Humans need freedom. As slaves, fettered and confined, they are bound to deteriorate. We have spent a great deal of thought and time on external freedom; we have made serious efforts to secure our personal liberty and yet we have lost it again and again. The worst thing is that eventually humans come to accept the state of bondage -it becomes habitual and they hardly notice it. The most abject slaves can be made to believe that the condition in... Read more
A note by the Servant of God Elisabeth Leseur, a married French laywoman whose cause for canonization is being studied. She died in 1914, and her musings moved me; I identify muchly, particularly with the last bit. I have jotted down in my notebook my lenten resolutions, but I want to confirm them here. I must truly renew my life, and it is God whom I ask in all simplicity to transform me. I want to live interiorly more spiritually,... Read more
It hasn’t quite caught me, yet. But it seems to be gaining on me. Meanwhile, this made me laugh: “he’s not an orator; he’s a Republican”. Blogging will be on and off today. Don’t know how interesting it will be! Here are some links: Spengler: The Long-Term Employment Bust. Archbishop Dolan: It’s a grand time to return to confession! More Lenten Reading Recommends. He Leadeth Me really is incredible. Also, Free Downloadable Lenten Reading and Books First they excommunicate her,... Read more
South Park Questions, Aside, watching the Olympics reminds me of my favorite year in Men’s Figure Skating, and my favorite skater, whose jumps and spins and artistry and musicality of 1988 still give a thrill: Read more
And so we begin, again, the forty days of finding our way back to the God who says, “even now, return to me with your whole heart . . . rend your hearts, not your garments and return to the Lord, your God.” I have always appreciated that idea of “rending” the heart. Take your hands and tear it open, and expose yourself to God, willingly, needfully, humbly. Open wide the heart; let the poisons that have hardened it or... Read more
I didn’t see the whole episode, but this scene in Family Guy has apparently gotten Sarah Palin upset: Both Gov. Palin and her daughter Bristol have responded. Sarah Palin writes: People are asking me to comment on yesterday’s Fox show that felt like another kick in the gut. Bristol was one who asked what I thought of the show that mocked her baby brother, Trig (and/or others with special needs), in an episode yesterday. Instead of answering, I asked her... Read more
Always, as I prepare for Lent (and there is a big Lenten post coming up with lots of links, reading suggestions etc), I find that there is a common theme that is being put before my eyes -something that I figure I am meant to particularly pray about, work on or discipline myself to, with God’s grace, over the course of Lent. Now, clearly, I am such a wretched and faulty creature that any headway I do make (and it... Read more
I am, for want of a better word, drowning in email, links, regular mail, stuff to do, and so forth, and I’m having an awful time getting focused to do the paying work, and also get the blog prepared for a Lenten post. I also seem to be fighting off another bout of bronchitis. Would very much appreciate a small prayer whispered up, if you are so inclined. Thanks. Read more
Today, it’s the announcement that the very beautiful Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (largest church in the Western Hemisphere, that is) will celebrate Mass in the “extraordinary form” (or Traditional Latin) at the High Altar, for the first time in over 40 years. Pope Benedict noted that the Latin liturgy of the Church in each century of the Christian era “has been a spur to the spiritual life of many saints and reinforced... Read more
And in the midst of death, we are in life. Over at Summit, NJ, the Dominican Nuns of Our Lady of the Rosary Monastery are in life and death, all the time. You can’t spend your days processing in and out of choir seven times a day to join the Angels in adoration and praise, without getting a seriously wholistic view of it all. But this week, especially, we see the literal life-in-death paradox (which, really, is true in all... Read more
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