Tag Archives: mindfulness

St. Anselm’s “Proslogion”

St. Anselm wrote one of the most foundational proofs for God’s existence, but unlike contemporary thinkers, Anselm humbly accepted that he could not understand everything about the universe. Today, we explore Anselm’s fundamental argument for the existence of God.

Narnia and Lord of the Rings on ‘being Dangerous’

Today, we’re often afraid of that which is “dangerous.” We prefer to stick to the comfortable, recognizable. Such beliefs were not the notion of the two most famous Inklings, who used the word much more deliberately.

Reflection on Sunday’s Reading (12/13/20)

“Do not quench the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19) Oftentimes, when captivated, our minds press us forward, leading us as though under a trance. Something encourages us to act and we respond without hesitation. But then, we stop. Our mind orders us that our current movement is but mere folly, that we are acting rashly. WeContinue reading “Reflection on Sunday’s Reading (12/13/20)”

Blog – Moments

For the first time in months, I can say, without hesitation, that I am busy.⁣⁣Busy.⁣⁣The word has such a nagging tone to it. It calls to mind the running of errands, the doing of taxes, and the sweeping of floors.⁣⁣But as I reflect upon all the busyness of the past few weeks, I am remindedContinue reading “Blog – Moments”

Eucharistic Renaissance

Like most people reading this blog, I can recall those moments in childhood when my mother would announce, “it’s time to go to Mass!” and would be met with a chorus of groans from the family. It wasn’t so long ago that I found myself dreading the early morning wake ups that characterized my Sundays.⁣⁣ButContinue reading “Eucharistic Renaissance”

Blog: Silence

For the past two weeks, the managers of this account of have been reading Shūsaku Endō’s Silence, a novel that chronicles the lives of European missionaries’ journey to a largely anti-Catholic Japan. The book is raw, haunting, and at times, saddening. Readers find not the typical hagiography of a martyred saint, but rather the frustratingContinue reading “Blog: Silence”

The Jesus Prayer

“𝘗𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨.”⁣⁣-1 Thessalonians 5:17⁣⁣⁣⁣This ancient edict of Paul, to pray continuously throughout our lives, seems at first, daunting. “The Prayer” or the “Jesus Prayer” was the Church’s answer to this command.⁣⁣⁣⁣Most commonly practiced in the Eastern Orthodox circles of Christianity, the Jesus Prayer is a simple invocation that’s repeated throughout one’s day:⁣⁣⁣⁣“𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭,Continue reading “The Jesus Prayer”

Catholic Mindfulness

What is one thing we can do right now to put mindfulness into practice?

For a Catholic who is trying to figure out what this has to do with their interior life, I usually tell people – when you go to Mass or you go to Adoration, before praying, start off spending five minutes just being present in your body, and just feel with your senses your own breath. Pay attention to what’s actually happening right now in this moment. That will prepare you to be present with God’s Body – the Eucharist – or whatever is specifically happening in the prayer.

We often just try to go right into our prayers, as life goes on in the background of our mind. But we can stop that process by refocusing on the senses in the present moment.