A passage from JRR Tolkien has always stuck out in my mind since I remember encountering it: “The Hobbits named it the Shire, as the region of the authority of their Thain, and a district of well-ordered business; and there…
Lent: Peace and Plenty are Not the Norm
Be a Valentine
The popular devotion to St. Valentine as a day to celebrate romantic love did not come about until around a 1000 years after his death. Much of his life is lost to us. The popular legend is that St. Valentine…
The Soul and the Brain
I had a student say to me in class recently, “Mr. Grayson, isn’t it strange that the brain is the only organ of the body that named itself.” I thought about what he said for a moment, but then I…
The Meaning of the Wedding at Cana
The Gospel reading from this past Sunday’s mass was the story of the Wedding at Cana. It is very intersting that the very first public miracle Jesus performed was a simple favor to a bride and groom at a wedding…
Living in the Real World
I recently saw a nice little movie called Ron’s Gone Wrong, which was a parable about how technology and social media have created a deeper sense of depression and alienation in children. For those of us who were raised before…
The Christmas Family
In a few days, we will be celebrating Christmas. For many of us this holy day is centered around our families. While God is always at the center of all things, the focus on family is absolutely appropriate. Our Lord…
Reflections on the Immaculate Conception
This week we will be celebrating the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. We Catholics believe in the Dogma that the Virgin Mary was conceived without Original Sin. Some of our Protestant brothers and sisters sometimes misunderstand this dogma. They infer…
Killing Them With Kindness
One thing I have learned about bullies: they want a reaction from you. Many of us were bullied in school at some point. Perhaps we were singled out because of our size, our looks, or our personalities. I’m sure I…
Guard Against Casual Cruelty
I was reflecting on the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. It began like this: “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid…
Analogies and the Trinity
The Trinity is at the heart of the Christian Faith. We Christians believe that God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We do not believe in three gods. Like our Jewish ancestors in faith, we are monotheists,…