Summary
This is my personal blog (weB-LOG) of my experiences and random thoughts at seminary.
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Random Thoughts
A Pre-Theology Tale
Monday, April 26, 2004, 10:44 PM
Here is an original piece some fellow pre-theologians and I performed in speech class this evening. I did not write this comic reflection, but I was pleased to be involved. Don't let this epic poem give you the wrong ideas about our seminary life. I assure you that at least 5% of it is completely inaccurate.
A New Blogging Fad
Sunday, April 25, 2004, 11:59 PM
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 23.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the sentence in your journal along with these instructions.
From a theology book entitled "Thou Shalt Not Kill":
"There seems, in other words, to be a middle position between a codified concept of natural law and one which sees in it no more than a drive towards certain values conceived in an abstract way, as though these latter could never be the basis of truly permanent obligations, and especially of prohibitions binding of all circumstances."
Don't be impressed. I don't get it either. But seriously, my Aquinas Ethics paper on Killing is going to be the foremost burden of my week. As always, your prayer donations are welcome.
Why Bush Will Win
Thursday, April 22, 2004, 2:00 PM
From the insightful Peggy Noonan:
"The Democrats and their nominee say on one day that Mr. Bush ignored terrorism, and on the next that he exaggerated the threat. They say his administration didn't give enough time to planning Iraq, then they say he was obsessed with Iraq. They say he's dimwitted and gullible, then they say he's evil and calculating... You know why they can't define what's wrong with Mr. Bush? Because they don't even know what's wrong with him beyond that he is not them, not Mr. Kerry, not a Democrat. Can the Democrats win this way? No."
Spiritual Undulation
Thursday, April 22, 2004, 1:11 AM
Before I came here last fall, my home priest gave me a spiritual preview. He said that at seminary I would have spiritual consolations; high times when everything goes good, when prayer comes easy, and God feels close. At other times there would be spiritual desolations; low times when nothing goes right, when prayer would feel dry, and God would seem distant. Even though the desolations are much less pleasant, they are by far more fruitful. They can seem pointless at the time, but once those hard times are past, God's plan and purposes may be seen.
I recognized a description of my college years in what he was talking about. Since then I have found his words to be just as true for seminary. Yet I realized that this wasn't coming across in my blog when Father felt the need again to warn me that desolations would come someday. I try to write things that are helpful and edifying. Usually I decline to write about my deepest desolations (or my greatest consolations), but I see a good reason to mention them.
The other day I was talking to one of my former math professors. He observed that most of the kids at college live their days thinking that all their peers have it all together. They don't realize that everyone else has struggles and problems, just like them, and they feel all alone. The point is that the same is true in the Christian life. Believers should know that they will have high and low times and that both are for our good.
A demon and tempter named Screwtape once wrote to his nephew Wormwood on the subject of spiritual undulation. (From C.S. Lewis' classic, The Screwtape Letters, in which they call God "The Enemy" and the Devil "Our Father Below". This is one of my favorite books, all-time.)
Is An Annihilating Death Bad?
Wednesday, April 21, 2004, 10:15 PM
A materialist named Epicurus once said, "Death, the most dreaded of evils, is therefore of no concern for us; for while we exist death is not present, and when death is present we no longer exist." For this reason, Epicurus taught that your own death is not a bad thing and nothing to fear.
I like Epicurus, he seems like a good guy, but here's why I think he's dead wrong.
My Face Would Be My Face By Any Other Name
Monday, April 19, 2004, 6:08 PM
Here are two interesting items from cyber space: The first is the Analogia Star Estimator. Upload a picture including someone's face (head-on) and it will determine what 3 famous persons have the closest resemblance. After enjoying the ego boost of being informed you look like Harrision Ford or Julia Roberts, look up your name statistics to see how common or rare your first and last names are. I was told that the famous person I most resembled was John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt. I'm not quite sure what that means.
Random 'Scientific' Findings
Monday, April 19, 2004, 5:06 PM
Did you know:
Studies show that if your parents didn't have children, then you are less likely to as well. Nearly half of all American grade schoolers have a below average intellignce. Scientific testing has been shown to cause cancer in lab rats. 61% of all statistics are made up on the spot. And lastly, research indicates that there are no answers.
Male And Female He Made Them
Saturday, April 17, 2004, 8:58 PM
"Why aren't there women priests?" People ask me this question all the time. In fact, I was asked a variant of it last night and I was regrettably unable to answer it well. I find it hard to convey to others how women and men are truly equal creatures, and yet truly different.
Today I found what I had been looking for at Summa Contra Mundum; a solid three-part answer to the question, "Is God Sexist?"
Part I
Part II
Part III
On this day of perusing blogs I also found a well-written one by two priests in Oklahoma. Its name is Catholic Ragemonkey. No, it has nothing to do with Fight Club, but I love their explanation for the name, "Why Ragemonkey?". By the way, their point about seminary is true. The dinner conversation tonight was about our liturgical music. Another blog's name also caught my eye: Apologize and Don't Be Sorry!
