Calendar Class of May 20, 2025
- Andrea Kirk Assaf
- May 20
- 4 min read
A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
Happy Birthday, Grandma Kirk-- 85 years young today!! Since we couldn't be with her in Michigan, we did what she often does for us when we're apart on these special holidays, and had a celebration in her honor on our own. Fortunately, we caught her by video chat as she was having a birthday breakfast so we did get to enjoy the moment together that way. As I was just telling a new friend the other day when inviting him to visit us in Mecosta next month, Annette Kirk is someone you really have to make an effort to meet asap- she's a living legend!
Liturgical: Tuesday of the Fifth Week of Easter
Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
John 14:27-31a
Sanctoral: The Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Bernardine of Siena (1380-1444). Bernardine left the world at an early age in order to lead a hermit's life. When he was twenty-two, he entered the Franciscan Order, one of whose glories he is. Having been made General of the Order, he resigned this charge in order to devote himself to preaching. He preached the name of Jesus with such love that it wrought the transformation of many souls. He was instrumental in effecting many conversions. He died at Aquilea, in the midst of his missionary labors, on May 20, 1444, and was canonized six years later.
Here's an audio biography.
Also included in the Roman Martyrology is the commemoration of St. Lydia, a native of Thyatira, a city in Asia Minor famous for its dye-works, whence Lydia's trade—purple seller. She was at Philippi in Macedonia when she became St. Paul's first convert in Europe and afterward his hostess.
Human: First Council of Nicaea (which standardized how to calculate the date of Easter) likely convened – 325 AD. This year is the Council's 1,700th anniversary!
Natural: World Honeybee Day! As many of you know, I am rather sweet on honey, particularly after authoring a book on honey with HarperCollins Uk. And, as it also turns out, the country of Slovenia is even sweeter on honey and behind the creation of today's now global holiday. We had a very brief chance to see Slovenia's relationship with honey up close when we visited the capitol, Ljubljana, and a local market featuring some of their incredible beehive panels.
Here is some information from the linked document:
"Slovenians have always been a nation of beekeepers. There are five beekeepers per 1,000 inhabitants, which places Slovenia at the top of the world in terms of beekeepers per head of population. Beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long tradition. Our beekeepers are known throughout the world for their professionalism and advanced beekeeping technologies and for Slovenia’s unique historical peculiarities, such as painted beehive panels, bee houses and traditional beehives, of course the reputation of the Carniolan honeybee going before it! The bee, in particular Carniolan honey bee, Apis mellifera carnica, indigenous Slovenian race of bee, which is the second most wide spread bee race in the world, is part of Slovenian national identity. Moreover, Slovenia is the only country in the EU that protected its bee by legal means."
Italian: Calzante (well-fitting / snug / suitable)
Quote: "Our lives can best be likened to a journey, a pilgrimage. When we were children, we were considered by all who loved us to be adorable little angels—but if truth be told, we were also often selfish little creatures whose favorite words were “me” and “mine.” As we grew older, if given proper guidance, we learned to expand our affections beyond our own wants and our association with just our own family and to become more involved in the lives of others... During the course of our journey, if we are to nurture in ourselves an interior life, we must strive to fix a circle of quiet around ourselves by regularly retreating from the noisiness and busyness of the everyday, so we can learn how to “be,” not only how to “do.” It is during such times of reflection we come to appreciate that we are beings possessing souls. Learning to fix this circle of quiet around yourselves becomes essential just now as you stand at a transitional point in your life. For from this day forward, upon the closing of this ritual, this ceremony marking a passage in your time here on earth, your existence will never be precisely as it was before."
--Annette Kirk, "Images for the Journey," Commencement Address at Hillsdale Academy
A few links to great stuff about Annette Kirk:
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