Category Archives: christianity

Remarks delivered at the University of Dallas Due Santi Campus, 1/4/09

for Marilyn Walker and the Collegium Cantorum The University of Dallas isn’t really a place, but a spirit. Some want to say the spirit is that of critical inquiry, or that it stems from a vision of the one true Church. The truth might be simpler than that: it could be just wanting to share, …

January 6, 2009 – 10:57 am | By ashok | Posted in christianity, education | Tagged | Comments (0)

The Divine Comedy: Commentary on the Book of Jonah

for Joshua Rocks and Paul Drozdowski 1: 1-4 – Jonah is told by God to go to Nineveh and “cry out against it.” The wickedness of Nineveh has “come up before” the Lord. So Jonah does what anyone would do if told by God to do something. He pays for passage on a boat to …

February 18, 2008 – 8:43 pm | By ashok | Posted in christianity | Tagged | Comments (8)

A Non-Catholic’s Guide To Catholicism: On Scripture and Tradition

Why am I writing this post? I’ve run into about 92834792749729729 people the past few days that need basics reviewed – basics of history, basics of religion, etc. I mean, I’m not perfect, I need basics reviewed too. But I kinda want to throw a feeler out there to see what people know about / …

November 18, 2007 – 6:33 am | By ashok | Posted in christianity, education | Tagged | Comments (3)

On Iconography

Links: Samples of Icons by a Contemporary Iconographer Blog of a Contemporary Iconographer Thoughts: The Cathedral was a place where the illiterate peasants would learn of the Divine not through speech, for Mass was said in Latin, and certainly not through reading, but through the images that surrounded them on all sides. The West overthrew …

October 15, 2007 – 6:02 pm | By ashok | Posted in christianity | Tagged , | Comments (3)

On The Beatitudes and The Commandments

Way too long, but old and lying around and I thought I’d repost it. The arguments get very confused at the end. We have both Beatitudes and Commandments handed down to us in the Bible. Since Jesus proclaims in Matthew 5:17 that He has not “come to abolish the law or the prophets… but to …

August 8, 2007 – 9:57 pm | By ashok | Posted in christianity | Tagged | Comments (2)

Industry and Divinity: On Hopkins’ "God’s Grandeur"

God’s Grandeur Gerard Manley Hopkins The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; And all is seared with …

May 31, 2007 – 2:57 pm | By ashok | Posted in christianity, poetry | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Remembrance

for Rachael The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” – Genesis 4:6-7, before Cain kills …

April 8, 2007 – 7:16 pm | By ashok | Posted in christianity, politics | Tagged | Comments (1)

From Love to God: On Hopkins’ "As kingfishers catch fire…"

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies draw flame… Gerard Manley Hopkins As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme; As tumbled over rim in roundy wells Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell’s Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name; Each mortal thing does one thing and the same: Deals out …

April 4, 2007 – 4:45 am | By ashok | Posted in christianity, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (13)

The Virtues of Selflessness

I saw Bruce Almighty last night, and it seemed to make a pretty powerful case for selflessness as regards prayer. The case rests on two main contentions: 1. Things given that are not worked for or reflected on are things abused, as we fall in love with the fact of having power simply, and do …

March 18, 2007 – 1:31 pm | By ashok | Posted in christianity, movies | Tagged | Comments (0)