Brown Pelican Society of Louisiana

…Governing is about having the right principles, policies, processes and people . . . government has become a job-killing system thanks to a set of principles, policies, processes and people that are completely disconnected from reality.….

The campaign this fall can be boiled down to a simple choice: job-killers versus job-creators.

With so many Americans out of work, candidates will win decisive victories if they can show their opponent’s policies will kill jobs and their policies will create jobs.

Governing is about having the right principles, policies, processes and people.

Successful leaders hold principles that work in the real world, and these principles lead them to the right policies. And because they are determined to measure results, they develop processes that work. Finally, with the right principles, policies, and processes, they look for people who are driven, practical, and experienced to get the right things done the right way.

Unfortunately, under the Pelosi-Reid Congress and the Obama presidency, government has become a job-killing system thanks to a set of principles, policies, processes and people that are completely disconnected from reality.

I describe this alien ideology in my book To Save America: Stopping Obama’s Secular-Socialist Machine.  It is a fundamentally anti-work, anti-investment, anti-entrepreneurial ideology that has led to economic stagnation and spiritual decay wherever it has been tried.

We can already see the results of this radical ideology in America.

The American work ethic is being replaced with a mindset that favors “gaming” the system to get away with working as little as possible.

American productivity is being replaced with a set of union work rules and bureaucracy that makes us too slow, too expensive and too cumbersome.

The historic American commitment to local representation and local control is being replaced by an emphasis on federal concentration of power and rule by bureaucrats and judges that is stripping Americans of their rights and responsibilities.

A commitment to religious freedom and God-given rights is being replaced by a secular oppression that increasingly resembles the government-imposed atheism of Soviet totalitarianism. (I encourage you to watch the documentary Nine Days that Changed the World, which Callista and I host and produced, to learn about the plight of the Polish people under Communism and the brave moral leadership of Pope John Paul II that helped topple the Soviet Union.)

The secular-socialist machine of the left has made the recession worse by suppressing the natural resiliency of the American economy and setting the stage for even worse economic challenges in the future.

For President Obama, the years he spent studying and teaching the radicalism of Saul Alinsky laid the foundation for a job-killing, anti-business attitude.

If you believe business is bad, you will convince it to go away.

If you are determined to tax small business owners, entrepreneurs, successful corporate leaders, investors, and innovators they will either avoid taxable behavior or leave the country entirely.

If you impose absurd regulatory controls totally out of touch with reality, you will kill jobs. Continue reading →

Sen. Lindsey Graham broke ranks with fellow Republicans in a key vote Tuesday to confirm Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, signaling that there will be no united front for a filibuster of President Obama’s nominee.

In a 13-6 vote by the Senate Judiciary Committee, Graham of South Carolina was the sole Republican supporting Kagan to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

The defection of Graham dealt a death-blow to conservatives who were still considering the filibuster strategy to block Kagan’s confirmation. It takes 60 senators to end the parliamentary procedure, the same number of seats that Republicans have held since the election of Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts in January.

“Elena Kagan will be confirmed,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy (D.-Vt.), chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Even President Obama praised Graham’s decision and called the one crossover vote a “bipartisan affirmation.”

Bloggers on the political right including Powerline and Hot Air criticized Graham and suggested his vote might cost him his seat when he is up for reelection in 2014.

“By then Elena Kagan will have a substantial record through which South Carolina Republicans can assess the judgment of their senior senator, assuming he runs for re-election,” wrote Paul Mirengoff at Powerline.

The headline at Hot Air summed up their complaints: “Lindsey Graham demands to be primaried by conservative base.”

Graham said there are “plenty of reasons for a conservative to vote no,” but that Kagan’s personal background, and her strong record impressed him when it comes to the war on terrorism.

“I think she understands we are at war,” Mr. Graham said. Continue reading →

…Since 1975, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has favored handgun control. In fact, the 1975 USCCB statement called for “truly comprehensive control,” and it endorsed several interim steps to regulate the use and sale of handguns . . . Despite the stand of the bishops, all five of the votes in the McDonald majority came from Catholic justices: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, and Alito.…

By Ronald J. Rychlak, Inside Catholic, July 21, 2010

On June 28, in the case McDonald v. Chicago, the United States Supreme Court held that cities and states cannot interfere with the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. The city of Chicago had tried to ban handguns, but Chicago resident Otis McDonald challenged the law, arguing that it made him less safe. By a five to four vote, the Supreme Court held in his favor, ruling that the Second Amendment protected his right to possess a handgun in his home.

