The Truth Be Told

This Friday evening as we head to church to participate in the Stations of the Cross - we take a step back from the day and all the activities of the day to pause and relax.  We need a few moments out of our day to help us prepare for this evening's Lenten exercise.  


Once we arrive at church and Stations begin - things will go fairly rapidly as we pray, pause and reflect on each Station and the events that surrounded each Station.  We ask ourselves who could do such a thing to any man - who  could be so cruel - so violent - so evil?  As we pray the prayers and listen to the reflections we realize that it is our sins, both historical and present and future, that provided the metal of those nails.  It was our lack of faith and trust - our selfishness - our hatred - our own evil that caused things to happen to Jesus.  


Even in this day and age we add metal to those nails - we add fuel to the fire that molded that metal into nails - we continue our sins - without thought - without remorse.  As we ask how such a thing as the Stations could have ever happened in the first place we need to look into the mirror  and accept responsibility for what we have done and what we have failed to do - Truth be Told.


Deacon Dale 

It's Hard

Already at this early point in Lent some people are starting to struggle with their commitment to their Lenten exercise.  A lot of people make commitments to give up "things" such as candy - or cakes - or smoking - or foul language - and here we are and many of those best intentions have already failed.  What to do once you realize that you were not able to honor your commitment?  Throw up your hands and just figure that you are done with Lent already?  Hardly - if you were unsuccessful with one attempt - go ahead and re-commit.  Perhaps it would be better to try something different - not necessarily easier - but just something different.  


Personally, I am not a big fan of "giving up" as that puts a negative spin on the period of Lent when we are actually looking for something positive to come out of our spiritual exercise.  For myself - I prefer to add something to my life during Lent.  It may be extra prayer time or spending more time at Adoration - or it might be reading the Bible or other spiritual writing.  I guess by adding these things I am giving up free time but to me it doesn't feel like I am giving up anything - just switching my focus off of myself and onto the Lord.


Trying to improve our relationship with Jesus - with God - is not the easiest thing to do. Just because we spend hours upon hours in prayer - does not mean that we will walk away with a better relationship.  Something more has to happen in those prayer hours than just prayer.  There must be a change - maybe in our mind - maybe in our heart - maybe in our thoughts - definitely in our actions.  What we do and how we do it - reflects a lot on our relationship to self and thus to God. As we empty ourselves before God - we ask in humility that He fills us with that which we need.  We ask Him to take us into a deeper relationship with Him and to open our eyes to the possibilities that exist when we are truly one with Him.  We persevere - we hang in there - we do our best - because God knows that it is hard.


Deacon Dale 

Psalm 119:10

"With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments."  Psalm 119:10

As we approach mid-week of the first week of Lent - this should be our constant prayer. We have made an honest effort to seek out God and His ways.  We have prayed and fasted.  we have attended Stations of the Cross and we have given alms for the poor.  So far seven days into Lent we are doing pretty good.  We are happy that we have been able to honor our pledge to make Lent different this year.  Although we did not give up chocolate, cigarettes, alcohol or TV shows - we have added hours of extra time in prayer and devotional exercises.  Yes we are doing good and feeling good about this minor accomplishment.

But we have to remember that Satan is lurking in the shadows somewhere waiting to destroy our plans and good intentions.  We must not allow ourselves to become arrogant or smug about what we have been able to do so far.  We must maintain a sense of humility - we must become that quiet humble servant anxiously waiting on God and what He has in store for us.

We have used seven of our forty days of Lent and done well so far - but that does not mean that the next thirty-three days will be easy or as fruitful.  No - we must remain diligent - constant in prayer and not let our guard down.  We want to be true to the Gospel message of Jesus - we want to be steadfast - we do not want to wander from the path that He has set us on.

Deacon Dale 

Passwords

When I was a youth we had a club house that we constructed on our property.  Lucky for us we lived on a very large piece of land on the edge of the city which allowed us lots of space to play and build forts and the like.  Of course when you have a clubhouse or fort you have to have a secret password to make sure others could not get in.  In reality there was no way we could have kept anyone out - but as kids we had very active imaginations. 


Zoom forward to the 2000's and nowadays everyone you know has a password - not to get into their forts or club houses  - but to do everyday things like read mail, access bank accounts, log on to computers at work, at home, at the library - in fact we have so many passwords it is almost  impossible to keep track of all of them.  It would be easy if we could get by with one password but that is impossible as everyone who sets up our accounts has different protocols.  Does your password need a capital letter or a lower case letter or perhaps a number or even a "special" character?  Impossible you say and I would have to agree.


