Truth and Division

Truth and Division

Our Lord in today’s gospel gives us a difficult and puzzling word. Honestly this is one of those passages of Scripture that is tempting to ignore; to just kind of look the other way and pretend it’s not there. But, like the young child playing hide-and-seek...
The Spiritual Danger of Earthly Possessions

The Spiritual Danger of Earthly Possessions

Fun fact: on the first Tuesday of every month the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas offers free admission to San Diego County residents. So this past Tuesday, our family enjoyed the afternoon at the Garden. As is my custom on family outings, I wear my sandals in...
Baptism & Identity

Baptism & Identity

My son, Henry, was baptized a little over five years ago in a particularly grand church in New York City, St Thomas Fifth Avenue. The church is located one of the busiest streets in Manhattan. Its towering Gothic arches and open doors bring in hundreds of thousands of...
The Good Gift

The Good Gift

I was meeting with someone for coffee this week, and in the middle of our conversation my phone rang. It was my 18-year old son. He was actually calling me! He had just had his wisdom teeth pulled earlier in the day. I normally wouldn’t pick up in the middle of a...
The One Thing Needful

The One Thing Needful

Today’s gospel passage recounts that classic scene between Jesus and sisters Mary and Martha. Martha is busy working in the home to serve Our Lord, while her sister Mary sits at his feet and listens to his words. Martha says to Jesus, “Lord, do you not care...
Loopholes

Loopholes

The past few weeks I have been pondering the word “loophole.”  It’s an interesting word with an even more interesting usage. A loophole is a means of evasion or avoidance. It’s a workaround, a way to beat the system, or maneuver around a law to one’s favor...