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Thursday, February 27, 2020
CDC announces first US case of coronavirus with 'unknown' origin | TheHill
CDC announces first US case of coronavirus with 'unknown' origin | TheHill: Officials on Wednesday announced a new case of coronavirus in California, which could be the first known instance in the United States of the virus spreading among the general public.
Gospel Reflections One Day at a Time
Luke 9:22-25
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.” Then he said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, grant me what I need to be your disciple TODAY.
Encountering Christ:
- Daily: When Luke gives an account of Jesus’s condition for discipleship he adds the word daily. It reveals Luke’s conviction that discipleship requires daily struggle. Luke the evangelist was not a first generation Christian. He came to know Jesus through the teachings and preachings of eyewitnesses. He also lived in the time of great expectation of the Parousia, yet he seemed more concerned with following Jesus whole-heartedly every day. As Saint Paul’s companion, Luke experienced the daily crosses of discipleship first hand. While he didn’t live with Jesus or hear Jesus’s words in person, he nonetheless heard Jesus speak those words to his heart every day that he intentionally chose to be Jesus’s disciple. Jesus speaks those same words to our heart whenever we avail ourselves to read the Scriptures.
- Today Is Sufficient: We are quick to count the costs of discipleship, fearing what is to come. But Jesus reminds us not to be anxious about tomorrow (Matthew 6). He speaks of trusting in Providence for material goods, but God provides the spiritual we need for each day as well. We should not say, “Jesus please don’t ask me to carry a heavy cross tomorrow,” but rather, “Jesus, give me the strength to carry this one cross today.” A disciple is called upon to live in the present moment with faith, trust, and love. Jesus gives us all that we need to invest in today’s task of discipleship. Let’s invest it! Spend it today for Christ, and do not save it for tomorrow, for tomorrow may not come.
- True Profit: What if all of our accumulated possessions were sent away but we were left behind? Would we lose our grounding? Our identity? Our meaning and purpose? Jesus asks us to examine our attachments. “What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?” He reminds us that real profit is in possessing eternal life through his salvific grace and our acceptance, daily, of that gift. When we keep our eyes on what we are made for (relationship with God) we find that the strength and the mercy of God helps us through any daily cross that needs to be carried.
Resolution: Lord, today by your grace I will resolve to take up my cross and follow you TODAY.
For Further Reflection: Fr. Mike Schmitz, How to Pick Up Your Cross, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Robert Barron on Three Reasons Why I Wear a Crucifix, https://www.wordonfire.org/
written by Jennifer Ristine
The post One Day at a Time appeared first on RC Spirituality.
Don’t Sanitize McCarrick’s Legacy - The Catholic Thing
Don’t Sanitize McCarrick’s Legacy - The Catholic Thing: Stephen P. White: Remembering our sins – especially those of our shepherds – is also an important reminder to pray fervently for the salvation of all souls.
Pope: Lent is a time to reflect on God's love, not 'useless sermons' | National Catholic Reporter
Pope: Lent is a time to reflect on God's love, not 'useless sermons' | National Catholic Reporter: Ashes not only symbolize humanity's frail mortality but are also a reminder of God's infinite love of people, whom he created from dust, Pope Francis said.
While men and women are just "dust in the u...
While men and women are just "dust in the u...
How boulders in Mongolian mountains reveal the pace of climate change - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
How boulders in Mongolian mountains reveal the pace of climate change - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Where most see large, unimpressive rocks, glacial geologists Aaron Putnam and Peter Strand see clues about whether the transition from cold to warm climates around 18,000 to 20,000 years ago—that is, the transition from the last ice age to a climate similar to the present day—occurred simultaneously across hemispheres. It appears they warmed together. The samples they’ve already studied from trips around the world—including this trip to the remote Altai Mountains in Mongolia—also hint that the shift occurred at a much faster rate than many previously suspected, a finding that has obvious implication's for today's human-made climate change.
California drought: 70% of state ‘abnormally dry’ or worse | The Sacramento Bee
California drought: 70% of state ‘abnormally dry’ or worse | The Sacramento Bee: Hours before California water officials measure the Sierra snowpack for the third time in 2020, the latest data released by a consortium of federal agencies says almost one-quarter of California’s land area is now in “moderate drought” status, including essentially all of Sacramento County.
Racial redlining in Sacramento CA housing is linked to health | The Sacramento Bee
Racial redlining in Sacramento CA housing is linked to health | The Sacramento Bee: Subscriber Exclusive: Sacramento’s era of racist redlining may be over, but the health effects linger. Here’s what it costs.
