Catholic Theology, Biblical Studies, pop music, the Middle East, music at the apex of nerdiness ............................................................ ...................... "Dear friends, truth is not an imposition. Nor is it simply a set of rules. It is a discovery of the One who never fails us; the One whom we can always trust. In seeking truth we come to live by belief because ultimately truth is a person: Jesus Christ. That is why authentic freedom is not an opting out. It is an opting in; nothing less than letting go of self and allowing oneself to be drawn into Christ’s very being for others. (...) At times, however, we are tempted to close in on ourselves, to doubt the strength of Christ’s radiance, to limit the horizon of hope. Take courage! Fix your gaze on our saints. The diversity of their experience of God’s presence prompts us to discover anew the breadth and depth of Christianity. Let your imaginations soar freely along the limitless expanse of the horizons of Christian discipleship. Sometimes we are looked upon as people who speak only of prohibitions. Nothing could be further from the truth! Authentic Christian discipleship is marked by a sense of wonder. We stand before the God we know and love as a friend, the vastness of his creation, and the beauty of our Christian faith." -Pope Benedict XVI, Address to Young People and Seminarians, St. Joseph Seminary, Yonkers, NY, 4/19/2008................................................... ...................... "However good our intentions may be, it is always wrong to go against God's will; it is always an illusion and a mistake." -from St. Bernadette of Lourdes retreat notebooks
Orson Welles
lately: Bob Dylan and The Band-The Basement Tapes, Bob Dylan and The Band-Before the Flood, The Band-Rock of Ages, No Age-Nouns, Black Sabbath-Vol. 4, Charlotte Gainsbourg-5:55, Masada-various, Lansing-Dreiden-The Dividing Island, Metallica-Garage Days Re-revisited: the $9.98 CD, the Rolling Stones-Big Hits: High Tide and Green Grass, Sun Kil Moon-Ghosts of the Great Highway, The Darjeeling Limited-soundtrack
lately: The Third Man, Mr. Arkadin, Vertigo, the Bad News Bears Go To Japan, Orson Welles' Don Quixote
lately: House
lately: lately: the Bible, "the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers (second series) Volume VI: St. Jerome", "Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry" by Doug Fields, "The Cambridge Companion to Hans Urs Von Balthasar" edited by Edward T. Oakes, SJ and David Moss, "Witchcraft in Europe 400-1700: A Documentary History" (second edition) edited by Alan Charles Kors and Edward Peters, "Watchman" by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, "Mother Theresa-Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the 'Saint of Calcutta'" edited and commentary by Brian Kolodiejchuk, M.C., "Story of a Soul" by St. Therese of Lisieux, "Shower of Heavenly Roses: Stories of the intercession of St. Therese of Lisieux" by Elizabeth Ficoelli, "Inquiries" by Karl Rahner, "The Art of Memory" by Frances A. Yates, " Orson Welles Interviews" edited by Mark W. Estrin
life: Jesus Christ and Andy Kaufman.music: David Bowie, Mike Patton, Melvins, Public Image Ltd, Kraftwerk, folks who make awesome pop songs.