Tempus Fugit

Tempus fugit - a Latin phrase - often translated in English as - Time Flies - coming from book #3 of Virgil's Georgics - appearing as - fugit inreparabile tempus - it escapes irretrievable time.  In simple terms - time is wasting - an admonition to stop procrastinating - get with it - get a move on - do it now. In a more modern translation from the Star Trek: The Next Generation series featuring Captain Jean-Luc Picard played by actor Patrick Stewart - his famous line - Make it So.  Do it now - get the lead out - ready - set - action. A call to move from just thinking about something - to doing - something - anything. Nothing ever gets accomplished until action happens - nothing changes - gets better - reaches completion - until positive movement forward occurs.

Jesus warned us to be vigilant - to take advantage of His warning that time waits for no man - the day will come when least expected - without warning - like a thief in the night.  At that time we will be called to - judgment - the last day - no time left - times stops - we enter eternity - either with - without - God. Daily we are reminded that our decision to follow Christ - to be ready - on a moments notice - is now - later - too late - no second chances. It only takes a minute to pray the sinner's prayer - Lord have mercy on me a sinner - to accept Jesus as your Lord - Savior. Now would be a perfect time to do just that - Tempus fugit - Make it So.

Deacon Dale 

No Way

No Way - a definite No!  Zero chance of ever doing it - never going to try - buy - attempt - whatever. Decision made - no need to even discuss it any further. All of us have said these two words at one time or another. For everyone there is always at least one thing that we find impossible - repulsive - threatening - scary - highly undesirable. No one should ever be surprised that anyone has limits - boundaries - never to be crossed. It could be skydiving - bungee jumping - flying in an airplane - hiking in the mountains - sailing on the ocean - speaking in front of a group - eating sushi - any imaginable thing you can think of. We all have limits - a normal part of who we are - how we have been raised - what we feel - think.

When we come to Jesus -  to God in prayer - especially when asking for forgiveness - for anything - He always offers us His Heart. His Divine Heart is so large - so forgiving that many doubt - question - the possibility that He is able to forgive certain sins. What we must understand is that His love is not like our love. Our love is limited by human weakness - His love has no limits. Just as God is so much more than any of us can imagine - so is His love. It is called agape - beyond limits - love. He will - can - forgive - anything you place before Him. Lies - stealing - cheating - broken vows - adultery - abortion - murder - all forgivable by God. Denying His existence - turning your back on Him - speaking foul words towards Him - all forgivable. He has the power to do anything - even forgive  the forgivable. Turn His back on you - refuse to forgive you - No Way!

Deacon Dale 

Super Man

When a person accomplishes an awesome feat - does something out of the ordinary - far exceeds expectations - the event is declared - great - super. This may be applied to anyone - man - women - child - even animals. Everyone has opportunities to excel in life - to perform so well - to attain what were believed unreachable goals. A female runner - setting a record time - superwoman - a young boy - saving a small toddler from drowning - superboy - a teen girl - receiving a perfect ten in gymnastics - supergirl - a father honoring his wedding vows - not straying outside marriage - superman. The list can go on and on. 

When God created man and woman - they were told to go and multiply - to create with God's blessing. Create they did - children - families - neighborhoods - communities - towns - cities - countries - nations. What started with a few - blessed by God - has become the world. We have been created to become super at all we do - in our daily living - in our families - in our communities - in the work place. We are called to be super - to go beyond the ordinary - to make our lives count - to make other peoples lives count - to make what we do - super. Many live very ordinary lives - merely existing - those who know better - called to a higher level of life - to be who God created us to be - to live as one - to worship the Lord - to be super people.

Deacon Dale 

The Second Greatest

In any competition - everyone strives to be number one - the best - greatest - among all competitors. Whomever that person is gets all - the attention - the publicity - the grand prize. All others - "also-rans" - second - third - fourth - place - passed over - smaller rewards - less publicity - very little attention - losers. All eyes on the big prize - the rest - ignored. All worthy of attention - anyone who enters the competition - should be acknowledged - complemented for making an effort.

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was he told them - Love the Lord your God with all your heart - your soul - your mind. That is the number One - First -commandment - He went on to say - there is another - second commandment - Love your neighbor as yourself. The second commandment - an also-ran - second place - often overlooked - ignored. Like the First - the Second is very important and not to be overlooked. To understand what it means to love one's neighbor means you have to understand what it means to be - loved as yourself - loved - not by yourself - rather as you are loved - by God. That also-ran commandment - very important - it tells us to love others as God loves us - them - a love that cannot be measured - limited - put into a box. We are each called to love in earnest - consciously - with our whole heart. Not always easy to do - not something we wish to do with  those who oppress - offend - hurt us. As disciples of Jesus - we have no choice we must love - without limits. To love without limits does not mean accepting bad behavior - rather if we truly love - care about others - we will speak honestly to them - in love - informing them why they are hard to love - what they are doing wrong - why they are difficult to love. It is incumbent on us to be frank - honest - to bear the burden of trying to help them to become lovable. Our job - as Christians - to turn losers - into winners.

