As part of my reading Advent in Lent, I am now working my way through the readings for Christmastide. As the readings for Lent intensify, it is interesting to pair them with the readings for Christmas: Jesus truly was born to die, and to rise again. But as part of this, I stumbled upon an interesting quote from Saint John Chrysostom. As part of a reflection on the Feast of the Holy Family, I read, Why was Christ born of... Read more
I RECEIVED NEWS RECENTLY that an old friend has had some health issues, so I trekked to Las Vegas to see her and catch up. I hadn’t seen her for almost five years, and I found much had changed with her — and in Vegas; my friend because of her illness, and Vegas because the number-two industry in the city, after gambling, seems now to be the demolition of any building with the slightest hint of wear or anachronism. Author... Read more
On March 20, Pope Francis wrote a letter to Federico Mayor, President of the International Commission against the Death Penalty. This letter builds on previous statements the Pope has made against the death penalty, but it is much more detailed. Significant extracts have appeared in English, but at the moment the full text does not seem to be available and I think that the missing parts contribute to the overall force of his argument. The Vatican has published it in... Read more
An African-American colleague of mine will occasionally recount a story of another black person doing or saying something particularly stupid and then shake his head and sigh, “Oh my people!” This seems to be a common expression among at least some segments of the African-American community: a good example can be found here. I find it an interesting expression, since it combines both disappointment and solidarity in equal measure: one can be critical without disowning your fellows. Right now I... Read more
It was Christmas Day. As always, I sat in the living room with my family members, who were ready to exchange gifts. This year, I folded my arms sheepishly. I’d spent my December buried in job applications, and then the week before Christmas (which is when I normally do my shopping) I’d caught the same horrific flu that everyone seems to be catching this winter. For the first time ever, I hadn’t managed to buy a single present. For anyone.... Read more
In the Gospel for this Sunday in John 2:14-16, we read about Jesus making a whip out of cords. None of the other Gospels mention a whip. Only in John does Jesus seem to lose control and start swinging at people and animals. This passage has been used to justify many forms of violence in the history of the Church. I myself have heard it used so many times as a prooftext that Jesus was no sissy and was willing... Read more
Around this time a year ago, my colleague Morning’s Minion happily proclaimed, “Yes, progressives can embrace Downton Abbey!” The presumed novelty of this idea puzzled me. As I commented at the time, I didn’t think that was ever in question, and had in fact been uneasily wondering whether my current television infatuation was becoming a thinly veiled vehicle for a kind of ideological progressivism. At certain times the storyline has appeared to be going down a checklist of tolerance tests, an impression... Read more
In Part 1, I said that Dr. Martin Luther King sought not to defeat his opponents, but to be reconciled with them. Dr King said, at the successful conclusion of the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1956: “(T)he end is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends. It is this type of understanding goodwill that will transform... Read more
It is a bit embarrassing to admit, but I am way behind in my daily readings. As I have mentioned in the past, I get an email from Daily Gospel Online that contains the daily mass readings and a short reflection tied to them. A number of times I have posted these reflections here. The problem, however, is that it is easy for me to get behind. Previously, I have fallen a few days, a week, or even two weeks... Read more
I became a vegetarian in September 2001. It was my first week of university, and when I saw that the cafeteria offered ample vegetarian options for every meal, I quickly made up my mind that eighteen years of meat-eating had been more than enough. “It was because of the chicken wings,” I told my family when they alarmedly voiced their concerns for my iron and protein intake. “They served this flavourless pile of skin and bones and called them Buffalo chicken... Read more
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