Calendar Class of August 24, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

This morning I woke up determined to put on a "Sunday Feast" every week, not just on special occasions when we have guests over. These feasts are the culmination of our daily studies outlined in the blog (see the word of the day below). The essential goal of studies, or education in general, is the formation of the whole person towards the good, or ordo amoris, as St. Augustine famously taught. So, education is not just theory, it is also practice informed by theory. As I brought my computer out to the balcony to write the blog this morning, I spied my two "students" involved in some Four Season Schole practices of cooking and creating artwork, and subsequently captured the moment for posterity and this snapshot. The Sunday Feasts are weekly opportunities for us to practice the application of our studies by participating in the "four universal vocations" of Christians-- gardening (or nature study), cooking, storytelling, and sanctity. This translates to cooking up a spread of seasonal produce, saying a special grace composed for the feast while lighting the candelabrum, ending the meal by singing a litany of seasonal saints, going for a nature study stroll, and then ending the day with a bonfire (or by the hearth or candelabrum if the weather doesn't allow us to stay outside), around which we entertain each other with our seasonally inspired repertoire from our booklets (songs, poems, stories, folk dances, etc). In the past, when we lived on a big farm, we hosted some pretty large gatherings for our seasonal feasts. Now that we're in a new home and a new season of life, I'm experimenting with smaller scale feasts (today we have just one guest, Grandma Kirk!). Buona Domenica wherever you are, and may this day find you soaking up the end of this beautiful season of summer and month of August!

Liturgical: Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Gospel Excerpt, Cycle C, Luke 13:22-25: Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few be saved?" He answered them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from.'"

"We are dealing with God's mercy while alive. He will forgive any sin and any number of sins if we truly repent, and resolve to correct these faults. To do this is the only one guarantee that even God himself can give us of a successful judgment Every man who lives in God's grace will die in God's grace and be numbered among the saved. The man who lives habitually in sin, and refuses to amend his life, will die in his sinful state, and thus exclude himself from eternal salvation.

I have a free will. I can choose to pass that final examination or to fail it. The whole of my eternity, the unending life after death, depends on my choice now. If I choose to follow Christ and live according to his laws during the few years I have on this earth, I shall pass and shall be among the saved. If I ignore Christ and his laws now, he will not know me on the day of judgment I shall be among the lost. God forbid that I should choose the latter course."

—Excerpted from The Sunday Readings Cycle C, Fr. Kevin O' Sullivan, O.F.M.

Bishop Barron's Sunday Sermon: "Does God Punish Us?"

Fr. Plant's Homily-Scripture Lesson: "The Narrow Door"

Sanctoral: St. Bartholomew (1st c.) is one of Jesus' Twelve Apostles who, together with his friend and fellow Apostle Philip, came from Cana in Galilee. All we know of St. Bartholomew (also called Nathaniel) is what is mentioned of him in the synoptic Gospels and the book of Acts. Philip told Bartholomew that he had found the Messiah, and, despite Bartholomew's incredulity, the two went together to see Jesus. When Jesus saw Bartholomew he exclaimed, “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him!", indicating that Bartholomew possessed great purity of heart. Bartholomew then asked Jesus how he knew him, and Jesus explained that he saw Bartholomew sitting under the fig tree. This secret between Jesus and Bartholomew caused Bartholomew to immediately exclaim that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. According to the Roman Martyrology, Bartholomew became a missionary in the East, preaching and evangelizing in Asia Minor, Ethiopia, India, and finally Armenia, where he was flayed alive and beheaded by King Astyages. St. Bartholomew is the patron saint of nervous and neurological diseases, butchers, leather workers, tanners, cobblers, trappers, and shoemakers.

Human: 79 AD – the eruption of Vesuvius destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum. The volcanic ash which flooded Pompeii, perfectly preserved buildings and objects, which allowed us to get to know quite accurately the appearance of a Roman medium-sized city and the lives of its inhabitants. At that time, Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer and historian, was killed. Other suggested date of eruption is 24th of October.

• 383 AD – Emperor Gratian died.

• 410 AD – the Goths conquered Rome. When in 408 AD there was a disagreement between Alaric, who stood at the head of the Goths and Honorius, who refused to pay the Goths the money he had earlier promised to give, the commander of the Goths, wanting to punish Honorius, attacked Italy in November. During the siege, the city was struck with hanger. The Goths, however, did not undertake an assault, agreeing to negotiate with the Senate, which promised them a high income. After the Goths left and went to Etruria, Honorius rejected Senate’s decision, drawing additional troops to fight with Goths. Alaric again approached the walls of Rome, occupying the port of Ostia. At the end of the year, the Goths forced the Senate to proclaim the new emperor, Priscus Attalus. Soon the Goths initiated further battles with Honorius, but they did not bring much success. In the summer of 410 AD Alaric decided to dethrone Attalus, with whom he argued about the campaign in Africa. They were also trying to negotiate with Honorius, but the talks were broken by Honorius. Angered by this fact, Alaric approached Rome for the third time. After a short siege, due to the betrayal of part of the inhabitants, on the night of 24 August 410 AD the Goths got into the city. For three days they ripped the city. Residents were spared, but forced to spend their money. A half-sister of the emperor, Galla Placidia was taken prisoner. The conquest of Rome was a great shock for the inhabitants of Italy. After leaving Rome, the Goths set off south, robbing Campania. During the march, in December 410 AD Alaric died, and Ataulf took his place. Throughout 411 AD the Goths stayed in Italy, plundering it completely.

  
  

• British troops set the White House on fire during the War of 1812 – 1814

• Treaty of Cordoba signed, granting Mexico independence from Spain – 1821

Natural: Here come the St. Bartholomew Thunderstorms! St. Bartholomew

One of the original 12 Apostles, St. Bartholomew is commemorated on August 24. In England, many fairs were held on this day, including the famous St. Bartholomew Fair in Smithfield. Eventually, the saint’s feast day appeared in weather lore, such as “At St. Bartholomew, there comes cold dew,” or “As Bartholomew’s Day, so the whole autumn.” After this date, thunderstorms were said to be more violent.

Italian: Prendere il sopravvento (to gain the upper hand / to get the better of)

Word of the Day: Phenology

The study of natural periodic events in the life-cycle of plants (and animals).

This is what the "four cycles of life" studies are all about-- I have extended phenology to incorporate the seasons of the Church, the saints' feast days (sanctoral cycle), the seasons of a human life (quarter age stages), in addition to the four seasons of nature (the scientific use of the word phenology). Have you heard of phenology wheels? These are normally created to illustrate the life cycle of a plant or animal but at each monthly minor feast we create a phenology poster to illustrate the four cycles of life in that particular month. Check back on September 1!

Quote: "Luxury isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s a quiet morning. A deep breath. The freedom to slow down. Real wealth is found in moments—soft, sacred, and simple".