tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-287492422024-03-13T15:28:36.740-04:00The Ultimate AdventureCatholic life from Front Royal & the universeSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.comBlogger245125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-7865677011931575952012-09-08T23:58:00.000-04:002012-09-08T23:58:04.922-04:00Andy Getting MarriedAndy is getting married and his "wedding website" is terribly entertaining! :)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-89268463018383695322011-10-20T15:21:00.002-04:002011-10-20T15:22:58.118-04:00This ExistsOh yeah, this blog still exists! Classic.<br /><br />Another blog that exists, though one with a bit snazzier of a layout, and on wordpress no less, is <a href="http://lifeinthegap.wordpress.com/">Mary Beth's blog on the single (or "gap") life</a>. Do check it out!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-30694164675672373892011-08-30T15:11:00.002-04:002011-08-30T15:16:28.132-04:00The RunsI have noticed, now that I am a full-fledged adult, that--apart from actually <i>going running</i>, which is of course "exercise"--I don't run very much. Kids run a lot. They run around everywhere, often accompanied with screaming and waving their arms. Children are the original charismatics! (Sometimes they even speak in tongues, I am told.) Anyway, in adult life, very little will cause you to break into a run. Rather, running usually denotes an emergency or crisis situation. There was this girl in college who would always run from class to class, or from class to chapel, or from dinner to library--EVERYWHERE, really--because she didn't want to waste any time; we all knew she was a touch neurotic. Normal adults walk calmly and peacefully, unless there is a pressing, urgent reason for haste. Otherwise, we'd wear ourselves out! The other day, there was an earthquake, and I saw my adult male coworkers flee the building, RUNNING not walking out of here: it was dramatic! What would cause you to run somewhere rather than walk? Do you ever like to run, skip, or hop around for fun, just now and then?Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-86165299132418118882011-05-11T17:57:00.000-04:002011-05-13T16:30:04.488-04:00What is a Shopaholic?A woman who knows the price of everything and <i>doesn't know</i> the value of <b>nothing</b>.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-78388680534839460702011-03-31T08:02:00.000-04:002011-03-31T08:02:06.177-04:00Confections of a Shopaholic<div class="post-header"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">OK. Don't panic. This discovery will not destroy my life. I can deal with it. After all, my husband doesn't mind...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I recently came to the conclusion that I am a shopaholic. This discovery resulted from an honest look at the amount of money I spent this month. Too much. Way too much. But I love the thrill of finding new items, buying something colorful and new. And I know my husband will appreciate what I buy too. He never complains about the amount I spend, and enjoys everything (well, almost everything) that I purchase.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There exists just one caveat to my shopping addiction. I'm not whipping out the plastic for shoes, handbags, fancy lingerie, any kind of clothing article, or any sort of personal appearance product. No. My addiction is more hidden, hence my ignorance of it this past year. In fact, it can hardly even be seen, since it's not throw pillows, knick-nacks, garden decorations, useless electronics or even books. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My shopping addiction is to food. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not junk food, fast food or restaurant food, but wholesome, diverse, unusual, savory and delectable ingredients for new and old dishes and desserts that I love to cook and bake. For me, cooking and baking are ways to relax. Most of the time, I love preparing a yummy meal for Bobby and me to enjoy. Baking has always been my delight, with ever new recipes popping up, that I would like to try. From the latest chicken dish in a magazine I pick up, to an easy and delicious stir-fry made with special Soyaki sauce, to a warm loaf of bread, homemade pizza, cakes, cookies, and my newest triumph, homemade brownies. I love making good things to eat, and I want them to be nutritious, organic, diverse and very, very tasty. I enjoy trying new dishes, and try not to make most meals twice in a month. