The Rosary is a longtime church tradition. It began in the 9th century in various forms, until it was revealed to St. Dominic in 1221 A.D. by Mother Mary herself. From then on, through his religious order of the Dominicans, the Rosary was promoted and encouraged for all Christians.
Read MoreSince last year, Timothy Lawrence and I adopted the tradition to read and discuss Dante’s Divine Comedy throughout the Lenten fast. This reading course was outlined by Fr. Hayden a few years prior for his students at Pacifica. As if enduring the silence and temptations of Lent are not enough, adding a medieval poetry epic about the 9 circles of hell, 7 levels of purgatory, and 9 spheres of heaven to that is a good penance. During the first few chapters, there is an emphasis on losing the way. As I mentioned in last week’s blog, Lent reveals much about ourselves. Our fears. Our worries. Our anxiety.
Read More“In December 2016, I watched one of the most emotionally intense and scarring movies of my life on the big screen that had me questioning parts of my faith. This movie was Silence, written and directed by Martin Scorsese. Based on the novel by Shusaku Endo, Silence follows two Jesuit Priests, Fr. Rodrigues, and Fr. Garupe, leaving their home in Portugal to bring the Gospel to Japan and to discover the whereabouts of a well-known Priest who committed apostasy. Throughout the film, the themes of silence, despair, and hope appear and reappear. The scene that never left my mind was one during one of Fr. Rodrigues’ prayers.”
Read MoreIn storytelling, crossing the threshold is essential for character development. It is the protagonist saying “yes” to the journey ahead as they leave their comfort zones to venture off into the unknown, unsure of what is out there or who they will meet. As Bilbo Baggins himself puts it in this same scene from the Fellowship of the RIng, “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
Read MoreI am a people-pleaser at heart. In the healthiest sense, I enjoy helping others in their time of need. It brings me joy to see someone happy or relieved by offering a helping hand. It is important that the needs of others come before our own, as St. Paul talks about this in his letter to the Church of Philippi (Phil. 2:4). This does not mean, however, that we never attend to our own needs at all. As a people-pleaser, attending to my needs and allowing others to attend to them is rather frustrating and unsettling.
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