Son of Bosco

I was never insane except...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:04:00 +0000

Found this image on Tumblr and really liked it.

If you think about it, shouldn't insanity be somewhat of a way to express how we're supposed to feel when we have encountered God? There's even a Bible passage where people thought the Apostles were all drunk because they were excitedly speaking in tongues about God.

They were all astounded and bewildered, and said to one another, “What does this mean?” But others said, scoffing, “They have had too much new wine.” (Acts 2:12-13)

When our hearts are touched, we do some silly or stupid things. When was the last time you did something silly for Christ? Have you ever surprised someone with your Christian actions?

I find it amusing that people think it strange that they find me so joyful while being Catholic. It confuses them because they think we're supposed to be this :

While we DO make sure that we remember our sins and ask forgiveness, we're also joyful and excited because we know sin is not the end. Punishment is not the end. We have Christ We have a loving, merciful, forgiving Father who wants nothing but the very best for us! We have the Holy Spirit desiring to dwell within our hearts out of pure love.

What's our response?
It can't be simplified : awe, wonder, excitement mixed with a dash of fear (good fear), and your heart beats fast. All you can do is smile. And in today's world, a smile can be confusing to others. Make'em wonder...

It's that gut feeling you have when you're about to go over that first fall on a roller coaster... excitement, and trepidation, but knowing you're safe and you return to excitement.

All of these point to one thing : Insanity - go insane - love like crazy, let people think you're nuts. And when they ask, say. "I'm in LOVE!" They'll let you off the hook. Then tell them who you're in love with, and they'll call you crazy again.

Let 'em. They don't know. They don't understand.

But if they stick around long enough, they might catch it too.
And that's precisely what's supposed to happen.

That's Evangelization.

What's the craziest thing you've done for Christ?

My arsenal in the attack against Monday.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:01:00 +0000

Let's DO this!

Inclusion Awareness Sunday 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:03:00 +0000

Recently, I attended an Inclusion Representative meeting for Pathways to Awareness, an organization that educates and assists parish communities to be as accessible as possible for people of all abilities and disabilities. You can find their website at www.InclusionInWorship.org. I had actually heard about the organization a few years ago when I taught religious education to a class of deaf children at a parish. It was an extremely humbling experience! Pathways provided a grant to the parish religious education program to pay for me to have a sign interpreter in my classroom. I taught the class and the interpreter signed everything. These children (ages 8-18) needed catechesis so badly! At the same time, the parents needed to learn the signs that we were teaching so we made it a family catechesis class in which the parents of the students could be in the classroom as well. When they were confirmed two years later, we had a local priest who knows sign language come to the Mass and sign the Mass for us. It was something so new and exciting for the kids!

On another note, my brother has Down Syndrome and just made his first reconciliation and first Communion. He was included in the “typical” class and had a little extra help from family to make sure that he made his own first communion with the rest of his friends and parish family.

Cardinal George has released his letter about Inclusion Awareness Sunday in which he says...

Read the rest at the Peter and Paul Ministries Blog

Freelance Whales "Diluvia" has arrived!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 01:45:00 +0000

My new Freelance Whales album arrived today! It's called Diluvia! Let's see what's inside!!

You can stream it live at http://www.freelancewhales.com/stream/

Mumford and Sons came today!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:52:00 +0000

My Mumford and Sons Album came today!

I figured that I'd do a video instead of a bunch of all capital letters and a gazillion exclamation points...

Oppa Doctor Style!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 00:45:00 +0000

Couldn't help myself...

The Doctor DOES need to pop out of the Tardis with this on...

I'd keel over..

Doctor Who Destroyed My Worldview

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 04:59:00 +0000

The 10th Doctor : I miss him

Since I've started watching Doctor Who, and this is going to sound somewhat cheesy and silly, but my entire worldview was shattered and reconfigurated into a cosmological timey-whimey view. It started cracking when I read C.S. Lewis' space trilogy (Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, That Hideous Strength) but the Doctor finished it off.

