TrulyGrace

Awoke early---did 2 loads of laundry. Spotted SR, my floormate, there. Also greeted Ronnie (M's spouse). M is the niece of Bill C, who passed this week. Helped M with meal prep, as usual. I made egg salad (sandwiches) for lunch, and we enjoyed watermelon from Big Bird's Palenke. Then I helped M with email correspondence. 

Made air fryer S'mores. Delicious!

BF, WA, MM, J O, k, and myself played Dungeons and Dragons, with BF acting as our DM. It ran from 17.00 to about 20.20. U DRV and M and D spoke by phone app now.

SUN 02 AUG 2020- 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Slept and rested in this morning, until the 10.00 Mass from Cathedral. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. John O assisted by Deacon Tom Berna. Tamika served, Julie Beroes lectored, and Becky cantored, with DKF at the console in the loft.

The Liturgy of the Word included

Isaiah 55: 1-3

Sung Responsorial Psalm- 145

Romans 8:35, 37-39

Matthew 14: 13-21

The Homily by Fr. John O was great--

He mentioned that the past few Sundays read from Matthew 13, mentioning the Liturgy of the Word. This Sunday the Gospel now reads from Matthew 14, the Liturgy of the Eucharist. In these Gospel readings are kept the parts of the Mass.

In reading from the New Testament, we hearken back to the Old Testament---the books of promise.

In the opus dei ("work of God," not the religious group) we are refreshed by the Word of God, and we are refreshed by the work of God.

So we establish the Kingdom of God in our relationships: In our families, in our work, in our friendships. And with others we just meet.

(God says,) Bring to me what you have; bring a part of yourselves (to building the Kingdom. These words are )...not just for the ordained minister. For, when we are baptized, we become King, Prophet, and Priest.

All those people who were fed in the Gospel reading were fed after Christ gave thanks (how often does one give thanks?)

(Utter the Word, become a disciple.)

Give, break, spread it (to others).

St. Francis of Assisi, who is known for his Prayer, also prayed thus:

(Let me spread Your Word, and become good Works.)

A great homily.

Lunch was leftovers from yesterday and fresh cuts of papaya.

Met up with some friends over the Internet late this afternoon. Good insights.

D dropped M and I off to get M's tests, then again at another locale to check/test our home equipment at their location. When D retrieved M and I, we went to near Wa's to get burgers and chix nuggets. 

Had a Zoom meeting with my friends from the SEED committee in the evening. Watched America's Got Talent 15th Anniversary: Top 15 Viral Acts

https://www.nbc4i.com/entertainment-news/tonights-americas-got-talent-the-15-most-viral-jaw-dropping-moments-of-all-time/

No Bible Study this week, as announced by et. Spent the morning at home: 20 minutes on the bicycle and one of my favorite breakfasts: Sweet oatmeal with plain yogurt; chai tea sweetened and with milk. Spent a good portion of the day helping M with correspondence: Phone, electronic, and other.

Another day of gathering paperwork/files for correspondences chez D and M. Quite time consuming. Watched "Homegrown Stories: A Pittsburgh Playhouse / City Theatre Collaboration" by Show Must Go (On)line Pgh, presented by those two theatres and Alphabet City---All brought to you by  City of Asylum (where DR and I met the poet and his wife, HX and VZ). As WQED FM described it in the morning, it consisted of five 10-minute (original) plays by (local) playwrights in the early evening. See link, here, good through SAT 08 AUG---

 https://www.crowdcast.io/e/homegrown-stories/1

 

and program, below:

Alex –Hope Anthony* 

Comments for the plays during/after each performance (SPOILER ALERT):

1. "Well Wrtitten"

2. "Rats far away, too."

3. "Thanks for sharing a snapshot of  2020."

4. "What the...?"

"Engrossingly written and performed."

5. "Anne Frank quote."

 

"How did each playwright get the inspiration for each of their plays tonight?"

~~~~~

After the program, I checked my email and chatted with some friends. Talk turned to work union issues, so we chatted about that. It seems like timing is key, and the timing now is not great.

~~~~~~

M got a phone call from U Sann. All three of us chatted for a while; stated that modeling of appropriate pandemic public health behavior was not being done by some nations' leaders. He stated that we can learn from other countries. (Apparently our country is not.)

 

Started back to work on the two M files/dossiers. Watched the noon EWTN Franciscan Mass with M from Alabama. Lunch. Phone correspondence---things go slower than I thought.

Watched the Penguins lose their deciding game for the Stanley Cup playoffs to the Montreal Canadiens in the last few minutes of the 3rd period: 0 to 2. Sigh.

After dinner and Jeopardy! with M, watched a movie presented by Music Box Films, rated R for language. 

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2545428/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

SPOILER ALERT

Avalanches, Losses, Trust, Risk, Life, and Death

Winner, Audience Award, Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival, 2015

A4A climbing...so different from any other alpine climbing in that part of the world, including Everest.

