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The One We Seek
It seems rather odd, at least to me, that Jesus asks a rhetorical question—one that, he above everyone else—knows the answer to: Whom are you looking for? Jesus asks this to Judas, the Roman soldiers, and the Chief Priests’ guards who came in the midst of his prayer and the disciples’ slumber so that he […]
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The Will to Ask
Written for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 20, Track 2, Year B, Revised Common Lectionary Words can themselves be magical in the sense that they exhibit power in the sense that both possess the ability to compel, receive, and affirm. Remember to say the magic words—“please” and “thank you.” But tied to their power […]
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Virtue, Discomfort, & Bilbo Baggins
Virtue is often seen as something incredibly lofty—an unattainable standard which one can merely aspire to. As distant as virtue may seem, it is indeed achievable. Doubt it? I do too. But take Aristotle’s words to heart when he beckons us to realize that virtue is not only possible but practical. To live a virtuous […]
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The Case of Free Books
Often, as I walk through the halls of my university’s Humanities building to get to class, I often pass by a study room containing, among other things, a bookcase with a piece of paper taped to one of its glass doors with two words printed on it: free books. If there’s anything I love more […]