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And so I have this addiction. I'm constantly thinking of foods to make, and buying the ingredients to make them. And I do. I use my ingredients, I try new foods, nothing goes to waste in my kitchen. Sure, sometimes I'm too tired to make something amazing, and I love quick meals as much as the next busy housewife, but I make time to make delicious food. It's rewarding, it makes me happy, it keeps my husband happy. Is this really an addiction? Is my food shopping uncontrolable and out of control? I'm not really sure. Maybe I'm in denial. But after all, we all have to eat. Why not eat good food? It makes me happy. That's a good and necessary thing for me these days, when I can easily get so down. The shopping is fun too, what with finding new options and ingredients, searching for deals, getting something good on sale. Perhaps I am addicted, but I see no cure. Nor do a want one. <em>Bon Appetite!</em></div>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703429412011666399noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-23549914640879272842011-01-11T10:50:00.002-05:002011-01-11T11:00:38.435-05:00VideosI have a confession to make.<br /><br />I have watched a particular kind of video ever since I was in high school. Since I was a homeschooled student, this kind of video provided me with a particular kind of education I never would otherwise have received. Even public schooled students don't often watch these kinds of videos and I know most of my friends didn't--and don't--engage in watching them. Some do, however.<br /><br />Actually, to be quite honest about it, you don't just watch these videos passively. You also participate in them via physical action. I know for sure that had I not been exposed to these videos, I would not know how to perform the kinds of physical actions they portray. In fact, I'm quite an expert in them now; it's almost second nature.<br /><br />I still put on these videos fairly often. I sometimes wait until no one is around, because I don't want to disturb my housemates. Other times, I just put the volume low and hope no one will notice. I have my favorites that I'll go back to over and over.<br /><br />By now it should be clear what kind of video I mean. Clearly, I am adept and well-versed in <a href="http://www.collagevideo.com/">exercise videos</a>!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-30238038530217170782010-12-08T13:02:00.000-05:002010-12-08T13:06:03.739-05:00Ben Hatke...does great work! Check out the <a href="http://zitaspacegirl.com/">Zita the Spacegirl</a> site! :)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-14662837450033311002010-11-10T12:21:00.003-05:002010-11-10T12:42:01.852-05:00Correlation/CausationWe all know about the fallacy "post hoc ergo propter hoc," wherein it is assumed that because something occurs temporally after another something else, it is thus caused by what came before it. A related mantra in statistics is that "correlation does not imply causation." Nevertheless, confusion reigns here. We see news stories quoting statistics in this precise way almost daily; they tell us we should eat shrimp to avoid prostate cancer, or that walking on the left side of the street will cause symptoms of osteoporosis, or what have you. It's all very silly.<br /><br />This silliness, however, cannot be so lightly dismissed. It has a dark side. The dark side, I'd posit, is that a lot of people may <i>actually be confused</i> about the differences between correlation and causation. To those of us accustomed to thinking logically, this hypothesis is almost, well, unthinkable. If true, it would provide a solution for the question of how some people can be so incredibly unobservant about their daily lives? Answer: they have the powers of observation but are simply unable to draw accurate connections between one thing and another. Without the power to distinguish between causation and correlation, the world immediately becomes a hazier, more mysterious place.<br /><br />You must have guessed by now that I have an example in mind--yes, I do, and it's a great, "politically charged" one. Babies. Where do babies come from? It's that perennial mysterious question children ask, which in former times was eventually answered either by experience or by education: sexual intercourse makes babies. It causes babies to happen. Do people really think this anymore, though? I'd hazard a guess that if you carved open the minds of your average joe or jane, the relation between sex and babies would look somewhat vaguer than a good, robust causal link. Obviously, there's a relation there, but causation? Why would sexual intercourse be seen as causal to babies when there are ways to have sex and at the same time make sure you NOT have babies--and there are ways to make babies without involving sex? What's the difference, anyway?<br /><br />People should apply logic to the situation of their reproductive systems and realize that there's not just a correlation here, but actually a causation. In order to do that, they might first need to break down for themselves what exactly it means for one thing to cause another. They might need to <i>think</i>.