Never mind Covid, the sex scenes must go on!

Why is Hollywood exempt from the mask? I understand they must undergo some kind of protocol, which probably involves frequent testing, but it is not unreasonable to ask this question. I have gone out a few times without it or simply have not covered my nose (because I would like to breathe normally, which I wildly assume is a basic human right-who knew wanting to breathe would one day be radically counter-cultural?) and have been physically intimidated, sneered at, verbally harassed, yelled at, chased, dramatically pulled away from, looked at with fear, thrown out of stores, turned in to “authorities” and singled out for “special” treatment. I have even had these problems in church. One usher tried to prevent me from receiving Holy Communion. Another tried to physically block me from returning to my pew after continued harassment and trying to throw me out. (I have only had these problems in certain “types” of churches, if you catch my drift.)

Meanwhile, in Hollywood….

Though I am detaching more and more from the world, I occasionally have to encounter it in my research. I also still try to find something decent to watch on TV occasionally (it’s easier to get peanut butter to slide off a piece of bread…sorry, that’s the only thing I could come up with…maybe I should have said, in keeping with the peanut butter theme…it’s easier to get my husband to stop eating peanut butter, even in Lent…OK!…my brain is a bit fried after this past year, whatduhyuhwant?). I recently watched a trailer for a new movie, which showed a scene of a couple kissing intimately. I also attempted to watch a new TV show and the first thought which came to my mind was, “Why is no one wearing a mask? Why is no one distancing? HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?” I was so angry, I had to shut it off. We are now in an age when what is on TV is more normal than what is outside. We are getting further sucked into the virtual world and away from the real one. Could this be by design?

There are many inconsistencies going on with the Covid measures. One store I was thrown out of, for not having the mask over my nose, was right down the road from a KFC, where everyone was chowin down with no masks. Just one of countless examples. No matter what you think of all these restrictions, you must admit there is something very wrong with this picture. If we don’t ask these questions now, what kind of a future are we looking at? What kind of a world will our children be living in?

+++ Ash Wednesday +++

Ash Wednesday begins with the following words (old rite) from the “Blessing of Ashes:”

“Hear us O Lord, for Thy mercy is kind: look upon us, O Lord, according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies. Save me, O God, for the waters have come in even unto my soul.”

This is a very interesting text, “the waters have come in…” Something to meditate upon today. Does this express an interior distress or the corruption of the soul…or both? Certainly this year, our collective distress remains as we look outside our windows. And certainly, in such times, our spiritual condition must be brought forward as never before…and dealt with to the highest degree, lest we perish with the rest, and to obtain mercy for the world. Let us give the Most Holy Trinity our very best this Lent, make ourselves deserving of the great celebration of His Resurrection and leap forward in our quest for the Kingdom of Heaven!

+ + +

Beet seeds are starting to do something! :):):) (I soaked them for a whole day and that seems to have helped.)

This was posted one day before Ash Wednesday.

Grow Your Own Sprouts & More / Old Farmer's Almanac Gardening Webinar & Planner

From Seed to Soup!

The Kitchen Crop 4-Tray Sprouter is a convenient way to eat fresh, free sprouts any time. I recently found the product online and am now enjoying my homegrown sprouts! According to “Healthline:”

“Sprouts are very nutritious. They may also offer a variety of health benefits, including easier digestion, improved blood sugar levels and a lower risk of heart disease. However, keep in mind that they are also associated with a risk of food poisoning. That said, for the majority of healthy people, the benefits of eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts likely outweigh the risks.”

I am not an expert, but if you handle the sprouts properly and keep the trays clean (they are fine in the dishwasher-wash them once per week, even if that requires temporarily removing the sprouts), I don’t think bacteria or mold should be an issue. Read instructions and keep out of direct sunlight.

This product is also great fun for kids and a sustainability learning experience…

I used only two trays to grow alfalfa (the kit came with those seeds) and beet sprouts. In one week, the beet seeds did not do much, but the alfalfa seeds grew to perfection…

When the sprouts are mature, rinse them in water and the hulls mostly sink to the bottom. Unused sprouts may be refrigerated.

