Ellicott City

February 26, 2025 Peace and Good, I have been home these past couple of weeks, but things have been quite busy. I have been on call at the Shrine for a good number of Masses and Confessions. I have also been out at St. Joseph Nursing home a couple of times. This past Sunday fr. Tim and I anointed all of the residents which was very nice. We also led them in the requirements for fulfilling the plenary indulgence for the Holy Year. I have been writing a series of articles for our magazine in Nairobi. I have gotten 8 done, but I think the topic (Pentateuch) will require at least 20 more. No rush, though, so I will write them when the inspiration hits. I will be giving a workshop on Job and the question of suffering this weekend. It looks as if there will be a good turnout. I am spending these days in studying and reflecting upon ideas for the presentation. I have been reading a book on Rumi, the Sufi mystic/poet. I really, really like it. I find I do much better reading about poetry rather than actually reading the poetry itself. It is just the way my mind works. I had my last immunotherapy this past Monday. While these treatments were nothing like the Chemo, these last couple of immunotherapy treatments left me quite tired and even a bit loopy. On March 10 I have my one year CT scan. If that is good, then I begin follow up care which means a CT scan every three months for one year. I finished some reading and listening: Decision in Philadelphia: the Constitutional Convention of 1787 by Christopher and James Collier This is an account of the meeting in Philadelphia which produced the constitution. It deals with the issues but also the background to those issues. It gives a good idea of the personalities involved, and the various political moves made by individuals. This is part of a longer series of presentations on the history of America presented by the Colliers. Their goal is to present the essentials of history without getting caught up in small details. Religions of the Axial Age by Mark Muesse This is an account of the religions of Asia which arose during approximately the same period of time (between 900 and 300 B.C.) which would include Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Zoroastrianism. It is a Great Courses presentation. One can hear the great respect that Muesse has for these Asian religions. Bismark by Edward Crankshaw This is a long account of the brilliant yet flawed politician who manipulated Europe to give birth to the German Empire in the 19th century. Bismark is shown as unscrupulously clever, lying whenever it was convenient, concerned most of all with the accomplishment of his dreams and the growth of his legend. He sort of reminds me of Kissinger: able to get his objective realized but always leaving one questioning who ethical he was. Lexington and Concord by George Daughan This is a very good account of the growing tensions between Great Britain and its American colonies that led to the Boston Tea Party and then to the battle of Lexington and Concord with its famous shot heard around the world. The author has clear opinions on various matters which he does not hesitate to express. Boudica: Warrior Woman of Roman Britain by Caitlin Gillespie This is a presentation of the 1st century British woman who led a rebellion against Rome and almost expelled their forces from the island. Relatively little is actually known of her, so the author pads the account with background material of how women were treated in Rome and England, how the Romans colonized, other rebellions against Rome, etc. Needful Things by Stephen King This was a book that took me a long time to finish (I listened to it). The reason is that from its middle to near its end it becomes incredibly violent and negative. It ends with a bit of a victory for truth and goodness, but barely. It involves a demon who shows up in a small town and “sells” the one thing each person treasured to people in return for favors (which turn out to be cruel tricks on others to ignite violence). His power is all illusion, and the only way he is defeated is for the sheriff to turn the illusion on him. Tallulah Bankhead by Charles River Editors This is one of those short biographies presented by Charles River Editors. Tallulah Bankhead who acted in film and on the stage was incredibly eccentric, in her drinking, her speaking, and her sexual behavior. She comes across as a bit of a sad figure who sought comfort here and there but never seems to have found it. Masterpieces of Medieval Literature by Timothy Shutt This is an overview of literature before the 12th century, especially that in the Northern countries such as the Vikings and British and the Germans. I have listened to many of Shutt’s presentations in the Great Scholar series, but this one did not come together as well as his other courses. Bloody Mohawk by Richard Berleth The Mohawk River runs along the northern part of New York State from the Hudson toward the Great Lakes. It was the scene of tremendous tension and horrific warfare in the early days of its European colonization. This was especially true during the Revolutionary War when the Iroquois Federation splintered, with most tribes fighting with the British and some with the Patriots. The Man Behind Narnia by A.N. Wilson This is an odd short biography of C.S. Lewis. The author had written a biography of Lewis years ago, and this presentation is a shortened version of that. The presentation is odd because the author goes out of his way to speak of how he does not agree with Lewis any longer, and he goes on and on as to why he thinks that Lewis fell short as an apologist and author and professor. I am not sure that I have ever read a book whose author had such a large ax to grind. Vasily Grossman and the Soviet Century by Alexandra Popoff This is the story of an author who survived the Stalinist era but who was persecuted as many authors were in the Soviet Union. He was Jewish, which was enough to get him in trouble, but he also tended to tell the truth from an objective perspective, which was not considered to be socially acceptable for it did not always emphasize the role of the Communist Party. He was not a saint (as seen in how he treated women). Yet, the author draws a sympathetic portrait of him. Biblical Wisdom Literature by Joseph Koterski This is a well presented, thorough outline of Biblical Wisdom Literature. It deals with such stories such as the Book of Job, the books of Wisdom and Sirach and Qoheleth, the Psalms, etc. He not only gives the background and theology of the text but he often has asides in how one could pray a text. I can’t say I agreed with his presentation 100% of the time, but I probably did more than 90% of the time, and even the other 10% gave me things to think about. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude

