Portfolio > JML - PLOGS (2014-2023)

2019

Saint Benedict
Hieronymus Wierix, Pen and brown ink, 16th century
artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects…

PLOGS BELOW (JML's Poetic Commentary)

HAPPY SAINT BENEDICT’S DAY

Dear God and Saint Benedict,
Please forgive me of my sins.
Bless and protect Your children
worldwide. Expel all evil doers—
especially among religious clergy
worldwide. And please allow faith
to be restored in your followers.
Thank You for Your continued
blessings and support. Amen

My faith that God will prevail has
grown stronger as I’ve matured
through life experiences. I don’t
know if it’s just a stint of bad luck
or faults from negligence or learning
experience; honestly, that which
doesn’t kill you will make you
stronger, wiser, and quicker to lean
on God.

Whether you attend a regular church
service, go to work, drop your kids off
at school— you probably look at your
surrounding more critically because of
the news. There are sexual predators
among clergy, uncertainties of safety
at work and with your kids, and you
never know who is going to be next.

People ask me— “JML, what did you
take when you left New Orleans?” I
took a San Damaino Crucifix replica
that I was given for my First Communion
by my Mamme, Pauline Robbins. She
was also my Confirmation sponsor. I
still take that cross everywhere and I
still sleep with it in my bed. And I took
my laptop and dirty laundry. It wasn’t
that I didn’t have time to pack an entire
apartment— I just sincerely figured I’d
be back in a few days.

Thinking of the full scope of Katrina
still leaves me in tears. It’s a humbling
pain knowing how much nothing matters.
It’s the knowing from experience that
really you are here today and tomorrow
you are gone. And that’s the “ashes”
kicking off Lent— “from dust we came
and to dust we will return.”

I use to ask myself, “why bother doing
anything if we are already nothing and
just going to return to nothing?” And
the only reason I really see in bothering
to do anything is to keep improving your
nothingness. And that’s the Eucharist—
keeping passion for our life no matter
how it turns out.

Saint Benedict is quoted as stating,
”Whatever good work you begin to do,
beg of God with most earnest prayer
to perfect it.” And ironically, in times of
hopelessness you can improve the most.
You can start your good work by starting
again.

XOXO! JML

In honor of Saint Benedict of Nursia
on his feast day March 21, 2019

Saint Benedict of Nursia
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benedict_of_Nur…

This is Pope Francis’ Lent 2019 Letter
m.vatican.va/content/francescomobile/en…

Gospel Of Mathew
www.genevabible.org/files/Geneva_Bible/…
audio
youtu.be/j6ENtjQqgoA?list=PLRTwKflrxkQC…

Gospel Of Mark
www.genevabible.org/files/Geneva_Bible/…
audio
youtu.be/xcNj9f4oykU?list=PLRTwKflrxkQC…

Gospel Of Luke
www.genevabible.org/files/Geneva_Bible/…
audio
youtu.be/k84RZNrRmHE?list=PLRTwKflrxkQC…

Gospel Of John
www.genevabible.org/files/Geneva_Bible/…
audio
youtu.be/SDqQY2qMMxw?list=PLRTwKflrxkQC…

BIBLE GATEWAY
www.biblegateway.com

The Holy Bible King James Version audio

youtu.be/EiXQmeuHTOY?list=PLRTwKflrxkQC…

The Old Testament
1. Genesis
2. Exodus
3. Leviticus
4. Numbers
5. Deuteronomy
6. Joshua
7. Judges
8. Ruth
9. 1 Samuel
10. 2 Samuel
11. 1 Kings
12. 2 Kings
13. 1 Chronicles
14. 2 Chronicles
15. Ezra
16. Nehemiah
17. Esther
18. Job
19. Psalms
20. Proverbs
21. Ecclesiastes
22. Song of Solomon
23. Isaiah
24. Jeremiah
25. Lamentations
26. Ezekiel
27. Daniel
28. Hosea
29. Joel
30. Amos
31. Obadiah
32. Jonah
33. Micah
34. Nahum
35. Habakkuk
36. Zephaniah
37. Haggai
38. Zechariah
39. Malachi

The New Testament
1. Matthew
2. Mark
3. Luke
4. John
5. Acts (of the Apostles)
6. Romans
7. 1 Corinthians
8. 2 Corinthians
9. Galatians
10. Ephesians
11. Philippians
12. Colossians
13. 1 Thessalonians
14. 2 Thessalonians
15. 1 Timothy
16. 2 Timothy
17. Titus
18. Philemon
19. Hebrews
20. James
21. 1 Peter
22. 2 Peter
23. 1 John
24. 2 John
25. 3 John
26. Jude
27. Revelation
27. Daniel