Spirituality

By Fr. Glenn Jones

I’ve found an intriguing little book at the moment titled “Spy the Lie”—written by some CIA operatives—which focuses on spotting deception. A key point of such a skill is that, to be successful in rooting out truth from someone who is lying, one must control one’s own biases toward the person’s state or behavior—avoid assuming either truthfulness or deception in anyone. After all, who among us has not been surprised to find that a favorite co-worker was a thief, or had a good friend or confidante (or beloved) betray you, or hear of a homeless person who returned a wad of cash—persons Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Here we are in mid-August … another election just around the corner. Oh boy … oh joy (max eye roll). Slanted news stories, and out-of-context—or simply made up—quotes abound. Doctored videos and recordings, cancel culture, bullying of those with contrary opinions … especially on social mean-ia. The assertion of examples of extreme behaviors or events as societal norms in order to buttress contrary positions. Arguing adversaries leaping from point to point as soon as a position begins to crumble rather than continuing to a logical conclusion … bringing to mind: “A Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones

Much of this column is from a column I wrote a couple of years ago, but it seems apropos now, as the 75^th anniversary of the only use of atomic weapons in wartime is nigh, to repeat much of it here (with slight editing).

July and August, of course, usher in these anniversaries of the first atomic explosion here in New Mexico, and the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings which essentially ushered in the end of World War II.  In my former parish of Los Alamos where “the bomb” was developed, annually there were disarmament demonstrators—well-intentioned folks, of course, if not always civil Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones

You may have seen the stories of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul—formerly the cathedral of the Orthodox faith built under Emperor Justinian I in the early 500s in the former Constantinople—being converted from the museum that it has been for the last several decades back into a mosque, which it was for several hundred years prior to that. An absolute jewel of architectural beauty, it has “changed hands” a number of times over the centuries—Orthodox cathedral to Catholic cathedral in the Crusades, back to Orthodox cathedral, then to mosque during the Ottoman conquest, to museum in Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Such rhetoric nowadays! It seems that it has become a favorite pastime to find fault … not with oneself (perish the thought!), but rather with others. One misspoken term …. a phrase mangled out of all contextual recognition … and you may be condemned as Satan’s spawn, accusers so often hurling their darts across the protective abyss created by social media or—worse—openly and publicly attacked. Do or write a seemingly-innocuous something-or-other that someone doesn’t like and you’re liable, liable for libel … lawyers a’flockin’ and lawsuits a’flyin’.

One hardly knows Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones

“I say, old chap; awfully unkind of you.”

Such were the words that went through my mind—or words to that effect (ahem!)—when a humongous firework was exploded at 5 a.m. very near my living quarters. Sigh.

Driving on the interstate in early morning, a car rockets past everyone in the early morning rush, and suddenly careens over 5 lanes of traffic to make the exit, causing other drivers to swerve in surprise. Sigh.

Vitriolic emails from “Christians” not only condemning me to eternal damnation, but wishing me to go there. Heavy sigh. Missed that “love thy neighbor” thing of the Gospel, Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones

I was at the National Cemetery in Santa Fe the other day, officiating at the last farewell to a beloved former parishioner—a young wife and mother who succumbed, after many years’ valiant struggle, to unrelenting cancer. A privilege and blessing to be able to do this one last service for her, it was even more so to have visited and ministered to her at UNM Hospital in her last days … to spend time with this gentle and faithful woman who strengthened others by her resolute determination, and to be able to assure her of the eternal rest offered by God. 

Wandering afterwards through the Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones

As you know all too well, the issue of race and racism has dominated the last couple of months, despite even the COVID-19 pandemic. This emphasis on eliminating racism and bigotry is a wonderful goal without doubt, but counterproductive if violence and property destruction worsens the disease rather than cures it, for one does not solve injustice by being unjust—the obvious “two wrongs don’t make a right” wisdom.

So, in combating bigotry, we mustn’t cultivate bigotry by inadvertently sowing weeds of resentment with the good wheat of equality and true growth. True peace requires Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones

Well, first of all … Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there! A blessed task and duty is fatherhood, as you are entrusted by God for the safekeeping and cultivation of those little images of Him … and of you and mom. “In His Image” in reference to God is in the spiritual being and the internal goodness within all persons … no matter how much it may be hidden. In your image, dads, by what you and mom imprint upon them—in physical likeness, yes, but ever so much more in values and wisdom. 

When we consider wisdom, we understand that it requires truth and facts, else it is no wisdom at all.  Read More