Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, June 6, 2025
A few years ago, I was preparing to go on a trip and, in my preparations, I was watching one of those Rick Steves videos; Rick Steves is like a tour guide. And, at one point, he mentioned the issue of pickpockets, which made me a little nervous. So, I started watching YouTube videos on how to avoid getting pick-pocketed. And, I learned, there’s all these techniques, like how to tie your backpack to the leg of a table, or how to keep a secondary fanny-pack under your shirt. And, as I was clicking on these videos, one popped up on how to not get mugged in New York City. So, I clicked into that. And, in that video, a guy was explaining that, if you are passing a stranger, and they, in a very friendly way, say something like, “Hey, come here,” or, “Can I ask you something,” the wise response would be to raise your hands and, in a very loud voice, say, “No thank you,” and keep walking, and, in that way, you’re drawing attention to the situation and you’re not getting any closer. ...