Deacon Dale 

Take A Hike

Take a hike - often spoken when one is tired - irritated - with another person - get away - leave me alone - take a hike. The truth - hiking - taking long walks - away from your normal busy life is very healthy. It is not just the fact that you are off the couch and exercising your body - but there are beneficial aspects to your mental health. According to an article posted on the website of outsideonline.com - research has been done both in America and England citing data to show that hiking makes one happier. The study followed participants who walked in cities and countryside walks measuring their levels of depression - happiness. Bottom line - getting out side your house - away from hectic lives - the stress of work and daily commitments - helps one cope much better with their life overall.

Jesus told us in Holy Scripture - that He came that we might have life and live it to the fullest. Some would say that means spending all your time on your knees - in prayer - alone and quiet. If you really think about what Jesus said - He declared that we should live life to the fullest - taking advantage of the world created for all of us by God. That means the land - water - air. We are called to explore - investigate - immerse ourselves - in all of God's creation. If we sit in our chairs - spend countless hours on our knees - when is there time to explore - experience all the rest? That is only possible when we move outside our homes - our comfort zones - into the rest of the world. Hiking through a woods - forest - nature trail - traveling to other cities - states - countries - meeting and exploring the cultures of the world - is how we experience life to the fullest. God calls each of us to move - from complacency - to being active participants in all He offers us. He asks you and me to venture with Him - into the unknown - uncharted - corners of our lives.

Deacon Dale 

Write - Rite - Right

For those of us born in this country - learning English from our youth - our native tongue - easy. Those who come from other countries usually have a difficult time learning English. It is not just learning a new vocabulary - how to pronounce the words - complete with various dialects - inflections - but the number of words that sound identical - with completely different meanings which cause major issues. Write - the action of forming letters and numbers into words and sentences - Rite - a ritual or ceremony often involved in religion and solemn gatherings - right - as in the direction one may be looking or walking - the right side of the body - also meaning correct - morally good - justified - true. In just these three sound alike words - four different meanings. The list of other words that pose the same issue - many which are spelled identical - with different sounds and meanings - bass - the sound - bass - the fish - lead - to walk in front - lead - the metal. This does not include the very common issues with there- their - they're - pray - prey - to - two - too.

Language may be  the nemesis of people at different times - not an issue for God. No matter what words we speak - how we pronounce them - He always understands. When we come to God in prayer - when we initiate a discussion with Him - He listens - hears - understands everything we tell Him. He not only knows our words - also our hearts - the truth of what we speak. Language is no barrier when speaking with our Lord - when thanking Him - singing His praises. With God there is no phone line - no internet provider - no gateway that needs to be negotiated. He is available to all of us - at the same time - every second of the day. He is there for us to initiate a conversation with Him - open and available waiting for us - whenever we wish. No rite needed to follow - no letter to write - He is there - right now. 

Deacon Dale

Family

This weekend we have the honor of hosting family - cousins on the Italian side. They have come from Illinois and Texas to Arizona to visit their father. They could have made arrangements for other accommodations - we insisted that we have plenty of room at our place here and would love to have them also visit us - happily they agreed. Having time to share memories - now as adults - gives us an opportunity to fill in the blanks - answer unasked questions - get to know them much better as a smaller group. We do have an annual reunion - BonviniFest - in which all  the relatives on my mother's side come together to play bocce - bean bags - eat Italian foods - desserts - enjoy the weather outside - as a group of maybe one hundred. In that setting - very hard to have meaningful conversation - so this weekend we relish this time together - more one on one time.

All of us belong to the family of God - we are related to each other through God's plan for the world. He created us as male and female - gave us gifts - abilities to do awesome - wonderful things. He gave us bodies to perform physical tasks - minds with intellect - to understand - explore - discover - His greatest gift - Free Will. Although a family - we are all individuals - our own spirit - hopes - desires. We have the freedom to do whatever we will - hopefully keeping others in mind when we consider the affect - outcome - of our actions. We embody the cultures of the world - many different skin colors - languages - customs - very different - yet connected to each other by God's design. We are neighbors - friends - cousins - we are family.

