Yesterday, I was taking a walk and this story (parable? fable?) came to me out of nowhere so I came home and wrote it all down, and it made me feel brave and hopeful. Once upon a time there was a town that had fallen into horrible disrepair. The houses were crumbling from neglect, enormous potholes had rendered the roads nearly undrivable, lewd graffiti covered every square inch of the great town…
“On an airplane, as a flight prepares to depart, the flight attendant tells the passengers that, in case of an emergency, oxygen bags will drop from overhead. Those passengers with infants will receive two masks. The adult is to put his or her own oxygen mask on first, and only then put a mask on the infant. For me, as an Italian grandfather, those instructions are counterintuitive. I want to give my…
To be reminded of grace is grace itself, shorter the shadows fall. Illumination now is lit, and lighter is heavy life, yet like lace, with all its order designed to be seen through, I see and avow the bit that’s brighter – From “Lent” by Maurice Manning Why Lent? I mean what is it, besides refraining from certain foods – a laundry list of “nos”? One has to be careful not to…
“You cannot be too gentle, too kind. Shun even to appear harsh in your treatment of each other. Joy, radiant joy, streams from the face of one who gives and kindles joy in the heart of one who receives. All condemnation is from the devil. Never condemn each other, not even those whom you catch committing an evil deed. We condemn others only because we shun knowing ourselves. When we gaze at…