Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen ... (Matthew 6:1a)

The well-known San Francisco newspaper columnist, Herb Caen, recently made a provocative observation when he wrote: "The miracle of Christmas is that it survives those who believe in it too loudly." The Christmas/Epiphany season is now over, and it might be good for us to ponder the significance of Mr. Caen's observation.

Lent is traditionally a time for self-examination. The most common form of such self-examination focuses on our failure to live up to "the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." We assume that we know what this calling is all about and that our only problem is failing to follow through on the obvious implications of our faith.

I think Herb Caen's comment should move us to undertake in this…