Father Chris Looby

Rush performs "Closer to the Heart" at their concert July 9, 2026 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles, California As many of you know, I'm a fan of the Canadian rock band Rush. It's okay if you've never heard of them. One of my favorite songs is called Closer to the Heart. There's a verse in that song that has been on my mind as I prepared for today's feast: "And the men who hold high places Must be the ones who start To mold a new reality Closer to the heart." As the song continues, it speaks about blacksmiths and artists, philosophers and ploughmen, captains and navigators. The message seems to be that every person has a role to play. Every person has gifts and talents that can help shape the world around them and bring it "closer to the heart." Whether the members of Rush intended it or not, that's a beautiful way to think about today's feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Today's readings remind us what kind of heart God has....

  When I was preparing for this week, I came across an old quote attributed to comedian George Carlin.  As many know, Carlin was often critical of religion. The quote goes something like this: "Tell people there is an invisible man in the sky who created the universe and they'll believe you. Tell them the paint is wet and they'll have to touch it to be sure." Carlin's point, of course, was that people can be surprisingly willing to believe certain things while being skeptical about others.  He was questioning religion and faith and asking, "How can people believe in something they cannot see?" But whether or not you agree with Carlin, he touches on something interesting about human nature. We do struggle with believing what we cannot see. We want proof. We want something we can touch. Something we can measure. Something we can experience. And maybe the beautiful thing is this: God understands that about us. God knows we are physical creatures. We learn t...

There’s an old song from the band Three Dog that begins with the line: “One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do.” I remember hearing that song years ago and thinking it was a strange idea.  Usually we think of “number one” as something positive. Number one means first place. Number one means victory. Number one means being at the top. But the song makes a different point. There is something difficult about being alone. And if we're honest, most of us know that's true. At one time or another, we've all experienced loneliness. Some people come home to an empty house. Some have lost a spouse. Some have children or grandchildren who live far away. Some are surrounded by people and still feel alone. There is something deep within us that longs for connection, friendship, family, and love. And that brings us to Trinity Sunday. Every year on this Sunday people expect priests to explain one of the greatest mysteries of our faith: one God in three Persons.  Over the cent...

A few days ago I came across a story in The New York Times marking the twentieth anniversary of one of television’s most famous on-air mistakes. A man named Guy Goma had gone to the BBC in London for a job interview. He thought he was interviewing for an I.T. position. But through a mix-up, someone thought he was a technology expert who had been invited to appear on live television. Before he knew it, he was sitting in a television studio with cameras pointed at him and the interview had already started. Can you imagine that feeling? You're in the wrong room. The cameras are rolling. Millions of people could be watching. And you suddenly realize: I am not supposed to be here. I think most of us would have gotten up and run for the nearest exit. But later he said that in that moment something inside him seemed to say: Just relax. He remembered his mother's voice telling him to stay calm. And somehow, even though he was caught completely off guard, he carried on. I think most o...

  When I was growing up, one of my favorite movies was Back to the Future. Maybe some of you remember it. A teenager named Marty McFly accidentally travels back in time… and discovers that things people do in the past can affect people far into the future. A conversation… a decision… even one small action can change everything years later. And every time I hear today’s Gospel, I think about that movie. Because in today’s Gospel, Jesus is praying. But He’s not just praying for the apostles standing in front of Him. In a mysterious and beautiful way… He’s praying for us. Think about that for a moment. Before this church existed… before our country existed… before any of us were born… Jesus had us in His heart. And today, especially, He has these children in His heart as they receive their First Holy Communion. That’s really what makes this Gospel so beautiful. We are listening to Jesus speak to His Father just before His Passion and death. And what does He do in those final mo...