You are my friends if you keep my commands. (Jn 15:14) Although we can be obedient out of fear, perfect obedience is the result of love. We obey those whom we love. The Princess Bride begins by introducing Westley and … Continue reading
Author Archives: dbrindle
Grateful To Be One
Throwback Thursday Editors Note: On behalf of all the student brothers here at the Dominican House of Studies, we would like to thank all of you, our friends and benefactors, for helping us to pursue our Dominican vocation. Without your prayers … Continue reading
Tsk tsk tsk
“If it’s one thing I am,” Mrs. Turpin said with feeling, “it’s grateful. When I think who all I could have been besides myself and what all I got, a little of everything, and a good disposition besides, I just … Continue reading
Religion is Not Race
There is a troubling tendency in our public discourse to reduce religion to race or ethnicity (the complex case of Judaism aside). On this view, religion is a more or less superficial feature of one’s identity—something akin to skin color … Continue reading
Dwindled Infinity
It is not uncommon for the priory where I live in Washington, D.C. to host guests for dinner. On occasion, our guests will be a family. From time to time, that family will include a baby. Seeing a baby become … Continue reading
Act Like a Man: 5 Tips with St. Thomas
“What is man that you are mindful of him, and a son of man that you care for him?” (Ps 8:5) In the face of gender theory and feminist ideologies which challenge the notion of manhood, the Church needs real … Continue reading
Tradition Old, Tradition New
The opening number of the Broadway classic Fiddler on the Roof contains a striking line: “Because of our traditions, every man knows who he is and what God expects him to do.” A modern viewpoint may well suspect the customs … Continue reading
The Very Stones Will Cry Out
A short story Lucius walked the dusty streets, twisting his fingers in careful patterns, practicing yesterday’s lesson. He was a clever and talented student, so the pebble he was looking at obediently skipped alongside him. By now the route was … Continue reading
A Prayer of Christian Philosophy
Why, O Eternal Wisdom, do the heavens move as they do, the rains fall, and the windows fog? Why does my breath make clouds? Why does the oil hover on the water and the light burn up the darkness? Why, … Continue reading
God’s Work of Art
“We are God’s great, wondrous work of art” may sound like a cheesy lyric from a modern hymn, but it conveys a surprisingly challenging theological message. While it is true enough that good art is appreciated around the world, works … Continue reading
The Standing Now
In a few days we will celebrate Christ the King, which anticipates the moment when Jesus returns, time ends, and eternal life begins. But what do we mean by “eternal”? Is it the same sort of eternity as a traffic … Continue reading
Straightening Out the Golden Rule
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” We’ve all heard the Golden Rule a thousand times. We’ve all told people to remember the Golden Rule another thousand times. It seems, though, that nine times out of … Continue reading
The End of Mercy
During my novitiate year, I visited residents in an assisted living facility every week. Sometimes the interactions were whimsical (once, a resident advised me on cheap places to take a girl on a first date—I don’t think he quite understood … Continue reading
Known By Your Fruits
Today the Church celebrates the feast day of a Dominican saint and doctor of the Church, St. Albert the Great. The list of his contributions to Western thought is staggering. He was one of the first to comment on many … Continue reading
Loving Disappointment
“I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed.” If you’ve ever stolen a cookie from the cookie jar and subsequently gotten caught, you’ve likely heard these words from your parents. And boy does it hurt to hear that. More than if your … Continue reading
A New Christmas Album
Christ Was Born to Save: Christmas with the Dominican Friars Nearly seven hundred years ago, a Dominican friar named Henry Suso had a vision of angels singing and dancing with joy about the birth of the Infant Jesus. The German … Continue reading
The Poor Face of Mercy
Today we celebrate St. Martin of Tours, a saint marked by and remembered for his mercy. We can hear him asking us this question: “Do you give alms? And tell me, when you give alms, do you look into the … Continue reading
The Church is not a Government
The Church is not a government, and in these not-so-serene days of state debate, we can be thankful for that. A democracy, for instance, is like a babysitter. Her classic question is, “What did your mom say you could do?” … Continue reading
No Trust in Princes
Soon we’ll have a new president. At the time of writing (last week) we were still waiting for the election, still embroiled in pre-election scandal and controversy in a political spectacle that just wouldn’t stop. Today we make the transition … Continue reading
[unable to retrieve full-text content] From Dominicana Journal
Becoming a Saint
Saints drive me crazy at times. Praying The Litany of Dominican Saints and Blesseds or reading Saint Dominic’s Family by Sr. Mary Jean Dorcy is both very inspiring but also depressing. The saints we rightly celebrate accomplished many great works … Continue reading
5 Meditations for Election Week
This election has all the attraction of a highway car crash. It’s gruesome to behold, but we can’t seem to turn away. Much of America is disillusioned about the candidates, yet record numbers watched the presidential debates. And like a … Continue reading
Bittersweet Mysteries
All Souls’ Day, the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is the day the Church recalls in a special way “those who have died and have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.” Today is naturally a very … Continue reading
Of Mice and Martin
He never met a miracle he didn’t like. That is to say, St. Martin de Porres was a prolific miracle-worker. In his meekness he never tried to draw attention to the marvels he worked, but his miraculous output, prodigious as … Continue reading
Prayer Box
Geneva Nielson was the type of woman that would make an old mule seem flexible. Two years ago, to the shock of everyone in town, she started going to church. There wasn’t anywhere particular she called home, as just “going … Continue reading