Gaudete!

 Rejoice!!!

This past Sunday we celebrated what the Church calls Gaudete Sunday, or Rejoice Sunday! It is a foretaste of the celebration of the Incarnation at Christmas. During this time, a priest has the option to wear rose-colored vestments, and the Advent Candle for this week is pink. In the midst of our prayerful and penitential waiting for the coming of our Lord (at Christmas and at His Final Glory at the end of Time), we anticipate the joy of the Christmas season! From this point on, the Church's journey through Advent takes on an increased focus.

Today, the Church begins the Octave (or 8 Days) before Christmas. During this special time of preparation, the O! Antiphons will be prayed during the Liturgy of the Hours. The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. In addition, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah. Here's each antiphon with just a sample of Isaiah’s related prophecies:

1. O Sapientia: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” (11:2-3), and “Wonderful is His counsel and great is His wisdom.” (28:29).
   
   
2. O Adonai: “O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” (11:4-5); and “Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, he it is who will save us.” (33:22).
   
   
3. O Radix Jesse: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (11:1), and A On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.” (11:10). Remember also that Jesse was the father of King David, and Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:1).
   
   
4. O Clavis David: “O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.” Isaiah had prophesied, AI will place the Key of the House of David on His shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open.” (22:22), and “His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over His kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.” (9:6).
   
   
5. O Oriens: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).
   
   
6. O Rex Gentium: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.” Isaiah had prophesied, “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (9:5), and “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (2:4) .
   
   
7. O Emmanuel: “O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” (7:14). Remember “Emmanuel” means “God is with us.”

Together, the whole Church calls upon Jesus by these titles in supplication and worship! May your Advent season continue to be a time of grace and renewal as you await the coming of the Lord!

This looks amazing!

Unlike a lot of superhero Origin Stories which are bland and uninspiring (yes, I'm talking to you Spider Man), the first Iron Man movie far surpassed my expectations. It treated the source material seriously, yet also refused to take itself too seriously. It had the right combination of larger-than-life characters, old-fashioned comic-book-style plotting, a dash of whimsy, and a cast of actors who were actually good at their craft.

I had little hope that the second movie would be anything more than a motley mash-up of CGI and over-the-top villains crowding the storyline.

Until now!

Somewhere in the short to medium term.

Years ago, I started a blog entitled, Take Your Place. When I wanted to indulge my love of science fiction, fantasy, and writing, I then created this blog. Eventually, the circumstances of life forced me to focus on this place, combining discussions of faith, fantasy, writing, and just general nuttiness. From a branding perspective, it's a bit of a mess. From a blogging perspective, I am definitely under-utilizing the flexibility and power of the Squarespace Content Management System.

So, I've had vague plans to redesign both sites some day. It appears that someday is getting nearer--on the horizon, at least. And I think I've found my redesigning partner--Tekeme Studios. This small web-design company has a lot of heart, and some phenomenal talent. I encourage you to go to the website and check out the work they do. Unlike most web design companies, Tekeme is priced very affordably!

The fine folks over at Tekeme are also running a contest, with multiple ways to enter and win some free creative design services. Here are the details:

Hello everyone!

So many of you have contacted us about our last contest to see if you could still enter. We have chosen all winners for that contest, but because of the high demand I’ve decided to start another contest. There will be four prizes and you have until 12:00am EST 12-25-2009 to enter. We will choose all winners on Christmas.

CONDITIONS
You may enter in all the ways listed below. For each part of the contest you participate in we will put your name in a random drawing. Your name may be entered an unlimited amount of times. All winners must retrieve their prizes before January 15, 2010 or they will be given to another entrant in a random drawing. Projects are to have a completion date of no later than March 30, 2010.

RULES
Enter your name into the drawing in all or one of the following ways:
1.) Write a blog post about this contest and send us the link.
2.) Refer one person to sign up for our newsletter.
3.) Sponsor a Compassion child and send us a confirmation receipt. http://www.compassion.com
4.) Donate to help a ministry for homeless single moms. Your name will be entered for every $1 you donate. http://blog.tekeme.com/
5.) Send us a picture of yourself making a funny face. Also, funniest face will have their name entered into the drawing an additional 10 times.
6.) Send an email out to your friends with this contest and include us in the email. Also, we will count the recipients and add your name for every person you send it to.
7.) Make a tweet about Tekeme Studios or Compassion International and send us your twitter address.
8.) Send us a reply email back saying Merry Christmas and let us know what you love about Jesus!
9.) Make a video telling us what you love about Christmas. Also, we will choose our favorite video and add your name an additional ten times if you win..
10.) Write a fictional paragraph about anything. Also, we’ll choose our favorite to win an additional 10 names in the drawing.

