copied from locally produced THE NOTEBOOK THOUGHTS, IDEAS & UPDATES FROM POPLAR TERRACE AND FRIENDS Issue 43, November 2024 Thoughts on Finding Hope in Despair By Brene’ Brown Despair is a claustrophobic feeling. It’s the emotion that says, “Nothing will ever change.” It’s different than anger or sadness or grief. Despair is twinged with hopelessness. People who subscribe to power-over leadership often weaponize despair. They count on pe ..read more

     My prayer is that you may be able to discern what is of value. Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11 This quote from our second reading today reminds me of something from the Book of Sirach in the Old Testament. “Before you are life and death, good and evil, whichever you choose shall be given you. No one does he command to act unjustly, to none does he give license to sin.” (Sirach 15:15-20) That is worth repeating! "Before you are life and death, good and evil, whichever you choose will be given to you!"   A lot is made these days of our "right to choose," but little is sai ..read more

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                                                                    by Fr. Ronald Knott a repeat from previous years Tomorrow is the Feast of St. Nicholas. Ever since St. Nicholas changed his name to Santa Claus, he has been going downhill fast. How did he sink so far? Nicholas started off as a rich young man from Turkey who ended up becoming a kindly bishop. Dressed in a red cope, miter and crosier, he was known for his love ..read more

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Our Psalm today, Psalm 25, is a long petition asking God for guidance on what he requires of us to lead a good life and a life pleasing to Him. This line, in my estimation, is the very heart of Psalm 25!  Make known to me your ways, Lord; teach me your paths. Psalm 25:4 Unlike the "Ten Commandments" in the Old Testament, which stress the things that one who loves God should not do, the path one should not walk, "The Beatitudes" of Jesus from the New Testament are a list of things that a person who loves God does do, the path he should walk. It is imp ..read more

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  Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small                                                             coins worth a few cents.                                                  ..read more

  Father John Judie, a retired priest from Louisville, has been volunteering in the east African country of Tanzania. Last week, he fell and wounded both knees. Since I have been trying to assist him in his ministry in Tanzania, while continuing in my own ministry in the Caribbean country of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, I sent him an e-mail as soon as I heard about his fall and his wounds. Here is the response and update I got: "Thanks, Ron. Both knees injured have been repaired. Three days of post surgery, then two weeks of lying still. Will discuss with the doctor today about the re ..read more

Ten lepers were cleansed, but only one of them returned to thank Jesus. Luke 17: 11-19 The opposite of “feelings of gratitude” are “feelings of entitlement.”  Over the years, many parents have resonated with this famous sad line from Shakespeare’s King Lear, “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!” Some programs start out as a way to help people, but sometimes end up leaving people with a sense of entitlement, a feeling that those services are actually owed to them.  Many recent studies say that narcissism and a sense of entitlement has risen significantly hig ..read more