I am going to post St. Francis' prayer in the faculty break room and in the administration office in large type late Tuesday night. Making the cross a transaction is a tragic misunderstanding. Rather, it is Yeshua saying, wait, hold my beer - I will show you how. Abba is well pleased not by a repayment, but by the example and enactment of willing Abba's will.
Diction here is not meant to offend or trivialize. Extraordinary measures seem to be called for in this time and place. The cross is the ultimate theopoesis, performance art. And that encompasses only a sliver of its Glory.
Without having seen your comment, I unexpectedly felt called at my philosophy presentation yesterday to give a brief explication of Maximus the Confessor on the synergy of the two wills in Christ during the Passion. I wrote a series on this last year and would like to repost this Lent.
Spot on. Your theological acumen, and singular facility in its expression, has won my full and
As an established writer for WPI based in Spain (writing mainly on the history and spiritual traditions of the Camino de Santiago and European culture) I was all ready to produce a six-part series during Lent 2025 centred on the letters of Saint Clare to Saint Agnes of Prague. Then a few bullies got together in the Oval Office on a Friday afternoon and trashed the most heroic war time leader we've had in Europe since Churchill, and I wrote to the WPI Editor to cancel my proposed articles. Why? Because we are all boycotting the USA out of total disgust!
Since the infamous Oval Office event (there's no need to describe it as we all saw it) I have been listening to friends and family crying on the phone. Europe is in complete mourning for the USA that we knew in our lifetime. Yes, the "boomer" generation was the greatest bunch of supporters of the USA. Remember 9/11 ??? Oh yes, the elephant in the room. We all gave the USA total support. And we all remember where we were that day. Just as we will now always remember where we were when Trump and Vance trashed Zelensky (and all of Europe!)
Thank you for reading a U.S.-based Substack. I am so sorry for all of the suffering and sense of betrayal that you are experiencing, and with you, the whole Continent, as you describe. The support of the world was invaluable after 9/11. As a New Yorker whose high school is situated at what used to be the foot of the Towers, I felt it and remain grateful and indebted. Similarly, I felt the whole world come together after Sandy Hook, where, remarkably, I had been working right through the fall before the heinous attack.
I can understand your feelings of outrage, but may I suggest that you not allow your voice to go unheard on account of your indignation? Think of Pentecost: The Spirit of God empowers proclamation; silence is death's endgame. If you have in hand the gifts and the opportunity to give public honor to two great virgin saints, you might not want to let that glory be taken away.
There are other ways of looking at it as well, and I am confident that whatever course you choose will be best. Your project does sound worthy, and I hope that it will come to fruition, even if the time and circumstances are other than you imagined at first.
I thank you for your reply but I have little idea what you are talking about with language such as "outrage" and "indignation" attributed to me, when I am simply referring to political contradictions that need to be called out. But thanks for your enjoyment of my post!
I personally don't know anybody who isn't outraged and indignant, or at the very least, deeply grieved, at all of these events, and at their consequences for the Ukrainian people and beyond. You did say that you are "boycotting the U.S.A out of total disgust!" Outrage and indignation would have seemed a fair description, but if I spoke wrongly, I ask your forgiveness.
I cannot open your post, which owes perhaps to my technical incompetence. I hope to be able to read it soon. Even so, I made an absolute priority of writing back to you immediately (as I am doing again now, delaying both my Rosary and my bedtime), because I am indeed indebted to the gracious support of others through tragedy, and am eager to make a return on it.
I was, and remain, eager to affirm you in your good intentions to write about the saints. Their example of holiness and peace is a ray of hope in a troubled world.
Please reconsider. We need all the light we can muster in these dark times. Many of us were embarrassed and ashamed. All of us need the light to illumine our true home in the Kin-dom.
Thank you for your comment. Three years ago strong measures were taken worldwide against Putin. I'm very sorry but the USA now aligns with Russia, and many in Europe now see it as perfectly consistent to cease dealings with that country as it has chosen to operate under new rules, not international law.
There's a lot in here that's very insightful, Val. I appreciate how you brought to bear your experience, which is quite poignant. Years ago, I memorized "This Be The Verse" by Larkin; and, though it's too vulgar for my taste these days, I maintain there's something to it!
Anyway, too often gratitude and respect are "weaponized." They become tools of emotional manipulation.
That said, to my mind, gratitude and respect are, rightly understood and practiced, functions of justice (Summa Theologiae II-II, 106). We are obliged to thank, esteem, and honor those who confer benefits upon us. (Naturally, we are not obliged to traffic in flattery, falsehood, or any kind of evil on account of such benefits.) On the flip side, we are obliged by justice to bestow benefits upon those to whom we have duties, by nature, law, or election. Over and above such duties, there is liberality, which is annexed or somehow related to justice (Summa Theologiae II-II-, 117): liberality recommends that we spend more on others than on ourselves. And, of course, for the offspring of God, there is charity, which issues a yet greater call, with greater demands.
None of the above is meant as a direct comment on what occurred in the Oval Office, which was unfortunate. I haven't watched the whole thing; from what I have seen, there's blame to go around. Messy stuff, politics. Perhaps not without reason the Christians of old who held public office postponed baptism until the last moment ...
I am going to post St. Francis' prayer in the faculty break room and in the administration office in large type late Tuesday night. Making the cross a transaction is a tragic misunderstanding. Rather, it is Yeshua saying, wait, hold my beer - I will show you how. Abba is well pleased not by a repayment, but by the example and enactment of willing Abba's will.
