A Texan in Wisconsin

Classic Weis

2009-11-14T22:58:00.000-06:00

A Allen: 14 Carries, 77 yards, 5.5 YPC.

Running Allen a little more would be nice.

Blessings,
Isaac

Theological Implication of Aliens

2009-11-10T15:38:00.000-06:00

For the two or three people who might find this interesting, the Vatican Observatory examines the theological implications of finding alien life.

Or you could just read CS Lewis' Space Trilogy. That gets the job done in an attention getting fashion.

Blessings,
Isaac

NYC marathon winner honors Notre Dame graduate Ryan Shay

2009-11-02T22:43:00.000-06:00

Meb Keflezighi won the New York City Marathon in honor of his fallen friend, Notre Dame graduate Ryan Shay. There's a great article in Sports Illustrated about it. Check it.

Enticing quote:

If you're 34-year-old Meb Keflezighi, what tribute could you possibly come up with that would be a fitting honor for your friend and training partner Ryan Shay, who collapsed and died in November 2007 during the U.S. Olympic marathon trials in New York City?

In a news conference before the 2009 New York City Marathon, you could ask for a moment of silence in his honor. Check.
...
And then, less than a mile later at the bottom of Cat Hill, now that you are solidly in the lead with the television cameras -- and the eyes of the world -- on only you, you can make the symbol of the cross on your chest as you fly by the spot where Shay, a Notre Dame grad, fell. Even though Shay's father, Joe Shay, isn't watching the race -- there are too many faces he painfully recognizes -- he might say afterward that you are "one of the class acts in all of sports" and that your gesture is "just so significant." Check.

Blessings,
Isaac

Faith is not an intellectual exercise

2009-10-21T13:26:00.000-05:00

“At times we think we can resolve the fundamental questions about God, mankind and the world using only the power of reason. St. Bernard however, solidly rooted in the Bible and the Fathers of the Church, reminds us that without a deep faith in God, nourished by prayer and contemplation, an intimate relationship with the Lord, our reflections on the divine mysteries are in danger of becoming a futile intellectual exercise, and lose their credibility."

From Pope Benedict's homily on St. Bernard of Clairvaux.

Blessings,
Isaac

It's the smell

2009-10-19T18:22:00.000-05:00

I regularly read the article by Fr. Ron Rolheiser that's posted in the Catholic Herald, the Milwaukee archdiocesan newspaper. Usually they're pretty good, but this one is particularly awesome. Read the entire article on private integrity.

A good quote:

We should never delude ourselves into thinking that the things we do in private, including very small actions of infidelity, of self-indulgence, of bigotry, of jealousy, or of slander, are of no consequence since no one knows about them. Inside the mystery of our interconnectedness as a human family and as a family of faith and trust, even our most private actions, good or bad, like invisible bacteria inside the blood stream, affect the whole. Everything is known, felt, in one way or another.

We're all in this together. Let's all do our part and love each other.

Blessings,
Isaac

Houston's QB has the best quarter in the history of football

2009-09-29T14:24:00.000-05:00

....that is, if you believe ESPN:
http://www.thewizofodds.com/the_wiz_of_odds/2009/09/case-closed.html

For His Glory,
Isaac

Michael Floyd's Tattoo

2009-09-18T16:02:00.000-05:00

Floyd is a heck of a player. While I'm not personally crazy about tattoos, I like the text of his:

I am the Lord's warrior. I am confident beyond conviction, a disciple beyond determination. I am confident beyond reason because my confidence lies in Christ. The results of my efforts must result in His glory.

Amen.

For His Glory,
Isaac

This legitimately excites me: Catholic-Orthodox Unity

2009-09-15T17:06:00.000-05:00

Check out the article on the prospects of communion between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches. For some reason, this makes me really happy and glad. I guess the potential of overcoming 1000 years of non-communion (excommunion?) is awesome and wonderful and provides a witness to the world that even longstanding differences can be resolved peacefully.

Here's to it!

