Happy Feast of the Annunciation!

Today's feast is not only special to me in the way that it is for all Catholics, but also because it is the feast day of my home parish (depicted above). The full title of my home parish church is: The Annunciation of the Ever Virgin Mary, Mother of God Church. We just call it Mother of God Church, for short.
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Well, I've been busy with life. I went to a funeral last weekend, so my week has been off a little bit, but luckily there has been a steady supply of grace given to me to keep me going. For example, I has given the grace of gratitude yesterday, in particular, for my vocation as a cooperator brother. It is a joy to know that whatever gifts and talents God has given me, that I can use them to support either directly or indirectly the mission of the holy Order of Preachers. I was thinking about this, because it would be easy for someone to say, and I sometimes say this myself, since I don't have the call to the priesthood, then there's really no need for me to be a religious. After all, I'm looking into earning an English degree, what does that have to do with the mission of the Church?, etc. It's based on a misunderstanding of why people, men and women, become religious. If I could be happy as a lay person, still celibate and doing work for the Church, I would say that I shouldn't be a religious. But...since I've already been there, and know that I wasn't fulfilled, that I desired the support of others, the prayer life, and the vows, then I am called to be a religious. It was just good to remember the reasons why I chose this way of life. It's affirming, too, since I know that even working as a novelist can be a form of support to the Order. Cooperator brother history is full of stories of talented and artistic men who used their skills to build up and support (literally) the mission.
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I had an unexpected grace-filled moment on Friday night while I was doing my homework for Pastoral Counseling. I was reading a chapter from Mark Young's book Learning the Art of Helping called "Curative Factors and Advanced Skills: Part I". Basically, this chapter talks about two fundamental problems that many people suffer from: 1) The Efficacy Problem and 2) Low Self-Worth. Young writes: "There is wide agreement that a positive self-concept is a keystone of mental health and that raising self-esteem is a fundamental task of helping...Likewise, low self-esteem has long been identified as a cause or contributing factor in many psychological diagnose and symptoms, especially anxiety, depression, stress, dependency, pathological guilt, borderline personality, and substance abuse." Given the last list of troubles, it's no wonder that self-esteem is so important.
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The reason why I loved this chapter so much is that I saw a lot of myself in what Young was talking about. In reference to Efficacy, this means that I often say "I can't do" something. For example, I often get anxious when it is my turn to be a cantor during office. So much so, I even cry out of frustration, or anticipated failure. This began to happen on Saturday, just before evening prayer. When I went down for office, however, I prayed to the Infant Jesus, and asked for the prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Cecilia (patroness of musicians). For my part, I made sure that I stopped saying "I can't sing" and started saying "I can do this," "I'm doing fine," etc. Sure enough, things went smoothly. Young talks about negative thought patterns, which prompt our fears and anxieties to come to the surface. Many of these fears and negative thoughts are irrational. This is important, because they take on the power of rational thought, which gives fear its strength, without really have any substance to them. For example, someone thinking he or she is stupid, because one of his or her parents called him or her growing up. What if this person made straight "A"s in school and still believed that they were stupid? This would be irrational. One way to counter this problem is to counter this voice with rational thoughts. For example: 1) Do stupid people make straight "A"s in school?--No, 2) Did I make straight "A"s in school?--Yes, 3) Then can I call myself stupid?--No. Or something like this. (This is not to say that someone who didn't make straight "A"s in school was stupid.)
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Anyway, Young has a REPLAN system, which entails six steps toward healing: 1) Maintaining a Strong Helper/Client Relationship (=talk to someone knowledgeable about your problem), 2) Strengthen your sense of Efficacy and Self-Esteem, 3) Learn new behaviors, 4) Learn how and when to lower and raise your emotional arousal, 5) Get in touch with Hope and Motivation, 6) And have new learning experiences.
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I'm a big fan of this type of therapy, because from what I can tell, most people suffer from some form of needless anxiety/depression, because they don't realize how good they actually are. From the time we are born, we're bombarded with negative messages, and unrealistic expectations. We either internalize the criticism, or reject it all (which can be another problem). Being a religious has forced me to look inward at the old wounds, and start to relearn how I think about myself and interact with others. There's still some work to be done, but it's a life-long process. I highly recommend Young's book, which has tips for both the helper and the one who needs help.
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Peace,
P~