The Constitutional argument existed because of the unusual wording of the Second Amendment. It says: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” In the past, gun-control advocates argued that the provision relating to a “well regulated Militia” modified the right to gun ownership, and the Second Amendment therefore only conferred a right on the states to have militias. Two years ago, the Supreme Court rejected that argument and affirmed that the federal government could not interfere with an individual’s right to keep and bear arms.

The case from two years ago, however, left open the question of whether the Second Amendment limited cities and state governments in the same way that it limited the federal government. That was an issue because of how the Bill of Rights (the first ten amendments to the Constitution) came into being. It was a direct response by early Americans to the abuses perpetrated against them by the British during colonial times.

Prior to the Revolutionary War, the British suppressed speech, had a state-sponsored church, housed soldiers in private homes, broke in and searched homes without individualized warrants, sent people across the ocean to stand trial, forced defendants to testify (even if that meant incriminating themselves), and imposed cruel and unusual punishments. They also took away the colonists’ guns.

Once freedom from the British had been won, the colonists wanted to be sure that the new federal government that they were establishing would not be like the old one they had just thrown off. Thus, before agreeing to a Constitution, they demanded a Bill of Rights that would limit the new central government. They wanted their guns protected not just for hunting or even for self-defense against crime: They wanted to keep their guns to make certain that this new central government did not become oppressive.

The Supreme Court recognized this concern in the McDonald case. It referenced the “palladium of liberty” idea, which holds that “the right of the citizens to keep and bear arms . . . offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally . . . enable the people to resist and triumph over them.” In other words, the Second Amendment is not just about protecting hunters or even the right to self-defense. One of the most important reasons for assuring people the right to keep and bear arms is to give them the ability to resist a dictatorial government.

Of course, the Bill of Rights (including the Second Amendment) only directly applies to the federal government, not states or cities like Chicago. The 14th amendment to the Constitution does, however, apply to state and local governments. Adopted after the Civil War, that amendment prohibits states and municipalities from denying anyone due process or equal protection under the law. In the McDonald case, the Court held that the right to keep and bear arms (or — more precisely — the prohibition of government interference with keeping and bearing guns) applies against state and municipal governments through the 14th Amendment. The Chicago ban on handguns, therefore, was unconstitutional.

Since 1975, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has favored handgun control. In fact, the 1975 USCCB statement called for “truly comprehensive control,” and it endorsed several interim steps to regulate the use and sale of handguns, including: a cooling off period before a sale; a ban on “Saturday Night Specials”; registration of guns; licensing of owners; and better enforcement of laws relating to manufacture, importation, and sale of handguns. In 1995, the USCCB wrote of intensifying “our advocacy for national policies that address violence, including . . . the availability of drugs and dangerous weapons.”

Despite the stand of the bishops, all five of the votes in the McDonald majority came from Catholic justices: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, and Alito. The sixth Catholic justice, Sotomayor, voted with the dissent.

In light of the teaching by the bishops, one has to wonder about the impact of the McDonald decision. In pondering that matter, the opinion of the plaintiff McDonald is worthy of consideration. This 76-year-old African-American son of Louisiana sharecroppers explained why he was happy with the decision: “I was feeling the poor blacks who years ago had their guns taken away from them and were killed as someone wished. That was a long time ago, but I feel their spirit. That’s what I was feeling in the courtroom.” He said the Supreme Court ruling will make his gang-ridden neighborhood a safer place to live.

I have a hard time doubting him.

Ronald J. Rychlak is the associate dean and MDLA Professor of Law at the University of Mississippi School of Law. He is the author of Hitler, the War, and the Pope (Revised and Expanded) (2010) and Righteous Gentiles (2005).



Richard McGuire, Inside Catholic, July 21, 2010

Richard McGuire is the nom de guerre of a father who is trying to document the crimes of his four children for a hearing at the human-rights tribunal of The Hague. These are some of the lighter moments he captured over seven years — with no help from the NSA — that can be revealed without compromising the trial evidence. Patrick is eleven; Theresa, eight; Matthew, six; and Maria, two.

