Palm Punditry

Okay, I admit it, yesterday I had moment's smugness and, for once, it wasn't directed at those who get their news and opinions from Fox news or Drudge. I didn't know it at the time, but it was on Palm Sunday, too, a day when I should know better than to be sinning.

Still, I don't think pride, or prideful gloating, is against any of the Commandments, just one of the sins talked about by the one, true Church. Even so, it can't be a good thing to be so smug, but I can't say I feel very bad about it.

And, I'm nowhere near the first to notice this. I think mention of it pre-dates jokes about airline food.

I took a little walk from the home I'm watching to visit a store and buy some bread and other food. On the way, after leaving the street with practical stores withSpanish names and turning onto the one whose stores had names like "sensual" (lower case) or "Infinitude" and who sold goods that can only be described as "luxury," I ran across yet another place advertising itself as "LA's finest gym." It took me a moment to register that I was walking in front of three or four guys carefully dressed in co-ordinating outfits who were lazing along on treadmills.

It took me but a moment more to realize they were doing the same thing I was (walking), but I was doing it for free, as a consequence of going to the market, and they were doing it as a goal, after having driven to the gym.

There was a big sign out front of the gym ($119 for three months), which isn't a bad price, I guess, but for their money these guys get personal trainers who produce specialized regiments, and the use of a wide variety of state of the art equipment. I'd like to try some of those things out, but as far as walking goes, well, I think I got a better view than they did.

It was on the way home that it dawned on me that it was Palm Sunday. I passed a church, and that was written on the placard out front. There was a steady stream of women with children walking toward the church, but I didn't say any men with them. This struck me as odd, but maybe there was a big game on the TV, or (more likely) the men were all home nursing hangovers.

The only other thing I considered noteworth was the name of the church: St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. I don't know as too many non-Catholic religions would name a church after a Catholic saint, so I consider their specifying that it's a Catholic church is unnecessary. Maybe there's been some pushing and shoving with the Anglicans or Greek Orthodox, though, so it may be a necessary distinction. I have to say that when I see a church named after a Catholic saint, my first guess is it's a Catholic church.

When I see a church named "Christ's Salvation," I have no idea what to make of it, but I think if I were to found one, I'd call it "Sweet Mother of Christ." That sounds religious enough.