Choices

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In today’s gospel we are given a hard message about the seriousness of the choices we must make if we are to follow Jesus: “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters,and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” Let us set the stage for what leads to Jesus saying this to his disciples here in Luke 14:26

In Luke 14:7, Jesus begins: “He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.” He describes the scene in which people strive for places of honor and then instructs the listeners on the meaning of true humility, adding that they will receive their reward “at the resurrection of the righteous.” (v. 14b) Continue reading →

Beware the Scribes

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This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, the story of “The Widow’s Mite.” 38 In the course of his teaching he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, 39 seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation.’ Continue reading →

A work in progress

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“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted;” a familiar verse from St. Luke, one echoed in our readings for this day. Today’s first reading follows well from yesterday’s, giving “the” example of humility in Jesus who “did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather he emptied himself taking the form of a slave.” That is not an option for us, but does raise the question of the meaning of true humility. Merriam Webster defines humility as freedom from pride or arrogance. That’s a start; it tells us what humility is not and by implication tells us what not to do in life. St. Bonaventure offered that humility is the guardian and gateway to all the other virtues. So, humility is important for being in this life and getting to the next. Continue reading →

The Meaning of Widowed

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This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, the story of “The Widow’s Mite.” Lurking in the background of our reading is the first-century Jewish system of levirate marriages (Gen 38 and Deut 25:5-10). In short, if a man dies without leaving a son, his widow is forbidden to marry outside his family. One of her deceased husband’s brothers must assume the duty of the levir, taking her as his wife. The first male of this second union is considered the son of the deceased brother. Continue reading →

Casting Lots

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From the good folks at Merriam-Webster, today’s Word of the Day is psephology. It was not a word with which I was familiar, but on this day when we cast our votes it is an appropriate word. Psephology is the scientific study of elections.

The word comes from the Greek word “psēphos,” meaning “pebble” because pebbles were used by the ancient Greeks in voting. Today’s Word might have been “ballot” – an equally fine choice given it comes from ballotta, an Italian word meaning “little ball,” and Italians once voted by placing such balls in a container.

I think it is of note that one relative of psephology is “psephomancy”, meaning “divination by pebbles.” Maybe that should be our new moniker for the pre-election work of polling.

The Way We Walk

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From time to time, my dad would remind me that “every person you meet is your better in that you can learn something from them.” Good and sage advice. I wonder if he knew he was echoing Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote: “In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.”  Of course one can then ask if the quote is original to Mr. Emerson. Continue reading →

Where are we?

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This coming Sunday is the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, lectionary cycle B. The selection for the Gospel readings for the latter part of Ordinary Time (Year B) do not necessarily help readers place the events in a context. From the 24th Sunday up through the 30th Sunday we have read from the core of Mark’s gospel (chapters 8-10). Within those readings we have watched a pattern repeat itself: (a) Jesus predicts his passion, death, and resurrection; (b) the disciples either protest the prediction or seemingly grasp for prestige, places of glory, or authority; and (c) Jesus privately teaches the disciples how the Kingdom will different than their expectations – one must serve, be last, be as a child. Continue reading →

Love and Commitment

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As part of our morning prayer as a community of Friars, we read the names aloud for the friars who passed away on the given day. This weekend marks the 12th anniversary of the passing of one of the true characters and legends of our Franciscan province. Brother Juniper Capece was a friar for 60 years, was our provincial tailor, and was the keeper of many of the stories of the friars – you know, the ones that never get written down, but bring everyone to tears because we are laughing so hard. Continue reading →

Cinematic Warning and Happy 40th

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The science fiction genre of books and movies, for me, are an interesting conglomeration of the good, the bad, and the downright ugly…. Of course, some might say the same thing about my posts on this blog. Outside of the self-publishing realm, the number of new science fiction books coming to market each year is falling. The economics are simple: there is only a narrow band of readers willing to purchase such novels. Each year the purchase of older, well-established novels outsells the newer offerings. The Dune novels received a boost in sales based on the success of the recent Dune movies offered via streaming services. I will admit that my “library” of read and re-read science fiction largely consisted of classics from Clarke, Herbert, Asimov, Le Guinn and others. I guess the future doesn’t sell. Continue reading →

Blessings

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Once we have honored our dearly departed with a funeral, a heart-felt eulogy and a gathering of friends, we settled into our on-going lives. For many that means finding a new normal.  In time, stories arise that were not part of the eulogy. When I was growing up, these later stories were told on the porch, in the small gatherings of family and friends. They were told on benches, told to the rhythm of a rocking chair, told in love, and sometimes ending with “God bless their heart.” Continue reading →