Father Chris Looby

This past week, WCAX ran a story about something most of us don’t think about very much—until it’s missing: road salt.  After the recent winter storms, there were reports of cars slipping, roads staying icy longer than usual, and people frustrated that streets weren’t being cleared the way they normally are.  And the problem wasn’t the snow. It was a shortage of salt. Salt is easy to take for granted when there’s plenty of it. But when it runs low, everything changes.  Roads become dangerous.  Travel becomes stressful.  Something small and ordinary suddenly turns out to be essential. And that’s when today’s Gospel sounds different. Jesus looks at his disciples and doesn’t say, “The world could really use more salt.” He says, “You are the salt of the earth.” In other words, when salt is in short supply—you’re it. Salt is small, but it’s powerful. You don’t need much of it. A pinch can change an entire meal.  That tells us something important about disciples...

  No, this is not a picture of Lake Champlain with the Green Mountains of Vermont in the background!  This is the Sea of Galilee where Jesus gave the Beatitudes during His Sermon on the Mount! There once was once a man who was offered three blessings. An angel appeared to him and said, “I will grant you whichever of these three blessings you choose: wisdom, beauty, or ten million dollars.” Without hesitation, the man said, “I choose wisdom.” There was a flash of lightning, a clap of thunder, and when it was over, the man looked completely changed. But then he just sat there, staring down at the table in front of him. One of his friends leaned over and whispered, “You have great wisdom now. Say something.” And the man said, “I should have taken the money.” It’s funny because let’s be honest: A lot of people measure “blessing” by what makes life easier, safer, richer, or more comfortable. When things go well, it’s easy to say, “I’m so blessed.” When life is hard, it’s tempting t...

 The 38th stage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Torch Relay started in Borgomanero, where the community welcomed the Flame with warmth and participation, transforming the passage of the sacred fire into a moment of shared celebration. (Photo from olympics.com ) Most of us would agree that these feel like dark times. Not dark because there is no good in the world—there is plenty of good—but dark because so much of what we hear, see, and say is filled with division.  People are quick to label, quick to judge, quick to assume the worst about one another. Families are divided. Friendships are strained. Communities feel tense. Even churches are not immune. And into that kind of world, we hear these words from Isaiah today: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Isaiah was speaking to people who were living in fear and uncertainty.  They felt forgotten, defeated, overshadowed by powers stronger than they were.  And God says to them: darkness will n...