*   *   *

Patrick — then four years old — after his mother asks him for a kiss: “Mama, you don’t understand. I’m a soldier. I’m very busy. I’m running with the horses all day. I don’t have time to give you a kiss!”

*   *   *

In the evening, with the magazines and papers in the family room strewn all about the floor:

McGuire: “Patrick, get in here. Who did this?”

Patrick: “I don’t know.”

McGuire: “Patrick, remember: The truth first, foremost, and above all.”

Patrick: “Okay, I did it.”

McGuire: “Why did you do it?”

Patrick: “Because I’m a troublemaker, and this is what boys do.”

*   *   *

Theresa, at the age of two, maintains that the Hail Mary reads: “The Lord is with me!”

*   *   *

Theresa insists on taking straws when leaving a restaurant, saying loudly: “We’re poor. We have no straws at home.”

*   *   *

On the way back from Mass in the car, Patrick’s young friend Jack informs Patrick that everyone is going to die. Patrick asks, “Jack, are you going to die?” Jack, five and a half, responds: “No, I’m not big enough.”

*   *   *

I find Theresa up at 9:00 p.m. She says she is hungry and I offer her salad. She answers: “No thanks, I don’t eat grass.”

*   *   *

Patrick announces that he is in charge and will give the orders.

I ask: “What are the orders?”

Patrick replies: “No peace and harmony! Clean up this dirty place. I’m not Patrick; I’m the dad. You guys behave. This house should be done.”

*   *   *

After prayers, we recap the relative powers of baby Jesus and St. Michael. When informed of the power of Jesus as the Creator of us all, Patrick asks, “How did He make Himself?” When I explain that He didn’t have to because He always existed, Patrick counters with, “If Jesus was so strong, why did He let those men put Him on the cross?” There being no going back at this point, I explain, as best I can to a five-year-old, everything through to the Resurrection.

McGuire: “And after three days, He rose from the dead.”

Patrick: “You’re kidding, right?”

*   *   *

Patrick, hearing a helicopter overhead, announces he wants to be a soldier. Theresa says she wants to be one, too.

Patrick replies: “No, Theresa. The ladies are not allowed. The ladies take care of the children and the boys fight in the war.”

Theresa is desolate, and is comforted by her mother who tells her that there are other ways of fighting, with powerful weapons like the Rosary.

Patrick’s reaction: “Mom, what do you do with the Rosary? Do you hit people with it?”

*   *   *

Patrick comes home from school reporting on the Trinity — God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Patrick: “They are connected, Mom, and there is no boss.”

*   *   *

Theresa: “Dad, I’m sorry for what I did tomorrow.”

*   *   *

Theresa is cleaning up Patrick’s room after having made a mess. Mom asks Patrick to help her because “that’s how you show her that you love her and Jesus.” “Okay, Mom,” Patrick says, and then goes to Theresa and tells her: “Theresa, clean up, and do it for the love of God.”

*   *   *

In my study, Patrick surveys all the books and CDs.

Patrick: “All these books, CDs, and more CDs. There are no CDs for the poor. It’s ridiculous. All you do is get more CDs. You’re out of control.”

McGuire “How many toys do you have?”

Patrick: “Just a few.”

*   *   *

After leaving the pew at the end of Mass, Theresa turns and waves at the tabernacle. I ask, “Whom are you waving at, Theresa?”
“God,” she responds.

*   *   *

Patrick: “Mama, Daddy lived years ago. He was in the Cold War.”

*   *   *

After saying grace at dinner, Theresa asks: “How do you know we are praying to the right God?”

*   *   *

I am reading some music reviews and Patrick approaches me: “I guess music is your hobby, huh?”

“Yes,” I answer.

Patrick says: “My hobby is hanging around and bothering people.”

*   *   *

Matthew asks, “Why does the earth spin?” Not knowing why, I give it a try: “Well, the earth rotates around the sun, and the moon around the earth.”

Matthew says, “No, Dad, the full story.”

*   *   *

We walk around the property and stop at the statue of Our Lady in the garden, where a four-year-old Matthew says, “Let’s kneel down.”

