The Bus Driver

Making spiritual sense of mass shootings

Luke 3:1-6

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the regionof Ituraea and Trachonitis,  and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene,  during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert. John went throughout the whole region of the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

          Let me ask you a question: how do you feel these days? I don’t know about you, but after hearing about the mass shooting in San Bernardino, California last Wednesday, I felt like someone has just punched me in the stomach. Again. And my stomach has been in knots ever since. And apparently, I’m not alone in feeling like this. On December 3, the New York Times asked its subscribers this question, “Do you worry about mass shootings?” Here are a few of the responses.  26 year-old Damien said, “Anytime a colleague or friend is let go from a job, I’m afraid they are going to come back into my office and shoot up the entire office.” Ever feel like that? 17 year-old Andrew answered, “I am tired of being scared. I want to go to college next year and feel safe, but I don’t.” Any young people feel that way? A proactive professor said, “I am a teacher. I constantly rehearse in my mind what steps I would take to protect me and my kids from a shooter.” And 58 year-old Paula said, “I think about it anytime we are in public, particularly in crowds. I no longer feel safe anywhere.” Do any of these comments capture how you feel these days?

          And then a really low blow came when the New York Daily News – a liberal leaning paper – touted the headline, “God Isn’t Fixing This.” God isn’t fixing this. Basically, they were accusing conservative politicians of hiding behind pious platitudes – like “let’s pray about this” – instead of enacting tighter gun legislation. But however off the mark that headline was, haven’t you also sometimes wondered, “Why DOESN’T God fix this??” And to top it all off, we’re in the middle of Advent, a time of hope and joy and especially peace! But peace is the last thing we feel. I don’t know about you, but it sure doesn’t feel much like Christmas time to me. Does it to you?

          In the gospel reading today we see John announcing the coming of Christ to begin his public ministry, and those days didn’t feel very “Christmasy” either. The gospel begins by introducing the key characters who would play pivotal roles in the birth and death of John and Jesus. We hear about Caesar, who took the world-wide census, and about Pontius Pilate, who washed his hands of guilt. There’s Herod who would have John beheaded in prison, and Anna and Caiaphas who conspired to crucify Christ. In other words, the first time Christ came into the world, there was corruption and greed in government from top to bottom, and I’m sure many people felt exactly the same as those subscribers to the New York Times; people were scared. And one or two pundits in Palestine in the first century surely must have said, “God isn’t fixing this!”

          But John the Baptist came to preach a different message. He said, “Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of our God.” That is, in spite of the worst that the world can throw at us, God’s plans and purposes will not be thwarted. You see, John’s message rang through the mountains of the Middle East and boldly proclaimed, “GOD IS FIXING THIS!” Or, as our Evangelical friends like to say, “When you’re down to nothing, God is up to something!” In other words, God’s plans always prevail, but they do so often in humble and hidden and hum-drum ways, and you need the eyes of faith to see them. Otherwise, all you see are terrorists and mass shootings.

          I’m a big fan of the sit-com called “Seinfeld.” Now, that show is not fit for most of you, so you should not watch it! Only priests can watch it. (Just kidding.) Arguably one of the best episodes ever was when Kramer saves a lady’s pinky toe after it’s been run over by a street-cleaner, then he fights off a mugger on a bus, and then actually drives the bus to the hospital. In the middle of his story, Kramer dramatically declares, “Jerry, the bus was outta control!”  Remember that line?  You know, a lot of people may feel that way today, thinking, “Our country is out of control!” or “Our world is out of control!” But do you know what I always tell people who feel like their life is out of control? I remind them, “The Holy Spirit is still driving the bus.” The Holy Spirit is still driving the bus. Why do I say that? Because when the Holy Spirit is driving the bus, John’s prophecy comes true: “The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of our God.” In other words, when the Holy Spirit drives the bus, it doesn’t get out of control, because the Spirit’s driving makes the road straight and smooth.

          May I share with you a few places where I see the Holy Spirit driving the bus? Well, 2,000 years ago, the Spirit was driving the bus when a baby was born in Bethlehem, and Jesus Christ was crucified in Jerusalem. Yes, he was driving back then. But I see the Spirit driving the bus today too in a pope who preaches love for the poor. I see the Spirit driving the bus in husbands and wives who forgive each other and try to save their marriages. I see the Spirit driving the bus in young people thinking about becoming a priest or nun. I see the Spirit driving the bus in parents who make sacrifices to send their children to Catholic schools. I see the Spirit driving the bus when a mother chooses to keep her baby rather than get an abortion. I see the Spirit driving the bus when Catholics choose to go to Mass instead of staying home and watching football or go hunting. I see the Spirit driving the bus in a teenage girl who asked for a priest to come see her in a mental hospital, and now comes to Mass every Sunday.