Deacon Dale 

Star Gazing

In its simplest form - star gazing - staring - looking - at stars - in the skies. Astronomers would be the most likely to be involved in this activity - joined by many amateurs - observing the activities up in space. Telescopes - long range lens - cameras - all incorporated in this study - hobby - documenting positions - movement - in the skies. On a lower level - there are also those who gaze at stars - not in the skies - rather on the streets - especially in Hollywood - wherever public figures - celebrities - gather. The stores are filled with magazines focusing on both types of star gazing - the internet loaded with an uncountable number of sites - for both kinds.  As people we are drawn to the grandiose - brilliant - shining - glamorous - around us - above us. As a diversion from what many see as a boring - ordinary existence - people gaze at stars. 

When God filled the heavens with the planets - stars - He knew we would look up - to see - observe - all above us. His hope - that in looking up - away from ourselves - from our problems - concerns - worries - we would see that the world is a lot more than just us - our daily existence. He painted the skies with awesome colors - mostly blue - often gray - frequently with bright reds - oranges - fire in the sky. He wants us to know that He lives everywhere - around us - above us - below us - in us. We are called to look outside ourselves - to the beauty of His world - our playground. When your life begins to feel boring - lacking the beauty you seek - you only have to look upwards - to God.

Deacon Dale 

Wasted

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary wasted means - not used - spent in a good useful - effective way - very thin because of sickness or lack of food - very drunk or affected by drugs. Wasted is never used to describe anything that is good - always in a negative sense. Most frequently when a resource is cast aside - not used - thrown away - it is wasted - should have been used to better advantage. When illness strikes - very often the one afflicted unable to eat - digest food and ends up losing body weight - muscle mass - tissue is lost. Becoming so drunk so as not being able to control the body - walk a straight line - speak a clear sentence - embrace the reality of the moment - a waste of time. When anything is wasted - it reflects poor judgement - lack of skills - no previous planning - throwing money down the drain.

God grants to each of us His time - His attention - His care. Day after day - He sends His blessings down upon us - to accept - reject - to acknowledge - to ignore. He invests more time with each of us than we can ever imagine. His love goes beyond human understanding - waiting day after day for us to recognize Him and His love. In all our lives we will never truly experience God's love - unless we learn to pay attention - to listen - to acknowledge His gifts of life - love. Time is precious - now is the hour to awaken to God - not to let it be wasted.

Deacon Dale 

Name Calling

As children it was not uncommon to yell at another child who was not being nice - not playing fair - bullying others. Physical violence was out - usually the one being mean - bigger than anyone else - stronger - older. The only thing left was to call the offender a name - any name - mean spirited - poking fun at anything - trying to get even - level the playing field - attempting to get them to stop. Sometimes it worked - more often than not - an adult heard what was going on - made you stop - not polite - not the way to treat a fellow human. The majority of us gave up name calling as we grew - matured into responsible adults - citizens. Unfortunately name calling is again in vogue - especially among politicians - candidates for public office - failing any legitimate criticism of an opposing candidate - slip into the gutter - spewing lies - filth - attempting to steer attention away from the other person - to oneself in an attempt in becoming popular.

Jesus - guilty of name calling in His day - brother - sister - friend - teacher - healer - names to compliment - build up - reinforce ones self esteem. When speaking a truth about another - using kind words - gestures - focusing on the true value of another human. God calls all of us to be like Jesus - to put on His manners - positive characteristics - to become Christ-like. He is with us always - guiding - helping - giving good direction to our lives - actions. If you listen - you will hear God's voice - calling your name.

Deacon Dale

Sounds of Silence

The Sounds of Silence - a popular song by Simon and Garfunkel - popular recording artists of the 1960s - counterculture icons of the decade's social revolution - stirred people to rethink life - social issues. The true importance of the term - sounds of silence - is the concept of what silence really is. Silence is not only the absence of audible sound - a necessary part of making sound. Silence is what separates one sound from another - one musical note from another - one word from another. If there was no silence - all sound would run together into one continuous sound or hum. Anyone who has studied music is familiar with rest notes - moments when no sound is played on an instrument - no sound sung. These rest notes - moments of silence separate - embellish the sound just made - the note - sound to come. When using speech - pauses - moments of silence - introduced to bring attentions what was just said - what will be coming next. Without silence all forms of communication would lose much of its value.

When we speak to God in prayer - silence is golden - extreme value - in sitting in silence - not speaking - rather listening. In that silence God has an opportunity to speak to our mind - heart - to come close to us - giving us an opportunity - to touch the Divine. Many are uncomfortable with complete silence - choosing to speak rather than listen. In prayer - communicating with God - the sounds of silence - truly golden.

