A Carpe Diem Snapshot:
Valentina may have invented a new theatrical art form with this, her latest expression of narrative illustration. Originally a theater for puppets made from popsicle sticks, she has recently created painting placards (on postcard paper) for a storytelling performance of "The First Thanksgiving," as puppets were too limiting. Let me know if you think of the name of this art form, if it already exists. This morning, I read from the Thanksgiving Holiday Helper, compliments of Living Books Curriculum, and the girls were obviously inspired to bring the lessons to life in this very cute way! Next, we're doing the Thanksgiving themed nature study. You can get your copy of that guide here.
“Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth’s vines, for its grapes are ripe.” So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the earth’s vintage. He threw it into the great wine press of God’s fury.
Bishop Barron's Gospel reflections today.
Sanctoral: St. John Berchmans, Belgium (died in Rome in 1621, at the age of 22). Patron of students and altar servers. One of the first to join the Jesuit college in Rome.
St. Sylvester, Abbot (1177-1267). He was the son of a lawyer and had also studied law before becoming a canon in his native town of Osimo. He was a zealous and fervent priest. His determination to retire into solitude was caused by the sight of the decomposing corpse of a friend. He at first lived as a hermit at Grotta Fucile, and then on Monte Fano where followers came to join him. He gave them the habit and Rule of St. Benedict together with certain other customs which reflect his own aspirations and the devotional tendencies of his day. He died in 1267 at the age of ninety.
St. Leonard of Port Maurice, priest (1676-1751). St. Leonard was a confessor, missionary and ascetic writer. He was part of the Riformella, a branch of the Franciscans, and spent his life giving missions in Tuscany, Central and Southern Italy, and Corsica. He advocated in particular, the devotion of the Way of the Cross, and erected the celebrated stations in the Colosseum. His writings are numerous, consisting of sermons, letters, ascetic treatises, and books of devotion. —New Catholic Dictionary
Human: 43 BC – Octavian, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus formed the second triumvirate. It was proclaimed in Bononia (today’s Bologna) in order to organize the situation in Rome after the death of Gaius Julius Caesar and punish his killers. Triumvirs achieved their goal in 42 BC in the defeat of Caesar’s murderers at Philippi. Then they divided the Roman empire among themselves.
117 AD – Aelius Aristides was born-- Publius Aelius Aristides Theodorus (‹See Tfd›Greek: Πόπλιος Αἴλιος Ἀριστείδης Θεόδωρος; 117–181 AD) was a Greek orator and author considered to be a prime example as a member of the Second Sophistic, a group of celebrated and highly influential orators who flourished from the reign of Nero until c. 230 AD.
The Writer's Almanac edition today.
Natural: Plan ahead for a post-Thanksgiving recovery! Here's the 10 day anti-inflammatory diet.
Italian: Boh (I don’t know)
Quote: "La vita e gia dura, goditela!"
-An Italian proverb that translates, more or less, as "Life is inherently heavy, so find a way to lighten up!". This was a piece of advice that the mother of my hairdresser Alessandro always used to give him, which he passed on to me in the course of trying to explain the Italian character to me. Alessandro, a native Roman, is an example of the age-old tradition of hairdressers as informal sages and life counselors, and he's won my loyal patronage with this wit and wisdom!
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