Til we’ve all of us been burned a bit, and burnished by the Son [Pope Francis Bookclub]

Last updated on: September 8, 2014 at 9:42 am By Leah Libresco

In 2014, I’m reading and blogging through Pope Francis/Cardinal Bergoglio’s Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus. Every Monday, I’ll be writing about the next meditation in the book, so you’re welcome to peruse them all and/or read along. At the beginning of this week’s chapter, Pope Francis refers to a theologian who argues that prayer exists because we are imperfect and separated from God. If we weren’t sundered by sin, there would be no need to ask for objects or explanations,... Read more

Going Beyond Commandments of No to Vocations of Yes

Last updated on: September 7, 2014 at 3:35 pm By Leah Libresco

I had the privilege of being the lector for the second reading at Mass today, which is from the Letter to the Romans: Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, ” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, “You... Read more

Friendzones and Fairness

Last updated on: September 6, 2014 at 3:32 pm By Leah Libresco

When people talk about Nice Guy problems and friendzone problems (both on the internet and in my immediate environment), the conversations sometimes sound really similar to the kinds of things I would have heard on College Confidential or in a set of job interviewing tips. People are talking in terms of tricks they’ve learned from others, discussing what actually goes on inside the decision-making black box, and laying out a sequence of moves that are likely to succeed. The unspoken... Read more

7QT: Reasonable Answers to Patently Crazy Questions

Last updated on: September 5, 2014 at 1:57 am By Leah Libresco

— 1 — My copy of Randall Munroe’s What If: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions just arrived today, and I’m really looking forward to starting it tomorrow. (I have an even more awesome book to finish first). My appetite has certainly been whetted by the interview Munroe did with FiveThirtyEight: Walt Hickey: A whole set of “What Ifs?” touch on what it would be like to go to or return from space. The Curiosity rover also appears to be a recurring figure.... Read more

Nice Guys and Failed Tries

Last updated on: September 4, 2014 at 1:01 pm By Leah Libresco

ETA: Given the topic of the post and the tenor of some of the comments so far, just want to remind all y’all that the best use of your commenting time/energy tends to be responding to people when you have a unique insight to offer/question to ask, rather than letting the most inflammatory posts jump to the front of your attentional queue. SlateStarCodex’s recent post (“Radicalizing the Romanceless”) touches on a lot of issues surrounding the “Nice Guy” syndrome... Read more

Plato Disappoints at the Googleplex

Last updated on: September 3, 2014 at 9:05 am By Leah Libresco

I’m over at First Things today, reviewing Rebecca Newberger Goldstein’s Plato at the Googleplex, in which she writes new dialogues for Plato, in modern contests, answering modern questions. Here’s a teaser: When scientists like Laurence Krauss and Neil deGrasse Tyson call philosophers to answer for their crimes today, the lovers of wisdom aren’t accused of anything as exciting as corrupting the youth. In Rebecca Goldstein’s telling, Plato’s greatest danger is his elitism. She’s less worried about the political dominance of a philosopher king... Read more

Enclosing Ourselves in False Infinities [Pope Francis Bookclub]

Last updated on: September 2, 2014 at 4:03 pm By Leah Libresco

In 2014, I’m reading and blogging through Pope Francis/Cardinal Bergoglio’s Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus. Every Monday, I’ll be writing about the next meditation in the book, so you’re welcome to peruse them all and/or read along. In this week’s chapter, Pope Francis contrasts Abraham with Lot, the latter too willing to cling to his present place and moment to follow the Lord where he leads. In the course of his exegesis, he draws this distinction: Those who set out... Read more

Enemies of the Sacred Heart

Last updated on: September 2, 2014 at 4:04 pm By Leah Libresco

I’ve never encountered Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque before her name came up for me today on Jen Fulwiler’s Saint Generator. It looks like she is best known for her devotion to Christ’s Sacred Heart (and for pioneering that devotion before it was general Catholic practice). But, when I looked over her saint’s page, I was most struck by this line: Received a revelation from Our Lord in 1675, which included 12 promises to her and to those who practiced a true to... Read more

7QT: Delighting in the Details

Last updated on: August 29, 2014 at 11:44 am By Leah Libresco

— 1 — After I wrote about seeing Macbeth last week, my mother sent me this excellent video of Sir Ian McKellan unpacking one of the Thane of Cawdor’s speeches, and I figured all y’all might appreciate it as well. — 2 — I love it when artisans explain a little about their world, and invite me in to see how it works and to take pleasure in it, too. That’s why I really liked this essay on margins. Yup. Margins.... Read more

God’s Call to Restore Our Common Sense

Last updated on: August 28, 2014 at 11:53 am By Leah Libresco

Today is the feast of Saint Augustine, my confirmation saint. In celebration, this morning I made sure to leave some time to pray the Office of Readings in the Divine Office, and I was particularly struck by this passage from Jeremiah (4:1-3): If you wish to return, O Israel, says the Lord, return to me. If you put your destestable things out of my sight, and do not stray, Then you can swear, “As the Lord lives,” in truth, in... Read more