Epistle - Unpaid Bill

In 1982, First Lady Nancy Reagan started a nationwide anti-addiction campaign with a simple name and simple objective: Just Say No to Drugs. It was a powerful message about the horrific damage illicit substances were causing, especially among young people.

Just Say No could easily have been considered the Eleventh Commandment.

But Just Say No is only a halfway measure. It urges people who care about themselves and the people who love them to turn away from harm, but then what?

What is the Yes we should be saying?

We have one answer as of this coming Wednesday.

Continue reading Affirmative

NaCl

A homily for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 8, 2026

Isaiah 58:7-10, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, Matthew 5:13-16

A few weeks ago, just as Jack Frost started to flex his icy tentacles, the big story in the news was the shortage of salt.

After years of mild winters, many towns’ stockpiles of road salt ran low or completely out. And because recent demand for rock salt had been so-so, several suppliers had cut back on production. It didn’t make sense to manufacture stuff nobody was buying.

Then — whoosh! — the polar vortex and below-zero wind-chill factors and cross-country monster snow-and-ice storms came roaring down from The Great White North. And many of us weren’t getting out of our driveways onto streets that were barely passable anyway.

When we did, we found ourselves at the end of lines at hardware stores that announced they’d just received a shipment of ice melter. Which sold out in minutes. Often while we were still in line, hoping. Sigh.

Salt has a lot more going for it than flavor.

Continue reading NaCl

Career change

A homily for the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 25, 2026

Isaiah 8:23—9:3, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17, Matthew 4:12-23

For many of us, a change in our work situation happens because of one of two scenarios. Either we seek a new job, a new boss, a new location, or any combination of those, or the change is imposed on us by outside forces like the company closing or downsizing or relocating.

Résumé and interviews vs. pink slip or transfer papers.

Something we sought vs. ol’ Damocles and his stupid sword.

Continue reading Career change

It

A homily for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 18, 2026

Isaiah 49:3, 5-6, 1 Corinthians 1:1-3, John 1:29-34

It.

In the entertainment business notably, but in almost every endeavor, some people have It.

“It” is the essentially undefinable but immediately recognizable quality that makes certain people stand out in a crowd, almost as if they have permanent spotlights bathing them.

In other words, we know It when we see It.

Continue reading It

Membership

A homily for The Baptism of the Lord, January 11, 2026

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7, Acts 10:34-38, Matthew 3:13-17

According to legend, in the early centuries Anno Domini, when followers of the carpenter from Nazareth were being persecuted and prosecuted for their beliefs, they were cagey about identifying themselves when they encountered strangers.

One Christian might trace an arc in the sand with his foot and then sidle back a few steps, eyeing the scratch with an occasional side glance. Aware, but not obvious.

Continue reading Membership

Interwoven

A homily for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, December 28, 2025

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14, Colossians 3:12-17, Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

When we were little, we were told, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names — or words — will never hurt me.” And as well-meaning as the saying was, we all know it was wrong, because names and words have power.

Our feast today in this Season of Christmas, the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, involves some incredibly powerful names and words, so let’s take a minute or two to think about them. And how they guide our lives.

Continue reading Interwoven

Count on it

A homily for the Second Sunday of Advent, December 7, 2025

Isaiah 11:1-10, Romans 15:4-9, Matthew 3:1-12

Dictionary.com recently made a lot of people shake their heads in disbelief when the organization chose a number as the Word of the Year for 2025. Not even a number, really; it’s more of a number phrase, because it’s not pronounced in the familiar way it appears.

Continue reading Count on it

Plowshares

A homily for The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, November 23, 2025

2 Samuel 5:1-3, Colossians 1:12-20, Luke 23:35-43

In first-century Jerusalem, Jesus of Nazareth …

… Jesus, the descendant of David who was born in a Bethlehem stable …

… Jesus, the Son of God and son of Mary …

was a terrible king.

Horrible.

Incredibly bad.

At least, that’s what a lot of Israelites believed.

Continue reading Plowshares

Terrestrial, but extra

A homily for the Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 16, 2025

Malachi 3:19-20a, 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12, Luke 21:5-19

In one of Hollywood’s greatest tear-jerking farewell sequences, E.T. admonishes young Gertie, “Be good.” Then, in his raspy, almost robotic voice, the little alien botanist points to Elliott’s forehead and says, “I’ll be right here.”

The spaceship ascends to the heavens, and the Extra-Terrestrial lives on in the hearts and minds of the people whose lives he’s touched.

And in those of movie fans worldwide.

Continue reading Terrestrial, but extra