First Reading (Deuteronomy 30:10-14). This is part of Moses’ farewell speech to the Israelites. He exhorts them to commit themselves to the Lord by observing his commandments. Whereas previously these commandments were considered as being external to them, now they are presented as springing from within themselves. They are written in their hearts, and therefore are not far away from them or beyond their strength. In the Gospel the commandments are reduced to two.

Second Reading (Colossians 1:15-20). Today and the following three Sundays the Second Reading is taken from Colossians. This letter firmly asserts the absolute supremacy of Christ. He is the beginning and end of creation, the head of the Church which is his Body, and the mediator and universal redeemer.

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A number of different approaches are being tried.
(We are still grasping at straws.)

We're working on a fresh approach to the problem.
(We just hired three kids fresh out of college.)

Close project coordination.
(We know who to blame.)

Major technological break through.
(It works OK, but looks very hi-tech.)

Customer satisfaction upon delivery is assured.
(We are so far behind schedule the customer is happy to get it delivered.)

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Short quips

“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go.”

Law of Mechanical Repair - After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

Law of Gravity - Any tool, nut, bolt, screw, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible place in the universe.

My doctor's diagnosis was that I have high blood pressure.
I took that diagnosis with a grain of salt.

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Grave Situation....

This particular man was taking a shortcut through the graveyard one dark night. That was a mistake, because the gravediggers had just opened a new site, in preparations for a funeral early the next morning.

The unfortunate man took a headlong plunge into the deep pit. It began to rain, and the sides became slippery, besides being deep.

Try as he may (and he did again and again) he could not climb out.

Finally, he resigned himself to wait for the caretakers the next morning, and he settled into a corner.

Just before dawn another man, who had been "out on the town" all night and who was definitely inebriated, stumbled into the same grave.

He yelped and started trying his best to get back topside.

After a few attempts, a deep voice from the corner said resignedly, "It's no use. You can't get out!"

But he did ...