"We have seen for ourselves, and can testify..."

"We have seen for ourselves, and can testify, that the Father has sent the Son as savior of the world. When anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him and he in God" (1 John 4:14-15- ESV). What a beautiful and all-encompassing statement of what it is to be a Christian! I was very struck reading and meditating on this passage, which is the Scripture reading for the Church's prayer this morning.

Summertime simplicity, to which the morning sun bids me adherence, dictates that I limit myself this morning to conveying a few birthday greetings. First to my youngest daughter I pray for a very happy birthday. She is a beautiful girl who brings so much joy and spontaneity to our family. Her happiness and enthusiasm for life are positively contagious!

I also send along my prayer for a happy birthday to His Excellency, Archbishop George Niederauer of San Francisco, who turns 75 today. As longtime readers know, it was then-Bishop Niederauer who ordained me and my diaconate class in January 2004.

Frankly, I was relieved for couple of reasons to check the Vatican's Bollettino this morning and not see the good archbishop's name on it, not least of which is that he is the kind of pastoral leader the church needs more of, not just presently, but always.