First Class Wisdom

       Today was the first day of classes here in Austria!  It was also the first snow of the semester, and it came down in a blanket.  Joey, Josh and I went hiking up a mountain after class and stumbled upon a path lined with painted stone shrines for each Station of the Cross!  The one for Christ's Crucifixion was the size of a small barn and had three life sized crosses with Christ, the two thieves, and Mary and John at the foot.  

This country never ceases to amaze me.  In its beauty, in its faith, in its age, in its simplicity.  

Here are some quotes from my professors that I jotted down during class.  They're out of context of course, but profound in their own ways.  

Professor Cassidy is my Ecclesiology professor.  Let me just say, I could close my eyes and listen to him talk about God's Church for weeks...  on account of the fact that he speaks in an incredibly pronounced Scottish accent!  So just imagine William Wallace saying these next few quotes, and you might  understand why they struck me.  

"Sometimes I'll be serious and sometimes I'll be flippant.  But we must always seek the joy of Christ."  

"My name is my most precious possession.  My name is who I am."  

"You will get to see the battle between Winter and Spring, and it'll be like our spiritual journey.  There will be days when you feel caught in the dark of winter, and other days you when you can smell the spring coming."

"The God you don't believe in doesn't exist."

Dr. Asci is our Christian Marriage professor.  He began his class with this prayer:

"Direct, O Lord, all our actions by your holy inspirations, and carry them on by your gracious assistance, so that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from You and by You be happily ended, through Christ our Lord.  Amen."

Dr. Carreño is from Colombia and teaches Ethics.  I can't wait to see how his class progresses... He definitely hooked me with his first lecture.  

"We only approach wisdom when we are open to hearing and learning from the arguments of others."

"A famished intellect will be avenged."  -  C.S. Lewis

All in all, a fantastic week!  I'll probably write again on the weekend after official trip to Vienna.

Christ's peace!  See you in the Eucharist.