This post was inspired by a mixture of a conversation some online friends and I were having about Pope Benedict and watching Doctor Who at the same time.

I mentioned that it was fascinating to me how I've never met some of my online friends yet a random German man I've never met and a Jew that lived thousands of years ago unite us. Add the internet and social media to the mix and it gets even better! Space and Time collapse (to a certain degree) on the internet. This conversation is taking place in at least 4 separate locations (spread out over distance thus time) and things that Christ did 2000 years ago affect us right now. They affected people that led up to a little German boy named Josef and in turn a relationship with Him (just like an encounter with the Doctor) changed him for eternity (even more so when he was ordained).

And the way we're all connected is mind blowing. The "Turn Left" episode where Donna went back in time to make sure she turned left made me realize just how important each and every individual and our actions can be in the cosmological sense. We are One Body in Christ - what we do, our good and bad actions affect the entire world. Doctor Who obliterated insignificance.

If ONE person down the line decided to turn away from Christ completely, our good Pope may not be the one we know. But then again, God is always in control yet His will can be divided up like Time is divided up === Some points in time "fluctuate" - God's will is contingent on what we choose. But some points are "time locked" - that is, they'll happen regardless - God's "absolute" will (such as end time stuff).

Which reminds me of something I read in Confessions (I think) about how everything we do affects both the future and the past. I'll have to re-look that one up. But it kinda' sorta makes sense...

It's all just so fascinating to me.

It's over...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:03:00 +0000

This past weekend I finished up Battlestar Galactica. I was able to stream it on Netflix.

This was basically me:

simply WOW.

I absolutely loved it. I haven't been so engrossed in a TV show since Pushing Daisies.I recommend it to anyone who loves good storytelling!

That's all.

My Beard is an X-Wing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:14:00 +0000

#NewFindFriday - Walk in Gutters

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:20:00 +0000

Found this in a batch of downloads from my new favorite magazine - Relevant. If you don't have a subscription, you need to get one.

This week's find is a duo called "Feather and Belle" with their song "Walk in Gutters." Such an awesome sound. It reminds me of Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner". I could only remember "duh duh duh duh..." and "I was sitting in a diner" and so I searched YouTube for those phrases and actually found that others were doing the same search!

Anywho, here ya goes:

What new music have you discovered lately?

Because it's so hot : I Followed Fires - Matthew & the Atlas

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:34:00 +0000

I'm pretty much obsessed with this song. Everything about it screams awesome. The banjo, the voice, the percussion. (oh wait, have to hit replay for the bazillionth time. I think that YouTube count is off.)

I still believe that the banjo is my soul instrument. Which instrument do you think your soul sounds like?

Stayin' Alive In The Wall on MashUp Monday!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 20:09:00 +0000

The End of America? The HHS Mandate's Threat to Freedom

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:43:00 +0000

When A Tree Falls In The Woods.... What happens?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 17:57:00 +0000

Inside My Head

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 01:49:00 +0000

This is me all the time.

(found on Facebook)

My thoughts about today's Monday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:33:00 +0000

I'm now an addict...

I just got started with this show and I'd much rather be at home watching it than the task I'm doing at the moment.

#MashupMonday Double Feature

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 15:15:00 +0000

Last week I began #MashupMonday. Then a friend of mine dropped this one on me and I was absolutely blown away at the epicness involved in this video.

Rolling in the beats (live mashup) from Ithaca Audio on Vimeo.

Then we have this old and new mashup with two 80's hits and one from today:

David Guetta & Sia – Titanium
The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)
Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning

What's your #MashupMonday song? Drop a link in da' combox!

Find of the Week Friday : Plan B's "Prayin'"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:32:00 +0000

Many times I get lost in my own bubble and fail to recognize the hurt and fear of others. As much as there is the beauty of salvation and hope in the Christ, there's the ugliness of sin and fear in a life without Christ.
I came across the song this week and had to share. The song, "Prayin'" by Plan B, a UK emcee and actor, is from Plan B's concept album called The Defamation of Strickland Banks.

