Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical, "Spe Salvi," begins, “In hope we are saved.” The final appeal in the encyclical is to Mary, the purest of the “humble and great souls of Israel” waiting for redemption. In the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, her example guides us in strange times like ours, when the [...]
The peace of God to be found in Paradise passes all our human understanding in this vale and veil of tears and in this cloud of unknowing that we call mortal life, but it doesn’t pass the perfected beatified human understanding of those who gain the beatific vision. Over the Christmas period I had time [...]
In Dante’s vision, fraud is the deepest, most infernal sin, and yet it does not appear at all among the capital sins whose punishments are willingly undergone in "Purgatorio." Why is that? Earlier this week, I read a moving essay by Rod Dreher in Touchstone about how he discovered Dante during a hard time in [...]
Great books introduce us to ideas and to ways of looking at the world that are new to us. They provide a refreshing distance from the trends, fashions, tastes, opinions, and political correctness of our current culture. Great books invite us to put aside for a while our way of looking at the world and [...]
Dante’s “Divine Comedy” is often taught poorly, if even taught at all. At the root of the problem is the tendency to remain trapped in hell, never venturing forth into purgatory and paradise. This is a consequence of the way that Dante has been taught for decades—indeed, for centuries. Lovers of the Great Books argue [...]
Our own life’s journey, like Dante’s, is fraught with temptations and trials. We modern pilgrims should exercise the gifts of free will, reason, and a capacity for love in such a way that our choices lead us ever closer to the source of all Love and away from those occasions, near or far, that would [...]
I disagree on certain points with two literary giants, Dante and John Milton. Though unworthy to follow in their literary footsteps, I feel nonetheless that even giants are fallible. Is it possible to argue without quarreling? G.K. Chesterton thought so and did so. He said of his relationship with his brother that they were always [...]
Dante’s “Divine Comedy” conveys timeless wisdom about the human person and the ugly reality of sin. This magnificent poem can help many of us overcome the sin of lust and escape the dark forest that in one way or another ensnares us all. “Midway along the journey of our life / I woke to find [...]
The greatest poets, including Homer, Virgil, and Dante, ask what happens to the human soul after death. Do the dead become mere shadows of their former selves or do they become more real? The greatest poets have always asked the most important questions. One of the most important questions concerns the destiny of the human [...]
Together, the corrupting sins of pride and envy destroyed the democracies of ancient Athens and Rome. But what lies at the root of these two greatest of sins? And is there any remedy or antidote that can cure us, and our society, once we give way to them? Fr. Dwight Longenecker’s “Immortal Combat” offers answers. [...]
Dante’s ugly, shapeshifting demon, Geryon, is all around us, covering his rage with a facade of love, compassion, and concern. He is also within us. And this is a truth we must bring to light, because, without it, we cannot really understand the depth and grim reality of the Christian faith. “Behold the beast with [...]
Part of Dante’s heroism in the “Divine Comedy” is his enduring pursuit of knowledge—he is full of wonder and longing for the truth. These qualities also make him an exemplary student. I have the great blessing of teaching at a tiny school in Wyoming that is truly devoted to liberal education. But for a few [...]
Throughout “Paradiso,” Beatrice is Dante’s companion, his light in the darkness, his first fruit guide to Divine Love itself. Dante is transfigured and transformed in Beatrice’s presence and through Beatrice’s wisdom. In this way, she mirrors the typological and sacramental reality of the messiah. Dante sees Beatrice, but hears Love itself in her voice and [...]
“Here let death’s poetry arise to life, / O Muses sacrosanct whose liege I am! / And let Calliope rise up and play / her sweet accompaniment in the same strain / that pierced the wretched magpies with the truth / of unforgivable presumptuousness.” Thus was Dante’s opening prayer as he entered Purgatory and prepared [...]