“Let our scars fall in love,” Galway Kinnell said. In this compelling book, Desmond Francis Xavier Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé moves his love language over old wounds, deep cuts now seemingly inappreciable. Scarred over and smoothed out—by grace. Yet, how reasoned and magnificent the rising for air, the lyric ascent that wraps a heady mix of theological imagination and handsome aesthetics, without pause or apology. This is a hearty nod to Hans Urs von Balthasar’s three transcendentals of Being—beauty, goodness, truth. In these poems, one experiences the full-bodied witness of Catholic piety, one that remains brave, vulnerable, curious, devoted, and above all, reverent. The lines traverse a broad, lustrous terrain, from Mount Olivet to Macau, Malacca to Montreal. From Caravaggio’s Deposition of Christ to Salvador Dalí’s Ascension of Christ. From the Church of Agios Lazaros to the Church of the Sepulchre of Saint Mary. One walks through Ordinary Time to Advent, and looks on the year Ash Wednesday fell on Saint Valentine’s Day. Without reservation, there remains an adoring love for the Holy Eucharist. And veneration for what is an impressive host of saints—from Saint Monica to Saint Rose of Lima, Saint John of the Cross to Saint Josemaría Escrivá. How do our conversations with God inhabit their own speech acts, then settle comfortably into the contemplative, the deep quiet of silence? How does the language of the confessional translate itself into confessional poetry, the expressed lyric turning itself over and over again, how iterative, how manifold the unfolding and infolding? A language always stationed in a state of contingency, open in its gentle evolutions—by turns; yet, all at once. The fragile transformations as delicate and faint, as they remain illumined, uplit. Always looking heavenward, toward the light, toward transcendence.

What does it look like to be a holy woman who says yes to Jesus in the chaos of everyday life? Who better to learn this from than Mary, the mother of Jesus?Scripture shows Mary to be a real woman, full of grace, tenacity, and a love of God that led her to follow Jesus through deep sufferings and great joys. By growing in friendship with Mary and learning from her, we too can walk the path of holiness and put virtue into action. Grow in virtue and friendship with Mary through the chaos of life with these spirited, down-to-earth reflections by Kelsey Gillespy, author of In the Trenches. In this witty and profound guide to Christian discipleship for women, Gillespy contemplates the virtues of Mary and proposes practical and powerful ways to magnify the Lord—by folding laundry, raising kids, or training for elite athletics. Formatted for personal reflection or group discussion, Real Life with Mary features short chapters, discussion questions, and prayers.

The Displacement of the Body in Ælfric's Virgin Martyr Lives addresses 10th-century Old English hagiographical translations, from Latin source material, by the abbot and grammarian Ælfric. The vitae of Agnes, Agatha, Lucy, and Eugenia, and the married saints Daria, Basilissa, and Cecilia, included in Ælfric's s Old English Lives of Saints, recount the lives, persecution, and martyrdom of young women who renounce sex and, in the first four stories, marriage, to devote their lives to Christian service. They purport to be about the primacy of virginity and the role of the body in attaining sanctity. However, a comparison of the Latin sources with Ælfric's versions suggests that his translation style, characterized by simplifying the most important meanings of the text, omits certain words or entire episodes that foreground suppressed female sexuality as key to sainthood. The Old English Lives de-emphasize the physical nature of faith and highlight the importance of spiritual purity. In this volume, Alison Gulley explores how the context of the Benedictine Reform in late Anglo-Saxon England and Ælfric's commitment to writing for a lay audience resulted in a set of stories depicting a spirituality distinct from physical intactness.

