Category Archives: Uncategorized

COVID-19 cases “remain high,” “Mother killed” in ongoing violence in the city of Chicago, “Plover chicks” born to Monty and Rose receive bands and names: thus reports the Chicago Tribune, Section 1, page 3 for Monday, July 13. One page, nothing else on it, covers three huge stories of concern to all of us: theContinue reading “Pandemics, Plovers, and Plunging Comets”

June 16: As this date is my birthday, the date is important to me. It catches my eye. For example, part of my attraction to James Joyce’s Ulysses is that it all takes place on June 16, which many literary scholars call Bloomsday, in honor of one of the book’s main character Leopold Bloom. ButContinue reading “Life and Death in the Balance”

Recently I have finished reading two very different books, but gleaned a bit of the same truth from both of them. The first was the children’s classic The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. I had never read it, even though it was published in 1908 and, therefore, was surely available when I wasContinue reading “Two Stories: One Lesson”

Note: This is another assignment given to my memoir class–if they so chose to do it. The idea comes from Leslie Leyland Fields’ book Your Story Matters (NavPress 2020) “No, Mrs. Fleming, it wasn’t me. It was Donnie.” “No, Mrs. Fleming, it wasn’t me.” “Then who was it?” “I don’t know,” shrugged Donnie. “I justContinue reading “The Lie”

Three professors, six students, and six R-rated films. What was the common thread between all of them? A famous–and infamous—chapel talk at a conservative Christian university. The leader of this chapel “talk,” which consisted of all nine people acting as panelists, was the dramatic arts professor. He had recruited a religion prof and me, aContinue reading “Hope–for Redemption”

Ordinary Time: June 9, 2020 46: 46 minutes; 46 hours; 46 days; 46 years. Depending on what you are counting, 46 can represent a paltry amount of time—not even an hour’s worth of minutes or very little of a week or, for that matter, only a little more than a month. Even 46 years isn’tContinue reading “46”

Ordinary Time, Day 6: Saturday, June 6, 2020 “Come to me, all whose work is hard, whose load is heavy; and I will give you relief. Bend your necks to my yoke, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble-hearted; and your souls will find relief. For my yoke is good to bear,Continue reading “Vulnerability”

Ordinary Time: Day 3, Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Though God has never been seen by any man, God himself dwells in us if we love one another; his love is brought to perfection within us. Here is the proof that we dwell in him and he dwells in us: he has imparted his Spirit toContinue reading “Justice and Pentecost: Loving our Brothers (and Sisters)”

Day 50: Monday, June 1, 2020 Note: I am aware that my timing is off–it cannot be Day 50, and Pentecost was yesterday; still, the subject is, indeed, the day of Pentecost Yesterday, May 31, was Pentecost Sunday and now the Easter season is officially over as we enter “ordinary time” until the time ofContinue reading “Pentecost!”

Day 37: Friday, May 29, 2020 “Lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of Liberty. Let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies. let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, sing aContinue reading “Justice for All”