For His Glory,

Isaac

Michigan Letter

2009-09-11T14:06:00.002-05:00

" This is why we don't approach the Michigan game with the same tradition-laden respect, the pomp and circumstance, or the "contest of equals" honor reserved for the Southern Cal game. Rather, like Inigo Montoya closing in on the six-fingered man, we come with a singular focus. We are Notre Dame Football. You tried to kill us. Prepare to die."

Read the whole thing, a brief history of the Notre Dame/Michigan rivalry.

For His Glory,
Isaac

Game Console Failure

2009-09-02T10:42:00.002-05:00

Every time you turn on your Xbox 360, you have about a 1.35% chance of failure -- or at least that's what the numbers come out to. Check it out:

Xbox 360 'Least Reliable' Console.

For His Glory,

Isaac

How Texas (and other teams) pass the football

2009-08-29T22:54:00.002-05:00

I ran across this website called Smart Football that I think I'll peruse throughout the football season. They wrote an article breaking down some of what Texas does throwing the ball: Colt McCoy's Texas passing game

One more week until game time!

For His Glory,
Isaac

Origin for the Year of the Priest

2009-08-29T00:30:00.002-05:00

I found this fascinating, interesting, and important:
Cardinal Bertone reveals origin of Year of the Priest

For His Glory,
Isaac

Last first words

2009-07-31T01:56:00.002-05:00

My first two words on my final paper for my Masters degree are "Dream Theater". How great is that?

For His Glory,
Isaac

Catholic Respiration

2009-06-29T21:09:00.004-05:00

Catholic Respiration

The Eucharist is Catholic breathing and breath:
   both noun and verb.

Inhale -- God enters.
Exhale -- Help me decrease
Inhale -- that You may increase.

Voluntary but required
   Unconscious but needed
Difficult but always present

We receive to act.
   We breathe to move.
As oxygen runs through our veins and replenishes us
   So too does the Eucharist.

Stop breathing and die.
   Stop Eucharisting and wither.

Life blood, life force, life giving, Life Giver, life after death, death into
   LIFE.

Foretaste but wonder; mystery but reality; universal but here.

Openness and more openness.
Vulnerability into transparency.

Let it be You who lives in me.

I need you Lord, like my brain and body needs
   Oxygen.

Eucharist is Oxygen.

-- Written before the Eucharist
-- Monday, June 29, 2009

Prayer from St. John of the Cross: Toda y Nada

2009-05-18T13:42:00.001-05:00

In order to have pleasure in everything
Desire to have pleasure in nothing.
In order to arrive at possessing everything
Desire to possess nothing.
In order to arrive at being everything
Desire to be nothing.
In order to arrive at knowing everything
Desire to know nothing.
In order to arrive at the wherein thou hast no pleasure
Thou must go by a way in which thou hast no pleasure.
In order to arrive at that which thou knowest not
Thou must go by a way that thou knowest not.
In order to arrive at that which thou possessest not
Thou must go by a way that thou possessest not.
In order to arrive at that which thou art not
Thou must go through that which thou art not.
- St. John of the Cross (quoted by Thomas Merton in The Ascent to Truth)
-------
For His Glory,
Isaac

Homily on Mark 8:34 - Take up your cross

2009-05-14T14:57:00.003-05:00

For my online class this semester (called Patristic Exegesis) we had an assignment to write a homily on something in the Bible. I wanted to write on more than just a verse, but the verse just happened to be enough to write on.

I wanted to share it with you, whoever you are.
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“Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me” (Mk 8:34b, NAB). Christ presents a threefold command. This command is spoken not to just a select few, not to only those whom he has selected as his followers, not to solely Peter, James, and John. Jesus the Christ speaks to all those who are willing to listen, everyone who may be in the crowd that day, the rich, the poor, the passerby, the disciple, the chosen, the children, the busy, the traveler. The commonality is the willingness to listen to Jesus, to ascent to his call, for it was Jesus who “summoned the crowd” (8:34a). Even before saying “follow me”, Christ asks them to follow him into the crowd, to be receptive. “Join the people gathered,” Christ says, “and hear what it is I have to say. You too; you too are included in those I wish to speak. My message is not for only the twelve who I call disciples, but for the lost sheep of Israel” (Mt 15:24).