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-34995599782525537322010-11-09T09:50:00.003-05:002010-11-09T09:52:13.237-05:00No More BoyfriendAs I look at this blog, I have to admit I find it rather embarrassing that it still sports a picture of my now EX-boyfriend. It doesn't bother me all that much, but it is perplexing. Should I just delete it and pretend the post never happened? Should I leave it as a reminder to myself to keep boyfriends and blogs separate in the future? Oh well, bizarre.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-87557781827189516342010-09-28T13:29:00.003-04:002010-09-28T13:33:25.656-04:00All Roads Lead to FroRo. . . even if none of them are in good repair! Yes, I have been remiss in reporting that Andy is now not just in the online community of this blog but also in the subset of said community which lives in the <i>actual</i> town of our alma mater, lovely Front Royal, Virginia. It is lovely here, especially just now as the leaves begin to change color and the teeniest bit of a chill enters the early morning air. One can't always call it a chill: sometimes it's just a burst of humidity. In any case, when I started this blog, I envisioned it as a way of keeping in touch with classmates far from me. Then I did the unthinkable, the prosaic, and moved back to Virginia! Now . . . I <i>still</i> barely see any of you, though I do, so we should probably get together sometime and have drinks. (You see, that is what adults do.) What say you? Lucky Star Lounge?Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-6100588976877075862010-05-16T13:46:00.002-04:002010-05-16T13:47:50.262-04:00Looks LikeHi everyone! Here is what my boyfriend, Stephen, looks like:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9MtAR0fc6Z8R57BfhRhyiIa2hRrOaoSb6AACf76oYUPwBVqz56jYCYZ-OobpdrXROI7KGOnGAT25gvM8_bdTjh4Hu_Nft_VDQuNorn_Tuf-oGBvsE3tLzV8AVj9oqi08Y5nl7A/s1600/DinnerParty+noredeye.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd9MtAR0fc6Z8R57BfhRhyiIa2hRrOaoSb6AACf76oYUPwBVqz56jYCYZ-OobpdrXROI7KGOnGAT25gvM8_bdTjh4Hu_Nft_VDQuNorn_Tuf-oGBvsE3tLzV8AVj9oqi08Y5nl7A/s320/DinnerParty+noredeye.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471925953495445746" /></a><br /><br />I hope he doesn't mind me blogging him (I'm not sure he knows I have blogs), but isn't he attractive? I sure think so.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-24733643180619788352010-04-23T13:25:00.002-04:002010-04-23T13:29:54.758-04:00Work for WomenI'm open to correction on this matter, but I'm just going to come out and say it: I think for a woman to want to stay at home and do things like cooking, cleaning, baking, sewing, laundry, decorating, etc. is fine and good. I feel so empowered now!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-31237883438430897642010-04-14T14:48:00.002-04:002010-04-14T14:52:18.454-04:00Sad EndingsIt's sad when things end, sometimes.<br /><br />Like dresses. I have noticed a tragic trend in dresses for, well, my entire life. The trend is this: they end too soon! Cut off, without a chance to continue a full life, they rest, abbreviated, at around mid-thigh. This isn't a good story. It's a true story, though. Even today, look at some of the more respected women's outfitters, such as <a href="http://www.jcrew.com">JCrew</a> or <a href="http://www.anntaylor.com">Ann Taylor</a>, and you will see what I mean. Even skirts are not exempt from these abrupt, unfinished conclusions. I can only say that I hope dresses will flourish more in the future and go on to see their wearers' ankles, to the tenth generation!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-101708333614691862010-01-14T13:25:00.004-05:002010-01-14T13:35:52.009-05:00Manners, According to MeI am always ranting on here, it is so bad. Oh well! :) Here are some real-life pieces of etiquette that some might find handy:<br /><br />1. If you want to see someone else, get in touch with <i>that person</i>. That's right, direct communication is the best thing.<br /><br />2. If I say I am going to organize a party, don't take over planning the details, contacting people involved, or starting a guest list. Sorry, you're over-functioning.<br /><br />3. Don't ask about a party before you've been invited. In other words, don't fish for invitations. Just chill...you'll be invited.<br /><br />4. DO reply to communications (such as invitations, planning emails, etc) about parties in a timely manner, preferably within 24 hours.<br /><br />5. Let your yes be yes and your no be no: inform the host as soon as possible whether or not you will be able to attend an event. A "maybe" does not suffice for a polite answer--respond affirmatively or negatively as soon as you know either way. (Exception: Facebook events are typically more informal and may not need a definite yes or no...but you should RSVP with a yes, no, or maybe nonetheless.)