“If eyes are always kept blindfolded, one must fear that they may become blind.” — Marcel Văn Benjamin Embley | English, français, ไทย | Living on Wabanaki land | contemplativeinthemud.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.comhttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mrb27u4jxk2yCome to learn Vietnamese, get asked to do the arithmetic yourself! [contains quote post or other embedded content]22 Jul 2026 19:21 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrb27u4jxk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mr3td2qw622g“Jesus warns us against the temptation of thinking that God is a powerful figure who imposes himself by force, who takes over and dominates, or who arrives triumphantly. Instead, God favors smallness, a sign of his discreet love, by which he leaves us free to accept or reject him.” — Pope Leo https://contemplativeinthemud.com/2026/07/20/temptations-to-imagine-a-strong-and-powerful-god/20 Jul 2026 17:34 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3td2qw622ghttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqzafnaoa222As I keep saying, the reason we imagine God as powerful and also in every way invulnerable—even though it flies in the face of our freedom to accept or reject God—isn't really about theory. It's a social question. It's about how we frame and use power. Pope Leo today: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/angelus/2026/documents/20260719-angelus.html19 Jul 2026 16:50 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqzafnaoa222https://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqx7i4m3jc2iStop scrolling and post two characters who bring you happiness [contains quote post or other embedded content]18 Jul 2026 21:28 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqx7i4m3jc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqpcmpnsyc2cA propos of nothing: 2 years ago today, I heard a homily entirely dedicated to "there's never a reason for a Christian to avoid someone" from a priest who was preaching to less than ten people, did a psych undergrad, knew notable amounts of my abuse history in the Church, and was an episcopal vicar. [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Jul 2026 18:03 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpcmpnsyc2chttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqmbcj7knc27Feast day in the U.S. (really no idea why it's not on the actual day she died at Kahnawà꞉ke there)—but I'll celebrate any day! [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Jul 2026 13:02 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqmbcj7knc27https://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqm4ezbi7c2pOh, hey, you're back 🙃 [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Jul 2026 11:34 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqm4ezbi7c2phttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqkbw2w5222oOk, yes, thx, I did that part. Giáo sư đó tên là Văn. What I want from you, dear book, is to help me improve my Vietnamese.13 Jul 2026 18:07 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqkbw2w5222ohttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqjhjqcw622aFrench-language book ordered on a France-located website offers me one tracking option: Australia Post13 Jul 2026 10:15 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqjhjqcw622ahttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqejinua7s26He's not my namesake, but 90% of Catholics I'm introduced to assume it, so I'm claiming his feast day11 Jul 2026 11:07 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqejinua7s26https://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqd7ud3ifs2kAw, and the next Văn newsletter arrived in the mail today, right on time for the day. [contains quote post or other embedded content]10 Jul 2026 22:42 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqd7ud3ifs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mqcm74wyzs2yThis is a very different kind of post. Let's talk—or rather, if you let me talk—about a couple of things on the anniversary of Marcel Văn's death in a prison camp. https://contemplativeinthemud.com/2026/07/10/dam-silence/10 Jul 2026 16:50 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqcm74wyzs2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/contemplativeinthemud.com/post/3mq4zbrhpd22oMe in 2007, still in RCIA: holy crap the Maritains were targeted in some way by some creepy abuser guy whom they'd been the first ones to sound an alarm against Rest of the world: crickets Me: huh that's weird this must've been news before and I'm just the new guy [contains quote post or other embedded content]08 Jul 2026 11:28 +0000at://did:plc:xjs4jbsduex77aes4yhpdsyn/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq4zbrhpd22o