We say a Hail Mary. I thank Mary for interceding so that I have two wonderful sons.

Matthew prays, “I thank God for myself.” Continue reading →

Last week, numerous speakers appeared before the President’s oil spill commission to plead for the resumption of drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Even the commission, which did not contain one representative from the oil and gas industry, was inclined to support the lifting of the moratorium.

Jeff Crouere, ABC26 News, July 20, 2010

This commission was formed by President Obama to study the oil spill disaster and to make sure that another one does not happen in the future. Yet, there have already been hearings in both Washington D.C. and New Orleans. Much is known about why the disaster occurred and the mistakes that were made by both British Petroleum and the federal agency charged with oversight of the drilling operations. To prevent future mishaps, more vigorous oversight is needed, but drilling in the Gulf does not need to be stopped.

Unfortunately, the President decided to issue a six month moratorium on deep water drilling that will have a very negative impact on the economy of Louisiana. According to oil industry analysts, the moratorium will cost the State of Louisiana 46,000 jobs. Top positions in the industry are already being eliminated, and rigs are already leaving, one has departed for Egypt and another one is going to the Congo. Once these rigs leave, they will not be coming back to Louisiana. The resulting job loss will be permanent.

When the initial deep water drilling moratorium was struck down in the federal court, the President responded with another moratorium, disregarding both the directive of the judge and the wishes of the people of Louisiana. Even the President’s hand-picked science commission recommended against a moratorium. The moratorium is not only harming our local economy, but it is also making our country more dependent on foreign oil and putting our national security at risk.

The administration is not content to stop all deep water drilling in the Gulf. For all practical purposes, all new drilling in the Gulf has been brought to a standstill. Industry officials report that the permitting process for all drilling has been made so cumbersome that there is no new oil and gas activity in the Gulf. Reports are that major oil and gas employers in Louisiana are getting ready to cut massive numbers of jobs in the days ahead unless this moratorium is lifted and the permitting process is changed.

Does the President care that his decisions are causing major economic harm to Louisiana? It seems the goal of the administration is to inflict economic harm on the red state of Louisiana.

Last week, it was also announced that a major shipyard, Avondale, located right outside of New Orleans will be closing in 2013, which will result in the loss of 5,000 direct jobs and 7,000 indirect jobs. These are high paying positions that will not be replaced anytime soon. Next to Tulane University, this shipyard is the largest private sector employer in the New Orleans, so the blow to the local economy is major.

The defense contractor Northrop Grumman which manages the shipyard announced that they will be closing the shipyard and moving the jobs to another site. This was caused by an overall decline in the administration’s ship building budget. Coupled with the drilling moratorium and the cancellation of NASA’s Constellation program and the loss of 2,000 aerospace jobs at the Michoud facility in New Orleans East, the policies of the Obama administration are costing the State of Louisiana approximately 60,000 top quality jobs.

When Lafourche Parish President Charlotte Randolph complained to the President that his actions are costing Louisiana thousands of good jobs, he recommended that the newly displaced workers apply for unemployment benefits.

The revealing response was an insight into the mind of Obama. Obviously, in his view, seeking government assistance is a viable answer, not a last resort. Yet, his response is an insult to the hard working people of Louisiana, who want to provide for their families, not become dependent on government.

Sadly, Obama’s polices are negatively impacting the state, which delivered 59 percent of its vote to John McCain in 2008, In that election, Louisiana voters were smart enough to understand that the Obama agenda was misguided and would be detrimental to our state and national economy.

Everyday the wisdom of Louisiana voters to reject Obama is becoming more apparent. It is a real tragedy that the voters in the blue states did not possess the foresight of the voters in Louisiana.

---

Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and a Columnist for selected publications. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

http://www.abc26.com/news/ringside/wgno-politics-crouere-column-7-20-2010,0,4051847.story

“Faith and Reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth—in a word, to know himself.”

John Paul the Great, Faith and Reason

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE OKS PRO-ABORTION ELENA KAGAN FOR SUPREME COURT
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) – In a nearly party-line vote with very little suspense, the Senate Judiciary Committee today approved President Barack Obama’s nomination of pro-abortion Solicitor General Elena Kagan to replace retiring pro-abortion Justice John Paul Stevens on the Supreme Court.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD STAFFER CAUGHT ON TAPE, MISLEADS WOMAN ON ABORTION
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) – A new undercover video released today from the same activists who have caught Planned Parenthood staffers covering up potential cases of sexual abuse of minors shows an abortion center staffer in Indiana misleading a woman considering an abortion by giving her erroneous information.

