Hey, you!

Dymphna just posted this excellent artwork on her blog. I won't republish her humorous comments; go read them yourself.

I have often thought my guardian angel has "bumped" me when I'm suppose to be waking up but have hit the snooze button, or when I'm not paying attention while driving. I once heard a theologian point out that one of the striking features of the angelic salutation to the Virgin Mary is how the angel doesn't deal with her using the customary angelic brusqueness. For example, the angel busting St. Peter out of prison in Acts 12 is almost explaining to him how to put on his clothes like one might do with a 3-year-old. In fact, maybe that is what the angel is saying in this painting to St. Jerome—"Get some clothes on, for God's sake." They are used to barking out orders at us; that's their job. I, for one, hope I learn to listen.

Priestly Prudence

Dymphna asks the question Should priests blog?, and then she answers it.

Nope. Not unless the blog doesn't allow comments and is strictly homilies, apologetics, or a collection of the priest's writings like this or this.

I've seen priest blogs that were too worldly, waspish to anyone who didn't slobber over them like a big happy dog, and well.... dangerous because they showed bad judgement, and did not show the priesthood in a respectable light. A priest blog should not be like a pop star writing to his fans.

This is a succinct but strong argument against priests having chatty, kitchen sink blogs, and the sites she links to are excellent. As St. Josemaria Escriva put it, "[H]ow do I serve our Lord? By talking to souls about God and only about God."