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The first article I was interviewed for has been posted on the National Catholic Register’s website. I haven’t read the final copy, so you’ll have to tell me what it says. Big thanks to Celeste Behe for making me sound articulate and NCR editor Tom Hoopes for greenlighting this piece and the forthcoming article.

You can read “2 Blog Wonder” here. The article will also appear in Sunday’s print edition.

In other news, I’m on spring break, and as soon as I took my last midterm I packed Frankie and made a break for the border. I’m at home in San Diego until Sunday, trying to keep away from Facebook, email, my cell phone, spend some time with my mom and dog, and (maybe?) get my wisdom teeth removed. I swear getting these things pulled has been an ongoing saga that doesn’t seem to end. One of my BFFs from the Naval Academy is coming home on Friday and I’m looking forward to seeing her too.

I like to treat my school breaks as a retreat. Last night I was reading/meditating on 1 Kings and thought I’d share a passage with you:

Then the LORD said, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.”

A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD–but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake–but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire–but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?” He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. But the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” “Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus,” the LORD said to him. “When you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king of Aram. Then you shall anoint Jehu, son of Nimshi, as king of Israel, and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you. If anyone escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu will kill him. If he escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha will kill him. Yet I will leave seven thousand men in Israel–all those who have not knelt to Baal or kissed him.”

Elijah expected to meet God on the mountain in all of these mighty things, and yet God was in the silence. I think it stuck out to me because I’ve been feeling so anxious and overwhelmed lately.

Just for the record, I feel way better. The past couple of days have given me a break and some perspective on why I do what I do.

Pax Christi, Rebecca.