Following the Light: An Epiphany Reflection
The feast of the Epiphany completes the Octave of Christmas and brings the mission of Christ full circle. The little Child Jesus came first to his own Jewish people, and to the Shepherds who first…
Tag: Religion & Spirituality
Lovely Lady Dressed in Blue: Mary's Role in the Incarnation
It’s that time of year again; time to get out the tree and all the trimmings, time to brave the crowds for some great deals for presents, time to set up the train, the village,…
Misleading Labels: Pope Francis and the Political Quandary
Conservatism, in its purest form, should be based upon a mission to preserve that which is good, true, and beautiful for posterity. Hence, it should be, by its very nature, a creative force. And all…
The Diamond of England: The Mission and Martyrdom of St. Edmund Campion
St. Edmund Campion first became a major part of my life when I was assigned to read Edmund Campion: Hero of God’s Underground by Harold C. Gardiner, S.J. I was in 4th Grade at the…
Every Word So Employed: George MacDonald and the Theological Imagination
Introduction In this essay I offer a constructive definition of the imagination for George MacDonald: The imagination is a faculty that perceives and appropriates transcendent beauty in sensible form. This definition of MacDonald’s imagination sees…
Light and High Beauty: The Virtue of Hope in “The Lord of the Rings”
We know God exists even though we can’t see Him, with as much certainty as we know the sun exists even when we can’t see it shine. We trust that He knows best even…
A Hallowed Eve: The Spiritual and Cultural Traditions of Halloween
Halloween has always been a complicated holiday, laced together with many threads of different spiritual traditions and cultural customs. It has always stirred up controversy, morphing into an excuse for mischief and mayhem and a…
Identity: What We Do Changes Who We Are
This thing about identity—there’s more here than meets the eye, more here than most psychologists talk about, more here than we can understand, and what I’m going to present is more questions than answers. But…
Meditation on the Longing for Death
Each night I sleep, my body to restore,Yet morning rise, as weary as before.The day renewed, such newness life has not:Each day is with the same despondence fraught. Down on my knees I pray my…
The Development of Chivalry: From Medieval Propaganda to Catholic Virtue
In the beginning of the 11th century, there were many separate feudal states in Western Europe united by a common faith in the Catholic Church. The traditions of the Vikings, the Franks, the Italians, and…