Close, Yet Far Away
Friday, April 16, 2004, 11:55 PM
CNN reports that the Supreme Court was ready to effectively overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling legalizing abortion in 1992. The late Justice Harry Blackmun's notes, released by the Library of Congress, show that Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist led a five-justice majority to overrule Roe. The four other justices voting with Rehnquist were Byron White, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Kennedy. Rehnquist himself was to write the majority opinion, but Justice Anthony M. Kennedy got cold feet and the vote went the other way. To look on the bright side of this sorry revelation, it shows that a pro-life victory is not so unattainable as it may sometimes seem.
A follow-up: I reported February 26 that South Dakota was considering a bill to end abortions. That bill narrowly failed under unusual circumstances. Amy Welborn covered the outcome on her fine blog.
More recently: There was a positive development in Michigan Thursday.
Tomorrow morning I'll return to the clinic, where no diseases are cured, and do my part in prayer.
You Will Live To See That Day Too
Thursday, April 15, 2004, 11:40 PM
Today at Habitat, I was about to head back when a kindly World War II vet I met there offered to buy me lunch. There was good conversation, good stories, and tastey chilli. But the best of all was the story one of our co-workers told.
In the natural course of conversation she mentioned that her husband almost died of pancreatitis years ago. Pancreatitis, I was informed, is an inflammation of the pancreas. Her husband's organ had been consuming its very self.
A little later she told a story about something that happened at that time. She said I would (especially) like it. It was probably because I'm a seminarian, but I thought anyone listening would've found it deeply compelling. Though not a transcript, this is the story she told at our table.
There was one day when she felt distress and the need to go to her sick husband. She said to him inside herself, "Hold on." Later she discovered that, at that same time, her husband was having an extraordinary experience at the hospital. He found himself floating above his body in his room. He saw a welcoming light and desired to go to it, but then he heard a voice say, "Not yet." He had to return to his body and the severe pain that was there. She said that after that experience, "we don't have any fear of death."
It was unique for me to hear this kind of story in person, opposed to, for instance, watching Unsolved Mysteries when I was a kid. When you know the person, confident of both their sincerity and sanity, a story of the supernatural has a deeper impact. In your reading it, the story has become secondhand and I doubt it can have the same impression upon you. Nonetheless, I relate it here to convey this one point: supernatural and miraculous experiences happen, they occur in the lives of real people today. Be open.
Hip-Hop
Tuesday, April 13, 2004, 4:11 PM
Here's something funny from my 2nd older sister and "Easter B".
Random Highlights
Tuesday, April 13, 2004, 1:16 AM
These past ten days have been free of blogging but full of events; much more than I can detail here. Here are some random highlights:
I spent my first few days of break in my old college town. There I met and chatted with numerous acquaintances. How I gained so many of these dear friends is a pleasant mystery to me (especially considering the atrocious puns I inflict upon them).
The old friend I stayed with there showed me a website where you can find aerial photos of anyplace in the country. (Courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.) Here's a bird's eye view of my seminary. (I was going to say "God's eye view" but He sees from more perspectives at a much higher resolution.)
Upon returning to home and family, I spent the rest of my days in two occupations. I helped my Dad prepare wood for his new office building's interior and I served at church for Easter liturgies. Which work is preferable?
Liturgy Versus Woodwork: A Head-To-Head Comparison
(Category:) (Liturgy vs. Woodwork Attribute) (Advantage)
Equipment: Swinging Thurible vs. Spongy Brush (Advantage: Liturgy)
Smell: Frankincense vs. Heady Varnish (Liturgy)
Worksite: Heated Church vs. Cool Outdoors (Liturgy)
Performance Stress: Scores of parishioners vs. Just Dad (Woodwork)
Uniform: Cassock and Surplice vs. Grubs (Liturgy)
Conversation: None (excluding prayer) vs. Father-Son Bonding (Woodwork)
Cardiovascular Exercise: Catholic Calisthenics vs. Wood-work-out (Tie)
It looks like the work of the Church wins out by a nose. That's a good thing, because carpentry is definitely not my calling.
Easter Break Begins
Saturday, April 3, 2004, 3:35 AM
In (literally) a few hours, I'm leaving for home. I'm looking forward to reunions with college friends and being with my family for Easter. I'm tired and I'll be blogging little for a few days, so let me leave you a final thought: Live as a visible proof for the existence of God.
Mass Appeal
Saturday, April 3, 2004, 1:34 AM
I cantored at Lauds and for the first time at Mass today. I was pleased by how well the most important parts went. The response of the psalm I sang was "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice." (Psalm 18) He did indeed.
Happy Easter! (Just Kidding)
Thursday, April 1, 2004, 12:55 AM
On Wednesdays the local diocese uses our main chapel to record the "TV Mass", which is broadcast 11 days hence. Seminarians generally do not attend, but a few were in attendance this evening to fill out the choir. Tonight the bishop came in to tape the Easter Sunday service, hymns, Alleluia's, and all.
Initially learning of this accommodation did not strike me, but another seminarian was taken aback. He said that Easter day and its celebration are an 'event' for the Church, not just some 'thing' one can simulate. I can see his point. St. Athanasius called Easter "the Great Sunday". I realize that the day we celebrate it moves on the calendar, but something is lost by pretending its Easter prematurely. Is one day just as good as any other? Well, it wasn't on a Wednesday that John was given his vision of the heavenly liturgy. (Revelation 1:10)
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