Moderation in everything! This is, I am sure, something that we have all heard in the past. The sacred author of the Book of Proverbs was certainly on board with this idea. He writes: “Give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my...
One look at the citation for today’s first reading tells us that we are beginning at the second verse of the Book of Ecclesiastes. The first verse is actually the title of this biblical book. It reads: “The Words of Qoheleth, the Son of David, King in Jerusalem.” The word “Qoheleth” means “preacher” or “teacher.” Inasmuch as I have been...
Moderation in everything! This is, I am sure, something that we have all heard in the past. The sacred author of the Book of Proverbs was certainly on board with this idea. He writes: “Give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my...
The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings or, in fact, several different collections of sayings from various sources and times. They vary in depth of insight and in their religious character. Some seem quite simply worldly and practical, for example: “The plans of the diligent are sure of profit, but all rash haste leads certainly to poverty.” Some seem designed to assure our...
Why was the story of Jesus with the little children, versions of which appear in the three synoptic Gospels, so vividly remembered by the first Christians? Perhaps it was because that his reflections about the little child got very close to the heart of Jesus’ teaching. The way Mark sets up his account of this story in our Gospel for this weekend is frankly both funny and disconcerting...