Sprouts are great for salads, sandwiches, soups and as an elegant garnish. I added mine to a simple chicken soup. The aroma and flavor was wonderful and gave it an exotic flair-it’s an easy way to impress your friends!

~ ~ ~

VKP Brands

This sprouter is made by “VKP Brands,” which produces many food and preparedness/sustainability products. Here is a video on this product. They also sell a “Deluxe Sprouter,” which doesn’t seem much different. You can also turn wide-mouth mason jars into sprouters with the Sprouting Jar Lid. Common sprouting seeds such as sunflower, radish, beans, broccoli and alfalfa are also available.

“VKP Brands” can help you do almost anything to food that you want…

canning, dehydrating, milling or juicing!

They also have various kitchen supplies, travel slow cookers and water distillers.

~ ~ ~

Check out the Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening 101 webinar next week*…I also recommend their Garden Planner, which is a year-long subscription that allows you to design your own garden and receive all kinds of incredible help and resources…well worth the money if you really will use it-both of these things will well-prepare you to grow an amazing garden this year…Spring is around the corner…get started now!

* Why bother paying $39.99 for this when I could just watch a few YouTube videos? Yes, you could watch videos and there’s a lot of great content out there, but you always have to evaluate the source. The Almanac is a trusted source and you’ll get a good overview here of the basic concepts of gardening. They also give an opportunity to ask questions.

Covid Culture and the Age of Separation

[Edited since posting.]

There are numerous theories as to why they want us in our homes so badly. I have not heard anyone else point out that we are simultaneously being concentrated and separated. It is true, venturing out is no longer for the faint-hearted. But I am beginning to see the whole thing as a game. This perspective changes everything and is very therapeutic. Games are frustrating and fun. With the right attitude, maybe we can actually cope with this emerging chaotic world and preserve our sanity…

“With God all things are possible."

Matthew 19:26

I needed to shop for several things and my favorite department store was having a big sale this weekend. I spent 2 days shopping and was rather exhausted after the experience…

The fitting rooms were closed, so they expected you to buy clothes simply to take them home and try them on…then come back and hold up the 6-foot distanced line with all your returns and exchanges. How much more sanitary is it for people to take the clothes home and throw them all over their beds? What a great new system! At one point, I started to overheat in my winter coat (menopause) and wondered where I could stash it while I shopped. I thought, “The closed fitting room!” I explained to a female employee I was not feeling well and asked if I could do that. She said “No” and walked away. I wanted to yell, “I see you’ve never had a hot flash!” I then asked a cashier if I could stick my coat by the register and she was very accommodating. She was young and I could have been her mother. I learned something: always ask a young person. Okay, I’m starting to get the rules of this game! Another great thing I found out was that the handicapped stall in the women’s room was taped up to prevent people from trying on clothes in there. So if you’re in a wheelchair or have a baby in a stroller, you’ll need to go down one level on the elevator (which is nowhere near the restroom), out of the store and all the way to the mall restrooms, which are down a long hallway. Wow, this mall’s got it goin on!

Out in the mall, all the chairs have been removed. They were vinyl, which would have been easy to wipe down. There is no place to rest or sit and have a snack. Starbucks won’t let you sit either, so you can get your Egg Bites and eat them standing up at one of the charging stations. Okay, let’s play the game! Figure out where you can sit. Some restrooms still have chairs and there are always SHOE DEPARTMENTS! K-Ching! 50 points! It is very sad, the mall used to be populated with many lonely people, some elderly, who would sit in the chairs and just hang out. I guess they’re all at home now, living like recluses and getting depressed, which is probably great for their health. So much for “safe and healthy.” The connection between the mind and body, which has been well established, has been completely dismissed. We are now just bodies with no connection to anything higher, with no other needs.

I have been wearing a clear mask, which allows me to breathe better and smile at people. I was behind a father and his 2 children on line. I smiled at the kids and said, “I can smile!” I could see big smiles on their faces, even through the masks. The father turned around, looked at me coldly and looked away. Just trying to give your children a sense of hope and normalcy. Sorry! (Okay, I admit it was weird.) One older man commented on the clear mask and said he liked it. We got into a great conversation. He said he finds the mask uncomfortable, dehumanizing and wonders about ill effects. So wonderful when you meet another true human being who can still think and feel!

