Today is my older brother Jim’s birthday. He was born in 1946 and died in 1995 from AIDS. Jim was one of those guys who loved both sailing and flying. He owned a 45-foot ocean-faring sailboat and a Bonanza Beechcraft airplane. He sailed to Hawaii in his sailboat; he flew to Texas, picked up our…
Tag: faith
Our Parish’s Book Honoring Those Who Have Died
At St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood, we have a book in which the names of loved ones who have died can be recorded. These people are prayed for every year on or near the anniversary of their death. Every year in February, two names are called out that are very familiar to me: my father,…
A Ramble About My Day
I am tired. Today was busy. Lots of visiting, which was all pleasant and with people I am very fond of, so that wasn’t the problem. The problem is that I went from one activity to the next with no downtime in between. We went to breakfast with one of our antique dealer friends to…
Flash Essay: Have Mercy on Me, a Sinner
One of the toughest moments I have ever witnessed in my life is when many years ago a beloved priest of mine unexpectedly lost his daughter, Ruthie, in a tragic event. She had gone to a party and had drunk too much, then came home and passed out in the back seat of the car….
Flash Essay: From Reluctant to Willing: A Journey in Faith
I am a spiritual person. I like to think I am, at least. Just this very morning, I was up at 6:30 and at church by 7:15 so that I could lead morning prayer and then serve as the acolyte at the 8 am mass. I wear a black robe with a white cotta and…
Flash Essay: Saturday, Belief, and Ray Wylie Hubbard
Mid-afternoon here in LA on Saturday, the temperature a perfect 76 degree and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. I am sitting in the back yard so the dogs can poke around and hopefully do their business while I write. In just a bit, Ray and I are headed off to two different places:…
20 Minutes a Day 