Thomas Altepeter

Well, now that we have gotten all of the "perfect" folks out of the room, we can have a heart to heart chat.  You and I can be honest about the fact that there really aren't any perfect people, right? Just look around.  I have never met one, have you?  All I see are ordinary folks like you and me; ordinary folks, who are a mixture of strengths and weaknesses, virtues and vices; ordinary folks who try to live out of their "better angels," and who feel embarrassed when they fall short.

On Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. In John  20:19-23 we read that the disciples were gathered together, huddled in fear, hiding in an out of the way place, confused and bewildered about all that had occurred in the recent days. They were no doubt still distraught about the death of Jesus; and confused about several experiences when Jesus seemed somehow to be with them.

Some parts of our sacred Scriptures are best understood with the head; through our thinking function. An example is the well known passage which begins with "Consider the lilies of the field..." There, we are invited to consider; to reflect; to ponder; to think. Our spiritual understanding grows through considering reality as it is.

In John 21:1-19, Jesus asks Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Why would he ask Peter this question? And, why three times? This question refers back to a previous passage we read on Palm Sunday, and reveals the overwhelming compassion and mercy of Jesus toward Peter, and toward all of us. In the reading from Palm Sunday, Jesus told Peter that Peter will be "sifted like wheat," to which Peter responds, somewhat arrogantly, "Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you!" Jesus comments that Peter would deny knowing him three times before the cock crows that very day.

Last week the Roman Catholic Church selected its new pope. As pastor of St. Clare, a non-Roman Catholic community, I have been asked a number of times over the past week about my thoughts about the new pope. Since this question has come up so often, in so many contexts, I thought it would be worth sharing my thoughts here.

Last week the Roman Catholic Church selected its new pope. As pastor of St. Clare, a non-Roman Catholic community, I have been asked a number of times over the past week about my thoughts about the new pope. Since this question has come up so often, in so many contexts, I thought it would be worth sharing my thoughts here.

In Luke 15 (1-3, 11-32) we find one of the better known stories in the New Testament, often referred to as the story of the prodigal son. Being familiar to most of us, we may tend to focus on the memorable parts of the story; often, the prodigal. Since what we focus on also determines what we miss, in this reflection I would like to focus on two details that are at times overlooked.