During the economic downturn of 2009 construction companies were hit particularly hard. That year and the one after were the two worst for the industry since 1959. Although there was a supply in housing, little-to-no demand for it existed.
John Bradburne was a quietly heroic doer of God's peace. Bradburne, a Third Order Franciscan, was known as the "leper saint" for his work in Zimbabwe before his death in 1979.
Do you know George Clooney? You might say, "Why yes, I know George Clooney. I've seen all the Ocean's movies, loved him in Michael Clayton, and O Brother, Where Art Thou? is one of my favorite movies of all time. I even have all his Aunt Rosemary's CDs!"
Real solitude is not about one's physical relationship with others. Rather it has to do with one's interior relationship with God and the freedom to serve others, and that freedom comes from trust.
How to seek the kingdom of God? It is a state of being, so we begin with the intention to be the highest expression of ourselves, in all our imperfection. When we narrow our efforts to seeking only the Kingdom, then Maslow's pyramid is turned upside down.
A TRUCK DRIVER, in a hurry, pulled into a parking spot, jumped out of his car, and ran into a store. A moment later another driver came out of the store, and when she got to her car, she saw that she couldn't open the driver door because the truck had parked too close to her car.
One of the more famous embodiments of the message behind today's gospel reading is Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent resistance.
"The great thing about the psalms is that they address really the whole spectrum of human emotion, from intense despair and feelings of abandonment by God, feelings of betrayal by humankind, fear of mortality, to great joy and jubilance."
Jesus' words about the gravity of anger and adultery are meant to take us more deeply into our own hearts to examine not only how well we keep rules and laws but to be sure that we understand that merely "looking good" to others is not the same as being good or doing good--and it is the latter that matters to God.
Jesus encourages us to become a presence in the lives of others through our good deeds.