Not because of animals

I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate plants. - A. Whitney Brown

Regarding Nathaniel Hawthorne

He never seemed to be doing anything, and yet he did not like to be disturbed at it. - John Greenleaf Whittier (Taken from The Book of Poisonous Quotes)

Seasoned with laughter

With all the fearful strain that is upon me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die. -Abraham Lincoln (Remark to a cabinet member on why he was reading a book of humor)

Life is a song

Life is one grand, sweet song, so start the music.  ~Ronald Reagan

The wisdom of Mr. Handy

If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting. - Jack Handy


It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man. - Jack Handy


I believe in the making the world safe for our children, but not our children's children, because I don't think children should be having sex. - Jack Handy

Life & Cards

Life is like a game of cards. The hand you are dealt is determinism; the way you play it is free will. - Jawaharlal Nehru

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CHEESE!

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of 
cheese. - G. K. Chesterton


This was yesterday's funny quote at the bottom of the blog, good enough to save and post.  

Living, dying & debt

No man should be afraid to die, who hath understood what it is to live. - Thomas Fuller  (Philips' Book of Great Thoughts and Funny Sayings)

Bonus quote:

A man in debt is caught in a net. - Unknown
                                    (Philips' Book of Great Thoughts and Funny Sayings)

What does that mean for a Nation?

I'm special, like everyone else

When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other. - Eric Hoffer (Taken from Oxymoronica)

Huck Finn on conscience

It {conscience} takes up more room than all the rest of a person's insides. - Huckleberry Finn

St. Mary Magdalene

Father, Your Son first entrusted to Saint Mary Magdalene the joyful news of His Resurrection. - Opening Prayer for Mass.

Back in the fun days of the Da Vinci Code I had more discussions about this saint than any since the Blessed Mother's latest apparition.  Even very knowledgeable Catholics would ask if there was any truth to it. My stock reply was if it is true, we are completely screwed because Jesus is not God according to that belief.  Second to that,  did Jesus and the Magdalene have a "thing" going on is the persistent misconception of her life as a prostitute. Even the church is guilty of carrying water for this misconception thanks to St. Gregory the Great who misidentified the woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears and dried them with her hair. Could she be?  I'm sure there is a remote chance, but Mary Magdalene is always mentioned by name in the scriptures.

Yesterday's forgotten quote

If a man doesn't believe as we do, we say he is a crank, and that settles it, I mean that nowadays, because now we can't burn him. - Mark Twain (Following the equator)

I always get pinched by Twain's comments on religion, but many times they are a fair assessment of human nature.

Four Pithy Chinese Proverbs

One who is tripped by the foot can get up again, one who is tripped by the tongue may not.


More demands on oneself and few demands on others will keep resentment at bay.


In a struggle between strength and patience, patience will win.


Gems are polished by rubbing, just as men are made brilliant by trials. 


All quotes are from Best~Loved Chinese Proverbs compiled by Theodora Lau.

Keep your wits

Man, once surrendering his reason, has no remaining guard against absurdities the most monstrous, and like a ship without rudder, is the sport of every wind. With such persons, gullibility, which they call faith, takes the helm from the hand of reason and the mind becomes a wreck. --Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Smith, 1822

Irish wisdom

Praise the children and they will blossom. - Irish Proverb

A light heart lives long. - Irish Proverb

Quotes are taken from a book of proverbs from around the world.

Rules for Acquisition - Sunday Assortment

Small print leads to large risk. - Rule #6

A wealthy man can afford anything except a conscience. - Rule #206

Let others keep their reputation. You keep their money. - Rule # 189

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

If you ever feel distressed during your day — call upon our Lady — just say this simple prayer: 'Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.' I must admit — this prayer has never failed me. -Blessed Mother Teresa 

St. Bonaventure

Man should turn his full attention to this throne of mercy, and should gaze at Him hanging on the cross, full of faith, hope and charity, devoted, full of wonder and joy, marked by gratitude, and open to praise and jubilation. Then such a man will make with Christ a pasch, that is, a passing-over. - St. Bonaventure (From The Journey of the Mind to God)

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Use your brain

Conscience warns us before it reproaches us. - Contesse Diane [Marie Josphine de Suin de Beausacq]

A wise man will keep his suspicions muzzled, but he will keep them awake. - George Savile

I am not young enough to know everything. - Oscar Wilde

All quotes taken from The Most Brillant Thoughts of All Time.

