Jonah Goldberg<\/a>: a poignant, lovely post on his father\u2019s appreciation for the papacy, and thoughts on Benedict XVI. It\u2019s oddly in tune with the Thanksgiving theme, and even as he clearly aches for his missing father, Goldberg manages to display a surer grasp of why the church does what it does than many, either inside or outside of it:<\/p>\n As for the Church\u2019s preferred approach \u2014 abstinence until marriage \u2014 it may be impractical in most parts of the world, as the critics claim. But it would undeniably save more lives than condom use if put into practice. What seems to offend many isn\u2019t the efficacy of the solution but the suggestion that such values have any place in the modern world.<\/p>\n The Church\u2019s position is that the truest notes are those that not only celebrate life and love but cut through the whitewater din of devouring time. As those notes become harder to hear, the answer isn\u2019t to stop playing them but to turn up the volume.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n If you read nothing else, in this thread, do read this piece<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mark Shea<\/strong> on Chestertonian Gratitude<\/a>.<\/p>\n I think Chesterton\u2019s daily attitude of gratitude is neatly summed up in his poem:<\/p>\n Here dies another day Pat Gohn<\/a>:<\/p>\n For Catholics, \u201cthanksgiving\u201d is another word for \u201cEucharist.\u201d The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says it this way:<\/p>\n The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all \u201cthanksgiving.\u201d (CCC, 1360)<\/p>\n Imagine that; every single offering of the Eucharist is a time to count our blessings and to praise and thank God for his gifts.<\/p>\n It really defines Catholics as a thanksgiving people. The Eucharist perfects our expression of it, as a kind of gratitude par excellence.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n If you\u2019re having trouble feeling gratitude<\/strong>, this may help<\/a>. If your family get-together devolves into political discussion or other eruptions, prepare with this?<\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to remember<\/strong> our armed forces<\/a> in your prayers.<\/p>\n Patron<\/strong> Saint of Thanksgiving?<\/a><\/p>\n Phil Fox Rose:<\/strong> Meeting Scripture through the Illuminated Word<\/a>. I think the St. John\u2019s Bible really is glorious contemplative material. I like to give some of the books (like the Psalms<\/a>) out as gifts. You can get lost in prayer before these wonderful illuminations.<\/p>\n Yes,<\/strong> Humanae Vitae was \u201cprophetically right\u201d<\/a>. Most who hate it have never read it.<\/a><\/p>\n Tim Muldoon<\/a>:<\/p>\n Culture is important because it preserves the conversation, not unlike a good host at a cocktail party. The guests come and go, but the conversation progresses because new guests hear the accumulated insights of those who have gone before. Of course, the challenge of the host is to truly welcome the new guests, and not to wall off the conversation out of some sort of elitism.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I like that!<\/p>\n Benedict is<\/strong> mourning the death of a friend<\/a><\/p>\n Re-looking at some Joyful Mystery:<\/strong> The Crying Out of Flesh and God<\/a><\/p>\n Are some Chinese Villagers<\/strong> descended from Roman soldiers<\/a>?<\/p>\n More on Big Bang<\/a><\/p>\n Martyrdom and the Scaffold<\/a><\/p>\n Joe Carter:<\/strong> In defense of the TSA<\/a><\/p>\n Culture is important because it preserves the conversation, not unlike a good host at a cocktail party. The guests come and go, but the conversation progresses because new guests hear the accumulated insights of those who have gone before.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sarah Palin:<\/strong> Riot Grrrl?<\/a> Does it still hold true that if you have reservations you are automatically suspect<\/a>?<\/p>\n I think she is risking real overexposure, myself.<\/p>\n \u201cBe united to Christ on the Cross<\/a><\/p>\n Archbishop Dolan<\/a>: first interview since his election<\/a>.<\/p>\n Getting in trouble<\/a>, apparently because I do my shaky balancing attempts rather publicly, with all missteps and mishaps exposed. Like a coward. Oh, and it seems if I link to something, that must automatically mean I wholly endorse the piece in all ways, in content and in tone, forever and ever, Amen.<\/p>\n Like, here, for instance<\/a>. Ooops, I linked to something that I don\u2019t know if I agree with. How is that possible?<\/p>\n I\u2019ll be glad to<\/strong> not think about all of this back and forth<\/a> tomorrow.<\/p>\n Thoughts<\/strong> on female ordination<\/a><\/p>\n Dominican Sisters<\/a>: Were on Oprah this week<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" For your pre-Thanksgiving\/Thanksgiving reading, a little scattershot for time-constraints: Gwen John; Art & Faith in the Shadows Jonah Goldberg: a poignant, lovely post on his father\u2019s appreciation for the papacy, and thoughts on Benedict XVI. It\u2019s oddly in tune with the Thanksgiving theme, and even as he clearly aches for his missing father, Goldberg manages […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[233],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23336","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-serving-up-hot-links"],"yoast_head":"\n![](\"https:\/\/i4.photobucket.com\/albums\/y125\/TheAnchoress\/gwenjohn1.jpg\")
\nGwen John; Art & Faith in the Shadows<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n
\nDuring which I have had eyes, ears, hands,
\nAnd the great world around me;
\nAnd with tomorrow begins another.
\nWhy am I allowed two?<\/p>\n
\n
\nOh, well, not to worry<\/strong>\u2026according to Big Government, the FCC is going to take over the internets<\/a> next month.<\/p>\n