A Mother's Work is Never Done

My school, the JP II Institute, runs the Center for Cultural & Pastoral Research. One thing that the Center does is publish a quarterly online book review journal titled Humanum, and as the name suggests, it is about "'the human': what makes us human, what keeps us human, and how to rescue our humanity when this is endangered. [The aim of the journal] is to pick [its] way with discernment through the flood of publications...that claim to tell us about ourselves, about family, marriage, love, children, health, and human life."

In honour of the Month of Mary, the journal's latest quarterly review is about the meaning, challenges, and joys of motherhood, and includes an article by one of my professors, Dr. Margaret McCarthy. The article is a bit lengthy, but it's packed full of stuff about the "work-home balance" and the "un-domestication of the home," and is definitely worth the time. Check it out (and actually, the entire issue is fantastic).

A Mother's Work is Never Done

Asking And Seeing (A Testimony)

*phew* Okay, let's keep 'em coming. I was asked to give a short testimony/talk at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, my alma mater. The Gospel reading for today was from Mark 10:46-52, which depicts Bartimaeus, the blind beggar. And here we go:

There’s the old saying that goes, “Love is blind.” Ah. But here’s the truth about that saying: it’s a bunch of garbage. I know that because I know God.

The Trinity and the Family (A Testimony)

I'm baaaaack. It's been a while since I've blogged about anything - studying at the JP II Institute has filled up a lot of my time. And there's something about reading a bazillion pages of Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, and John Paul II that makes you not want to read or write anything else once you're done. I've been le tired. I blame the Fall.

But I've finished the semester and I'm back in Vancouver, resting up until August. Hopefully the blogging will pick up. As part of the Year of Faith, my pastor (of Christ the Redeemer parish in West Vancouver) has asked people to share short testimonies during Mass every so often. I lucked out and got Trinity Sunday. Here goes:

Pope Benedict XVI: We'll Miss You

He's announced that he's going to abdicate on Feb. 28th, at 8pm Rome time. Well, won't that be a birthday to remember (I'll try not to take it personally, Holy Father). I woke up today, my alarm ringing, and I was tempted to hit snooze. But the text from my friend saying that Pope Benedict XVI had decided to abdicate woke me up. Questions flooded my mind. When was the last time a pope abdicated? Was there any lead up to this announcement? How bizarre is it going to be for Conclave to be held while the previous pope is still alive? How bad is his health - what's going to happen to him once he ceases to be Pope Benedict XVI? Who could possibly succeed him? Initially, I was just stunned. Then, actually a bit upset. Then came a bit of a "well, it happened" attitude. And then sadness.

Baby Don't Hurt Me

A few weeks ago, in the midst of a little chit-chat with a friend, self-deprecating humour (I'm pretty sure this is one of the reasons we're friends, for I do the same) reared its head.

Friend: "It's a good thing nobody ends up liking me - except for my boyfriend!"
Me: "You've never been in a situation where a guy liked you but you didn't like him back?"
Friend: "Well, no, I have. But I've just been too mean to lead them on."
Me: "Wait...what? Not leading them on?...that's not being mean. That's being loving."

An Unexpected Kindness (*Minor Spoilers*)

Two weekends ago, I watched The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for a second time. After my second go-round, I give it *drumroll*...3.75 out of 5. I had a lot of fun, at times it was epic, but tone and pacing were just shy of greatness. Also, try as I might, that rock 'em sock 'em rock giant scene still just seems completely superfluous, redundant, and adds nothing to the characters or the story of The Hobbit qua film. It was just big and bombastic for no reason.

But that rock giant scene proceeds a scene with some of my favourite lines in the movie: Gandalf telling Galadriel why he chose Bilbo Baggins to round out Thorin's Company:

"Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is in the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps because I am afraid, and he gives me courage."

A Free Christmas Album For You!

Happy Advent!

A few years ago, a couple of friends and I recorded a Christmas album. Diet Tonix released their first album full of Christmas joy, entitled Figgy Pudding. We've uploaded the album to bandcamp and I've embedded it below, available for free download. There's another track that isn't included in the fancy album download immediately below, because it's a cover of a newer song that can't be uploaded to that site. So I've embedded the cover at the bottom, and you can download it separately :)

(UPDATE: The additional, embedded track below can't be downloaded anymore unless you sign up for the website. It's free, but if you don't feel like signing up and would still like the track, let me know and I'll email it your way).

Diet Tonix are:
Byron Cline: Vocals
Dylan Drego: Vocals, guitar, bass, drums, piano
Jeremy Keong (me): Vocals and piano