Unearned Luck

Photo by Ewelina Karezona Karbowiak on Unsplash The monthly meeting occurred, and, like has happened for the past four or five months, the discussion focused on the problems with the United States and the Church using Anthony Esolen’s Out of the Ashes as a starting point. This month, though, the participants were charged with finding a solution. Beginning with Ireland’s referendum vote on May 25th, within three minutes and after a question about the lack of quality catechesis being ultimately to blame for the direction that vote took, the discussion switched to school shootings. How each person responded was predictable, since it was how each person has always responded. The gentleman, who blames the media and the pervasiveness of electronic devices, blamed the media and the pervasiveness of electronic devices. The gentleman, who blames the atmosphere of children’s competitive sports, blamed the atmosphere of children’s competitive sports. The gentleman, who shows up o...

Photo by Tom Roberts on Unsplash Masks are how we protect ourselves or so someone said a long time ago. We wear masks, so others won't come to know the person we perceive ourselves to be. "I don't want you to discover the monster I truly am, so I will pretend to be a jewel around you." That's how it often goes, right? Social media is a great place to observe this. No one ever posts who they really are. The vast majority post who they would like to be. A few post the monsters they believe themselves to be. All of them want someone else to acknowledge the illusion as reality. For example, a Catholic on Twitter tweeted a list of the saints to whom he prays at the end of each rosary he prays and that was it. He didn't ask for feedback or a response of any kind. Why? How are his personal prayer habits relevant to me? Doesn't this seem to violate Christ's injunction to close the door of your room, when you pray ( Matthew 5:5-6 )? Was he trying...