PRIZES

Grand Prize
1 Free Basic Website Package which includes:
1 Logo Design
1 Website Design
Up to 7 Pages
1 Contact Form
Coordinating Blogger blog design & implementation
Hosting, domain, maintenance, CMS not included.

First Prize
50% off any Website design (not including programming) or 1 Free Pro (or Custom) Blogger Design & Implementation

Second Prize
1 Free Pro (or Custom) Blogger Design & Implementation

Third Prize
$400 coupon for any Web design package. Does not include blog design.

Please let us know if you have any questions. Merry Christmas and happy entering!

So, what are you waiting for. Take a look at the ways you can enter and jump in! 

Me no like e-books!

Well, that probably isn't entirely true. However, one of the best recurring experiences of my life has been settling in with a great book to read. I've mentioned in a post a few years' back why that is, but I thought I'd quote a bit from it (because there is no sense writing the same thing twice):

But isn't reading as a solitary act sort of the point. Books are where I have gone traditionally to take a step back from my own environment and lose myself. There is something about opening up the pages of a book and communing with the author's work which is both recreational and refreshing. You can unplug, unwind, and let the rhythm of each word and sentence carry you beyond the walls of life as you experience it.

Don't get me wrong, I love the visceral, sensual experience of reading: the delicious crackle of an opened binding; the smell of ink and paper, whether freshly imprinted or redolent with must and the rich scent of age; the texture of each leaf or page beneath the fingertips; the way that a single page raises itself almost perpendicular to the binding, balancing ever so slightly, moved by currents of air or the slight trembling of our hands as we open the book.

But, surprisingly, the elimination of these tangible moments is not my main objection to virtual books (although I must confess to being quite loathe to do without them). Rather, its that e-books and their likely virtual descendants will become disruptive technology. They will redefine the act of reading itself (and are, to a certain extent, doing so already), transforming it from a primarily personal (and private) experience to a wired, social networking event, where we are linked and streamed to death.

At the time I wrote that post, e-books were in there "primitive" stages, really nothing more than black text on a grayish-white screen. But literary agent Nathan Bransford recently pointed to a new development in virtual reading that is about to come out from distributor Baker & Taylor. It seems that the company is about to release a high-functioning, multi-platform e-reader, called Blio. According to The Idea Logical blog:

Blio is a software client that can work on “any device with an operating system”, which means computers and iPhones, but not Kindles. Based only on the demo we saw from Baker & Taylor Senior VP Linda Gagnon last week (of course I’d rather be reporting on something I saw on my own computer or iPhone), the presentation is the best I’ve ever seen. The type is crisp and sharp, it has full multiple-media functionality (video, graphics, TTV, links to the web), and it does tricks, my favorite of which is that you can see (on a PC screen) many pages at a time dealt out like a deck of cards. Then you find the ones you want and hone in on them. There are many ways to use that capability, particularly for an illustrated how-to book or a textbook.

The disruptive nature of e-readers and e-books continues apace. Don't get me wrong, I find the effects of e-books on publishing models and the act of reading to be fascinating, and the marketing part of my brain is buzzing with ideas for how to market products and monetize the virtual reading experience. And yet, I can't help but think that cracking open a physical book will soon become one of those quaint customs that you see on "classic" films and in historical re-enactments.

For sure, I will never give up the physical book. However, I literally grew up with books as my companions. The D-Generation, for whom multi-media platforms, streaming content, and social networking are a way of life, may not have the same attachment to printed thins. Is this a crisis of epic proportions? No. Is there something intrinsic to reading a physical book that makes it a more virtuous experience than reading virtually? No.

And still, I think I am living during a technological shift in culture, and I find myself more than a little ambivalent. I'll always have great physical books to curl up with. But how long will these books be around for future generations?

No, I don't think books will ever disappear completely. But the printing press brought a technological shift to culture that made learning, study, and the pursuit of knowledge more egalitarian. No longer did books need to be painstakingly copied and illuminated by master craftsmen. With the advent of e-reading, I can imagine a time when the cost of physically printing a book will be so high, that only the very rich or elite will possess their own personal libraries.