<br /><br />6. In Church, when going up for the Communion, if several people are sharing a single kneeler, it is the job of the last person on that kneeler to raise it after its occupants go up for Communion; it is the responsibility of the first person back to lower it for the rest of its occupants. Following this simple rule makes it less confusing for everyone! (Exception: gentlemen have the prerogative both to raise and lower the pew for a lady/ladies.)<br /><br />7. In an office environment, do not hover around others' desks. If you have something to communicate, knock on the door or lintel of the office before entering, or say, "Excuse me," and then begin your communication.<br /><br />That's all for now, but I'm sure I will think of more!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-79747814967423697082009-12-29T09:50:00.003-05:002009-12-29T09:55:27.720-05:00Do What I Do--I Mean, What I Say!Though you would think my tailgating of Mr. Cigarette & Gun Lover would be the highlight of my experiences yesterday, I actually observed another interesting incident on the same road. As I was driving into Front Royal on Happy Creek Rd, just as it turns into E. 6th St., a police officer was driving the other way. I went straight, but he <i>did an illegal right turn</i> onto the Happy Creek offshoot (with the graveyard next to it). That's right, there's a clearly posted "no right turn" sign as you are driving out of town on E. 6th (I know because I've violated it once, in a moment of extreme necessity and impatience), probably because that right turn is well over 90 degrees. The police officer didn't seem to care and executed the turn with a skill that perhaps showed it wasn't the first time he had performed the maneuver. What is the world coming to these days? Before you know it, we will have to do citizens' arrests! :DSylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-33288198737943321722009-12-28T15:47:00.003-05:002009-12-28T15:48:47.001-05:00Cigarette ControlTo the man who, judging from the bumper stickers on the back of his pickup truck, believes so strongly in Second Amendment rights: that's great! Bear arms, I fully support you. Please keep in mind, however, that <b>the world--and Happy Creek Rd. in particular--is not your ashtray</b>! Also, the exhaust from your truck smells horrible; it might be time for a new one.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-82669009338665963512009-11-17T17:28:00.006-05:002009-11-18T09:28:16.639-05:00When Not to LaughApropos of nothing, this post nevertheless has the form of a rant. I have noticed in several of my friends the tendency to laugh at another's mistakes, unintentional blunders, accidental failures, etc. I'm not sure why, but this really bothers me: and not because I'm frequently the one at whom people are laughing. Sure, I do silly things, mostly on purpose, and people find them funny. However, I can tell and therefore I think everyone should be able to tell, when someone is honestly embarrassed at her mistake; and it's a mean thing to make fun of her and thereby increase her misery. In fact, I am going to make a sweeping statement here: <i>it's not well-bred to laugh at someone else unless he or she is making a joke or saying something intentionally funny</i>. I don't care who you are. Just stop laughing rudely at people! Ask yourself, "Is my laughter good-natured or is it just mockery?" (Also, if you happen to see me do just what I am ranting against, please please call me out on it--I'm definitely asking for it.)Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-52105039989413127882009-11-02T11:25:00.002-05:002009-11-02T11:29:12.074-05:00Concise post from another bloggerMy husband forwarded this link to me today. It's a short and concise take on some of the recent Christopher West controversy. It also mentions and links to some interesting articles on the connections between Dietrch vonHildebrand, TOB and West's own approach.<br /><br /><a href="http://reflectionsofaparalytic.com/?p=3426">TOB Tuesday: A Pivotal Question</a>Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703429412011666399noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-65106755681485169892009-10-28T10:09:00.000-04:002009-10-28T10:10:17.803-04:00Question for the CriticsThis morning I sat at the train station wondering why some people have so much difficulty recognizing that human sexuality directly relates to divine mysteries. After all, our male and female bodies, capable of mutual self-gift in the martial act, where created so before the Fall. They were blessed and beautiful. When man sinned and lost his original innocence, his body and sexuality became tainted by sin, yet so did his intellect, will, heart and soul. We speak freely of the beauty, the participation in the divine, the redemption possible for these latter faculties, yet for many the body remains "tainted,"redeemable from its "sinfulness" only insofar as we downplay or even reject our sexuality. Such an attitude limits or ignores the extent that Christ's salvific death and resurrection can transform our entire being, body and soul.