Wednesday, December 17, 2008

12.20.08 Addicted To Love


On 12.13.08, we continued our discussion on "Freedom to Love: Applying the Basics of the Theology of the Body to Everyday Life, Love, and Relationships." We discussed how society tends to define freedom. We began to see how society's definition actually limits our ability to love. 

This week, we'll take a look at truth, and its relationship to freedom

In other words, we'll continue to define ... and specify. 

Here is the OLOP|YA Sneak Peek for this week.







Slides/Resources From 12.20.08



Original Powerpoint File: 2008-12-20.zip

Thursday, December 11, 2008

12.13.08 Freedom

On 12.13.08, we'll continue our discussion on "Freedom to Love: Applying the Basics of the Theology of the Body to Everyday Life, Love, and Relationships." We discussed, for the first time last week, how to begin to apply the basics of the Theology of the Body to our daily lives. 

Now, we'll start to look at how society's definitions of basic things, like freedom, often keep us from living the basics, like we should. 

So, let's specify. 

Here is the OLOP|YA Sneak Peek for this week.





Slides/Resources From 12.13.08





Original Powerpoint File: 2008-12-13.zip



Outline of 12/13 Topic:


Outline of the "Bouillon Cubes":

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Ave Maria, Gratia Plena


Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc,
et in hora mortis nostrae.
Amen.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Volition


Slavery. The Holocaust. Abortion.  This short film is something that all of us should watch.


Volition (n)- The act of making a choice.   

Sometimes the choice of inaction has consequences stronger than we could ever imagine. Throughout history, men have been faced with difficult choices in a world that makes it easy for them to conform. 

This film explores the hope that lies behind every decision made in the face of adversity; the hope that is buried in the heart of those that look beyond themselves and see something bigger worth fighting for.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Essential Links For The Travelling Catholic




It's the holiday season! For many of us, that means travel to places near and far. However, even when travelling, we are still obligated to attend Mass on Sunday.

What is the jet-setting Catholic to do? Thanks to the power of the Internet (and the series of tubes that make it up), you can find a parish to go and keep up on the daily readings at Mass (without having to bring along a missal(ette))

MassTimes
allows you to find a parish by city, state, zip code, country, etc - displaying the location, times for Mass/adoration/Holy Hour/etc and the phone number. Pretty easy, huh? It's even partnered

Universalis has information about the Saint of the day, daily readings from Mass, and even the Liturgy of the Hours from the Roman Breviary - handy for priests, religious and the laity alike!

Hopefully these resources will help make your holiday travels more spiritually fulfilling! Let us pray for the intercession of St. Christopher for a safe journey - whether we are going to Milpitas or Manila.

Friday, November 21, 2008

11.22.08 Pretty Woman

On 11.22.08, we'll be continuing our discussion on "Freedom to Love: Applying the Basics of the Theology of the Body to Everyday Life, Love, and Relationships." Until now, we've really been defining what the basics of the TOTB are. 

Now, we'll begin to define how those basics have to be applied to our daily lives. In fact, we'll see how they have to be applied to our daily life, love, and relationships. 

To kick us off, here is the OLOP|YA Sneak Peek for this week.




Slides/Resources For 11.22.08




Original Powerpoint File - 2008-11-22.zip

Monday, November 17, 2008

The Bouillon Cubes 2


As we continue our study on "Freedom to Love: Applying the Basics of the Theology of the Body to Everyday Life, Love, and Relationships.", we continue the installments of the bouillon cubes. 

In case you're unaware, those are the "boiled down, dense, concentrated doses" of our study. They are the things that really get at the heart of the theology of the body. 

As we've said before, this stuff is beautiful. Let's not presume that it isn't also dense. 

So, here are bouillon cubes. Let's pick up where we left off: 
  • the “choices and actions [of men and women] take on all the weight of human existence in the union of the two.” (TB, 376)
That gives a significance to sexuality that most of us aren't familiar with. How can there be such a focus on our embodiment as male and female? In fact, how can our bodies be so important? 
  • “As a being at once body and spirit, man expresses and perceives spiritual realities through physical signs and symbols” (CCC, n. 1146)
In a word, it is through our bodies that we encounter the Divine. That's the reason for the emphasis on our sexuality: on our embodiment as male and female. 

Then again, I suppose I should say it's through the Word that we encounter the Divine. 
  • Through the fact that the Word of God became flesh the body entered theology… through the main door” (TB, 89)
And, in case we're left with any doubt as to the importance and significance of our bodies, JP2 makes it as clear as crystal. 

