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Monthly Archives: July 2021
Reflections on Paradiso
Reading the Paradiso for the third, and now fourth time, has been a fully different experience from the first journey through the spheres up to the Empyrean. The narrative seems even less structured than in the other two books, which … Continue reading
Posted in Paradiso
Tagged books, dante, firenze, florence, paradiso, re-reading, reading, reflection
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Dante’s thoughts of the New Papacy around 1300
Towards the boundary of the material cosmos, and right before entering the Eternal Mind of the Divine, Dante sums up his thoughts about Pope Boniface VIII through the voice of St. Peter – the first Pope: He who on earth … Continue reading
Beauty in Arts, Nature, and the Mystery
Here is the passage where Dante compares beauty in arts or in nature, with the spiritual beauty within oneself, of the Divine Mysteries: And all that art and nature can contrive to lure the eye and thus possess the mind, … Continue reading
Adam in Paradiso
Here are the words from Adam to the Pilgrim in Paradiso – as to why they were metaphorically expelled from the Garden of Eden: Know now, my son, the tasting of the tree was not itself the cause of such … Continue reading
Aiming one’s Love
In the third and final examination, conducted by St. John, the Pilgrim is asked “what is it that your Soul is set upon.” The answer is firstly; the Good. “The Good, that full contentment of this Court, is Alpha and … Continue reading
Posted in Paradiso
Tagged creation, dante, essence, examinations, glory, good, light, love, paradiso, reflection, soul, st. john, truth
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The Definition of Hope
In the second examination the Pilgrim has to define “Hope”. His answer is: “Hope is sure expectancy of future bliss to be inherited – the holy fruit of the Divine’s own grace and man’s precedent worth.” He then says it … Continue reading
The Definition of Faith
In the first of the three examinations for the Pilgrim in Paradiso he has to define “Faith.” His answer is: “Faith is the substance of those hoped-for things, and argument for things we have not seen.” And the reason that … Continue reading