True Value

When a person considers making a purchase - paying for a service - contributing to a common cause - consideration has to be made as to the true value of that transaction. All too often goods and services are intentionally overpriced - to allow room for negotiation - bartering - quick and excessive profit. As long as the final consumer realizes the difference between what is asked and the real value -  and is able to freely negotiate a fair price - all is well. That is the free market system - supply and demand - want and need - fair pricing for both parties involved. In some parts of the world - bartering - negotiating - is part of  the culture - nobody is expected to really pay the quoted price - a game - a social interaction - money being the common game piece. When the game becomes a lie - falsehoods professed - an uneven playing field created - injustice occurs. It is up to everyone to heed the warning - buyer beware.

Jesus offers each of us true value - honesty - God's Word - proclaimed freely for all - no strings attached - no hidden clauses - no fine print. What He says - True - what He promises - True - what He proclaims - True. The life He offers - the healing - the acceptance - reconciliation - True. Continuing on our Lenten Camino - what we see is what we get - all True Value - guaranteed by God.

Deacon Dale 

April Fools

April Fools is an informal holiday celebrated every year on April 1. Popular since medieval times - the day is not a national holiday in any country - but is widely recognized throughout European cultures and celebrated as a day when people play practical jokes and hoaxes on each other - called April fools. Hoax stories are also often found in the press and media on this day. It is not unusual for the media to report outrageous stories in early news - only to be retracted - with an apology - later in the day - for the hoax. Everyone needs at least one day in the year - when they may laugh - have fun.  Except in very rare cases - all is done in good humour - offending very few if any. Nobody enjoys being called a fool - except on April 1st - when everybody becomes a fool.

Christians - in good humour - are often called fools for Christ - living lives contrary to the way the world lives. To be Christian - is counter cultural  - living as Christ commanded - doing things that others think are foolish. Those who walk with Christ are His - living good Holy lives - those who reject Him - those who deny Him - those who close  their eyes and ears to His invitation - are the real fools. As we continue our Lenten Camino - each of us walks as a fool - a fool for Christ.

Deacon Dale 

Monday Temptation

So many people dislike Mondays - the first day of the week - the beginning of one more week - of work - school - stress - trials - temptations - just go away Mondays. Nobody - having enjoyed a weekend of relaxation - enjoys the thought of starting yet another week of stress - work - unhappiness. All of us know people who fit in this group - sad - unfortunate. To rethink Mondays - to replace the displeasure - stress - with positive energy would go farther - accomplish much. For those of us who do not hate Mondays - we face an uphill battle with those who have these negative feelings. It can be done - positive energy focused properly - works wonders.

For many - focusing on he negative aspect of Lent  - Mondays are the day after another Sunday filled with guilt of failed efforts - unhappiness - sense of unworthiness. Happily this past Sunday - