Out, Nice Breeze and Hit the Gym

 

A Reflection on the Death of Charlie Kirk and the State of America

On Wednesday September 10th, while at work, I saw a patient watching breaking news about podcaster Charlie Kirk being shot in the neck. It was shocking and painful news. As a healthcare professional, I knew what it meant when someone is shot in the neck. The neck is more vital to life than almost any other part of the body. Think of the brain and its constant need for oxygen and energy. When the arteries or veins in the neck are interrupted, death usually follows in a short time.

Given that Kirk was a high-profile public figure known for his controversial statements on his podcast and on college campuses, the outcome of the shooting was withheld until long after he was pronounced at the hospital. Chances are he was gone on the way to the hospital. He was only thirty-one and the father of two little children. That is a tragedy. As someone who grew up without a father, I can relate to the depth of such a loss. Materially, they will never lack. They are Americans, and their father’s legacy will see them through. But emotionally, their lives will never be the same. God rest his soul.

His death was eventually announced by President Trump on his famous truthsocial, who enjoyed strong successful support from Kirk’s political activism during the 2024 presidential election. America, since I have been here, has reached a fever pitch of political vitriol. The division is dangerously steep, and my goodness, we need God’s intervention. I often hear the way people talk about the opposing political parties, and it is painful to my ears.

I never listened to his podcasts despite its enormous reach on YouTube and elsewhere. He worked hard and built something real. I now understood he was not a fan of black people. That does not bother me. This is America, people should not be hurt or even killed for exercising their constitutionally protected free speech. His death on September 10th did overshadowed September 11th memorial, that dark day when nearly three thousand people perished on American soil.

One thing remains true: humanity’s capacity for wickedness cannot be overstated. The outcome of this shooting, if not handled well, could spiral into something terrible for America. Already, people are irresponsibly pointing fingers at the political left and right. As a healthcare practitioner, I say this clearly: all life is important and sacred. We do not know where life comes from, we only do our little part and God makes the rest happen. Therefore it is not in our place to take life. My calling is to preserve and restore life. On the grand scale, life is too special and too sacred. Even when people are mean to others, they are still God’s creation. The world is big enough for all of us. There is no need for hate and no need to terminate one another. But that is where evil enters, and as simple as that sounds, I am not naive about the facts.

Across social media, some celebrated his death. That, my friends, is the lowest point of humanity. Fast forword today, September 12th, the president announced that the shooter is in custody. He is said to be a 22 year old Tyler Robinson from the state of Utah where this all happened. 

Chances are he had help. I hope investigators uncover who may have influenced him. A twenty-two-year-old child killed a thirty-one-year-old father. He is a child indeed. That is evil. Who brainwashed him? I hope we get answers. Barbarism cannot be allowed in a modern and civilized society.

America as a whole needs healing. The hatred is in the air, and I feel drained daily, whether in my work or simply walking through this society. That is not healthy for the human mind or spirit. Dear God, come to the aid of this nation you have blessed materially, for spiritually America is in a dark place.

Charlie Kirk  remains was flown in Airforce 2 back to his state of residence, Arizona yesterday accompanied by the vice president, JD Vance. He was a patriot who loved his country. He was a believer in Christ. He was a hard-working young man. These are qualities we can all aspire to. If anything, his death should serve to unite America in healing. That healing will require prayer, and that is where I can contribute, by praying for the soul of this nation.

That my friends is my take. I had to write about it because he was a brother in Christ. And he was fighting some levels of evil among the youth in college campuses. We can all learn that from him. 

God bless.
Pal Ronnie

Friday, September 12, 2025 Mass Readings and Reflection

Readings of the Day

First Reading: 1 Timothy 1:1–2, 12–14

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16– “It is you, O Lord, who are my portion.”

Gospel: Luke 6:39–42

Reflection

Dear friends in our Lord Christ, today’s first reading gives us Saint Paul’s humble testimony. Once a blasphemer, persecutor, and opponent of the Church, he now acknowledges with deep gratitude that it was not his own merit but God’s mercy and grace that made him an apostle and servant of the Gospel.

Paul knew he was unworthy. Yet he also knew that God’s grace overflowed for him with faith and love in Christ Jesus. His story is a reminder to us: we too are unworthy, yet by Christ we are made worthy.

At every Mass, we echo this truth. In the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest prays: “Giving you thanks that you have held us worthy to be in your presence and minister to you.” We also say before Communion: “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof…” Both prayers remind us that it is God who qualifies the unqualified, who calls the unworthy and makes them worthy.

From this reflection, we can draw important lessons for our daily walk with God. Like Saint Paul, we must humbly admit our failings and not pretend to be holier than others, for without God’s mercy none of us could stand. We must also live in constant gratitude, remembering that everything we are and everything we have comes from His grace. Recognizing our unworthiness should make us humble before God and before one another. When we see how much God has done for us, it should stir us to serve Him wholeheartedly, just as Paul did. And since God has chosen to make us sinners worthy, we cannot look down on others, for the same God who called us calls them as well. Finally, knowing our unworthiness is never an excuse to remain the same; rather, it is a challenge to grow and to become better, just as Paul the persecutor became Paul the great evangelizer.

