Here today, Gone Tomorrow

I recall many years ago, shortly before graduating from high school, sitting in a park with my best friend. After striking up a conversation with us, a stranger broke the bad news to us. “You probably will never see each other after graduation.” We were angry and sad, and determined to prove the stranger wrong.…

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Stand in front of God

You may not know that I have two ruptured discs in my back and a ‘bit’ of arthritis in my knee. I know how difficult it can be to stand for services in the Church. I know how difficult it can be to concentrate on the words of Liturgy when you’re in pain. Nonetheless, the…

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Caught in the Middle

Two women shouting at a man inside a room

Over the centuries the Church has experienced a variety of political conditions. In certain eras the Church was welcomed, endorsed, and even subsidized by governments. At other times, the Church was exiled from public life. Through the rise and fall of secular rulers, the Church has stood for the truth of Christ, but has not…

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Turn to the Experts

We do it all the time. We turn to experts to learn from their experience. Whether it be doctors, athletes, or just simple local tradespeople, the experts help us to navigate through obstacles in our lives. ‘Do-it-yourself’ books and videos are filled with learning opportunities for us to overcome our challenges. If it works in…

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Are You Ready for the End?

All eyes were on the football field last night as a player suffered cardiac arrest on the field after a powerful tackle. As of the writing of this blog, he is in critical condition, the game has been suspended, and the sports world is praying. That is good. It occurred to me this morning to…

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Sometimes Families Betray Each Other

The word Betrayal focused on a page

Nobody enjoys admitting it, but we all know at least one family that suffers from a broken relationship. We don’t often hear about these families on the nightly news. When we do, the story is so egregious, the sensationalist media can’t resist distributing the story. Every now and then we hear about a parent that…

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Literalism Leads to being Blind and Maimed

A blind young man wandering alone

Nuance makes life interesting. In every conversation and interaction, it is nuance that leads also to a fuller understanding. Nuance isn’t easy to comprehend without interpretation. When it comes to the Holy Scriptures, nuance and context have led many astray from Christ one day only to lead them toward Christ another. We can’t blame the…

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