New Blog Address!

My friend Melissa pointed out to me that she and some others missed the fact that there is a new blog address for Blessed Is The Kingdom. For those of you who missed it, the new address is:

www.blessedisthekingdom.com

Give Me One Reason

During the past few months there has been no lack of change in my life. Things have been in perpetual transition. It just seems natural, therefore, that this blog should also undergo change.

Over the last few days my brother and I have been working to transfer this blog to a new address and format that I hope will enhance what has been a fun and enlightening endeavor over the past year.

I am grateful for the readers who have found their way here over the past twelve months and hope you will check out the new blog at
www.blessedisthekingdom.com.

I look forward to our continued conversation.

Remember the Alamo!

No trip to Texas would be complete without a trip to the Alamo. I personally prefer the Alamo Drafthouse Theatre, but we were also able to stop at the actual Alamo long enough to snap this picture. Our true destination was the San Antonio Zoo. You will probably be surprised to hear that it was a hot day, but there were enough shady spots in the zoo to make it tolerable for a couple of hours. My niece enjoyed seeing a variety of animals before we headed back to the joy that is known as air conditioning.

Continuing the Sabbath Month

Today I made a long planned trip to the post office to mail letters to some of our St. Thomas parishioners whom I have been praying for during this month of holy rest. The notes were meant to be mailed earlier this month, but better late than never I suppose. It was good to spend last week's retreat in prayer for the parish and I look forward to next week's more intensive time of prayer as we rapidly approach Celebrate! St. Thomas. It is very encouraging to see our parish taking a more intentional time to pray for one another and to listen more closely to God this month. May our relationship with him and one another continue to be strengthened in the coming year.

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Last night I went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I first began reading the series of books while assigned to Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville and I was happy that these books were so popular with children and adults alike. It soon became clear to me that not everyone shared this opinion. Many Christians were concerned the books were promoting witchcraft and acted quickly to speak against them. One of our Catholic schools in town even went so far as to ban the books from its library. It puzzled me to hear and see such actions. Had any of these people actually read the books they were condemning as anti-Christian? The themes I found repeatedly in Harry Potter were ones of friendship, loyalty, trust and most importantly the power of sacrificial love to overcome evil.

Having already completed the series of Harry Potter books, it came as no surprise to me that these themes are at the heart of the newest film. While the story line of Harry Potter is not explicitly Christian, there are many themes that Christians can easily recognize as our own. Harry and his friends are called upon over and again to trust those they love more deeply. Once again, we see the story move to a deeper level of understanding that sacrificial love is the key to defeating evil. What struck me most of all is the way both Harry and his teacher Dumbledore continue to see good in other characters who are weak and flawed, refusing to give up the hope that they can overcome their weakness.

I like Harry Potter. It is a story about friendship. It is a story about hope within the midst of darkness. More than anything else, it is a story that reminds us of just how powerful love can be when we refuse to give in to fear and replace it with courage and trust.

Cops

One early morning last week I was awakened at 5 am by a loud knocking followed by a voice shouting, "Austin Police!" Once I realized that it was indeed our door the police were knocking on, I awoke my brother to answer the door, all the while wondering what was going on. Once we opened the door the police informed us that we needed to calm down and stop fighting and shouting as it was disturbing the neighbors. The strange thing was that until they showed up with the loud knocking and shouted announcement of their presence, you could have heard a pin drop. My guess is that they responded to the wrong house as there was clearly no domestic disturbance in my brother's dark and silent house.

This short encounter with the police reminded me to be thankful for their watchful eyes, but I still hope my next meeting with them will not come quite so early in the morning.

Praying with St. Gabriel the Archangel

Today I finished writing the icon of Gabriel, well almost. There is still some gold to be burnished and the sealing of the icon in a few months, but the basic shape is there. One thing many people don't realize is that writing an icon is primarily about prayer and only secondarily about painting. Each time the iconographer sits down to work, he begins with prayer. Here is one of the prayers that can be used.

O Divine Lord of all that exists, You have illumined the Apostle and Evangelist Luke with Your Most Holy Spirit, therby enabling him to represent the Most Holy Mother, the one who held you in her arms and said: the Grace of Him Who has been born of me is spread throughout the world. Enlighten and direct our souls, our hearts, and our spirits. Guide the hands of your unworthy servants, so that we may worthily and perfectly protray Your Icon, that of Your Holy Mother, and of all the saints, for the glory, joy, and adornment of Your Holy Church.

Forgive our sins and the sins of those who will venerate these icons, and who, standing devoutly before them, give homage to those they represent. Protect them from all evil and instruct them with good counsel. This we ask through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Apostle Luke, and all the saints, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.