Many awkward moments can happen at social events, but the topper has to be meeting a “stranger,” only to learn later that you actually knew that person. You play back that meeting in your head and realize how clueless you…

This Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, but once you hear the readings of this mass you might ask “who’s baptizing whom?” John the Baptist says it best in our gospel reading (MK 1:7-11): “I have baptized you…

This is Epiphany Sunday. It’s a good time to revisit our understanding of the word epiphany. The dictionary assigns two meanings, one religious and one secular. The first defines epiphany as a Christian festival held in honor of the coming…

This Sunday is dedicated to the Holy Family. This feast sets a high bar for us to become what we are all called to be: wholly family. Each of our readings reminds us that being a family member is God’s…

There’s a moment in this Sunday’s first reading (2 SM 7:1-5, 8B-12, 14A, 16) where King David is sitting in his palace, feeling happy that his enemies are under control and that he’s in a pretty good place in life.…

One of the trendy questions asked of female celebrities arriving at awards ceremonies is “Who are you wearing?” This is a fancy way of asking, “Who fashioned your gown?” It’s kind of an ego deflator, considering the questioner seems more…

Food manufacturers analyze their products before releasing them to the public, identifying any impurities that don’t belong. That’s what the end of the world will be like—except with us it’s our purities that will get all the attention. God will…

Advent already? We shouldn’t be surprised. The retailers have been reminding us that Xmas is coming since Halloween. But the season of Advent asks if we’re ready for Christ. That’s what this Sunday’s readings remind us. They do that by…

The ISIS terrorists are determined to ride the pale horse of the apocalypse to its finish line—and to trample as many “infidels” as they can along the way. They intend to cross that line as victors, delivering eternal death without…

“Captain gets 36 years for deserting ship.” That headline in this week’s news stream defined the life of one man in a single snapshot. Snapshots are how human beings judge each other. This captain of a South Korean ferry was…