Cookie Cutter

 According to the Urban Dictionary cookie-cutter means marked by sameness and a lack of originality - mass produced - often used to describe housing developments in which all of the houses are based on the same floor plans and differentiated only by color scheme. The benefit of cookie-cutter houses translates into saving for the home buyer.  Same design plans - same square footage - translates into large savings - quality housing - fair and equitable prices.  The trade off - lack of uniqueness.  In some areas - easy to get lost - since all of the houses share the same appearance.  Benefit - clean design - organized - outrageous - unpleasant designs avoided.  Pros and cons - abound.

God sent Jesus to Mankind to show us how to live - in general terms. Treat your neighbor as yourself - for most of us - night and day - what pleases me - not pleasing to you.  Jesus offers salvation to all - His love - His forgiveness - His acceptance - not in equal ways - only in equal opportunity. For each - customized for individual needs - to individual situations. No cookie-cutter relationship - with God - with Jesus.  If any of us were the only person who needed salvation - it would be customized specifically for us.  No cookie-cutter - no mass produced forgiveness - quite simply - one on one - waiting - just for you.

Deacon Dale 

Repent & Believe

Repent and Believe in the Gospel - as was proclaimed this First Sunday of Lent. Repent - admit your wrongs - be sorrowful that you thought or acted wrongly - make amends - take corrective actions. We have all sinned - saint and sinner - humans - mortal - well meaning - thoughtless - frivolous - people. Only One was perfect - He was God - is God. How can we compare with Jesus - we can't. How can we be exactly like Him - the Author of Life - we can't. Not needed - not intended - not expected. When God created mankind - He knew we would not be infallible - He knew we would have limitations - He knew that each one of us was a possibility - holding the potential of greatness within ourselves. He knew we would fail - error - make mistakes - mess up. Just as He gave us the Rainbow as a promise - He gives us hope - weekly - daily - hourly.  Ate an apple before it was offered to you - apologize.

Jesus came to show us the right path to walk - the right way to act - the right way to think - the right way to live. He came that we could have life and live it to the fullest. In that fullness - experiencing all that God has planned - good and bad - joy and sadness - health and sickness - the things we do not like to think about - the wrong - the evil - the cruel times. His promise of New Life - New Hope - the Rainbow - moments of touching the Divine. He knew - He forgives - He waits - for you. Now time for each of us to take action.

Deacon Dale 

Time To Retreat

 Today is the Annual Lent retreat for all adults in our parish church.  The parish has been offering this time at the beginning of Lent so that eveyone may begin Lent with the proper focus.  Some consider that Lent does not begin until this weekend when we celebrate the First Sunday of Lent - in our parish we begin Lent on Ash Wednesday.  Once Ash has been imposed on our foreheads we are in Lent mood - praying - fasting - meditating on the various aspects that will help us all grow during these next 40 day.  This Saurday our theme - A Journey Through Lent With Jesus and Faustina.  St Faustina who brough the Divine Mercy Devotion to the Church is one of the focuses in our parish whenever we discuss God's Divine Mercy.

As we spent time this morning with Holy Mass - a presentation by Fr. Jim McCormack MIC
- sharing various prayers - we began to immerse ourselves into this most precious period
of 40 days.  Just image if the person pictured above was not St Faustina - rather You. How would that make you feel with His hand on your shoulder?

Deacon Dale 

On THe Road

Our Lenten journey has begun - we are now into our third day - still energized by the imposition of ashes on our foreheads - still excited about our 40 day adventure - walking with Jesus - walking closer to God. Before we get much further - we assess the supplies - equipment needed for a long journey.  Our Bible - spiritual food for the journey - Sturdy Sandals - protection from the rocks in our path - Living Water - with the Spirit of God flowing within - all things are possible.  As we walk this journey - important to pace ourselves - too fast - the risk of burning out - getting spiritual blisters - walking too slow - risk of distractions - falling off the path of life.  

Jesus asks us to walk with him - to see where He lives - to see what He sees - to hear 
what He hears - He stands at the road of life - beckoning - calling - waiting - for you.

Deacon Dale 

The Day After

 The Day After

Faces washed - ashes gone - the second day.  So we are into our Lenten experience.  
A day to reflect on yesterday's ashes - the prayers spoken - the songs sung - the thumb on 
our forehead - the ash that fell to the ground.  Did anything happen - was there a spark of 
hope - a glimmer of anything?  Why did we go - what did we expect - God's forgiveness? The end of the second day - close at hand - what lies ahead - questions - hope - faith?

When Jesus spoke to the crowds many wondered - questioned - speculated - sought answers.  Today we do the same - two thousand years later - nothing has changed - God is still God - Jesus is still Jesus - waiting - for you.

Deacon Dale 

Ash Wednesday 2026

A Smudge - A Stroke - An Ash

Ash Wednesday - observed today around the world - different nations - different continents - 
different cultures. A day of acknowledgement - the beginning of a Holy Season - a Season of repentance - Repentance for what we have done - have not done. A time of deep reflection - where we have been - where we are going - unless a change is made. A Season made for all mankind - religious - or not. Today we received ashes imposed on our foreheads - ashes from the burnt palms from lasts year's Palm Sunday celebration. Palms once waved in joyful expectation and remembrance of Christ's entrance into Jerusalem. From Celebration to Repentance - Joy to Sorrow - Hope to Renewed Hope.

