Today was an encouraging day, even though I'm entirely too tired (from having a cold). I like these kinds of days. I like simple conversation over coffee and biscotti, and prayer of two vastly different forms within the day (book of common prayer and extemporaneous, charismatic prayer). I like thoughtful discussions and disagreeing well. I like found cameras. I am blessed to be reminded that I somehow reflect the Lord's glory. I like conversations over lunch about graduate school and church background and other such things. I like whirlwind tours of the thought of Freud, Lacan, Cixous (with background on Descartes and Kant) and second half of class movie watching. I'm learning to appreciate, perhaps. Dr. Pearse's teasing brand of humor, and am fascinated by the Catholic Reformation. I'm also really enjoying what I've read so far of Letters to a Young Catholic, especially its discussions of G.K. Chesterton and Flannery O'Connor. And I have far too much to do, that I'm ceaselessly putting off, but I feel some kind of joy--for friendship (what an impossibly wonderful gift!), and the binding nature of the Church's (or Christian holy people's) identification and reception of the Holy Spirit, and how this binds us together in such deep, unsearchable richness and compassion. I like these graspings of the hope and joy of the Lord.

Medieval Theology...pt. 1

From the Writings of Thomas a Kempis:

If your heart were right, then every created thing would be a mirror of life for you and a book of holy teaching, for there is no creature so small and worthless that it does not show forth the goodness of God.

Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if you prepare a fit dwelling for Him in your heart, whose beauty and glory, wherein He takes delight, are all from within. His visits with the inward man are frequent, His communion sweet and full of consolation, His peace great, and His intimacy wonderful indeed.

Nothing so mars and defiles the heart of man as impure attachment to created things.

How dry and hard you are without Jesus! How foolish and vain if you desire anything but Him!

The man who lives without Jesus is the poorest of the poor...

Let all things be loved for the sake of Jesus, but Jesus for His own sake.

In the cross is salvation, in the cross is life, in the cross is protection from enemies, in the cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the cross is strength of mind, in the cross is joy of spirit, in the cross is highest virtue, in the cross is perfect holiness.

Let it be granted me to find You alone, O Christ, to open to You my whole heart, to enjoy You as my soul desires, to be disturbed by no one, to be moved and troubled by no creature, that You may speak to me and I to You alone, as a lover speaks to his loved one, and friend converses with friend.

You in truth are my Beloved, chosen from thousands, in Whom my soul is happy to dwell all the days of her life. You are in truth my pledge of peace, in Whom is the greatest peace and true rest, without Whom there is toil and sorrow and infinite misery.

You truly are the hidden God.