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone. This posting is a little late, but this Triduum had some unexpected surprises. Before I get into that, however, I will say it was probably one of the best Triddums of my eight years as a Catholic. I spent Holy Thursday with the charming older Sisters of Loretto. That night, however, one of the brothers of the community found out that his elder brother had died suddenly. In a flash, the meaning of Good Friday took a personal turn. I found myself comforting someone in a new way. I have little experience with death. Thanks be to God, all four of my grandparents are still living, etc. All I could do was stay with this brother, and do what needed to be done. He left for California the next day, and the community celebrated Good Friday. The best part for me, was when I prayed the Stations of the Cross. I was able to enter into the sorrow of the moment, especially the moments in which we are invited to imagine what the Blessed Mother was feeling.
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The Easter Vigil was extraordinary. One of the brothers here is a deacon, and got to perform his first baptism at the Easter Vigil this year. The four people baptized were none other than the brother and three nephews of one of our other friars here. It was truly a family moment to see these four received into the Church. It reminds me of my own reception at Easter in 2000. My Dominican brother also did the preaching for the vigil, and was wonderful! You could really see the priest in him---he's ready for his ordination this May...but my favorite moment had to be the singing of the Exsultet. Nothing moves me more than the song of our salvation. A woman from the choir sang the whole song, and did a fantastic job at it. I only wish I had a recording of it.
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On Easter Sunday, after a beautiful office and mass, another brother and I prepared to travel to California for the funeral of the brother of our Dominican brother to be held on Monday. It was difficult to see our brother so sorrowful, but good, also, to know that he was truly processing his emotions and still able to interact with others well. We spent most of Monday with him, before beginning the long journey back to St. Louis. We left on Monday night and did not return to the priory until Tuesday morning. I have been surviving jetlag for the past couple of days.
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I must get back to homework now. Keep us in your prayers.
Br. Paul, OP

Glorious in His Saints: New Saints are Coming

During a wonderful Good Friday, I came across an article about 17 promulgations from the Vatican about up and coming saints. Three miracles have been approved by the Vatican as being authentic, clearing the way for Blessed Geltrude Caterina Comensoli to be canonized, and Venerable Jose Olallo Vades and Ven. Francesco Pianzola to be beatified. Ven. Jose was a Cuban, and a religious brother of the Order of Hospitallers of St. John.
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Further down the list for 14 other names of Servants of God now approved as venerable. Among them was a Italian Dominican priest, Venerable Giocondo Pio Lorgna (depicted at the left). I wanted to learn more about him, but I don't know Italian, and English-language websites only give the bare bones (the fact that he founder the Dominican Sisters of Blessed Imelda). It's good to see that the Lord is blessing the Order of Preachers with new saints and blesseds to encourage the present generation of preachers to keep at the mission.
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This year, the Vatican will canonize at least four people on October 12th: Bl. Maria Bernarda Butler, Bl. Geatano Errico, Bl. Alphonsa Muttathupadathu, and Bl. Narcisa de Jesus Marillo Moran.
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Bl. Maria Bernarda Butler was born in 1848 in Switzerland. She became a Franciscan sister and went on mission to Ecuador, founding the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Help of Christians. Eventually, her congregation would have houses in Colombia, Austria, and Brazil. According to Bunson (in the book John Paul II's Book of Saints) her congregation was devoted to meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the poor and the sick. She had been beatified in 1995.
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Bl. Geatano Errico was a priest and founder of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary. He had only been beatified in 2002--so this saint is on the fast track. I would recommend him for any prayer help one might need.
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Bl. Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception Muttahupadathu, was born in 1910, to a family belonging to the ancient Syro-Malabar rite Christian Church of India. Her family wanted to marry her off, but Bl. Alphonsa was sure she had a religious vocation. According to Bunson, she went to a fire pit to burn her feet, making her less attractive, but fell in the pit completely, and suffered burns all over her body. After she recovered, she joined the Clarist Sisters. Right away, she was noted for her spiritual gifts, including prophecy---!!!And a Vision of St. Therese. According to Bunson, Bl. Alphonsa was known to have said "A day without suffering is a day lost." She offered her sufferings for the good of the world. At her death on July 28th, 1946, people of various faiths came to mourn her, calling her Sister Alphonsa of India.
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Bl. Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran was born in Ecuador in 1833. She was a lay mystic who lived with Dominican Nuns in Lima, Peru. She was a catechist and servant to the poor, leading a "hidden" life of deep devotion and union with God. She died on December 8, 1869.
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The lifes of these holy men and women are a testament to the saving death of Jesus that Christian honored yesterday, and his glorious triumph, which we celebrate tomorrow. It is the duty of every Catholic to strive for Christian perfection, being of service to one's neighbor while on earth, and in heaven.

