Cum Laude

 Anyone attending college graduation in the United States - Indonesia - Philippines - many countries of continental Europe - may notice in the ceremony program that some graduates receive certain honors - Cum Laude - with praise or honor - Magna Cum Laude - with great honor - Summa Cum Laude - with highest honor - indicating that the graduate not only met the requirements for graduation - due to extra effort - excellent results - have been awarded the distinction of laude - praise. 

As a simple carpenter - local boy - known by everyone - most people not completely comfortable with the praise - laude - heaped upon Jesus. Stating that a prophet is not readily recognized in his home town - Jesus - had to travel outside Nazareth to have many take Him serious - accept His teachings.  Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph and Mary - just a boy from the neighborhood - unbelievable that one of simple origins could possibly be the long awaited Messiah. Eventually - after time - Jesus was recognized for whom He really was. Today - we honor Him - we give Him the praise due to Him - King of Kings - Lord of Lords - Summa Cum Laude - the only one to whom all praise and honor is due.  Jesus I Trust In You. 

Deacon Dale 

Setting The Hook

 Everyone who has gone fishing - lost the big one - knows how important it is to properly set the hook. Timing - reeling in excess line - using enough force - while being securely planted on your feet - in your seat - all important factors. Ignoring these basics improves the chance you will lose your catch. Once set - important to reel in with steady force - strong enough to keep your fish on the line -not so over powering that you rip the hook out of its mouth. Set - reel - catch. Sounds easy but not always what happens. Timing is critical for all your actions - otherwise you end up with just another - fish story.

Jesus' disciples had to follow the same tactics when evangelizing - spreading His Good News. Drop a line - a few words about the Messiah - mention a miracle - set the hook - get them interested - continue to share the miracles - reel them in slowly - catch them with - resurrection. Modern day preachers need to follow the same tactics - fishing for men - women - youth. Drop 

a line about God's love - set the hook with unconditional forgiveness - lovingly but strongly bring them into the flock - catch them with Jesus' promise of New Life.  Sounds simple - worked for Jesus - worked for His disciples - not always for today's preachers. Too many put the cart before the horse - celebrate success before the work has been done - pulling in the line before setting the hook - feeding them fluff when they wanted solid preaching - leaving slack in their line - treating the new Christian too casually - letting them slip off the Jesus hook - drifting away.  

Jesus asks us to be fishers of men - women - for Him - following the basic rules of fishing - hook - line - sinker.  Jesus I Trust In You.

Deacon Dale   

Painting In A Corner

It is a common joke when discussing painting of rooms - houses - lack of planning - painter ends up going in the wrong direction and finds themselves painted into a corner - trapped - forced to wait until the paint dries - before they can move. In reality - a story about planing - thinking a project through - before beginning. The saying - failing to plan - means planning to fail. Whenever we begin any project - all aspects must be considered - plans made - materials gathered - reviewed - before starting. If a project begins with no thought - the door is opened for chaos.

Chaos

God has a plan for each of us - His concept - His design - perfect. As we seek to understand God - we fail - time after time. No one has the mind of God - no one understands God's plan - for us - for the world. Seeking answers to the impossible - fruitless - time waster. Faith teaches us - acceptance - of that which we cannot understand - comprehend. With faith - we believe - with faith we trust - with faith - we come closer to God.  Jesus I Trust In You.

Deacon Dale 

Divine Mercy

Mercy is the compassionate treatment - forgiveness -  leniency shown toward an offender -  enemy - someone in one’s power - often when they do not deserve it. It involves choosing not to inflict punishment or harm. It also refers to a blessing - a fortunate event - or kindness shown to those in distress. Showing Mercy to another - most often very difficult.  For humans to show Mercy - one has to dig very deep inside - rarely shown to an offender.  Today His Divine Mercy celebrated around the World by all who believe - The Hour of Mercy  3::00 PM

Only God - who is Divine - who has the ability - the power - to show Divine Mercy can do it.  No human is able to do that.  When Jesus was on the Cross - nailed - pierced - water - blood - drippipng from His side - in the agony - pain - disappointment in the people around Him - disappointment in Peter - His disciples - standing by - frozen in time - no clue what to do - even in those minutes - begged His Father in Heaven - to show His Divine Mercy when He said - Father - Forgive Them - They Know Not What They Do.  The Greatest Act of Mercy - spoured upon All mankind.  Jesus we Trust in You - the Father - the Spirit.  Thank You for Your Divine Mercy.  Jesus we trust in you.

Deacon Dale 

Rations

 Rations - fixed allowances of provisions or food - especially for soldiers and sailors - civilians - during a shortage. Most people will never experience a time of rationing - a time of lack of enough for all.  Some - in special circumstances - in wars - in natural disasters - will go without - receiving only the minimum of supplies - water - necessary to sustain life. During times of disaster - rationing done only until normal supplies are replenished - normal routes of delivery resumed. 

When God sends His blessings upon His people - no rationing occurs - His blessings - flow freely - upon all - whether they accept them or not. Renewed energy - healing - joy - peacefulness - comfort - poured freely - for all. Many will reject these blessings - refuse to acknowledge God's presence - failing to accept what is offered. For those of us who do acknowledge and receive - a burden placed upon us - to share the Good News - to proclaim to all - Jesus is Lord - God loves all - blesses all - enough for everybody. When asked how much He loves us - Jesus spread out His arms - and died.

