heavy metal

I love my Heavy Metal.

Long ago getting ready for the hockey battles at the Larsen Center at the Brookings Ice Rec Center we all got into game face with our Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Metallica. My team brought metal to ice. We were awesome and I was there.

Well, truth be told, we lost almost every game, but, dude, the rush facing the onslaught of the breach. I will STAND in the BREACH.

And then I met Nirvana's Bleach so much more on point than Nevermind. And the distance between the breach and the bleach ...

I have traveled for a time in softer tones, but in 1999, I discovered Skillet at one of the best festival concerts I've ever attended. It was all summarized by the guy with the "Satan Sucks" tattoo. And then he screamed, "Jesus Christ Reigns."

Everything became clear. Jesus is invincible because He Reigns!

All of this is to say, you must listen to Skillet's new album, Unleashed and their new single. You need to feel the heavy metal.

In Christ, You are Invincible. And here is the full concert.

You are made of fire.

chess

So I play chess ...

Let the pre-judging begin. Yes, I play chess and I play it well. I play well enough to know better and well enough to know that I can sometimes hold my own against the strong.

But I am writing now to let you know what I have learned from playing chess:

• achieve by being tenacious
• achieve by learning from blunders or even leaning into blunders - sometimes your going all in and will go from blunder to gambit
• achieve by seeking the best possible solution even if it takes the maximum amount of time - singular focus solves problems best
• achieve by confidence - God knows the thoughts of men, but your opponent does not - maximize this insight
• tactics matter - the big idea will not give you big results without sound tactics and 99% of sound strategy is 99% of sound tactics - achieve big by achieving small

My favorite chess books:

• Chess Tactics for Champions by Susan Polgar on amazon
• Easy Endgame Strategies by Bill Robertie on amazon
• The Immortal Game: A History of Chess by David Shenk on amazon
• Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall - from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness by Frank Brady (a colleague of mine at St. John's University) on amazon

You can play me on gameknot. I am henrythefifth.

welcome students of fall 2016

Greetings and Salutations, Students of Fall 2016!

If you're taking my THE 1000C or HON 1050C course - Perspectives on Christianity: A Catholic Approach, please clicky here.
If you're taking my THE 2000 course - Catholic Imagination and Vision, please clicky here.
If you’re taking my THE 3215 course - Theology of Mary and the Saints, please clicky here

You're the cat's pajamas.

earth from 1 million miles away →

This is an amazing video of the earth in one year

NOAA's DSCOVR satellite's EPIC camera captured its first imagery of Earth on July 6, 2015. Since then, it has delivered thousands of images of our world, including the moon's shadow being cast on Earth during a solar eclipse and two lunar 'photobombs' (imagery not used in this video). The DSCOVR team used over 3,000 images to assemble this time-lapse.

family adventure 2016

Over the summer months, my family and I travel. I take my work with me and continue to research and write while also growing closer with my close and extended family. If you would like to follow along, the best place is following my instagram account @samuraimoses or twitter account @doctorsutton.

We have been learning the blessings of freedom in the Spirit and the joy of adventure together. Make adventure not war.

heart's home prayer for care from mary's motherly heart

Mary!

Faithful Mother till the foot of the cross! Since the beginning you stand by our side, looking after the family you founded, leading it always on new paths, carrying it further along.

Keep us in the Heart of your Son, in the heart of the Church!

Source of our smiles, and of our tears of charity, grant that we be comfort for the lonely, expression of your presence, sign of your tenderness.

Drive far away from us whoever wants to crush the passion you give us.

Protect us, for the sake of those who suffer, for the sake of the lonely.

To the members of our spiritual family, to each volunteer, present and past, grant a spirit of discipleship. That we may "follow the lamb wherever He goes," that we may fulfill our promises, and be faithful to our word.

Grant that our lives reflect the love of the Most Holy Trinity.

Put on the heart of each one, as a seal of belonging to Heart's Home, an immense compassion for every being!

Today, we come before you, with joy and gratitude, aware of our limitations and our many failures, but full of confidence and hope, and once again we proclaim:

"Yours is our family, Virgin Mary! And we are yours!"

Amen.

ekstasis and ekklesia

ekstasis (ecstacy) and ekklesia (church) are so close - the "called out of stasis" and the "called out to assemble" are so close. This insight means to me that the mystics and the church are conjoined - the mystics and the church are joined together by being "called out." To be in the church is to be a mystic and to be a mystic is to be in the church.

new york times interview on fulton sheen

On Friday, June 17, 2016, my interview appeared with the New York Times.

I spoke about the historical and theological context to the complicated beatification process for Archbishop Fulton Sheen. I enjoyed the interview with Eli Rosenberg and look forward to the next one. More importantly, I am so happy that the beatification of Archbishop Sheen will be soon. May he pray for us as we pray for his canonization.

real love is staring into the eyes of the Lord

He is always enough.

In him is our Yes.

The word of the Lord will not go unfulfilled. He has promised yes and so it will be. The kingdom will be made here. In this time now just because he wants to do it.

We live in him, in his loving eyes.

go to church better

1. Go to Church.
2. Read the Scripture before the Mass. The readings are here.
3. Pray for the priest, sermon, and listening to it prayerfully.
4. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you and all those present through the service.
5. Arrive a few minutes early - please get there early, not just for a good pew place, but for a moment to collect, quiet, and pray for yourself before you pray with everyone else.
6. Turn off the phone. Do not text, email, surf, or anything with your phone. Only exception: pray apps like Magnificat or Divine Office
7. Take notes from the homily and mass, if not during than after the service. A note card and pen are your welcome companions for worship time. You will hear words, write down those words.
8. After the service, discuss with family and friends your takeaway.
9. If possible, listen to a homily via podcast on the day's readings. Recommendation: Word on Fire Ministry.
10. Do not compare your priest to your favorite famous priest.
11. Do not come to church as a critic seeking fault with the litrugy, homily, priest, or congregation. Grace is everywhere, don't close the door.
12. Respond generously with whatever the Holy Spirit asks of you. Because the Holy Spirit will always move upon you.

Bonus: Pray a Hail Mary and the end of the Mass to accept the Word of God with an unconditional Yes.