Modern Polytheism

Modern Polytheism holds that one ought to accept everyone's personal truth on the grounds that said truths are sincerely held - and this in spite of the contradictions between the many personal truths. Diversity is to be celebrated, not strictly examined, and certainly not reconciled.

A corollary to this is that one should exclude considerations of revealed knowledge on the grounds that truths rooted in external agents cannot ever be genuinely one's own. Also, the many contradictions between those who claim divine inspiration is deemed sufficient proof in support of the premise.

Instead, one should rely primarily on reason. The many contradictions between those who appeal to reason, meanwhile, are no argument against said reliance.

If this seems like a contradiction or a case of special pleading - well, the modern polytheist will say, that's just your own truth; don't bother inflicting it on others.

Prayer in Stone

“’Haec est domus Dei’, ‘This house is the house of God’, it is like heaven. We love going into a true chapel, a true church, because when we are in the church, we are like in heaven. It is the beginning of heaven. God Himself is in this house – God, and also holy images, statues…The holy images give us good ideas which prepare us to pray, because this house is also the house of prayer: ‘Haec est domus orationis’…”
- Archbishop Lefebvre, during one of his visits to America, for the blessing of a church

“The (church) is itself an act of worship – as its planning, building, and furnishing were acts of worship – it is prayer in stone. We worship with a church as well as in it…The material building and its contents flow from, and are an expression of, the faith, the hope and the love of God of those who erected it. Accordingly, the church is a place of awe and majesty, the tabernacle of God among men…A church by its very appearance should proclaim its character and the grandeur of its high and enduring purpose. It should not only be a church but look as one; it must be distinguished from the town hall, or the factory, or the cinema theatre not merely by the cross on its roof top…The church should be an edifice worthy of its high purpose, with that atmosphere of holiness, dignity, majesty, nobility, reverence, calm, peace and joy that befits the perfect House of God.”

- Church Building and Furnishing, by John Berthram O’Connell

Lose One's Life to Save It

The spirit and example of the world imperceptibly instil the error into the minds of many that there is a kind of middle way of going to Heaven; and so, because the world does not live up to the gospel, they bring the gospel down to the level of the world. It is not by this example that we are to measure the Christian rule, but by the words and life of Christ. All His followers are commanded to labor to become perfect even as our heavenly Father is perfect, and to bear His image in our hearts that we may be His children. We are obliged by the gospel to die to ourselves by fighting self-love in our hearts, by the mastery of our passions, by taking on the spirit of our Lord. These are the conditions under which Christ makes His promises and numbers us among His children, as is manifest from His words which the apostles have left us in their inspired writings. Here is no distinction made or foreseen between the apostles or clergy or religious and secular persons. The former, indeed, take upon themselves certain stricter obligations, as a means of accomplishing these ends more perfectly; but the law of holiness and of disengagement of the heart from the world is general and binds all the followers of Christ.

 

- Butler’s Lives of the Saints, Vol. I, pp. 711-12

Tolkien Lecture

Michael D. C. Drout, professor of English and director of the Center for the Study of the Medieval at Wheaton College, recently visited his alma mater at Carnegie Mellon (home of CAPTCHA) to gave a worthwhile lecture on how to read Tolkien.

Have a gander at http://youtu.be/lXAvF9p8nmM

Prayer to the Trinity

Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity (1880–1906) was a young nun of the Carmelite monastery in Dijon, France. Her life was simple, one of prayer and sacrifice. A quotation from her sums up her mission. "I think that in Heaven my mission will be to draw souls by helping them to go out of themselves in order to cling to God by a wholly simple and loving movement, and to keep them in this great silence within which will allow God to communicate Himself to them and to transform them into Himself."

Prayer to the Trinity
O my God, Trinity whom I adore, let me entirely forget myself that I may abide in you, still and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity; let nothing disturb my peace nor separate me from you, O my unchanging God, but that each moment may take me further into the depths of your mystery! Pacify my soul! Make it your heaven, your beloved home and place of your repose; let me never leave you there alone, but may I be ever attentive, ever alert in my faith, ever adoring and all given up to your creative action.

O my beloved Christ, crucified for love, would that I might be for you a spouse of your heart! I would anoint you with glory, I would love you – even unto death! Yet I sense my frailty and ask you to adorn me with yourself; identify my soul with all the movements of your soul, submerge me, overwhelm me, substitute yourself in me that my life may become but a reflection of your life. Come into me as Adorer, Redeemer, and Savior.

O Eternal Word, Word of my God, would that I might spend my life listening to you, would that I might be fully receptive to learn all from you; in all darkness, all loneliness, all weakness, may I ever keep my eyes fixed on you and abide under your great light; O my Beloved Star, fascinate me so that I may never be able to leave your radiance.

O Consuming Fire, Spirit of Love, descend into my soul and make all in me as an incarnation of the Word, that I may be to him a super-added humanity wherein he renews his mystery; and you O Father, bestow yourself and bend down to your little creature, seeing in her only your beloved Son in whom you are well pleased.

O my `Three’, my All, my Beatitude, infinite Solitude, Immensity in whom I lose myself, I give myself to you as a prey to be consumed; enclose yourself in me that I may be absorbed in you so as to contemplate in your light the abyss of your greatness!

From http://stas.org/en/node/1283

Be Rational

THE FAITHFUL: While I was out and about I dined at a small shop where the cook served the most delicious and beneficial dish I’ve ever tasted. Not only was it a delight for the palate, but it restored my failing eyesight.

THE RATIONALIST: What was this miracle meal called?

FAI: I don’t know the name, but I can take you there to try it yourself.

RAT: Why would I follow you some place when you can’t even tell me the proper name? That’s not reasonable.

FAI: Well, I like to think I have some credibility and can be trusted. Isn’t that enough to get you to check it out?

RAT: Of course not. You have to cast everything in terms of what my limited, finite intellect can comprehend. Only then will I contemplate leaving my comfort zone to investigate what you described.

FAI: And you imagine this to be a rational position to take?

RAT: Don't be impertinent.

Coffee from Gila

Look what my monks are up to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08VYkMKmkR4