First Published: 2024 December 15
It may have taken 6 years, but I’m finally reflecting on the same Sunday Gospel more than once. While reading today, the two things that most struck me were the fact that the first paragraph of the gospel was almost entirely secular advice, and the second half was almost entirely spiritual. I know that the distinction is not necessarily true, but an atheist should take no issue with anything in the first paragraph.
My other major takeaway was the wheat and the chaff. Since fire was used in reference both to baptism and the burning of the chaff, I read it as saying that we are the wheat whose chaff is being burned off. Chaff, as we all know, is not something independent of wheat. It is the outer covering, which we remove because we don’t want it. Likewise, the sin in us is the chaff that we need to not just separate from, but burn away entirely through the healing power of Christ.
I’m really fatigued today, so that’s all I have, other than a quick look to see what has changed in the past six years.
Ooh! I focused on the fact that it was Advent, and mentioned that we should focus more on the joy aspect of the faith. That’s still true, but it’s interesting how my takeaways have changed through the years.
Goals:
One offs:
Talk to boss about Ph.D. timeline
Pick a topic for a science communication article
Make a list of the stretches I’ll do each day
Find a place to volunteer
Paper hit list
Compile a list of people I want to write letters to
Muse about macros and micros
Compile a list of 20 meals that I can make, with their ingredients (inc. shelf stable or lifetime), time, effort level, and nutrition info
Figure out my motivation for each book and have it as the bookmark
List of things that need to be cleaned and the frequency
List of things in my life
Make a list of musings to do
Weekly:
Spend 30 minutes 2x a week working on writing the song. Started working on the choral piece today. Realized I got two prayers1 mixed up in my head, so now deciding whether to keep the mishmash of the two prayers or pick a single one to stick to.
Ten minutes 4x a week on drawing. Did it last week, ready to go this week.
Daily:
Define how I’m feeling each day at start and end. eh, doing ok
Practice guitar daily (at least one scale and a chord progression). Yup
Muse daily. almost a week!
Stretch Twice a day. yes!
Ave Maria and Salve Regina↩