Upon gathering up all those open to his word, Christ says “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mk 8:34b). All those gathered, the disciples and non-disciples alike, are made equal. Whoever has ears are invited to listen to Christ’s words, and whoever wishes to come after Christ are invited to act up on them (cf. Mk 4:9). Those in the crowd are not forced into submission, their freedom is never hindered, but instead Jesus invites those gathered, and us today, to reflect. “What is it that you truly wish?,” Christ asks. “What do you really desire?”

And so let us think. Are our wishes grand enough for God? Are we going to find happiness in abundance of corn and new wine (cf. Ps 4:8)? Shall we build up our riches here in the earthly kingdom or for the heavenly kingdom (cf. Lk 12:33)? Those gathered are asked to reflect on whether they wish to come after Christ, who they know to have fed four thousand with seven loaves, cured the blind man at Bethsaida, healed a deaf man in Decapolis, fed another five thousand with five loaves and two fishes, healed demoniacs, people with deformities, lepers, and drove out demons throughout all of Galilee. The crowd knows Christ as a healer, among other titles, but they don’t know Christ the Risen Lord. We have that benefit. Yet we who do know the Risen Christ are asked the same question, the question that echoes for all ages. Do we wish to come after Christ? Do we wish to go where he goes? We, who in faith know of our ultimate end with God, hear the words of Christ differently, for we know and believe that he has the words of eternal life (cf. Jn 6:68). Christ invites us to receive those words. But moreover Christ invites us to desire those words and to follow those words back to the speaker, back to himself.

Once our desires are set correctly and we wish to come after Christ the threefold command takes on a new meaning. Simply wishing to come after Christ is the beginning of our faith, but not the final destination. Let us examine what it is this threefold command asks.

Christ demands those who wish to come after him to “deny himself”. After our ascent to Christ, after placing coming after Christ as our ultimate wish – for failure to have this as our most important desire means that we are not actually desiring coming after Christ – after freely wishing to come after Christ we are called to deny ourselves. Who are you? Who are we? By choosing to come after Christ we can call ourselves Christians, our identity becomes more closely bound to Christ. So this is not that part which should be denied.

We must deny our SELVES. We must put ourselves aside for something bigger. Abraham, when asked by God to sacrifice Isaac, denied himself. He denied his identity, which was so closely tied up with his offspring and God’s own promise to make his descendents more numerous than all the stars. John the Baptist denied himself. While he had all the makings of an important figure, instead of cultivating the attention, he points to Jesus. Paul, in his call to conversion from Christ, is asked the same. He is asked to go against everything he has worked for, to fight for the other side.

These three deny their identity in faith; they deny their selves in response to God’s call. But it wasn’t easy. Abraham struggled the entire journey to the sacrifice site. Paul and John the Baptist were both imprisoned, while Paul and beaten to the point of physical deformation. And so our wish to come after Jesus likewise will often lead to struggle and sufferings. Letting go of self leaves us open and vulnerable, our hands not tied to ourselves anymore, like Jonah thrown overboard into the sea. With no identity, with no self to cling onto, we can drift away into emptiness, into loneliness, into meaninglessness. But we have a God who “so loved the world that he gave his only son” (Jn 3:16). Our God throws us a life preserver, wood in the form of a cross, and the imperative to take it up. In this ocean of selflessness taking up our cross is the only way, the cross our only hope. The struggle that ensues from denying our selves is our cross. Yet it is not the Cross of Christ. By taking up our cross, we do participate in Christ’s taking up of his Cross, but our crosses are not as large as the cross of Christ. Christ calls us to take up OUR cross, never someone else’s.

“Take up your cross,” Christ says. He speaks this to those who do not know about the Resurrection. For them, the exhortation to “take up your cross” cannot be meant to connect their lives to the crucifixion, as it has not yet happened. So what is the cross, then? The pain that comes from denying ourselves can help us identify our cross. Abraham was told to sacrifice his son, and so his cross was losing his son Isaac and his identity. He had to walk with this, struggle with this. Paul carried the cross of his old identity, the pain from murdering followers of Christ, those, who, like Stephen, had already desired to come after Christ, denied themselves, taken up their cross, and followed Christ. The cross is a cross of love, a cross of continual self-denial, a cross that calls us to obedient unto death of self, even death on a cross (cf. Phil 2:8).