Deacon Dale

Guinea Pig

A guinea pig is a species of rodent - despite the name - not a member of the pig family - not from Guinea. They originated in the Andes and were not found in the wild - played an important role in folk culture of many South American groups - as a food source - in folk medicine - religious ceremonies. At one time - used a laboratory test animals - now replaced by mice and rats - more often found as pets. One wonders how many households would be host to a guinea pig if they realized it is basically a fuzzy plump mouse. The name in modern use is often applied to any animal used as a test subject for many different projects - often including humans. The term - guinea pig - often used to refer to an individual - selected as the target - without  prior knowledge to be the first to attempt - try something in which the safety is unknown - testing a rope bridge - particularly an old one of dubious construction - the first one to attempt a safe crossing for a group. 

Although God is known to test people in various ways - He rarely uses the guinea pig method. On occasion - He may ask an individual to do something first - not at risk of their life - rather as a role model for those who will later follow. None of us is expendable - all have value in God's eyes. Each person a precious jewel in His crown - to be loved - nurtured - protected by God. When you feel that God might be testing you - pray for strength - He will provide - assist you through whatever trial you face. 

Deacon Dale 

Best Dressed

Almost weekly one group or another seems to publish their list of best dressed - celebrities - international figures - men - women - children - senior citizen - teen - child actor - dogs - cats - ad nauseum. We seem to be obsessed with how people look - how clothes look on certain people - who wore it the best - worse. If we believed the media then looks would be the criteria upon which we valued people. Personalities - manners - attitude - aside - only what pleases the eyes - not the mind - heart. Being caught up in these mindless games - not a sign of maturity. Everyone knows that what really matters - is inside - who the person really is - not what they look like. A beautiful woman - man - might just be the shallowest - meanest person alive. 

God knows each of us so well - He does not look at our appearance - clothes - jewelry - homes - cars - bank accounts. He looks into our hearts - minds - where we love - whom we love. Inside where no one can see - except God - is what really matters. The same goes for us - we should not judge a book by its cover - nor people by their possessions - rather their words - actions. When God call us to serve Him - He did not ask us to first buy a new suit - dress - rather He accepted us as we were - no changes needed. As we continue in this Easter Season - we need to continue to celebrate the gift of New Life offered by God - for ourselves - for others - just as we are.

Deacon Dale  

The Glass of Water

As the story goes an instructor asked her class how much the glass of water weighed that she was holding in her hand. Guesses varied from eight ounces up to twenty ounces. She went on to explain that the actual weight meant nothing - rather the time she held it up was the important factor. She explained - even if on the heavy side - she could hold it in her hand for many minutes comfortably - after an hour her arm would begin to ache - after many hours she would develop a cramp - end up with a very sore - tired arm. The point she was attempting to get across was that there are burdens - and there are big burdens. The most common burden anyone has to cope with is mental - emotional. When a person is troubled - the burden weighs on the mind - dampens the spirit - causes depression. The longer we attempt to cope - the longer we stress - the greater the burden - the deeper the depression. Learning to deal with issues immediately - seeking resolution promptly - goes a long way to good mental health - a happy spirit. Often help is needed from others - sometimes professionals. Learning to cope early on - decreases the burden - make it manageable - makes time for other more important issues - like living a happy life.

Jesus told us that He came that we might have life and live it to the fullest. Some say He promised a rose garden - a beautiful garden filled with green leaves - red roses - thorns. Yes - in the midst of the beauty - thorns. Thorns - that stick - prick - hurt - sting - pierce the skin. Just as in real life - among all that is beautiful - pleasant - enjoyable - we have to contend with the thorns - the things that are not pleasant - loss of a loved one - unemployment - unreasonable taxes - politicians who distort the truth - divorce - illness - dozens of unpleasant things. These hurt - cause physical - emotional pain - make us bleed from our inner spirits. Trusting in God - leading us into a full life - He heals the hurts - minimizes the time we suffer - quenches our thirst for relief. If you have been holding your glass of troubles too long - give it to Jesus. He will lift your burden - offer it to God - who in turn will give you the joy you seek. 

Deacon Dale 

ESL

Today I had my first experience with ESL - English as a Second Language - helping local people to become fluent in speaking English. I was a little concerned as this was my first teaching session - obviously I wanted to do well - to help my student. Adding to my discomfort - I was scheduled to teach Level 2 - jumping over Level 1 - where to start - what had the student picked up from her first instructor. As it was - no problem! She was very pleasant - had learned a fair amount at Level 1 - completely ready for advanced study. In the process we are instructed to only speak English - avoid using their native language even if we knew it. Following the teacher's manual was easy - adding in a few words in Spanish - greatly improved the comfort level of both teacher and student. For me this was not only teaching - also ministry - offering myself as a volunteer - to help a fellow human. Facilitating communication - among others - the first step in better relations - understanding.

