Ben (Contemplative in the Mud)
@contemplativeinthemud.com
Benjamin Embley | MTS student, MA philosophy, PhD engineering | Las Casas, les Maritain, Văn | English, français, español, ไทย | Living on Wabanaki land | contemplativeinthemud.com
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The Extreme Need for a Contemplative Gaze
Apparently Pope Leo can turn anything into a meditation on our common home or discourse on Christian contemplation. And sometimes he is open to doing both at once. That’s what happened this w…
contemplativeinthemud.com
At this week’s general audience, Pope Leo evoked a pressing and widespread need for grateful contemplation of creation.
(To put it mildly, I love this catechesis...)
(To put it mildly, I love this catechesis...)
Reposted by Ben (Contemplative in the Mud)
“Jesus could have done so much good if he had evangelized people during the years of obscurity in Nazareth. But he thought that he was doing a greater good by remaining in his silence...” — Saint Charles de Foucauld
November 13, 2024 at 2:55 PM
“Jesus could have done so much good if he had evangelized people during the years of obscurity in Nazareth. But he thought that he was doing a greater good by remaining in his silence...” — Saint Charles de Foucauld
Our hearts are restless until they rest in you. For Augustine, this sentence is uttered to the immortal, immaterial God beyond time and space. He’s not wrong, but the itinerary of Charles de Foucauld suggests a more integrally evangelical way to experience this inner discomposure.
Our Hearts are Restless Until they Rest in You (Social Version)
Our hearts are restless until they rest in you—for Augustine, this most Augustinian of sentences is uttered from a mortal particle of creation towards the infinite power and immortal wisdom that cr…
contemplativeinthemud.com
December 1, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Our hearts are restless until they rest in you. For Augustine, this sentence is uttered to the immortal, immaterial God beyond time and space. He’s not wrong, but the itinerary of Charles de Foucauld suggests a more integrally evangelical way to experience this inner discomposure.
Hello, Year A
November 30, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Hello, Year A
“All by itself, and without the control of the intuitivity of an intellect that is turned toward reality, the discourse of reason will inevitably go astray either by failing to branch off when it should or by heading down the wrong path… There is no knowledge without intuitivity.” — Jacques Maritain
November 30, 2025 at 10:25 AM
“All by itself, and without the control of the intuitivity of an intellect that is turned toward reality, the discourse of reason will inevitably go astray either by failing to branch off when it should or by heading down the wrong path… There is no knowledge without intuitivity.” — Jacques Maritain
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Malayan giant squirrel
Variable squirrel
Eastern fox squirrel
American red squirrel
Eurasian red squirrel
Malayan giant squirrel
Variable squirrel
Eastern fox squirrel
American red squirrel
Eurasian red squirrel
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you’ve seen in the wild:
Resplendent quetzal
Ohlone tiger beetle
Blue whale
Northern elephant seal
Southern sea otter 🦦
Resplendent quetzal
Ohlone tiger beetle
Blue whale
Northern elephant seal
Southern sea otter 🦦
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you’ve seen in the wild:
Moose
Stoplight parrotfish
Box turtle
Elephant
Wild horse
Moose
Stoplight parrotfish
Box turtle
Elephant
Wild horse
November 29, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you've seen in the wild:
Malayan giant squirrel
Variable squirrel
Eastern fox squirrel
American red squirrel
Eurasian red squirrel
Malayan giant squirrel
Variable squirrel
Eastern fox squirrel
American red squirrel
Eurasian red squirrel
Reposted by Ben (Contemplative in the Mud)
Pope Leo to bishops, priests, and consecrated religious in Istanbul: “The logic of littleness is the Church’s true strength. It does not lie in her resources or structures, nor do the fruits of her mission depend on numbers, economic power or social influence.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...
November 28, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Pope Leo to bishops, priests, and consecrated religious in Istanbul: “The logic of littleness is the Church’s true strength. It does not lie in her resources or structures, nor do the fruits of her mission depend on numbers, economic power or social influence.” www.vatican.va/content/leo-...