If we were only to wish to come after Christ, to deny ourselves, and to take up our cross, we would be like the seed which falls among thorns, growing but choked, life leading to only death (cf Mk 4:7). But we are called to follow Christ. For the crowd, following Christ could be taken literally. Leaving everything behind to physically follow Jesus would be feasible: denying the whole identity of self and all of its ties, taking up the cross of self-LESS-ness and following the Man and his teachings.

Let us not believe this is the only way to follow him. Now we face a different reality. We believe and follow the same Christ, but we know we follow a Savior who knows his way out of the tomb. Following Christ will lead us to new life. The struggles will come, the pain will come. “But I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us” (Rom 8:18).

Mark the Evangelist recapitulates this message in the next verse: “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it”. So Christ calls us to follow him by denying our selves. Let us enter into the struggle of following Christ, listening to his words, imitating his actions and conforming ourselves to he “who takes away the sins of the world” (Jn 1:29b). Let us join our voices with John the Baptist’s, praying that Christ increase, and we decrease (cf. Jn 3:30). And let us join in the Baptizer’s willingness to deny himself amidst claims of importance and greatness, his resoluteness in taking up his cross by preaching a difficult message, and his faithfulness in following Jesus. May we who struggle to carry our crosses trust in him who strengthens us; may we continue to follow Christ, “for from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (cf. Phil 4:13; Rom 11:36).
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For His Glory,
Isaac

Both And

2009-05-13T15:09:00.002-05:00

One of the columns in the Catholic Herald (the weekly newspaper serving the Archdiocese of Milwaukee) that I enjoy reading is the one by Fr. Ron Rolheiser. They're all really good. I thought I'd share one of his latest ones called There's a Season for Everything.

I like it because it embodies the "Both And" approach that is essential for our Catholic faith. We uphold both celibacy and marriage, both Scripture and Tradition, both feeding the poor and spiritual progress. Check it out.

For His Glory,
Isaac

ND and Obama: CSC Superior responds and I comment

2009-04-01T16:34:00.006-05:00

The University of Notre Dame was founded by the Congregation of the Holy Cross (CSC). The superior of the CSC, Fr. Hugh Cleary, wrote an open letter to Barack Obama about his visit that is worthy of sharing.

In particular, there were a couple of paragraphs that expressed some of my own thoughts, not only on this matter, but on others as well.

The first one is about voting:

President Obama, I found the entirety of your remarks at the prayer breakfast truly inspiring and motivating. In your words I found, in summary form, the reason of my admiration and esteem for you and the root of my patriotism. With your words, however, I also found, in summary form, the reason I could vote neither for you nor the Democratic ticket nor the Republican ticket. In fact, as a Catholic I believe myself disenfranchised from my government and disillusioned with what I perceive as a great gap between the rhetoric of our founding national ideals and the hubris of our so-called national convictions which more and more seem simply to enshrine our self-interest for prosperity over democracy. As an American Catholic, will I ever be able to vote again for a nominee of a major political party when each party, in my view, fails the consistency test in promoting the rights and dignity of all human beings from conception to natural death?

I am embarrassed to confess that I sat out the last election cycle. I am finding it more and more difficult to vote for the candidates of our major political parties. My friends tell me to vote by all means, vote for the lesser of the evils. Unfortunately today's evils seem so much larger than my conscience can bear, whether they be on abortion, the death penalty, euthanasia, immigration, the economy, housing for the poor, health care for the uninsured, the environment, war or weapons of mass destruction. I do love my country and I do want to vote. I just don't know how to vote while remaining true to my conscience formed by my faith convictions.

The second is about hatred for the University and towards people who disagree with the Catholic position on abortion and other life issues:

There are some people who hate the life of a child in the womb due to the unwanted consequences of sheltering, nurturing and forming that new "intruder," that new guest, who is now forever altering the agenda of one's personal life as well as the life of our larger society.