          You see, it takes the eyes of faith to see how the Spirit is driving the bus. If you look through the eyes of faith, you’ll see how “God is fixing this.” Otherwise, you’ll just dramatically declare, “Jerry, the bus is outta control!” What do you see?

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Grecia’s Dance Move

Learning to think win-win

Matthew 9:27-31

As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out, “Son of David, have pity on us!” When he entered the house, the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” “Yes, Lord,” they said to him.  Then he touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.”  And their eyes were opened. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.”  But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.

          Last week Grecia Gonzalez taught me the dance move for one of the seven leadership habits.  Can anyone tell me which habit that dance move refers to?  It’s the fourth habit, called “think win-win.”  Who can describe to me what that habit means?  In any situation where there are two sides – like two friends, or a teacher and student, or a husband and wife, or priests and parishioners – try to make sure both sides win, not just one.  This habit makes sure both parties feel they “win” something, not just one person.  The opposite of this habit would be the mentality that thinks, “my way or the highway!”  “I don’t care if you win or not.”  This habit is an essential ingredient for any recipe for a long-term relationship.  If you want life-long friends or a life-long marriage, it helps to “think win-win.”

          In the gospel today we also have two sides – Jesus and two blind men.  Whenever you have two sides, try to “think win-win.”  Now, how did the two blind men “win” in that relationship?  They “won” by being healed by Jesus.  And how did Jesus want to “win” in that relationship?  He asked them to keep their healing a secret.  But what did they do instead?  They did not “think win-win”; instead they thought, “it’s my way or the highway!” and so they hit the highway and told everyone what Jesus did for them.  They did not learn Grecia’s dance move of how to “think win-win.”  How do you think that made Jesus feel?  Do you think Jesus felt like he “won” in that relationship, too?  Probably not.  Those two men probably did not become Jesus’ disciples.  If you want a relationship to last a long time, “think win-win.”

          Boys and girls, let me tell you the secret to mastering the “think win-win” habit.  In any relationship ask yourself, “what can I give to the other person?”  That’s what the two blind men failed to ask themselves.  They should have asked, “What can I give to Jesus so He wins, too?”  Our most important relationship is with God, and if we want that friendship to be long-lasting, we have to “think win-win.”  We have to learn Grecia’s dance move.  What are some ways God can “win” in our relationship with Him?  We can pray every day.  We can go to Mass on Sunday.  We can read the Bible.  We can pray the Rosary.  You see, the fourth habit to “think win-win” helps you have relationships that are life-long, and one relationship that can even last forever.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Sweaty Shoes

Understanding Catholic veneration of the saints

          We Catholics believe in something called “the veneration of the saints,” but this practice is hotly criticized in many quarters.  Some people accuse Catholics of worshiping mere mortals by our admiration and adulation of the saints.  We set up their statues, we revere their remains, we extol their exploits.  But is this any different from the attention and accolades people shower on sports superstars today?  Recently, I saw the NBA basketball player Stephan Curry give his tennis shoes to a young fan after the game.  The little admirer clearly considered those shoes a “second class relic” of Stephan Curry.  In case you don’t know, a second class relic is something that has touched the body of a saint.  That little fan will display those sweaty shoes somewhere prominently in his house and he will proudly tell every visitor how honored he was that Curry actually stopped to look at him, and even gave him his shoes.  Don’t you think that little boy believes he was very blessed at that moment?  And yet, no one accuses the little basketball fan of worshiping Stephan Curry.  That would be silly.  So, too, is it silly to accuse Catholics of worshiping the saints, even though we proudly display their relics and feel blessed to be in their presence.

          Today, December 3, we celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier.  I feel a special fondness for Francis because in the sixteenth century he brought a renewal of Catholicism to India, my native homeland.  I’m sure his zeal to re-evangelize India played some part in my vocation to be a priest.  You know, if I got hold of his sweaty tennis shoes, I’d display them proudly in a prominent place in my rectory!  Indeed, the relics of St. Francis are strewn all over the world.  His body is in Goa, India, or most of it is, I should say.  His right arm is displayed in Rome, at the Jesuit church called “Chiesa del Gesu.” And his hand is in Japan.  Does all that sound macabre to you?  Well, it’s not much different than retiring Michael Jordan’s number or putting signed jersey’s in glass cases, as I’ve seen in the homes of sports enthusiasts.  In other words, Catholics consider saints worthy of admiration, but not worthy of adoration; the first we gladly give to saints and superstars, the second we give only to God.

