Great NCR Article on the Imprecatory Psalms

Saint Augustine is Key to the Difference between Pete Hegseth and Pope Leo  

In the aftermath of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent Pentagon prayer and Pope Leo XIV's Palm Sunday homily, much of the public commentary has settled into a familiar framework. A conservative official invoked God in the context of war and a supposedly liberal pope rebuked him. The exchange is then cast as a political disagreement, or at most as an instance of religion being deployed on both sides of a geopolitical conflict.

This account is inadequate. What is unfolding is not a political dispute but a theological one, and its terms are ancient, not modern. In order to understand the public dialogue taking place between Hegseth and Leo, we need to turn to St. Augustine.

The first Christian community and its holy habits

This is my homily for yesterday, April 12, 2026, the 2nd week of Easter, Cycle A.  Yesterday's readings are here.  

Yesterday also was Divine Mercy Sunday.  I have to confess, I've never quite glommed onto Divine Mercy Sunday.  Part of it is that I've never been a follower of St. Faustina, have only experienced the Chaplet of Divine Mercy once or twice and have never adopted it as a spiritual practice.  Deacons preach on this Sunday fairly frequently (I think pastors want to give themselves a week off after the intensive homilizing during the Triduum), and I'd expect quite a few of them consciously try to incorporate Divine Mercy into their homilies.  Just speaking for myself, I've never found myself led down this road.  I tend to think of this Sunday more as the culmination of the Octave of Easter.  Not sure whether this is the Holy Spirit or my own intransigence.  Perhaps a bit of both.

At any rate, here is my homily:

Prayer Vigil for Peace

Here is a link for the prayer vigil for peace, led by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican this morning:  

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ef4aM7nfNBc

Actually it wasn't morning in Rome, it was 7:00 in the evening there. We caught it at 11:00 am, CST. It lasted about an hour, and consisted of a rosary, and hymns, with some reflections from Scripture and writings of saints. It was  quite lovely; and appropriately, peaceful. Hopefully it will do some good.

"Fear isn't theology"

Every so often deacons and priests get blessed by unsolicited publications showing up in their parish mailbox.  Usually is from some fringey right-wing group, and in our case, gets tossed in the recycle basket.

There is an interesting article in National Catholic Reporter today about the latest one. The author of the article is Bishop Peter Dai Bui.  Fear is not theology: A bishop's response to the campaign against the synodal church | National Catholic Reporter

In this case the publication wasn't just a booklet, and was sent to bishops, not priests and deacons.  If they want it they'll have to pony up 25 bucks. I don't think many of them will want it.  Anyway, from the article:

NewGathering Headquarters Has Moved

I have been out of touch during the past few weeks preparing to move headquarters (and myself) to a new location. My Parkinson's made me uncomfortable with the idea of living by myself in my small studio apartment I'd been in since 1972 (although I was getting along reasonably well), so I have moved to an assisted living facility. I currently don't require any actual "extra" assistance (dressing, showering, medication management, "memory care") aside from what every other tenant here receives. Some of the other residents are here just because they like the apartments and the services—three meals a day, housekeeping, laundry, endless planned activities (movies, concerts, games, exercise classes, and so on). It might sound like a dream come true . . . in some respects. 

Most of the residents are Reform Jews, although there are enough Catholics for Mass to be said here on Sundays. 

More later when I have settled in. At the moment I don't even have a computer desk or chair (or any chair—I'm sitting uncomfortably on my Rollator, which I don't yet use, but which over half of the others here need).

Proclaiming the death of Jesus

This is my homily for this evening, Good Friday.  The Good Friday readings are here.

The art club spring show (Updated)

I am a member of our local art club, and spent part of yesterday helping to register and receive in pieces for our annual spring show.  It is held at the gallery room of the city building. So far there are 38 pieces from 18 members. There was a limit of three pieces per member. Most people had one or two pictures (most were two dimensional). I had two pictures there myself.

The media ranged from acrylic, oil, and watercolor paintings, mixed media, collages, photography, and various types of prints. The most fascinating entries, to me, were the pictures done in molten glass by one member. They weren't stained glass, they were one piece. And breakable. We were very careful with them, I am glad that I am not on the committee responsible for hanging the pictures!