"What do you stand for?" That was the question that Bishop Robert Barron put to the Confirmandees who had gathered to “be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.” It’s a good question for anyone to ask themselves. What do I stand for? ____________ Confirmation Make firm In Confirmation, the Bishop invokes the Holy … Continue reading Confirmation
Adventure
We are plain quiet folk and have no use for adventures. Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things! Make you late for dinner! Bilbo, The Hobbit ____________ Some of the best adventure stories are those that involve reluctant heroes. People who were once content with their “normal world” are relatable. Like them, we prefer not to get involved; … Continue reading Adventure
Experience the Good
You must know that there is nothing higher and stronger and more wholesome and good for life in the future than some good memory, especially a memory of childhood, of home. People talk to you a great deal about your education, but some good, sacred memory, preserved from childhood, is perhaps the best education. From … Continue reading Experience the Good
Vanity VS Pride
Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us. Thus from Mary Bennet in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is not a helpful distinction … Continue reading Vanity VS Pride
The Pity Due to Pride
Pride is a barren land; a dead land. A hard land that admits of no softness. Those who live in Pride have no life. ____________ The Pity Due to Pride The root of all evil Pride is one of the largest obstacles in our ship’s journey to happiness. The word “pride” can be used in … Continue reading The Pity Due to Pride
Assume a Virtue
Let’s look at what we said last week from another angle: Shakespeare. Queen: Oh Hamlet, Thou hast cleft my heart in twain. Hamlet: O throw away the worser part of it, And live the purer with the other half. Good night, but go not to mine Uncle’s bed, Assume a virtue, if you have it not. Refrain … Continue reading Assume a Virtue
To Be Clean
We Catholics are in the midst of a liturgical season called “Lent”, the “long days”. This forty day season leading up to Easter is a time of fasting and prayer, a time of renewal and conversion in preparation for the highest feast. It is modeled after the forty days Jesus fasted in the wilderness before … Continue reading To Be Clean
Gratitude
Before you set out to own what your heart aches for, before you capture your new desire, before you click the "add to cart” button on Amazon, be sure you are grateful for what you have. Gratitude is having the proper appreciation for each thing. It is a virtue that applies to everything. You ought to be … Continue reading Gratitude
Forgiveness
Tears ran down the little girl’s face. As she ran to her father, she didn’t wipe them away. “Paul hit me,” she said. Paul was close behind. “She messed up the chess board on purpose.” Their father frowned. “You don’t hit girls. Apologize.” The girl looked at Paul. He crossed his arms and rolled his … Continue reading Forgiveness
Patience and Perfection
The little girl held up her coloring book. “Look, Mama!” Purple swam across the page, only vaguely coloring the outline of the flower. The red of the sun jagged so sharply, it seemed to make the page bleed. Blue and brown had found their way into one petal and were mixed together so that the … Continue reading Patience and Perfection
A Grain of Salt 