          Of course, to focus on sweaty shoes and right arms is really to miss the point.  People truly worth admiring never want you to focus on them, but rather, they want you to see how God works in your life and to magnify Him.  I suspect Stephan Curry hopes his shoes inspire that little boy to play basketball better, just like St. Francis’ hand and arm should inspire us to do things to glorify God who gave them to us.  You see, Catholic veneration of the saints is not really about the saints, but about God.  And to miss that point would be deeply disappointing to the saints.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Christanity Done Poorly

Addressed to students at Trinity Junior High School

          Boys and girls, G. K. Chesterton, one of the great Christian writers of the 20th century, once famously said, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.” Now that sounds counter-intuitive and strange because we should try to do things as well as we can, and not poorly. But Chesterton’s point was that some things in life we have to do ourselves, even if we mess them up, even if we do them poorly; and he gave the two examples of “writing your own love letters” and “blowing your own nose.” Even if we do these things poorly, we should do them ourselves, they are worth doing.

          To this category I would also add Christianity. If I can paraphrase Chesterton, he might have said, “Christianity is worth doing even if it is done poorly.” In other words, you don’t have to be perfect to be a Christian. Rather, Christianity is for the imperfect, those who do things poorly. Of course, we want to do things better tomorrow than we did them yesterday. But Christianity is for those brave souls who write their own love letters even if they sound awkward, and blow our own noses, even if we still have “bats in the cave.” “Bats in the cave” is how a teenage friend of mine once described snot in your nose.

          This is why confession is an essential ingredient of Christianity; confession means that Christianity is worth doing even if it is done poorly. When we mess up – and we all mess up, even Mr. Edwards who everybody thinks is perfect – we can go to confession and try again. Today as you go to confession, try to think of at least 3 sins you’ve committed. Think of one sin against God, like missing Mass or failing to thank Him for your gifts. Think of one sin against others, like disobeying your parents or lying to friends, or copying homework or cheating on a test. And think of one sin against yourself, like abusing your body with alcohol or smoking or eating mostly junk food. Everyone has three major relationships – with God, with others and with ourselves – and that’s where we are most prone to do things poorly, but these relationships are still worth “doing.”

          Please join me now in saying this brief Act of Contrition. We all learn different versions of this prayer, so here’s one everyone can remember. Wherever you are in the school right now, just repeat after me, “Oh my Jesus, have mercy on me, for I am a sinner.” That’s short enough for anyone to remember.

          Let me conclude with another quote by Chesterton. He said, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.” And why do we not truly try Christianity? It’s because we don’t want to do it poorly; we want to do it perfectly. But the truth is that “poorly” is the only way to do Christianity; everyone does Christianity poorly. So, now go blow your nose, and get those bats out of your cave, and I’ll see you in confession.

Your Sign

Entering into Advent, season of signs

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples: “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,  for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen,  stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand. “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy  from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times  and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

          The world we live in is full of signs. Now, most of the time we’re looking for the signs, but surprisingly, sometimes the signs are looking for us. Did you ever hear of those “Here’s your sign” jokes by Bill Engvall? The jokes are about handing people who say the most obvious things a sign that reads, “Stupid.” (Sorry for saying “stupid” in church.) For example, Bill explained: “One day, I was driving along in Texas and I got a flat tire. So, I pulled my truck over into one of those side-of-the-road gas stations. The attendant walks out, looks at my truck, looks at me, and I swear he said, “Tire go flat?” I couldn’t resist. I said, “Nope. I was just driving around on four flat tires and the other three just swelled right up on me!” And not cracking a smile, the attendant nodded and said, “Yep, they’ll do that.’ Here’s your sign!” In other words, signs teach us a lot about the world around us, but some signs also teach us about ourselves, that’s we’re not the brightest bulb in the box! And I would suggest to you that the most important signs are the ones that teach us something about ourselves, something that we usually cannot see.

          In the gospel today Jesus is also talking about signs. Now, these signs will tell us something about the end of the world, but more importantly, they will also give us an insight into ourselves. Good signs always do. He says, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, the stars, and on the earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright.” Jesus goes on to add: “But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is close at hand.” In other words, the cataclysmic signs of the end times will also be a sign about us – whether we’re ready or not ready, whether we’re smart or stupid, whether we’re saints or sinners. You see, the most important signs always tell us something about ourselves; these are the real “signs of the times,” and we must learn to read them and understand what they teach us about ourselves.

          A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said, “I am blind, please help.” There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by. He took a few coins and dropped them into the hat. Then he took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words on the back. He put it back so that everyone walking by could see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. Later that day, the man who had changed the sign returned. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, “Were you the one who changed my sign? What did you write?” The man answered, “I only wrote the truth. I said what you wrote but in a different way. I said, ‘Today is a beautiful day, but I cannot see it.’” Both signs told the people the boy was blind. The first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told the people how lucky they were that they were NOT blind. In other words, the most important signs always tell us something about ourselves, usually something we are blind to.

          Folks, God sends us signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, but we also send signs to him, through our actions and choices, we use a kind of “sign language” that God knows how to read very well. For instance, we can tell our doctor we only drink one or two glasses of wine a week, but God sees we’re throwing back martinis every day. Now that was hard for me to say because I love a good martini! We can tell our boss we put in 8 solid hours of work each day, but God sees that we’re wasting time on Facebook, Pinterest and Fantasy Football. People tell me, “Fr. John, we love coming to I.C. Church!” But God knows you’re still registered at Christ the King and St. Boniface! Busted. We tell ourselves our prayer life is a priority, but we leave Mass early so we can beat the Baptists to brunch! We tell our wives we love them but we don’t help around the house or compliment their cooking. We love our husbands, but we’re quick to criticize them and rarely praise them. You see, God knows how to read these “signs of the times,” this sign language we’re using to speak to him all the time. We’re constantly saying to God, “Here’s your sign.” But God is not the stupid one.

          My friends, today we enter into the season of Advent, which is really a season of signs. We see signs in the bright star leading the Magi, in the wreath burning with purple candles, in the virgin giving birth to a Baby Boy, in the angels singing, “Gloria to God in the highest!” And what is the greatest sign of Advent? It is the final Sign, the primordial miracle, the Incarnation itself, God becomes a man and dwells among us. You know, Pope John Paul II never got tired of repeating that Jesus Christ came into this world not only to tell us who God is, but also to tell us who man is, and who woman is: to show us the depths of our depravity but also to call us to the heights of holiness (Redemptor hominis, 8). You see, the most important signs always tell us something about ourselves, something that we usually cannot see.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Big Moocher

Learning everything comes from God

Luke 17:11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee. As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him. They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!” And when he saw them, he said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” As they were going they were cleansed.  And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.  He was a Samaritan. Jesus said in reply, “Ten were cleansed, were they not? Where are the other nine?  Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”  Then he said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

          Let me ask you a question: “What do you have that you have not received?” What do you have that you have not received? That’s actually a question St. Paul asks in 1 Cor. 4:7. For example, Trinity Junior High is loaded with talented students, but where did they get those gifts and abilities? Where do Dalton Thomas and Abby Neas get their basketball skills? How is it that Tommy Caldarera and Patrick Jones are such brainiacs in Quiz Bowl? Where did Maggie Schoenfeld learn to play the drums like that? Why is Jayson Toney such a natural actress. Notice I said “actress” and not “drama queen”! How did Sai Bathina get 2,000 AR points at Christ the King last year, and set the school record? How did Regan Christian learn to tumble like that as a cheerleader? And how did Coach Branch grow that beard – I think there are squirrels and chipmonks living it now!

          You see, ten years ago, you didn’t know you could do any of those things, but now you’ve found a gift. Who gave that to you? Ultimately, it comes from God, who made you in his image and likeness, that is, he made you “God-like,” and entrusted you with special gifts and talents. And when someone gives you a gift, what do you say? Well, if you are a human being, and not a barbarian, we say, “Thank you.” I would suggest to you that those two words – thank you – are among the most important words in the English language. Why? Well because they show that we recognize that what we have comes from someone else (namely, God), and that we are grateful.  “Thank you” are two very human words.”

          In the gospel today we see someone who knows how to use those special words, “thank you.” Jesus heals ten men suffering from leprosy, but only one returns to say “thank you.” He came back to Jesus and said “thanks” because he knew that he had received something very special from someone else. The other nine were “barbarians” who do not know their gifts come from God, so that they can be “God-like.” In other words, there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who know their gifts come from God, and those who don’t; the first are human beings, and the second are barbarians. And you can tell the difference between the two by who says, “thank you.”

          Boys and girls, I spend a lot of time writing “thank you notes.” Do you know why I write so many thank you notes? It’s because I am a big moocher. What is a moocher? A moocher is someone who depends on others to take care of him. For example, I go over to your house to play your Wii video games. I go to your house and watch your Netflix movies. When I come over, I drink your parents’ beer and wine. I eat your food at supper. But I also realize that pretty much everything I have comes from someone else, and so I should say “thank you!” a lot! Boys and girls, the longer you live, the more you realize that every molecule in your body and every second in your life is a gift from God; everything you have you have received from Someone else, namely, God, and you should say “thank you.” You see, from God’s perspective we’re all a bunch of big moochers!

          You know that another name for the Mass (our Sunday service) is the “Eucharist.” But does anyone know what “Eucharist” literally means? It comes from Greek and means “thanksgiving.” The reason we go to church every Sunday is to tell God “thanks” for everything we have and are. Do you know what percentage of people go to Mass every weekend? It’s about one out of ten.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!

Pow!

Seeing the power of goodness

John 18:33B-37

Pilate said to Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me?" Pilate answered, "I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?"  Jesus answered, "My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here." So Pilate said to him, "Then you are a king?"  Jesus answered, "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

          During the final days of World War II, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sat down with Russian leader Joseph Stalin to discuss the fate of Eastern Europe, which Stalin wanted very much to become communist. Churchill cautioned Stalin to take into account the views of the pope before taking any action in Eastern Europe. To which Stalin scoffed insolently, and said: “And how many divisions does the pope of Rome have??” In other words, all that matters is military might, that’s what rules and runs the world, not the opinions of a pope in white robes, protected by an army wearing pantaloons that look like pajamas! For Stalin, “might makes right.”

          Do you remember that black-and-white T.V. show called “The Honeymooners”? Whenever Ralph (he was the husband) lost an argument to his wife, Alice, he would get mad and threatened her by saying, “One of these days, Alice, pow! Right in the kisser!” That’s why Isaac Azimov, the science fiction novelist, said, “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. That is, the incompetent rely on violence because they believe “might makes right.”

          But does it? Is might right? Where is Communist Eastern Europe today? One by one, country after country dominated by dictators has thrown off their communist chains and breathed the free air of democracy. And Pope John Paul II played a major role in the downfall of communism in Eastern Europe. Why? Because might does not make right, instead, right makes might. You see, there is another power in the world stronger than weapons, even nuclear weapons, and that is the power of goodness. In the end, the pope wins not the czar, Alice wins not Ralph, because right is might.

          In the gospel today we see the same struggle is afoot: which is stronger, might or right? On the one hand you have Pontius Pilate, representing the Roman Empire, interrogating Jesus. And what does he ask? He wants to know if Jesus is a king. Like Stalin, Pilate is asking, “And how many divisions does Jesus have?? In this world, might makes right; just look at how we Romans rule the world. If anyone disagrees with us, it’s, ‘Pow! Right in the kisser!’” But Jesus responds, “My kingdom does not belong to this world,” and later he adds, “I came into the world to testify to the truth.” Like the popes, Jesus’ power is truth and goodness and love, not weapons of mass destruction but the weapons of holiness and grace. But which one is stronger? Well, where is the Roman Empire today? It is merely a heap of rubble and ruins. And where is the Church Jesus established today? It is over one billions members strong. In the end, Jesus wins not Pilate, the pope wins not the czar, Alice wins not Ralph, because “violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.”

          Today I want you to take a minute to consider sending your son or daughter to Trinity Junior High. Why? Well because besides being an excellent school, we also teach them a deeper truth, that right makes might. That is, we teach them that there is a power in the world stronger than military weapons, stronger than political parties, stronger than the wealth of Wall Street. And that is the power of God’s goodness and grace. Coach Jeff Meares (whom we’re very happy to have back at Trinity this year) put it perfectly when he told a prospective student about our football program, saying, “We may not win many games, but we sure will laugh a lot!” That laughter is a sign of the joy of Jesus, and the power of goodness, and truth and right. By the way, there are four captains of the Southside football team this year; of those four do you know how many are Trinity graduates? All four of them are. Do you know what I think about that? “Pow! Right in the kisser!”

          My friends, Trinity Junior High will teach your children what real power is, and what Isaac Azimov meant when he said, “Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent.” Trinity will teach your children that in the end Jesus wins, and so do all those who believe in him.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!