As part of this weekend’s Priesthood Sunday (yes, it’s a thing—not sure if the Church or Hallmark created it, though), the parish Vocation Committee has asked me and Fr. Dias to play a sort of icebreaking game —This or That. So here we go:

Early Bird or Night Owl. Definitely an early bird. I try, not always with success, to adjust the end of my day so that I still get enough sleep with an early rise.

Coffee or Tea. Both actually. Coffee for morning, tea later in the day. (And I mean real tea with the caffeine still in it!)

Godspell or Jesus Christ Superstar. Godspell for many reasons. I like the surprise that most of the song texts come from 19th century hymns. I like that it works well for school and community performances. But I hate the movies for both Superstar and Godspell.

Music or Podcast. Again, both. Probably music more frequently.

Gospel of Mark or Luke. Definitely Luke. I can’t imagine not having the stories of Mary and the birth of Christ. Or the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, and the Good Thief.

Advent or Lent. Again, a hard choice. But Adven,t because of its shorter focus, its beloved hymns and scripture readings.

Dogs or Cats. Well, I am a cat owner. But dogs are fine. Cats actually work better for priests —we need an animal that will manage on its own while we’re out doing stuff.

Introvert or Extrovert. De finitely introvert. I’m sure you’re not surprised.

Chocolate or Vanilla. Vanilla, but it has to be a really, really good vanilla. The kind where the extremely expensive vanilla bean simmers in the hot milk. Cheap imitation isn’t worth opening the freezer.

Summer Olympics or Winter Olympics. Pretty much an equal call.

Beatles or Rolling Stones. Beatles, absolutely.

Fall, Winter, Spring, or Summer. Spring and Fall are my favorites —I don’t like extremes. Fall outranks Spring for me —mostly because of the fruit and vegetable harvest then (I try to eat only what’s actually in season.)

Answers from Fr. Dias:

Night Owl — I’m more productive and peaceful at night. The quiet hours let me work without interruption and think more clearly.

Beach — I love the beach; it always gives me room to reflect and move forward. The sea has a way of refocusing the heart.

Tea (but currently drinking coffee), I prefer tea, especially brewed from tea leaves rather than tea bags. But since I don’t always find good tea leaves here, I usually end up having coffee instead.

Listen to Podcasts — I enjoy listening to podcasts; they feed ideas and conversations that stay with me long after.

Gospel of Matthew / Gospel of John — No strong preference — I don’t choose one writer over the other; ultimately, I prefer the Word itself and let Scripture speak to me.

Lent (especially Holy Week & Easter) — If I must choose, I prefer Lent — not just the season but its culmination in Holy Week and Easter, which I find most powerful.

LeBron James / Michael Jordan — (Also admire Kobe Bryant) — I appreciate both LeBron and Jordan, but my personal all-time star is Kobe Bryant.

Introvert (though others call me an extrovert) — People sometimes think I’m outgoing, but deep down I’m an introvert. I recharge quietly and treasure stillness.

Vanilla (over Chocolate) — I prefer vanilla — simple, comforting, and timeless.

Summer Olympics — I lean towards the Summer Olympics — being from India, I naturally gravitate to summer.

Neither DC nor Marvel (neutral) — I’m not very invested in the DC vs Marvel debate — I’m happy to enjoy a good story from either side.

Mac (Apple) — I prefer Mac — not only for performance but also out of appreciation for Steve Jobs and his vision; his absence is still felt.