Just today my wife and I were discussing people who get married just so they can be “not alone” and how, in the end, those marriages never worked.  It was, surely, no coincidence that just earlier in the day I had read this from Dietrich von Hildebrand’s Transformation in Christ (and yes, I’m finally only a few pages from finishing it):

True self-surrender … implies that we are entirely centered upon the object in which we lose ourselves.  The value of that which holds us, and by no means the pleasure of being held, dominates our consciousness.  One who seeks that pleasure for its own sake errs just as they do who yearn for the thrill of love rather than thinking of the beloved person, and hence never attain real love at all.

There is no point in our longing to lose ourselves in general.  What we should long for is exclusively to lose ourselves in Christ.  Let us never forget that, though an intense love or enthusiasm as such is undoubtedly a great experience and a fine sight, its value essentially depends on whom or what we love; on the person or thing that evokes our enthusiasm.

I once proposed a paper for my senior English thesis dealing with the role of organized religion in an individualistic society.  I was told that the modern society was not individualistic but rather formed of a series of group-think and peer-pressure groups.  Lo these many years since, and look where we have come.

It is, perhaps, a bit over-the-top.  It might even be called pessimistic.  But it’s also thought-inducing.

Fr. Daren has a good chunk of an answer here.  Hint:  it’s not just them, it’s us too.  Here’s part of it:

Too often have we distanced ourselves from their questions, giving them only a cursory answer and backing down when they have disagreed with our reasoning. We have not often given them enough, a thorough, well-reasoned argument. Too often have we shied away from demonstrating the illogical argumentation of the world, which has frequently clouded their own logic.

For the Catholic and/or book geek.  Reports are Pope Benedict XVI has finished work on the manuscript of the second book in his study in Christology.  If it is anything like his Jesus of Nazareth it’s sure to move the world of Catholic Biblical scholarship, from the scholar to the average person in the pew.

For the tech geek.  Dom Bettinelli posted on the new technology mashup he and a coworker put together for the Diocese of Boston as they participate in the March for Life in Washington DC.  Now that is putting technology to good use.

Yes, it’s cheating, but I’ve had these tabs hanging around my Firefox window without posting about them for far too long.  Since my chief New Year’s resolution is to stop my constant procrastinating (an extension of my “just stop being 5 minutes late for everything” initiative) now is as good a time as any to git ‘er done.

First, Fr. Philip Neri Powell in light of the then-pending Christmas holiday (told you they were hanging around too long!) posted an excellent summation of the Nativity, what it is and why what we say we believe about it matters.  Being around it so much sometimes you forget to ask those questions…

Following that, Biblical Archaeology Review has posted a fine explanation of how Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25^th.  I’ll admit it, I always enjoy bringing this one up because it ruffles the feathers of fellow Catholics who have forgotten that traditional piety isn’t always without historical, philosophical and theological basis.

Next, Nancy Pelosi has decided to grace us with her far-wiser-than-the-Pope theological musings once again.  Really, given how smug and condescending she is I’d think she were a politician. *ahem*  Seriously though, this reminds us just how desperately we need to pray for our politicians because, among other reasons, they are a favorite target of the Enemy.

In my “quote of the week” even though it was two weeks ago, there is this post from a guest blogger for Fr. V at Adam’s Ale.  This one made me think a good long time: “Grace can’t be bought, but it appears that it still needs to be paid for.”

Finally, Fr. Z reminds us of something we all ought to know better by now: never, ever stop praying for priests.  It goes beyond without saying, but then so many of the things that do, aren’t, so we don’t.  So stop what you’re doing.  Now.  And pray. Here are some to get you started if you can’t think of anything.

There.  That took all of about 15 minutes.  All this not-procrastinating might not be so bad after all…

Assuming it turns out to be what the archaeologists hope it to be of course, that is.

The remains of a mighty Persian army said to have drowned in the sands of the western Egyptian desert 2,500 years ago might have been finally located, solving one of archaeology’s biggest outstanding mysteries, according to Italian researchers.

…it’s funny anyway.  Writing answers to faux questions about the Pope’s overture to Anglicans, Fr. Philip Powell OP writes,

4).  What are the main differences between the English translation of the Roman Rite and the rite the Anglican Use parish will use?

The Anglican Use Rite doesn’t condescend to the people by assuming that they are too stupid to know what words like “ineffable” mean.  The language is actually real English and not committee-speak designed to desacralize the liturgy with fortune cookie inanities.

There’s an old saying that goes, “if you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans”.  Old sayings almost always hang around because there is at least a glimmer of truth in them, and sometimes a lot more than a glimmer.

As I was rushing around to get out before Mass this morning I realized my shirt was rather wrinkled.  “No problem”, I said to myself, “I’ll keep my jacket on and nobody will notice, and I don’t have time to iron it.”  I should have heard the chuckling.

We went through our normal Morning Prayer – a new addition just this week (thank you, Father!) – and my plan was going swimmingly.  Then as I sat there collecting myself before Mass Father walked up the aisle looking right at me.  You know that look – the one where their eyes don’t move from you and you feel like you couldn’t possibly hide if you wanted to.  He walked right up to me and asked if I would do the readings for Mass – this is a first in this parish for me.  What was I supposed to say, “Nah, Father, my shirt’s a little wrinkled and my ego won’t allow me to be seen looking like that”?  I did my best to not look completely like a deer in the headlights, but I can virtually guarantee I failed miserably.

At this point the laughter in heaven must have been rattling the pictures.  Suffice it to say that as I proclaimed God’s Word I realized that if anyone was noticing my wrinkly shirt they were missing the point of the matter.  While it wasn’t my intention, I’m glad I had the opportunity to give God a chuckle, and two lessons were learned.  First, everyone has to let God take center stage at Mass, not just the priest.  And second, I need to give myself another five minutes in the morning from now on…