Folksinger Woody Guthrie wrote a song that could be a hymn in all Churches this Sunday: Holy Ground. It was inspired by our first reading (Ex 3:1-8a, 13-15), where Moses encounters the burning-but-not-burned bush sprouting from a sacred desert mountain. He hears God’s voice tell him to remove his sandals because he’s entering holy ground. […]
The 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial pitting Creationism vs. Evolution could have been a lot less controversial had William Jennings Bryan used his Bible to let evolution make the case for creation. Instead of Genesis, he should have gone to Sirach—the part about friendship (Sir 6:5-17). Even some modern scientists will tell you it was by […]
Many have a gift for storing scripture in their memory bank. In some it’s a bank of good will, in others, evil is the only interest. In the latter case, scripture is merged with one’s own interests to achieve a selfish end, whether that be fame, fortune, or downright mastery over other lost souls. The […]
For many of us life begins in a hospital and ends in a hospice. Both places help families nurture their loved ones. The fruit of these efforts is desperately needed in a world where life is often treated as a disposable commodity. The professionals staffing these places know the fruit of life has flavor. It […]
Christians have both feet firmly planted in the opposing worlds of two Adams. The first Adam was a slave to his world while the second reigns over his. The first world is carnal, the second, spiritual. The first loves war, the second is love. Trying to live in both worlds ties us into knots of […]
People of faith have an ambush predator inside them. It lures Its prey with the host’s joyful demeanor amidst trials and tribulations, then, when the prey asks “what are you so happy about?,” wham, the host explains the source of their inner peace. In this Sunday’s first reading, the prophet Jeremiah uses more tranquil imagery […]
Employers can’t seem to hang onto talent very long in this “Employee’s Market.” The Wall Street Journal reports that the share of workers voluntarily quitting their jobs hit a 17-year high in 2018. The article offers employees advice on parlaying their advantage into higher pay. It doesn’t offer much advice to employers about stemming their […]
An episode on Public Television’s NOVA showed what the mass destruction of the dinosaurs must have looked like after a seven-mile-wide asteroid struck the earth 66 million years ago. Scientists credit nature for this event. Thinking in such broad terms, global destruction is easy to imagine. What seems impossible for scientists to comprehend is the […]
Speech teachers always stress the importance of brevity. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address is their prime example that immense wisdom can fit on the back of an envelope. But what really set Lincoln’s speech apart from others is his defense of freedom being humanity’s birthright. Tell people who’ve been enslaved that they deserve a homeland, and they’ll […]
A sense of humor is one of the unsung gifts of the Holy Spirit. It’s the secret to a long marriage and a long life. This gift helped the Jewish people survive and fight persecution throughout history. Some of the 20th century’s greatest humorists and playwrights were raised in the same faith Jesus was. That’s […]