Third Monday After Pentecost: It's Cosmic Patience Day!
Yellowstone NP this time last year + A cool song by a Yemeni group + Virgin Islands NP + Plastic bag bans work! + A is for Armchair + Patroness of ENDURANCE
PENTECOST + ORDINARY TIME
The longest liturgical season, which will take us up to Advent, is referred to as Pentecost by some denominations, while Roman Catholics call it Ordinary Time.
To honor the spirit of both of these themes, the second section of my weekday posts will feature a country and the numbers 1-10 in its language.
During this season, I want to share more of my original writing, especially my spiritual memoir that I’m writing. The sections reflect this goal.
ONE > A recent or special archived photo I’ve captured.
It was too hot on Sunday to get out to take photos. So, I’m looking back into my archive to where my family and I were vacationing exactly a year ago - Yellowstone National Park!
On Saturday, June 22, 2024, we started our day up in the northern, Mammoth Hot Springs part of the huge park:
We enjoyed a picnic lunch with the hot springs formation behind us. My youngest daughter is in the front with the white hat. She’s with my two nieces - whose mom is my sister (in the pink shirt). Next to her is my other sister. Continuing counter clock-wise is my mom and dad with the father of my nieces in the shades with the “V” fingers.
We then drove to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone section.
I dig this photo with my daughter and the reminder that I’ve lost about 35 pounds since it was taken!
We started Sunday, June 23, 2024 with mass at Our Lady of the Pines in West Yellowstone, MT (near where we stayed.)
Just my wife and I went to the spectacular Artist’s Point for this photo:
How about one more photo of this iconic location:
And we saw this (also iconic) creature (captured with a heavy zoom on the camera.)
TWO > Using “Armchair Explorer: Discover the Best Music, Film. Literature From Around the World” I feature a country with a playlist and video highlighting its music. Plus, numbers in this country’s primary language.
From, as this book describes the nation, “Israel & the Palestinian Territories,”
Born in Jerusalem of Ethiopian descent, Alene, who sings in Amharic, Arabic, English and Hebrew, was set to represent Israel at the Eurovision 2020 finals. Although canceled, the contest song introduced Alene to a global audience. (page 230)
The three Haim sisters of A-Wa draw on the Yemeni heritage, combining more traditional music styles with hip-hop and electro beats. This song shares some of the challenges that immigrants from Yemen often face in Israel. (page 239)
THREE > Good News!
[From Good News Network, 6/21/25]
FOUR > Planetary Pilgrims visit U.S. National Parks (least to most attended)
Virgin Islands NP - 45th out of 63 in attendance.
FIVE > In the spirit of the 100’s of books like “A History of the World in 100 Objects,” I share an alphabetical list of common places and things for which I am grateful. Planetary Pilgrims encounter the physical world with curiosity to perceive the depth of all. This is an exercise in practicing this skill.
A is for ARMCHAIR:
Not just any chair, it’s an IKEA Poang! This one resides in our front room which we call The Library. Outside of the frame to the right is a large window looking out to the street. To its left is an identical twin chair. In the colder months when I can’t sit out on the back patio/porch, this chair is my “prayer chair.” When I’m not using it, my pooch likes to sit in it.
Yes, this is a previous version of a Poang chair. In the 26 years my wife and I have been married, we’ve owned a few of these classic, comfortable, customizable and (relatively) cheap chairs. There’s nothing like a functional, comfy chair for human and dog alike.
SIX > From Sacred Story Affirmations: Meditations on Discernment of Spirits by William M. Watson, S.J.
XVIII: CHRIST, WHO HAS WALKED BEFORE ME, SHARES MY EVERY BURDEN
Suffering, whether it is spiritual, psychological, or physical is intensified when the one who suffers feels alone, as if no one else understands what they are experiencing. This terrible sense of isolation is the result of sin’s fracturing of relationship…
God responds to the cataclysm of sin’s suffering and loneliness by fully entering into the suffering created by our own rejection of God’s love…
The Lord Jesus wanted us to know, even in the depths of our suffering, that love has come to rescue us and His sacred heart fully understands what we endure. He does not want us to ever feel alone in our suffering, for he is by our side.
Lord Jesus, no matter what we suffer in our lives, give us the presence of mind and heart to always invite you in to our hearts and ask for your help. You know the full depth of our suffering - give us the knowledge of the gift of your love, that we may praise you in Creation. Presence. Memory. Mercy. Eternity.
SEVEN > Musings from A Book of Wonders: Daily Reflections for Awakened Living. and/or A Pilgrim’s Almanac: Reflection for Each Day of the Year by Father Edward Hays (of “Planetary Pilgrim” fame)
Cosmic Patience Day
Are you waiting for a reply from a letter [or email] you wrote or a phone call you left in [voicemail?]
If so, consider the fact today: in 1974 the first extraterrestrial message was sent into space in the hope of reaching an advanced galactic civilization. If someone out there responds to our message at the speed of light (the fastest speed we know of at this time,) we’ll get their reply in the year 51, 974!
EIGHT > Prayers and inspiration from Everything Could Be a Prayer: 100 Portraits of Saints & Mystics (2024) by Kreg Yingst [Note: I HIGHLY recommend that you purchase this amazing book so that you can experience the art accompanying each person]
Today’s patroness of ENDURANCE is Amma Syncletica (?-350)
We hold the cross as our sail so we can set a safe course.
Compassionate One, the journey is long and endurance is needed. Although these trials are painful, I know adversity can produce good fruit; strengthen me and set me on a safe course. Amen.
As Planetary Pilgrims, we are invited to be aware of where our earth is in its annual trek around the sun as well as where our moon - Luna - is in its 28 day cycle around Earth.
So, as of this writing (11:30pm on Sunday):
The Autumnal Equinox arrives (9/22/25, 2:19 pm) in 91 days, 14 hours, 54 minutes
Luna is in the waning crescent or 7% of full. It's 27 days and 0 hours old (the time since the last new moon) Click HERE to see what the moon looks like at this phase.
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RIGHT NOW, we Planetary Pilgrims are MOVING:
1,000 mph - as the earth rotates
66,000 mph - as the earth orbits the sun (in one year we travel 595,000,000 miles around the sun)
43,000 mph - as the Sun, Earth, the seven other planets (and their satellites/moons) move together through space
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This movement through space passes us through time:
1 year, 133 days until the Midterm election (11/3/26)
3 years, 137 days until the next Presidential election (11/7/28)
3 years, 211 days until tRump finally is done and I turn (by God’s grace) 59 yrs old (1/20/29)
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