I am standing as a bridge between the digital and analog culture, and the view is a little unsettling. I think I'll disconnect from the web, unplug my computer, and go read a book for a while.

In honor of the Immaculate Conception and Our Lady of Guadalupe's Feast Day:

Moreover, Jesus is still as much as ever the fruit of Mary, as heaven and earth repeat thousands of times a day: "Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." It is therefore certain that Jesus is the fruit and gift of Mary for every single man who possesses him, just as truly as he is for all mankind. Consequently, if any of the faithful have Jesus formed in their heart they can boldly say, "It is thanks to Mary that what I possess is Jesus her fruit, and without her I would not have him." We can attribute more truly to her what Saint Paul said of himself, "I am in labour again with all the children of God until Jesus Christ, my Son, is formed in them to the fullness of his age." Saint Augustine, surpassing himself as well as all that I have said so far, affirms that in order to be conformed to the image of the Son of God all the predestinate, while in the world, are hidden in the womb of the Blessed Virgin where they are protected, nourished, cared for and developed by this good Mother, until the day she brings them forth to a life of glory after death, which the Church calls the birthday of the just.

                                                                                  St. Louis de Montfort

   Hat Tip goes to Happy Catholic:

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

Kung Fu Monkey

Blow thou Winter Wind!

Or, maybe, take a little break.

Today we are enjoying winter at its finest here in the Chicago suburbs--bitter cold with a biting wind that plunges temperatures somewhere in the -20 degree range. I'm home from work trying to keep mild sinus stuffiness from becoming a major infection (like it has threatened to do during the past few weeks). Of course, that game plan is somewhat threatened by the fact that Qila and Orion seem to have an instinctual need to be outside during this hoary day. I've taken them out at least 7 times since they woke up this morning, and each time they caper, cavort, prance, and toss their heads playfully into the snow as the frigid wind blows hard across the field.

I'm frozen.

Which reminds me of a video that I created a few years ago during a time when I was exploring the capabilities of Microsoft's movie applications. I've decided to repost it here. All of the photos in this video are of the area surrounding my townhome and come from Debbie's camera (she really is a phenomenal photographer). Enjoy!

Blow, blow, thou winter wind
Thou art not so unkind
As man's ingratitude;
Thy tooth is not so keen,
Because thou art not seen,
Although thy breath be rude.

Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most freindship if feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Freeze, freeze thou bitter sky,
That does not bite so nigh
As benefits forgot:
Though thou the waters warp,
Thy sting is not so sharp
As a friend remembered not.
Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly:
Most freindship if feigning, most loving mere folly:
Then heigh-ho, the holly!
This life is most jolly.

Truly, the Bard of Avon possessed a pen that transcended cultures and the political boundaries of the world, speaking to all that is truly human--or Klingon!

Is weird in a pseudo-scientific sort of way.

I'm talking, of course, about Fringe, Fox's TV show about science, conspiracies, and just general wackiness. I started to watch this show in its debut season, but I think I may have been distracted by other things, as I didn't really think much of it after two episodes. Something pulled me back to it recently, however, and I rewatched the first four episodes of Season 1.

I'm hooked.

Not only do I enjoy a good conspiracy show mixed with a healthy dose of sci-fi, but I also really enjoy the interplay between the three main characters, FBI Agent Olivia Dunham, brilliant (and kooky) scientist Walter Bishop, and his son, Peter Bishop. These three are part of a larger group investigating a growing number of scientific anomalies which has been dubbed, The Pattern.

This show has just about every crackpot pseudo-scientific claim appearing in some form--from trans-dimensional travel to reading the thoughts of a corpse--with just the right amount of corporate and government menace thrown in. Many people compare it to the X-Files, and I think, in a certain sense, the comparison is fare. However, I see far more connections with another kooky conspiracy show--Millennium. Unlike the impenetrable and confused Lance Henriksen vehicle, Fringe keeps its audience mystification to a controlled pitch, offering just enough mystery to tickle the fancy of conspiracy buffs without drowning you in misdirections and plot twists that make it impossible to join in on the fun.

I'm now on Episode 7 and looking forward to the unveiling of more Pattern-related mischief. If you are a fan of sci-fi tv shows and haven't given Fringe a look-see, you really are missing out on something special. 

