“Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple”, Giotto, ARSH 1320, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

Happy Feast of the Presentation, aka “Candlemas”! It is called “Candlemas” because of the words of Simeon (shown above holding the squirmy Baby Jesus Who, like any baby, has planted His little hand right on Simeon’s mouth.)  Simeon prophesied of Our Blessed Lord in Luke 2: 32 that He was, “A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” Hence the great association with light and candles today. Also remember that the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the fruit of which is Obedience and Love of the Law.

Touchingly, as I look at this masterpiece by Giotto, I think perhaps the Baby Jesus is shown reaching longingly towards His mother, who is likewise reaching to Him, with His hand on Simeon’s mouth because it was Simeon who prophesied that The Blessed Virgin would have her very soul pierced.  He knew what had to happen, and what had to happen to her.  Perhaps Giotto has depicted here Our Lord’s assurance to His mother of His consolation – that He would always proactively reach to her in love and help her through her sorrows and sufferings being prophesied to her in that moment  – as He does to all of us.

Shown on the far left is St. Joseph, holding the sacrifical dove – because the Holy Family was too poor to afford the normal lamb.  On the far right is the elderly prophetess Anna.

I’m sure Antipope Bergoglio and all of the satanic faggots in the Antichurch would find this whole scene revolting as these pharisaical lovers of the law cling to antiquated forms and practices in a self-absorbed display of faux-piety, idolatry and divination.  Because remember, according to those filthy wretches, the only way to be truly pious is to be impious.  The only way to truly love the law is to disregard it.  The only genuine devotional practice is the opposition to tradition. In other words, total satanic inversion.

Let’s end with a quote about Candlemas from a devout Catholic, Jacobus de Voragine, from The Golden Legend, circa ARSH 1275.

…if we will appear in this feast tofore the face of God, pure and clean and acceptable, we ought to have in us three things which be signified by the candle burning: that is good deeds, true faith, with good works. And like as the candle without burning is dead, right so faith is dead without works as Saint James saith, for to believe in God without obeying his commandments profiteth nothing. And therefore saith Saint Gregory: The good work ought to show withoutforth that thy intention abide good withinforth the heart, without seeking within any vain glory to be allowed and praised. And by the fire is understood charity, of which God saith: I am come to put fire in the earth, and whom I will, I will burn.

Madonna and Child with St Ignatius of Antioch and St Onophrius, Lorenzo Lotto, ARSH 1508, Borghese Gallery, Rome

Today is the feast of St. Ignatius of Antioch, who was a student of St. John the Apostle.  Not bad.  I love how in the image above, Our Lord is reaching toward St. Ignatius and handing to him His Sacred Heart, crowned with thorns, and pierced.

When I was reading my way into The Church (and being so scandalized by the Kennedys that I kept delaying my entry), one of the most helpful books I read was called “The Four Witnesses: The Early Church in Her Own Words“, which is a compendium of quotations by the early Church Fathers, namely Ignatius of Antioch (died ARSH 110), Clement of Rome (died ARSH 99, consecrated a bishop by St. Peter), Justin Martyr (died ARSH 165), and Irenaeus of Lyon (student of Polycarp who was a student of John the Apostle, died ARSH 202). If you are genuinely interested in what EXACTLY was going on in the days, weeks and decades after Our Lord’s Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, and the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, I highly recommend reading the words of the Church Fathers themselves.  It’s all there: the Mass, the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Eucharist, sacramental confession of sins, hierarchical structure of the Church Militant, everything.

Here is a quote from St. Ignatius. 

In like manner, everyone who has received from God the power of distinguishing and yet follows an unskillful pastor and receives a false opinion for the truth shall be punished…
Be not deceived: if any man follows him who separates from the truth, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and if any man does not stand aloof from the preacher of falsehood he shall be condemned to Hell.
-St. Ignatius of Antioch

Boy, how timely and relevant is this?  Remember folks, every one of us will stand ALONE before Christ at our Particular Judgment.  There will be no finger pointing, no blaming of others.  Every human being with the “power of distinguishing”, which means above the age of reason, and not suffering from mental retardation or other physical limitation to reasoned thought and apprehension of objective reality, will be held responsible for their actions.

Many people today are desperately trying to convince themselves and others that only degreed theologians or canon lawyers are competent to “distinguish”.  This is a LIE. And it is so transparently ridiculous a lie as to be laugh-out-loud-able.  We know from the Good Shepherd discourse, Our Lord’s words to the disciples of John the Baptist, the example of the Good Thief, and the witness of the Martyrs, many of whom were peasants, soldiers, and even children (St. Agnes of Rome was 13), coupled with the observation of the ever-escalating catastrophic failure of theologians and canonists of the past century, and plain old common sense, that “the power of distinguishing” belongs to all of us, and we are all expected to use it. 