Ellicott City - Pittsburgh

February 6, 2025 Peace and Good, I have been quite busy at the Shrine and also with spiritual direction in these weeks. I have gotten a little time to write a bit and also to do some daily reflection podcasts, but not too much. The weather in Baltimore has been cold and we got a bit of snow. This led to a number of cancellations. This morning I drove out to Pittsburgh, and I was not sure how the roads would be since I was going through the mountains and there was ice and fog there. It turned out that there were no serious problems. I have been getting some nice ideas in my reading. Right now I am reading a book about Rumi, the Sufi Mystical Poet. I am not too good at poetry, but this book is a description of Rumi's ideas in the poetry. He speaks of love as being both the mystical energy and the core element of creation. I find I can only read a page or two of the book before I have to stop and reflect. I found a good saying the other day. Evelyn Maugh was an Englishman in the middle of the 20th century who converted to be a Catholic. He was famous for being a very difficult person. A lady said to him that she was surprised that with his temperament he would become a Catholic. His answer was that she could never know how much worse he would be if he didn't have his religion. I have finished some reading and listening: Years that Changed History: 1215 by Dorsey Armstrong This is a Great Courses presentation that I waatched in video format. It deals with a particular year (and its surrounding years). It speaks of what was going on in the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia. It deals with diverse topics such as the Fourth Lateran Council, the invasion of the Mongols, the start of the mendicant orders in Europe, etc. Armstrong is a feminist and at times pushes that part of the agenda, but mostly in an informative way. Hannibal: the Military Genius who almost Conquered Rome by Even MacDonald This is a very good Modern Scholar presentation of the life and conquests of Hannibal from his earliest childhood to his death. The professor knows how to present cultural information into the text without getting lost in it. She presents the story of how this Carthaginian general almost defeated the forces of Rome (and why he, in the end, did not). I would recommend this work. Ancient West African Kingdoms by Frank Edison This is an overview of some of the great empires that existed in what is today the Saharra and the Sahel region of northwestern Africa (along with some information about Zimbabwe). This includes the Songhai empire, that of Benin, etc. The author speaks of the history at great length and it is easy to get lost in a long series of names and sites. Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians and His Martyrdom I am trying to read some of the letters and books of the Fathers of the Church. Polycarp is said to have been a disciple of the apostle John. He was the bishop of Smyrna (present day Izmir in Turkey). The first work in this book is Polycarp’s own letter to the Philippians. It is pretty much an exhortation to keep away from heretics (especially the Docetists) and to be faithful to a life of virtue. The second account is written by another author and it concerns Polycarp’s martyrdom. The translation that I read was a bit antiquated. Many of these works were translated into English at the end of the 19th century. Biowar by Stephen Coonts and Jim DeFelice This is the fictional story of an outbreak of a new, humanly designed pathogen which has no known cure. A team of spies searches for its origin, its recipients, and a possible antidote. The account is a bit too full of 007 gadgets and unbelievable scenario. I don’t think I’ll be looking for any Stephen Coonts books in the future. Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt by Bob Brier This is a teaching company overview of some of the greatest pharaohs in Egypt from the time of Narmer (the founding pharaoh of the dynasty uniting upper and lower Egypt) to the reign of Cleopatra (who was really a member of a Greek dynasty). The professor is informative and entertaining. I would recommend this course. Freedom of Speech: Expression and the American Constitution by David Hudson This is a learn25 course that deals with all sorts of questions about the meaning of freedom of speech. What can one say openly, what actions are considered to be forms of speech and what actions are not, what forms of speech can be limited (threats, pornography, etc.). The professor cites court precedence extensively and he fully explains why judgments went in one direction or another. Assessing America’s National Security Threats by H.R. McMaster This is an Audible Original presentation (along with the Great Courses) on some of the dangers that face the United States today. He was a national security advisor under Trump for two years. He speaks of the nations (e.g. Russia, Iran, China) and the technology that place the nation at risk and the need to deal with these problems directly after a collegial discussion of the situation (no decisions made by individuals for political reasons). The Scientific Wonder of Birds by Bruce Fleury This is part of the Great Courses series, and it is simply an introductory course on birds. It deals with their variety, their habits, their breeding, their dangers, etc. The professor has Parkinsons (something he admits in the opening lecture) and therefore his movement and facial expressions are severely limited, but it is clear that he has a childlike awe with the wonder of birds and he communicates that well. Anthony and Cleopatra by Adrian Goldsworthy This is an audiobook by the same author who wrote Augustus. This one covers some of the same ground (when it deals with the career of Augustus). It is honest about the talents and shortcomings of Anthony (a good local leader, not a good overall general). It tries to draw a picture of Cleopatra that is not based on later literature and movies. She comes across as a survivor and a scrapper during most difficult times. As with all of Goldsworthy’s books, it is well worth reading. Van Gogh: 99 Watercolors by Narim Bender This is a short book which deals a bit with the story of Van Gogh and his training in painting, but especially his use of watercolor. This is the first time I have seen those productions, and I was moved at how beautiful they are. Medicus by Ruth Downie This is part of a series of books that speak of a Roman doctor with the Roman army in England during the days of the emperor Hadrian. He has a British slave named Tilla who is a good foil to him. He finds himself involved in investigations that have nothing to do with his job, but which he is well equipped to perform. I had read a couple of books in the series years ago but never read this first volume of the series. They are thoroughly enjoyable. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude