Category Archives: Augustine

What does ‘On Earth As It Is In Heaven’ mean?

Posted on July 28, 2019 by marklangley

Punctuation can often be misleading, especially when translators are faced with punctuating a text which has no punctuation. And so when we read the Lord’s Prayer in the Gospel of Saint Matthew we are perhaps accustomed to reading the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, Catena Aurea, Lord's Prayer | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

Slow down, you move too fast!

Posted on July 3, 2019 by marklangley

The lazy hazy days of summer are here and I can’t think of more appropriate advice to give anyone than that which Friar Laurence gave to Romeo: ROMEO O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste. FRIAR LAURENCE Wisely … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, catholic education, education, liberal education, summer vacation, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Lord’s Prayer: What Does “Lead Us Not Into Temptation” Mean?

Posted on June 6, 2019 by marklangley

Well… I tried explaining this very thing back in 2017 but as a seasoned teacher, I know the importance of repetition. More than most, I know that, “Repetitio est mater memoriae!” Additionally, (and thankfully!) we classical teachers are an extremely patient … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, Lord's Prayer, Temptation, The Passion | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

The Prodigal Son and The Prodigal Mind: Our Lord’s Parable for Educators

Posted on March 29, 2019 by marklangley

Our Lord’s parable about the man who had two sons, upon the younger of whom tradition has bestowed the sobriquet ‘prodigal,’  provides an excellent lesson for parents everywhere who are concerned about the education of their children. I have a … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambrose, Augustine, Catena Aurea, college, education, liberal education, soul, truth for its own sake | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

The Sun Shall be Darkened: First Sunday of Advent.

Posted on December 1, 2018 by marklangley

No one can hear the Gospel for the First Sunday of Advent without feeling at least a twinge of dread. I mean, Yikes! People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world. Our Lord undoubtedly meant to … Continue reading →

Posted in Advent, Ambrose, Aquinas, Augustine, Catena Aurea | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Did You Know That Drinking Milk Is An Excellent Preparation For Eating Meat?

Posted on November 9, 2017 by marklangley

Sometimes St. Paul seems downright condescending! For whereas for the time you ought to be masters, you have need to be taught again what are the first elements of the words of God: and you are become such as have … Continue reading →

Posted in aeschylus, Aquinas, Augustine, catholic education, Heraclitus, Homer, Sacred Doctrine, Socrates | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Newsflash: Just Because You Know What Virtue is Does Not Mean You are Virtuous.

Posted on May 21, 2017 by marklangley

Now I know that there are many of you who are just naturally charitable.  You easily empathize with the suffering of others and you have a spontaneous instinct to do anything you can to help others carry their crosses and … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, liberal education, Newman, Sacred Doctrine | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Do Your Children Know the Ten Commandments?

Posted on May 4, 2017 by marklangley

Every couple of years I have the opportunity to teach a course on the Ten Commandments to High School seniors and juniors. I always try to start the course with a one-question pop quiz that looks like this: Write down the … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, Decalogue, Sacred Doctrine, Wisdom | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Did Jesus Really Become Sorrowful?

Posted on April 9, 2017 by marklangley

See, O Lord, and consider, for I am become vile… O all ye that pass by the way, attend, and see if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow: Thus Jeremiah laments at the time of the Babylonian captivity, nonetheless, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aquinas, Augustine, Catena Aurea, Sacred Doctrine, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well: Who Were Those Five Husbands?

Posted on March 18, 2017 by marklangley

The Gospel for the third Sunday of Lent offers a special little gem for the classically minded church-goer. As Jesus is speaking to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well, He tells her that the water in the well will only bring … Continue reading →

Posted in Augustine, Catena Aurea, classical education, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 32 Comments