Ellicott City - Lewes, DE

July 11, 2026 Peace and Good, The normal rhythm consintues. I am helping out at the Shrine and St. Joseph Nursing Home, doing my podcast reflections, writing and editing, spiritual direction, etc. I have also been giving some weekend retreats and talks to groups in these weeks. Just this past week I went to Lewes, DE, to give a talk on the Book of Revelation to a Secular Franciscan fraternity. I have to start writing articles again for the Messenger of St. Anthony. I have been writing for them every months since 1982. I am working on a series now that speaks of archeological discoveries and their relevance to our understanding of the Bible. We have our second session of the provincial chapter at the end of the month. We gather every four years to make plans for the future. The provincial has told me I will be staying on here at Ellicott City. I love the work I am doing here. I have finished some reading and listening: What Einstein got Wrong by Dan Hopper This is a Teaching Company course on Einstein. In spite of the title, Hopper is not disparaging of Einstein’s work. Rather the opposite. He is simply showing the contributions that Einstein made, and how certain aspects of his own discoveries were beyond his understanding in his era. I have to admit that when it began the concepts of quantum physics, it was beyond me, but I could catch glimpses here and there of what was being presented. Eyewitnesses: the 1920’s by BBC audiobooks This is a series of interviews about life in Great Britain during the 20’s. It especially deals with the return of the soldiers from World War I, and then the economic (and eventually political) difficulties of that era. Rembrandt in the Wind by Russ Ramsey This is a tremendous book. Each chapters studies a different artist and how that person used his/her God-given talents to serve the message of God (whether that person knew it or not). It is an excellent work which shows how one’s artistic talent can be used for a greater good, one which elevates the spirit of our society. Death at Sea by Andrea Camilleri This is a series of short stories about the work of a Sicilian detective Montalbano. He gives an excellent idea of the culture of Sicily, and his stories are packed with surprises and suspense. I would recommend any of his books. Colonial Argentina: the History of Argentina’s Colonization and Struggle for Independence by Charles River Editors This is a short presentation on Argentina from its earliest days to the modern era. Rather than being the jewel in the crown of the Spanish empire, Argentina was a bit of a backwater (for it did not have large quantities of gold and silver). Its riches were and are to be found in agriculture, both farming and herding. The presentation also speaks of the tension between city dwellers and farm people, as well as economic concerns throughout the history of the country. The Middle East by Philip Robins This is a very interesting book that makes one see the situation in the Middle East from many points of view. We tend to hear a very one sided story on the news, and Robins goes out of his way to explain what is really happening and why. Feed the Wolf by Jon Sweeney This is a series of topics on Franciscan spirituality which can be applied to our spiritual lives today. They involve such questions as poverty and providence and meekness and a rejection of society’s values when necessary. The topics are covered in a gentle yet challenging tone. I found this extended meditation very useful. Augustine: A Very Short Introduction by Henry Chadwick The very short introduction series covers a number of topics and each of its productions run from four to six hours. This volume deals with the life and teachings of Augustine. The author finds a middle ground, neither being too sycophantic nor too critical of the writings of Augustine and of his person. I found this book to be very useful. Norse Mythology by Jackson Crawford This is a course from the Teaching Company on the content of various Norse myths. They are filled with violence and ways of thinking that are very foreign to our days. The professor basically retells the myths in each of the lectures. I can’t say I enjoyed the series all that well. Basilica: The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter’s by R.A. Scotti This is an account of the construction and eventual completion of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. It was built to substitute for the basilica that had been built in the 4th century AD which was now falling apart. The book speaks of the roles of pontiffs and artists and architects and others involved in the drama, from the days of Pope Julius II onward. Igniting the American Revolution by Derek Beck This is the story of the causes and events surrounding the beginning of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord. The author speaks of political realities in Great Britain and America and the mutual misunderstandings that led to this disastrous event. He also gives a very fact filled account of what actually happened that day to various participants. Lincoln at Gettysburg: The Words that Changed America by George Wills Wills is a brilliant scholar of American history. In this book he studies the rhetoric of Lincoln in the Gettysburg address (and its relationship to rhetoric used by other orators of Lincoln’s era). He shows how the address changed the dialog of the Civil War and gave a particular interpretation of the Declaration of Independence which is being used up to this very day. Socrates by Paul Johnson This is a very short, insightful biography of Socrates. He is very much presented as a man and not so much as a hero of human learning (although there is a bow to that fame). Johnson is a brilliant historian/biographer and I have read or listened to a number of his works which I have enjoyed, including this volume. Have a good week. Shalom fr. Jude