There are some religious people who now hate Notre Dame for inviting you to speak at the 2009 graduation and receive an honorary degree. I fear their hate will beget further hate. Will their hatred ultimately destroy their souls in the guise of self-righteousness, just as powerfully as abortion destroys the physical life of a newly conceived child?

How do we best love in this situation? How do we soften our hearts? What action, thought, or belief will make us grow in the image and likeness of God? What would be the most loving and prudent move? How could we, as American Catholics, best love the nation and the entire Catholic population? What would be the most prudent action? I don't know and that's probably why I'm not in charge of making that decision.

A lot of me is sad about the entire situation -- so much division is coming out of a commencement speech. Some of me is excited -- he is an excellent speaker and the first black President of the US. But most of me is disappointed. Disappointed at Notre Dame is honoring a strongly pro-choice president. Disappointed that people are making this into a political thing when I'm not sure it should be. Disappointed that we're losing focus on the need to provide support and love for mothers contemplating abortions. And those who already have and are broken and full of pain. I'm disappointed in a way that I don't know how to describe: a disappointment that comes deep within me. But a disappointment that calls me to love the University more. And to love our President more, despite our disagreements.

Many people will see this as a fall from grace for Notre Dame, that ND is no longer Catholic, despite it's deep commitment to its Catholic identity: Campus Ministry, the center for Social Concerns, the various social outreach programs, ACE, Echo (I had to include it in the list 8-)).

If Notre Dame has sinned by inviting a pro-choice president to speak and honoring him with a honorary degree, are we to throw stones at the University? Or are we to love the sinner and hate the sin?

For His Glory,
Isaac

A Little Way Through Lent

2009-03-16T18:34:00.002-05:00

I ran across this article that combines Thérèse's little way with Lenten devotions. It's pretty good. I hope that I'll be able to better emulate that Little Way during Lent and beyond.
For His Glory,
Isaac

June 26th, 2010, 3PM = Wedding

2009-03-02T08:32:00.001-06:00

This is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad!
Blessings,
Isaac

The day before

2009-03-01T23:50:00.002-06:00

Here we are, March 1st, 2009. Tomorrow is the first Monday of March. To most people it'll be a normal Monday, but to a handful of people, it much more than a normal Monday. I count myself among those.
What's so special? Monday, March 2nd, 2009 is the day that people can start reserving the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Notre Dame for weddings. Needless to say, we're pretty excited. I'll be waking up in a little more than 6 hours, ready and excited, gearing up to call. And so will some of my closest friends and family members.
This entire this is very exciting. I mean, the calling will be thrilling: "Will I get to talk this time? What will I say? Etc." And then of course sharing the news with the family and the friends too. That will be something great. Memorable.
Then there will be a true countdown. Then we'll be able to more intentionally prepare for marriage instead of it being some far off thing. It'll be a little more real once we have a date set. Then we'll get reception places lined up, and all those sort of fun things. Sweet!
May God help all those who are calling, both for me and for other people, that all couples who receive a wedding date may receive it in peace.
Blessings,
Isaac

Pope Benedict's 2009 Message for Lent

2009-02-24T13:22:00.002-06:00

Check out the message that Pope Benedict XVI has for us for Lent this year. It's about fasting and the true meaning of fasting. I'd link to the Vatican webpage, but it's harder to read from there than from the Catholic Education website.

Happy Lenting!

For His Glory,
Isaac

Wedding Calling Party!

2009-02-19T19:54:00.000-06:00

2009-01-21T16:36:00.001-06:00

Let's count the states-and non states-I've been in this week: WI, IL, IN, OH, PA, MD, Washington DC (non state), NJ (first time), and NY (first time). Crazy.-IG

Best Value?

2009-01-09T15:04:00.002-06:00

Apparently, Notre Dame came in 14th for schools with the best value.

Wow. That means my education must have been tremendous, for the amount of loans I still have is higher than what my brother Zach will pay for the rest of his education, even if he didn't get another dime of financial aide.

For His Glory,
Isaac