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John 19:40 They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. John 20:5 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. I am talking about the cloth that was used to bind the body of Jesus when it was placed in the tomb. ...

For a long time I wanted to do this: write an introduction to Christianity for those who have never known Christ. In a way, what I am doing is phenomenally redundant work. The Church IS the introduction to Christ. So is Mother Mary, so are the saints, so is the Sacred Liturgy. There are SO many ways to get to Christ. Yet, God in His great kindness saw to it that even I have a space, something to contribute. And so, as a young child is excited to teach his father how to spell, here I am—excited to evangelize. ...

വലിയ പുരോഗതിയുടെ കാലത്താണ് നാം ജീവിക്കുന്നത്; ദരിദ്ര രാജ്യങ്ങൾ എന്ന് വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്ന പല രാജ്യങ്ങളും ദാരിദ്ര്യത്തിൽ നിന്ന് സ്വയം കരകയറുകയാണ്. ലോകത്തിന്റെ വിവിധ ഭാഗങ്ങളിലും ഇന്ത്യയിലും ആഫ്രിക്കയിലും ഇത് സംഭവിക്കുന്നു. ബാക്കിയുള്ളവരെ പിന്നോട്ടടിക്കുന്നത് എന്താണെന്ന് ചിന്തിക്കാൻ അത്തരം വിജയം, പലരെയും പ്രേരിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ഇന്ന് വാർത്തകളിൽ, ആഫ്രിക്കൻ നേതാവായ പോൾ കഗമേയുടെ രസകരമായ ഒരു പരാമർശം ഞാൻ വായിച്ചു. താൻ, മാതാവ് പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെട്ട ഒരു സ്ഥലത്തു തീർത്ഥാടനം പോയ ആളുകളെ ജയിലിൽ അടക്കുമെന്നും, “ദാരിദ്ര്യ മനോഭാവം അവരെ വിട്ടുപോയതിന് ശേഷം” മാത്രമേ അവരെ വിട്ടയക്കൂ എന്നും ആണ് അദ്ദേഹം പറഞ്ഞത്. പോൾ കഗാമെ ദാരിദ്ര്യവും മതവിശ്വാസങ്ങളും തമ്മിൽ ഒരു സമാന്തരം വരച്ചുകാട്ടുകയായിരുന്നു. ...

We live in a time of great progress; many of the so-called poor countries are lifting themselves out of poverty. This is happening in various parts of the world, India and Africa, to name a few. Such success has also prompted many people who have tasted success to think of what is it that is holding the rest of the population back ? Today in the news, I read about an interesting remark by Paul Kagame, an African leader. He (jokingly) said that he he will round up pilgrims to a Virgin Mary’s apparation site and put them in prison. That he will only release them after the “poverty mentality has left them”. Paul Kagame was drawing a parallel between poverty and religious beliefs. ...

1. Distinguish between the three senses of the “end” of education. The goal or end of education can be understood at three levels: from the immediate to the ultimate. They are virtue being the immediate, followed by culture being the remote, followed by happiness being the ultimate. In practical terms, we could say, one should study because it contributes to his attainment of everlasting happiness (the ultimate aim), second it will improve his culture (the remote aim); third it will perfect his virtue or skill (the immediate aim). ...

The greatest challenge to Catholic education in the United States today … is to restore to that culture the conviction that human beings can grasp the truth of things, and, in grasping that truth, can know their duties to God, to themselves and their neighbors. St. Pope John Paul II 1. Why is moral relativism more damaging to culture than, say, poverty or social inequality ? Moral relativism simply means no one can agree to anything of actual importance. ...

1. What is the “crisis” in education ? Name a scholar who spoke about it as early as 1960s ? The crisis of western education is twofold: The purpose of education is now understood as contributing to the economy. It is no more about teaching the child why leading a life of purpose is meaningful. Education is least interested in teaching children the historical and cultural legacy of the societies they live in. In the west, this in particular means that the children have no understanding of the contributions the Church has made to civilization. Christopher Dawson was a Catholic historian of the 20th century who had extensively thought about this crisis. ...

Today, I found another YouTube gem ! The Importance of Luke Skywalker by “So Uncivilized”. It appears to be a channel devoted to telling the story of Star Wars, in all its uniqueness. I was so impressed. The video explains how the Star Wars story is quite different from many of the other hero movies. ...

The importance of children’s faith formation cannot be overstated. Even the most God-trusting among us, does find ourselves wondering if we are doing enough ? And surely the answer is no. While, there is no need to be anxious; i think it is important that we get our act together nevertheless. Over the month of August, i hope to publish a series of posts relating to this subject. Sincerely, looking forward to your thoughts. ...