Happy Feast of St. Joseph!

A Very Happy Feast of St. Joseph to everyone. Today is the last day of the novena. I hope that everyone asking for St. Joseph's help in prayer will receive many blessings from the Lord.

Day Nine: St. Joseph, Patron of the Universal Church
A Reading from a sermon by St. Bernadine of Siena
"What then is Joseph’s position in the whole Church of Christ? Is he not a man chosen and set apart? Through him and, yes, under him, Christ was fittingly and honorably introduced into the world. Holy Church in its entirety is indebted to the Virgin Mother because through her it was judged worthy to receive Christ. But after her we undoubtedly owe special gratitude and reverence to Saint Joseph. Obviously, Christ does not now deny to Joseph that intimacy, reverence and very high honor which he gave him on earth, as a son to his father. Rather we must say that in heaven Christ completes and perfects all that he gave at Nazareth."

What does Middlemarch have to do with anything?

Yesterday, I finished watching the adaptation of Eliot's Middlemarch. I was quite satisfied by the film, and the storyline, in general. I must say, however, that Eliot's style is imperfect. She gives us a great romantic story and a wonderful heroine, but like with so many of the Victorians, she gives us too many other characters and side stories. Well, not that they weren't interesting. The thing is, if the film is any indication, there were too many for Eliot to handle well. By the end of the story, you're happy with what happens, but not deeply, because you couldn't invest yourself with any one couple long enough to know and care for them. At least, that's how I felt. And yet, I wouldn't have had Eliot delete Fred and Mary's story, or Dr. Lydgate and Rosy Vincy's story. Still, I wanted to see Dorothea more. I saw enough of her to love her, but I wanted to know her better.

***

Still, it's Dr. Lydgate and Rosy's story that has given me the most food for thought. In this couple, Eliot gives us an intense passion. The film clearly shows Dr. Lydgate falling in love with Rosy, and giving her his whole heart. She seems to return the love, but only in a limited way. She acts more like a child at times, concerned with "keeping up appearances" rather than taking a real interest in her husband's hopes and dreams. In this way, she's a direct foil to Dorothea, who wanted to give her whole life to the service of her husband's ambition. In that marriage, the husband was the problem. In the end, Rosy is unfaithful to her husband--not in the physical way, but in her heart she's attracted to another man, and seeks his comfort. (This man, however, is in love with the saintly widow, Dorothea). When I watched Rosy decline in her morality, it made me think of myself, and my faithfulness to Jesus. Jesus, who has shown himself absolutely faithful to me, deserves my whole-hearted devotion. I ought to be invested in his hopes and dreams, and not caught up in my own petty concerns. Perhaps this language seems strong, but it's only in the light of love that one sees one's failings so clearly. Jesus has given me a glimpse of that love recently, and it has helped me to put things back into perspective.

***

To glimpse the love of Jesus--his personal and direct love--is a extraordinary event. It makes me view this life, blessed as it is, as exile. It was jokingly put to me at dinner last night that I sounded like the Little Flower, ready to die of consumption tomorrow. I don't like to joke about death, because life is a gift from God, and death is his own business. Still, I can understand the longing to be in eternity with Christ, enjoying the vision of his face. It makes me think that my celebration of Easter ought to be a little broader this year--a day to think of and hope for my own resurrection in Christ.

***

In the end, the movie made me hungry for a greater love, a greater fidelity to Jesus. I don't want to be like Rosy Vincy-Lydgate, who was given the greatest good--a loving husband--but who was more concerned with dinner parties, horseback riding, and playing the piano. To be such a person makes it very hard for others to love oneself. Instead, I would much rather be like Dorothea, who eventually learns that there aren't any "great plans" that can fulfill one's life, but there can be great love that does so. The best lines in the whole work, I think, have to be the following:

" 'I have never done you injustice. Please remember me,' said Dorothea, repressing a rising sob.

'Why should you say that?' said Will, with irritation. 'As if I were not in danger of forgetting everything else.'"