<br /><br />By virtue of our redemption every single part of us as human creatures, every member and particle of our being can be transformed by the power of Christ. <span style="font-style: italic;">This includes our sexuality.</span> True it must be treated with reverence, but if the Bible, the saints and the Church speak of human sexuality and relate the marital act to sacred and Divine truths and mysteries, we should also elevate our thinking about these things to the heights of heaven. The most beautiful and intimate traditions of the Church which unite man with the love of God use marriage and sexual language to convey the depth of God's love for us and the call for us to love as He loves.<br /><br />May we not reject the mystical tradition of the Church and relinquish half of our personhood, our bodies, to the realm of the devil. May we come to see our whole person as reflections of the divine love, symbols of sacred mysteries and a participation in the very life of the Trinity. I will close with one of the most powerful examples I know of this: consider a marital act which results in the conception of a child. At the moment of conception the power of the Holy Spirit overshadows the woman and creates in her womb a human soul. Even if the sexual act was disordered (rape, fornication, etc.) because of <span style="font-style: italic;">it </span>God Himself blesses that woman and touches her in a profoundly personal way, creating within her a person in the very image and likeness of God.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703429412011666399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-53395704221351222902009-10-27T16:56:00.002-04:002009-10-29T16:53:40.270-04:00Theology of the Body: Cornerstone of the New EvangilizationRecently, there has been a lot of criticism and discussion concerning Christopher West's presentation and interpretation of John Paul II's Theology of the Body. I currently work at the TOB Institute which organizes and promotes Christopher's talks and courses, as well as those of other speakers. Last month, I was privileged to attend a week long course on TOB, taught by Christopher West. Before the course began, I was skeptical about the "spiritual impact" of TOB, particularly since I considered myself familiar with it. I expected to learn more, but wasn't really expecting that God would touch my heart. God certainly had a surprise for me! I came to see that TOB is not just another theology course, nor is it just for people who have been wounded by sexual sins. Rather, TOB is an integral part of the new evangelization and I believe that all people, even Catholics with a strong faith life and years of really good Catholic education, need to read and understand the Pope's teachings in order to develop a deeper love of God and of others.<br /><br />The goal of the Christian life is God, and since God is love, loving God, others, and ourselves forms the core of our calling as Christians. But how do we live this calling? As Catholics, blessed with the fullness of the Faith, the Sacraments are the foremost means of holiness, and then prayer, mortification, works of charity, etc. But are all those enough? St. Paul says that without love, they are nothing. The practice of virtue and avoidance of sin are doubtless essential to the Christian life, but they must be accompanied by a profound transformation of heart in which we begin to love as Christ loves. Grace, of course, is necessary for any good to be achieved in us, but what about knowing who God is and who we are? Why do we receive the sacraments, avoid sin and practice charity, anyway? Faith is not ignorance, it is knowing in a profound way who we are as creatures of God. This is where TOB is vital to our whole life: it explains who we are in relation to God and in relation to each other.<br /><br />Before I go on about TOB, I'd just like to address a specific issue which I have heard raised as an objection to Christopher West's presentation of TOB. I have read several people who think that he downplays this dimension of pray, mortification, reception of the sacraments, perhaps even the need for grace. After spending a week with Christopher I would say this: rarely have a seen such a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Blessed Mother, the saints, and a constant recourse to prayer. From his very example, as well as his words urging the need for the Sacrament of Penance, the reception of Communion, prayer to the Blessed Mother, etc., it is clear that these things are absolutely essential for anyone who wants to even begin understanding or living the Theology of the Body. Furthermore, Christopher encouraged us to practice self-denial and penance, both in reparation for sin and as a means to holiness.