Work & Play

Many people know how to work hard; many others know how to play well; but the rarest talent in the world is the ability to introduce elements of playfulness into work, and to put some constructive labor into our leisure. - Sydney J. Harris

I have to say I like many of the Sydney J. Harris quotes I find.

Don't take life too seriously; you'll never get out of it alive. - Elbert Hubbard

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St. Benedict

Listen and attend with the ear of your heart. - St. Benedict

Once we get around to making time to pray, to really spend time with God the next great hurdle to overcome is our hesitation to enter into silence and listen to God.

Gratitude - Today and every day

It is a dangerous thing to ask why someone has been given more. It is humbling - and indeed healthy - to ask why you have been given so much. - Condoleezza Rice

Wise men appreciate all men, for they see the good in each and know how hard it is to make anything good. - Baltasar Gracian

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all, the Lord is near; have no anxiety at all, but in everything with prayer and petition with thanksgiving, make your requests know to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. - St. Paul  (Philippians 4: 4-7)

Saturday Morning Prayer

Let me seek You in my desire,
let me desire You in my seeking.
Let me find You by loving you,
let me love You when I find you.
- St. Anselm (From the Little Book of Prayer)

Practice makes perfect

If your kid makes one of those little homemade guitars out of a cigar box and rubber bands, don't let him just play it once or twice and then throw it away. Make him practice on it, every day, for about three hours a day. Later, he'll thank you. -Jack Handey Deep Thoughts

I have to read her books

Its better to be happy for a moment and be burned up with beauty than to live a long time and be bored all the while. - Helen Keller

St. Maria Goretti

Chastity does not mean abstention from sexual wrong; it means something flaming, like Joan of Arc.  - G. K. Chesterton

To be pure, to remain pure, can only come at a price, the price of knowing God and loving Him enough to do His will. He will always give us the strength we need to keep purity as something as beautiful for Him. - Blessed Mother Teresa

On being selfless

We are formed and molded by our thoughts, those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them. - Buddha

While I am somewhat reluctant to quote Buddha since he is every one's favorite Easterner to quote in opposition to the wisdom of the West, this is a very good quote and worthy of remembrance. My main gripe against Buddha and Buddhist is former or inactive Christians who think Buddhism is a great religion/system free from "those damn hypocrites" that are so common in Christianity. I know without a doubt that their humanity is no different than ours. Somewhere in Thailand, someone Buddhist is complaining about their lazy freeloading Buddhist neighbor.

Happy 4th of July

Since the general civilizations of mankind I believe there are more instances of the abridgements of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations. - James Madison

The condition on which God has given liberty to man is eternal vigilance. - John Philpot Curran  

(Both taken from Phillip's book of Great Thoughts & Funny Sayings)

The 110th Rule

Labour to keep alive in your breast that little celestial fire called conscience. - George Washington (Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation)

The hidden fruit of suffering

Even suffering is part of the truth of our life. Thus, trying to  shield the youngest from every difficulty and experience of  suffering, we risk creating, despite our good intentions, fragile  persons of little generosity: The capacity to love, in fact, corresponds to the capacity to suffer,  and to suffer together.   -Benedict XVI

The genius of humility

We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything. - Thomas Alva Edison  (From The 2,548 Best Things Anybody Ever Said)

Canada Day and the return of Quote-a-thon

Canada is the vichyssoise of nations: Cold, half-French and difficult to stir. - Staurt Keate (From the Traveling Curmudgeon)

With the beginning of July 2011 I hope to mark a return to random babbling on this blog about various topics. - Padre

Blessed Feast of the Sacred Heart to all Catholics!  His mercy endures forever!