Even I find this remarkable. The speaker has zero—literally zero—experience of being treated as a layperson by priests in the Catholic Church; he's a former Protestant minister who became Catholic 6 yrs ago and was immediately tracked to priestly ordination (3 yrs ago). He has an opinion on decline?
November 28, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Even I find this remarkable. The speaker has zero—literally zero—experience of being treated as a layperson by priests in the Catholic Church; he's a former Protestant minister who became Catholic 6 yrs ago and was immediately tracked to priestly ordination (3 yrs ago). He has an opinion on decline?
“It would be far more accurate to say that the Spaniards have sacrificed more to their beloved goddess Greed every year that they have been in the Indies after entering each province than the Indians have sacrificed to their gods throughout the Indies in 100 years.”
Las Casas, 11th Reply, OE 5:333b
Las Casas, 11th Reply, OE 5:333b
VP JD Vance stood before a crowd and tried to falsify history, claiming Christians ended widespread mass child-sacrifice practices among Native Americans
November 27, 2025 at 5:29 PM
“It would be far more accurate to say that the Spaniards have sacrificed more to their beloved goddess Greed every year that they have been in the Indies after entering each province than the Indians have sacrificed to their gods throughout the Indies in 100 years.”
Las Casas, 11th Reply, OE 5:333b
Las Casas, 11th Reply, OE 5:333b
Reposted by Ben (Contemplative in the Mud)
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT
Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’
www.vulture.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”
Marie-Joseph Le Guillou's interest in the transfiguration of the body is one of the most Dominican of things.
November 25, 2025 at 8:38 PM
Marie-Joseph Le Guillou's interest in the transfiguration of the body is one of the most Dominican of things.
The liturgical timing of this annual Mass reminds me of one of my favourite versions of ‘Christ King of the Universe’—at Église des Abénakis d’Odanak, Rue W8banaki, Odanak First Nation:
November 25, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The liturgical timing of this annual Mass reminds me of one of my favourite versions of ‘Christ King of the Universe’—at Église des Abénakis d’Odanak, Rue W8banaki, Odanak First Nation:
“The Christian life consists in allowing oneself be taken by the light in order to become an epiphany of the love of God.” — Marie-Joseph Le Guillou
November 24, 2025 at 8:29 PM
“The Christian life consists in allowing oneself be taken by the light in order to become an epiphany of the love of God.” — Marie-Joseph Le Guillou
Fav sequence in today’s letter on Nicaea:
“But the Nicene Creed asks for more: it reminds us not to forget that Jesus Christ is the Lord... If God loves us with all his being, then we too must love one another... What we have done to the least of these, we have done to Christ (cf. Mt 25:31-46).”
“But the Nicene Creed asks for more: it reminds us not to forget that Jesus Christ is the Lord... If God loves us with all his being, then we too must love one another... What we have done to the least of these, we have done to Christ (cf. Mt 25:31-46).”
Apostolic Letter In Unitate Fidei on the 1700th Anniversary of the Council of Nicaea (23 November 2025)
LEO XIV APOSTOLIC LETTER IN UNITATE FIDEI ON THE 1700 th ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUNCIL OF NICAEA ____________
www.vatican.va
November 23, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Fav sequence in today’s letter on Nicaea:
“But the Nicene Creed asks for more: it reminds us not to forget that Jesus Christ is the Lord... If God loves us with all his being, then we too must love one another... What we have done to the least of these, we have done to Christ (cf. Mt 25:31-46).”
“But the Nicene Creed asks for more: it reminds us not to forget that Jesus Christ is the Lord... If God loves us with all his being, then we too must love one another... What we have done to the least of these, we have done to Christ (cf. Mt 25:31-46).”
Reposted by Ben (Contemplative in the Mud)
"Señor, cuando llegues a tu Reino, acuérdate de mí"
November 22, 2025 at 8:31 PM
"Señor, cuando llegues a tu Reino, acuérdate de mí"
“Faith... presupposes a leaving of oneself... It presupposes a contemplative attitude—an ex-stasy, a going out of oneself; without the contemplative dimension there is no Christian life.” — Gustavo Gutiérrez
November 21, 2025 at 6:22 PM
“Faith... presupposes a leaving of oneself... It presupposes a contemplative attitude—an ex-stasy, a going out of oneself; without the contemplative dimension there is no Christian life.” — Gustavo Gutiérrez
At this week’s general audience, Pope Leo evoked a pressing and widespread need for grateful contemplation of creation.