Heart of Jesus, I love You; but increase my love. Heart of Jesus, I trust in You; but give greater vigor to my confidence. Heart of Jesus, I give my heart to You; but so enclose it in You that it may never be separated from You. Heart of Jesus, I am all Yours; but take care of my promise so that I may be able to put it in practice even unto the complete sacrifice of my life.

                                                                                                 Blessed Miguel Pro 

Sometimes, I'm a bit of a random reader.

I travel quite a bit and always try and bring several good reads with me while in transit. Airline delays being what they are, I occasionally end up between flights having already devoured the books I brought with me. When this happens, I wander about whatever airport I happen to be in and search for something resembling a bookstore. The rise of small-footprint "newsstands" makes this more difficult than you would think, as these establishments carry a very small selection of whatever books publishers pay the Jobber to put out. Since I'm not in to techno-thrillers or romances, my choices are usually quite limited.

However, in the midst of my slim pickin's, I sometimes find something that looks remotely interesting. And in that small subset of books I have bought out of desperation, there are a few that actually surprise me by being imaginative and engagingly written. The first two books in Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels series, Magic Bites and Magic Burns, are two such finds.

Nowadays, there is a veritable deluge of urban fantasy/paranormal romance books out there with spunky female characters who navigate supernatural peril all while looking fabulous! Most of these series tend to have a generic background and the same narrative voice. A few, however rise above the crop, and Andrews' books do just that.

The first thing that distinguishes these books is their setting. in Andrews' world, magic and technology are two "natural' forces that have interacted throughout human history. Like magnetic poles that reverse themselves, magic and tech have traded dominance across the centuries. At the time of the series opening, magical forces have returned to the world sometime in the near past, and technology is in the process of decay and disruption. Kate Daniels, the supernatural mercenary and protagonist of the story, must navigate magic waves (when tech doesn't work) and tech waves (when magic doesn't work) as she struggles to stay alive (and employed) in a kind of post-apocalyptic Atlanta, which has been ravaged by the waves of magic.

Unlike many fantasy writers, who tend to info dump their backgrounds, Andrews wisely chooses to slowly unveil the richness of her world throughout the course of both books. This has the effect of slowly drawing the reader in to the work, allowing them to appreciate each step along the way. This is a kind of narrative flirtation that could become annoying in the hands of a less-skilled author. However, Andrews pulls it off in the best possible way.

Sure, there are a few of the standard paranormal romance tropes that are annoying--particularly Kate's sexually supercharged yet frustrated relationship with Curran, the lycanthrope alpha. In a post-Twilight world, however, readers of Paranormal Romance just have to accept these elements in their reading (sort of like elves in epic fantasy). Even this bump is not insurmountable, as Andrews' crisp style and ability to create sympathetic, three-dimensional characters makes swallowing that narrative pill almost pleasant.

In Magic's Bite, we are introduced to Kate Daniels, freelance mercenary and one-time squire in the Order of knights of Merciful Aid. It turns out that someone has killed Kate's guardian and close family friend. Investigating this murder plunges her into the midst of ongoing tension between the Pack, a paramilitary band of shapeshifters, and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers who control and mentally "ride" vampires.

In Magic's Burn, Kate finds herself up against an epic tug-of-war between two ancient celtic gods hoping for rebirth!

Overall, I found these books to be highly addicting. It has been a very long time since I have read something that made me excited to get home and dive in to it again! If you like Patricia Briggs' Mercedes Thompson series, then Ilona Andrews' Kate Daniels books are a must-read!    

Twas the night before Solstice and all through R'lyeh . . .

This past Sunday, the Church celebrated the beginning of Advent, that period of expectant waiting for the birth of the Christ child. One of the things I love about being Catholic is the pulse of liturgical rhythms that beat throughout the year. All of time has been redeemed, and we acknowledge this by setting aside the recurring moments of the calendar year (this chronos time) and entering into what the Lord has prepared for us, what the ancients called kairos time--a period where the Eternal enters into our finite experience. I would also call this Sacramental time.

In this season of waiting, we are called (as a People and as individual members of that People) to prepare our own hearts for the birth of Christ so that He might be born anew in us. It is a season of intentional reflection upon the great gift of our salvation and redemption, and a time when we can deepen our committment to follow Christ and become more like Him, so that, as Mary, the very model of all Discipleship, our whole being can become impregnated with the Word of God--this Jesus for whom all of Creation waited.

