On the Liturgy:
(A Lenten Reflection)

What you get out of the liturgy is the privilege of glorifying almighty God. If you think it's about you, stay at home. It's not about you. It is for you, but it's not about you.

One of the great problems today, especially among some of the younger generations, is that they think that salvation history is their own autobiography. They think they're the center of the universe. In John 3, when John the Baptist is asked whether Jesus is the Messiah, John says quite clearly that Jesus is the important one: 'He must increase, I must decrease.'

He must increase, I must decrease. Everybody needs to hear that. It's not about me, it's not about you. It's about something infinitely more important than us. [Fr. Robert Taft SJ]

Though I published it in early January as an intended project linked to the detailed expository musing finally published on Ash Wednesday{1}, it seems appropriate now to recall in a followup posting a companion piece of sorts on the subject of magisterial interpretation. So without further ado...

On Magisterial Interpretation (circa January 4, 2020)

Also, there are now a few undeniable incongruities between some statements I have made in the past{2} on the subject matter published on Ash Wednesday.{3} I will tend to that matter soon with a posting to clarify and/or retract certain previous statements where applicable.

Notes:

{1} On the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, Obedience, and the Requirements of Faithful Catholics (circa February 26, 2020)

{2} Either in site postings to Rerum Novarum or other projects, web essays in the past, or stuff posted to social media or message board forums in years past.

{3} See footnote one.

Briefly...

Delegate Count as of 10:55am 3/6/20:

Biden: 637
Sanders: 559
Warren: 64
Bloomberg: 60
Buttigieg: 26
Klobuchar: 7
Gabbard: 2

Though I have done eight candidate updates so far in 2020, because of the Super Tuesday results, this feature will be discontinued. It is clear now that there are only two horses left in the Democratic primary race and they are Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. So henceforth, the others will not be mentioned on this site except in delegate counts unless one of them by some miracle is the nominee in Milwaukee.

Today would have been the 79th birthday of my father Richard Dunn McElhinney. If readers could offer some prayers for the eternal repose of his soul, I would appreciate it. For those who do not believe in this ancient custom, then prayers for my mother (who still has difficulties on anniversaries such as this) and the rest of the family would be appreciated.



Eternal rest grant unto his soul oh Lord and may thy perpetual light shine upon him...May his soul and all the souls of the faithfully departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Apmen.

Super Tuesday Scorecard:

States Won:

Biden: VA, NC, AL, OK, AR, TN, MN, MA, TX

Bernie: VT, CO, UT, CA

ME: Too close to call

Bloomberg: American Samoa

Delegate Count as of March 4, 2020 @ 8:30am:

Joe Biden: 453
Bernie Sanders: 382
Elizabeth Warren: 50
Michael Bloomberg: 44
Pete Buttigieg: 26
Amy Klobuchar: 7
Tulsi Gabbard: 1

From the mountains to the sun, life has only just begun
We wed this land and pledge our souls to meet its end
Life has only just begun
Here my people roam the earth, in the kingdom of our birth
Where the dust of all our horses hides the sun
We are mighty on the earth, on the earth

You have come to move me, take me from my ancient home
Land of my fathers I can't leave you now
We will share it with you, no man owns this earth we're on
Now the wheels are rolling, hear the howling winds of war
It's my destiny to fight and die
Is there no solution, can we find no other way, Lord let me stay

Under the endless sky and the earth below
Here I was born to live and I will never go, oh no
But we cannot endure like the earth and the mountains
Life is not ours to keep, for a new sun is rising

Soon these days shall pass away, for our freedom we must pay
All our words and deeds are carried on the wind
In the ground our bodies lay, here we lay. [Kerry Livgren]

Points to Ponder:

One of my Fundamental Political Axioms is "Do not seek to establish a precedent that can come back later on and bite you in the ass." [Circa March 2, 2017)]

For the eighth time time in recent months, I will post an update on the Democratic presidential field which has expanded as well as contracted since the last update of this nature. As of this writing, it is at 6 5{1} candidates.{2} Here is a brief list of those who have dropped in and dropped out so far:


In the Race -Listed By Declaration Date:

Tulsi Gabbard (January 11, 2019)
Elizabeth Warren (February 9, 2019)
Bernie Sanders (February 19, 2019)
Joe Biden (April 25, 2019)
Michael Bloomberg (November 24, 2019)


Out of the Race -Listed By Suspension Date:

Richard Ojeda (January 25, 2019)
Eric Swalwell (July 8, 2019)
Mike Gravel (August 6, 2019)
John Hinckenlooper (August 15, 2019)
Jay Inslee (August 21, 2019)
Seth Moulton (August 23, 2019)
Kirsten Gillibrand (August 28, 2019)
Bill de Blasio (September 20, 2019)
Tim Ryan (October 24, 2019)
Beto O'Rourke (November 1, 2019)
Wayne Messam (November 19, 2019)
Joe Sestak (December 1, 2019)
Steve Bullock (December 2, 2019)
Kamala Harris (December 3, 2019)
Julian Castro (January 2, 2020)
Marianne Williamson (January 9, 2020)
Corey Booker (January 13, 2020)
John Delaney (January 31, 2020)

Michael Bennett (February 11, 2020)

Andrew Yang (February 11, 2020)

Deval Patrick (February 12, 2020)

Tom Steyer (February 29, 2020)
Pete Buttigieg (March 1, 2020)

Amy Klobuchar (March 2, 2020)

Notes:

{1} After this was posted, Amy Klobuchar suspended her campaign.

{2} Well technically there are others but the above listed ones are the only ones with a snowballs chance in hell of being nominated.