THE 42nd GENERATION

A DECISION THAT TOOK ME ON  A JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE Recently, a close friend from 5 decades ago passed away.  Because of that, I have been reminiscing and reflecting on those days that occurred in the late 1960s, when I was in my last 2 years of high school and my first 2 years of college, 1965 to 1970. Here is what I posted on Facebook about this friend who passed: PAUL E. OKUM:  May 2, 1946 - February 18, 2021 Though we were disconnected in our later adult years, Paul and I were close friends way back in the late 1960s.  He was one of a kind and we were two of a kind.  I did call him several years ago and we reminisced about our good times and people we knew then.  The loss of Paul is felt greatly.  His entire family is special.  Paul was a Bishop McDevitt grad, about 1963/64.  He married one of my classmates from McD 1967, Frances Ann Saluta.   As I ponder those days in the late 1960s and think about Paul Okum and other people I met and knew back then I realize that it was one small

 FACEBOOK POST ON FEBRUARY 25, 2021 -  James Eugene Barbush IF WE ARE DISCIPLES, WHAT HAVE WE SEEN AND HEARD? I read the below passage in the pic, and I was struck with this thought . . . . Have I seen and heard what the prophets and kings desired to see and hear but they did not see and hear it? Jesus spoke the below passage to His disciples of His day. Does He also speak that to His disciples of our day? Thus, we must each ask ourselves . . . . Am I one of His disciples? Jesus said to His disciples privately . . . “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see." What are the requirements of being one of His disciples? ... Loving Him. ... Giving up everything. ... Following His commands. ... Being doers and not just hearers of His word. Are we up to the task of being one of His disciples? We can ponder that and ask God for His mercy and forgiveness.

  Day 6      Monday, February 22, 2021         6th Day from Ash Wednesday   WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT?   MAN’S REGARD FOR ANIMALS or MAN’S REGARD FOR PEOPLE A Man with Dropsy Healed on the Sabbath  -  (Luke 14:1-6) Now it happened,  as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees  to eat bread on the Sabbath ,  that they watched Him closely . And behold,  there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy . And Jesus , answering , spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees , saying , “ Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath ?” But they kept silent . And He took him and healed him , and let him go . Then He answered them, saying , “ Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day ?” And they could not answer Him regarding these things.   In the above passage, Luke 14:1-6, Jesus was in the house of a ruler of the Pharisees having a meal.

  THE SEASON OF LENT Traditionally , What Is Lent?  Today , What Can Lent Be For Me?   Traditionally , Lent speaks of a period of fasting , repentance , moderation, self-denial, and spiritual discipline, also a time of spiritual reflection.   Most often, Lent might be thought of as a time for “giving up” something that we cherish, want, or even need.   Those are all good things to practice during Lent, as well as, every other day or time of the year.   Today , in this 2021 season of Lent, I want to take a different view of Lent, rather than or in addition to the traditional views of Lent.   I want to view Lent as, Not A Time Of 'Giving Up,' But Of 'Taking' Time To Be With God.   I got this idea after reading an article that I found online by Nancy Sylvester , titled,   Lent not a time of 'giving up,' but of 'taking' time to be with God , February 17, 2021. For the past several years , since 2017 , during the season of Lent, I have engaged in a