Is My Phylactery Showing?: June 2009

Commit random acts...

You've probably seen this New-Agey bumper-sticker proverb on a Eurovan in your town: "Commit random acts of kindness and senseless beauty."

I think I've mentioned before that a coworker of mine had this as a screen saver. While she was away from her desk, I changed it to "Commit random and senseless acts." I don't think she thought it was funny.

To me, at the time, it seemed like an invitation to trivial, feel-good efforts. Now, the statement seems to suggest that our charitable acts should stem solely from some spontaneous emotional impulse and not some deep-seated moral investment.

It's not the message people on our culture need.

Jun

New Iconography for Tabernacle

When the daily chapel at St. John's was remodeled last year, there was some debate about where the tabernacle was going to go. A significant contingent insisted on moving it to a new adoration chapel. An equally significant contingent pressed to keep it in its original place. The latter got there wish. However, the tabernacle itself wasn't much to look at anymore. It looked like a little cupboard with a bit of Mother of Pearl around the edge.

Jun

Blogging from a Palm Pre

Not the easiest thing to do.

UPDATE: Here's the awesome device of which I speak.

I'm currently listening to a mix of the Pandora radio stations I've set up. The sound quality is fantastic, and I can plug it into the little cassette adapter to listen to Pandora in my van.

No, it's not 8-track adapter, and the van isn't a Dodge with shag carpeting in the back.

Anyway, it's quite cool. I'm still learning how to use it. One advantage it has over th iPhone is that it does multitasking.

Jun

Blogger Malfunction?

Anyone know why Ironic Catholic and Korrektiv seem to be offline (at least for me)? I'm wondering if IE 8 is blocking them for some reason.

BTW, please keep Jane O'Hannigan and the rest of the O'Hannigan clan in your prayers.

Jun

Reminders

I've been meaning to post photos but have been a bit busy with Servant School matters. We completed our first year (aspirancy, for those of us seeking diaconal ordination) with a retreat over the weekend. So far, I haven't had a weekend without something going on related to work or deacon formation. Busy, busy.

Anyway, one thing a traveler to Israel will encounter are reminders of the War of Independence and of the current tensions, even if you're no where close to the Palestinian territories.

Jun

Prayer Request

Ever since I was a six-year-old on my Schwinn in a highway-patrol uniform, handing out tickets on Fairchild Air Force Base (made out on an office phone-message pad), I have wanted to be a cop. For various reasons, that dream never took flight. However, I recently (okay, recent as in six months ago) applied for reserve officer positions for a couple of local law enforcement agencies. The week before I left for Israel, I was contacted by one to schedule an oral board.

Jun

Thunk.

My head, hitting the desk.

I landed back in Boise yesterday following a 21-hour flight from Israel that began at 12:30 AM. Having slept some on the longest leg, I thought I would be just fine until bedtime. That, however, turned out to be 5:00 PM yesterday, and I managed to sleep (with occasional moments of consciousness) until 6:30 this morning. I knew I was wiped from the trip, but I had no idea I was that exhausted. Still feeling it a bit.

Jun

Oy, weh!

While I love my opportunities to travel here to Israel, I don't travel anywhere particularly well. The biggest casualty is sleep. I always wake up around 3:30 or 4:00 AM. If I don't have to be somewhere early, it's not a big deal because I can go back to sleep eventually. However, if I have to be "on corporate time," I'm usually wiped by the middle of the trip. Count today as a wipe day. Tomorrow, I'm sleeping in.

Jun

My Trial at the Lion's Gate

If you're familiar with scripture, you might remember the passage in John 5:2 concerning the pool by the Sheep Gate. This gate (also formerly called St. Stephen's Gate) is now known (and has since the 16th century) as the Lion's Gate. It's just up the hill from Gethsemane and is along the Via Dolorossa.

Anyway, as I made my way up toward the gate, I encountered my most formidable obstacle in the entire time I have been in the Holy Land—a gaggle of Arab school girls.

Is My Phylactery Showing?

Faithful Catholic or modern-day pharisee? Sometimes I might be a bit of both.