Category Archives: Musings

Blindness

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In today’s gospel the chief priest and elders confront Jesus with a question concerning the authority by which Jesus is teaching in the Temple precincts, the content of his teaching, and more. This is a different moment than during the Galilean ministry when people, already amazing and curious, wondered about the source of Jesus’ teaching, miracles, and the authority by which he did all these things. It is different from the moments when Jesus encounters the queries from the scribes and pharisees. Now, in the midst of what we refer to as “Holy Week,” Jesus faces the leaders who already have plans to end Jesus’ life – they are just looking for immediate cause and opportunity. Continue reading →

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

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From our first reading: “Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you” (Zech 2:15)

When I was in Kenya I remember the first time I saw local artwork portraying Jesus, Mary, the Holy Family. The images were black people that looked like the people among whom I lived. Of course I had grown up with same images – only the faces were white. I can remember thinking of seeing the Kenyan images… “makes sense.”  It made sense, because if we thought about it we all answer that Jesus was of Middle eastern features. But at the same time, we all want to see our identity in the images of Jesus, Mary, the Holy Family, the saints, and all those things that are icons of our faith. Continue reading →

A Gift of Advent: the Habit of Patience

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So far this Advent, the Saturday morning post has explored one of the many gifts that await us under the tree, that is, the cross of Christ. And there are some awesome gifts – to name the ones mentioned in previous weeks – forgiveness and mercy. Now we have arrived at the Third Week of Advent, Gaudete Sunday! The name comes from wording in Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!  It is another week, and another gift awaits. Like any kid in the days leading up to Christmas you have begun to peer under the tree, assessing the shapes, sizes and weight of gifts – and guessing what could possibly be under wraps. You have to wonder what other awesome gift is waiting right there under the tree, the cross of Christ. Let’s open up another gift!  But wait…it’s not Christmas yet.  What’s the rush? Christmas is only over a week away. Of course, when I was 7 years old, “only a week” seemed liked a lifetime. Now that I am a lot older than 7, “only a week” is but the blink of an eye. I am much more patient about most things…. Not all things, most things. So, what’s the rush? Maybe we should practice a little patience? Continue reading →

While I am it…

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Earlier today there was a post about the challenges of pronunciation. Merriam Webster later posted “You’re (Probably) Saying It Wrong: 18 words even you might be mispronouncing. As I read the article I could heart the echo of my mom and several teachers saying: “OK, you know how to spell it….just sound it out.” There are at least 18 words where that advise wouldn’t have helped me. Continue reading →

The Challenges of Pronunciation

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I know that from time to time, especially in the Old Testament readings, there are words that are challenging to say the least. So, I thought I would pass along an article from the morning’s paper that let us all know the world is full of challenging words. I thought about have a contest with a prize to the first person to correctly proclaim the sentence below…. but I am not sure where we’d get someone to judge!

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa explained the significance of the Chicxulub impact crater to actor Domhnall Gleeson over a drink of negroni sbagliato in the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia.”

It contains five examples from this year’s list of the most mispronounced words released this week by The Captioning Group, which since 1991 has captioned and subtitled real-time events on television in the U.S. and Canada.

History, Slavery, Legacy and Today

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The Washington Post recently published an article that is an informative and fascinating read. You should take 15-20 minutes to read:  Their wealth was built on slavery. Now a new fortune lies underground by Julie Zauzmer Weil. In the picture above, people mentioned in the article include, clockwise from top left: Isaac Coles, Carole Coles Henry, Edward Coles, Walter Coles V

Image credit: Washington Post – Justin Ide for The Washington Post, Washington Post illustration with original sources from the New York Public Library, Library of Congress with photographs by Joshua Lott of the Washington Post

Original article: Editing by Lynda Robinson, photo editing by Mark Gail and Mark Miller, copy editing by Vanessa Larson, design by Michael Domine.

A History: The Immaculate Conception

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The Immaculate Conception of the Venerable One...It’s important to understand what the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is and what it is not. Some people think the term refers to Christ’s conception in Mary’s womb without the intervention of a human father; but that is the Virgin Birth. Others think the Immaculate Conception means Mary was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit,” in the way Jesus was, but that, too, is incorrect. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin or its stain—that’s what “immaculate” means: without stain. The essence of original sin consists in the deprivation of sanctifying grace, and its stain is a corrupt nature. Mary was preserved from these defects by God’s grace; from the first instant of her existence she was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature original sin brings. Continue reading →