Those who are fluent in Latin have noticed a technical problem with my blog’s name: it should read Novum Lumen, or even Lumen Novum for a more natural Latin. While you may doubt my sincerity, I did this on purpose. The term “novus lumen” in Latin is not technically correct and is a downright embarrassment to all that is morphologically sound and pure. But that is the point. I want there to be dissonance and a disconnect between what I want to say and express, with what is written and articulated in word, because that is the theme of my spiritual opus.

In perfect thematic parallel, I and others feel dissonance in our faith and a disconnect between what is Revealed and what we know or are able to articulate about that Revelation. In our effort to reunderstand Christian spirituality, we often cobble together pieces of what is Real in an effort to express that Reality. In the same way I cobbled together two bits of Latin to convey meaning, we seek to take bits of Truth to fashion together an understanding of Meaning. While it may be disconnected and not entirely technical, it is still our attempt at understanding God, His Reality, and His Story, nonetheless.

Furthermore, often times what I write on this blog will be a discombobulated mess, an amalgamation of words, thoughts, ideas, and sentences that create anything but a choral euphony. Yet in that mess, meaning is somehow conveyed. In the spirit of my Latin word-smithing, I do not pledge to write technical or consistent prose. My desire is to write from the heart of dissonance, to weave in and out of inharmonious syllables/words/phrases in order to create a harsh-toned effect. Why? Because this is the manner in which Jesus danced.

In an effort to move the disciples through terra nova into novus lumen, Jesus used dissonance to further define and clarify the boundaries of the Kingdom of Heaven, for instance.

Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:23-25)

It was only when Jesus created discordant tones that the disciples could begin to see the Kingdom of Heaven for what it was. Jesus deliberately used imagery that would cause the disciples to gasp and do a double-take in an effort to teach, instruct, and convey meaning about His Reality.

Yes, my term is harsh and adulterated, but I like it that way and I hope you do too.

be His,