You’re probably wondering about the photo accompanying this post. It’s a hunting vest, with handy little pockets for shotgun shells. I discovered it months ago at a Goodwill Outlet and added some flowers to create a wearable art statement. It’s odd, yes, and I’ll tell you more about it in a few minutes. I'm a homilist at a wonderful social-justice focused church in our area, and the reflection below is based on a sermon I wrote for this past Monday. Here's the gospel reading

I'm a writer, which means I transform thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations into letters on a page. The process of molding those things into words and sentences is a sanctuary action for me, and in these dark days we really need to seek out strategies which help us cope. Here are a few ways things writing does: It forces me to encounter what I'm thinking or feeling, and provides shape to what it is. It gives me a sense of control within a wild and untamed universe. I ha