More books! and a brief explanation

Last week I found out that two classes I took in college, American Identity and Culture & Values, are going to count for History of Western Civ I and II. So rather than take Western Civ I this sememster, I'm taking Contemporary Issues in Philosophy... which I'm very excited about. The first class was today.

Here's the required texts:

The Closing of the American Mind, by Allan Bloom
Culture Wars: The Struggle to Define America, by James Davison Hunter
Equality by Default: An Essay on Modernity as Confinement, by Philippe Beneton
An Intellectual History of Liberalism, by Pierre Manent

Sweeet.

...oh and don't worry Anne, I kept my Western Civ book :)

Now I'm looking forward to meeting with my mentor for the first time and finding a spiritual director amongst the faculty.

Finally, I wanted to briefly explain why I titled my previous post, "Mysterious Mystery at St. Mary's"

I was adoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament during the Holy Hour on Wednesday and was contemplating my role at St. Mary's, how and why I was adoring Our Blessed Lord here in this place. I grew frustrated, as I'm accustomed to doing, because most of the hour seemed dry and unfeeling. But I reassured myself (listen closely dear readers) that's it's not about me feeling something in particular, it's about what Archbishop Timothy Dolan calls, "making a sacrifice of time." It's about spending time with our Lord simply because he deserves our time, adoration, and worship. Then I came to one realization toward the end of the hour. It's certainly by no means an exhaustive answer to the question I was asking our Lord, as I trust he will continue to unfold that answer to me as, God-willing, the years go by. But what I did come away with (to tide me over for now :) was the great Mercy he is showing me by calling me to seminary.

Here I am, in an evironment of routine prayer and formation where I can focus intently on my pursuit of holiness without the distractions of the "outside" world. Here I am in a place where I must pray morning and evening prayer every day and am highly encouraged to pray the other hours of the day as well! Here I am in a place where I must go to Mass every day! Here I am where spiritual reading and writing must take up a majority of my time! What Mercy He has shown me!

Now, granted, St. Josemaria Escriva would argue that one doesn't need to go to seminary or some far off retreat to be holy. One can be holy, even a saint, in his normal workaday state in life:

"How anxious people are to get out of place! Think what would happen if each bone and each muscle of the human body wanted to occupy some position other than its own. There is no other reason for the world's discontent. Continue where you are, my son; right where you are... how much you'll be able to work for the true kingdom of our Lord!" --The Way #832

"your perfection consists in living perfectly in the place, occupation and position in which God, through those in authority, has assigned you." -- The Way #926

But, God called me out of my place to be here. I did need to go away, to retreat. This is the mystery I'm discerning.

Sedes sapientiae, ora pro nobis