily: Full Text.  It can be accessed here via this link: https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-04/pope-palm-sunday-homily-full-text.html

Separate from the above, below is one of the hymns for Vespers on Palm Sunday [1]:

1.  The royal banners forward go,
The Cross shines forth in mystic
glow, Where Life Himself our death
endured And by His death our life
procured.

2.  Where deep for us the spear was
dyed, Life's torrent rushing from
His side, To wash up in that precious
flood, Where mingled water flowed,
and blood.

3.  Fulfilled is all that David told  In
true prophetic song of old  To all the
nations:  "God," saith he,  "Hath
reigned and triumphed from the
Tree."

4.  O Tree of beauty, Tree of light,
O Tree with royal purple dight, Elect
on whose triumphal breast   Those
holy limbs should find their rest!

5.  On whose dear arms, so widely
flung,  The weight of this world's
ransom hung;  The price of human
kind to pay, And spoil the spoiler
of his prey.

6.  O Cross, our one reliance, hail!
This holy Passiontide avail  To give
new virtue to the saint  And pardon
to the penitent.

7.  To Thee, eternal Three in One,
Let homage meet by all be done;
As by the Cross Thou dost restore,
So rule and guide us evermore.
Amen.


[1] The Roman Catholic Daily Missal 1962. Angelus Press, Kansas City, Missouri, 2014, page 478.