photo #1551338

As many of you are aware, I try to set aside time in the mornings and sometimes in the evenings for prayer and meditation, NOT because I am holy (all my submarine shipmates, my beautiful bride, and my siblings and Mom up north know the real me), BUT because I need to put positivity into my life before I start the day like a ding bat out of hades or end it like a flaming anal orifice. So, I have a set of prayers from my Prayer Book that I recite, and I normally follow the Daily Mass Scripture Readings at the USCCB web site (the only time I visit that place). Sitting down with a favorite commentary, and a few study Bibles, I spend about 30 to 60 minutes reading and taking notes. I sometims discover things that really speak to me, like today's story of Jonah and then the Lord's Prayer in the Gospel of Luke --> what struck me is that God forgave Jonah for disobedience in chapter 2, but when Nineveh repented, Jonah was as mad as a wet hen (as my Dad would say) that God hadn't nuked the Assyrians in the city; he had a very unforgiving spirit. And that concept or idea of forgiveness is key in the Lord's Prayer: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others. Jonah wanted no part of that because he was patriotic and the Assyrians were the enemy. Sound familiar? So, I have attached my notes to this post. Hopefully, my chicken scratches are legible. I simply don't have time to transcribe personal notes into typed text on Facebook and other social media outlets. Nevertheless, maybe someone will get something out of this. And the only advice I have is to spend some time in private prayer and mediation and study, maybe just 15 or 20 minutes. Eventually you will see the rewards in so doing. You may not become holy, but you won't have to behave like a ding bat or an anal orifice either.