***

The revelation of Jesus's love also made me mindful of a conversation I recently had with my brother. My brother said that he can believe in God, but he doesn't believe that Jesus was divine. I think, probably, it's easier for people to imagine some abstract, theoretical God--but to imagine the concrete incarnation of God, namely Jesus, this is too much for them to believe. It causes them to asks questions they don't want to ask. It is easier to keep God theoretical and at a distance. But God is not a theory to prove or disprove. God is a being that you can know and love. He's the reason why we exist to begin with, and so is our purpose for being. I have known the love of God since I was a little toddler, but it's only since I've grown up that I've gotten to known, really deeply, the person of Jesus. I can say, without any doubt, that Jesus's love for me is anything by theoretical. It's an intimate, personal, powerful love that knocks me off my feet with joy. It's a love that comes freely offered, and which does not wait for my asking for it. I've done nothing to merit it. But knowing that he offers it, humbles me more than any commandment ever could. I want to be good, to be holy, not so that God will love me, but because he loves me already. I think I would be a fool not to return his love. There, I've shared with you how very unsettling Jesus's love can be!

***

peace,

P~

Novena Day Eight

Day Eight: The Holy Death of St. Joseph

A Reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians
"Now I am going to tell you a mystery: we are not all going to fall asleep, but we are all going to be changed, instantly, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet sounds, the trumpt is going to sound, and then the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed, because this perishable nature of ours must put on imperishability, this mortal nature must put on immortality."

Novena Day Seven

Day Seven: Joseph: Jesus’s Role Model and Teacher

A Reading from the the Gospel According to Mark
"With the coming of the Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary...And they would not accept him."

Day Six of the Novena--We're Almost There!

Day Six: Joseph, Worried about Jesus lost in Jerusalem

A Reading from the Gospel According to Luke
"Every year his parents used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When the days of the feast were over and they set off home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was somewhere in the party, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere. It happened that, three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the rabbis, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him, ‘My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been looking for you.’ He replied, ‘Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?’ But they did not understand what he meant."

Novena Day Five

Day Five: Joseph the Protector of the BVM and Our Lord Jesus

A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew
"After they had left, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.’ So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt."

Novena Day Four & About my day

Day Four: Joseph, Foster Father of Jesus
A Reading from the Gospel According to Luke
"Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.’ So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them."
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Today was a little unusual. For one thing, I finally memorized the Shema prayer--which every faithful Jew knows. it's for the oral exam for my Biblical Interpretation class. So, there I was, sitting at my desk, or walking down the hall to get water, or sitting in a comfy chair to read, reciting this ancient prayer. I'm afraid I don't have the rhythm right just yet. All the gutterals slow me down.
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Later I went to the gym and worked on my arms and shoulders. I wasn't feeling 100%, but I got in a 45 min. workout, which is good. After this, I went to lunch, but the important thing was going to the Paulist bookstore. As I walked outside with the brother who invited me to do, he tells me that I'm driving. You have to know me to get that this is a big deal. I don't very often, and I'm not the most thrilled of persons to drive, so you kind of have to trick me into doing it--which this brother tends to be good at. Actually, he gets it from his father, who I met in the novitiate. His father was always getting me to try new things. For example, cutting down Christmas trees or chopping wood. I never had a dad around to do that stuff with me, so it was great experiencing that for a while. This brother and I had a pleasant drive--including some highway driving. All in all, I enjoyed myself very much.
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How would this been for the beginning of a novel:
"Whenever Harriet Grump thought about God—when you asked her to, that is— she didn’t think about unmoved movers or first causes. Rather, she remembered the old curate at St. Nicholas Church, who used to make daily visits to the poor and sick of the village. Never mind how he plagued his wife about her cooking and occasionally swore at his horse, it was enough for Harriet that he smiled when he preached. Indeed, Mr. Gravelton was as close to the divine as Harriet ever came in her rare moments of contemplation. In general, she avoided the subject of religion, declaring herself to be too poor a scholar to understand its more subtle truths—a declaration her friends cared not to contradict."
***
All for now,
P~

St. Joseph Novena: Day Three

Day Three: Joseph Obedient to God’s Command

A Reading from the Gospel According to Matthew
"This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit...When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do."

(See postings below for novena prayer)

P~

Vote for Me!