(To put it mildly, I love this catechesis...)
(To put it mildly, I love this catechesis...)
The Extreme Need for a Contemplative Gaze
Apparently Pope Leo can turn anything into a meditation on our common home or discourse on Christian contemplation. And sometimes he is open to doing both at once. That’s what happened this w…
contemplativeinthemud.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:42 PM
At this week’s general audience, Pope Leo evoked a pressing and widespread need for grateful contemplation of creation.
(To put it mildly, I love this catechesis...)
(To put it mildly, I love this catechesis...)
Let's go!
November 18, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Let's go!
Reposted by Ben (Contemplative in the Mud)
man Pope Leo’s statement on cinema is 🔥🔥🔥. especially this first line in this paragraph
November 16, 2025 at 8:04 PM
man Pope Leo’s statement on cinema is 🔥🔥🔥. especially this first line in this paragraph
Like Francis before him, Pope Leo is showing that his ideas about Vatican II are a little different—and more contemplative—than what we might expect.
One of the Most Beautiful Pages of Vatican II
Earlier this week, Pope Leo gave a homily which characterizes the Second Vatican Council in a particular way. Celebrating Mass for the anniversary of the dedication of the Church of Sant’Anselmo on…
contemplativeinthemud.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Like Francis before him, Pope Leo is showing that his ideas about Vatican II are a little different—and more contemplative—than what we might expect.
Woliwon / wela'lin / merci / thank you:
November 8, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Woliwon / wela'lin / merci / thank you:
“An Eastern Christian saw a photo of Father de Foucauld sitting on my desk and said, ‘This face is an icon.’ It’s true. We too must become icons of God’s mystery, more transparent, showing forth eschatology by placing ourselves at the heart of the cross and resurrection.” — Marie-Joseph Le Guillou
November 3, 2025 at 1:46 PM
“An Eastern Christian saw a photo of Father de Foucauld sitting on my desk and said, ‘This face is an icon.’ It’s true. We too must become icons of God’s mystery, more transparent, showing forth eschatology by placing ourselves at the heart of the cross and resurrection.” — Marie-Joseph Le Guillou
“Your goodness and love, which remain strong and true, will chase after me on the path of life all of my days. Grandfather’s longhouse will always be my home.”
Psalm 23:5 FNV
(All Souls)
Psalm 23:5 FNV
(All Souls)
November 2, 2025 at 2:07 PM
“Your goodness and love, which remain strong and true, will chase after me on the path of life all of my days. Grandfather’s longhouse will always be my home.”
Psalm 23:5 FNV
(All Souls)
Psalm 23:5 FNV
(All Souls)
“I consider Creator to be the most vulnerable being who exists, and it is in my vulnerability that I exhibit my spirituality, my humanity... The opposite of vulnerability is control, including the illegitimate use of power.” — Randy S. Woodley
“The desire to control is often the sign of inner insecurity, not of real power or love.”
— The Inner Voice of Love
— The Inner Voice of Love
November 1, 2025 at 1:39 PM
“I consider Creator to be the most vulnerable being who exists, and it is in my vulnerability that I exhibit my spirituality, my humanity... The opposite of vulnerability is control, including the illegitimate use of power.” — Randy S. Woodley
A poem for the readings for All Saints.
November 1, 2025 at 11:16 AM
A poem for the readings for All Saints.
This is (still) due today. If you have a little prayer, much appreciated!
And in between the two, I was asked to lightly adapt one of my (not-online) writings about "God the Most Vulnerable" for a peer-reviewed journal. Still working on this—but feeling encouraged today!
(The not-online piece is in a similar vein to this: contemplativeinthemud.com/2024/02/01/g... )
(The not-online piece is in a similar vein to this: contemplativeinthemud.com/2024/02/01/g... )
October 31, 2025 at 1:23 PM
This is (still) due today. If you have a little prayer, much appreciated!