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March 2021

March 18, 2021

Our Great and Glorious Masterpiece

Over the years, a typical scenario has unfolded when I meet someone for the first...

March 07, 2021

Ah Yes, I Remember It Well . . . or do I?

My youngest son, Justin, has a remarkable memory–for, as he puts it, “totally useless facts.”...

February 2021

February 25, 2021

What is the Difference Between Solitude and Being Alone?

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to yourself. Michel de...

February 07, 2021

We are All Wind . . . and That’s a Good Thing

I am not a complainer by nature. My wife, my family, and my friends would...

January 2021

January 10, 2021

When Selective Amnesia is a Good Thing

Tolerance, acceptance, and embracing difference--even in the face of established tradition and clear procedures--has been...

November 2020

November 05, 2020

What to Do When an Argument Leads to a Conclusion that You Don’t Like

People are prone to apply the meaning of other people’s arguments to suit opinions that...

September 2020

September 29, 2020

A Few Thoughts Before the First Presidential Debate

The first debate between the 2020 presidential nominees is this evening. It will come as...

September 15, 2020

The Fat, Relentless Ego . . . and what to do about it

This past weekend, Jeanne and I, along with our two sons and our daughter-in-law, travelled...

June 2020

June 14, 2020

What Does Life Expect of Me?

Over the years, a typical scenario has unfolded when I meet someone for the first...

June 12, 2020

God Doesn’t Own Us . . . God Loves Us

If you got to choose the manner of your death, what would your choice be?...

June 10, 2020

Interfaith Travel, and a Reminder that No One Owns God

There are several contemporary writers on spiritual issues and matters of faith whose work I...

April 2020

April 30, 2020

We are Nothing but Wind

I am not a complainer by nature. My wife, my family, and my friends would...

April 26, 2020

Facing Coronavirus “What Ifs?”

The final week of the strangest academic semester of my life begins tomorrow. As I...

April 18, 2020

9/11, the Coronavirus, and Becoming a Better Person

Everyone beyond a certain age can remember clearly what they were doing eighteen-and-a-half years ago...

April 16, 2020

Faith in a Time of Doubt and Uncertainty

The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty   Anne Lamott We are currently living...

February 2020

February 24, 2020

A Lenten Reflection: The Difference Between Solitude and Being Alone

The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to yourself. Michel...

February 18, 2020

When an Important Memory Turns Out to be Wrong

My youngest son, Justin, has a remarkable memory--for, as he puts it, "totally useless facts."...

January 2020

January 26, 2020

Staying Sane During the Impeachment Trial

The other day somebody wrote on Twitter that “President Trump is the best president in...

January 04, 2020

On the Art of Discussion: How to Avoid Being an Ass

In final preparation for the spring semester that will begin in ten days, I am...

December 2019

December 18, 2019

Some Thoughts about Impeachment Day–from 400+ years ago

Next semester I will be teaching an honors colloquium on Michel de Montaigne (1533-1592), one...

November 2019

November 21, 2019

What Are You Afraid Of?

I had the opportunity to spend a couple of hours with a young man named...

September 2019

September 24, 2019

Living an Autumn Faith

Yesterday was the first day of autumn, which is good thing, because autumn is (by...

September 10, 2019

Dear Trump Supporters: Believing Something Doesn’t Make It True

I have grown weary of trying to understand the unquestioning support that Donald Trump receives...

September 08, 2019

Reason Touched By Grace: Getting Faith and Intellect on the Same Page

A few days ago, Pete Buttigeig, mayor of South Bend and candidate for the Democratic...

July 2019

July 10, 2019

What if the facts lead to a conclusion that you don’t like?

People are prone to apply the meaning of other people’s arguments to suit opinions that...

June 2019

June 16, 2019

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit walk into a bar: Some thoughts about Trinity Sunday and Ordinary Time

Next to Lent, the part of the liturgical calendar that I have always found least...

June 06, 2019

The Greatest Task of All is to Live

For the past several years my upper-division (juniors and seniors) classes have included an ongoing...

May 2019

May 09, 2019

I’ll Remember You

There is no greatness where there is no goodness, simplicity, or truth Leo Tolstoy Although Jeanne...

April 2019

April 27, 2019

Why Doubt Is My Favorite Virtue

The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty Anne Lamott In the lectionary, the Second...

January 2019

January 03, 2019

Paying Attention to What’s Behind the Curtain

Not long ago I led a seminar with a number of colleagues from the Honors...

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