Month: September 2017

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“He Emptied Himself”

26th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Philippians 2:1-11

It became known as “The Case of the Coffee Shop”.

It happened while I was at St. Paul’s Seminary in Ottawa during the 1980’s. In the seminary building, there was a common room that was set aside as a place for us to gather informally, chat or read the paper over coffee or tea.

A few seminarians proposed that some of the student council’s money be used to do some mild upgrades to the room, to give it a cozier and more inviting feel, in the hope that this would enhance a sense of community among the seminarians. It would be our own little “casse-croûte” or “coffee shop”. A few other seminarians objected to this, saying that we should be promoting a simpler lifestyle and that such an expense was unnecessary.  Soon the battle was joined.   Continue reading ““He Emptied Himself””

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A Dream

25th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Matthew 20:1-16

It was a very unusual dream.

I found myself outside an IRS building. They had summoned me for an audit because I had complained that I was paying more than my fair share of taxes. I went in the main entrance, and a secretary brought me to an office door. I knocked. Continue reading “A Dream”

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Whose Life Is It, Anyway?

24th Sunday of Ordinary Time (A): Romans 14:7-9

“It’s my life, and I’ll do what I want.” – The Animals, 1965

“Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.” – Romans 14:8

Growing up is an interesting experience.

As children, we have some sense of ourselves as individuals. Our identity, however, is closely tied to our parents, siblings, other relatives, and friends. We tend to absorb the attitudes we find around us, even as we ask “Why?” about many things.  Continue reading “Whose Life Is It, Anyway?”

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A Little Word

My typical Saturday morning routine has been changed today, so I might not be able to put out my usual post on the Sunday readings this time. For someone on the autism spectrum, any change from the routine is difficult!

However, I don’t want to leave you with nothing. I recommend the homily by Bishop Robert Barron for this Sunday, which you may find here. Bishop Barron’s homilies are usually very good: thought-provoking and inspiring. You will also find many other resources on his Word on Fire website.

It’s possible that I might have a post later today or tomorrow, but I can’t make any promises. In the meantime, Bishop Barron’s words will do nicely.

Peace in the Lord!

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The Algorithm of God

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Not long after Sesame Street first became popular, it introduced a new Muppet character – the Count. The Count looked very much like Count Dracula, but we kids very quickly figured out that he was harmless. The Count was about one thing – he literally loved to count! He counted everything he could. As long as he had something to count, he was happy.  The Count soon became one of my favorite Sesame Street characters. Continue reading “The Algorithm of God”