Calling all readers! I just found out that I've been nominated for the "Best New Catholic Blog" award. If you like what you've read and want to vote for me, please go to: http://www.catholicblogawards.com/ and sign up to vote.
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Thanks, everyone, for visiting my blog. It's very uplifting to me, as a Dominican, to have the opportunity to share my faith with others.
Peace,
Paul, OP

St. John of God--Holy Religious

Even though it is Lent, and the great memorials of the saints takes second place to the season, I couldn't let today go by without mentioning St. John of God--A religious and patron saint of hospitals and nurses.
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John of God (1495-1550) was born in Portugal, and like many other saints, lead somewhat of a wild life until he had a conversion. He had many occupations: a soldier in the defense of Vienna from the Turks, a shepherd in Spain, a laborer in Africa, and a merchant of religious goods in Granada. While in Granaa, we are told that he was converted by the preaching of St. John of Avila. This isn't surprising, if you know a little about St. John of Avila. He was the spiritual director of at least four other saints--Teresa of Avila, Francis Borgia, John of the Cross, and Peter of Alcantara!
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After his conversion, John, at first, wandered around the streets acting a little strange--shouting and beating his chest. People thought he was so strange they locked him up in an Asylum. Thanks to St. John of Avila, however, he was eventually released.
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It was important for him to spend that time in the Asylum, because it gave him the idea for founding a new community of lay religious (although priests were attracted to the community as well) called the Brothers Hospitalers---now the Hospitalers of St. John. The community's charism was establishing hospitals where the individual's spiritual and physical needs would be met.
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The following are a few words from the saint himself, found in the Office of Readings for this memorial:
"So many poor people come here that I very often wonder how we can care for them all, but Jesus Christ provides all things and nourishes everyone. Many of them come to the house of God, because the city of Granada is large and very cold, especially now in winter...I work here on borrowed money, a prisoner for the sake of Jesus Christ. And often my debts are so pressing that I dare not go out of the house for fear of being seized by my creditors. Whenever I see so many poor brothers and neighbors of mine suffering beyond their strength and overwhelmed with so many physical or mental ills which I cannot alleviate, then I become exceedingly sorrowful; but I trust in Christ who knows my heart."
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Because of God's work through St. John of God, many people came to have comfort and hope. The men who joined his community also found holiness, including Bl. Benedict Menni, a priest, St. John Grande, a brother, and St. Richard Pampuri, a doctor and brother.

St. Joseph Novena Day Two

Day Two: Joseph Chosen to Marry the Blessed Virgin Mary

A Reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians:
"Husbands should love their wives, just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy by washing her in the cleansing water with a form of words, so that when he took the Church to himself she would be glorious, with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless. In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies; for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself."

St. Joseph Novena, Day One

Day One: Joseph the Worker

Opening antiphon:
Leader: The just man will blossom like the palm tree
All: And flourish forever before the Lord.

A Reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians:
"Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being. Do it for the Lord rather than for men, since you know full well you will receive an inheritance from him. Be slaves of Christ the lord."

Reading antiphon (after reading):
Leader: I will set him over his household
All: And make him lord of his possessions.

Novena Prayer:
Leader: O Blessed St. Joseph
All: Loving father and faithful guardian of Jesus,
and devoted spouse of the Mother of God,
I beg you to offer God the Father
his divine Son, bathed in blood on the Cross.
Through the holy Name of Jesus
obtain for us from the Father
the favor we implore.
—Here state intentions—
Appease the divine anger so justly inflamed by our crimes;
beg of Jesus for your children.
Amid the splendors of eternity,
forget not the sorrows of those who suffer,
those who pray and those who weep.
Stay the almighty arm which smites us
so that by your prayers and those of your Spouse
the Heart of Jesus may be moved to pity and pardon.

Closing Prayer
Leader: Heavenly Father,
you entrusted to the faithful care of Joseph
the beginnings of the mysteries of our salvation.
Through his intercession
may your Church always be faithful in her service
so that your designs may be fulfilled.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Leader: St. Joseph, Faithful Man of God
All: Pray for us!

(Prayer taken from the St. Joseph Prayer Book, St. Joseph Novena)

