{"id":29140,"date":"2011-06-17T16:19:49","date_gmt":"2011-06-17T16:19:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/community\/theanchoress\/?p=29140"},"modified":"2017-03-06T16:31:31","modified_gmt":"2017-03-06T16:31:31","slug":"twilight-of-mercy-and-the-wasteland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2011\/06\/17\/twilight-of-mercy-and-the-wasteland\/","title":{"rendered":""Twilight of Mercy" and the "Wasteland""},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Today we introduce a new columnist to our roster, Matt Emerson<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 whose work you have read in the past months, considering Jesuit Education<\/strong><\/a>, why he left practicing law, behind<\/strong><\/a>, the popularity of Lady Gaga in light of Gaudium et Spes<\/em><\/strong><\/a> and Stephen Colbert<\/strong><\/a> in light of catechesis.<\/p>\n

His column is called \u201cAfter Manresa\u201d and I will leave it up to him to tell his readers what that\u2019s about another time. His debut column manages to coin a phrase (\u201cCriteria Catholicism\u201d) and ask a serious question regarding Catholicism\u2019s passionate commitment to life \u2014 which is quite right \u2014 and the impulse by some to forget the quality of mercy we owe each other<\/strong><\/a> amid the battle:<\/p>\n

\nTo link so imperiously authentic Catholicism with one\u2019s attitude toward abortion, however, confines the fullness of discipleship. It encourages people to think, \u201cI am against abortion; thus, I am a good Catholic.\u201d The position incites people to exalt viewpoints alone, and to license an illusory holiness without setting one foot forward on behalf of the poor, without visiting the imprisoned, or without feeding the hungry or ministering to the sick; without sustaining a renunciation or commitment reflecting the complete change of heart and the heroic agape love to which Our Lord calls us.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

When fencing \u2014 really in any battle<\/strong> \u2014 one does need to be constantly mindful of one\u2019s position, and correcting one\u2019s own stance, in order to maintain balance. This is an important balancing note, I think; human dignity matters. I would urge everyone to read the whole<\/em> thing<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

While we\u2019re thinking about our fellows<\/strong>, also take a look at Joseph Susanka\u2019s examination of the documentary, \u201cWaste Land\u201d<\/strong><\/a>:<\/p>\n

If one were to assemble a list of the most egregiously overused phrases in documentary review history, \u201ctriumph of the human spirit\u201d would undoubtedly fall near the top\u2014a descriptor used with such frivolous regularity as to render it almost meaningless. So it is with some trepidation that I find myself making the following admission: Waste Land is one of those rare and rewarding cases where it truly applies.<\/p>\n

Vik Muniz, a Brazilian-born artist known world-wide for his distinctive way of incorporating everyday objects into his sculptures and photographs, has achieved a level of fame and success far beyond his wildest dreams. Now, chafing at the \u201cexclusivity and restrictive nature\u201d of the art world in which he has made his fortune, he is searching for a way to return (and to give back) to his native land. Guided by the advice of his family and friends, he settles upon the perfect subjects for his new artistic\/humanitarian project: the catadores (trash collectors) of Jardim Gramacho.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The personal stories of these people are really incredible; uplifting, inspiring<\/strong><\/a>. Joseph never steers us wrong, but this one I need<\/em> to watch!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Today we introduce a new columnist to our roster, Matt Emerson \u2014 whose work you have read in the past months, considering Jesuit Education, why he left practicing law, behind, the popularity of Lady Gaga in light of Gaudium et Spes and Stephen Colbert in light of catechesis. His column is called \u201cAfter Manresa\u201d and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":112,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[4831,4916,4840,407],"class_list":["post-29140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-catholicism","tag-culture-of-life","tag-education","tag-human-dignity"],"yoast_head":"\n"Twilight of Mercy" and the "Wasteland"<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Today we introduce a new columnist to our roster, Matt Emerson -- whose work you have read in the past months, considering Jesuit Education, why he left\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theanchoress\/2011\/06\/17\/twilight-of-mercy-and-the-wasteland\/\" \/>\n<meta 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