Deacon Dale 

Heritage

 In an effort to learn more about the native inhabitants of Arizona we visited the Gila River Indian Community HuHuGam Heritage center in Chandler, Arizona. This site is a repository for photographs - oral histories - historical documents and artifacts - relating to the pre-historic Huhugam and the Akimel O'odham - Pima - and Pee Posh - Maricopa - Native peoples.  The building sits by itself in the Arizona desert just off the I-10 highway. In photos and artifacts the story of  these people is told - how they went from a thriving community - to a struggling group - because of the diversion of the Gila River and their precious water supply.  Like many communities that suffered changes - due to development - housing projects - new people with modern methods - the natives had to cope with a quickly changing environment.  In the community where our Arizona house is located - the natives - those here for ten or more years - constantly comment - complain - about changes to the people - businesses - moving into the community - making changes. Nobody likes development that changes the way one lives.

Jesus found out first hand - people do not like change - happy with the status quo - even when it is not healthy - bad for them. Many preferred that He leave well enough alone - they were comfortable as was - with taxes - being ruled by others - being pushed around. He told them life could be better - they didn't want it. He told them they had a Father in heaven that loved them - they rejected the concept. Much of what He shared with them - they did not want. Same old - same old - comfortable - even with low quality of life - happy to not - rock the boat - become invisible - leave well enough alone. Jesus offered so much more - their life - back as intended - their heritage - as the promised people. Today He still makes the same offer - to you - to me - take what has been offered freely by His Father - take what is rightfully yours - accept His salvation - your heritage.

Deacon Dale 

Back In The Saddle

Years ago - more than I like to think - we owned horses - an Appaloosa for me - a Pinto for my wife - and a Shetland pony and a small mixed breed pony. Every day we mucked the stalls - feed the horses and ponies - shoveled manure - brushed and groomed them - on occasion - rode  them. Those were good days - good memories. A few years ago - while my son and daughter-in-law and grandson visited us in Arizona - we went horse riding - the first time for my grandson. Everyone had a great time - everyone - casual riders - did well - stayed in the saddle - none fell off their horse.  Afterwards - my legs - killing me - not as limber as when I was younger - not as flexible.  My legs spoke to me - for days - telling me - I am out of shape - no longer a young horseman. 

Returning to church - after an extended absence - as a Catholic - similar to riding a horse. The Catholic Church - moves slowly to make changes - an absence of years - hardly noticeable by most - lack in regular attendance - return to Holy Mass - back in the saddle - an easy adjustment. No major pains - no major adjustments - faces different - songs similar - Scripture unchanged - same old - same old. Jesus welcomes all - regular worshipers - casual Christians - to visit Him - often - the empty saddle - waiting for you.  This year an unbelievable number of people joing the Catholic Church this Easter - All are welcome - Jesus - HIs Father - smililng.

Deacon Dale

Tornadoes

 Tornadoes have been in the news again - in the Midwest - causing destruction - grief - loss. Recent tornadoes remind us of the power behind wind - natural forces of nature. Unfortunately - at times - life - property - security - is lost. There is no prevention - only precaution - recovery efforts - sympathy for those involved.

One would wonder why God - creates - allows - tornadoes - hurricanes. There is no simple answer - acceptable to most - uncontrolled energy - unleashed upon the world. The Holy Spirit - the Holy Wind - of God - not an element of destruction.  Through the power - energy - of the Holy Spirit - healing - creation - recovery - life. It has to be hard for Jesus - God - to stand by and watch the forces of nature run wild - out of control. Luckily - although on a grand scale - the personal impact on most - minimal and in those lives - God works His miracles. Alongside the stories of destruction - death - stories of miracles - unbelievable moments - when people were spared - life preserved. Jesus is there - constantly helping each of us to weather all the storms in our lives - personal - natural - looking to grant us His safety - protection - peace.

Deacon Dale 

It Is Done

It is done - words to bring a smile to any one's face - involved in a long project - composing a musical score - writing a play - filing their taxes. Nothing is sweeter than speaking those three words - it is done. Shout for joy - throw hands in  the air - break out in dance - swing your partner - child around the room - it is done!  A sigh of relief - the tension gone - a sense of accomplishment - relief.  We have all been there - done that - everyone understands the concept - the feeling of relief - the absence of pressure - life looking good again.

When Jesus exclaimed - it is done - finished - sacrifice completed - stress gone - peace following. The difference between Jesus and ourselves - He was giving up His life - not a project. His suffering on the cross - over - ended - completed. As much as we enjoy the relief of stress being eliminated from our lives - Jesus could only enjoy the approval of His Father - the obedient Son - salvation guaranteed for the lost. When we contemplate all Jesus did for us - in this Easter season - we proclaim with sincerity - it is done.

Deacon Dale 

Easter Day #2

Yes - Easter - Day #2 - not one single day - an entire season - celebrating the miracle - mystery of Easter. Unlike Christmas - when Christians celebrate the birth of the Christ - a miracle - not unlike our own birth - each a miracle - special event in its own right - Easter - a celebration of resurrection - none - except - Jesus - known to have raised from the dead. This miracle - this mystery - so great - 50 days - to contemplate - celebrate - this unbelievable event . In the end - none - will ever really understand - except through the eyes of God.

In these 50 days - Jesus continues to reveal Himself - His message - His love for all mankind - no single person - group - over looked.  Just as the butterfly goes through changes to become a beautiful new creation - we also change - into new creations - life filled - filled with life - beautiful in the eyes of God. Just as Jesus called us closer to Him during Lent - He now calls us to live a closer relationship with Him in New Life.  50 days - to celebrate our own rebirth - to make a permanent commitment to Him - forever.

Deacon Dale