Now, as we reflect today, let us ask: despite my weakness, how has God blessed me? Despite my sins, how far has His mercy carried me? And most importantly, how do I respond? With pride and self sufficiency, or with gratitude, humility, and service?

May the Most Holy Name of Mary intercede for us today. She, too, recognized her lowliness, and yet the Almighty did great things for her. Through her prayers, may we grow in humility, gratitude, and faithfulness.

Amen 🙏 🙏 

Pal Ronnie 

Daily Mass Reflection in September 11th 2025

First Reading (Colossians 3:12–17)

“Put on as God’s chosen ones… compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience… And over all these, put on love, that is the bond of perfection.”

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 150)
“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!”

Alleluia
“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.”

Gospel (Luke 6:27–38)
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you… Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.”

Reflection

Today’s readings call us to a life shaped not by human instinct but by divine grace. St. Paul reminds us that as God’s chosen people, we must clothe ourselves in compassion, patience, forgiveness, and above all, love. This is not a superficial love but the “bond of perfection” that unites us in Christ.

The psalm bursts with joy: “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.” Gratitude and praise should flow naturally from hearts transformed by God’s mercy.

Jesus’ words in the Gospel challenge us profoundly: to love our enemies, to bless instead of curse, to give without expecting return. This is very hard thing to do at the human level. Jesus points us to the radical mercy of the Father, who “is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.”

That my friends is the heart of discipleship, to live not by the world’s standards of reciprocity and revenge but by God’s standard of mercy. When we forgive, when we love beyond measure, when we choose generosity over calculation, we reveal ourselves as true children of the Most High God.

We also are aware today marks the 24th anniversary of the gruesome evils that occurred in New York City in 2001. It has been 24 years and many still remembered that day vividly. A lot had happened after that day and still happening today as a result of that day. We world took things the other way, the way of revenge. And went after the so-called enemy all for revenge. The results?, big mess and more loses. That most likely was not the will of God. May we seek God in all we do.

And may all those who fell on that day and days afterwards, rest in peace. 

God bless you all.

Pal Ronnie 

Oh! Yeah

 

Beautiful Morning |Tap Dancing to Work|Wake Up Sleepy Yalies

 

Fixated on the things Above: A Daily Mass Readings and Reflection

Daily Reflection: Wednesday, September 10, 2025

First Reading: Colossians 3:1–11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145 – “How good is the Lord to all.”
Gospel: Luke 6:20–26

“Brethren, if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Col. 3:1–2)

St. Paul reminds us today that though we live on earth, our lives are hidden with Christ in God. By baptism, we have already died to the world and its ways, and we now live a new life in Christ. To live as Christians means to engage with the world without being enslaved by it. We enjoy creation’s beauty but we do not allow its pleasures to lure us into sin.

The world offers lust, greed, anger, malice, lies, selfishness, and corruption as if they were normal. But we are called to a higher standard. We are called to think and act differently, not because it is easy, but because our true homeland is not here, it is in heaven.

This is why Paul says: “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you.” Worldly desires, though tempting, do not last. They distract us from our eternal destination. We must resist them through prayer, fasting, discipline of mind and heart, and constant renewal in God’s Word.

The Gospel today echoes this call: blessed are the poor in spirit, those who hunger for justice, those who endure suffering for Christ. These are the ones whose eyes are set on heaven.

Dear friends, lets ask ourselves today: Are we worldly, or we heavenly? Do we think on things above, or do we let earthly cravings consume us? Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Let us choose Christ. Let us fill our minds with His Word, our eyes with His light, our ears with His truth. For what the senses take in, the heart desires, and what the heart desires, the body follows. May we walk each day as people on earth, but dead to the earth, alive only in Christ.

Amen 🙏 

God bless you and have a wonderful day

Pal Ronnie 

Jesus Called the 12: Mass Readings and Reflection

Memorial of Saint Peter Claver, Priest

First Reading: Colossians 2:6–15
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145:1 “The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.”
Alleluia: John 15:16:- “I chose you from the world, that you may go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.”
Gospel Reading: Luke 6:12–19

Reflection:
In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls the Twelve. What stands out is that He did not call saints; He called ordinary men, sinful, worldly, and imperfect they were. Yet, through His grace, He made saints out of them.

If we place ourselves in the place of those disciples, we can begin to sense what it must have been like to walk with Him, to witness His teachings and His works firsthand. These men came to believe so deeply that many of them gave their very lives for what they had seen and known. And no one willingly dies for a lie.

Their witness reminds us that holiness is not reserved for the perfect, but for those who answer the call. Like the apostles, may we allow Christ to transform us, so that we too may bear fruit that will last and strive toward sainthood.

God bless you.

-Pal Ronnie- 

Mass Readings and Reflection Monday September 8th 2025

First Reading (Micah 5:1–4a)

“You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel".

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 13:6)
“With delight I rejoice in the Lord… Let me sing of the Lord, ‘He has been good to me.’'

