Moving to Houston

Wow, sorry it has been so long since my last posting spree. The truth is, to use the standard excuse, I haven't had any time. But I do have exciting news.

First of all, I want to announce that in less than two months, my soon-to-be wife and I will be moving to the Houston, TX area. I timed the blog announcement to correspond with the formal announcement of my job transfer within the company in which I work (TI). We also recently submitted an offer on a house in Sugar Land, and after some negotiation, our offer was accepted, and so now we enter the critical period. It's all very new for us, so we are doing what we can! Please pray for us!

We are very excited about the move. Speaking for myself, after having been a Californian for the last 19 years, I know that I will miss California. I know that I will miss being involved in ministry with my community and local church. I am looking forward to new career opportunities and opportunities for ministry, as God directs. Please pray that we are open to new challenges.

Moving to the South is somewhat of a homecoming for me -- I'm originally from Alabama and have family scattered throughout the South. However, it will be a huge change for my fiancee, Christina, because she is 100% California born-and-raised.

And we will not forget the Santa Maria tri-tip. Never, never ever ever!

Love One Another

From today's Gospel reading

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

There is so much that can be said about this -- 2000 years, and of course, our recent encyclical! But on the basic level, you know, being the human being that I am, I sometimes think about how much of a challenge it is even to love those who get on my nerves. Grrr... But now I think of the little reflection (#174) from The Way, written by St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei:

Don't say: 'That person gets on my nerves.' Think: 'That person sanctifies me.'

And suddenly things come into focus. God works in our everyday lives and in our ordinary relationships with everybody we know. Each and every one of our relationships has meaning. This one is worth a million. Thanks.

Opus Dei and Corporal Mortification (and Poseidon)

Fr. Michael Barrett, a priest of Opus Dei and director of the Holy Cross Chapel and Catholic Resource Center in Houston, TX, responds to The Da Vinci Code's portrayal of Opus Dei and its views on Corporal Mortification:

The Da Vinci Code's bloody depictions of mortification are grotesque exaggerations that have nothing to do with reality. Obviously the movie makers were looking for shock value, and the real use of the cilice and discipline would have been too tame. In reality, they cause a fairly low level of discomfort comparable to fasting. There is no blood, no injury, nothing to harm a person's health, nothing traumatic. If it caused any harm, the Church would not allow it.

Fr. Barrett is a good man. When I first saw the trailer for The Da Vinci Code, I had to laugh - Particularly when it showed the Opus Dei Albino Monk literally ripping a cilice from his flesh and beating himself senseless with a discipline. Yeah, right.

Bill Cork offers some views on the film itself. I went to the movies too, but being a fan of large ships and disaster flicks, I couldn't resist the urge to see Poseidon. I liked the special effects and some decent action sequences, but I still prefer the 70's classic. :)