Once Peter has been handed the keys to the Kingdom, Jesus harshly-even cruelly, rebukes him for his most understandable response to hearing Christ predict his own horrific suffering, rejection, humiliation and execution. Mark writes that Peter “took him aside and began to rebuke him.” We infer that Peter took Jesus away from the other disciples […]
Peter and the Keys Read More »
Ever since the industrial revolution, futurists have been forecasting the end of work. Recently, journalist Derek Thompson wrote in Atlantic Monthly about the immanence of widespread joblessness from the perspective of Youngstown, Ohio. For most of the last century, Youngstown boasted one of the more prosperous economies in the country, mostly due to the flourishing
Number 12 Brady A friend from church gave me Brady’s Pro Ball 2014 shirt several weeks ago. The shirt sits in proud display in our hallway. It is brought out when a friend with an interest in football visits. Or sometimes those with no interest. Joe, giver of the shirt, joined us for one of
Our rescue dog Seymour Adopting our rescue dog named Seymour was not the plan. Ever since that March night when our red male Dobie dropped dead in front of my dog Shadow and me I have lurked on countless dog rescue sites specific for Dobermans. I have learned over the last sixteen months, just how
Our Rescue Dog Seymour- My Christmas Present Read More »
Revolutions: seen and unseen We think of uprisings, upheavals, often political like the American and French Revolutions. Of the earth’s rotation around the sun or of Mary’s reply to Elizabeth’s , “And why am I so favored that the mother of our Lord should come to me?” Not so much. Or never. December twenty-first was
Revolutions: Seen and Unseen Read More »
In these few remaining days of Advent, I read and re-read the words of St. Paul about the futility of sacrifice and oblation or offering to God. First, he quotes the words of Christ himself: You who wanted no sacrifice or oblation, prepared a body for me. You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices
No Sacrifice or Oblation Read More »
Our dog Seymour when we adopted him What is it it about dogs? Some call it the ‘cute factor’, others talk about the unconditional nature of their love, while still others maintain that their dog (s) is the best friend they have ever had. A recent survey reveals that many of us spend more for
What Is It About Dogs? Read More »
“Go to church.” I surprised myself when I said it. My friend had been quietly explaining her deep concern about her experience with public school. After years of homeschooling her children, she and her husband enrolled them in school. She said the curriculum no longer uses ‘BC” and “AD” as historical measures. Instead, they use
Happiness: Feeling or decision? “So, how exactly, do you decide to be happy?” My friend looked bemusedly at me as she replied to my statement that I thought happiness was a decision we made. “LOOK at that tree!” I exclaimed loudly and with vehemence, knowing that my reply to her question required more than a
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Justice and politics Ideally the concept of justice is considered to be independent of contextual factors like politics. And the notion of correlating the two feels somewhat odious, or at least repugnant. But the recent Speilberg movie, Bridge of Spies, is a fascinating tale. of the oxymoronic twists of our government and its desire to appear
Justice and Politics Read More »