Ellicott City, MD

December 22, 2023 Peace and Good, This has been quite a couple of weeks for me. A week ago today I had surgery on my right lung to try to remove a tumor there. This took place at Johns Hopkins in downtown Baltimore. The doctor was not able to remove the tumor because it was entwined with the nerve controlling the diaphragm. It looks as I will be doing radiation and chemo and/or immunotherapy instead. This surgery is taking me longer to get over. The incision was much larger than the one in October, and the body was probably not fully recovered from that one. I am getting stronger every day, and today was the first day I was able to do my 40 minute walk. I finished my meditation book on wisdom literature. I have already seen the proofs of the first third, and it should be complete toward the end of January. I am pleased with how it has turned out. I will be staying here in Ellicott City for at least the next couple of weeks, continuing to recover. After Christmas I hope to have enough energy to return to my taping of daily reflections and writing various projects. I have been reflecting on being ill and what it all means. It is teaching me to surrender more and more, realizing that I certainly cannot control everything. It has also reminded me that there are so many people out there who care for me and are praying for me, and I have to minister to them by sharing information, gratitude, etc. I don't want this illness to make me totally self-centered. I finished some reading and listening: Heaven and Hell: a History of the Afterlife by Bart Ehrman This is a review of what Sacred Scripture and the Jewish and early Christian authorities say about heaven, hell and purgatory. It is a good overview, but the interpretation that the author gives is sometimes confusing. He interprets one verse allegorically, and another as literal (whatever it takes for him to make his point). What really hurts his credibility is that he confesses at the end that he does not even believe in the afterlife. Ten Christian Mystics and What They Tell Us of God by Murray Bodo Murray Bodo is a Franciscan poet. This Learn25 course presents the biography and teachings of ten mystics (a few of them contemporary). Some of the lectures lack significant content, but some of the latter ones are quite well written. Overall, I could say it is worth reading, but not the best book I have ever read. Brutus by Kathryn Tempest This is the history of the man who led the plot to kill Julius Caesar. He was considered to be a man of great virtue (as opposed to most of the other plotters who were seeking their own privilege. He fought against Anthony and Augustus (then known as Octavian). The author presents a very good portrait of the man and his reasoning (to kill Caesar and what he did after that). The Man Who Knew the Way to the Moon by Todd Zeillitch This is a short book about a man who worked at NASA, the space agency. He fought for the idea that the only way that Americans could reach the moon by 1970 (the goal set by President Kennedy) was to use a lunar module instead of trying to land the entire mother ship. He was right, but he faced only opposition in the process. He does not come across as a great hero, but his tenacity enabled a successful landing. Ancient Greece’s Most Important Islands by Charles River Editors This book is a history of the various islands in the Mediterranean which were part of the greater Greek world, such as Crete, Rhodes, Sicily, etc. It gives a history of that period when there was the greatest Greek influence (especially in Sicily which at that time and even today is given the title of Magna Grecia, Greater Greece). The account is well written, although it emphasizes the warfare aspect above all other details of their culture and history. San Francisco is Burning by Dennis Smith This is an account of the famous San Francisco earthquake and especially of the conflagration that followed it. It deals with the politics of the response, and especially of the actions (and failures) of many of the critical figures in the attempt to fight the fires. The army general in the area, General Funston, took control of the situation, but his orders were at times capricious and even dangerous. There were many innocent people shot as looters at this time, and many buildings lost because soldiers decided to evacuate unwilling residents. Gettysburg by Stephen Sears This is a thorough account of the battle of Gettysburg. It deals mostly with the movements and successes and failures of various brigades and divisions. It also tries to enter into the minds of the two combatting generals, Lee and Meade. This battle could rightly be said to be the worst defeat of the South under Lee, and the worst days of general service by Lee. At the end of the account is a good historic overview of the importance of the battle and its aftermath. Brunelleschi’s Dome by Ross King The beautiful dome over the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Flowers in Florence is a masterpiece of the early renaissance in Italy. This book by Ross King (who is a very good author, especially on art) speaks about how the Florentines were able to construct this dome without the use of interior supports during the construction process (which had been used on all other domes made in this era). The process is described in details, especially the rivalry among the various architects and artists involved in the process (as well as the political events during the construction which greatly influenced the history of Florence). The book is very well done. The Man who Haunted Himself by Ishmael Reed This is a novella of an African American scientist who realizes he is dying, and who has his brain transplanted into a young white high school athlete (without permission or the knowledge of the young man’s family). It deals with the confusion of trying to fit into a family whose father is somewhat racist. The book is well done, at least to the end when the author produces an ending too much like a fairy tale (and they lived happily ever after). John F. Kennedy by Hourly History This is a short biography of JFK, dealing with his father and his expectations, his political career, his marriage to Jackie, and of course his assassination. It does not go into depth with anything, but provides a good outline. The Battle of Lookout Mountain by Charles River Editors This is the story of how the Federal forces defeated the rebel forces at Chattanooga during the civil war under General Grant. The rebels had blockaded the federals in the city, and Grant first of all broke the blockade, and he then attacked the forces on the mountains to the south of the city. He originally intended this to be a minor attack, but it met with incredible success, largely due to the fault of the Confederate General in charge. Inca Lands by Hiram Bingham This is a book written about an exploration of the Inca territory at the beginning of the 20th century. It is dated, but it does provide an entertaining travel account. The most important detail is that Bingham discovered the ruins of Machu Pichu which probably served as the royal court for the Incas after the conquests of Pizzaro and before the Incas were finally defeated. The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaur by Steve Brusatte This is a very entertaining book by a paleontologist concerning the history of dinosaurs, told especially from the point of view of archeological discoveries around the world. Brusatte presents a very personal account, presenting many of the people involved in this field. It is half travelogue, half scientific explanation. You are all in my prayers. Merry Christmas fr. Jude

