Rhymes with Orange

When I am inspired to offer a really bad joke, I ask, “What’s the only word in the English language that rhymes with ‘orange.'” People quickly move through their internal cache of words and come up empty. That is when, in a terribly fake Cockney accent, I offer: “door’inge.”  I did say that it would be a really bad joke. But did you know there is also a nationally syndicated comic strip named “Rhymes with Orange”?

The daily, nationally syndicated cartoon, often has a wry view of the world. Today’s edition was particularly good. You can view the cartoon here ( Aug 16 only).  The single panel scene depicts a young girl’s bedroom with a doll house – each room of which is brimming with furniture. The doll house is located right next to a 3-unit toy self-storage facility…. also brimming with furniture and stuff.  Just saying…

The Canaanite Woman

This coming Sunday is the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time. At its core this narrative remains a miracle-story – And her daughter was healed from that hour. But as the encounter is placed immediately after a discussion of purity in both Matthew and Mark, Jesus’ encounter with this Gentile woman also brings out the implications that the Gentiles will no longer be separated from Israel (cf. Acts 10:15, 28; 11:9–18). Continue reading