RIAC :: Why Should Putin Help Trump?
RIAC :: Why Should Putin Help Trump?: With the US election campaign gaining speed, political opponents of the incumbent President are getting back to their old mantras of Vladimir Putin standing by his old friend and partner — if not his puppet—Donald Trump. This belief remains one of the very few issues on which there appears to be a strong consensus among such different people as Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Charles Schumer, and even Bernie Sanders. All of them seem to be convinced that Trump is “Putin’s best friend” in Washington and therefore, the Kremlin will be supporting Trump’s reelection in 2020 with the same vigor and with the same disrespect of the US sovereignty, as it allegedly supported his presidential race back in 2016.
The outcome of the 2020 Presidential election in the United States will affect not only America but the rest of the world as well, including Europe, China, the Middle East, and so on. Russia is no exception. Nevertheless, for Russia, this election in relative terms will mean less than for many other international players.
Unfortunately, the US-Russian relationship will remain adversarial no matter who gets to the White House in 2021. At this juncture, the best we can d
The outcome of the 2020 Presidential election in the United States will affect not only America but the rest of the world as well, including Europe, China, the Middle East, and so on. Russia is no exception. Nevertheless, for Russia, this election in relative terms will mean less than for many other international players.
Unfortunately, the US-Russian relationship will remain adversarial no matter who gets to the White House in 2021. At this juncture, the best we can d
Saudi Arabia suspends entry for pilgrims over coronavirus - France 24
Saudi Arabia suspends entry for pilgrims over coronavirus - France 24: Saudi Arabia suspends entry for pilgrims over coronavirus
Coronavirus: To Prep or Not To Prep | naked capitalism
Coronavirus: To Prep or Not To Prep | naked capitalism: Some are going into coronavirus prepper mode. Does this make sense, and if so, what precautions are worthwhile?
This US-China downturn may be difficult for Taiwan
This US-China downturn may be difficult for Taiwan: There is a real risk that U.S.-China technology competition will end up hurting Taiwan, writes Ryan Hass. Whether and how Taiwan’s economic equities are protected amidst the intensifying U.S.-China technologic competition will depend on the work of policymakers in Washington and Taipei.
Pope to Catholics: For Lent, give up trolling - Reuters
Pope to Catholics: For Lent, give up trolling - Reuters: During Lent, Catholics are called on to give up something, like sweets. On Wednesday, Pope Francis added a modern twist to the list of things to quit during the season and beyond: insulting people on social media.
In a historic first, one private satellite docks to another in orbit | Ars Technica
In a historic first, one private satellite docks to another in orbit | Ars Technica: Northrop says this is a first step toward a fleet of satellite-servicing vehicles.
Tech Platforms Aren’t Bound by First Amendment, Appeals Court Rules - WSJ
Tech Platforms Aren’t Bound by First Amendment, Appeals Court Rules - WSJ: A federal appeals court in California ruled that privately operated internet platforms are free to censor content they don’t like.
Pete and Chasten Buttigieg Fanfiction
Pete and Chasten Buttigieg Fanfiction: Thirty-eight-year-old presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg would be winning the election if the election was held on Archive of Our Own, an open-source platform of slightly highbrow user-submitted fanworks from a variety of fandoms. On Archive of Our Own, Buttigieg and husband Chasten Glezman are the stars of user-submitted fanfiction or, more specifically, RPF—real person fiction—which has been popular in fannish circles for decades. In these nearly 70 stories, Buttigieg and Glezman’s relationship is the focus. Some of the RPFs are sincere and sweet, while others are House of Cards rip-offs, with Buttigieg advisor Lis Smith delivering Aaron Sorkin-paced dialogue. And then, of course, are the explicit RPFs, which fantasizes about the intimate details of Buttigieg and Glezman’s relationship. AO3's chaotic, free-for-all tagging system with phrases like “it was supposed to be smut but then I killed someone” and “i swear this isn’t straight angst, (it’s gay angst) it’s clear to see why Buttigieg, of all the politicians running for president right now, would become fannish fodder. It’s parasocial relationships with politicians arriving at its most obvious endpoint.
Coronavirus May Disrupt the 2020 Election. We Need a Plan | WIRED
Coronavirus May Disrupt the 2020 Election. We Need a Plan | WIRED: Quarantines and fear could decimate voter turnout. Congress needs to fund mail-in ballots nationwide now.
Swinging the Vote? – The Markup
Swinging the Vote? – The Markup: Google’s black box algorithm controls which political emails land in your main inbox. For 2020 presidential candidates, the differences are stark.
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