Cecilia

Today after Mass i was waiting on the corner holding on to a pole and I looked to the left and saw the beautiful Cecilia. She is the girl who Tom says I should go after. I did not see her during Mass. But I saw her and she smiled at me and I smiled at her and she said, "Have a good week". And I felt lighthearted and full of Joy. Maybe we should get married. Tom did say I should go after her and Tom knows everything. Her name is Cecilia. She could teach me how to play the guitar. Acoustic. Sunburst finish, solid top, Vantage. A good Japanese guitar. For what it's worth.

While I was at Mass (and I had a wonderful Holy Communion) my father went to the Pierpont Morgan Museum and went to an exhibit about Walt Whitman (and also one about Where the Wild Things Are [Emperor Maximilian]) He saw a copy of the original Leaves of Grass and some of Whitman's own manuscripts. He took pictures of the manuscript of "O Captain, My Captain", but he did not take me pictures of "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" which was also in the exhibit and which I prefer as a poem. Does my father want me to be a king and not a mourner?

The original Leaves of Grass by the greatest American poet, "The Bard of Democracy." Of course the 1855 version does not have Lilacs, so my favorite poem in the original is the one which would later be titled "The Sleepers". "Stepping and stopping". "Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? / Brother John? Brother John?"

Before Mass we stopped at Holy Innocents and I lit a candle in front of the statue of St. Lucy and prayed for a bit. I took a picture. For Julian so he may see again.

Holy Innocents is a good Church. They had signs promoting modesty. Father Miara is a good priest. He has no strikes against him. God Bless him. After Mass we went to St. Agnes near Grand Central Station and I lit a candle in front of the statue of "The Little Flower." Everyone loves her, the greatest saint of modern times, though in my jealousy I prefer my favorite special saint, the Holy Gemma Galgani.

Matthew

Benedict of the Desert

There was a great saint named Benedict and he always had the greatest care to keep
away from sins of impurity.

Praise be to Holy God and all his angels and his saints.
Matthew

I Love God

And I love ants and bees and butterflies. What else do I love? Mom and Dad and my brother. And my family.

Matthew

Psalm 22

[1] A psalm for David. The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing. [2] He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment: [3] He hath converted my soul. He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name's sake. [4] For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me. [5] Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it! [1] "Ruleth me": In Hebrew, Is my shepherd, viz., to feed, guide, and govern me. [6] And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days. Thy rod and thy staff they shall comfort me. As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. I do fear, though I still have faith in the Lord. Not enough. Not yet a mustard seed.

Psalm 21

[1] Unto the end, for the morning protection, a psalm for David. [2] O God my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. [3] O my God, I shall cry by day, and thou wilt not hear: and by night, and it shall not be reputed as folly in me. [4] But thou dwellest in the holy place, the praise of Israel. [5] In thee have our fathers hoped: they have hoped, and thou hast delivered them. [2] "The words of my sins": That is, the sins of the world, which I have taken upon myself, cry out against me, and are the cause of all my sufferings. [6] They cried to thee, and they were saved: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. [7] But I am a worm, and no man: the reproach of men, and the outcast of the people. [8] All they that saw me have laughed me to scorn: they have spoken with the lips, and wagged the head. [9] He hoped in the Lord, let him deliver him: let him save him, seeing he delighteth in him. [10]For thou art he that hast drawn me out of the womb: my hope from the breasts of my mother. [11] I was cast upon thee from the womb. From my mother's womb thou art my God, [12] Depart not from me. For tribulation is very near: for there is none to help me. [13] Many calves have surrounded me: fat bulls have besieged me. [14] They have opened their mouths against me, as a lion ravening and roaring. [15] I am poured out like water; and all my bones are scattered. My heart is become like wax melting in the midst of my bowels. [16] My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue hath cleaved to my jaws: and thou hast brought me down into the dust of death. [17] For many dogs have encompassed me: the council of the malignant hath besieged me. They have dug my hands and feet. [18] They have numbered all my bones. And they have looked and stared upon me. [19] They parted my garments amongst them; and upon my vesture they cast lots. [20] But thou, O Lord, remove not thy help to a distance from me; look towards my defence. [21] Deliver, O God, my soul from the sword: my only one from the hand of the dog. [22] Save me from the lion's mouth; and my lowness from the horns of the unicorns. [23] I will declare thy name to my brethren: in the midst of the church will I praise thee. [24] Ye that fear the Lord, praise him: all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him. [25] Let all the seed of Israel fear him: because he hath not slighted nor despised the supplication of the poor man. Neither hath he turned away his face from me: and when I cried to him he heard me. [26] With thee is my praise in a great church: I will pay my vows in the sight of them that fear him. [27] The poor shall eat and shall be filled: and they shall praise the Lord that seek him: their hearts shall live for ever and ever.[28] All the ends of the earth shall remember, and shall be converted to the Lord: And all the kindreds of the Gentiles shall adore in his sight. [29] For the kingdom is the Lord's; and he shall have dominion over the nations. [30] All the fat ones of the earth have eaten and have adored: all they that go down to the earth shall fall before him. [31] And to him my soul shall live: and my seed shall serve him. [32] There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made. Believe me I am a worm and not a man. I feel so much a worm. So much a worm. So much a worm.