Trailing off after an arch-heretic Antipope, and likely False Prophet Forerunner of the Antichrist, in the name of “obedience” and “humility” or even some perverse notion of “piety” will NOT go over well. “But… but… but…the wolves and faithless hirelings and people with doctorates from Pontifical Universities told me it was okay….” Balderdash.

But a stranger [the sheep] follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.

Western Swing is that sublime intersection of Country, Bluegrass, Big Band, Jazz and Blues. It’s just about as quintessentially American as you can get. And Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys are peak Western Swing.

Enjoy “Milk Cow Blues”. Take it, Leon Rausch….

https://www.amren.com/features/2024/12/india-its-worse-than-you-think/

The thing that struck me hardest in this piece is the fact that the average I.Q. of Indians (dot, not feather) is a shockingly low 77. As I have said and written, the Indians we see in the West are all on the front side of the I.Q. bell curve, capable of studying and working in medicine, engineering and computer science. India, with a population of 1.4 billion, cherry picks brainpower from its population to export, but most Indians are of far lower intelligence than white Westerners, even though we have a misperception of the entire race being “above average.” Pile on top of that the fact that their culture is pagan and intrinsically depraved, without the advantage that Christianity and its moral code imparts, and it’s exactly as the author says: so much worse than we think.

Wow. It’s almost as if they should be colonized and converted to Catholicism FOR THEIR OWN GOOD, or something. It’s almost as if PROSELYTIZING IS A VIRTUOUS ACT OF CHARITY, EXPLICITLY COMMANDED BY CHRIST HIMSELF.

Do read the whole thing.

Women are destroying their human embryos from IVF they didn’t want anymore because they got their babies and who needs the other souls they created right? 😡 … anyhow they are putting their own deceased children in a ring. pic.twitter.com/fCInon8rnb

— 🌷 LIZZIE🌷 (@farmingandJesus) January 26, 2025

Today is the feast of St. Francis de Sales.

“While extremely sensitive as to the slightest approach to slander, you must also guard against an extreme into which some people fall, who, in their desire to speak evil of no one, actually uphold and speak well of vice.”
-St. Francis de Sales

UPDATE: I knew it wouldn’t take long. Well done, everyone! May God reward you! The Communion of Saints exists in the Church Militant, too! I’m sure the Sisters have a whole list of items their nascent community could use, so don’t be dissuaded from donating and giving them some extra windfall in these final days of Christmastide!

They’re almost there. Let’s get it done tonight, y’all. With maybe a little extra money to boot. 😇🙏🏻

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/fundraising/for-the-glory-of-god-we-need-your-help

Prayer is the place of refuge for every worry, a foundation for cheerfulness, a source of constant happiness, a protection against sadness.

-St. John Chrysostom

Happy Feast of St. John Chrysostom!

Years ago, before the CoronaScam Crime Against Humanity, as I was walking to Mass one evening, some jerk sexually propositioned me as I walked past his storefront. This rarely happens to me because I never leave the house dressed in anything other than what modern people literally consider formal-wear, and that sort of dress and comportment rarely receives gutter attention. Dress like a lady, be treated like a lady. Dress like a skank, be treated like a skank. Dress like a slob, be treated like a slob.

After Mass, I stopped into a nice sushi bar for a quick dinner, and the owner/manager before seating me leaned in and said, “Can I ask you something?” And I thought, “Here we go again. You’ve gotta be kidding me…”

Cynically, I was expecting something lascivious having been lasciviously addressed just a couple of hours before. Here is what he said:

“We see you walk past here every day, and you’re always so HAPPY. Why are you so HAPPY?”

“Because I live here, I get to eat sushi, and I get to go to the Latin Mass every day.”

“There is a Latin Mass? Here? Where?”

I told him, and then I ate sushi, as one does.

Unagi roll!!!

The highest prayer is The Mass. Next is the Divine Office. The next highest prayer is the Rosary, which is actually a proxy for the Divine Office in a sense. The Rosary is called “Our Lady’s Psalter” because the 150 Hail Marys (15 Mysteries X 10 Hail Marys per Mystery) map to the 150 Psalms, and thus could be the layman’s participation in the Divine Office.

St. John Chrysostom wasn’t blowing smoke. If you pray, you’re happy, you’re confident, and you’re at ease. Because if you pray, you aren’t scared or worried. You know Who is in charge, and you know that He loves you, and is driving everything toward greater good and ultimately total consummation. You trust Him, and are abandoned totally to His Providence, which is always perfect.

St. John Chrysostom, pray for us!

Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, pray for us!

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on us!