Thank God we do not need a password to speak to Him! When we approach God in prayer we do not need to know any special words or phrases - we do not need a "logon" or password.  All that is needed is a heart that comes to Jesus with pregnant faith - knowing that He will listen to us and answer us in His time according to His will.  Psalm 46:10 tell us "be still and know that I am God.."  This Lent - talk with God and when you don't think He is talking back remember that verse from Psalms.


Deacon Dale 

Inspiration

The other day I was at the health club, about 75 percent through my 2 hour workout, when I was working on a leg machine that was proving a bit harder than I liked.  After completing two sets I had to pause and catch my breath before I could start the third set.  As I was doing so, I just sat there staring up at the ceiling.  I guess I must have spent more time than normal because a younger fellow next to me leaned over by my head and looked up in the same direction and asked what I was looking at.  I replied nothing - then he suggested "Inspiration?".  I laughed and said yes - definitely inspiration.  I really do not like working out but I know it is something that I have to do if I am going to prolong my life on this planet.  So his comment was actually very much on target because I sure needed something at that point to urge me on to that third set.  His comment and smile as we shared that brief laugh gave me the energy to go on.


That is exactly how it is when we are struggling to improve our relation ship with God.  We do what is expected - we go above and beyond - and we struggle.  The extra hours in prayer - the devotional Masses we attend in addition to the regular weekend Masses - the spiritual readings that we do - many times end up feeling like we are just spinning our wheels and going nowhere. We look for signs from God - but none appear.  We try to listen for His voice - but Jesus seems mute.  We wander - we struggle - we wait.


And then when you least expect it - a stranger puts his face next to yours and speaks a word or two and in that very moment - you know that you have just been inspired - that you have touched the Divine!


Deacon Dale 

Song & Dance

The phrase "song and dance" very often means to "beat around the bush" or to "dance around the issue" - otherwise to avoid the issue at hand and use diversionary tactics to either avoid addressing the issue head on or to soften the blow of sharing unpleasant news.  I witnessed a "song & dance" routine recently at Mass as the issue of responding to the Bishop's annual appeal was explained to the congregation.  In this day and age of a tight economy it is difficult, to say the least, to make a request for a donation from people who have been coping with loss of income and increasing prices. How this was handled during Holy Mass was an inspiration for others to follow - serious and with just the right amount of levity.  The message got across to the people and gave them a laugh at he same time.


Although this worked very well in this situation - when sharing the message of the Gospel - there is no room for any "song and dance".  The Gospel demands a serious but welcoming sharing of the message of God's Love and Redemption and Forgiveness. There is no way to sugar coat the Gospel.   Sin must be addressed and sinners called out of their corners of hiding into the Light that is Christ.  They must be made aware that their sins are recognized, not particularly by you or I, but by God Almighty.  In this recognition they also need to know that God does not damn them, but rather calls them to be refreshed and cleansed in the waters of baptism and at the altar of reconciliation.  


Jesus approaches each of us in Lent and proclaims "repent and believe in the Gospel"! Come to Him who heals - to Him that forgives - to Him that loves - to Him that restores. Come to Jesus and He will give you reason to burst out in praise and song and dance. 


Deacon Dale 

Rock Solid

When a developer wants to build any structure - a simple home or a gigantic multi-story building - they must consider where they will build and the soil conditions that their building will sit upon.  It is not just a matter of looking pretty or providing a pleasant view to those who will occupy it.  It is not just what the ground looks like but also what is under it that makes a big difference.  The type of soil and soil conditions - the flow of the natural components and what literally flows under the soil, such as underground water, - all these and many more elements will give the builder the information they need to know - if the ground will properly support the weight of their proposed building.  Without this information they may end up with an unsafe building structure that would not be able to stand up to high winds, heavy rains, earth tremors and other natural conditions that would put undo stress on the structure.  In simple - very simple terms - it makes a difference if you build your house on a rock or on a sandy beach.  Integrity of the basic is ultimately very important in building any structure. 


Matthew 7:24-27 tells us the same thing about the wise and the foolish builders who built on rock and sand.  This scripture may specify building a house but it is really about a lot more than that. We are instructed that in all avenues of life we must be cautious and diligent to build upon that which is solid and not unstable.  How we practice our faith and what we believe must be first and foremost be built on truth not lies.  We must challenge and question that which does not appear to be in line with our basic beliefs and tenets.  If we do not understand - then it is imperative that we learn - so that we may understand. We must realize that ignorance is not bliss - that not taking the time to learn is no excuse for living poorly or believing weakly.  


Our faith and how we practice our faith are much more important than many people understand.  It is not a matter of just going through the motions but going through the motions in faith - in the Spirit - and allowing God to touch our hearts and minds and our soul to bring us to a complete oneness with Him - the Almighty - the One who saves. Jesus is the One - Jesus is the Answer - Jesus is the Rock upon which your life must be built.