The fear of “covid” has permeated every aspect of our culture and everyday lives. My husband tried to food shop yesterday, but turned around as soon as he saw the lines outside…the Super Bowl plus an impending snowstorm…forget about it.

A culture designed around a disease will itself be diseased.

When we speak of this “Age of Separation,” it means many things. It seems a great chasm between good and evil is forming, a polarization as never before. The forced physical separation between individuals results in psychological separation as well (there’s a reason why hugs are so powerful). Homicide rates this past year have skyrocketed. That is no surprise, when you’ve created fear between people and the inability to connect…and when you’ve stressed them to the breaking point. “Safe and healthy” is classic Orwellian doublespeak. All the humanity, compassion and understanding is leaving our society. What will replace it?

Welcome to the New World Order!

Easy Edible Sprouts in Your Kitchen!

Find out how these alfalfa seeds got from this ^ to this…

Stay tuned!

2021 March For Life Wrap-Up

*** Text “March” to 73075 ***

You can “march” all year long by texting the word “march” to the number above. You will be given very easy (basically one click) ways to contact your legislators about pro-life issues. The messages are pre-written-there is no way for it to be easier! You will also become educated on every piece of pro-life legislation on the federal level, which this new administration will try to influence. If you prefer, there is also an email option. Do it today before they start changing our laws!

Watch 2021 March For Life

The virtual March for Life this year was exceptionally done. This was an unprecedented project, since the first March of 20,000 people in 1974, only one year after the “Roe vs Wade” decision. The president, Jeanne Mancini, and her team pulled it together and did a remarkable job. The footage is about 2 1/2 hours. The first half is a series of short, pre-recorded talks from pro-life leaders around the country. The second half contains live interviews and coverage of the March. This is a great “documentary” for young people, which can be used for catechism classes or youth groups. It is not boring at all, the time goes by effortlessly and is quite inspiring. One of the highlights was the talk given by Tim Tebow, keynote speaker of this year’s Rose Dinner Gala, athlete, humanitarian and himself a “miracle baby.”

March For Life Website

Click on the link above for news, March merchandise, “Take Action” button, donations and more.

Every faithful Catholic must fight this fight for life and against evil is his own way. Why is the world undergoing such a chastisement? Why is God allowing it? None of this will end until humanity repents and turns back to God and His Law of Love.

February: Month of the Passion of Our Lord

We are keeping track of where we are in the Liturgical Year. As of the last day of January, we have moved from “Season After Epiphany” to “Season After Septuagesima,” or simply “Septuagesima.” This is the brief time before Lent, when the vestments turn purple and we begin to contemplate the Mystery of the Redemption: The Cycle of Easter has begun! During Septuagesima, we prepare for Lent so we are not caught on Ash Wednesday with no plan. This year, roughly one year into a changed world, it is more important than ever, to be prepared for Lent and to give God our very best. We must do all we can to secure mercy for the world and Holy Church at this hour. In many places last Easter, the churches were closed (including New York, where I live) and people could not receive Our Blessed Lord on this greatest of all solemnities. Let us celebrate a worthy Lent this year, that we may joyfully attend Holy Mass on Easter this year!

It is also important though, to remain positive and not to stress ourselves too much. We are all traumatized from the past year and concerned about the state of the world. We must practice good self-care and stress reduction. So there needs to be a balance between our penitential practices and remembering the joy of life. The most important thing is love. Love for God, for self and for neighbor. When in doubt, just love!

Traditionally in Lent, meat is eaten at only one meal and of course, no meat on Fridays. Being that February is devoted to the Passion of Our Lord, we may wish to think about how we may integrate this into our Lenten activities. We also have the Ember Days this month-further opportunity for prayer and penance.