After God confused the language of the world at the Tower of Babel - the need to slow down - speak in simple words - hand gestures - looking into each other's eyes - to communicate common needs - wants - desires. We have been given a gift from God - the ability to listen - speak - talk - feel - understand. It is in our understanding each other that we begin to better understand ourselves. The better we understand - know ourselves - the closer we come to God.  The closer we come to God - the closer we come to the Divine. That is the goal of most people - seeking to know - God.

Deacon Dale 

Family Feud

Family Feud is a television game show in which two families compete against each other in an attempt to win - money - cars - chance to return for future games. Hosted by Steve Harvey  it is a fun game to watch. The questions - as well as answers - often beyond ridiculous - sometimes embarrassing. Overall - fun to observe - trying to outguess the contestants - all in the name of sharing the experience. All family conflicts should be filled with as much laughter - fun - rather than anger - fighting. It is unbelievable how many families fail to get along with other families - often each other - leading to both verbal - physical abuse. It is especially sad when members of the same family argue - fight - over issues which end up splitting the family - destroying relationships - often in the name of pride.

God created mankind as one giant human family - many fail to acknowledge this fact. Differences both visible - intellectual - spiritual - emotional - divide the one great human family into thousands of smaller groups. This was never God's plan - He sent Jesus - to heal  the hurts - close the gaps - stimulate conversation - to restore the family as one. In many instances families have been reconciled - many more have yet to heal the hurt - close the gap. As people of God it is up to each of us to - pray - work - help - to defend the family - restore it as God planned. We start in our own family - venture out from there - to the community - the world. It may seem an impossible task - with God - all things are possible.

Deacon Dale 

Speaking in Tongues

Glossolalia - speaking in tongues - according to those who study language - is the action of vocalizing speech-like syllables which lack any easily understandable meaning. Sometimes this is considered merely babble - other times in religious use - a divine language which the one speaking does not know - has not been trained in that language. The most common place where one might hear someone speaking in tongues is at a Pentecostal or Charismatic religious service. Many are confused - apprehensive - of those who speak in tongues - not sure of the validity of this phenomenon.  It has been explained that this happens when one has connected intimately with God - unable to express in their native tongue the - joy - happiness - reverence - they have for God - receive this gift from God - to be able to continue their praise - worship - at a much higher level of communication - known only by God. 

When God created the world - one language was all that was needed - when mankind became too caught up in themselves not listening to God - at the Tower of Babel - He confused the people by creating a multitude of languages - a means to slow them down - to stumble - to pause - reconsider - what they were doing. Today it is estimated that there are approximately 6500 languages in the entire world. Add to that number - different dialects - one can see how difficult it may be to communicate with each other. Solving the world's issues means that all of us need to be able to speak a common language - not in tongues known only by God - a language that although spoken with different sounds creates a sense of cooperation - a common bond - serving the people of God. The one language shared by all peoples - the one spoken by Jesus - God - the language of Love.

Deacon Dale 

Reader's Survey

It is very fashionable today for everyone to perform surveys to see how they are performing - if they are meeting goals - expectations - keeping everyone happy - addressing issues if and when they arise. Sometimes one wonders - do these surveys really mean anything - does anyone really care - does the data collected have any affect - benefit anybody. I believe that the majority are well founded - intended - to keep customers - clients - happy with the product - service they receive. A few - very likely - lead nowhere - benefit no one - basically a time waster - keeping some corporate official happy that the survey was designed - implemented - although never followed up on. As a blogger - I wonder from time to time - who am I benefiting - is my blogging a waste of time - energy - or do people really read and benefit from these wanderings of my mind. I reviewed my statistics earlier and I found it interesting the countries where my readers come from. Obviously since I am based in the USA - that is where the largest group of my readers live. Following is a list of countries identified as following my blog in descending order of page views - you might find this interesting. 

                                                          #1 USA

                                                          #2 Russia

                                                          #3 Ukraine

                                                          #4 Germany

                                                          #5 France

                                                          #6 Canada

                                                          #7 China

                                                          #8 Latvia

                                                          #9 United Kingdom

                                                        #10 Poland

                                                        #11 Portugal

                                                        #12 Japan

                                                        #13 Sweeden

                                                        #14 Netherlands

                                                        #15 United Arab Emirates

                                                        #16 Brazil

So I ask you - the readers - if you are able - to please leave a brief comment on who you are - not your name - rather - student - teacher - priest - housewife - writer - and your country. Hopefully;I will receive some interesting feedback.

