Calendar Class of July 28, 2025

A Carpe Diem Snapshot:

In honor of the birthday of Beatrix Potter, today I feature our felines, captured in a pivotal moment of their ongoing peace process. These two are cousins from the same cat colony at our former off-the-grid property in Mesick (long story), but they are obviously unaware of their biological bond and were enemies from first sight. The long-haired male, Mr. Mistoffelees, is a floppy, congenial fellow and more open to friendship than the short-haired female, Esme, whose only engagement with other cats is a hostile stare-down (which is what she's currently doing with our neighbor's cat, Woody). Despite their stormy initial meeting, day by day they have learned to share their humans and food bowls, culminating in this rare moment of shared napping space. In the case of these felines, familiarity breeds content.

Liturgical: Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth to speak in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”

Matthew 13:31-35

Sanctoral: Today the Roman Martyrology commemorates Sts. Nazarius and Celsus (d. 68), first century martyrs, whose bodies were found by St. Ambrose in 395.

It is also the commemoration of St. Victor I (d. 198-199). St. Victor was pope from 189 to 198; he regulated the date for the celebration of Easter throughout the Church in accordance with the Roman tradition. St. Victor is the first Pope to have been of African origin. It was St. Victor who made Latin the official language of the Roman Catholic Church. St. Victor was a favorite of the mistress of the Emperor Commodus, and his good relationship with her allowed him to present to her lists of imprisoned Christians. Through her power, she was able to secure their releases. In 199, St. Victor I ultimately suffered martyrdom under Septimus Severus. All in all, St. Victor fought for the True Faith and strongly condemned heresies strongly for the uniformity of the Church.

Blessed Stanley Rother (March 27, 1935 – July 28, 1981): Farmer, Priest, Missionary, Martyr.

The declaration of a blessed or saint is always a celebration of the Church as the people of God. To single out an individual for his or her holiness and service builds up the entire community of faith. But this is doubly true for the Church in the United States and in Oklahoma, as one of our own is both declared a martyr for the faith and enrolled in the ranks of those declared Blessed by the Church. May the dedication, faith, and service of Blessed Stanley Rother be a source of strength for all in this country.

Human: Death of Johann Sebastian Bach (composer) – 1750; Birth of Beatrix Potter (author) – 1866

• Great fire in Moscow – 1493

• Thomas Cromwell was executed on order from King Henry VIII on charges of treason – 1540

• Henry VIII married his fifth wife, Catherine Howard – 1540

• Maximilien Robespierre was guillotined, ending the Reign of Terror (French Revolution) – 1794

• The metric system became legal in the United States – 1866

• U.S. occupation of Haiti began – 1915

• WWII coffee rationing in the United States ended – 1943

• A U.S. bomber flying through thick fog at about 200 mph crashed into the 79th floor of New York’s Empire State Building, killing 14 people – 1945

• President Lyndon B. Johnson requested that 50,000 additional soldiers be sent to Vietnam – 1965

Natural: Types of Lilies: 10 Favorite Lilies to Elevate Your Garden (our tiger lilies were pulled up the other day and Valentina was displeased, but Cordelia assured her the roots were still there and next year we'd have lilies galore. Nevertheless, I think it might be a good time to plant a few new ones)

Health: Tick Bites: Pictures, Symptoms, and Treatment

Recipe of the Day: High-Fiber Peach Raspberry Crunch

Italian: Intoppo (setback / hindrance)

Quote: A selection by Beatrix Potter

“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.”

“I hold that a strongly marked personality can influence descendants for generations.”

“Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest.”

“Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality.”

“I cannot rest, I must draw, however poor the result, and when I have a bad time come over me it is a stronger desire than ever.”

“The place is changed now, and many familiar faces are gone, but the greatest change is myself. I was a child then, I had no idea what the world would be like. I wished to trust myself on the waters and the sea. Everything was romantic in my imagination. The woods were peopled by the mysterious good folk. The Lords and Ladies of the last century walked with me along the overgrown paths, and picked the old fashioned flowers among the box and rose hedges of the garden.”

“If I have done anything, even a little, to help small children enjoy honest, simple pleasures, I have done a bit of good.”

“One place suits on person, another place suits another person. For my part, I prefer to live in the country, like Timmy Willie.”