The word "advent" (which means "coming") is the latin version of the greek word "parousia," which many of us hear in relationship to the Second Coming of Christ. And so, in this Advent season, we are called not only to reflect on and celebrate the Mystery of the Incarnation and the coming of Christ that occurred in the past, as well as prepare ourselves for the birth of Christ in our hearts, but we must also be aware and celebrate the reality of His Second Coming, when the fullness of the Kingdom of God will be made manifest, realizing that ulimately our destiny lies with the Eternal, Living One--Jesus Christ.

May this sacred season bring you much grace and joy, and may we all celebrate it with integrity and intentionality.   

Well . . .more like a weekend of thanks!

There's nothing like a four-day weekend to knock you off the treadmill of busy-ness! The weekend started off with a fabulous Thanksgiving Day Mass, sponsored by the teen youth group of my parish. I'm happy to say that everyone pulled off their duties swimmingly and the Mass progressed as it should. Then, Deb and I prepared the turkey for our dinner at her family's house. A generous application of olive oil, fresh basil and tarragon, garlic powder, paprika, and fresh rosemary to tie it all together, plus some heat and--voila--a beautiful thanksgiving feast!

Deb and I enjoyed the rest of the day with her family, and we returned to some very thankful dogs! :) After a good night's rest, we took advantage of some unseasonably warm weather and cleaned out our garage, organizing and sorting what we were keeping so that we could actually fit one of our cars in it! Not quite exhausted, we then started sorting through boxes that still formed a wall in our bedroom, either bringing out their contents into the house or carrying them to the attic for long-term storage.

   In the evening, we braved the mall on Black Friday to see 2012. I had heard a great deal both positive and negative about the movie, but I'm happy to say that Deb and I both found it to be an enjoyable "big effects" romp. After it was over, I couldn't help but think that the voyage of the 7 human Arks would make a great Battlestar Galactica type TV series--especially if the writers included the fact that alien invaders caused the solar flares that created the destructive havoc as a prelude to invasion!!!

   On Saturday, Deb and I deep-cleaned the first floor of the townhome and then relaxed for the day. We spent a wonderful evening with our friends David and April, enjoying the bounteous and delicious snacks of Trader Joe's. Finally, Deb and I (along with Archbishop Francis Cardinal George, 6 concelebrating priests, and a host of parishioners) celebrated the beginning of Advent and the 50th Anniversary of our parish (Queen of the Rosary). Afterwards, we went to a brunch for the Cardinal, and then returned home for a much-needed nap! :)

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and even watched the new version of The Taking of Pelham 123 without too much doggie interruption!

Overall, it was a phenomenal weekend. We got a lot accomplished, and I managed to spend more time with Debbie that I had been able to in weeks! So, without further ado, here's a list (in no particular order) of what I'm thankful for:

God
The Gift of Salvation in Jesus Christ
The Church
Debbie
My family
Literature
Freedom
Shelter
Health
The Human Imagination
My Dogs
Frosty Winter Mornings with the Sun Shining Bright
My Friends
The Parishioners of Queen of the Rosary Parish
Movies
Advent

I hope that you all had a blessed and grace-filled Thanksgiving!

Ahh interweb...how do I love thee? Let me count the links!

Hat Tip: Saint Superman

It's that time of year again.

Mist covers the dew-laden ground in the mornings, and there is a slight bite to the wind. Pencils are sharpened and backpacks filled with books.

It's the start of the school year--for me.

This week, I begin classes as I work toward my Master of Divinity degree at Catholic Theological Union. This will be a three-year journey of theological exploration and professional development that I am undertaking in conjunction with a three-year program of spiritual formation offered by the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Developing and executing a solid pastoral plan at my job while studying for an advanced degree will take a great deal of careful planning and discipline on my part. Deb and I have talked and prayed about this commitment, and I am blessed to have her full support. My new boss is also being flexible, so I have the ability to take some day classes, as well.

We'll have to see how things turn out as I work toward the M. Div., but I have tentative plans to continue on toward a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (with a concentration in Sacramental Theology) at the Liturgical Institute located at Mundelein Seminary.

The next 5 years will certainly prove to be interesting! Anyway, I have to sign off now and prepare for my first class--Ecclesiology!

Over at the Shrine of the Holy Whapping, Andrew begins an intriguing post with the following sentence:

I submit to you that beauty is really the source of authority

You can check out the rest of the post over at Whapping, and the enlightened followup over at Disputations. Reading those posts started me down a path of reflection about the role of beauty in the New Evangelization.