Jesus asked us to trust in Him - although none of us has ever seen Him or the Father - we have been asked by Our Lord to - give Him the benefit of the doubt - to believe His words - what has been written about Him - that He is the Son of God. He does not ask us to answer questions - do surveys - jump through any hoops - fill out sheets of papers. His request is that we become people of faith - living as He did - open - honest. Following with out questions - accepting Him - just as He is - just as He accepts us - no questions asked.

Deacon Dale 

Color Blind

If you look up - color blind - on Google - you will be taken to Wikipedia which describes it as the inability or decreased ability to see color or perceive color differences under normal lighting conditions. It is estimated that about eight percent of males of Northern European ancestry have this condition - much less in women. This condition was first recognized in 1798. The gene for color is found on  the X chromosome which explains why women are affected less since they have two X chromosomes versus men who have only one X chromosome. Even if the gene is missing on one chromosome in women - the gene on the second X chromosome is enough to allow them to see and discern between colors. Although interesting - the issue to address is the current issue of - lives that matter - that people of color - yellow - brown - red - white - black - are no different than people of different languages or cultures - as if a yellow skinned person is more or less important than a brown or red skinned person. Color is an inherited trait - none of us selected the color of our skin - most of us do not look at a person's color as the first thing we notice - rather the eyes - the windows of the heart - the gateway to really knowing another. 

When God created mankind - He allowed for variations in skin color - texture - based on the region in which people lived - different skin types developed in response to environmental influences - as a means of protection from the elements. When He created mankind - He was not focused on the skin color - rather that the skin would be strong - yet pliable - able to reproduce itself - to grow as the body grew - to afford protection from the sun - heat - other environmental factors. He created each one of us to be equal - with the same opportunities - same hopes - same dreams. To God each and every one of us is extremely important - every one of our lives matters - each of us has significance. As children of God - we should all share that same belief - no matter what the color of another is - all lives matter.

Deacon Dale 

La Fée

La Fée - The Fairy - is a French movie - English subtitles - that I watched the other night. There are three interesting things that I learned watching this movie - #1 - people believe in fairies - magic - hope - #2 - I was surprised how much of my one year of French 50 years ago I remembered - #3 - The French make unusual movies.  Why did I watch it once I realized it was subtitled - curiosity - it started off weird and stayed weird. It was filled with so many visually funny scenes - I was hooked. In the end - left me with the question - what did I just watch? Why?  Basically it became a love story about two unique individuals - living very ordinary lives - partially delusional - nothing going for either - until they met. I will not say anything more about the movie except - people flying through the air - a baby on the back end of a Mercedes - three wishes - a scooter - free gasoline.

When God created the world and all that is in it - He created possibly one of His greatest gifts - Diversity. We are all - not the same - different - colors - body types - languages - cultures - likes - dislikes - mindsets -  preferences. We come from different places - one side or another when looking at oceans - continents - North - South - East - West. Some like it hot - others cold - many - in between. Although different - we are all  the same - children of God - created in His likeness - loving - thinking - beings - one common goal - life. It is amazing that in our differences - we are so very similar - in our hopes - dreams - desires.  It is even more amazing - that we lack tolerance - acceptance of others - judgmental - unforgiving. The Easter Bunny brings eggs - multicolored eggs - everyone loves them - perhaps we should take a lesson from those eggs - all signs of New Life - signs that we should learn to love - everyone - after all - we were all eggs of another kind - at one time in our life - not from bunnies or fairies -  loved completely - by God. 

Deacon Dale 

Dream Big

Dream Big - shoot for the stars - go for the gold - all phrases encouraging people to try their best. Everyone wants to be an achiever - to excel at things where others have failed. Unfortunately - many dreams - shattered before attempted. How often have you heard the comment - you can't do that - nobody does that - why do you want to do that - are you crazy?  Most often spoken - out of jealousy - fear of another achieving  - something others haven't - lacking faith in possibilities previously untried. All improvements - new discoveries - changes in techniques - a dream - the hope of a potential success. Rather than questioning any one's ability- the possibility of success should be encouraged. People should be taught to - color outside the lines - speak up even when not invited - attempt where others have failed.  If no one ever tries the impossible - dreams will die - fail to exist.

God knows the limits - abilities - of mortal men - women - children. He calls us to explore - to investigate - to push ourselves - to achieve our fullest potential. If we believe Holy Scripture - we have been created in His likeness - each of us is a promise - of great things - awesome successes - mighty dreams. We are called - to glorify God - to dream - BIG.

