1. Today, of course, is the Feast of the Sacred Heart. This year it is also (coincidentally) the Feast of St. John the Baptist.The heart is the core and “noblest part of the human person” (as Pope Pius XII puts it), the seat of the soul and the passions and the innermost self. Thus the … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Sacred Heart and Jurassic Park
Faith
Low Effort Blogging: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
I’m hopped up on cold medicine right now and trying to conserve what energy I do have into not falling completely behind in current projects, so here’s a saint of the day copied directly from Catholic Encyclopedia: Born in the castle of Castiglione, 9 March, 1568; died 21 June, 1591. At eight he was placed … Continue reading Low Effort Blogging: Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
Sunday Thoughts: On Humility
I think one of the biggest challenges in religion that we face today is getting into the subordinate mindset. At least I find it so. Between science and liberalism, we're used to standing in an ostensibly superior position, where our judgment and our opinions are what really matter. We expect to be able to 'see … Continue reading Sunday Thoughts: On Humility
Friday Flotsam: Crashes, Consolations, and Memorial Day
1. Had a car accident last weekend. No one hurt, thank God, and really not more than a fender-bender. Only, my fenders ended up much less bent than the other guy’s (he hit me, but no one really at fault; just a bad situation involving merging and unexpectedly stopped traffic), so I felt bad about … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Crashes, Consolations, and Memorial Day
Sunday Thoughts; A Paradox of Faith
There is a paradox inherent in the act of faith. On the one hand, belief in God involves us in innumerable logical difficulties, especially involving the nature of time and free will and their relation to eternity. Just as a simple example based on today's readings, it seems revolting to our feelings that we should … Continue reading Sunday Thoughts; A Paradox of Faith
Friday Flotsam: Of Glory, The Chastisement of Wickedness, and Monopolies
1. Today, of course, is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, which comes this year amidst a tumult of, shall we say, significant events. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to pray the Rosary and make some kind of special obeisance. 2. Boethius reaches the conclusion that to be good is to … Continue reading Friday Flotsam: Of Glory, The Chastisement of Wickedness, and Monopolies
On the Honesty of God
It is sometimes asked whether God couldn’t have just forgiven mankind by a direct miracle following the Fall. Whether He couldn’t have simply declared that man was saved and foregone the Cross. I’ve heard many people, including priests and writers I respect, saying that He could have, but chose the Cross for other reasons. With … Continue reading On the Honesty of God
Words of the Saints: St. Thomas on the Resurrection
We find that many arose from the dead, such as Lazarus [Jn 11:1-44], the son of the widow [Lk 7:11-16], and the daughter of the Ruler of the synagogue [Mk 5:35-43]. But the resurrection of Christ differed from the resurrection of these and of all others in four points. (1) Christ’s resurrection differed from that … Continue reading Words of the Saints: St. Thomas on the Resurrection
Flash Fiction: Lost and Found
The store was a total loss. John had watched all night as his life’s endeavor was consumed in fire, the flames greedily feasting upon the oils and canvases of irreplaceable paintings, while sculptures cracked and shattered in the heat. Now, ignoring the warnings of the firemen, he walked among the sodden ashes of his life. … Continue reading Flash Fiction: Lost and Found
Good Friday
No flotsam today.
Serpent's Den 