Thought for the Day

The Three Kinds of Love

Here is Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s remarkable presentation on the “Three Kinds of Love”.

It’s broken up into about five different sections, but you can easily find the links from the first installment. The Gospel reading today is from the end of the Gospel of John, where Jesus and Peter have their famous exchange regarding love. It’s difficult to top Archbishop Sheen’s presentation, though … one tries to present the ideas as best one can in a minute or two daily Homily!

But for peace of mind and ease of use, here are: Part 2,

Part 3,

Part 4,

and Part 5.

Enjoy.

Ash Wednesday Blues

Years ago and long before the Catechism was published, while I was a struggling artist living in Mid-City New Orleans, my buddy and housemate Paul Heimann and I got frustrated over the dearth of Mardi Gras songs which celebrated the fact that Mardi Gras actually ends. The party stops.

So we wrote this one and copyrighted it.

Here is a picture of me taken by the Times Picayune while I was at OLL, long after my ultimate conversion and ordination

Me, a few years ago at Ash Weds. in OLL

This song was written a lifetime ago.

But we still love it.

ASH WEDNESDAY BLUES

vs. 1

Can’t you tell, I’m crying inside,
Can’t you see the tears in my eyes?
My pockets are all empty, my clothes are all torn,
I’m tattered from yesterday’s Mardi Gras storm. (chorus)

vs. 2

C’mon Mr. Trashman, sweep me away.
All reason for life, died yesterday.
Got no place to go, got nothing to do,
Since I said good b’ye to that last
Mardi Gras Krewe.

Chorus:
Ashes to Ashes, dust to dust,
Got to do what I know I must
Got to lie down and take a snooze
Before I wake up to those
Ash Wednesday Blues.

~~~Bridge~~~

Everyone’s packed up
and left downtown
No one left
to boogie on down *
What am I
Suposed
to do? …

vs. 3

Oh well, I’ll just pick myself up.
Dust myself off and grab a cup.
Cause I know next year’s comin’ around.
I’m going back to that
Mardi Gras town.

Chorus

*so written in the 80’s, but a great song!

More Simple Sober Living

This is a strange viral video going around: an auto-tuned Charlie Sheen remix. It’s odd, it’s strange, a little painful to think of his situation. At the same time, the song’s actually pretty catchy.

Poor Charlie. He should take the Pope’s advice to lead a more sober life

Although it “does not exempt from the hard struggle for a dignified life”, it should lead to an existence based on “a simpler and more sober lifestyle, the hard work of every day and respect for creation, which God put into our care”.

The Rev. Kenneth Allen