<br /><br />So if prayer, sacraments, mortification is so important to a life of chastity and virtue, why does Christopher West move beyond those things to a deeper, more mature form of chastity? Because that is what the Pope calls us to do. For anyone who thinks that Christopher has made up the following theological and spiritual truths I'm going to talk about, I urge them the read the text of John Paul II's audiences, found at http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2TBIND.HTM. I have read them and I know this is from the Pope. They are dense and need to be broken down and explained, and I believe Christopher West does a good job of this. But if anyone thinks he makes up certain things, read the documents before judging the interpretation.<br /><br />God created us male and female. Therefore, our bodies in their "male and femaleness" speak a "language"(JPII) which reveals to us fundamental truths about who we are and how we relate to God and others, and even more precisely, what the relationship is between Christ and the Church. JP II seeks to correct the "modern Manicheanism" which asserts that the body and sex are bad in themselves. Here is where the misunderstanding about West's comparison of Hugh Heffner and John Paul II. He never "favorably compared them". What West says is that each recognized that society was wrong in its rejection of the body and sex as inherently bad. But their reaction was totally different, and while Heffner's devalued the whole human person, John Paul has raised man, body and soul, to the very heights of heaven, for the Son of God Himself came to us in a human body, and was born of a woman.<br /><br />Of course, JPII was not saying something "new" to Catholic teaching, but he was reminding a world and a Church that had lost a key part of its heritage that man is not Mancheen body/soul duality, nor is he a Cartesian "pure-thought" being. In developing the truth about man as a body soul creature, the Pope drew of the riches of Biblical and Catholic tradition, especially the Song of Songs, St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians, and the writings of the mystics, especially St. John of the Cross. (Probably why Christopher West frequently quotes John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila.) It is in these very Biblical and mystical works that we encounter the rich and complex analogies of human and spiritual nuptial union, the very "sex" which Christopher West is accused of "harping on". But, I read on one blog, isn't this nuptial union of the soul with God, this state of holiness known as the unitive way, isn't it only reserved for and experienced by a few very holy saints? Isn't it too complicated for ordinary Catholics, too far from our everyday experience, too holy for our great sinfulness which has not been purified by intense trials like those of the few mystic saints?<br /><br />To this, Pope John Paul would answer no; holiness is not for a few special saints, holiness is for ordinary people. (Remember how much he loved St. Therese.) Through his writing on the Theology of the Body, JPII was giving ordinary people the means for understanding man's call to nuptial, even mystical, union with God. Furthermore, once man begins this journey of love for God his journey of loving others, especially in the particular context of his vocation, becomes filled with ever more depth and meaning too. The Theology of the Body is 129 talks in which JPII offers men and women the insights they need to understand who they are and who God is. This is why people like Christopher West are necessary, just as Thomistic theologians are necessary: to unpack the depth of a saint's thoughts for others to better understand. I don't think that West is an "authority" on JPII. The more people the better who read and begin to teach and spread this message of the Pope. But Christopher West has begun the work. He's not perfect, and over the last 15 years his examples and presentation have been developed and will continue to develop.<br /><br /><br />The need for this mature purity is found directly in the Pope's words:“The task of purity,” as John Paul II observed, “is not only (and not so much) abstaining from ‘unchastity’ and from ... ‘lustful passions’.” In the illuminative and unitive stages of the journey, we discover “another function of the virtue of purity... another dimension – one could say – that is more positive than negative” (TOB 54:3). In this “positive” dimension, we come to experience “a singular ability to perceive, love, and realize those meanings of the ‘language of the body’ that remain completely unknown to concupiscence itself” (TOB 128:3). The reference to the illuminative and unitive stages may lead some to question the practicality of this for ordinary people. After all, aren't most of us going to be in the purgative stage all our lives? From the spiritual works I have read which guide the spiritual life according to these three categories, the writers state that most of us, while on the purgative a lot of the time, enter in to each of the stages at various points in our lives; there is not necessarily a linear progression, though virtue will be increasing. And if Pope John Paul emphasizes the need for such a radical dimension to be realized in our practice of the virtue of purity, is it strange that Christopher West would also emphasis this?