Today, I think of the apostle Peter, who in the early morning of Good Friday denied Jesus three times. After Jesus was arrested, numerous people came to him, asking if he knew Jesus. 69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of …
Holy Thursday: Praying with Jesus
Today, Catholics move into the most prayerful and solemn time of the Church year—the Triduum, which is made up of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These days prepare us for the highest Christian holiday, Easter Sunday, which celebrates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead after his crucifixion. For each day of the Triduum, I …
Why I’m scared
In my last post, I said I'm not sure that America is beyond the kind of bigotry and intolerance that led to the internment of Japanese Americans several decades ago. And I think the following video proves my point. Last month, in Orange County, California, Muslim families were attending a dinner hosted by Islamic Circle …
Thoughts on King’s “radicalization” hearings
“I remember doing a number of radio interviews [right after 9/11] saying we can’t do to the Muslims what we did to the Japanese after Pearl Harbor.” (New York magazine) These are the words of Peter King, a long-time House representative from Long Island and the head of the House Homeland Security committee. Before 9/11, …
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The souls of our shoes: A reflection on Egypt
On Thursday night, as Mubarak defiantly refused to step down from the presidency, the demonstrators in Cairo’s Tahrir Square held their shoes high above their heads, making visible their soles and directing them symbolically toward Mubarak. In the Arab world, this action—showing someone the sole of your shoe— is a sign of upmost disrespect. Raising …
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