The passage about Lazarus and the rich man is very familiar to us. (Luke 16:19-31) Over the years this parable has been “mined” by countless theologians; artists have produced literature and poetry and music referencing Lazarus and the rich man Dives. Some say it’s not a parable, but that Lazarus was an actual person. I … Continue reading “Virtue Rather Than Wealth”
Category: Mercy
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,
The other day I went to see the doctor and the receptionist was happy. She greeted me with a smile and a cheerful attitude. She even laughed at one of my jokes… and she was helpful, making sure I was headed in the right direction. It’s always nice to meet happy people. Christians should be … Continue reading Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah,
“The Tale Of The Fruit Flies”
Originally Posted Sept. 28, 2021 I guess it’s part of aging, but some distant memories are becoming sharper in my mind. I recently recalled a time in 1968 when I was grinding my way thru my last semester of college at St.Louis U. I was taking a heavy course load including a Genetics class with … Continue reading “The Tale Of The Fruit Flies”
“A Pope of Mercy & Kindness”
A caricature is “an exaggeration of someone’s characteristic features… often to highlight human shortcomings…. a form of satire.” Hmmmmm. Sometimes they can be funny and harmless, other times they are cutting and hurtful. Joseph Ratzinger was too often described in exaggerated and hurtful ways….e.g. “God’s Rottweiller”. In truth he was a kind and holy and humble father of the church. … Continue reading “A Pope of Mercy & Kindness”
Time for A Tune-Up
Back in the day if your car was running a bit sluggishly, it was time to get a tune-up…. take it in for new points & plugs, change the oil and filter, lube job, perhaps a new set of tires, top it off with a nice wash and wax job. As you drove it home … Continue reading Time for A Tune-Up
“Prayer For The End Of The Year”
Blessed 2023. Wow, the number 2023 makes it seems like something out of an episode of Flash Gordon from 1934….rocket ships to the moon and Mars and beyond. Yet we are actually living in 2023. Time really does fly. I just read a beautiful “Prayer For The End of The Year”, by Catherine De Hueck Doherty in yesterday’s … Continue reading “Prayer For The End Of The Year”
“Tenderness”
“The scriptures never change, but the reader does”. Gee, that makes a lot of sense…. who said that? Actually I just said that. If it’s true, I’m sure someone else said it before me. All truth originates with God…. so we are not very original. A few years ago I went to mass at St. … Continue reading “Tenderness”
Earning Our Way….Hmmmmm!
Earning our way… pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps… the American way. “ The American dream is hard earned, self-made, with sleeves rolled up, pulling oneself up by their bootstraps, etc. There is nothing we cannot accomplish so long as we set our minds to it. These attitudes are easily identified in the grades we earn … Continue reading Earning Our Way….Hmmmmm!
Body Blow”
Most of us have received a few “body blows” during our life…. described as “a heavy punch to the body…. a severe disappointment or crushing setback.” They certainly vary in size and intensity, but to be described as a “body blow”, it has to knock you back. Physically it may take your breath away, knock you down, knock you out, … Continue reading Body Blow”
The Fruit Of Repentance
“Wild and lone the prophet’s voice, echoes through the desert still, calling us to make a choice, bidding us to do God’s will…. bear the fruit repentance sows: lives of justice, truth, and love. Trust no other claims than those.” Beautiful words of an Advent hymn… bear the fruit of repentance…. and what is this fruit….lives of justice, … Continue reading The Fruit Of Repentance