So Lin continues to amaze and inspire us all. For me, he is a modern day parable. I do believe there is a Lin in all of us: every one of us has latent talent, genius, faith, love and hope…. The best of us has yet to be drafted, called off the bench, and given a chance to make a difference. Blessed is the one who has not seen and yet believes. Lin beat the Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks – whatever the future holds he has already changed the present. Be not afraid my friends, of course, there will be those who show their hatred, envy, and stupidity. God bless America – this is still a country where dreams live and play.

Then there is Mitt. His presence continues to call forth a whole series of discourse on taxes, money, the poor, the rich, change, jobs, family, contraceptives, and sex. I do believe these are great conversations, and each of us should spend some time regularly thinking about these subjects. Then these topics should at least be discussed with good friends, if not family members. Lord, have mercy: much of what I hear makes me scared. So much of what gets said is so incredulous. I don’t know if I should believe anything I hear or just take it as posturing: proving how “appealing” one is to the base. I cannot help but recall that proverb: one person’s trash is another’s treasure. You have to give me credit: what an artistic way of talking politics without going (too) political.

Whitney Houston. Whitney. And I will always love you. How will I know? Saving All my Love for You. I Wanna Dance With Somebody. So Emotional. Where Do Broken Hearts Go? I’m Your Baby Tonight. All the Man That I Need. The Greatest Love of All. I Look To You. Her voice and talent will live on. An interesting fact is most of her songs were written by others. Her gift lay in knowing when a song had her talent written all over it. She lived a complex life. However, it is such a joy to hear so many say that through it all she never lost her faith in God. For me she is the parable of God’s love.

Timothy Cardinal Dolan. New York, we have a cardinal. This is why we love this man: after receiving his biretta, he said, “This hat is really for New York. I want to put it on the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty.” Just by calling his biretta a “hat” – you know this man is one who knows how to speak to his people. Speaking the language of the lay person and professing and showing his love for New Yorkers is what makes this man a believable evangelist for the Roman Catholic Church and the Gospel. And then here is the message we will do best to learn: Dolan said, “You can’t let the hat get to your head. It’s not about power and prestige, it’s about the service.”

Lin will be better if it doesn’t get to his head.

Politicians make us better if we don’t let them get to our head.

Whitney Houston, we are glad you went to our heart and not our head.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan we hope you will get to the soul of the matter.