Memento Mori 🙏🏻

The quick fix. The easy button. The silver bullet.

Whatever you call it, there’s something in us that loves a simple, fast answer. No matter what the problem is. Especially when it’s something difficult. Or deep-rooted. Or long-term.

It’s why we’re always looking for a shortcut. For the one thing that solves everything.

The thing is, nothing in life really works that way. Nothing that lasts anyway.

Oh sure, I can try the quick fix. I might even see some results. But check back with me in a year. And see if any of those results are still there.

Whether we’re talking about changing the world. Or just changing ourselves.

Real progress. Change that lasts. Isn’t the work of a moment.

No matter how grand the gesture may be.

Real progress. Change that lasts. Is the fulfillment of many, many moments.

The ultimate coming together of countless small things.

This is what Jesus is pointing us towards in today’s Gospel.

This is why He warns us not to overlook even the smallest part.

Because it’s those seemingly insignificant parts. Those things that may not seem like much at the time.

That are actually the moments that God has given into our care. The moments when we can make a difference.

Where God has entrusted to us the power to make change that lasts.

The secret to using that power? Consistency.

In each moment that has been entrusted to us, looking to God.

In each moment that has been entrusted to us, responding in His love.

This is the sure and certain road that Mother Teresa spoke of. The only source of change that lasts. The holy power of doing “small things with great love.”

Saint Olivia of Palermo

9th C.

Feast Day: June 10

Patronage: Music, Trivigliano, Italy

Saint Olivia (or Olive, for the olive branch, a symbol of peace, fruitfulness, dignity, and beauty) was a beautiful young girl kidnapped by the Muslims, brought to Tunisia, yet allowed to live in a cave as a hermit. When she was found to have cured and converted many Muslims, they tortured and imprisoned her. After converting her executioner she was burned and beheaded. It’s said her soul was seen flying to heaven as the form of a dove. St. Olivia is held in esteem by Christians and Muslims today.

Saint Ephrem the Syrian

Doctor of the Church

306-373

Feast Day: June 9 (New), June 18 (Trad)

Patronage: Spiritual directors and leaders

Saint Ephrem was a deacon, poet, teacher, musician, and defender of the faith. He wrote hundreds of hymns to counteract heresies and was the first to introduce song into public worship to relay the truths of the faith, giving him the title “Harp of the Holy Spirit”. His poetry is said to have inspired Dante. He suffered through war, famine, and persecution and died of natural causes as a hermit.

bugs. all going about their days and living despite their short lives, despite how "gross" and "insignificant" they may seem to a lot of people.

  – Guest Submission

To hear the sound of cicadas and feel the cool wind in the summer

  – Guest Submission

Seeing those people who you haven't seen in a while, and that you miss just walking down the street, and they wave hi to you. Stop convincing yourself they don't like you! They said hi to you! You're cool enough for the person you think is awesome and worth greeting to think you're awesome and worth greeting and that's wonderful and you've gotta keep living to have that experience.

  – Guest Submission

The simple joy of seeing stars

One of my biggest reasons to live are simply stars. I'm studying in the city, far from the village where I grew up, far from the clear night skies I knew. And yet, on some nights, despite the smog and light pollution, a star shines through. A few even. And seeing them, those beautiful little lights, fighting through the harsh conditions of this environment to be seen, gives me...so much hope. A single faint star yesterday made me have faith in the future again. I love those nights when I return to the dormitories after a period of going back home, and there isn't anyone on the school grounds...and there's a star in the night sky just for me, for me to stare at until my neck aches, until my eyes hurt, until I get consumed by joy and...just dance my way up to my dorm.

I've been suicidal in the past, and especially so this year from academic stress and family issues. Seeing stars, even one, gave me hope again. Reminded me that if I weren't alive, I wouldn't be able to witness the simple yet breathtaking beauty of a star, and eventually, when I get to travel, a full, starlit night sky. They've even developed into my coping mechanism for my really bad days - folding paper stars. I love the stars. And though I cannot reach them, I can have faith in the fact that they give me hope when no one and nothing else can.

  – Guest Submission

It's rude. You're making someone take their time to read something you couldn't bother to write. You're telling them they were so unimportant you couldn't be bothered to actually take the time to say something yourself. And frankly, you're lying about it while you're at it.

521-597

Feast day: June 9

Patronage: Ireland, Scotland, Derry, bookbinders, poets, floods

Saint Columba was born in Ireland of royal descent. He studied for the priesthood under many prominent churchmen, including St. Finnian, eventually becoming abbot. In 563, he sailed to Scotland evangelizing the pagans and establishing monasteries, including the abbey on Iona. Saint Columba is considered one of Irelands 12 Apostles loved by both the Irish and Scots.

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi

May 29, 1769 - June 9, 1837

Feast Day: June 9

Patronage: housewives, mothers, families, victims of verbal and spousal abuse

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi was an Italian housewife, mother, and mystic. At age 20 she married Dominic Taigi and soon after had a conversion to renounce all vanities. Mortification, patience, humility, and devotion to the Church became her life. The couple had 7 children, 3 of whom died in infancy. She conversed with Jesus and Mary and was able to see hidden and future events through a miraculous luminous globe that stayed with her at all times. Her love for the Trinity prompted her to become a Secular Trinitarian, living an ordinary life as a wife and mother. Her body remained incorrupt for several years after her death and Pope Benedict XV declared her blessed on May 30, 1920.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

It’s the start of today’s Gospel (all of Jesus’ “Blessed are the…” sayings). And it’s something we don’t really hear anywhere else. So what does it mean to be “poor in spirit?”

The whole “blessed are the poor is spirit” thing is both a reality check. And a promise.

The reality check? Being poor in spirit is nothing that you and I have to do. Rather, being poor in spirit is where we are, today and every day.

Every day you and I start off from a place of need, a place of poverty. Lacking what we need spiritually, and (on one level or another) being acutely aware of that shortfall.

If you wonder where our anxiety comes from? This is a big part of it.

We may deal with it in different ways. Trying to meet that need through success or stuff, distractions or addictions. But however we do it, all of still comes from that same place of need, of poverty.

Because no matter how much we want to be self-sufficient (and we want to be), the simple truth is that we are not self-sufficient. And never can be.

God knows this about us.

God’s point of reminding us of this? That’s the promise.

To make sure that we know this about us. To make sure that we know that we don’t have to handle this on our own.

God loves us too much to leave us stuck. Lacking what we need.

Stuck trying to be something that we never can be – self-sufficient.

God loves us so much – that He’s willing to do whatever it takes to meet our need (in case you wondered what Good Friday was all about).

Giving us what we need. Helping us to be what we were always meant to be – God-sufficient.