Dynamic Duo

When you hear the words Dynamic Duo -  who comes to mind - Batman and Robin? Perhaps you thought of another two people whom you would label as a dynamic duo -  the Green Hornet and Kato - maybe a dynamic husband and wife team - perhaps the Korean hip-hop artists - Choiza and Gaeko known as the Dynamic Duo. Whomever came to mind obviously impressed you as two people - working together for a common goal - a common project - who have met with success and recognized for such. 

Saint Peter and Paul - are recognized as two of the most important disciples of Jesus - recognized today by the Catholic Church as it celebrates the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul - Apostles. These two men - in the early days of Christianity - are responsible for the spread of the Gospel message of Jesus - responsible for the early development of the Christian faith - in spite of ridicule - prison - chains - death. They believed in the message so deeply - they gave their lives. Jesus calls each of us to be dynamic - as singles - as duos - as groups - to be strong in our faith - to spread the Gospel - to live and love as His modern days disciples. Do you dare to accept the challenge - do you dare to be that strong in your faith - to become a dynamic duo - you and Jesus?

Deacon Dale 

Wheels Up In Twenty

Recently I have viewed a number of episodes of - Criminal Minds - a police show involving a specialized unit of the FBI - known as the BAU - Behavioral Analysis Unit - specializing in cases of very urgent natures. After informing the team of what they are coping with - they leave immediately to speed to the area of trouble which always means a flight in a private jet. As the team members gather their notes and equipment- they are always cued to the urgent nature and need for prompt departure - thus - wheels up in twenty minutes - be on the plane - now. I like this way of telling the team - move it - now - go!  We use similar phrases in all walks of life to - get up and go - move it or lose it - hurry up - let's bogey - shake a leg.

Jesus tells us that we need not worry about the day or the hour when He will return - that is reserved only for His Father. It is not for us to wonder when - it is for us to know that the time will come - one day when we least expect it. We are called to serve - to help spread His Gospel - to preach the Good News - whether convenient or not - to take His message of love - forgiveness - salvation - to the four corners of the world. That is our job - our only one- talk to people - share His love - share His message -now. We are called to be the only Jesus some people will ever know. One day - when we least expect it - Jesus will come - His message - wheels up in twenty.

Deacon Dale 

Corpus Christi

Sunday was the feast of Corpus Christi - the Body and Blood of Christ - celebrated around the world- not only in Catholic churches - but other Christian denominations as well. For centuries - the Blood of Christ has had special significance - blood being a very precious commodity. It is impossible for any person to live without blood - the life force essential to existence. It carries not only oxygen and nutrients to the cells of the body - but also micro nutrients - enzymes and hormones - very small - yet important to the proper functioning of the various systems of the body. Even in the earliest days of mankind - with limited intellect - before the study of sciences - blood was honored and respected. Blood from animal sacrifices-splashed on the altars - in early cultures - medical cures through the process of blood letting -among the most popular. Even today blood draws respect among all peoples - blood lost in surgical procedures- the desperate call for donors - particularly those with rare types  - blood lost on the battlefields of life- in political hot spots - in the neighborhoods of too many cities. Blood oaths - blood baths - in modern life -continues in the enlightened world.

Jesus shed His blood for each of us - men and women - young and old - Christian - Jew - Muslim - Buddhist - whomever. He shed His blood - gave His life - that we might live - that we might have full lives - that we might become all that the Father expected of us - that we might learn to respect and honor not only our blood and bodies - but that of those around us. He gave His life that the bloodshed around neighborhoods - cities - countries - the world might end. This feast of Corpus Christi asks us to not only honor the the Body and Blood of Christ - but also the Body and Blood of the Christ that lives in each one of us. In loving each other - putting the needs of others first - raising up the lowly - feeding the hungry - clothing the naked - respecting others beliefs and lifestyles - we honor Jesus Himself - we honor His Holy Spirit - His Heavenly Father.

