As the great philosopher once wrote:
Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping, into the future...
So, I'm looking ahead at the next few months, and over the next couple days I will be posting my plans for what the community can expect for the rest of spring and into the summer. I won't dump it all on you in one posting, but watch over the next few days to see what's coming.
Right now, I'll just say two things - first of all, look for another "test" live stream coming this month - this one to test how it works for me to do a live stream from my phone, so that when I'm in Rome, I can do live streams from there. I'm really not the type to post YouTube videos of my travels in Rome, much less tourist tips or anything like that - there's a part of me that has a real aversion to all that because you really just have to be there, and I think posting it on YouTube cheapens the experience. But for this community here, I do want to do some live streams from Rome - maybe do The Journey from Rome, as I have in the past, and maybe post some things. So I'll be doing a test this month to get ready to be able that.
Second, I want to reiterate how this community was created to be a place of conversation. And I have really appreciated, and really been blessed by, the conversations we've been having with some of you regulars - it has satisfied my desire for this kind of conversation and camaraderie since I've gotten off of social media, and it provides a place for feedback in the absence of YouTube comments - and I will always keep the comments turned off in YouTube.
So with that in mind, I just want to say again how I hope we can have even more conversation here - all you new folks, please chime in! Since my YouTube videos do not have comments, my intention is to get people to come here, and have those conversations here, but of course only with people who are really interested in the early Church and serious about friendly dialogue, without the trolls, and other people who really just want to spout off. I know I could be more famous on YouTube if I catered to the fringes and gave the crazies a place to post on my videos, but that's not what I'm about, as you know. So let's really step up the posting and commenting here in the feed of our community - because especially when I'm traveling this summer, I won't be able to keep the postings going all by myself, so I hope you all will do it too! Anyone can start a conversation, post some thoughts, comment, etc. I want to hear from you (you don't have to be a supporter to post and comment, so don't be shy). Let's here from some new people. You can ask questions, or whatever, any time. I want to hear from you, and I want you to engage with each other!
Ciao for now... more coming...
Dear friends - Please take 10 minutes to watch this personal update from me:
I'm back, up and running, and ready to go - I should have a new JOURNEY episode within the next week or so - and because you are my loyal peeps, here is an exclusive, just-for-you, behind the scenes SNEAK PEEK into my new office:
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for 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. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
St. Albert the Great - teacher and mentor of St. Thomas Aquinas
The Original Church
And don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel if you haven't already...
The problem with us men is that often we don't have the wisdom to be a father until we're a grandfather.
This may sounds like some ironic statement that makes you nod your head in agreement but shrug your shoulders in resignation, thinking, well there's nothing we can do about that. But the practical application of that is that it demonstrates how important it is for kids to grow up around their grandparents. But as in our culture the family becomes ever more fractured and spread out, that is harder and harder to do.
Lately I've been thinking that part of the problem is the whole concept of college. It used to be that everyone thought a person had to go to college to make a good living. Not only is that not the case (truck drivers make more money than I do) but now college has gone from useless to actually ruining our kids. But when I went to college, what you were supposed to do is figure out what career you wanted (as if anyone knows that at age 18) and then go away to the college ...