Jesus came that each of us might experience life to the fullest - to all He came - not everyone accepted Him - the same exists today - many believe - many others do not. It is not up to us to worry about the non-believers - that is God's business - that is Christ's concern. Our focus -
this Lent - is on ourselves - on our own salvation - on the direction that our individual life is 
going. It will be hard enough for each of us to straighten the path we walk - the life we live - 
hard enough that Holy Roman Church gives us the gift of this Season - to pause - pray - to 
reflect - on our own life.  We have 40 days....

Deacon Dale 

It Is All In God's Time

 Well - what can I say?  Yes - it has been months since my last post - what gives?  It is simple - Life.  Life is the most flexible variant in our existence.  So many people feel that their lives are very stagnant - same thing - day after day - routine - boring - nothing new to experience.  I would disagree.  If you really take a step back - look at what you have been doing - what you wanted to do - what you actually did - not at all stagnant.  Similar - yes - identical - no.  When you pause - take time to really look deeply into your personal life - lots of differences - on a daily basis.  Sure - a lot of those difference most likely were not planned - not really welcomed - most often completely unappreciated - wished they had not happened at all - but - they did.

On some level - probably good for us to experience - good or bad - happy or sad - detrimental or beneficial - in all of them - an opportunity to grow - to become a better person.  Next to God's greatest gift to the world - His Son Jesus - Free Will.  Free Will to make decisions on our own - right or wrong - ours alone to make. Each of us - created by God - to experience Life - pretty much on our own terms.  Yes - He laid down rules - guidelines - People who followed - as examples for us - not as rigid puppets - rather flexible - fluid individuals.  Made a good decision - congratulations.  Made a bad decision - time to rethink that choice - other options always available.  As we grow as individuals - up to us - none other - to see that we walk that correct path to a life filled with all God intended.

Peace

Deacon Dale  

Easter Tuesday - Easter Monday - Pope Dies

 Although many of us had a sad feeling that Pope Francis' days were numbered after seeing him bless the crowds at Easter - passing only a few hours later quite the surprise.  At least he was able to be with the people that he loved serving for the past twelve years.  Like so many other world figures - some loved him - some did not - not on a personal level - rather different ideologies.  This just highlights how humans are so easily drawn to the dark side of personal relationships merely because they think - process - information differently. What people tend to forget - no matter which side of  the "coin" you are on - it is still the same "coin".  Something to really think about.

When God created the world - the universe - all was good - perfect.  Then He created Mankind - gave us the Gift of Free Will.  That is when "it hit the fan".  The information we are given as we grow into adults - the information that is placed before us - how that information is processed in our minds - how it is presented with various highlights - the twists and turns of propaganda - affects all of us.  Folks - all of us hold so tightly to our beliefs - refuse to open the door to new insights - possibilities - resulting in arguments - fights - all over the same "coin".  We are in the Easter Season now - maybe just maybe - the Words of Christ will settle into our Hearts - not just in our minds - as we attempt to work Together to minister to each other - solving the issues that face each of us.  Jesus rose from the Dead - assuring us that there is more to life than just this life - in this Easter Season - may we open our hearts - minds - to honestly come to the same "loving" solutions for the benefit of all.

Deacon Dale 

Easter! - Resurrection Sunday - New Life in Christ

Easter Sunday - Resurrection - New Life - the focus of this day - around the world - the Holiest Day of the year for Christians and those who believe in Jesus as the Christ - the Anointed One of God. Today we celebrate - we rejoice - we praise God for His awesome deeds done for us. Sending His Son to walk - live with us - to teach - preach - prepare us for a life after death - life in heaven - with Him - His Father. On one hand it seems impossible - impossible that any of us would be good enough to be granted this gift - for all have fallen short of the Glory of God. Yet in His awesome love for us - that gift is offered freely to all people. One does not even have to be a Christian - nor baptized - to receive this gift. All it takes is an open mind - heart - willing to accept Jesus into their mind - heart - to profess Him as Lord and God.

Jesus came for all - not all will accept Him - to those who do - New Life in Christ. Last night at the Easter Vigil - people were baptized and received into the Church. Following that Holy Mass they may now call themselves Christians - official members of the Church. Last night was not the end - rather the beginning of their formation into disciples of Christ. They along with those of us - renewed and energized by them and the sacraments celebrated - now called to go forward - to become intentional disciples - to spread the Good News - that lives can be changed - those on a path to doom and gloom - may change their focus - walk a new direction. To those on the edge looking in - the invitation is there always - come join us - the community of believers - invite Jesus into your life - He is waiting to be your own life saver.
Happy Easter!
Deacon Dale

The Triduum - Holy Saturday - East Vigil

Day three of the Triduum - tonight at sunset the beginning of the third day of the three holiest days of the Christian calendar. Today - the Church sits in waiting - contemplating the crucifixion of Jesus - the darkness - anguish - anticipation of what is to come.  In the morning - in most churches - decorating for the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday - the blessing of Easter food baskets - final instructions for the Elect - preparing for tonight's celebration of baptism - reception - first communion - confirmation. The Triduum liturgy will resume at sunset with the lighting of the Easter Fire - the Pascal Candle held aloft as the Light Service begins the Vigil of all vigils.  Holy scripture - many readings - the Epistle - Gospel - an inspiring homily - all leading to the celebration of the initiation sacraments - leading to Holy Eucharist - the reception of Christ in the consecrated bread and wine.  Ending with the solemn blessing and proclamation by the deacon - go forth - proclaim the Gospel of Christ through your life.

The Church gives us these moments - throughout the year - moments in which we touch the Divine - draw nearer to God - reaffirming our faith - our belief - in the Easter event.  The one singular event in all lives - when we become one body - in Christ.

Deacon Dale