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Where Peter Is

Tagged: Advent

Advent / Literature

Soft Miracle

As I said in my last article, sometimes we can find treasures of deep Christian wisdom hidden in the thoughts and writings of highly secularized and even anticlerical people. Today, I would like to present you one of the most beautiful Christian stories written by a Portuguese pen: the short tale “Soft miracle.” It was written by Portuguese writer Eça de Queiroz. Just like Junqueiro (whom I cited on my last article), Queiroz was a...

Advent / Literature

The Celestial Tear

One thing that has always struck me as bizarre is how sometimes outsiders to the faith seem to have keener insights on how the faith works, or should be working, than Catholics allegedly in good standing. Sometimes, when atheists or secularists denounce Catholics for behaving in an unchristian way, our apologist reflex kicks in, and we immediately go on preaching elaborate theological justifications to the perceived inconsistency. This is needed, of course, but we should...

Advent / Pope Francis / Silence / Silencio y Palabra

Silence: the shield against Suspicious Man

“Express how you feel, and then be quiet. Because the truth is humble. The truth is silent. The truth isn’t noisy. It’s not easy, what Jesus did. But the dignity of the Christian is anchored in the power of God. With people lacking good will, with people who only seek scandal, who seek only division, who seek only destruction, even within the family: silence, prayer.” — Pope Francis Homily at Casa Santa Marta, Rome, Sept 3rd,...

Advent / Pope Francis / Silence

Silence according to Pope Francis

“Uncrowd my heart, O God, until silence speaks in your still, small voice; turn me from the hearing of words, and the making of words, and the confusion of much speaking, to listening, waiting, stillness, silence.” — Esther de Waal; “Lost in Wonder”; Chapter: “Silence” Silence as a theological challenge: This week, we started my favorite liturgical time: Advent. Advent is a time of waiting. Waiting for Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Waiting for the...