“The city comes into being for the sake of life, and the city exists for the sake of the good life,” (Aristotle, Politics I.2, 1252b27–30). In this quotation from Aristotle’s Politics, he sets out the two reasons any city or nation is founded. The first is a practical reason: “for the sake of life”—i.e., so [...]
In this materialistic age, time has become a commodity that can be bought and sold. This is evidenced by the place that the monetization of time holds in common parlance: “spend your time well,” “I have some free time,” “time is money,” etc. It is tragic to see time itself be corroded by the greed [...]
"On the most solemn days, the most ancient and sober rituals tend to be preserved" (Baumstark's first rule for the organic development of liturgy). This rule finds a vivid exemplar in the solemn intercessions on Good Friday, which preserve the ancient Roman tradition of the petition. The purpose of this essay is to provide a [...]
The current practice of the Roman Church reflects that Lent is both penitential and baptismal. The penitential themes are predominant during the first two weeks. The baptismal elements are emphasized in a three-week Lenten period. The final two weeks are dominated by preparation for the celebration of the passion. At first glance, the season of [...]