Rolling in the Deep

Hooray for Seven Quick Takes Fridays! I always feel like it's a giant game of catching up with some of my favorite people. Here's volume 19, the thick of Julie's week:

one

I am in love with Adele's "heartbroken soul" voice. Seriously, listening to anything else pales in comparison. She is on repeat this week.

two

Excited? Oh yes!

I decided that, this week, I needed to take action on a couple things, or else they might never happen. Here's part of this week's "Julie is trying to be braver" list:

1. bought my plane tickets to South Korea to visit April (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

2. applied for my passport

3. told Mr. Awkward I was seeing someone

4. didn't back down from Mr. Aggressive and kept a civil tongue

5. ignored the ticking clock and completed a ridiculous amount of editing and wrote the monthly newsletter; am currently formatting it to send out next week.

Oh, and my Dad let me drive his fabulous little convertible I've been dying to drive since he got it. He was so nonchalant about it too- we went downtown, I dropped him off at the tailor's, then swung around a couple blocks and picked him up for lunch at this fabulous little hole in the wall Italian place that has been around since 1912.

Overall, steady as she goes!

three

Another good week for The Bright Maidens. I really appreciate everyone who has commented on the posts and sent us/ me e-mails. Be sure to like us on Facebook too!

This past week's topic was our issue(s) with the Catholic Church.

Mine: "Going to the Mattresses: One Girl's Take on Faith and Feelings"
Elizabeth: "Half measures"
Trista: "The Church's Self-Fulfilling Prophecy"

Next week will be just as scandalous: Why we're saving sex for marriage! (And it isn't because we didn't have the chance.)

Warning: I've been reading a lot of natural law theory lately.

four

I read so many good articles on this site this week that I just need to plug the whole thing: if you don't read MercatorNet, you should.

five

With all that is happening in the world right now, I think it apt to share this excerpt from Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical Spe Salvi:

"I will do it. Be made clean"

Like action, suffering [in all its forms] is a part of our human existence. Suffering stems partly from our finitude, and partly from the mass of sin which has accumulated over the course of history, and continues to grow unabated today.

Certainly we must do whatever we can to reduce suffering: to avoid as far as possible the suffering of the innocent; to soothe pain; to give assistance in overcoming mental suffering. These are obligations both in justice and in love, and they are included among the fundamental requirements of the Christian life and every truly human life. Great progress has been made in the battle against physical pain; yet the sufferings of the innocent and mental suffering have, if anything, increased in recent decades.

Indeed, we must do all we can to overcome suffering, but to banish it from the world altogether is not in our power. This is simply because we are unable to shake off our finitude and because none of us is capable of eliminating the power of evil, of sin which, as we plainly see, is a constant source of suffering. Only God is able to do this: only a God who personally enters history by making himself man and suffering within history. We know that this God exists, and hence that this power to "take away the sin of the world" (Jn 1:29) is present in the world. Through faith in the existence of this power, hope for the world's healing has emerged in history.

(Also, his birthday novena starts today! Join us in praying for Papa B!)

six

I discovered the Litany of Humility this week and am intrigued. I think I am going to start praying it, especially since I really struggle with pride. The litany asks for these three graces specifically (although I am sure more will come out of this spiritual exercise as well):

1. to set aside your attempts to make yourself feel “special” through the acceptance and admiration of others;
2. to overcome your repugnance to feeling emotionally hurt by others;
3. to seek the good of others in all things, setting aside all competition, even at your own expense.

The whole Litany of Humility is here.

"To be taken with love for a soul, God does not look on its greatness, but on the greatness of its humility." —St. John of the Cross, The Sayings of Light and Love

seven

Thanks goodness it is Friday!!!!! Here are 5/6 of the Robison siblings before I had to dash off to class last night:

We = AWESOME

[Update: My not-pictured-above collegiate brother saw this picture and said he was sad he wasn't there to finish the puzzle. Mucho amor, brother! I'll post another one of all six of us when he comes home for Muffy's play next weekend.]

Happy, happy Friday! Thanks for reading; see Conversion Diary for more.