Ellicott City, MD

December 7, 2023 Memorial of St. Ambrose Peace and Good, I have had a very good writing week. Last week I finished the text for my meditation book on sayings from Wisdom Literature (Proverbs, Sirach and Qoheleth). I sent in the text and it is being typeset at this time. It will probably be a few months before it appears in print. This week I edited the Lectors' Wookbook for 2024-2025. It is basically the same text as that which I wrote three years ago with quite a few corrections and changes due to what I have read in the meantime. I am feeling well. The effects of my first lung operation did not last all that long. I have another lung operation on December 15, this time on the right side of my lung. There are two masses growing there, and they have to take them out. This time they might have to take out the upper lobe of the lung. They will only know for sure when they go in. I will be in the hospital for three to four days. I really don't like being in the hospital for I rarely sleep (due to all the various checks made during the night). The weather here is that of early winter. It is cool with lots of clouds and a bit of rain. I have finished some reading and listening: Animals at the extremes: The desert environment by OpenLearn This is an openlearn presentation on how desert animals manage to survive their most challenging environment. It especially speaks of adapting biological and behavioral changes that mark the desert animals different from the same species living in a more favorable environment. There is a lot of technical information in the presentation, so I would not recommend it for everyone. The History of Forensic Science by Elizabeth Murray This is a teaching company course of the birth and development of forensic science. The professor tries to draw stories from many different areas (e.g. murder, larceny, spying, etc.). She does get into the recent discoveries of forensics (e.g. DNA analysis, electronic means of gaining information, etc.). The course never really comes together, but rather is a series of interesting but disconnected presentations. People of the Century by Time Magazine This is an overview of 100 of the most famous and important people of the 20th century. At times, their names are simply mentioned with a line or two of what they did. At other times, there are extended overviews of their contributions to society (usually around 10 minutes or so on the audiobook recording). It does not go into depth with any of the figures, but it does offer a good, entertaining overview of the century. Sir Francis Walsingham by Derek Wilson Walsingham was the chief spy of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a puritan and rabidly anti-Catholic. He arranged for the death of Queen Mary of Scotland by enticing her and others into a plot. He was responsible for a vicious persecution against Catholics during these times. He also had to deal with a famously indecisive queen who could be vicious and stingy to those who tried hardest to serve her. The author sees Walsingham as a hero, and is always ready to defend him against charges of cruelty and deception. The Ancient Greek World by Jennifer Robert and Jeff Woodman This is a relatively short series of lectures about the history and culture of the Greek World. The presentations are well done, understandable, and told in a way that is lively and interesting. This could almost serve as an introductory course into ancient Greece. Conspirata by Robert Harris This is an account of the consulship of Cicero in the 1st century B.C. It is a novel, told through the mouth of Tiro, Cicero’s always faithful Greek slave. It especially deals with the failed rebellion of Catalina, a man from a noble family who loses all his fortune and decides to present himself as the savior of the underclass. It also deals with the rise of Julius Caesar. The book is tremendous, and one easily slips into the minds and the lives of the characters described. A Night to Remember by Walter Lord This is the account of the sinking of the Titanic (which was the basis of the famous film by the same name). Lord is a good author of narratives. This book includes as many details as possible of the struggle of the passengers to survive the disaster. It includes heroes and cowards. It speaks of the causes of the disaster as well as its aftermath (especially to the main figures involved in the disaster). Fearless Spies and Daring Deeds of World War II by Rebecca Langston-George This is a short outline of a few of the famous spies of the Second World War, both allied and German. It does not go into great details, but rather gives a ten minute outline of each of the figures covered in the presentation. India and Pakistan by Gregory Kozlowski This is a short history from ancient times to the time of independence from the British Empire of the nations of India and Pakistan. A good amount of time is spent on the Raj, the time with the British rule India, from the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century. It speaks of many of the famous historic figures who were so prominent in its history. It also deals with the Hindu/Muslim divide which still troubles this part of the sub-continent. Empire of the Black Sea by Duane Roller This is the story of the various kingdoms that arose around the Black Sea in the period before Christ, but it is especially the story of the greatest of the kings who ruled in those times: Mithridates VI of the kingdom of Pontus. This is a kingdom in northern Turkey, and he rules just as the other major empires of the area (Macedon, the Seleucids, and Ptolemy in Egypt) were weakening and Rome was on the rise. He fought a few wars against Rome, including one in which he sent word secretly around his empire to slaughter all Romans and Italians living in his kingdom on the same day (some estimate as many as 80,000 people). He was also known as the poison king, for he was very knowledgeable of poisons and took small doses of poisons each day to make himself immune to their effect. 24 Hours in Ancient Rome: A Day in the Life of the People who Lived There by Philip Matyszak This is a popularized account of how Romans lived in ancient times (c. the 2nd century A.D.). The author takes the time hour by hour and presents a story of what a particular person might have been doing at that time. Thus, one has 24 separate but intertwined accounts of life in ancient Rome. Unknown terms are well explained, and the presentation is both informative and entertaining. Attila: The Barbarian King who changed Rome by John Man This is a developed biography of Attila the Hun. The author does a good job of speaking about what was happening in the Eastern and Western Roman Empires at this time, who the Huns were and their points of view in terms of raids and plunder, the role that the leader of the Huns played, etc. Given the fact that the written records are all from the Roman side, the author nevertheless develops a good and fair portrait of who Attila was and why he did the things he did. Have a good week. Please keep me in your prayers. Shalom fr. Jude