Wikipedia talks about the background story for the album :

The album tells the story from the first-hand perspective of Strickland Banks, a fictional character played by Plan B. The album's opening tracks, "Love Goes Down" and "Writing's on the Wall", are love songs sung by Strickland Banks at a concert, and are likely to be about his girlfriend, to whom he refers later in the album. "Stay Too Long" follows him and his entourage as they celebrate the success of his concert with a night out which culminates in him having a one night stand with a woman. In "She Said" we learn that this woman is obsessed with his music and believes herself to be in love with him. He rejects her so she alleges that he raped her. The subsequent trial results in his incarceration, and in "Welcome to Hell" he is sent to prison, and much of the rest of the album is about his experience inside. Throughout the course of the songs "Hard Times" and "The Recluse" we see Strickland get more isolated and insecure throughout as he struggles to cope with prison life. This results in his abuse at the hands of other prisoners, resulting in him purchasing a shiv on the prison black market throughout the course of "Traded In My Cigarettes". In "Prayin'" he is confronted by another prisoner who attacks him. With the help of another inmate Strickland kills the attacker in self-defence, with the other inmate taking the blame, and is burdened with this guilt during "Darkest Place". The next two tracks, "Free" and "I Know A Song" detail initially his anger, then his acceptance of his life inside prison. The last track, "What You Gonna Do" Strickland is in court again as new evidence has been brought up on his case. The album finishes with the listener not sure of whether he is sent back to prison or released, leaving it open to interpretation.

The song talks about a man with guilt heaved on top of him and he's got nowhere to go. He's lost and afraid and starts "Prayin" for the Lord to take away the guilt and help heal him. He was given a moment to chose grace and turn toward Him to plead for help from his Savior. It's Psalm 57:2 in action - " I will cry to God most high; to God that performs all things for me." We turn to God when we are in most need. It almost seems natural. But, what if he didn't know he could do that? He felt that the only way to get rid of the guilt and shame was to ask the Lord to pull him out of his situation, but some people either don't want God's help because they feel ashamed, because they feel He can't do anything, or because they just don't believe in Him.

My heart breaks for these people and I pray for those who feel up against a wall with nowhere to go. Christ is always there and all we have to do is ask Him to transform us into what we were created to be. He wants us whole and mourns those moments that we decide to leave Him behind and do our own thing. But He is SO in love with us that no matter what we do, He will forgive us.
The guilt might be difficult to work through, but it CAN be worked through with Christ as our strength.

Raskolnikov

Although the character in "Prayin" is innocent, the song reminds me of Dostoevsky's Raskolnikov of Crime and Punishment. Raskolnikov becomes paranoid and terrified of everything and everyone due to the murder he commited. He was trying to be a "modern man" that is able to live without guilt or shame but just can't do it and eventually... well... just read the story, it's a good one.

So please remember to pray for those who are blocked from Christ due to someone's poor example of love and compassion or blocking Christ out of their lives because of whatever reason and they do have a reason! We cannot believe that everyone should be on our spiritual level all the time. It just doesn't work like that. We're all coming from some experience that might lead us closer or further away from Christ's love. We must be able to analyze the situation, the person we're talking to, and realize that we all have to work on our spiritual life and continue to grow in holiness each day.

I, myself, felt abandoned by Christ and His Church at times but realized that I can't let the Human side of the Church dominate and obscure my view of the Divine side of the Church, the Body of Christ on earth. We may feel that the Church judges us, but just as a parent will tell us if we're headed in the right direction or not, the Church does the same thing in love. The Church - that is, the Divine nature - is always looking out for what's best for us. It can be hard to accept some of what she says, but we must trust her because she is guided by God, The Holy Spirit, Himself.

