tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18842286.post7630694383432747235..comments2024-02-26T09:30:54.111-06:00Comments on Domine, da mihi hanc aquam!: The luxury of great books and greater faithFr. Philip Powell, OPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14970857401221305221noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18842286.post-18534344910816171582009-09-28T19:32:43.959-05:002009-09-28T19:32:43.959-05:00Father Phillip --
Two related problems are the l...Father Phillip -- <br /><br />Two related problems are the lust for novelty and the rush for results. <br /><br />To an outside observer, the notion of "every man his Pope" is not an exclusively Protestant phenomenon. I heard recently about the work of a Catholic religious scholar (no need to mention the order) writing about Jesus as Magus. His conclusions will no doubt be "original" and will almost certainly be replaced in short order by yet more extreme re-visionings. So one watching an academic discipline over just a few years will see its captivity to fad and fashion. <br /><br />The proper refutation to this (perhaps prideful) impulse can be found in the Apostolic Hypothesis. Or more recently in the Ugandan martyrs or even the New Russian martyrs as recently recognized by the Orthodox. "A theologian is one who prays, and one who prays is a theologian." <br /><br />As for results, one man talked to me about the "communion of saints" years ago. It seemed nuts to me, and I remember every word. As a Protestant, I was allergic to a college course that touched on the Scriptural basis for doctrines of Mary. Now I see her constantly. As a young man, an elderly grocer next door mentioned that he named me in his prayer every day. I was speechless. I hope to have words of thanks for him some time (see perhaps the "Communion of Saints" above).<br /><br />Only the Church, rooted in eternity, is able to sow for a harvest fifty or a hundred or whatever years away. That is part of what the Catholic Church used to regard as "evangelism."<br /><br />Lou.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18842286.post-1723672312463094732009-09-28T15:16:33.779-05:002009-09-28T15:16:33.779-05:00Great post, Father! I'm a UD alum (English maj...Great post, Father! I'm a UD alum (English major).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18842286.post-46525597348265606792009-09-27T10:05:09.399-05:002009-09-27T10:05:09.399-05:00Amen to that!Amen to that!John Kasaiannoreply@blogger.com