Stempson's Index

Boxes shipped cross-country: 12

Days it took to pack: 2

Old episodes of House, M.D. watched while packing: 8

Cute owl things given by Erin packed: 4

Hours left before my flight to North Carolina: 53

Days until I meet my law school dorm-mates: 6

Days until I turn 22: 14

Points to be given to whomever can correctly name the magazine that I'm referencing: 5

Although my boxes have shipped, I continue to pack. I am approximately halfway done tearing apart my room and then reassembling it in 16 x 16 x 10-inch boxes to be stored here in Sunnyvale whilst I am away. It's been rather interesting to go through my old stuff, especially the random journals and other writing I've unearthed. Looking back on my middle school and high school self affirms for me how much I have grown--socially, spiritually, and scholastically--over these past four years in college. I am a little embarrassed by the hubris I tended to demonstrate in my writing before college... I will strive against such conceit here.

It's difficult to wrap my head around the fact that I will be traveling so far away, won't see my family again until Christmas, and will be starting the most challenging academic year of my life. Ridiculous. The concept of going back East is so proverbial, so charged with expectation. I am filled with excitement at the prospect, have read countless books about law school, check the Georgetown Admitted Students website every day--and yet, at some level, I really have no idea what I'm getting myself into.

Ultimately, it's in God's hands. After going to Mass for the Assumption, my mom and I read a few Bible passages about Mary together. Mary's faith is an inspiration. As Elizabeth says in Luke 1:45, "Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

Blessed Mary, graceful Mother, I ask that you might pray for all of us embarking on new journeys this fall, that we will trust in God for our guidance and our strength. Amen.

St. Thomas More

With a scant six weeks left before I move cross-country, I thought I would take the time to set up the blog that I intend to update regularly throughout my law school experience. This summer, due to the counsel of the beloved Jesuit Joe, I am getting to know St. Thomas More, the patron saint of lawyers. At the moment, I'm reading Peter Ackroyd's biography, The Life of Thomas More, which has been very insightful. In particular, I find it admirable that More remained true to his faith even when tempted by power and threatened by martyrdom. I pray that I will be able to follow his example in serving God before all else.

The title of this blog--"In the pursuit of His justice"--is a quote from a prayer to St. Thomas More (see sidebar), originally adapted from a prayer that More himself wrote. I feel that this is an excellent goal for which to strive in the course of my legal education and career.

More is also the author of Utopia, a visionary thought experiment on how society might optimally function. As an idealistic 21-year-old with my own hopes and perceptions of how the world could be, this book provides a heartening platform; albeit, the argument is not for the feasible development of a perfect social system. Rather, More calls for the spurring on of dialogue about how we can continually improve life for those around us--in other words, by actively pursuing His justice. As Paul writes in Hebrews 10:24-25:

"And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

This verse has been on my heart for several years now. As I stand on the cusp of law school, a genuine consideration of the nature of justice as it relates to Christian love seems not only appropriate, but necessary.