***Today's also the day the Church honors the memory of Ss. Felicity and Perpetua, two holy women martyrs of Carthage.

Snowed in with Aquinas

Today was another glorious snow day. At first, there was absolutely nothing on the ground. My heart sank a little when I looked out and saw the bare parking lot. One of the brother's said that our school jinxed us by preemptively putting the school on delayed hours. Disregarding these delayed hours, our Thomas class was moved to the prior's office. Considering there are only three student friars in the class, and it's instructed by a friar, this seemed hardly strange. The only thing was, I wasn't able to concentrate on the readings assigned for today when I tried to read them last night. I was afraid that I would be unable to contribute to the class--which always makes a class drag on.
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Despite these misgivings, I was quickly engrossed in the topic of the day---what makes acts good or evil? We looked at questions 18-20 of the Prima Secunda of the Summa. Our brother Thomas gives three basic components for determining if an act is good or evil: object (what you're actually doing), circumstance, and end (intention). The relationship of these is such that if any is morally off, the whole act is suspect.
***
One of the more outstanding points made was this given scenario (provided by E. Stump): "Let's say someone was approached with the offer of a nickel if he would kill and carve up his daughter. Under what circumstances would anyone accept this offer?" None. It's completely absurd to think that any normal individual would be even slightly tempted to commit such an act. Not only because the trade involves such a menial sum, but because the act of killing and carving up one's own daughter entails gross violation of acceptable human behavior. ---But here's the kicker---this is exactly what humans do every time they chose to sin, instead of loving God. For the menial payoffs given to us by the satisfaction of our wants, desires, and curiosities, we trade the glorious state of grace that comes with communion with the God who loves us. Not only that, but some actually live in a perpetual state of sin, which (in light of the potential bliss they might have enjoyed) does seem like killing and carving one's own daughter up for a mere nickel.
***
Granted, the example is not to my taste, a bit graphic---but it gets the point across. Sin, when viewed through this lens, is something deplorable and loathsome. It's only too bad for humans that our ignorance and weaknesses get in the way of seeing things rightly, or choosing the actual good (not just the apparent good). As St. Paul says, "I do not understand my own behavior; I do not act as I mean to, but I do things that I hate." ~Romans 7:15. And these are the words of one who had witnessed Jesus in glory! How much worse is it for the rest of us. Well, scripture also says, "A broken, contrite heart you (God) never scorn." ~Psalm 51:17. Once we admit and face the ugliness of sin, we can come to better appreciate the absolute beauty of Jesus's passion and death. No other faith proclaims a God like ours. Others may call God loving, but they can't fully know this to be true in the way that Christians do, because they don't have the crucifixion to confirm that fact. Nor do all Christians have the Eucharist--the true presence of Jesus--to unite them to that central moment in salvation history when Jesus offers his body and blood for the redemption of humanity. This is why I give thanks to God that I have been called to be, not only a Christian, but a Catholic Christian--a recipient of the sacramental graces offered by the Church of the Apostles.
***
Thanks to our brother Thomas, I was renewed in my resolve to do good and avoid evil. I pray for the wisdom to tell the difference between them.
God be praised for his goodness!
P~

Novena to St. Joseph

Some of the student brothers and I are preparing for the solemn novena to St. Joseph beginning this Friday and running till the 15th (observance of the feast was moved this year because of Holy Week). Please email me any intentions you would like us to include in our petitions.

P~

What a week!

It's been a while since I've written, because the week has been a blur of homework. I've been working on my predestination paper for my Thomas Aquinas class. The topic drives me crazy! Everytime I think I get a point and it all makes sense, another question pops into my head, and I'm back to square one. Over all, I think Thomas is very helpful. When I'm done with the paper, I'll have to write more about my findings. All I know is, people usually get upset about it, but if you read Thomas's thoughts on it, it's actually a hopeful concept. If you've been responding to God's grace in your life, that's a good sign. And remember, no one is predestined for hell.
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I've been enjoying George Eliot's Middlemarch. I'm only a hundred pages in, so I can't say too much about it. I don't really like any of the characters yet, which I think is a creative flaw on the part of the author. Forgive me, but I think the reader should have someone to relate to and care about, or really-really hate, else, why would they keep reading? Eliot's prose is imperfect, as well, "heavy" as Benedict Ashley, OP says. Balancing the voice of the narrator and the story itself is vitally important. The Victorians sometimes imposed themselves too much into their works. Dorothea seems to me as uninteresting as a writer could make a heroine. Her suitor is equally, if not more, dull. There is always the hope of an unexpected change in a person, a conversion or fall. I'm completely ignorant of what happens in the story, so I'm reading out of curiosity. And, Benedict Ashley, despite the heavy prose, says it's one of the greatest novels ever written. We'll see. Another Dominican brother of mine loved the following quote:
"We mortals, men and women, devour many a disappointment between breakfast and dinner-time; keep back the tears and look a little pale about the lips, and in answer to inquiries say, 'Oh nothing!' Pride helps us; and pride is not a bad thing when it only urges us to hide our own hurts---not to hurt others." (End of Chapter VI)
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Back to work.
P~