DAY OF TRANSFIGURATION; DAY OF ATOMIC BOMB DROPPING; DAY OF A POST VATICAN 2 PAPAL PASSING; AUGUST 6, 2011...........

This is the day each year when on the Liturgical Calendar, Catholic-Christians celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the preview of His future glorification Jesus provided the Apostles, Peter, James, and John, atop Mount Tabor.  As the opposition to the preaching and public ministry of Jesus increased among the Scribes, Pharisees, and the Jewish Authorities, and His Sacrificial Death approached; Jesus chose to instill a sense of fortifying confidence and trust in His Disciples, that despite the suffering and death He would endure, the assurances of Faith which Jesus had imparted to them, would be fulfilled in the Paschal Mystery.  Christ's ultimate triumph over sin and death, are grounded in the glory manifested by His Transfiguration, the prevailing and eternal Glory of the Resurrection, for His faithful and loyal Disciples.  It was on this date in history, 66 years ago today, that the World was confronted by the dropping of the Atomic Bomb by the United States on Japan, during the Second World War.  At that time, the atomic bomb was a newly developed weapon of war, that was so confidential and secret a project, that on April 12, 1945, the day Harry S Truman , was thrust into the Presidency, by the death of President Franklin Roosevelt, one of the first matters of State he was made aware of moments after his swearing in as President in The White House, was to be informed of the existence of what was called, "The Manhatten Project", the top secret development of rudimentary nuclear weapons, which he had not been made aware of during his scant 82 days as Vice President.  The awesome mushroom cloud explosion of the Atomic Bomb, on that August 6th, over Hiroshima, Japan, was a counter transfigural appearance to the World of the destructive power, represented by those initial nuclear weapons.  It was also on this date in history, August 6, 1978, that the fifteen year reign of His Holiness Pope Paul VI, who had succeeded Pope John XXIII, between the first and second sessions of the Second Vatican Council, in 1963; and shepherded it successfully to completion and the more than first dozen years of transition, reform, and renewal, in the Church, following the Ecumenical Council.  Pastorally, today brings for me, two Committal Services, at Calvary Cemetery in Citrus Heights.  First, at 10 am I will join Bill Friedrich's Family, Deacon David Lehman, and Father Tony Traynor, for the Blessing of Mr. Friedrich's niche.  Then at 11:30 a.m., I will conduct the Committal Service, for the inurnment of the Cremains of Jack Pennington Sr.  I will then go to the Pennington Family Home in Rio Linda, for lunch...........8:41 a.m.

...........7:39 p.m.  I returned to OLOL rectory at 2:20 p.m., took my afternoon, checked messages and the day's mail, and then took a lengthy nap, before having a wonderfully home made prepared, Barbequed Chicken and Ribs dinner, with Green Beans, and Macaroni Salad, with Watermelon; made by OLOL parishioner and one of my antibiotic infusion therapy volunteers, Connie Matthews.  Lunch at the Penningtons was also delicious and, "I Carnavore", had a roast beef, turkey, and home sandwiches, chips, and Chinese food.  Not having had Chinese food, except for the rehab center's Asian Luncheon plate, I enjoyed it immensely.  Being out in the fresh air and sunshine for over 4 hours was most enjoyable.  It has me ready for an early and solid night's sleep, aftere Bill and Ruby Shepherd, return to disconnect me from my Infusion treatment...........Fr.  Troy