Redeeming Worthless Coupons
A coupon has no intrinsic worth other than the value a manufacturer prints on it. A penny isn’t intrinsically worth a cent but its maker vouches for that value. A debit card’s worth goes up and down, depending on the…
The Master’s Apprentice
Business people could learn a lot about management from Jesus. He wasn’t just a carpenter; he was a craftsman who knew something about planning a project. Good planning requires wisdom, which is the theme of today’s readings. Poor planning and…
Be humble—but don’t be a jerk about it.
In today’s gospel reading from Luke Jesus puts another Pharisee in his place and offers him some practical advice to boot. He tells him how to win friends and influence people with one simple direction, which I’ll paraphrase: Never pay…
God Loves the Heart of a Good Soldier
Today’s readings give us God as a hands-on General. The first reading from Isaiah has Him recruiting troops (“They shall bring your brothers and sisters from all the nations as an offering to the Lord…’Some of these I will take…
Jesus the Pyrotechnician
The stereotypical image we have of old-style religious zealots is of someone dressed in sackcloth and ashes, warning people to “Repent!” In their own times if they weren’t called zealots they were called insane, or maybe even dangerous. Nevertheless, their…
Dogs Fed by Faith in the Return of their Master
Today’s readings tell us about the nature of leadership. They tell us that leaders require faith—faith from those who are led by them as much as faith on the part of the leader. The first reading from the Book of…
Treasure Doesn’t Grow on Trees
“All things are vanity!” That’s what today’s first reading from Ecclesiastes tells us. And in this context it means futility. Not a very comforting thought for those of us who work to support their families. We like to think that…
Persistent Prayer Breaks our Bonds
Why should we pray? That’s a question children ask their parents all the time—and one we often ask ourselves when our faith flags during tough times. But a more important question is “How should we pray?” The answer to how…
The Difference between Prayer and a Soliloquy
There aren’t too many comical passages in the Bible, but two of today’s readings qualify in my book. The first reading from Genesis and the gospel passage from Luke can be pretty funny if you picture what’s going on in…
Lost in Our Destination
The faith of many religious people is strengthened in the realization that their life is a journey toward the Kingdom of God. A journey can include many stops and byways that teach us things along the way. At least one…