The Once and Future King was a modern take on the legend of King Arthur. As Camelot was collapsing the King observes that he had tried to create a just society by having greater force than the forces of injustice. It didn’t work.  “Might does not make right! Right makes right!” That insight lies behind the prophecy… Read More »

Attention to the season of Advent can cure us of the “cuteness” factor that can creep into Christmas. Whenever you see a new born child there is temptation to just say “ahhh.” But Advent reminds us that the new born Jesus is not the occasion for sentimentality but a call to conversion. The prophet Isaiah… Read More »

I was shadowing an experienced teacher in the (futile) hope that I would become an effective catechist. Whenever the class got unruly she would lower her voice, hold up her hand and whisper, “You’re going to miss it.” The class would quiet in expectation. That is a perfect image of the season of Advent. Jesus… Read More »

“Awake from your slumber, arise from you sleep,” begins a popular song. This reflects the words of Jesus: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from … the anxieties of daily life and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.” How easy it is to sleep walk through life. The dailiness of troubles,… Read More »

In all of the lists, the first followers of Jesus are two sets of brothers: Peter and Andrew, James and John. In St. John’s Gospel Andrew is portrayed as a follower of John the Baptist who brought his brother, Peter, to meet Jesus. For that reason in the Greek Church he is known as Protocletos,… Read More »

In the coded language of the Book of Revelation, “Babylon” refers to the Roman Empire. When the Book was written the Empire was at the height of its power — political, economic, military. The known world was subject to Roman authority. Yet the Book foresees the day when one will proclaim: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the… Read More »

Jesus teaches us how to act before dealing with suffering, difficulty, trouble. Basically, he says, hang in there. “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” The Book of Revelation talks about what happens after a time of trial. After the assured victory over “the beast” we will lift our voices in prayers of praise. The… Read More »

Some noisy children playing outside a man’s house were disturbing his nap. To shut them up he yelled out the window, “You’d better hurry. There’s a dragon by the river.” The children excitedly ran off and the man started to doze. Soon a new hubbub woke him. The whole town was running toward the river.… Read More »

The Book of Revelation can be daunting to the casual Bible reader. It uses symbolic language that requires some research to understand. For example, we read in Chapter 14: “There was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand.” The Lamb is, of course, Jesus who became the Pascal… Read More »

Hunger no longer exists in America.   Oh, there are still 33 million people who don’t have enough to eat.  The lines for the food pantry isn’t growing any shorter. St. James provided 1000 families with groceries this month.  Many children cry themselves to sleep because there is an ache in their belly.  Too many elderly… Read More »