What It Means to Love Your Enemies…

…may not be quite what many have been led to think. Click the link to learn more. Love Impatient, Love Unkind Stephen Herreid - published on 01/09/14 Loving our enemies is every bit as complicated as any friendship — and demands as much work. The other day, I got a chance to do something I haven't done …

A Few More Thoughts on Connection

It came to me that the “we lack connection due to modern tech” argument needs more discussion. Do we lose certain things when we invent new technology? Well, yes. When the first instrument was invented, we lost the sounds of nature in favor of the notes of a flute, a lute, or a drum. Does …

Beauty and Sacrifice

“The Japanese word for beauty is [symbol], a Chinese ideogram composed of two ideograms: [symbol] (sheep) on top and [symbol] (great) on the bottom. One of the paradoxes of Japanese culture is its focus on the overlap of sacrifice with natural beauty: decay with permanence, death with life. This aesthetic link between beauty and sacrifice …

Yet Another Review for Cabrini

I am linking to yet another review of Angel Studios’ Cabrini. It is a good movie. I highly recommend it – and so does this reviewer. Enjoy, readers! A Catholic Mom’s Review of Cabrini I took my 9yo to see Cabrini last night… In hindsight, I wouldn’t take her and here’s why: The reasons I …

Running Toward Trauma – Some Thoughts from Cabrini and Makoto Fujimura

I have finished reading (and rereading) Makoto Fujimura’s Silence and Beauty.* The book is a reflection on art, culture, trauma, and Shusaku Endo’s novel Silence* as well as Japan itself. The tome is a dense one, though I would not call it particularly big, and it packs a great deal of thought, information, and wisdom …

Patience is a Lenten Virtue

A good read. Click the link to learn more! Fasting by Slowing Down By Mary Ennis Meo 15 February AD 2024 Don’t let this title mislead you. The idea of slowing down for Lent brings to mind a resolve to minimize unnecessary busyness and allow time for prayer and pondering divine mysteries. Those are laudable …

“No Strings On Me…”

Worth the read. Check it out! Satan is gaslighting you. Make him stop. Tom Hoopes - published on 02/12/24 Lent is a major showdown between you and the narcissist who has been gaslighting you.  One way to look at Lent — and the Christian life in general — is to see it as a major showdown between …

More Information for Worldbuilding

You know, future authors, at this point I think the Almighty is deliberately tossing things my way to show you so that you can more easily write religion in fiction. Skip to the end of this piece (I'll start the link below so you know where) for an idea of how sacrifice in religion works. …

A Review of Cabrini

I was able to watch this film over the week, readers. Not only can I heartily recommend it to anyone and everyone, I believe that the below review has some well-considered thoughts worth musing upon.  Enjoy the review - and if you get the chance, go see Cabrini. It is a very good movie! How Mother …

Faith in Practice in Worldbuilding: How Do You Show a Religion in Action? Part 5

This is Part 5 of a 5 part series. Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here, part 3 is here, and Part 4 is here. This is the fifth part of “Faith in Practice in Worldbuilding” and it does not seem to tie directly in to worship itself. But it does because worship never …