So, I went and saw the latest movie installment of the Fantastic Beasts series: Crimes of Grindelwald, AND then I proceeded to also devour the screenplay. Once again, Jo Rowling has conjured up a brilliant and satisfying tale that will be enjoyed by fans both new to the Wizarding World along with bona fide Potterheads. Crimes of Grindelwald is a fast paced story that contains plenty of revelations, but it still leaves you wanting more, so although there’s another 2 year wait for Fantastic Beasts #3, I think it’ll be well worth it if the next ride is as magical […]
story
16 posts
Recently, I was sharing with a friend my excitement about the upcoming November 16th release of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. His response was very subdued, and when I queried him as to why, he responded, “I’m just not interested in seeing the whole Dumbledore-Grindelwald love story on screen.” I quickly assured him that I highly doubted that such a thing would happen, particularly since J.K. Rowling is the one writing the screenplay. Although my comments seemed to mollify my friend enough that he was willing to go see the movie, his reaction caused me to reflect that perhaps […]
So yesterday as I shared how the Harry Potter series can help in cultivating a life of Christian virtue, I made mention that the best stories prepare us to engage more fully with the Story. How is that the case? Because the more we prepare our hearts and minds, the better able we can dive into the essence, purpose and meaning of the Story found in Sacred Scripture and discover all four of its Senses. And when we experience all four senses, we prepare our heart and mind to receive the fullness of the Word. So what are these four […]
One of my profound joys is the reading of a phenomenal story. Especially if it is one that echoes the Story, and thereby the very reading, it has the potential to transform the mind and heart of the reader. A definite example of this kind of story is the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. It will be the 20th anniversary of the release of the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, next month. Unfortunately, due to the change in the title of the first book in the seven book series, many people came to understand, […]
Today I had the great joy of reconnecting with an old friend. We shared what we had been up to, everything from the big highlights and current challenges to the small joys found in the midst of walking the journey with God. It was a beautiful grace and consolation in the midst of my day, but what has stayed with me the most from that conversation was not what we said, but how. For in the midst of our sharing, I felt us quickly slip into the easy give and take and playful banter that has always been the nature […]
Today, I read an article and saw a video that depicted the spread of Christianity for the last 2000 years. (I’ll paste a link to the article and video below) As I watched the video, I was struck by the reality of how the Gospel spread across the world throughout the centuries, even before the advent of all the communications methods like phones, radio, television, internet, and social media that are so commonplace today. Before modern communications, individuals simply shared the joy of the Good News with each other in a very simple, but profoundly powerful way. How? By sharing […]