December 2011
112 posts
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God has appeared – as a child. It is in this guise that he pits himself against all violence and brings a message that is peace. At this hour, when the world is continually threatened by violence in so many places and in so many different ways, when over and over again there are oppressors’ rods and bloodstained cloaks, we cry out to the Lord: O mighty God, you have appeared as a child and you...
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“If you’re still reading this, chances are you’re drunk as all hell. If this is...”
– From “5 Things No One Knows are Ridiculously Catholic”
There’s also “5 More Things No One Knows are Ridiculously Catholic”
“… nothing can make up for the absence of someone whom we love, and it would be...”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christmas Eve 1943, writing from prison to his fiancee and best friend (via wesleyhill)
Happened upon this my last night at home for the foreseeable future.
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
– Charles Dickens
Heirs in hope
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit, which he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life.
Titus 3:4-7
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The darkness has not overcome it
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for...
Let all God's angels worship him
In many and various ways God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets; but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his word of power. When he had made purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of...
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The Lord has bared his holy arm
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Hark, your watchmen lift up their voice, together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem;...
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Mary kept all these things
When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they saw it they made known the saying which had been told them concerning this child; and all who...
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Not forsaken
Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.”
And they shall be called The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD; and you shall be called Sought out, a city not forsaken.
Isaiah 62:11-12
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Let the sea roar, and all that fills it!
O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! / Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. / Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! / Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; / let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the wood...
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Glory to God in the highest!
And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in that region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone...
Awaiting our blessed hope
For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for...
Wonder Counselor
But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zeb’ulun and the land of Naph’tali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light...
“Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn’t come from a store.”
– Dr. Seuss
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“People look upon [the Church] and say, “She is about to die. Soon her very...”
– St. Augustine, via Well Said from the Happy Catholic
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Fresh.
Late have I loved you, O Beauty ever ancient, ever new, late have I loved you! You were within me, but I was outside, and it was there that I searched for you. In my unloveliness I plunged into the lovely things which you created. You were with me, but I was not with you. Created things kept me from you; yet if they had not been in you they would not have been at all. You called, you shouted, and...
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Catholic High Schools: Now and Forever : Education... →
I think I need to read this book. The review is generally positive, but this line is interesting:
Predictably perhaps, Fr. Heft’s approach is strictly conventional. Much is said about the religious aspects of schooling, to the extent that I could not help wondering how conversant the author is with the real world of urban education.
Any chance that’s part of why urban Catholic schools...
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Free audio recordings of The Chronicles of Narnia →
Consider this my Christmas gift to you, Tumblrland. Assuming they’re any good, which they sound like they are once you get past all the introductory crud. If they’re not, then assume this was all a joke. Ha ha ha. Ha.
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“Sometimes our sector gets caught up in trying to make a utilitarian calculation...”
– On teaching in “greener pastures”.
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The Tyranny of Choice →
This isn’t new, but I’d forgotten about it. The summary is that an abundance of choice actually makes people miserable. I find the assertion highly plausible.
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“For much of my life–through childhood, adolescence, college, teaching, graduate...”
– Rick Hess’s reflection on experts, inspired by the this book (which I think I’d love to get my hands on), which resonates loudly with me. 