"Extraordinarily relevant, Mariological Studies in Honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe is a one of a kind treasure trove delving into the great mysteries of salvation through the lens of Mary’s maternal mediation. Eight essays relating to the Mother of God and Mother of the Church, but particularly about Our Lady of Guadalupe, Queen of the Americas, will stir your heart to a renewed devotion to the Blessed Mother Mary, so essential for our times. You’ll want to savor this book. Highly recommended!" - Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, EWTN TV Host of "Everyday Blessings for Catholic Moms” and “Catholic Mom’s Café” is the author of numerous Catholic books including The Miraculous Medal: Stories, Prayers, and Devotions

"Throughout the ages, there have been men and women in every race and religion that have mastered time and space, transcended the cycles of karma and rebirth, and returned to the Source of all life. By attaining the goal of life, the ascension, these souls have become ascended masters. In this book, drawn from the author’s pivotal spiritual conference held at Mount Shasta in 1975, you will discover how the saints and sages of both East and West work together behind the scenes of life with seekers in every field of human endeavor. Learn about this vast brotherhood of light, known as the Great White Brotherhood (the word “white” refers not to race but to the aura of white light that surrounds these ascended masters), their devotion to humanity, and their tireless efforts to help you and those you love. Contains an easy-to-understand and unique approach to spiritual astrology called the “Cosmic Clock,” with diagrams. Also explores key interpretations of the Book of Revelation, America’s unique role, and the little-known vision of George Washington and the prophecy of Sir William Hope about the future of America. "

Data Warehousing for Biomedical Informatics is a step-by-step how-to guide for designing and building an enterprise-wide data warehouse across a biomedical or healthcare institution, using a four-iteration lifecycle and standardized design pattern. It enables you to quickly implement a fully-scalable generic data architecture that supports your organization's clinical, operational, administrative, financial, and research data. By following the guidelines in this book, you will be able to successfully progress through the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma versions, plus fully implement your first production release in about a year.

Beliefs That Really Matter is both exegetical and theological in nature and gives clarity to contemporary readers of subject matter that they may find themselves struggling with, in living the Christian life. Just to name a few topics, that the author has discussed in Beliefs That Really Matter are (a) God - Breathed Scripture, (b) Gods Plan of Grace, (c) A New Beginning, and (d) The Faith of One Man. Beliefs That Really Matter makes people think about why they believe certain doctrines and to examine the doctrines whether if it is biblically sound. The Christian life is unique which we cannot deny, but the real challenge for us is to live the Christian life according to Gods standards and not ours. These concerns should be relevant and timely to the practicing Christian that this book represents. Each chapter of Beliefs That Really Matter is thought provoking and engages the readers not to settle for cheap messages of the gospel that our culture is so quickly to accept that lead many astray from the Bible. For example, cheap messages of the gospel do not develop the believer into a spiritual mature person, but only leaves the believer to sink in their Christian experience and causes confusion for many and disappointment for others. No wonder many Christians face numerous spiritual challenges and find themselves drifting from the sacred writings. Beliefs That Really Matter points the professing Christian to study the Scriptures and to scoop out the meaning for themselves from Gods Word that they begin to apply in their lives as having to form a firm foundation. Quite often, we may read a book that does nothing for our spiritual growth and does not challenge certain teachings or examine the Scripture. In Beliefs That Really Matter the author exposes shallow Christian beliefs that resemble a grab bag, and calls attention to the unique Word of God that shapes our lives for a firm foundation. Beliefs That Really Matter is written for college students, pastors and lay leaders and for those who desire to grow in their spirituality and to experience a hunger for Gods presence in their lives. For example, the reader would benefit tremendously from the book by doing a Bible study on their own, share in a small group discussion, to be used as a text for a Sunday school class or to be used as a college text book in the discipline of Christian theology, especially in the area of apply soteriology. The contents of the book are clear and specific that does not leave the reader in the dark, but rather motivate the reader to strengthen his faith and to connect with the sacred writings that feeds his soul. Beliefs That Really Matter is a wealth of information to the readers that enjoy responsible exegesis and theological explanation of words and there meanings, grammatical tenses, expressions, misunderstandings and contradictions. Each chapter is concluded with a short study guide that enables the readers to think about their need for spiritual growth and enrichment and to dig into Gods Word as hidden treasure. Sincerely, Veerasammy Carpen

Reprint of the original, first published in 1866.