Echoes and Moments

I was chuckling recently at one of the headlines that I came across:  Apparantly Tylenol,  in addition to easing your headaches, can help you cope with existential anxiety and angst. Who knew! This, and a good dosage of some music by my favorite existential Christian group, helped encourage me to jot down a few of my recent existential thoughts. You know, sometimes you just have agnostic days. Brace yourself, it's some murky water down there. Is it possible for a person to experience God's goodness directly, at least before death? Are "born again" or other mystical/contemplative/ecstatic experiences essential for demonstration of faith? Does romantic love have any meaning outside of biological impulses and evolutionary programming? Is social justice ever sustainable, or ultimately effective? Are there any clear criteria for salvation through Christ? Is suffering inevitable, no matter our efforts? If so, does it have meaning outside of a purely abstract

Good music reminds me that I am alive. That's why it is so refreshing when I discover new artists, albums, and soundscapes that captivate my imagination. It doesn't happen often. In fact, I'm still trying to work through my own catalog of music on i-Tunes. If 2012 was the year of silence, introspection, and sacred music, then 2013 is so far the year of expressive bursts of color. Although I've been wary of a fair share of electronic music, I'll say that many of my favorite artists are indebted to this style of music, and if you are at all familiar with modern studio production, it's safe to say that there isn't much music that isn't electronic in some way. I'll summarize a few of the gems I've uncovered recently. Foals - Holy Fire These guys are my favorites of the moment. Yes, Frank Ocean can fulfill the best of my R&B hopes for heartache, and JT can get me dancing with his fantastic new collection of tracks, but British rock g

As an adult convert to the Roman Catholic expression of our Christian faith, I join the ranks of many before who find themselves  at the Eucharistic table. It has been a journey of unspeakable joy and depth, and there is more to write than I could hope to share on the pages of this humble blog. As I lift my hands and recite the liturgy of the Mass alongside my brothers and sisters young and old in the pews, I recognize that I share few of their experiences. The majority are "cradle" Catholics, nurtured in the cultural traditions of childhood and adolescent catechesis, the steps of Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation clear benchmarks on the journey into the community. Those few who have embraced faith from the outside often come from irreligious or agnostic backgrounds. Even if they received some form of the sacrament of baptism or teaching in another Christian tradition, it means little to their faith journeys. Of course I generalize, but you get my point. After a