It seems that the scripture readings for the Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time have clear ties to what is happening in our country and in our world today.  We have mention of “foreigners” in the Prophet Isaiah’s reading (Is 56:1, 6-7), “race” in Paul’s letter to the Romans (Rom 11:13-15, 29-32), and mention of “lost sheep, dogs, and demons” in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt 15:21-28). …

A perennial question for humanity comes in the form of “why do we have to suffer or struggle?”  Why do unpleasant or “bad” things happen to us – all of us?  This is not only a question that has been passed down since the beginning of time, but also perhaps one that defies any satisfactory answer. …

What is the impossible?  Is there such a thing?  What is a miracle?  Is there such a thing?  Each one of us may answer these questions differently, depending upon our outlook on life, and perhaps even more so by the experiences that we ourselves have had so far in our lives. …

Many of the paths that we take in life are repeats.  That is to say, for example, I travel the same route to work every morning and evening.  What is curious about these repeat paths that we take in our lives is that many times the rote-ness or familiarity of the pattern or route numbs us to the possibility for noticing something new about the path or route. …

How far do we have to go in order to get to God?  Where are we looking for the divine?  Are Sunday mornings in church the extent to which we “find” God?  What if we don’t have to go anywhere to find God? …