Neuroplasticity? The Church was way ahead of the curve on that one, too: The beginning of a New Year—and a new decade—is an an excellent time to try something new. As you make your list of resolutions and goals I want to recommend adding a simply [sic] four step process that could transform your life… Continue reading How to Change Your Mind
Category: Commonplace Book
Is Google Making Us Stupid?
Blah blah Internets blah blah easily distracted changing the way we think ooo linky to Amazon blah blah hold on let’s read this more carefully (emphasis added): The idea that our minds should operate as high-speed data-processing machines is not only built into the workings of the Internet, it is the network’s reigning business model… Continue reading Is Google Making Us Stupid?
Bob the Trousered Ape: Taking erudition to the next level
If Shakespeare had an MBA: O Muse, reach out to me –we’ll synergize; Auditors, patience, while I break down silos: I’ll tee it up, like Nestor lord of Pylos, And impact you with lore to utilize….
How December 25 Became Christmas
Hint: it wasn’t an attempt to co-opt solar festivals: Christmas, the argument goes, is really a spin-off from these pagan solar festivals. According to this theory, early Christians deliberately chose these dates to encourage the spread of Christmas and Christianity throughout the Roman world: If Christmas looked like a pagan holiday, more pagans would be… Continue reading How December 25 Became Christmas
St. Jude and the Shroud of Turin
This is SO COOL: A third century Syrian text mentions a cloth that is associated with the miraculous cure of King Abgar V, ruler of Edessa (13-59 A.D.), now called Urfa, in southeastern Turkey. This story was translated almost verbatim by Eusebius, bishop of Caesarea, in his Ecclesiastical History in 325 A.D. …Thaddeus brought a… Continue reading St. Jude and the Shroud of Turin
Pope calls Catholics to daily meditation on the Bible
“…it is important to reserve a certain time each day for meditation on the Bible so that the Word of God will be the lamp that illuminates our daily path on earth.” Plus comments on scholasticism
A list of lists
1. Jen: 20 Things I learned in my week without my computer 2. Fr. Thomas Hopko: 55 Maxims for Christian Living
The Name that puts out dread
If you think the name “Jesus” continually, it purges your sin and kindles your heart; it clarifies your soul, it removes anger and does away with slowness. It wounds in love and fulfills charity. It chases the devil and puts out dread. It opens heaven, and makes you a contemplative. It puts all vices and… Continue reading The Name that puts out dread