<br /><br />The truth is that as Catholic Christians we are being called to a deeper, much deeper relationship with Jesus, Mary, the saints, and others, than most people have ever heard of. If we are aware of the deeper levels of the spiritual life, we probably figure we're a long way off from that goal. So how can West repeatedly state that all people can develop this more "mature purity", which seems to be a far advanced state of holiness? Not just by observing the external norms of mortifying the senses and avoiding the topic of sex and the body because those things could lead to lust, but transforming our understanding so that we will see them at their true value as part of our divine birthright as human beings. Does this mean that will be able to dispense with prayer and mortification and look at naked images or engage in sexual behavior with no more danger of falling into lust? Of course not! Knowledge, certainly, is not necessarily action, and we can know all this and still feel a temptation to lust. But knowing a person's true value will help us to overcome the temptation.<br /><br />Now this doesn't mean we should tempt ourselves or put ourselves in occasions of sin just to prove our knowledge. That would be presumption. But we should be better able to view individuals as persons and not objects. For the record, West does not advocate that men go around staring at naked or scantily women; in fact, he encourages them to take the opportunity to pray for the healing of their own sinfulness and to pray for the woman that she might discover her own worth. Also, I think the example, often quoted, of staying in the same house as one's fiance is not to encourage people to put themselves in occasions of sin, but to recognize that our sexual appetites can be governed to the point that an occasion of sin does not become a sin itself.<br /><br />Also related to this is the idea that those who are not able to control their passions except through distance from any form or occasion of sin are not virtuous. I remember learning very clearly in moral theology that the continent man is not fully virtuous. There are degrees of virtue and Aquinas, JP II and West all mention this fact that there are degrees of virtue and holiness, and the continent man is not yet fully virtuous. Indeed, is it not ludicrous to assert that an unmarried man and woman who can never be alone together without engaging in sexual activity are actually virtuous if they just make sure they are always around other people? It's pretty clear they need a much better control of their passions and respect for themselves and each other (which they would learn from TOB) could encourage them to begin to change their hearts to start practicing virtue.<br /><br />Ultimately, debates and criticism about Christopher West miss the point that it's not about Christopher West. It's about the truth that Pope John Paul II offered humanity, that man could better learn to know and love his Creator and his fellow human beings. If you don't like West's approach, than read the documents themselves or someone else's books on TOB. And if you think that Christopher West is misleading people, read the testimonies of those touched by his talks and classes. There are dozens on the TOB Institute website and it's hard to believe that every single one of those people who went to a Christopher West talk went away changed: but it's true.<br /><br />In the words of a recent TOB student: "I am CONVINCED that theology of the body will heal the world. This is because theology of the body reminds us that Christ, the Bridegroom, is the ultimate answer to all the brokenness we face in this world."