Deacon Dale 

Holy Trinity

Today we celebrated the Holy Trinity - Father - Son - Holy Spirit. Explaining the concept of One God - Three persons - Three personalities - One God - difficult for many - way too easy for most. We are people of faith - most just accept the concept - no questions - no thoughts on how this is possible. In a nutshell - easiest to say - God is capable of anything - if He wants to exist as three persons and one person at the same time why not - He IS God - after all. Saint Patrick used the image of a three leaf clover - one flower - leaf - made up of three smaller leaves - connected to one stem - simple easy - understandable. Fine if you are a plant person - understanding three  persons as one person - a little more complicated. I like to use the example of one person who wears three hats - has three characteristics that are distinct but exist in the one person. Since today is Father's day - let me use the example of a father - myself.  I am definitely one person - just ask my wife or children - and that is my point.  I am my parents child - therefore I exist as their son - I am my wife's spouse - therefore I am her husband - I have two grown sons - therefore to them I am their father. Simply put I exist as one man - recognized as father - son - husband. What appears as three persons - father - son - husband - is all summed up in my one person - if I can be one person and exist as three distinct personalities - or designated titles - how much easier to understand God as Father - Son - Holy Spirit.

As Christians we are called to be people of faith - not wasting our time trying to understand God - we will never ever really understand God - rather - our time should be invested in serving God. Serving Him by serving the people we encounter in our daily lives. In the end there is only one thing that matters - Love of God - Love of others - Love of self - all to the benefit and glory of the One Triune God.

Deacon Dale 

Don't Drink The Kool Aid

When someone tells another person "don't drink the kool-aid" they are not referring to the popular drink enjoyed by many adults and children - rather they are referring to the event described by Wikipedia in which  ["Drinking the Kool-Aid" is a figure of speech commonly used in the United States that refers to a person or group holding an unquestioned belief, argument, or philosophy without critical examination. The phrase derives from the November 1978 Jonestown death, where some 300 members of the People Temple, who were followers of the Reverend Jim Jones committed suicide by drinking a mixture of a powdered soft drink flavoring agent laced with cyanide. Although the powder used in the incident included Flavor Aid, it was commonly referred to as Kool-Aid due to its status as a genericized trademark.]  The sad thing - with the aforementioned event - is that only the leaders of the group knew what was going to happen - the followers - adults and children - duped by their leaders and Reverend Jones - became innocent victims because they did not question - placed their complete trust in them. A similar tale is told of the Hale-Bopp group in which 39 members of the American Heaven's Gate UFO religious Millenarian group based in California committed mass suicide in order to be "picked up" by an alien space craft following the Comet Hale-Bopp in March 1997 in hope of a new life better than the one they were living.  Today belief in all sorts of cults and miracle movements continues to exist and causes confusion among people - people professing miracle cures - roads to instant wealth - quick fixes to rebuild dwindling church membership  - being drawn into false agendas by questionable religious groups claiming affiliation with established organizations -  attempts to scare and misinform - using misdirection and deception - focusing on who fired the first shot in 2012 and other times - while the uninformed masses are constantly being told "drink the kool-aid - do not think for yourselves".

There are no magic cures - no silver bullets - the only reliable answer is God - working though His loyal ministers - proclaiming the complete Gospel - not a watered down version - calling everyone to confession of sins and acceptance of His only Son - Jesus - as the Lord and Saviour of their lives. When people open themselves to full reception of the Holy Spirit and start acting in loving and charitable ways - when they forget their personal wants and agendas - when they honestly strive to become servants to all - giving the people what they need and not what they think they need - when they speak the truth in place of lies and falsehoods - when they feed the hungry and clothe the naked - when they welcome all - no matter what their color or creed - when they stand hand in hand and raise their voices in one common prayer to God - then will churches be rebuilt - then will "Friends" who are filled with false agendas and lies be silenced - then will this world become one people united under the One True God. We are all called - don't drink the kool-aid - think for yourself - drink of the Holy Spirit of Our God - become a true disciple of Jesus- open yourself to His Holy Spirit working through your life - then - watch what miracles finally happen.

If this is the desire of your heart - then simply say this prayer - Lord Jesus - have mercy on me a sinner - I thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon me - for the graces received - I ask you Lord - to pour your most Holy Spirit upon me in abundance - to release the power of your Holy Spirit in my life - that I may truely become - the disciple - you have called me to be - 


Deacon Dale