Deacon Dale 

Taxing Times

I will venture to guess that those who know me - think I am going to write about doing my income taxes. As a matter of fact - about 98% done - so there - time to write about other taxing issues. One only has to watch their local news channel - pick up a newspaper - browse the internet - visit Facebook or other social media - to realize that there is something seriously wrong with this country.  I will not even wander into the political battle ring - filled with so much human waste - both spoken - real - my commentary on the fiasco - politely called - campaigning. In other news - it has become a daily event - videos - stories - about people acting in unbelievably poor ways - treating each other with such little respect - yesterday's post - that it seems more like a bad movie - poorly written - badly acted. It seems to me - in my humble opinion - that way too many people have taken the kool-aid - swallowed - the lies - hook -line - sinker. Sinking to a very low level in society - rich - poor - alike - no one spared. Police brutality - snipers killing fire fighters - police - erratic driving - for no reason - students beating students - parents leaving babies abandoned - the list goes on and on.

Jesus died on the Cross - for you - for me - for all of us - no distinction between color - race - creed - gender - position in society. Today - looking down upon us - He might ask - why? Luckily - He is so much smarter than the whole lot of us - He knows the whys - wherefores - reasons He did what He did. In God's plan - there is humanity - love between different peoples - cultures. In this Easter Season - we pray - Come - Lord Jesus - Save us from ourselves.

Deacon Dale 

Respect

It was not that long ago that Aretha Franklin sang the song Respect written and originally released by Otis Redding in 1965 - became her signature song - reprised in the 1980 movie Blues Brothers. The original version - Aretha's version - slightly different ideas of respect. In today's use we expect people to respect - esteem - admire - hold in high regard - honor - others. Unfortunately all too often - respect - not shown - just the opposite true. There seems to be a section of society who hold no regard for others - do whatever they want - without thinking - considering how their actions may - will effect others. They only think about themselves - selfish - juvenile - immature. Many end up causing offenses so bad - they end up - incarcerated - in jail. Respect is learned at home - parents the primary teacher of children - respect - should be a high priority. Thankfully - the majority of people learn this lesson at an early age - continue throughout their lifetime - treating others as they should be.

Jesus calls us - brothers and sisters - sharing the one true Father - in Heaven. As children of God - as a Family of Christ - we are called - to live and learn - how to treat our fellow humans. Learning respect - tolerance of others - getting along in society. We teach our children - pets - proper rules of etiquette - how to approach - greet - others - what to do - what not to do. In all this - we show our regard not only for others - but for the God who created us. As modern day disciples of Jesus - we spread His Gospel message to all - honoring them as we would Jesus Himself.

Deacon Dale 

Toxic

As defined - toxic means containing - being poisonous - capable of causing death - serious debilitation - exhibiting symptoms of infection - extremely harsh - malicious - harmful - an asset that has lost so much value - no longer worth the time or effort to possess. When discussing toxic things the most frequent - chemicals - either industrial chemicals dumped into potable drinking supplies - well - rivers - chemicals that develop from improperly stored food items - chicken left out of refrigeration - meats warming on a kitchen counter - allowing bacteria to grow - multiply - giving rise to salmonella - toxic to humans. Other things may be labeled toxic - an investment in an under performing stock - having toxic - harmful affects on an investment portfolio - lowering the value of said portfolio - affecting financial stability. The worse form of toxic things - words - spoken in haste - unfairly judging others - spreading rumors - gossip - true or not - toxic to the well being of not only the person talked about - also family - friends - associates. The fact that we as humans have  the ability - the power - to harm - destroy - the life of another - very sad.

When encountering toxic items specific steps may be taken to neutralize - offset the toxic effects - chemicals to neutralize the toxic one - devices - sponges - to soak up toxic spills - immediately placing food items in a refrigerator - disposing of an under performing stock - restoring financial health to a portfolio - stabilizing future investments - funds. In regards to toxic words spoken - very difficult to undo the damage - better to never have spoken those words in the first place. The ripple affect of toxic personalities - spreads very quickly - affects everyone in one way or another. After the fact - apology to the offended - apology to God - for being less than He created you - seek His forgiveness for your action. Although you will never be able to apologize to everyone affected by your comment - God in His Divine Mercy will not only forgive you - also help heal the hurt among others. As we continue this octave of Easter - celebrating Christ's resurrection - His transformation - we need to also celebrate the changes that have taken place in ourselves - moving from toxic to positive people of God.

Deacon Dale 

G.P.S.