As we embrace our call to live as apostles of Jesus Christ in the 21st century, to what degree do we reflect the beauty of life in Jesus Christ. Not that we each have to look like we came off the cover of a magazine, or that our lives have to have a measure of studied perfection, like a Norman Rockwell picture--that would be beauty as the world sees it, transient and passing. Rather, in the storms and trials of life, as well as in its better moments, how clearly can our neighbors, our pharmacists, our childrens' school teachers, or even the strangers that we meet, see the loving heart of Jesus Christ in our life.?

It is beauty, ultimately, that sways the human heart. Intellectual explanations and reasoned approaches to the Revelation of God merely utilize human gifts to apprehend the beauty and the glory of the God who has pursued us before we were born. Beauty, therefore, moves us to conversion with the sublimity and power of its very nature.

But how can we, between our struggle to make mortgage payments, change the oil on the family car, wrestle children into clothes appropriate to school, get to work on time for that big presentation--how can we even think about being beautiful (as in the beauty of holiness) in the midst of the chaos of our lives? 

Grace.

It is grace that gradually perfects us, building upon our human nature so that we might become more like the One Who Is Beauty. It is grace that transforms the human heart, polishing its rough contours until it reflects the Sacred Heart of Christ himself everywhere we journey. It is grace, therefore, that allows us to become Beautiful, so that others might encounter the Living Christ in everything that we do.

Our role is to dispose ourselves to that grace--to open ourselves to Beauty, even in the midst of ugliness and horror, or the numbing, relentless sense of blandness that can often afflict our lives. In doing so, we echo the insightful words of the Romantic poet John Keats in his poem, Ode On A Grecian Urn, "Beauty is truth, truth beauty."

The difference here is that Beauty is not a concept, but a Person.

There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in - that we do it to God, to Christ, and that's why we try to do it as beautifully as possible.
                                                    ---Blessed Teresa of Calcutta

Piracy of all kinds is illegal.

Whether it's another person's ship, their cargo, or their intellectual property, the law protects owners and creators from the wholesale theft of their work. That's pretty much a given in today's world.

And yet, piracy (particularly the kind that happens with digital media) is on the rise. Since the advent of e-books, publishers, distributors, retailers, and writers have been trying to anticipate their effect on the industry. In between the Chicken Little exclamations of a falling sky and the ostrich-like tendency of some individuals and companies to bury their heads in the sand lies the path to successfully "monetize" virtual books.

J.A. Konrath, the successful author of the Lt. Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels thrillers, is not content to sit on the sidelines as the industry searches for ways to make money off of e-books. Rather, he's trying an interesting experiment. For $1 a day, he is "renting" space inside the electronic versions of his books for another author to put an excerpt of their work. His basic analysis is that the birth of e-books has essentially devalued the medium in which books are delivered. Thus, there is no reason to even pay more than 99 cents for a copy of an electronic book. Therefore, authors can make money by selling ad space within their e-books.

He writes:    

For years, I've been wondering why publishers waste money on full page ads in the New York Times, featuring a picture of the book cover and a bunch of blurbs, when a much more effective ad would be a full page excerpt from the novel.

If your writing sells your writing, it makes sense to have your writing in as many places as possible, so it can be seen by as many readers as possible.

Unfortunately, print publishers haven't used this opportunity as much as they could. The end-of-book excerpt is commonplace, but it isn't the equivalent to the coming attractions at a movie theater. Instead of five previews, a book only offers one preview. And the preview is limited, because it is a preview of the same author who wrote the book.

This is understandable. Space is limited, and expensive, in print books. Plus, an author may balk at the idea of having five excerpts from other authors at the end of their novel.

Unless that author is me. :)

Personally, I'd pay a fortune to have ten pages from one of my books appear at the end of a Stephen King or James Patterson novel. It would be a tremendous opportunity.

Which brings us to this experiment.

How would you like to put a ten page excerpt from one of your books in the back of my ebooks?

You can read the rest here.

I'm not quite sure that I agree with all of his reasoning, nor am I convinced that selling space for content within e-books is the wave of the future. However, I think this is a fascinating experiment, and I hope that he posts dome follow-up data so we can evaluate the experiment.

All I can say is that if you have a work you want to cheaply (and quite possibly effectively) market, head on over to a Newbie's Guide to Publishing and take J.A. Konrath up on his offer.

This scares the crap out of me!

I am preparing the way for our new robot overlords as we speak. Why fight destiny?