Please read Pope Francis' new apostolic exhoratation Evangelii Gaudium. Here's the PDF.
"The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus" (EG 1).
welcome students fall 2013
Greetings and Salutations Students!
If you taking my THE 1000C or HON 1050C course, please click here.
If you are taking my THE 4990 course, please click here.
You're the cat's pajamas.
prayer of the heart
How I need you. How I love you. How I want you.
Oh, Jesus, love me. I need your presence, Lord. You are the source. You are the reason I come alive to be in the greatness of your love, in the greatness of your presence. Lord, there is life in your presence.
Never alone when you are here and you are here now.
subtract until it breaks
In design today, minimalism is central as made clear by the documentary Objectified by Gary Hustwit, but it can often be misunderstood as a sort of abstract expressionism or surrealism. The philosophy of minimalism is 'subtract till it breaks.' Subtract until it breaks means that the unnecessary is unnecessary until it becomes necessary. Design focuses on what is the thing I am trying to now and if it is not necessary now, it disappears. It becomes available immediately when I need as I need it. Then it disappears. Subtract until it breaks.
Now when we think about design in relation to theology, this is essential: subtract until it breaks. In my reasoning, thinking, and praying I must return to the core question: what is the theological job to be done at this moment now and then subtract until it breaks. Say no to the extra stuff--no more thrills and frills, smells and bells (necessary in worship but not in theology) that only serve theological ego development.
What is the job to be done? Closer alignment with Jesus Christ. Knowing him more fully. Following him more closely. Anything else is unnecessary, fluff, and baroque.
What is the job to be done? Subtract till it breaks.
wing chun tonight
I've been learning about Wing Chun, probably because I watched this wonderfully propaganda-laden Chinese movies Ip Man and Ip Man 2. In Wing Chun, you use the three triangles of your body to receive the attacks of your opponent and absorb the energy and give it back to them.
I have been thinking about how you deal with attacks against Christianity. Rather than this punching, daggers-striking immediately defense, all that must be done is that one returns back to the triangle of the Trinity. Retreat back into the triangle of the Trinity rather than attacking from, let's say, logical fallacies. Absorb the attack from within the Christian doctrine of God who is Trinity and from that strength develop from within it the proper response. This is the lesson of the Adversus haereses of Irenaeus.
From the strength of the christological revelation of the trinitarian God, let us draw our strength to answer every heresy.
lumen fidei - pope francis
Please read Pope Francis' new and first encyclical Lumen Fidei - The Light of Faith. You know that I will be reading it as a PDF.
"Unless you believe, you will not understand." (cf. Is 7:9)
god's compassion for our suffering
On March 9, 2013, I gave a powerful talk on God’s Compassion for Our Suffering during a conference on Three Things Talks at St. John’s University. I was so happy to speak about the compassion of our Father who reaches out to us through his Son and Holy Spirit.
In the course of the talk, I lead the audience through thinking about the story of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11-32).
Luke 15:11-32
The Parable of the Prodigal and His Brother
11 Then Jesus said, ‘There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.” So he divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. 14 When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to himself he said, “How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ ” 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.” 22 But the father said to his slaves, “Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!” And they began to celebrate.
25 ‘Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. 27 He replied, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.” 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. 29 But he answered his father, “Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!” 31 Then the father said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.” ’
freedom and belonging
On May 27, 2012, the Feast of Pentecost (and my birthday), I presented on the blessings of the Holy Spirit and the meaning of freedom. The goal of the presentation was learning about the blessings of belonging to each other in the Holy Spirit.
In the presentation, I am welcoming new members to the Fraternity of St. Maximillian Kolbe, which is a lay group supporting the mission of Heart’s Home, a secular institute that serves the poorest of the poor.
If you would like to follow along, I examine three biblical passages Acts 2:1-13, Exodus 19:1-25, and Galatians 5:16-26, which are the readings for the Feast of Pentecost.
Please listen to learn the blessings of belonging freely to a family of compassion.
THE2210 spring 2013 has begun
Dear soon-to-be long-suffering students of THE 2210,
Greetings and salutations!
Welcome to your new course with me on Ecclesiology. You can find what you are looking for in the menu sidebar "THE2210 clicky here" where you will see the option to view the syllabus or the schedule.
We have much to learn together.
Carpe Ekklesia!
desert island bookshelf 2
The next book in the desert island bookshelf series must be Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises.
Continuing with my desert island bookshelf series, the next book has to do with exercise. New year, new you. And the new year must mean a new spiritual life.
The loneliness of the desert island makes me think of the grace of a long silent retreat. And the masterwork of this soulful fitness regime must be Ignatius of Loyola's Spiritual Exercises.
My favorite translation was delivered to me by a trusted Jesuit. The Louis J. Puhl translation is traditional, accurate, and securely delivered.
Your spirit is not yet what it ought to be. Try following the holy guide, Ignatius, so that you can dedicate your desert island experience to an intimate following of the Lord.
Colloquy bliss awaits.
