tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60379072010-04-17T20:47:07.052-05:00Inspired by C.S. Lewis' essay of the same name, this blog is a place to discuss things from the following point-of-view: every human person has a vocation to life with God. Our every encounter has an eternal significance - leading someone toward beatitude or away from it.Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.comBlogger541125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-3405999236531228072010-04-17T20:47:00.001-05:002010-04-17T20:47:07.460-05:00

This blog is now located at http://doxaweblog.blogspot.com/. You will be automatically redirected in 30 seconds, or you may click here. For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions to http://doxaweblog.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default.

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-29639796684745706132010-04-11T06:00:00.000-05:002010-04-11T11:01:51.350-05:00

Today is Divine Mercy Sunday, a time to remember in a special way the message of our Lord to St. Faustina Kowalska, a simple nun from Krakow in early part of the 20th century.When I was studying in Europe as part of a semester-abroad program in 1992, I had a chance to visit Krakow and visit the convent where Sister Faustina lived. I remember leaving from Steubenville's Austrian campus early that

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-24425187807886085052010-04-04T08:21:00.001-05:002010-04-04T08:24:03.963-05:00

From the Pope's Urbi et Orbi message on Easter Sunday:The Church is the people of the Exodus, because she constantly lives the Paschal Mystery and disseminates its renewing power in every time and place. In our days too, humanity needs an “exodus”, not just superficial adjustment, but a spiritual and moral conversion. It needs the salvation of the Gospel, so as to emerge from a profound crisis,

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-19737442517283483752010-04-04T06:31:00.000-05:002010-04-03T23:40:24.112-05:00

From Pope Benedict XVI's homily at the Easter Vigil:...Let us reflect for a moment: what would it really be like if we were to succeed, perhaps not in excluding death totally, but in postponing it indefinitely, in reaching an age of several hundred years? Would that be a good thing? Humanity would become extraordinarily old, there would be no more room for youth. Capacity for innovation would die

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-51092043156898200482010-04-03T08:00:00.001-05:002010-04-03T08:39:45.842-05:00

During the 2008 Triduum retreat for the RCIA Hollywood program, I gave this meditation:Mary, the Bread of Life, and the Mystery of Holy SaturdayToday, on Holy Saturday, Lent is over. We spend three days enveloped in the liturgy of the Triduum, and we’re right in the middle of it. It is, as T.S. Eliot once said, “the still point in the turning world” (“Burnt Norton,” II, Four Quartets). We’re at

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-209284896493335922010-04-03T06:01:00.000-05:002010-04-03T08:37:06.523-05:00

As the body is placed in the tomb, and the stone is rolled into place, a stillness covers the earth. The stillness is deceptive, for while all seems dormant, God is performing the miracle of which every other miracle is merely a sign. With Mary, we wait in stillness, and in hope.Something strange is happening – there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness. The whole

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-76397409229153083352010-04-03T06:00:00.000-05:002010-04-03T08:34:57.905-05:00

At the foot of the Cross, Mary lovingly receives the lifeless body of her Son. She kisses Him, and then gazes out at us as she holds Him. Her eyes are filled with grief but no bitterness. “This is for you,” her eyes say to us. She is the gracious hostess of the divine meal, expressing a hospitality that has cost her everything.Mary is… the Mother of Mercy because it is to her that Jesus entrusts

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-14498614307779986022010-04-02T06:01:00.000-05:002010-04-02T07:09:54.317-05:00

“There is no one left, Jesus,” mocks Gesmas the thief. A moment of profound aloneness follows, when Jesus does not experience even the Father’s love. Satan now attempts to strip Christ of His relationship with the Father. But when Jesus cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Satan is furious. No one bothers to cry out to one who is not listening. The cry of Jesus, desolate as it

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-38338741692699387292010-04-02T06:00:00.000-05:002010-04-02T07:08:45.476-05:00

John the Beloved watches as the body of Christ is elevated on the Cross. He remembers the words of the Master as He elevated the unleavened bread: “This is my body… do this in memory of me.” The Supreme Teacher does not want us to forget that love is self-offering, and so the meal He asks us to share, again and again until the end of time, takes the very shape of His sacrifice.Christ’s blood

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-58658055125408511162010-04-01T18:01:00.000-05:002010-04-02T07:07:53.377-05:00

The climb to Calvary is complete; a moment’s rest awaits. But the humiliation continues, as the guards strip Jesus of His garments. He is left naked, exposed, vulnerable. But this is the very form of love, the trustful abandonment of all defenses. Unlike Adam, who, in his nakedness, hid himself in fear, the New Adam does not seek to cover Himself. He has no one to fear: God is His loving Father.

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-48331156288771574992010-04-01T18:00:00.000-05:002010-04-02T07:06:55.337-05:00

Jesus suffers another fall. In His eyes, it is not cause for despair, but only another invitation to heroic love, to a rising above the situation. Love does not stop to measure or complain, but presses on to fulfillment.That voice you hear within you: ‘What a heavy yoke you have freely taken upon yourself!’ … is the voice of the devil; the heavy burden… of your pride.Ask our Lord for humility,

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-16260658301193386522010-03-31T18:41:00.000-05:002010-03-31T18:47:25.041-05:00

Jesus calls out to the women: “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, weep rather for yourselves and for your children.” Sometimes our sorrow is misdirected. We grieve because of the failings of others. Pointing out the faults of others may leave us in the pleasant shade of our own complacency, but this is a false redemption. We must call to mind the task given not to others, but to

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-41349489250315770832010-03-31T18:39:00.000-05:002010-03-31T18:40:52.844-05:00

