It’s a fairly well-known Bible tidbit that the shortest verse in all of scripture, which is taken from this week’s Gospel, is “And Jesus wept.” Because it’s an interesting verse and it comes from an important passage in John’s Gospel, there has been much commentary on it throughout the years. It is often read at funerals and used to describe the very real, very human pain that Jesus felt at the death of His friend. But to take it simply as a sign of Jesus’ sadness over a death that He knew was not permanent is to miss a much larger point. Click title for full column.

A constant battle fought by priests, teachers, parents, and many others is the question of whether or not what we’re doing is really taking root. Some professions are not afforded the blessing of being able to take a step back at the end of the day and seeing the fruits of one’s labor. Looking at a parking lot that I just finished sealing or a bed of mulch that I just laid is one of the lost loves of my earlier years. Now the satisfaction of a job well done is not often seen until much later, if at all. Click title for full column.

One of my closest friends is a non-Catholic who married a lovely Catholic girl from my last parish. Because he works in a lab and is scientifically minded, he once commented to his wife that the sign of peace was quite the exercise in herd-immunity. When she pointed out that hundreds of people also drink from the same few cups at every Mass, he was even more impressed/concerned. Along these same lines, I have found in the last few years that every practical challenge in the Church seems to get entangled with a thousand political and pragmatic concerns. I remember as an associate doing something as simple as upgrading the patens we used to distribute the host turning into the beginning of a debacle, and it took the deft touch of the pastor to restore peace to the parish. So as the region undertakes some precautionary measures to curb potential spread of the coronavirus, which has recently been confirmed in Ohio, I think it’s important to do everything possible to hear people’s concerns as well as address the spiritual side of Communion distribution as well. Click title for full column

One of the frequent questions I remember receiving in the months and years leading up to my priestly ordination was what I was most looking forward to about being a priest. At the very top of the list was offering Mass, but other highlights included giving blessings and hearing confessions. If I had made a top ten list, preaching might not have been included. I wasn’t particularly dreading it, but it certainly wasn’t something that I was chomping at the bit to do day in and day out. Click title for full column.

St. James of the Valley Dine-in or Carry-out: Friday, March 13; 5:00-7:30 pm To Volunteer to Work or to Bring Desserts, please visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945ACAC2BA57-stjames3