May 2026 monthly digest
[more movie writing on the horizon?]
Over the last few months, I’ve continued to tweak the format and layout of my monthly digest posts, and I feel like my approach finally looks and works the way I want. I hope you find these posts helpful. (It helps that Substack has recently given us some new layout tools. For what it’s worth, I think Dailies & Sundays looks best when viewed via web browser; the Substack app is just not attractive.) A few notes:
Two Movies posts this month. For a guy who got started as a film writer, these days I don’t get around to writing about movies nearly as much as I’d like. I’m always hoping that will change soon. This summer it might! I will be screening Steven Spielberg’s much-anticipated new film, Disclosure Day, so stay tuned!
What else? Two Pope Leo–related posts and two religious instruction posts (one on the sacrament of Confirmation and one on using imagination to test student knowledge of Bible figures).
This month’s Blast From the Past, a nerdy Bible post from two years ago, was my first Longread, and surprisingly one of my first breakout popular posts. It was the popularity of this post that helped me start to realize what is possible here at Substack.
On the other hand, the May Post of the Month—part 1 in a series for my God thoughts files—is the kind of post that, for whatever reason, doesn’t get a lot of traffic or comments, though it’s where my heart and soul is. More coming soon, whether anyone wants it or not!
□ BLAST FROM THE PAST
Harrison Butker, “the Jews,” and the New American Bible
In effect, for Butker and for many of his fans and other like-minded believers, “The Jews killed Jesus” is a Christian shibboleth or identity marker, and opposition to this shibboleth is opposition to the New Testament and persecution of Christians.
□ POST OF THE MONTH
Rays of God, part 1: Truth, goodness, and beauty
All truth, goodness, and beauty, in this view, are God’s truth, goodness, and beauty. The ultimate reality that Christians believe is described in the theology of the Holy Trinity and made incarnate in Jesus is also “the true light that enlightens every human being” (John 1:9).
□ ALL MAY 2026 POSTS
This month’s Post of the Month, introducing transcendentals. A God thoughts post
Has any prior pope ever called out a U.S. president for lying? A Catholic thoughts / Public square post
Updated welcome and some housekeeping. A Personal post
A public-service listicle on almost every movie series ever. A Movies / Humor post
Why isn’t Baptism enough? Why another one-time sacrament of initiation? A Catholic thoughts post
Bizarro and Tom Toro offer opposite takes on how the world will end. A Comics post
A rare family film asks “What if we actually could have nice things?” A Movies post
Pope Leo declares just war ‘now outdated,’ apologizes for legitimization of slavery by the Holy See, and calls treatment of migrants a ‘litmus test’ for social justice. A Catholic thoughts / Public square post
My first-person imaginative approach to testing Bible knowledge: A Bible / Curious post
Thanks for reading! Here are seven of nine Greydani at Anna’s Army commissioning. Suzanne, RN and I pinned Anna’s rank on her epaulets. In the fall she will begin her career as an Army nurse. All of us here at the Grey Havens appreciate you!
I look forward to Rays of God Part 2, as well as more movie articles. 👍