Jesus falls again, this time from weariness. His heart is not weary, but His body can only bear so much. There is no reluctance, only fatigue. For us, however, the two go hand in hand: when we tire of our pilgrimage, we seek escape. Discouragement urges us to turn away. But the only real failure, we must remember, would be to give up completely. No matter how many times we may stumble, and no

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-89382661252679681612010-03-30T17:50:00.000-05:002010-03-30T21:58:07.468-05:00

Veronica boldly steps forward to offer some relief. No one stops her: the guards are too consumed with the chaos of the crowds. Jesus accepts this gesture gratefully, and wipes His Face on her cloth. The cloth receives the imprint of the New Adam. We, too, received that imprint when the waters of baptism poured down on us. In the veil of Veronica, we see, as in a mirror, our true selves and our

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-89298093886335479412010-03-30T17:45:00.000-05:002010-03-30T21:55:28.873-05:00

Curiosity leads Simon of Cyrene to peer through the crowd, hoping for a glance at the spectacle. What he does see fills him with revulsion: I have nothing to do with this. And yet suddenly a Roman soldier pulls him right into the center of this moment. Simon is no longer a spectator, but an intimate participant in the way of the Cross. And as he bears the Cross with Jesus, he comes to realize

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-61407159972460099502010-03-29T18:35:00.000-05:002010-03-29T20:31:55.031-05:00

From the midst of a sea of angry, fearful faces, the Mother appears, her eyes tender, vulnerable, and heartbroken. “I’m here,” she says; nothing more is needed. What else could we ask of a mother’s heart? Jesus meets one heart in solidarity with His own, and it is enough. He studies her face: This face I will carry with Me all the way to Golgotha. Her loving face is the certain sign of My victory

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-79611404073049360932010-03-29T17:33:00.000-05:002010-03-29T20:29:27.746-05:00

Jesus stumbles on the uneven ground, the uneven ground of our hearts. Only days earlier we were waving palms before Him, and now we are lashing Him with whips. Our human hearts are weak and uncertain, but Jesus loves us with the heart of His Father, and finds the courage to rise again. Unsteady ground will not put an end to His pilgrimage.What then is man, if you do not visit him? Remember, Lord,

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-77337046548553033692010-03-28T08:00:00.000-05:002010-03-28T18:30:54.449-05:00

The beam placed across His shoulders presses down on Him with unnatural weight. He receives the burden without even a moment of self-pity; love is self-forgetful. His eyes show resolve. He is grateful for the chance to express fully what is in His heart.The more you belong to Christ, the more grace you will obtain to be effective in this world and to be happy in eternity.But you must make up

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-1143914778718898992010-03-28T07:00:00.000-05:002010-03-28T18:29:59.932-05:00

Jesus is brought into the Praetorium. Justice is put on trial; Truth is called a liar; Love is declared hateful. All of this we do to avoid being called out of the shadow of sin. Yet somehow, in the midst of our very refusal to receive Him, He discovers a pathway into our hearts, and He determines to follow that path, knowing that it will cost Him everything.It mostly remains an impenetrable

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-11568900844451272982010-03-28T06:47:00.000-05:002010-03-28T18:28:56.211-05:00

Today we follow Jesus along the way of the Cross, hoping to learn from Him who is meek and humble of heart. After three years of teaching, His final hours are one incarnate lesson of all that He has taught—a demonstration, rather than a lecture. We follow Him attentively, to be students of His heart, that what He has done for us, we might learn to do for one another.

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-43952416385971970442010-03-28T06:45:00.000-05:002010-03-28T18:27:59.316-05:00

During these final days leading up to the Triduum, I'm going to be posting a series of meditations that I put together in 2004 after seeing The Passion of the Christ.For the complete set of meditations in various formats—PDF, audio MP3, or Flash multimedia with video clips from the film—visit my Stations of the Cross page.

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-58061750483189700272010-01-18T09:33:00.005-06:002010-01-18T10:18:35.447-06:00

I recently saw Avatar, which was -- from a visual point-of-view -- stunning in 3D. Part of the visual genius of the film is the ability to create a world that is incredible / fantastic but which becomes credible to the viewer... the visual effects did not distract or call attention to themselves.From the perspective of story, however, and especially from the perspective of spirituality, I found

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-79156878484878122002010-01-01T17:26:00.002-06:002010-01-01T17:31:55.008-06:00

Before the octave of Christmas draws to a close, here is a short excerpt from Pope Benedict's Urbi et Orbi address on Christmas Day:The light of that first Christmas was like a fire kindled in the night. All about there was darkness, while in the cave there shone the true light “that enlightens every man” (Jn 1:9). And yet all this took place in simplicity and hiddenness, in the way that God

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-64060588285671983262009-11-29T13:39:00.005-06:002009-11-29T14:11:30.355-06:00

I've re-posted my Advent calendar for 2009... and the first door will open on Tuesday, December 1.If you'd like to add this Advent calendar to your website, you can copy and paste the code below:You can change the height and width as needed to make it fit on your site.NOTE: Since Advent actually starts today, I've posted a short animation for the First Sunday of Advent here.

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6037907.post-59606644751240241672009-11-26T10:52:00.003-06:002009-11-26T11:00:44.051-06:00

Greg Smisek, who publishes an e-newsletter for young adults on Catholic events and news in the Twin Cities, included a short article this week about the new translation of the Roman Missal. I'm reprinting it today, in honor of Thanksgiving Day.Have a blessed Thanksgiving!Last week at their fall meeting, the U.S. Bishops approved the last of the texts of the long-awaited English translation of the

Claytonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442791960391683444noreply@blogger.com0