DJ Priest

Mini-Moog Synthesizer
(Photo by Krash)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was electrifying.  It was therefore just a matter of time before the Word went electro.

Also called electro-funk, this fusion of drum machines, electronic sounds and synthesized vocals has enjoyed surges of popularity since the early 1980s.  So why not let Gospel truth ride those supercharged waves into the minds and hearts of dancing fans?

At least that’s what a Portugese priest named Don Guilherme Peixoto concluded.  After attending DJ school, Father Guilherme began his electro mission.  Mixing “bits of techno with excerpts of homilies by Pope Francis and the late John Paul II,” he got right down to it.  Soon there were throngs of frolicking folks listening to his every exhortation.

After landing a selfie with Father Guilherme, one young follower exclaimed, “This priest is really cool!”  

Resources

https://news.yahoo.com/news/entertainment/celestial-mixes-portugals-star-dj-135319118.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electro_(music)

 

           

 

Luka and Loki

Loki
(Public Domain)

The Encyclopedia Britannica describes the Norse god Loki as “a cunning trickster” who helped “the great gods Odin and Thor… with his clever plans,” but sometimes caused “embarrassment and difficulty for them and himself.”

Upon reading this description, NBA fans might be asking themselves, “Why does this sound so familiar?”  Could it be that Luka Doncic, “god” of the Dallas Mavericks, has more in common with the classical version of Loki than most mere mortals?

As the ultimate player, Luka has tricked many an opponent with his wily passes and miraculous buckets.  And yet…  Doncic’s dramatic antics have sometimes caused “embarrassment and difficulty” for teammates and himself.  

Despite and/or because of their mischievous natures, these beloved “bad boys” will live long and prosper, to quote yet another superstar.

Resources

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Loki

  

Millennial Saint

Carlo Acutis
(Fair Use)

Say what you want about millennials, one of them is now well on his way to sainthood.

The late Carlo Acutis, who died of leukemia at age 15 in 2006, has already been beatified by Pope Francis.  Known as “God’s Influencer,” Acutis used his digital skills to inspire others spiritually rather than to glorify himself. 

He did so by faithfully documenting Eucharistic miracles and Marian apparitions.  Two miracles have since been attributed to Acutis himself.

Carlo’s body, dressed in his usual “jeans, sneakers, and a sweater,” lies visibly within the Sanctuary of Spoliation at Assisi, Italy.  Holiness can therefore be viewed “not as a distant thing but as something very much within everyone’s reach…”

Resources

https://people.com/gods-influencer-milennial-saint-pope-francis-second-miracle-8653532

Math Path

(Fair Use)

If ever there were a universal language, that language has got to be math (unless it’s music, which seems to be math with the volume turned up).

Nevertheless, many of us rebelled against math in grade school.  We thought to ourselves, “When will I ever use this stuff, so why bother?”

Yet someone has risen from our midst to answer that pressing question.  His name isn’t Newton, Einstein or Hawking: It’s merely Stefan Mandel.

Mandel found a way to beat the lottery system.  He did this not once, but time and again, making millions along the way.  And what was this way?  The math path!

Mandel figured that there were finite choices to win with.  He therefore “looked for lotteries that had jackpots for more than the amount it would take to buy a ticket for every number combination.”  After this strategy bore juicy fruit in his native Romania, he then took off for other countries.

While in America, Mandel noticed that Virginia had only 44 numbers, as opposed to the 54 in other states.  When Virginia’s jackpot “reached 27 million,” he hired a team to buy tickets for almost all possibilities.  This hit a huge payday, at least until the authorities sued him.  The lengthy legal follow-up cost Mandel all his winnings.

It turns out that math cannot outwit the highest common denominator after all.

Resources

https://www.iheart.com/content/2024-06-20-man-uses-loophole-to-win-lottery-14-times-but-then-it-backfires-on-him/?mid=1304544&rid=98364581&sc=email&pname=newsletter&cid=NATIONAL&keyid=National%20iHeart%20Daily%20NewsTalk%20[Combo%20#1]&campid=headline3_readmore