One Foot in Paradise (Philosophical Fragments)

All things in this world are gray. They are all shades and shadows of ultimate existence. Would we even know pure white, if we were to see it? Is there really such a thing as complete blackness?

There can only be one unlimited existence – if there were two, they could not be separated out from one another, for that would require limits. All other existence must be limited. But perfect existence need not be unlimited. Perfection is attained when actual existence reaches its limits – when all potential is fulfilled. A thing's limits determine its potential existence. If morality is black and white, then perfect existence is the purest white; anything imperfect is a shade of gray, because it also contains nonexistence, blackness, within its limits.

Tohu Sickness

"Oh, my poor nerves!"

I have a confession – sometimes I get nervous. Not like stage fright, or test nerves, or just-before-you-call-a-girl jitters. I don't really have a problem with any of those, actually (except for the last one, that is). No, I'm talking about general nervousness – pacing fretfully up and down, paralyzed from doing anything remotely useful. Usually it starts acting up right after a big change in my life's routine, like coming home from school for the summer. Or in this case, right after getting a new job.

Prayer For Open Hands

O my Father in Heaven, open my hands.
May I hold them outstretched before Thee.
May I receive all that comes down from Thee,
Whether gift or cross, trial or blessing.

My cares and burdens I lift open-handed before Thee,
Along with every gift I have received;
That Thou might relieve me of my troubles,
Or even take back what Thou hast given,
According to Thy great wisdom and mercy.

O God, may I not close my fingers, resisting Thy will;
Whether in fear to grasp what good I have,
Or in despair to clutch what ills;
Lest, having closed hands, I receive not Thy blessings,
And accept not Thy relief.

May I not fear to receive from Thee a cross.
May I not fear that thou shouldst take from me
That which thou hast given, in Thy grace,
Above and beyond my need.
For from Thee come all good gifts,
And to Thee they must return;

For Thou givest, and Thou takest away.
Blessed be Thy name!
Amen.

Universal Joy

The other day I watched a video by Fr. Robert Barron on evangelism. Now I've never been real great at evangelism. Something about standing on a street corner passing out tracts has always made me a little nervous, and the thought of going door to door or walking up to a stranger and saying “Hey! Do you know Jesus?” makes me downright queasy. I say if you're comfortable with that, then godspeed you, but it's really not my style.

But I've been told in recent years that there may be other ways of doing it, and that thought has given me some comfort. Just cause I don't stand on street corners doesn't mean I'm a bad Christian – at the very least I could give money to missionaries (Now, how do I calculate 10% of the 74 cents in my bank account? Round up or down...?) I have things that I'm good at, and God has given me those talents for a reason... but how do I turn that towards evangelism? What I could really use (and, I think, what most Christians could really use) is a universal method of evangelism, to which I can apply my own personal interests and talents.

Religionless Christianity?

The other day I walked into Wheaton Religious Gift and Church Supply. I had walked by before and seen some Catholicy-looking stuff in the window, and I decided it might be worth checking out. What I discovered inside was an awesome Family Christian Bookstore - Catholic Version!

Catholic Medals

As I walked around like a brat in a candy store with a goofy delighted grin on my face, I came to the section of the store with the rosary beads and the sacramental medals. I stopped in my tracks. It had suddenly hit me that Christianity, at least Catholic Christianity, is a religion. A religion interacts with supernatural things through the use of Holy Symbols. These sacramental symbols, which had once meant nothing to me (or worse), took on a whole new meaning through the eyes of my new-found Catholic faith. They are wonderful gifts, not magic charms, but physical vehicles for the work of the Holy Spirit, received by faith in his power.