You probably think that this old teacher has gone into his dotage, writing about our Judeo-Christian Civilization, and of Jesus Christ as the great changer of that civilization.  Well, now hear this!  In the Syosset Class of ’21, there are thirteen Merit Scholars—eleven of them are Chinese and two are Indian.  Scientists who classify intelligence by race say the Chinese are the smartest.  Why was China not the first to put a man on the moon?  Why was Western Civilization the foremost in technological invention?  What civilization invented the electric light?  The telephone?

The answer my friend, is blowing in the wind—the Judeo-Christian morality that Jesus taught changed our civilization so that we’d help one another.  We’d put less emphasis on worldly success and reach for heaven.  Even the Russian astronauts tried to say heaven is not up there.  They didn’t know, but it starts within us.  Thank you, Jesus Christ.

Critics of Pres. Trump should consider what Malcolm Gladwell, in his book, Blink, calls the Warren Harding Effect.  Warren Harding was an exceedingly presidential man: tall, handsome, soft spoken except in speeches, always saying the right thing, especially to the ladies.  He was elected because of such qualities.  Yet, today, he is considered by many to have been our worst president.  It’s true, in fairness to him, that verdict might have been changed had he had more than two years to make his impression, but he died of a stroke.  So much for being presidential.

You don’t know what it is to be human until you reach old age.  Not only does your hand become unsteady when dialing a telephone number, but the mistakes you thought the bank made on your checkbook account turn out to be yours.  It is a most humbling experience, and really the best (though not the first) knowledge of what it is to be human.

If you don’t turn to prayer then, you are really hopeless.  For prayer is an expression of hope, and those who really have hope are they, lucky in that aspect, who have contact with a greater power than they ever had.

If you pray  you don’t need proof that it works.  You don’t need the crutches and flowers displayed at Lourdes or Guadalupe, you just know either from your own patient experience or instinct.  There is a knowledge that is innate.

Old age brings with it some undesirable accompaniments, not least of which is some degree of dementia.  I recognize that in my forgetfulness, and I have the standard response, I accept it.  So do those with far worse cases of it, and I wonder that we do not see many cases of anger.

                        Do not go gentle into that good night,

                        …but rage, rage, rage at the dying of the light.

Those lines (Dylan Thomas) depict someone who mourns his loss of action, and wants to deal with it in a decisive manner.  We soon learn.

After a full life, possibly even with children and grandchildren, that’s not the way to treat the Lord whom you’ll see soon enough.  My present memory may fade, but I still have vivid memories of some loving moments, like the time I got the standing ovation from the football team and students in the MacArthur High School auditorium.

What is a good education for my granddaughter?  If she goes to public school, I would make sure she gets the education for First Communion and Confirmation from her parish.  If my son can afford to send her to Catholic school, that’s all taken care of.  Of course, in either case, what is taught in the home is of utmost importance.  No school can counteract the home to any great extent.

Children usually live out their lives the way they were raised.  That is, provided it was in a normal, regular way, easily adapted to.  I am not talking about exceptional circumstances.  A parent must be willing to sacrifice for the children.

The parent, at peace with God, contributes tremendously, and is later on surprised at the impact a parent can have.