If one is to climb Meru, then it is very technical and you must be familiar with various climbing techniques, and also you have to carry everything you need on your back.

Moments in the movie reminded me of luge-ing in our childhood backyard; and of rockclimbing.

One of the climbers, Renan Ozturk, requested to climb with two climbing partners, Conrad Anker and Jimmy Chin....after surviving a severe mountain accident. Jimmy said, "We had to trust him to let him go (climb with us)."

Renan, partway up the climb, was climbing confused, and then lethargic once in the (mended) port ledge for sleeping.

When the three arrived at the House of Cards pitch, Jimmy climbed, later narrating, "(There are large) blocks (of granite), moving under my weight."

"There're stars, so we're going for it."  They reached 20 000 feet. To get to the summit, Conrad dreaded the upper pitches....he later looked at Jimmy, as if to say "It's your turn to take the reins."

When Jimmy arrived, solo, at the narrow peak called the Meru summit, he whooped for joy! (no avalanche)

The cinematography is breathtaking and dizzying---especially at the summit. After 10 years of climbing together, Conrad and Jimmy shook hands at the summit, and as Renan joined them at the peak, the trio joined their triad of hands: "I didn't think I was going to make it." 

Other people in this film included: Alex Lowe, Mugs Stump

Grace Chin, Amee Hinkley, and Jenni Lowe-Anker (with her children)

The music for the credits, "The Light that Never Fails," performed by Andra Day is good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efigLePuDC8

What a wonderful way to end a week/evening.

 

Played Boggle (~6 rounds) with M after lunch.  I stated that it is probably favored by me even more than Gin Rummy. Made Rice Krispie Squares with Butterscotch Chips (on top and on bottom) for dessert after dinner. Enjoyed yet another papaya after dinner with D and M, then M and I ate a whole row of RKSquares! Spoke by phone with MVK.

Bicycled for ~8 minutes this morning. Watched the 10.00 Mass from Cathedral with D and M. Fr Kris Stubna celebrated the Mass with Deacon Tom Berna assisting. There was an acolyte and a lector, and Linda O cantored, accompanied by the organist in the loft (DKF?)

Readings and Music included for the Mass for the Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time(A)   

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/080920.cfm

Entrance Antiphon-All the Earth- Lucien Deiss

Kyrie- Litany Tone

Gloria- C. Andrews

Responsorial Psalm- Psalm 85- J. Carroll

Gospel Acclalmation- Alleluia Solemnelle, ND de Paris

Homily

Preparation of the Gifts- Amazing Grace

Sanctus- Vatican Mass XVIII

Acclamation- from the Roman Missal

Amen-from the Roman Missal

Agnus Dei- Chant Mass XVIII

Prayer of Spiritual Communion

Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel

Distribution of Communion- I Am the Bread of Life- E. Englert

Fr Kris's homilies have been good this past month!

Today, he spoke about how trials are difficult, and how it is difficult to be alone without friends.

Elijah in the 1st reading, heard various mighty natural sounds...and also the whispering (supernatural) sound of God. The strength and Peace of the presence of God.

In the Gospel reading, the disciples have fear, and their faith was weak.

Jesus said, "Take courage, it is I, the Lord (Have no fear)."

Faith is difficult to believe in, especially in challenging situations. It is hard to do what is honest and just. It is difficult to trust in God. "God will see us through. We are never, ever alone." (It takes) the strength of Grace to go to Mass.

When we pray, do we do all the talking? (Do we listen? Do we hear?) Or are we Silent to hear, to Listen? Are we Still to gain the grace we need?

Psalm 26- "God is our refuge and our strength...we will not fear....

Be still and know that I am God."

?

I went grocery shopping at Palenkeng Malaking Aguila for items for dinner, etc.

From 15.30 to 18.10 we had a Zoom session with the siblings, plus USonny and M and D. Wa hosted it. We spent a good portion of the time chatting about the lockdown and the time leading up to it, and the time after it (will we ever see that time?). At the end, Wa, USa, JO, and I played a few games on JackBox. Fun!

Dinner was Surf and Turf: Salmon tian in teriyaki sauce, and pepper steak (all on a foil of white rice), Rice Krispie Squares (with Butterscotch bits) for dessert. Yum!

Took care of culling/editing/weeding some old work files at home today; as well as some phone correspondences today. After dinner, M and I watched Jeopardy! and the movie The Rock. Despite the violence, we delighted in the movie.

Slept in a bit. Made a phone call. Went to cull/edit old work files. GDispoal, hmmnh. D and I retrieved food at the Palenkeng Shakespeare Malaking Aguila and picked up burgers and such at East Liberty/Bakery Square. Delicious lunch with M, too.

CBSN and CNN reported quite recently: