The gospel reading this week has Jesus answering the question of a scribe: "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Jesus recognizes this as a test, and many people read it as if it's an attempt by the scribe to trap Jesus, but it's actually just an attempt to get Jesus to establish His credentials. This question is the quintessential question on which any rabbi should  have been able to speak at the time. When Hillel was asked this question, he responded, "That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow.

I attended a conference in San Jose and was able to visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph during the two days I was there. I usually try to visit the local churches, but this time, I was only able to get to the cathedral, which was a few blocks from the conference hotel.

The first church in San Jose was established in 1803, and the current structure is the fifth one built on the site and completed in 1877. The interior is beautiful, but there are some somewhat dischordant elements.

Sacred Heart altar at the Basilica Cathedral of St. Joseph, San Jose, CA

I'm at a conference in San Jose today, and I have been looking forward to visiting the basilica, which is two blocks away. As any of you who read this blog know, visiting churches is the thing I do when I travel. I have two more to see within walking distance and will share more images in a separate post.

Anyhow, I decided noon was the best time since I needed to get my workouts in in the morning.

One element of the Catholic faith that I love is the diversity of its people. Of course, that makes perfect sense, as the word "Catholic" comes from the Greek katholikos, which means "universal." James Joyce alluded to this motley universality in Finnegans Wake—"Here comes everybody." And Evelyn Waugh's mother was reportedly angry for his conversion because he would be "worshiping with the help" (the Irish Catholics who made up much of the body of domestic service).

And it's true.

Isaiah 25:6–10a; Philippians 4:12–14, 19–20; Matthew 22:1–14

My roommate in college had one other roommate before me a year prior. This young man had been given a car as a graduation gift and was then sent off to a private school, Gonzaga, for his first year of college. Clearly, this young man was given great gifts and privilege, and you'd think he would be very happy to have the advantages he had.
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