If you are able to escape the stuffy mass of humanity in the Sistine Chapel and the security guards yelling “SILENCIO” and “NO PHOTO”, be sure to take the short walk down the hall to a room called the “Stanza … Continue reading
Heaven
The Participation Award
By God’s grace, you made it to heaven, and now you’re at the Awards Ceremony of the Heavenly Banquet. St. Peter’s the emcee of the event. He’s been calling out the names of the elect and handing out awards for … Continue reading
Undefiled
Sooner or later, my body will become a corpse. A corpse looks alien. It’s both strangely familiar (so clearly my body), yet utterly unrecognizable (so clearly not me), putting on display the jarring indignity of death, the separation of my … Continue reading
Faith, Hope, and Love Towards Canaan’s Land
Editor’s note: This is the twelfth post in our newest series, reflecting on the Hillbilly Thomists’ recent, self-titled album. The series will run each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the Easter season. Read the whole series here. This post concerns the … Continue reading
Slipping Chains
Editor’s note: This is the eighth post in our newest series, reflecting on the Hillbilly Thomists’ recent, self-titled album. The series will run each Tuesday and Thursday throughout the Easter season. Read the whole series here. This post concerns the … Continue reading
The A-Word
Here we are, deep into the season of Easter: 50 days of Sunday, a whole week of weeks to live and rejoice in the Resurrection. There are a great number of ways you might observe Easter (especially as you move … Continue reading
The Imperishable Wreath
Every two years, people from all over the earth unite to participate in one of the most internationally distinguished events in the modern world—the Olympic Games. It is amazing to see how the scope of the Games has widened since … Continue reading
The Big Plan
A few days ago, I heard a talk Bishop Robert Barron gave to the seminarians of Philadelphia. He told the graced story of the Word on Fire apostolate and gleaned from it some guiding principles for proclaiming the Gospel through … Continue reading
The Day Before Thanksgiving
The day before Thanksgiving. Sleep in. Enjoy the warmth of the bed as it keeps away the chill in your room. Stay away from the world for a little longer this morning. No job forces you from your sleepiness today. … Continue reading
An Image of Sanctity
“Why isn’t she a saint yet?” This was the reaction a classmate of mine had to seeing an image of Mother Teresa. And it makes sense. This was a woman known around the world for her charity, compassion, and love … Continue reading
Ramblin’ Men
The Allman Brothers were onto something with their lyrics, “Lord, I was born a ramblin’ man.” We are wanderers upon the earth. Why? This world is broken and, though it is filled with beauty, it is still a place of … Continue reading
Jesus Wants Your Baggage
I love flying on airplanes. As if traveling to a new destination were not exciting enough, my extroverted personality delights in being in the company of complete strangers, packed front to back in a Boeing 787. A cocktail of ginger … Continue reading
Our Heavenly Knoxville
“Son, no matter where you live or how far you may roam,Tennessee will always be your home.” This has been my dad’s mantra to me ever since I was in the crib. A South Carolinian for nearly 30 years, he … 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
To Be In That Number
“Oh, Lord, I want to be in that number, when the Saints go marching in!” Like every good New Orleanian, I always interpreted the song “When the Saints Go Marching In” as a prophecy of the impossible regarding the day … Continue reading
Angels and Afterparties
What color are an angel’s wings? White, of course. Unless they’re red, or gold, or black, or a rainbow, or any variety of shades. It seems that Christian artists through the centuries have had imaginations much more active than ours. Why bother … Continue reading