El Filósofo

Notes from a Zenned-Out Catholic

Blog

  • variations on a coronation

    Earlier today, the UK and the British Commonwealth of Nations—in fact, the whole world—witnessed the first coronation of a British monarch in 70 years. With the rest of my family here, in Canada, I woke up at an ungodly hour to watch the historic event. I was initially expecting all the pomp and circumstance that… Keep reading

  • “God … calls people to die.”

    “God is someone who calls people to die.” This may be a tad hyperbolic, but it’s what a very dear friend of mine told me when I myself was confronted by a difficult choice. What he said was shocking, and it perhaps offends our modern sensibilities, however I do believe there is some truth in… Keep reading

  • White Bear

    If you know me, you would know that Black Mirror is one of my favourite shows on Netflix. Recently, I’ve begun rewatching some old episodes, and I came across one in particular that really got me thinking: “White Bear”. Go on YouTube, and find a newsreel about the worst criminal you can think of. Now,… Keep reading

  • Fear and Trembling

    If you’ve ever been to Southern Ontario in the middle of July, you would know how disgusting our summer humidity can be. Just over a year ago now, there was this one day that was particularly bad, and as I walked into a Fish n Chips shop near my work, I said to a man… Keep reading

  • Χριστός ἀνέστη

    To those of you using the Gregorian calendar, happy Easter! Χριστός ἀνέστη! “Christ is risen!” I was initially planning to write about the reason for the season—the significance of Easter, why we celebrate, and so on—but if I’m honest, I don’t have it in me to write a Sunday School lesson. I’d much rather talk… Keep reading

  • Be Seeing You, Mr Wick.

    For some now, I’ve had the impression that something about the John Wick movies is profoundly religious, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. The imagery? The rituals? The “immoral order” of their universe? Maybe the dictum “Rules: without them, we live with the animals” is, in some sense, an attempt to transcend our… Keep reading

  • Knowing Isn’t Enough

    Antony was confused as he meditated upon the depths of God’s judgements, and he asked God, ‘Lord, how is it that some die young and others grow old and sick? Why are there some poor and some rich? Why are there those who are bad and rich and oppress the good poor?” He heard a… Keep reading

  • The God Who Weeps

    The Sorrowful Mysteries are by far my favourite mysteries of the Rosary. It’s not that I’m morbid or enjoy sadness. Rather, they’re my favourite because (in the Sorrowful Mysteries, in particular) the humanity of Jesus is emphasised. What do I mean by this? I’ll grant that the humanity of Jesus is present in the other… Keep reading

  • The Value of Fasting

    Lent is intended to be a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Many people can understand the benefit of prayer. Most if not all people can understand the social benefit of almsgiving. But what’s the deal with fasting? Isn’t that just something people do when they’re trying to lose weight? Certainly, if one hopes to… Keep reading

  • Reflections on the Psalms: 143

    If there is one book of the Bible that I feel is too often underrated, it’s the book of Psalms. That’s right. While it’s true that many people will have a favourite Psalm or a verse from the Psalms I don’t think any one of us truly appreciates what it is. In the Psalms, we… Keep reading