On the 2nd of the month, we celebrate the Presentation of Our Lord, a topic we dealt with in Lesson 4 of our Prepper Rosary Program. On Shrove Tuesday, we adore the Holy Face of Jesus, a wonderful contemplation as Lent is about to begin. This month also honors 2 Doctors of the Church, Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint Bernadette, St. Apollonia and Francisco & Jacinto Marto, 2 of the Fatima children who died young. Following is a sampling of the feasts of February. Septuagesima* and Lenten blessings to all!

2/2-PRESENTATION OF OUR LORD, traditionally also known as the PURIFICATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY and Candlemas

2/3-St. Blaise, Blessing of Throats

2/5-First Friday / St. Agatha, Martyr honored in Canon of Mass

2/6-First Saturday / St. Titus, Companion of St. Paul

2/7-Sexagesima Sunday

2/8-St. Josephine Bakhita, 20th Century Saint

2/9-St. Cyril of Alexandria, Doctor, “Doctor of the Incarnation,” “Seal of the Fathers” / St. Apollonia, Martyr, Patroness of Dentistry

2/11-OUR LADY OF LOURDES

2/14-Quinquagesima Sunday / St. Valentine, Martyr, Patron of lovers, epileptics and beekeepers / Sts. Cyril & Methodius

2/16-HOLY FACE OF JESUS, Shrove Tuesday

2/17-ASH WEDNESDAY, fast & abstinence

2/18-St. Bernadette, Seer of Lourdes

2/20-Francisco & Jacinta Marto, Seers of Fatima, 20th Century Saints

2/21-St. Peter Damian, Doctor, “Monitor of the Popes” (new)

2/22-Chair of St. Peter

2/23-St. Polycarp, Martyr / St. Peter Damian (trad)

2/24-Ember Wednesday in Lent / St. Matthias, Apostle who replaced Judas, Martyr

2/26-Ember Friday in Lent

2/27-Ember Saturday in Lent

* I’ve typed this word so many times over the years, I just don’t care anymore! Of course, the spell check does not know of such things. Please don’t contact me to tell me I spelled it wrong:)

Image courtesy http://www.jesusdivinemercy.com

2021 March For Life...This Friday!

Washington DC *** January 29th

For most of us it will be virtual ~ Let’s get numbers like never before!

Watch the Rally & March ~ You must RSVP! From the website:

“The March for Life Rally and march to the Supreme Court will be broadcast online for you to join virtually. We invite you to join us online for the broadcast by RSVPing at https://marchforlife.org/2021-virtual-events/. On January 29th, you will receive a link in your email inbox containing the link to watch the March for Life Rally and march.”

Virtual Rose Dinner Gala Register

“Advocate for Life at Capitol Hill 101” ~ Online One-Hour Lobbying Training Session ~ Thurs, 1/28 Register

FAQS PAGE

STATE MARCHES

(some are scheduled for the Spring)

Update

From our spiffed-up “Contact/Email List” page (see button above):

Contact Nomen Christi Apostolate at: director@nomenchristi.org

Please feel free to contact us and share your thoughts or suggestions. Comments may be shared on our blog-a first name and location would be helpful.

subscriber Email List

Please contact us above with “Email List” in the subject box. For those in the New York area, please let us know you are local and you will receive appropriate emails dealing with local issues or events. If you have met CF Mathews personally, please give us your name and church or organization you attend or are affiliated with.

We generally send links to important posts on the blog or timely issues. You will also be notified about Program details when they occur, whether local or online. We send only occasionally, though if there is a lot going on at once, you may receive a few in a row. We never share contact information and all email recipients are kept confidential. This email account has no affiliation with “Squarespace,” further protecting your privacy. Thank you for your interest!

Feast of Saint Francis de Sales

What consoling words these are by St. Francis de Sales…

Your Cross

The Everlasting God, has in His wisdom, foreseen from eternity the cross that He now presents to you, as a gift from His inmost Heart. This cross He now sends you, He has considered with His all-knowing eyes, understood with His divine mind, tested with His wise justice, warmed with loving arms, and weighed with His own hands to see that it be not one inch too large, and not one ounce too heavy for you. He has blessed it with His Holy Name, anointed it with His consolation, taken one last glance at you and your courage, and then sent it to you from Heaven, a special greeting from God to you, an alms of the all-merciful Love of God.