Many Hands Make Light Work...or By the Sweat of Your Brow...

This Youtube video reminded me of the Gospel passage from St. Matthew that we recently heard at Mass:  “Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock." (Matthew 7:24).    The video is made from a series of photographs of an Amish barn raising taken at 20 second intervals over a period of 10 hours. 

It's quite astounding and a real example of how a huge project can be completed so efficiently when many people work together with a clear plan.  The rhythm of the work and the pace indicate that these men know what they are doing and each one does his part. There is not a single power tool or pneumatic hammer in sight!  In fact, I only saw a little ladder toward the end of the video.  They seem to know how to climb the beams and which way to work themselves down without moving a ladder around.

This morning I chatted with a few men outside of my house who are digging trenches for new gas lines.  This work can only be done manually so as to avoid breaking existing lines or cutting power supplies.  They were chest deep in the ground, shoveling out the dirt.  Talk about earning their living by the sweat of their brow!

May God bless all of those who labor in all kinds of weather and conditions.  May they be given the help of others to make their task lighter.





(via Jonah Goldberg at National Review Online)

We Remember 9/11... RIP Father Judge, The 343, And All Who Perished

May the souls of all the faithful departed who lost their lives on 9/11/2001 rest in peace.
Eternal rest grant unto them, oh Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them.

May we never forget the sacrifice of those firefighters, police and emergency personnel who so fearlessly rushed into those burning buildings.  No greater love...

Place This Poster In Your Window To Show Support For Persecuted Iraqi Christians

Greetings Academicians!

We would like to share a poster we made to show moral and spiritual support for Iraqi Christians.

The front of the poster displays the Arabic letter, Nun, and the Arabic word, "Nasara."
The rear of the poster is an explanation.  It reads:

WE ARE “NASARA"

-- NAZARENES --

-- FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST -- 

WHO STAND WITH IRAQI CHRISTIANS.

     The army of Islamic terrorists who have invaded Iraq and Syria call themselves “ISIS” (The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).  ISIS is conducting a massive persecution of Iraqi Christians.  
     Tens of thousands of men, women and children are fleeing for their lives. Rape, torture, and beheading of Christian adults and children are being committed to the extent that ISIS is essentially waging genocide against Christians.
     ISIS leaves the symbol you see ... on the bodies of the Iraqi Christians they torture and murder, and on the homes where Christians live. 
     It is the 14th letter of the Arabic alphabet, Nun, which is pronounced like the English word, "noon." 
The letter is used as shorthand for the word, "Nasara" -- Nazarenes.  It is a pejorative Arabic slang word for referring to Christians. 
     Please display this symbol on your front door or window as an act of moral and spiritual support for our Christian sisters and brothers suffering so terribly at the hands of ISIS’s Jihadi Muslim terrorists.

If you would  like to print out this poster, you can access it at this link:

We Are Nasara

The poster is in PDF format. It can be printed out as a one-page document -- front and rear sides -- if your printer can print "duplex"-- on both sides of paper. If not, two separate sheets will be printed.

Thank you in advance for spreading this poster

to as many Christians as possible!

Please pray and fast for our

Iraqi Christian brothers and sisters! 

God bless you!