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11 – 5 – 18 To “know” the Truth ( < 2 minutes)

The Gospel Acclamation for today is John 8:31-32 “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, says the Lord.” Which is a nice promise. That’s the kind of reward we hope for from following Christ. But there’s something to be gained from looking at a slightly different version of this acclamation. “Si se mantienen fieles a mi palabra, dice el Señor, serán verdaderamente discípulos míos y conocerán la verdad.” The practice of looking at biblical verses in a foreign language is pretty common in sermons and homilies, though people usually seem to look at the Greek or Hebrew as they’re closer to the original Gospels in terms of number of translations. I’m looking at Spanish because I don’t speak Greek, Hebrew, or Latin, but also because I think there’s always something to be gained by observing scripture through a slightly different prism. One thing that shines through this passage is the verb “to know.” In English we have no ...
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"You are all-beautiful, my beloved"

Jeremiah 31:1-7 At that time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the LORD: The people that escaped the sword have found favor in the desert. As Israel comes forward to be given his rest, the LORD appears to him from afar: With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin Israel; Carrying your festive tambourines, you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits. Yes, a day will come when the watchmen will call out on Mount Ephraim: “Rise up, let us go to Zion, to the LORD, our God.” For thus says the LORD: Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel. "With age-old love I have loved you... O virgin Israel...
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What does "home" mean? (5 minutes)

On Wednesday morning I tell my roommate that I'm going home for the weekend. On Sunday afternoon I tell my parents that I'd better be heading home soon. Somehow these both make sense. What do I mean when I say "home?" Surely it's not the house, or even the town, I grew up in. When I go to visit my parents it's nearly always at a place they bought just two years ago. Is it the place I've slept most often in the past year? That seems a bit functional and transient for something we have a reckoning of being beyond logistics and having some enduring character. A good friend told me that home for him has always been where his parents are, or somehow contained in his relationship with them. When he's been in Bolivia, or Nicaragua, or northern Michigan, he can get that feeling of connection to home by talking with his parents on the phone. This question is dominant in the 2001 movie Joe Dirt . When David Spade's character returns to where he grew up...
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7 - 21 - 19 Spiderman (not really) (3 minutes)

I just saw Spiderman: Far from Home and it was pretty entertaining. I thoroughly enjoyed it except for some instances of terrible cliché ridden writing. But it got tugging at my heart. This desire for greatness. These delusions of grandeur. I recently wrote in my prayer journal about coming to terms with their fizzling away as I mature. But the movie got me wondering, how can I be a superhero? Why does this appeal so strongly to us? Why does it appeal so strongly to me? Is it a mere egotistic desire to rise above? To be different, especially if that different is better? To be one of Nietzche’s gods? To have people know my name whose name I don’t know. To have power, glory, and honor. There’s a scene where Peter Parker wants a different suit so people don’t know Spiderman is in Europe. But that’s ridiculous. People don’t know Spiderman is Spiderman because he’s wearing a red suit. They know it’s him because of what he does, his abilities. The man’s talents and strengths defin...
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2 - 7 - 19 What's life not about? (5 minutes)

I turned 21 yesterday and it got me to thinking, as birthdays will do. That thinking was spurred by my new favorite laptop sticker which I got from SEEK conference. There’s a line sketch of St. Maximilian Kolbe ( who volunteered to die in another man’s place at Auschwitz ) circled by the words “Your life is not about you.” I appreciate the reminder every day, and I’m trying to live it. But that also reminded me of the various things I’ve realized life wasn’t about in the past four or five years. I think I’m still pretty far from understanding what life is about (I just turned 21 yesterday) but here’s a non-exhaustive list: Your life is not about fun. Your life is not about what you want. Your life is not about you. And that’s the order I, and I think most people, will experience them in. Given that these negations require an assertion this naturally creates four periods I can see in my life. My life is about fun. My life is about what I want. My life is about what’s...
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