Almost everybody knows what a GPS device is - global positioning system - a feature of many smartphones - devices designed specifically for use by those in vehicles - hikers - fishermen - boaters - anyone who is an outdoors type of person - needing information on where they are going - where they have been. Garmin and Tom-Tom are two of the most popular brands - advertised to the public. Both manufacturers now selling related products for those into fitness - available at local merchants and Amazon -  devices which record heart rate - calories burned - and other data of interest to those seeking to get into - maintain good health. Moving from the couch to the outdoors an excellent idea - fresh air - enjoying the scenery - mingling with other people - all aspects which help a person stay mentally - physically fit.

The third part of the human soul - spiritual - needs to be developed - exercised just like the mental - physical part. Even those who do not acknowledge the reality of God - most often do admit that they have a spiritual side - a higher power - something beyond the ordinary which they seek to relate to.  People of faith - connect with God through various forms of prayer - private - public - personal - communal. In my home parish we have a group that gathers together for communal prayer - called G.P.S. - gathered to pray in the spirit. God speaks to all of us - not all hear - many in private prayer - question what they hear. Gathered in a prayer group - led by the Holy Spirit - the leaders are able to help discern - understand - what God is saying. This Sunday - Divine Mercy Sunday - around the world large groups of people will gather at the 3:00 Holy Hour to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet together - as one voice. Together they will be led - in the Spirit - to exercise - stimulate - their spiritual side to grow - in God's Divine Mercy.

Deacon Dale 

Lord Have Mercy!

Lord Have Mercy! - a commonly used expression - by many. I remember a sitcom from years back in which the mother constantly was exclaiming - that phrase - in response to almost everything her children were doing - usually showing her unbelief or displeasure. Lord Have Mercy! - also a Canadian sitcom in 2003 - about a youth pastor - his head pastor and others focusing on comedic situations - nominated for an award for Best Comedy Series. While this phrase is frequently spoken - in jest - lightheartedly - more often an honest request for intervention by God. In a more serious vein - a common phrase among believers when praying for themselves - others - often pleading for situations involving health - death - serious accidents - forgiveness

Jesus told us that no one knows the Father - unless He knows Christ - the only Son of God. Just as Jesus showed compassion - forgiveness - to those seen as - unworthy - the man born blind - the woman at the well - the leper - the tax collector - so does His Father - show that same forgiveness - Mercy to each of us. The Mercy shown by Jesus - God - goes way beyond our understanding. He forgives the unforgivable - those throughout history who have committed unbelievable sins - most notably - Judas. How is it possible that He can find Mercy for the one who betrayed His Son - Divine Mercy - mercy that goes beyond our understanding - our comprehension.  Saint Pope John Paul II recognized the awesome power of God's Divine Mercy - declared the Sunday immediately following Easter Sunday - Divine Mercy Sunday. On this day - the Church focuses on - Divine Mercy. My home parish recognized this message to be of such importance - in the early 1980s - before it was fashionable - before the Pope's declaration - my wife with a close friend and I - at the prompting of a priest friend from the Marians of the Immaculate Conception began this devotion and celebrated Divine Mercy Sunday the year first proclaimed by the Pope. Frequently I stress to people - turn to God with your concerns - He hears and answers all prayers - in His Divine Mercy - He gives you what you need. This Sunday in parishes around the world - we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday - and His Mercy - all year long.

Deacon Dale  

Chain Gang

A chain gang - a group of prisoners - chained together to perform menial - physically challenging work - as a form of punishment. That work might include repairing buildings - building roads - clearing land. This system existed primarily in Southern United States. As of 1955 - phased out nationwide - Georgia being the last to stop this practice. Some - reintroduced in the 1990s - form of get tough on crime effort - by Alabama - ended after one year. Arizona still the one state - in Maricopa County - prisoners may volunteer for a chain gang - to earn credit towards high school diploma - avoid disciplinary lock downs. The introduction of chain gangs initially following the American Civil War - free labor for public works projects. In Maricopa County - today - inmates wearing bright orange coveralls - working on roadsides to keep the public landscapes well manicured. 

During Easter Season many churches filled with chain gangs - different from above - rather groups - men - women - joining together to pray the Rosary - before morning Holy Mass - afterwords - spread throughout the day. Praying for the needs of others - for the church at large - for the sick - lonely - homeless - hungry. Most do not benefit personally - prayers - mostly for others. The fruits of their labors - the benefits gained from these chain gangs - healings - prayers answered - restored faith. Praying for others - natural for most Christians - intercessory prayer - sharing their faith with those in need. Easter Season - filled with opportunities - for any gang.

Deacon Dale