Deacon Dale 

Fish Fry

Today is the first Friday of Lent and thus the requirement to abstain from meat.  When I was a child Catholics had to abstain from meat on all Fridays, not just Lent.  Today the requirement of abstaining from meat has been changed to only Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent.  So it is easier - right?    Well, it depends on who you talk to - some people miss the old days and wish that all Fridays were meat free - others (particularly those who do not like fish) wish the rule would just go away.  In between is where the majority of people fit in.  They neither love nor hate fish but are willing to comply with Lenten regulations because they know that it is for their spiritual benefit that they observe, along with the rest of the Catholic community, Lenten regulations which are designed to help the faithful improve their spiritual lives.


Lent comes partially from old English Lente which means springtime.  The modern day more accepted definition of Lent is a period of penitential preparation for the celebration of Easter. It is easy to see the connection between Lent and Spring as typically Lent is observed as Winter passes and Springs begins.  As a period of penitential reflection on one's spiritual life it is easy to connect Springtime with newly plowed fields and signs of growth manifested by tiny green plants in black soil with the spiritual growth that we seek in Lent.


In this Springtime we pause and look at the signs of new life in the fields and meadows and in that time of pausing - we also reflect and look into the garden of our hearts and look for signs of new life in each one of ourselves.  In this period of Lent - we strip away the frivolous and unnecessary - we deprive ourselves of the freedoms which we enjoy daily, without thought, and we follow the regulations prescribed by our Holy Church.  We stop doing what comes so easily and we start doing that, which to some, is a painful burden.  We look at ourselves and our lives - what we have or have not accomplished in the past year since last Easter and we ask God Almighty to work the miracles that He does in our lives - so that by this Easter we may be properly disposed to celebrate Christ's resurrection and our gift of life in Him - the One who loves us more than we can ever imagine.  


Jesus invites us to the banquet of Life - to celebrate all that He has to offer us - to drink of the wine of Salvation and to dine with Him - and eat fish.


Deacon Dale 

Grapes & Raisins

Raisins are dried grapes.  Before a grape becomes a raisin it is filled with nutrients and as a member of the fruit group known as a berry - is full and plump and juicy.  Grapes may be eaten raw or they may be processed into jams, jellies, juices, wine, vinegar or raisins.  


A grape in itself contains the fullness of life as far as grapes go.  They are pleasing to look at, especially as they mature and become full and round - and right off the vine are a pleasure to consume.  When I was a child my father tried to grow everything and anything that he could on our property. We had apple, cherry, pear and even a peach tree.  We grew all sorts of vegetables in our annual garden - even raspberries, blackberries and mulberries - and yes, dad had a grape arbor.  We grew the big purple ones complete with seeds and a lot - more than dad ever knew -  never made it inside the house where mom would turn them into grape jelly.  We never kept a grape long enough for it to dry out and become a raisin.


A raisin is a dried grape and although dry and no longer juicy, it still contains a high level of sugars.  Like grapes - raisins may be eaten raw or cooked - my favorite would be mom's fabulous "Hermit" cookies which were three times the normal size and loaded with raisin (and minus the nuts which most of us didn't care for).  Although raisins no longer look anything like the grape that they started from, they still are basically the same fruit. They are still sweet and give pleasure to all who consume them.  The only difference is that the raisin has emptied itself of ingredients not necessary - it has stripped itself down to the bare bones and opened itself up to the possibility of what it could be by emptying itself.


This Lent we are called to give up - to empty our lives of that which is not needed - in order that we may experience the fullness of life.  This Lent be a raisin.


Deacon Dale 

Umm - Did You Know....

Yes - it is Ash Wednesday and I am sure that Catholics around the world have all been politely asked by non Catholics if they knew that they had a smudge of soot on their foreheads.  Being polite, as most people are, we tend to let our friends and neighbors know if there is a smudge of this or that on their face, cheek or wherever.  We politely remind ladies that their lipstick has been smeared, we straighten gentlemen's ties and we gently remove food stains from children's chins.  


All done politely - often discreetly - as an act of kindness to help another person avoid being embarrassed.  Yet on this very special day - when Catholics and other Christians acknowledge the beginning of Lent - we hope that the smudge of ash on our foreheads proclaims loudly to all who see - that we are Christians!  We want people to ask - just as we want to tell the story of Jesus.  This is the one day of the year when Christians everywhere are allowed to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to anyone and everyone they meet without rejection - because it is an unspoken proclamation.


We yearn to say this little bit of ash represents sin and forgiveness, redemption and sanctification, the One who died for my sins - so that I might have life eternal.  In our ashes - in this day - each one of us - proclaims to the world that Jesus Christ is Lord! 


Deacon Dale