God's love surpasses and reaches us despite our faults and failings and we have to share that love with everyone so that when people like the imaginary Strickland Banks has nowhere else to go, he'll have the tiny seed of faith to cry out to his God. Be the light of Christ for those who are hurting. But don't shine so much light that it blinds. Sharing the faith can be tricky. Elizabeth Leseur wrote :

"To learn from the Heart of Jesus the secret of love for souls and deep knowledge of them: how to touch their hurts without making them smart and to dress their wounds without reopening them; ... to disclose Truth in its entirety and yet make it known according to the degree of light that each soul can bear. The knowledge required for the apostolate can be had only from Jesus Christ, in the Eucharist and in prayer. "

When we are able to do as Leseur writes, people will be able to have the ability to welcome God into their hearts. We must remember to not let our own desire to help others get in the way of bringing Christ to others.We mustn't be annoying! Strong and adamant, but not annoying and overbearing. Only in gentle love and sharing Christ whenever we can, will people be drawn to the light and into God's loving embrace.

Here's the official video for Prayin' : CAVEAT: There is a murder scene and someone flips the bird in the end. I'd say it's rated PG-13ish. If you'd rather not see the video, at LEAST listen to his acoustic version here. (Which I recomend listening to even if you watch this version) But the music video is very well done in my opinion. I believe it shows life as is in places like this. - all the more reason to pray for prisoners and those who minister to them!

Here are the lyrics:

Lord Above, I just killed a man,Let somebody take the blame,Lord above, I'm knelling down,my pray take away this pain all up in here.
Im prayin', Lord im prayin' to you,Take away this guilt all up in my headIm pleading, lord im pleading with you,We got some dealings to do before the day im dead.
He came for me just like i knew he would,But this time I was ready and I killed him good.But we weren't alone, there was one more lefthe took my weapon from me, put it to the test.When this angel appeared out of the dark,with the devil in his eyes but god in his heart.He slayed him down,Saved me from a sudden death,But i've still done wrong, so now
Im prayin', Lord im prayin' to you,Take away this guilt all up in my headIm pleading, lord im pleading with you,We got some dealings to do before the day im dead.
So there we are,An angel and a man,Both just standing there,With blood on our hands.What we gonna to do now,this what I thought.But before i could say it the angel talked.He said im in here for life, anyway,your only in here for five ill take the blame.So go right now don't feel ashamed,But 'o lord I do that's why I pray!
Im prayin', O' Lord im prayin' to you,Save me from these sins weighing down on my soul.Im pleading, lord im pleading to you,got some healing to do inside im feeling low.
Im prayin', Lord im prayin' to you,Take away this guilt all up in my headIm pleading, lord im pleading with you,We got some dealings to do before the day im dead.
Im prayin', O' Lord im prayin' to you,Save me from these sins weighing down on my soul.Im pleading, lord im pleading to you,got some healing to do inside im feeling low.

#ThrowbackThursday - Do You Love Me?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:56:00 +0000

Today's Throwback is "Do You Love Me?" by The Contours. I was introduced to this song when I was about 7 or 8 years old I used to accompany my grandmother to her clogging classes. (Think tap dance, but southern style. Click here to see some awesome clogging.)That's right, I'm a clogger at heart. I can still remember the routine to this song! Do you love me now that you know I can dance?

Enjoy today's Throwback and drop a link to your Throwback in the combox!

#TwoForTuesday - Mumford, Shakira, and Monks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 21:16:00 +0000

It's #TwoForTuesday!

And today's TwoFer consists of Franciscans and Dominicans performing popular songs.

The first is a group of Franciscans dancing to Shakira's "Waka Waka" one of the songs from the World Cup.

And here are some Dominicans getting down with a banjo and one of my favorite songs by my favorite band : Roll Away Your Stone by Mumford and Sons (which I wrote about here) :

Got any singing or dancing religious?! Drop a link in da combox!