PRO-LIFE ADVOCATES MOUNT LAST-DITCH EFFORT TO OPPOSE KAGAN FOR SUPREME COURT
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) – Before the Senate Judiciary Committee began its session today voting on the nomination of pro-abortion Solicitor General Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court, pro-life groups mounted a last-ditch effort to convince members of the panel to vote against her.

PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT SUCCESSFUL IN PERSUADING FUTURE DOCTORS TO NOT DO ABORTIONS
by Michael New
The Sunday New York Times Magazine featured an interesting article entitled “The New Abortion Providers,” which details efforts by supporters of legal abortion to cultivate a new generation of physicians who perform abortions. Unsurprisingly, the article painted a very sympathetic picture, but it still makes interesting reading for pro-lifers, because it demonstrates that the pro-life movement has been quietly effective in ways that often receive little media attention.

DEMOCRATS FOR LIFE ATTACKS PRO-LIFE GROUPS ON ABORTION FUNDING IN HEALTH CARE
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) – Last week, the National Right to Life Committee exposed three different instances in which the Obama administration had approved federal taxpayer financing of abortions in new high risk health insurance pools. But to hear Democrats for Life of America tell the story, NRLC officials lied about the funding.

MEDIA MATTERS PRESENTS FALSE PICTURE OF KAGAN’S PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION PROMOTION
by Americans United for Life
Media Matters suggests that no discrepancies exist between Elena Kagan’s involvement with the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists’ (ACOG) statement on “partial-birth abortion” during her time in the Clinton White House and Kagan’s testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month.

AFRICAN UNION SUMMIT LEADERS MUST KNOW: ABORTION DOESN’T HELP MATERNAL MORTALITY
by Scott Fischbach
As the 15th African Union Summit gets underway in Kampala,Uganda this week, it is critical for leaders to remain focused on the theme of the Summit: Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development in Africa. This week’s meetings can bear much fruit for the women and children of Africa as long as the proceedings do not get side-tracked into a push for legalized abortion.

NEW YORK TIMES COVER STORY FAILS TO MAKE ABORTION ACCEPTANCE MAINSTREAM
by Clay Waters
Cheerleading for abortion? The massive cover story for Sunday’s New York Times Magazine, “The New Abortion Providers” by Emily Bazelon, looked hard for signs of optimism for the acceptance of abortion in the United States. But her own reporting tended to undermine her relatively rosy assessment.

MASSACHUSETTS PRO-LIFE GROUP ENDORSES GOVERNOR CANDIDATE TIM CAHILL
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) – Unable to support either Democratic Gov. Deval Patrick or Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker, the statewide pro-life organization Massachusetts Citizens for Life has endorsed the campaign of independent candidate Tim Cahill, the current State Treasurer.

ARKANSAS SENATE SEAT WILL BE WON BY PRO-LIFE BOOZMAN, POLLING DATA SHOWS
Little Rock, AR (LifeNews.com) – If new polling data is any indication, pro-life Congressman John Boozman is just months away from Arkansas voters naming him as their next U.S. senator.Two polls show Boozman with a commanding lead over pro-abortion Senator Blanche Lincoln, his Democratic opponent in November.

When correct teaching isn’t taught, souls go to Hell. But don’t take our word for it.

To view online: http://www.realcatholictv.com/free/index.php?vidID=vort-2010-07-20

This program is from RealCatholicTV.com

Civil Disobedience (featuring Dr. Timothy George)

By Chuck Colson|Published Date: July 20, 2010 One of Chuck Colson’s leading theological advisors and co-architect of the Manhattan Declaration, Dr. Timothy George, joins Mr. Colson in explaining the Christian duty of civil disobedience under certain circumstances. Mr. Colson also highly recommends you read T.M. Moore’s, “When Not To Obey: A study on civil disobedience” and the other important resources listed below the video to learn more about this important subject.

