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Earlier this October I spent a day at the CIA. Not the one that tracks down spies. Rather the one along the Hudson River in upstate New York where they train chefs – i.e. the Culinary Institute of America. I was not there for the food. (Though I did try a piece of apple pie and it was pretty darn good.) I was there to visit the grave of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ.*

Last time I posted, I shared a litany that I’d written for the upcoming 2024 election on November 5th. I promised to pray it each day leading up to the election and—you know what?—it is making me feel more peaceful. It is good to feel part of a whole community that is praying for the best outcome possible. I also have to say, however, that I have realized that it is a bit long. I am getting a bit weary of all the verbiage involved and thinking about Jesus’ quip about God already knowing what we need before we open our mouths.

I’ll be praying this each day for the month before the election and invite you to join me, or adapt this for your own prayer. For the back story on this litany or for information on any of the holy men and women referenced, please check out my newsletter from 10-4-24.

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In these days before our national election, we unite in prayer with the whole communion of saints for an election that is both peaceful and prudential. [Take a moment of silence to allow your heart to absorb the intention.]

My nephew Oliver has just started reading the Lord of the Rings series. And reading with him on his front porch this past weekend called to mind one of my favorite lines from the mouth of the hobbit Frodo: “I wish it need not have happened in my time.” Isn’t that what we have all thought when looking at the news of late? I wish it need not have happened in my time. But whenever I have this thought, I stir courage in my soul by reciting the line that follows from the mouth of the wizard Gandolf: “So do I and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide.

I have spent much of today thinking about the Parable of the Bramble. “What is the Parable of the Bramble?” you ask. Understandably. It is not one of Jesus’ parables found in the gospels, it is actually found in a lesser-known book of the Hebrew Scriptures called Judges (9:8-15 to be specific). And technically speaking, it is not a parable at all. It is a fable. I’ll explain the difference in a footnote, because I’m guessing you don’t really care.

Tis the last day of August and tomorrow morning when we wake up, we’ll be entering the “Season of Creation.” It is a season that is only slowly beginning to get traction in the wider Catholic community. Indeed, I did not know the history behind it myself until I looked it up when preparing tomorrow’s preaching for September 1.

Getting to L’Anse aux Meadows is a lot easier than getting to Iona. At least in theory. There are no busses involved, and no ferries. No trains and no one lane roads. There are not even any sheep to contend with. You simply land in the airport at St. John’s, Newfoundland and go to the Budget Rental Car station and start driving west on Route 1… for approximately seven hours. Then when you get to Deer Lake, hang right and begin driving north on Route 430.

This morning on my walk I met any number of school buses rolling through my neighborhood. How could this be?!?! It is still early August! The Olympics aren’t even over yet. In Atlanta, they must like to get the school year rolling early. Even as I am just getting into summer, it has apparently ended already without anyone letting me know. Sigh.

But perhaps the sight school busses in the South is just the nudge I need to make the ask I need to ask before the rest of the country starts school in the weeks to come.

The family home on Walsh St. had four small bedrooms and ten people living in it, so you can imagine lots of toes got stepped on. Literally—as we ran up the same narrow staircase others were coming down. But also figuratively—in the many daily interactions that felt unfair or didn’t go one’s way. The fact that my brother got a bigger piece of pie than me. Or that my sister got to ride “shotgun” while my brother was stuck in the back. Or that I had to clean the bathroom again this week when it was also my turn last week.

What do Al Golden (American football player and coach), Todd Marinovich (American football player and coach), Wilfred Mugeyi (Zimbabwean footballer and coach), and I all share in common?

We all were born on the exact same day. And I’m not just saying July 4th. I’m also saying the same year. Apparently the stars were aligned 55 years ago today to give rise to a number of people who like to kick things around and tell other people which direction to run. Certainly a good description for my mission in life.