In the south of my garden, two Magnolia sieboldii subsp. japonica - "Oh-yama Renge" in Japanese have four ivory-colored flowers in total this early summer. Those two trees suffered severely from the extraordinary heat last summer. I admire strong resilience that the nature has shown and praise God for His grace and kindness to the world, though the climate change that we are responsible to that situation is the reason that the nature suffers the harsh environment. 

In the north-east yard of the garden, Amsonia elliptica - "Chouji-sou" in Japanese has a couple of thin blue flowers. I enjoyed much more flowers last year. The number of flowers of the species dramatically changed this year. 

I guess that a different stage of climate change has emerged from the previous one this summer. We have to be alert at the nature that mirrors what we do every day. 

In my youth, I was educated at a high school that was established by a Japanese statesman who belonged to The Methodist Church of Canada, and he is one of early supporters of The Salvation Army in Japan. The Catholic faith is always personal in me from the beginning of my life. However, I've walked on a way that God paved in advance for me to do something. That belief sounds a bid, perhaps heresy in The Church, and I well know that. 

My grandmother was educated at a seminary that was established in Japan by Mrs. Mary Eddy Kidder. Mrs. Kidder was an American missionary of the Dutch Reformed Church of America. 

According to my mother, she had been chosen by the Church to be a missionary apprentice and prepared for moving to Canada, however his father in law who was a statesman and the father of my paternal grandfather decided the marriage of their children. It was a political dealing between two major parties that existed in Japan before the second World War.

I remember her voice with weeping that echoes in my heart. I hate politics. 

I happened to find that Canadian Catholic Conference held in Ottawa, Ont., 1972 approved the "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" (originally written in German with the title "Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott") in their Catholic Book of Worship and that it was included in a list of suggested hymns in "Cantica NOVA Publications" in the States. 

My paternal grandmother would feel happy to have known that, because her grandson is allowed by the grace of God to sing the hymn at Mass in the Roman rite that she surely loved singing, though she belonged to the Reformed Church.

I really love the hymn!

I celebrate the memorial of St Rafael Arnáiz Barón (1911-1938)  in the Catholic calendar today. I'm very happy to be named after him and my Godfather and Maryknoll Missionary by the grace of God.

"The winner is the last warrior to stay standing": That is same at the court in any state or country.

I thank God who has rescued me from a nest of evils today. Now I'm free and enjoy thirty eight paid days-off! What a lovely gift it is that you keep away from "politics."