To read the comments on this video, or to add your own, click the title of this article. (To add comments, you must first log in to the site). If you have not registered, CLICK HERE–its free!

Other Resources:

When Not To Obey: A study on civil disobedience (PDF), by T.M. Moore (Colson Center)
Government vs. Conscience, by Chuck Colson (BreakPoint)
The Image of God and Human Dignity, by Dr. Glenn Sunshine (Colson Center)
Letter from a Birmingham Jail, by Diane Singer (Colson Center)
Manhattan Declaration Bible Study (PDF), by T.M Moore (Manhattan Declaration)

——————————-

The Manhattan Declaration

A CALL OF CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE
Christians, when they have lived up to the highest ideals of their faith, have defended the weak and vulnerable and worked tirelessly to protect and strengthen vital institutions of civil society, beginning with the family. It was in this tradition that a group of prominent Christian clergy, ministry leaders, and scholars released the Manhattan Declaration on November 20, 2009 at a press conference in Washington, DC. The 4,700-word declaration speaks in defense of the sanctity of life, traditional marriage, and religious liberty. It issues a clarion call to Christians to adhere firmly to their convictions in these three areas.

http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/home.aspx

“Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread.”

—Thomas Jefferson, autobiography, 1821

http://brownpelicanla.com/archives/31867

July 21, 2010
Wednesday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Father Patrick Murphy, LC

Matthew 13:1-9
On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty fold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Introductory Prayer: Lord, my prayer will “work” only if I have humility in your presence. So I am approaching you with meekness and humility of heart. I have an infinite need for you and your grace. Thinking about this helps me grow in humility. I trust in you and your grace. Thank you for the unfathomable gift of your love.

Petition: Lord, may I always respond to your grace in my heart with fervor and active love.

1. The Tears of a Sower Imagine Jesus preaching to the crowds, hoping for a positive response, but instead witnessing many people turning a deaf ear to his message of salvation. One day he is thinking about this as he watches a farmer sowing seed. He sees birds come immediately and take some away. He sees previously sown seed scorched by the sun. He sees some sprouts strangled by weeds. He then remembers the faces and perhaps even the names of people who heard his message, but who chose not to respond or whose response was short-lived. We are reminded of another Gospel passage: “As he drew near Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying ‘If this day you only knew what makes for peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes’” (Luke 19:41).

2. No Rest for the Wicked The admonition to heed the word of God is frequent in Scripture. In the Book of Hebrews the author warns us to “harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert.” The people of Israel responded in this unfortunate way after the exodus from Egypt. “They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways. As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter into my rest’” (Cf. Hebrews 3: 7-11). This helps us foster a healthy fear of the Lord, encouraging us to work hard to conquer all hardness of heart and remain close to Christ so as to enter into his rest.

3. Fruits of Virtue “But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirty-fold.” The fruit that Our Lord wishes us to produce are virtues inspired by faith, hope and love. If we are growing in virtue each day in imitation of Christ and for love of him, we can be sure we are heeding his voice and are pleasing in his eyes. The greatest of all virtues is charity, a practical and effective love for our neighbor. We can contemplate the lives of the saints to see how these fruits are played out in a way truly pleasing to Christ.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you know how easy it is for me to allow mediocrity to slip into my life. The cares and worries of life often push you and your kingdom to a secondary plane. Grant me the habit of carving out time for you in prayer each day, and carving out space for you in my life and the lives of those under my care.

Resolution: I will renew my effort with whatever prayer commitment I have allowed to waver or falter the most.

http://www.regnumchristi.org/english/articulos/articulo.phtml?se=363&ca=975&te=735&id=20302

CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY, JULY 21, 2010

St. Lawrence of Brindisi is a Doctor of the Church. He was born Caesar de Rossi in 1559 Naples. As a boy, he studied with the Conventual Franciscans and later in Venice. He discerned a call to enter the Capuchin Franciscans and took the name Lawrence.

Fluent in Hebrew and expertly versed in the Bible, he worked as a diplomat for the secular powers in Europe and as a missionary. In 1596, he was commissioned by the Pope to work for the conversion of the Jewish people and to combat the spread of Protestantism. He was a great preacher and refused a second term as minister general of his order in favor of preaching. He died in 1619.

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=543