Mashup Monday! - Adele Vs Eurythmics

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:12:00 +0000

Enjoy this earworm of a song for MashupMonday! I'm a sucker for mashups, if you've got one to share, drop it in the combox!

Prepare your coffee pots!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:58:00 +0000

Luckily, it's also #MashupMonday! So stay tuned for a mashup of two songs!

Find of the Week Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 14:01:00 +0000

On Fridays I hope to share some music that I discover from the week. This week's find comes to us all the way from Norway. The one man band's name is Bernhoft and the song that got me hooked was his "C'mon Talk." It's pretty amazing how he builds the song as he goes and controls the sounds he creates with pedals. The sound is bluesy and soulful. The lyrics are simple but he layers them so beautifully!

Enjoy and C'mon and talk to me! Did you find some cool new music this week? Drop a link in the combox!

C’mon and talk to me I will try the upmost try to be honest with youTry to be honest with youEvery single
Work Imma gonna talk to me I will try the upmost try to be rhythmical Try to be rhythmical
C’mon and talk to me I will try the upmost try to be honest with you
Try to be honest with youEvery single
Work Imma gonna talk to me I will try the upmost try to be rhythmical Try to be rhythmical
C’mon and talk to me I will try the upmost try to be honest with you
Try to be honest with youEvery single
Work Imma gonna talk to me I will try the upmost try to be rhythmical Try to be rhythmical
C’mon and talk to me I will try the upmost try to be honest with you
Try to be honest with youEvery single
Work Imma gonna talk to me I will try the upmost try to be rhythmical Try to be rhythmical
I’ve been thinking a lot since the end of our family affairAnd the things that went wrong, in a matter of speakingShould have been more forthcoming about the things I needed to sayBut you’ve seen to be talking to someone else
Now you’ve got me feeling so sorryFor something I didn’t doYou’ve got me crawlin around a gutterWhen I should have been busy making love to you
So it’s all smoothed overYou covered your ears real tightIs it up to me to be telling The black from the white
Talkin to you is bittersweetNow Talkin to you is bittersweetNow Talkin to you is bittersweetBittersweet bittersweetTalking to you is bittersweetBittersweet bittersweet
Been now talkin to you Bittersweet bittersweet
C’mon talk talk talk talk To me yeah To me yeah(Repeat)
So what matters most in the end is beyond our big (blue reeds)???Had to unfold all the mysteriesIt take a different kind of species I’m unable to handle the weight Of all of your doubtsWhat a (new words)???
Now you’ve got me feeling so stupidWhen I couldn’t understand You’ve got me reeling around in circlesIncomprehensible demand
Been talkin to you Bittersweet bittersweetBeen talkin to you Bittersweet bittersweetBittersweet bittersweetBittersweet bittersweet
C’mon talk talk talk talk To me yeah To me yeah(Repeat)
C’mon talk talk talk talk Bittersweet bittersweet(Repeat)
C’mon talk talk talk talk To me yeah To me me me me me yeah

Throwback Thursday - You Can't Hurry Love

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The Supremes will never be outdone. Their sound is classic and fresh all at the same time. "You Can't Hurry Love" is my favorite song by them and as I listened to it, I thought about how Christ might feel about us, His beloved.

I'm sure Jesus has to tell Himself that even He "can't hurry love" while He waits for each of us to come to Him and accept the undying devotion that He has for us. We who do love Him often fall short of loving Him back as much as He burns for love of us. I don't think many people think about just how much God really loves us. I mean, it's almost an obsession (well, a good one, like listening to a good song over and over and over again...) that He has for us. It's like ALL of His attention is focused on each individual. It's amazing! We humans sing of heartache, pain, and desire for love. Jesus is the same way! That's the beauty of His incarnation! He feels ALL of these things for us! Not in any erotic way, but in a true longing for us to be with Him because He wants to be with us!

