My country 'tis of thee...

O.k., it's not a new notion, but it keeps coming back to me on days like these. Being a wannabe philologist I find syntax quite important, so the question "Are you a Catholic American or an American Catholic?" makes a great deal of sense to me. It matters because nouns and adjectives work differently and, especially in this case, make a great deal of difference. Are you a Catholic who happens to be an American or an American who happens to be a Catholic? Think about it.

Lullaby, and ... good morning!

When we see a newborn, we see opportunity, hope, potentiality. At this point in his or her life, it seems that nothing is outside of the realm of possibility. We can live vicariously for a bit, wondering how things would have gone differently in our lives if... But the difference in today's feast is that John hadn't even been born yet and was already living out his life's call. Pointing out the Savior; heralding His advent. Even the wonderful and beautiful and untainted are intended by God to be lifted to higher heights, even before they're born. May we never be satisfied with less than the divine.

Are you green, ripe or rotten?

By their fruits... Sure, we've heard the words, but how ought we to employ them? Remember the adage about the duck - if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck and looks like a duck, it must be a duck. However, since we're also supposed to be careful not to judge, how does this work? The key is in how our heart processes the information. If we see someone acting in a way other than Gospel charity, we still have the obligation to love them. We then have the obligation to help them lovingly. But we have the obligation to heed others' words of challenge when we act in harmful ways, as well. May we cultivate the Lord's garden to produce ripe and healthy hearts.