Diction here is not meant to offend or trivialize. Extraordinary measures seem to be called for in this time and place. The cross is the ultimate theopoesis, performance art. And that encompasses only a sliver of its Glory.
Don, this is Val. What you've written is AWESOME.
Without having seen your comment, I unexpectedly felt called at my philosophy presentation yesterday to give a brief explication of Maximus the Confessor on the synergy of the two wills in Christ during the Passion. I wrote a series on this last year and would like to repost this Lent.
Spot on. Your theological acumen, and singular facility in its expression, has won my full and
undying admiration.
Val … insightful, helpful, clear and to the point.
Especially the reflection on two roads to seek after unjust, brutalizing treatment …
Praying that many external to our nation are given an opportunity to separate the performance of two leaders from the nature of many in this nation
As an established writer for WPI based in Spain (writing mainly on the history and spiritual traditions of the Camino de Santiago and European culture) I was all ready to produce a six-part series during Lent 2025 centred on the letters of Saint Clare to Saint Agnes of Prague. Then a few bullies got together in the Oval Office on a Friday afternoon and trashed the most heroic war time leader we've had in Europe since Churchill, and I wrote to the WPI Editor to cancel my proposed articles. Why? Because we are all boycotting the USA out of total disgust!
Since the infamous Oval Office event (there's no need to describe it as we all saw it) I have been listening to friends and family crying on the phone. Europe is in complete mourning for the USA that we knew in our lifetime. Yes, the "boomer" generation was the greatest bunch of supporters of the USA. Remember 9/11 ??? Oh yes, the elephant in the room. We all gave the USA total support. And we all remember where we were that day. Just as we will now always remember where we were when Trump and Vance trashed Zelensky (and all of Europe!)
https://equusasinus.substack.com/publish/posts/detail/158189613/reach
Thank you for reading a U.S.-based Substack. I am so sorry for all of the suffering and sense of betrayal that you are experiencing, and with you, the whole Continent, as you describe. The support of the world was invaluable after 9/11. As a New Yorker whose high school is situated at what used to be the foot of the Towers, I felt it and remain grateful and indebted. Similarly, I felt the whole world come together after Sandy Hook, where, remarkably, I had been working right through the fall before the heinous attack.
I can understand your feelings of outrage, but may I suggest that you not allow your voice to go unheard on account of your indignation? Think of Pentecost: The Spirit of God empowers proclamation; silence is death's endgame. If you have in hand the gifts and the opportunity to give public honor to two great virgin saints, you might not want to let that glory be taken away.
There are other ways of looking at it as well, and I am confident that whatever course you choose will be best. Your project does sound worthy, and I hope that it will come to fruition, even if the time and circumstances are other than you imagined at first.
It's Val. I don't have my own computer, and I can't reset the name which appears automatically on the comments.
I thank you for your reply but I have little idea what you are talking about with language such as "outrage" and "indignation" attributed to me, when I am simply referring to political contradictions that need to be called out. But thanks for your enjoyment of my post!
I personally don't know anybody who isn't outraged and indignant, or at the very least, deeply grieved, at all of these events, and at their consequences for the Ukrainian people and beyond. You did say that you are "boycotting the U.S.A out of total disgust!" Outrage and indignation would have seemed a fair description, but if I spoke wrongly, I ask your forgiveness.
I cannot open your post, which owes perhaps to my technical incompetence. I hope to be able to read it soon. Even so, I made an absolute priority of writing back to you immediately (as I am doing again now, delaying both my Rosary and my bedtime), because I am indeed indebted to the gracious support of others through tragedy, and am eager to make a return on it.
I was, and remain, eager to affirm you in your good intentions to write about the saints. Their example of holiness and peace is a ray of hope in a troubled world.
God bless you. -Val
With persistence, I was able to read it. I will include you in my Rosary now.
Good. Have a great evening and may your prayers come true.
Please reconsider. We need all the light we can muster in these dark times. Many of us were embarrassed and ashamed. All of us need the light to illumine our true home in the Kin-dom.
Thank you for your comment. Three years ago strong measures were taken worldwide against Putin. I'm very sorry but the USA now aligns with Russia, and many in Europe now see it as perfectly consistent to cease dealings with that country as it has chosen to operate under new rules, not international law.
There's a lot in here that's very insightful, Val. I appreciate how you brought to bear your experience, which is quite poignant. Years ago, I memorized "This Be The Verse" by Larkin; and, though it's too vulgar for my taste these days, I maintain there's something to it!
Anyway, too often gratitude and respect are "weaponized." They become tools of emotional manipulation.
That said, to my mind, gratitude and respect are, rightly understood and practiced, functions of justice (Summa Theologiae II-II, 106). We are obliged to thank, esteem, and honor those who confer benefits upon us. (Naturally, we are not obliged to traffic in flattery, falsehood, or any kind of evil on account of such benefits.) On the flip side, we are obliged by justice to bestow benefits upon those to whom we have duties, by nature, law, or election. Over and above such duties, there is liberality, which is annexed or somehow related to justice (Summa Theologiae II-II-, 117): liberality recommends that we spend more on others than on ourselves. And, of course, for the offspring of God, there is charity, which issues a yet greater call, with greater demands.
None of the above is meant as a direct comment on what occurred in the Oval Office, which was unfortunate. I haven't watched the whole thing; from what I have seen, there's blame to go around. Messy stuff, politics. Perhaps not without reason the Christians of old who held public office postponed baptism until the last moment ...