This is where our evangelization efforts come in! Have you noticed on Facebook that people post pictures of their engagement rings, engagement photos, then the wedding pics come along and then it's their profile picture for the longest time. A year later they talk about how wonderful the past year has been, etc. They post the pictures and stuff because they want everyone to know how happy they are with their loved one.
THIS is the type of love and excitement for that love that Jesus has for each one of us, even those who hate Him or talk bad about Him. It's up to us to show how much we love being in love with Him and how much we love His being in Love with us because Christ loves those who hate him. We are called to reunite those who have separated themselves from His love with Love Himself.

But we must also remember that we, too, "can't hurry love" and sometimes it may take a long time. Just ask St. Monica! Through prayer and constant love, we just might be able to help other realize the love God has for them. Then we step out of the way and let Jesus wrap His loving arms around them.

Man On Fire with Joy

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 13:31:00 +0000

Are we on Fire with the Joy of Christ? We should be!

This song by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros has been on repeat for about 4 days now. It's catchy, but then as I listened more and took a look at the lyrics, I found the evangelization twist I could put on it.

The song is sung from a man walking down a street with a guitar and dancing feet. All he wants to do is bring joy and get other people to dance with him.

"I'm a man on fire
Walking through your street
With one guitar
And two dancing feet
Only one desire
That's left in me
I want the whole damn world
To come dance with me"

As we go about our daily lives, do we radiate the joy that Christ gives us? Do our hearts burn with the love that we have for Him? It can be tiring and depressing to live in today's world, we always seem like we're fighting something, defending something, pushing forward. But we must replenish ourselves with prayer and stay close to the sacraments so that when we walk into work or school with two dancing feet, others will see it, feel the joy, and start dancing with joy as well.

I'm a hunter at bay
Come and set you free
Over heartache and shame
I wanna see our bodies burning like the old big sun
I wanna know what we've been learning and learning from
Everybody want safety (safety love)
Everybody want comfort (comfort love)
Everybody want certain (certain love)
Everybody but me

Here the singer says he's a hunter at bay. Are we aware of others? Do we SEEK out those suffering from heartache and shame? Are we on the hunt for those longing for God's love? Christ did! He wants us to be on FIRE with His love and burn like the old big sun.We must pray to be like Christ and bring healing and love to those who need it most.

But after we've found those people around us in need of Him, what do we do?

Be a joyful witness.

The gift of joy is what will allow us to approach others. We can't jam a morality down someone's throat. That will turn people off and away from anything the Church has to say. We have to allow others to see the joy that Christ gives us. The joy that the eternal God loves us and forgives us of all our wrong doings and who is constantly after us with affection. This joy is what will draw others and open up their hearts for Christ because is there's anything that everybody wants, it's safety, comfort, and certainty. When he says "everybody but me" I feel that it's because he's willing to give it all up to bring it to everybody else.

So be sure to be on fire to lead others to the One who can get people out of heartache and rage, and set us free from panic and strange.

Over heartache and rage
Come set us free
Over panic and strange

St. John Bosco was one of those types of people. His joy and love of his Savior drew others toward him but he didn't let it get to his head. He knew how to point to Christ as the source of his joy. Just as Mary is always pointing to her Son, our joy must point to Christ so that when someone looks, we're pointing them in the right direction.
I have some people ask me why I'm so happy all the time and it confuses them that it's because I love being Catholic! Even other Catholics! Now, thanks to Bl. Pier Giogrio Frassati, I have an easy answer for them:

It's hard to remember to be joyous in our faith, but that's the beauty of the Church, we're a community that lifts each other up with love. St. John Bosco, Flannery O'Connor, Cardinal Dolan, and many of my online friends keep me loving being Catholic.

One last thing : Don't overdo it. We all know that overly optimistic and "I'm-smiling-but-angry/sad-on the inside" type of people. When you fake it, it kills its credibility. If you're feeling down, it's ok. Just don't pull people down with you. Be yourself and if you're not feeling the joy, return to prayer and see what's going on.

Is there somebody in your life that radiates the joy of the faith? Who's your man (or woman) on Fire?