The Arrow's Path

 Sounds legit :)   

 National Hobbit Day was September 22nd, which was the fictional birthdays of Frodo and Bilbo Baggins of Tolkien's Middle Earth stories. A Youtube presenter I follow had a very interesting concept in a video about "If you had to host some Hobbits for a day, what would show them about our modern world?" I found it a charming little thought exercise (Yes, he smokes pipes like a Hobbit, so you have to deal with it or don't watch):  I think he was right about the barbecue. That's all I will say. What do you think? 

   In lieu of the normal readings for the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, this parish has the Mass readings from the Feast Day of Saint Michael and the Archangels. Saint Michael, the patron saint of this parish, is revered not only as a protector, but also as a warrior of God, embodying the triumph of good over evil, and the assurance of divine assistance in the spiritual battle that every believer faces.   In Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, we encounter a vision of the heavenly court, where the Ancient of Days presides in majesty and authority. The imagery of thrones set in place and the books being opened signifies the ultimate judgment and the establishment of God’s kingdom. Michael is often associated with this scene as the protector of God’s people, standing firm in the face of opposition. His role as a defender against the forces of evil is crucial, as he is depicted as a leader among the heavenly hosts, fighting for justice and   righteousness. This vision emphasizes the...

 I had another question (and a jolly good one): Is this a true statement? I genuinely don't know:   Catholics do believe that people of other faiths can be saved. The Catholic Church teaches that Jesus Christ is the only source of salvation, but that God’s mercy is not limited to baptized Catholics. Here’s the breakdown: Fullness of truth in the Catholic Church: The Church teaches that it has the fullness of the means of salvation through Christ, the sacraments, and apostolic teaching. Other Christians: Catholics believe that baptized Christians from other denominations share in Christ through their baptism, even if they are not in full communion with the Catholic Church. Other religions: The Second Vatican Council (1962–65) taught that people who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ or the Church but sincerely seek God and try to live according to their conscience can also be saved by God’s grace. God’s mercy: Ultimately, salvation is God’s gift, not something h...

  I had another question posed to be about Guardian Angels: How do you find out the name of your Guardian Angel, who your Guardian Angel is?  My response:   It is generally not a good idea to attempt to find the name of your guardian angel. Most of the angels in the Bible aside from the Archangels and Lucifer (the Fallen angel) are ever specifically named. In fact, most times in the Bible, angels specifically do not give their names, and often rebuke people who ask for their names.  Partially, this is because angels, despite the cultural depictions of chubby cherubs that look like babies or blonde dudes in robes, are very likely not what we envision at all. In fact, Biblical descriptions of angels when they are not temporarily assuming human form, are quite unusual. Ezekiel's depictions are of light "wheels within wheels" and "full of eyes all around." Other places in the Bible text describe them as "living creatures" with multiple pairs of ...

 I had another question: I grew up in a Baptist church, became atheist as a teen, pagan in my early 20s, then started feeling strongly the need to pick up a Bible again about two years ago...My husband and his family are all very very Protestant and I think if I tried to become a catholic it would be a huge deal to my husband and I am happy with him leading our family and marriage but I just cannot shake this feeling that I’m supposed to do something regarding the Catholic Church. My questions are- 1) do Catholics really pray to dead people (Mary & the saints) ? 2) if they do talk to dead people- how is it justified/ok according to their faith if the Bible tells us not to do divination or necromancy ?? 3) is being catholic or not catholic a salvation concern?    My response:      Do we 'pray to dead people'? I suppose that depends on how you are defining those words. We ask for the prayers of other people, both living and dead. We believe th...

 

There is a marvelous two part Podcast from HistoryHit.com on the history of The Troubles in Ireland in the 20th Century. If you are so inclined and want to learn how it evolved in a digestible narrative, you can listen to them here (Part 1) and here (Part 2) . 

  If you have the chance, I highly recommend seeing this indie film entitled Triumph of the Heart . The movie is about the harrowing final days of Maximillian Kolbe, a Catholic priest who voluntarily takes the place of a man who was supposed to starve to death in a Concentration Camp.     The cinematography and acting is absolutely top notch. It's quite dark, given the themes, but not quite a graphic as something like Schindler's List, though it is certainly a bit rough in places. It really is a marvelous film, even if you are not Catholic.   

 I got another interesting question (edited for brevity):  How do you handle this situation? I grew up Protestant for most of my life...As a baby I was technically apart of the Orthodox Church as a toddler went to RC. Then elementary age up i went to Protestant. When looking for a church, the two things that are most important to me are 1- the service (is what is being taught correct, Biblical, growing me closer in faith) 2- fellowship (are the people around me supportive, friendly, giving me a sense of belonging & community) I found the RC church to be correct in teaching. Which to me is number one. But i also i found a lovely community to fellowship with. I don't really have friends or family that are super close with me. So fellowship is something i find very valuable. Now the friends and family i do have are Protestant. I will tell them those are the two things I look for in a church. Their response “well you should be going to church for the message, it’s not a socia...

 The following question (and it is not a dumb question) was posed to be about why we are called to worship God: This might be a dumb question. I was thinking last night and wanted to ask members here for a better understanding. Why does God want us to worship him? I’m asking in good faith because I genuinely want a better understanding.  My response:  Herein is what separates Christianity from other religions. If God is in fact a trinity of persons, the very nature of God is to exist in a perfect unity of persons. God by His nature is not a totally solitary being. St. Augustine said that there is God the Father who loves the Son, with the Holy Spirit is the love the emanates between the Two. One God in Three Persons, not a solitary impassive inward focused individual deity.    Because of that Divine nature, God has so much Love within Himself, that He wishes to share that love with His creation. He does not have to. God could exist without any need...

A Reflection for Holy Cross Day, Sunday, September 14th, 2025:                    The Cross is a unique Christian image. Most people who have even the most minimal understanding of Christ generally understanding the imagery of the Cross as the method used to cause Jesus’ death. The power of the Cross and its foreshadowing in the Old Testament are discussed in today’s Mass readings.                  In Numbers 21:4b-9, we encounter the Israelites in the wilderness, facing the consequences of their disobedience and lack of faith. The narrative describes how they were bitten by venomous snakes, leading to suffering and death. God, in His mercy, instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and lift it on a pole, promising that anyone who looked upon it would be healed. This image of the lifted serpent foreshadows the ultimate act of salvation through the Cross of...

 A reflection for the Sunday of September 7th, being the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time:      In today's Gospel, Jesus presents us with one of His most challenging teachings: "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple" ( Luke 14:27). The cross He speaks of is not merely the wooden instrument of His passion, but the daily dying to self that authentic discipleship demands. To take up our cross means embracing the sacrifices, sufferings, and selfless love that come with truly following Christ. It is a call to move beyond casual interest in Jesus to a radical commitment that transforms every aspect of our lives.      The first reading from Wisdom illuminates why such radical discipleship seems so daunting to human understanding. The sacred author acknowledges our fundamental limitation: "For the corruptible body burdens the soul and the earthly shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns" (Wisdom 9:15). Yet thi...

The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.          “Who are  you? ” said the Caterpillar. This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, “I—I hardly know, sir, just at present—at least I know who I  was  when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.” “What do you mean by that?” said the Caterpillar sternly. “Explain yourself!” “I can’t explain  myself , I’m afraid, sir,” said Alice, “because I’m not myself, you see.” “I don’t see,” said the Caterpillar. “I’m afraid I can’t put it more clearly,” Alice replied very politely, “for I can’t understand it myself to begin with; and being so many different sizes in a day is very confusing.” “It isn’t,” said the Caterpillar. “Well, perhaps you haven’t found it so yet,” said...