This is what we like to call the MOABC. That is, the Mother Of All Bouillon Cubes
  • The body, and in fact, it alone, is capable of making visibile what is invisible: the spiritual and divine. It was created to transfer into the visible reality of the world, the mystery hidden since time immemorial in God, and thus to be a sign of it” (TB, 76). 
Only through our bodies are we capable of seeing and receiving the mystery of God. In fact, each body is called to be a sign of that mystery.   I'd say that calls for emphasis, indeed. 

Once again, this bouillon is straight up. Since there's no chaser, there might as well be a little time for it to sink in.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Salt And Light

Tomorrow will be the first time that Salt and Light will meet, to pray outside of an abortion mill. It is important to continually remind ourselves of the purpose of our presence at the Planned Parenthood. 

Yes, our purpose is to join in prayer and petition on behalf of the helpless unborn. But, our purpose must also be to join in solidarity and support with the mothers - at the very least, though our prayers. 

Our hope, of course, is that their hearts will be changed. And, that will be our prayer, as we watch them enter the clinic. But, it is my hope that all of you who are planning on joining us tomorrow will pray, tonight, for that to be the case. 

Here is a reminder of what it's all about. 


Wednesday, November 12, 2008

The Bouillon Cubes


We are currently in the middle of a 12-week study entitled "Freedom to Love: Applying the Basics of the Theology of the Body to Everyday Life, Love, and Relationships.

Christopher West, himself, likes to equate approaching this subject, to taking a drink of water from a fire hose. It's beautiful stuff, but it's also pretty dense.

So, here are the first bouillon cubes, of our study. That is, here are the "boiled down, dense, concentrated doses" that really speak to the heart of the matter. 

To start, here's what it's all about:
  • "The vision that this Holy Father has given us about sex, love, freedom, and human relationships is a revolution for the world.
- Christopher West

We're quickly reminded about the universality of the Theology of the Body. After all, if you have a body, the Theology of the Body applies to you. 
  • "Though it focuses on sexual love, the theology of the body affords 'the rediscovery of the meaning of the whole of existence, the meaning of life” (TB, 168)
And
  • "The call to communion inscribed in our sexuality is 'the fundamental element of human existence in the world.' (TB, 16) 'the foundation of human life” (EA, n. 46), and hence, “the deepest substratum of human ethics and culture” (TB, 163).
If this is truly the case, we begin to see the practical applications of the Theology of the Body that are necessary, in our daily lives. In fact, it turns out that they're greater than we think. 

They're  foundational. And, we soon come to see that we best understand it, if we ever hope to accomplish our goal of building a culture of life. 
  • It is an illusion to think we can build a true culture of human life if we do not… accept and experience sexuality and love and the whole of life according to their true meaning and their close inter-connection” (EV, n. 97)
For: 
  • The “choices and actions [of men and women] take on all the weight of human existence in the union of the two.(TB, 376)
It is revolutionary, indeed.  

But, I think that's enough truth, for the moment. After all, it is straight up.  There's no chaser. Let's take some time, and let it settle. 

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

11.08.08 "Show Me Love"


Now that we've figured out what we want and why we want it, we have to figure out how to find it. 

".. the body, and in fact it alone, is capable of making visible what is invisible, the spiritual and the divine.."

So, I should probably say that we have to figure out how we're shown it.  Now, show me the love. Here's the "OLOP|YA" promo for week 3. 




Slides/Resources From 11.08.08



Original Powerpoint File - 2008.11.08.zip

Monday, November 10, 2008

10.18.08 "To Be With You"


In order to reclaim the culture, and to speak about the joy that there is in living God's  plan for sex, we have to understand what we want. 

Or, to put it in better terms: since we already know what we want, we have to understand what we're looking for.  Most people haven't found it, yet. Fortunately, we have the Word made Flesh. 

Now, that's Truth: Straight Up. No Chaser. Here's the OLOP|YA promo, from week 2.





Slides/Resources From 10.18.08




Original Powerpoint File - 2008-10-18.zip

10.04.08 "One Thing"


"Freedom to Love: Applying the Basics of the Theology of the Body to Everyday Life, Love and Relationships."

Christopher West, with Pope John Paul II, has a mission to reclaim the culture. We are told that it is time for a "new evangelization", a "new language" that reveals the glory of God's plan for sex - and, the joy that there is, in living it.

We say: it's about time. Here's the first "OLOP|YA" promo, from week 1.






Slides/Resources From 10.04.08




Original Powerpoint File: 2008-10-18.zip