​"Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift." -- Ephesians 4​:29, The Message​ There's too much profanity in everyday life. Here in Philadelphia, I hear 'bleep-able' words all around me in public: overheard in loud cellphone conversations, on buses and subways, on the streets, just about everywhere. On one hand, I respect that it may reflect the stressful, gritty nature of life in a large, northeastern U

"I believe a stronger sense of empathy would tilt the balance of our current politics in favor of those people who are struggling in this society. After all, if they are like us, then their struggles are our own. If we fail to help, we diminish ourselves." -- Barack Obama, The Audacity of Hope​, pages 67-68 Being acutely aware of what is taking place in Washington, D.C. this morning, I offer the following in the way of hope and advice: We need a broader coalition. We need

​"The time is always right to do what's right." -- Martin Luther King, Jr., Speech at Oberlin College​, October 22, 1964​ In our hearts we know the right thing to do. Our conscience, which speaks to us through our inner voice, tells us what the right thing is. C.S. Lewis touched on this point in his book Mere Christianity​, in which he asserted that there is a moral law which underlies the universe. We are at our best when we listen and follow our conscience at all times.