Author Archives: hlesbrown

About hlesbrown

H. Les Brown is a man of many talents who has worn many hats in his lifetime. He boasts MAs in both philosophy and theology and years of service in the ministry, industry, data processing, life coaching, project management, and even a stint at Headquarters Marine Corps. As a life coach, he had a series of articles published in Worldwide Coaching Magazine. He self-published The Frazzled Entrepreneur’s Guide to Having it All, a self-help book for over-extended entrepreneurs. He enjoys desert hiking, working out, the creative arts, and a has passion for language. He’s up before dawn for morning meditation. He lives with Craig Gibson, his husband of twenty-five years, in a restored midcentury modern home in Palm Springs, California.

Sts. Sergius and Bacchus Chapel Dedication

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Scripture Readings First Reading: Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6, 8-10 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8-10,15 Second Reading: First Corinthians 3:9-13, 16-17 Gospel Acclamation: Ezechiel 37:27 Gospel: John 4:19-24 March 31, 2021 I want to thank each one of you for being an important part of the blessing and dedication of this chapel. It’s very important to me that this place be a true sanctuary – a holy place where anyone who desires to draw near to God can feel safe and at home. It should be a refuge from the negativity that infects our world. Here, no one should feel unwelcome, no one Continue Reading →

Palm Sunday

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March 3, 2021 Scripture Readings What’s going on? Why all the excitement? Obviously, the way Saint Mark describes the scene in Jerusalem this morning fills it with symbolism – some of it obvious, some of it not so much. The atmosphere in Jerusalem at that time was tense. Jesus had become a very public figure and that made the Jewish authorities nervous. People were beginning to talk openly about Jesus as the Messiah – the anointed king in David’s lineage who would restore the independence of Israel. The authorities knew that this talk was seditious and, if they allowed it Continue Reading →

Fifth Sunday of Lent (Passion Sunday)

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March 21, 2021 Scripture Readings The story is told about a coach who was known far and wide for his wisdom, both on and off the field. At one time, he was asked in an interview about how he gained his reputation for wisdom. “Good judgment,” he said. “And how did you acquire your good judgment?” “From experience,” he answered. “And where did you get your experience?” “Bad judgment,” he replied. It’s a mistake to bemoan our imperfections. It’s not only prisoners who are graduates of the “school of hard knocks.” We all are. If we possess any wisdom at Continue Reading →

Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare Sunday)

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March 14, 2021 Scripture Readings I was standing outside Sutherlands IGA stoah one morning when I heard a flivver approaching down the street toward me. Which way to Millinocket? Well, you can go west at the next intersection, get on to the Turnpike, go north through the toll gate at Augusta, ‘til you come to that intersection… Well, no. You could keep right on this tah road — it changes to dirt now and again — just keep the river on your left. You’ll come to the crossroads and… Let me see… Then again you can take that scenic coastal Continue Reading →

Third Sunday of Lent

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Although today’s gospel is very familiar to us, like much of Saint John/s gospel, its meaning can be quite complex. First, to make sense of it all, we need to be clear about the situation in which we find ourselves. The temple in Jerusalem – Herod’s temple – had been under construction for over a generation: 46 years to be exact. It would take another twenty years to complete it. It was built along the general lines of a Canaanite temple: a series of courtyards, each one inside another. The first and largest courtyard was the Court of the Gentiles, Continue Reading →