Alleluia Verse
“Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.” 

Gospel (Matthew 1:1–16, 18–23)
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son… which means ‘God is with us.” 

Reflection 

A prophecy of humble origins, Bethlehem, small and seemingly insignificant, yet it is from there that a ruler is born, shepherding with strength rooted in God alone. The psalmist’s delight in the Lord and trust in His goodness remind us to rejoice in salvation, celebrating the gift of divine mercy. We honor Mary, through whom the “sun of justice”, Christ, has risen, bringing illumination and redemption to the world The fulfillment of prophecy unfolds as Mary bears Jesus, and Joseph receives the angel’s message: God is with us.

Reflect on the mystery of God choosing what is small, quiet, even hidden, Bethlehem, a young woman, a humble carpenter, to enact the great plan of salvation. Mary’s “yes” opens the door to Emmanuel. In your life today, consider where God might be asking for your humble “yes”, in the small, ordinary gestures that become channels of divine love.

For the Church, that we may follow Mary’s humble example and welcome Christ with readiness and faith. For women and men called to respond in unexpected ways, that they may find grace and strength like Mary. For peace in our hearts and in our world, made possible by the presence of Emmanuel. Micah reminds us that greatness often comes in unexpected packages, and that God’s strength sustains and brings peace.

May your day be marked by recognition of God’s hidden movements in your life and the beauty of embracing your part in His unfolding story. Amen 

God bless you and have a wonderful week 

-Pal Ronnie-

An Evening Stroll on Campus at Yale

 

Weather Today

As someone whose mood is often tied to the weather, today definitely feels heavy. It’s a cloudy, drizzly day, take a look below and tell me, how you think I feel?

😄 

Sunday Mass Readings and Reflection

First Reading: Wisdom 9:13–18

Responsorial Psalm: (Psalm 90:3–14)

"In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge."

Second Reading: (Philemon 9–10, 12–17)

Alleluia: (Psalm 119:135)

Gospel: (Luke 14:25–33)

Reflection

It's all about plans and strategy. The game of chess is fun, but without strategy, you will never win. Some people obsess over the chess pieces, they know their movements and representation perfectly, yet they rarely win a match. I am one of those people. Against a computer on medium level, I could manage a win now and then, but at the highest level, forget it. I tried. Strategy makes all the difference.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of counting the cost before beginning anything worthwhile. What to cut out and what to include. It is almost like common sense proposition. Just as a builder considers the expense before laying a foundation, or a king or a nation weighs the odds before going to war, so must we consider what it takes to follow Jesus Christ. 

We have seen this truth play out in real life, look at the war in Ukraine and Russia, where both sides may have underestimated the cost of conflict before jumping into it in 2022.

Our strategy in life must be focused on how to make it into heaven, as our ultimate goal. None of us knows the day or the hour when this life will come to an end, so each day we must deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and move closer to Jesus.

The words of Christ about “hating” family for His sake may feel shocking, just like spiritual shock therapy. Of course, it is not literal hatred. We are called to love our families deeply, but never to let them, or anything else, become an obstacle in our pursuit of our eternal life. That means we can love our family and the people around us and have Christ in every aspect of our lives. He is in charge. 

This Gospel today was difficult and challenging, but it calls us to wake up. To follow Christ means to hate pride, embrace humility, practice charity, and above all, to give ourselves wholly, heart, mind, soul, and strength, to God.

God bless you, and may this Sunday strengthen your walk with Him.

-Pal Ronnie-

A Walk on Yale University Campus

 

Those Clouds Poured So Hard Today

 

Mass Reading and Reflection today: "The Lord Himself is my Help"

Saturday, September 6th

First Reading: Colossians 1:21–23
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 54  “The Lord Himself is my help.”
Alleluia: John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
Gospel: Luke 6:1–5

Gospel Reading (Luke 6:1–5)
While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a Sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?”

Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Reflection
Among the Jewish people, the Sabbath greeting is Shabbat Shalom. Literally, it means “peaceful Sabbath,” but the meaning runs deeper. It is not simply about rules, but about the fullness of life and rest that flow from God.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that the Sabbath is not about rigid legalism but about relationship and mercy. His disciples pluck grain to satisfy their hunger, and they were accused of breaking the law. In response, Jesus recalls how David, when pressed by hunger, shared the holy bread meant only for priests. The point is clear: God’s law is not given to burden but to sustain life.

Jesus declares himself Lord of the Sabbath. In that bold statement, he reveals that true peace, rest, and fulfillment are found in Him. Observing the Sabbath, or any commandment, finds its deepest meaning when it serves love, mercy, and human dignity.

So we are invited to ask ourselves: Do we treat our faith as a checklist of restrictions, or as a living path into communion with Christ? The Sabbath at its heart is not about empty rule-keeping but about encounter, resting in God, drawing strength from his presence, and being renewed for the life he calls us to live.

May this Sabbath bring us into that rest, not just for the body but for the soul.

God bless, and have a wonderful evening.

-Pal Ronnie-