A major hotel chain was doing extensive testing of its customers' satisfaction with the hotel. Repeatedly, one particular hotel in the chain scored highest.

A FAIRLY RECENT trend in biblical scholarship that may have flown under the radar of many Catholics is the social-scientific approach to scripture.

Clockwatching is a miserable pasttime, yet sadly people all over the world are in jobs where they often do just that. It really has nothing to do with the job.

Throughout history, people have invoked the name of God before going into battle with people of another nation who have also invoked the name of God with confidence that God would defend them.

It may seem that Jesus is non-responsive to the questions that come his way. But the truth is that he is responsive to the question beneath the question.

"I CAN'T GET enough people to become lectors and eucharistic ministers," a director of religious ed and ministry recently lamented. "I put notices in the bulletin; the pastor invites people from the pulpit; I ask people directly; and the answer is always the same: 'Gee, I'd love to but I'm just too busy.'"

Kelly, a teenage girl on vacation with her parents, was having a horrible time. And her face and her posture let everyone know it.

A number of years ago, my cousin got married on an early Sunday afternoon. Both families had planned on an elegant wedding reception and dinner at a very fancy restaurant. The ceremony went quickly, and no one was delayed as they drove to the restaurant.

Back in the early 1970s Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" was popular on the Top 40 stations. The song hit a nerve with a lot of people when it described a father who was too busy with his career to enjoy and participate in his son's growing up.

THE TWO PARABLES in this weekend's readings--one from Isaiah, the other from Matthew--lead to basically the same conclusion: If God is not satisfied with how the Lord's vineyard is being run, God will give it to someone else.