It was a long time before I knew my blindness, that special blindness that made me think I was invisible. I didn't know anyone could see me or cared what I did. Especially not Him. When I knew my blindness, I feared it. It was not the blindness of human kind--a blindness that knew itself … Continue reading Blindness
Give Out of Poverty
Sometimes, acting out of love is easy. This is when God showers us with an abundance of grace. The grace fills us so much that it overflows into every interaction. Everyone who breathes the air we breathe experiences that grace on some level. Other times, nothing is smooth. We have trouble getting out of bed. … Continue reading Give Out of Poverty
Time Redeemed
"What was the matter with Niggle? His heart was in the right place.""Yes, but it did not function properly," said the First Voice. "And his head was not screwed on tight enough: he hardly ever thought at all. Look at the time he wasted, not even amusing himself!"Leaf by Niggle, J.R.R. Tolkien Time Redeemed Time is … Continue reading Time Redeemed
Seat of Wisdom
Seat of Wisdom is one of the titles of Mary. It is a significant title to me, because it reminds me that someone, at least, has achieved the perfect balance between wisdom and love. Balance When I was young, my life was balanced. I lived in the present. I was growing in wisdom, but just … Continue reading Seat of Wisdom
Time
Inspired by a homily by Fr. Thaddeus Hanes. Money Once a man inherited a very large sum of money from his rich, eccentric relative. A strange stipulation was on the inheritance. Every morning at 5:00 a.m., the man was to receive from the bank $86,400 in cash. He was to use the money as he … Continue reading Time
Reason and Feeling
At this political time especially, we are faced with the question: what are the place of reason and feeling in a discussion? While most would agree that reason is important, more disagreement surrounds the question of what that reason should look like and how it relates to feeling. People resort to feelings during a disagreement … Continue reading Reason and Feeling
Gossip
Anyone who will gossip to you, will gossip about you. Unknown Gossip When we think of gossip—idle talk, speaking about someone when we shouldn't—we usually concentrate on the worst kind: defamation. To defame is to speak evil of another. One person may defame another for the sake of comparison; he may want people to think … Continue reading Gossip
Restless Hearts
You have made us for Yourself, [O Lord,] and our heart is restless, until it rests in You. Confessions, St. Augustine of Hippo St. Augustine lived in the 4th century in North Africa. This quote from the beginning of his spiritual autobiography makes two bold statements: "You have made us for Yourself" and "our heart is … Continue reading Restless Hearts
False Humility
About myself I will not boast, except about my weaknesses. Although if I should wish to boast, I would not be foolish, for I would be telling the truth. But I refrain, so that no one may think more of me than what he sees in me or hears from me because of the abundance … Continue reading False Humility
Dialectical Learning
Some truth lives more in the doing, some in the knowing. I went to a college that used discussion as the main mode of learning for the students. To prepare for class, we would all read the same text of a great thinker, one who wrestled with the deepest questions of human existence. We would … Continue reading Dialectical Learning
