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...)
“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!
Reposted by Ben (Contemplative in the Mud)
Pope Leo XIV: “The supreme rule in the Church is love….No one is excluded; we are all called to participate. No one possesses the whole truth; we must all humbly seek it and seek it together.”
October 26, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Pope Leo XIV: “The supreme rule in the Church is love….No one is excluded; we are all called to participate. No one possesses the whole truth; we must all humbly seek it and seek it together.”
“To pray is to be like a child who needs his father and shows to him his confidence and love.” — René Voillaume
October 26, 2025 at 11:58 PM
“To pray is to be like a child who needs his father and shows to him his confidence and love.” — René Voillaume
“I continue to be convinced... that a fertile, imaginative challenge lies in ‘contemplation in action,’ in action which transforms history. I am referring to finding God in the poor...” — Gustavo Gutiérrez
October 24, 2025 at 11:57 PM
“I continue to be convinced... that a fertile, imaginative challenge lies in ‘contemplation in action,’ in action which transforms history. I am referring to finding God in the poor...” — Gustavo Gutiérrez
Gustavo Gutiérrez passed into eternal life one year ago today (8 Jun 1928 – 22 Oct 2024)
October 22, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Gustavo Gutiérrez passed into eternal life one year ago today (8 Jun 1928 – 22 Oct 2024)
Local guy sent me an invitation to a screening of some Mass of the Ages movie... at the official diocesan retreat centre.
No, I'm not interested in your aestheticism (“bastard child of capitalism”). I’m here for the contemplation of beauty. They’re not the same. See:
No, I'm not interested in your aestheticism (“bastard child of capitalism”). I’m here for the contemplation of beauty. They’re not the same. See:
Aestheticism vs. Contemplation of Beauty: Arturo Paoli and Pope Francis
Introduction To close Earth Month, there is a 50-year-old essay that I want to reproduce in its entirety. The reason for this is that I think the text is a precursor to many of the contemplative an…
contemplativeinthemud.com
October 20, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Local guy sent me an invitation to a screening of some Mass of the Ages movie... at the official diocesan retreat centre.
No, I'm not interested in your aestheticism (“bastard child of capitalism”). I’m here for the contemplation of beauty. They’re not the same. See:
No, I'm not interested in your aestheticism (“bastard child of capitalism”). I’m here for the contemplation of beauty. They’re not the same. See:
One of my favourite hoodies is an Alan Syliboy whale that I got from his shop in Millbrook First Nation:
October 20, 2025 at 10:04 AM
One of my favourite hoodies is an Alan Syliboy whale that I got from his shop in Millbrook First Nation:
Based on the authors' joint article on hermeneutics in last year's New Testament in Color commentary (IVP) and Danny Zacharias' commentary on Matthew in the same, this is gonna be book of the year for me. Can't wait—less than a month now!
Reading the Bible on Turtle Island
Join the dance of North American Indigenous interpretations of Christian Scripture In Reading the Bible on Turtle Island, Indigenous scholars Chris Hoklotubbe and Danny Zacharias explore what it means
www.ivpress.com
October 19, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Based on the authors' joint article on hermeneutics in last year's New Testament in Color commentary (IVP) and Danny Zacharias' commentary on Matthew in the same, this is gonna be book of the year for me. Can't wait—less than a month now!