In the beginning of the God and Comics podcast where Alexi and I were discussing Avengers: Infinity War, Alexi got to make the recommendation for the listeners and shared the superhero RPG we've been enjoying: Masks. The game is tremendous fun—it's easy to pick up the mechanics, and everything in it is designed to serve storytelling.… Read More
Tag: spiritual life
Victoria Sweet on Servant Leadership
I've loved both of Victoria Sweet's books so much, that I ordered a copy to keep while the library book was still in my house. (I had to transfer all my dog-ears). I read God's Hotel first, and I've just finished Slow Medicine. One of her stories about being a temporary doctor (filling a gap in a relatively… Read More
Mother Maria, On Startling Glimpses of God in Others
I'm just a few essays into The Essential Writings of Mother Maria Skobtsova, and I already heartily recommend it. It's on my reading list for 2018, because everything I'd heard about the life of Mother Maria from friends was terrifying and wonderful (one of my friends was chrismated in the Orthodox church with Maria as… Read More
Origen on “Lead Us Not Into Temptation”
The internet (and the Pope) are discussing the Lord's Prayer plea that God "not lead us into temptation" which brings up the obvious question: why would God lead us into temptation—is it a trap? It's not a new question, and, when our monthly spiritual reading bookclub picked up Tertullian, Cyprian, And Origen On The Lord's Prayer, Origen… Read More
Talking Conversion Bookshelves on Sacred Treasures
I joined Kathie Duggan on her "Sacred Treasures" program on Radio Maria on June 5th to talk about my conversion and my book, Arriving at Amen: Seven Catholic Prayers that Even I Can Offer. We discussed why Mass reminds me of parametric equations, and she asked what books played the biggest role in my conversion. (If you… Read More
Speaking on “Wizardry and the Wounds in the World” at Doxacon
I’m excited to announce that I’ll be giving the keynote speech at this year’s Doxacon (a Christian convention on fantasy and science fiction)! Tickets are on sale now (with a special rate for students, priests, and consecrated religious). My husband will also be speaking at this year's Doxacon, and here’s what we’re both speaking on: … Read More
Lenten disciplines draw on our weakness, not our strength
The most aggravating thing I've given up for Lent was jaywalking. I'm from New York, originally, and it's habit to step into the road regardless of whether the light is green for me. Jaywalking was a good discipline for me because it's clearly not a very big sacrifice. There's no way for me to think… Read More
‘You Are What You Love:’ Accentuate the Ordinary
"In Smith’s diagnosis, one of the ways we neglect God is by refusing his humblest gifts. We might meditate on the readings at church, do a little devotional reading at home, and keep tabs on blog posts online, but we run the risk of 'approach[ing] discipleship as primarily a didactic endeavor—as if becoming a disciple… Read More
Hamilton, Temptation, and Grace
"The grace of forgiveness is larger than the horror of losing a child or the betrayal of adultery. It’s so large as to be unimaginable until (and even after) the moment that it is offered. Perhaps one reason that Hamilton couldn’t imitate St. Therese and flee temptation is that he had no idea what he… Read More
Beyoncé And The Fertility Of Forgiveness
Beyoncé doesn’t take second swings at her targets, she seems to have no particular animus for anything she smashes. In fact, when she knocks the top off of a fire hydrant, children rush forward to play in the spray; a perfect realization of 'My wounds are fertile!' from Leslie Jamison’s 'Grand Unified Theory of Female… Read More