~Sr. Miriam HeidlandAngelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10703429412011666399noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-31508577961265544312009-10-21T12:50:00.001-04:002009-10-22T09:21:29.201-04:00How About Them Anglicans?By now I hope everyone has heard the exciting news regarding some of our separated brethren. Come back! To the fold! The One Fold of Christ--His Church! It's super amazing the way Pope Benedict has taken a pastoral approach even to Christians outside the visible herd. Also, praise be to God, <a href="http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=11378">here is the response</a> by the Primate of the Traditional Anglican Communion. He's darn right in saying, "It more than matches our prayers." To be honest, I had forgotten a little bit about the Anglicans. Even though my mom is a member of an <a href="http://www.atonementonline.com/index.php">Anglican-use Catholic parish</a>, and even though I recently visited England itself, I seem to forget the plight of English people who long to be in communion with the Catholic Church. I kind of assumed they would have to just "suck it up" and convert, but <a href="http://wdtprs.com/blog/2009/10/point-for-consideration/">Fr. Z makes the point that it really isn't that easy</a>. Conversion is always a crucifixion, no matter if it's made easier by the pope's provisions or not. I think that's especially why this action of his imitates Christ, the Merciful Shepherd.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-35691125082440271072009-10-20T16:00:00.002-04:002009-10-20T16:06:42.453-04:00Excising QuantityWhen everything goes well, we can suppress our tendency to count. Think about it. We're always counting things: how many minutes till we're off work, how many days until an important event, how old so-and-so is, how many cookies we have to bake to feed X amount of people, etc. You could pretty much keep counting forever and ever, always thinking of new things to count. You can count how many more pages are left in the book you've been reading for months. You can count how many years it's going to take you to finish graduate school. You can (but shouldn't) count how many childbearing years you have left.<br /><br />Anyway, there occasionally occur some magical moments when counting ceases. I recently attended a dinner party during which that happened. I didn't count anything or think in terms of quantity at all for quite a long time. Before I knew it, I thought to check the time in my cell and it was 10:30 p.m.! It was mysterious how it happened. I know I had a second cookie, but it didn't strike me at the time to count up how much of everything I had eaten. I just ate and was satisfied. I didn't count how many people were there or how old each of them were. I didn't count how many people were dressed up and how many were casual. I really didn't think to count at all. There's something so liberating about excising quantity!Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-70367102825012304222009-08-18T13:15:00.002-04:002009-08-18T13:19:45.206-04:00Ad orientamThis is a shameless posting, directing you to my other blog. I found an article on NLM that referenced Bishop Edward Slattery of Tulsa, and his recent decision to celebrate his Cathedral Masses ad orientam. Bishop Slattery gives a reasoned and careful defense of his decision, and reminds us of just what we are about when we go to Mass. In lieu of Healthily Sanguine's last post, I also realized we needed something to improve the tone of the liturgical posts on this blog. Enjoy! (And read the original article.)<br />-AmatorQuaestorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12993457017319408792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-41240537233235173042009-08-17T11:35:00.002-04:002009-08-17T11:42:34.767-04:00A Devout Catholic's NightmareLast night I had a terrible dream. As is typical for a dream, I was in a surreal place, a bit like an island or a foreign country. I knew my way around pretty well and was showing someone else around the place. However, almost purposely, I was late for Mass. I realized as I walked into the enormous, beautiful church (something like a cross between a large basilica and St. Alphonsus in Baltimore) that I had munched something a little while ago, thus breaking the one-hour fast. I quickly rationalized that whatever it was didn't count. I knelt down to pray for Mass and then noticed that I was not only late for Mass, it was already towards the end of the Communion line. My companion went up to receive Communion and, somewhat reluctantly, I followed. The reason I was reluctant was not due to the prior munching, which I had already pushed to the back of my mind, but because I was wearing my <B>black one-piece bathing suit</b> and <i>orange flowered beach shorts</i>! I felt a bit self-conscious. Nevertheless, I went up anyway. Before the final blessing, the priest said a few words about respect and reverence, the importance of wearing proper clothes and NOT wearing a skin tight tank top and shorts to Mass. I knew the words were directed at me, and though I felt somewhat chastised and very embarrassed, I soon returned to not caring. Then I woke up.Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28749242.post-3078958137887759722009-07-27T10:05:00.001-04:002009-07-27T10:05:34.411-04:00Pro-LifeWhat are you doing today to be <i>pro-life</i>?Sylviahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06221464682706193091noreply@blogger.com2