I seem to have been born with more than one funny bone, and humor has always been a vital part of my life. If, as the hymn suggests, “prayer is the soul’s sincere desire”, a good laugh is the soul’s sigh of relief for being human. And if we can develop this capacity to smile at the absurdity of ourselves, first of all, and then at all that’s going on around us, we just might have tapped into one of the deepest wells of faith with the realization that humor was one of the best ways we experience God and […]
Holy Assumptions
Did you hear the one about the priest who died and went to heaven, a holy assumption to begin with. When he got there, Peter welcomed him and told him that because of his sterling record on earth he would be granted any wish in heaven. Without hesitation, the priest said he’d like to have an audience with the Virgin Mary. In short order, even by heavenly standards, he was sitting in a lovely Victorian drawing room with the Virgin herself. She asked what she could do for this almost perfect priest who went straight to the point: “On earth […]
What Happened to Status Quo?
Memory lane is absolutely lovely, meandering through the recollections of how much better life was in the good old days full of traditional values when men were men and women were just women! And if black lives did matter then, they didn’t have too much to show for it since they were not allowed to vote. And don’t forget those water fountains and segregated toilets. Those were also the good old days when northerners lived in the north before we ever had air-conditioning. As the country music sings it: “Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be!” In the church of […]
Heretics & Heroes
Way back in history, those precious people would think some of the most unthinkable thoughts and do the most outlandish things to earn that combo category of heretic and hero. My early heretical heroes were Job, Jesus and Joan. Job was considered outside the pale of faith by his three pietistic friends who tried to convince and convict him that his past sins had lead him to the god-awful predicaments of what was left of his miserable life. They were in effect trying to tell Job to “get right with God” or “come to Jesus”, except there was no Jesus […]
Who Owns the Sun?
To date, no one owns the sun or the moon or the planets. Not even a simple star! You can “wish upon a star”. You can “catch a falling star and put it in your pocket”. You can “hitch your wagon” to one. You can whistle along while Willie Nelson sings about that “stardust melody”. Don’t think about owning the temporary Comet Neowise that’s been skirting our evening skies recently! Some people have been snookered into buying stars for their loved ones or friends, and that’s how my name has become attached to half a star in the constellation of […]
Skyrockets
Was it only fifty-one years ago today when those astronauts walked on the moon? Seems like light year ago when the whole world waited with baited breath to see this culmination of all our endeavors in space beginning with the Sputnik in 1957. The intervening years of space exploration have had their ups and downs. The most tragic moment for us earthbound observers was that explosion of the Challenger right after its launch in 1986, ending the lives of all seven of the crew members and putting a halt to any future launch for over three years. Not only did […]
Heavens Above!
Starry, starry nights in early winter can take your breath away and open your eyes to one of Mother Natures’ silent spectacles. Pitch black dark and a sky dazzling with multitudes of twinkling stars. My mission was to combine oratorical skills with astronomical knowledge to convince the church’s youth group that we may or may not be all alone in the universe, but we can certainly enjoy and appreciate it, for heaven’s sake. The group of teenagers and chaperones drove to one of the remote pastures within a few miles of the church and far away from any lights. Each […]
The Limitation of Statues
Standing nearly 100 feet tall and with a wingspan of over 90 feet, the statue of Christ the Redeemer overwhelms the skyline of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. From the shores of Ipanema to the football stadiums that dot the landscape, Jesus is both protector of the beach beauties and mascot for the soccer teams. Such a huge concrete example of the redeemer should never be taken for granite. Given its defensive position on top of one of the city’s highest mountains, this is one magnificent monument that will resist being toppled any time soon, lest it fall on its assailants. […]
The Miracle of Movement
This pandemic’s stay in place imperative or suggestion is beginning to wear thin with me and others that I know. We are hard-pressed to even get out of the house to run the shortest of errands. We are currently getting three weeks to a gallon of gas. This travel quarantine is not just local but national and global. We’ve had to cancel at least a couple of bucket-list trips abroad that were previously planned. Travelling is one of our passions, and this thing is stifling our human need for galavanting from hither to thither and beyond. When I was a […]
Legacy of a Lie
Born in India, Rudyard Kipling epitomized the pomp and circumstance of England’s global imperialism. Some of his memorable writings include The Jungle Book, Gunga Din, and his powerful poem If: If you can keep your head when all about you/ Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,/ If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you…/ Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies/ Or being hated don’t give way to hating… Rudyard was also a vital part of the “military-industrial complex” of his day before Eisenhower coined that warning for us all. The Boer War was pivotal […]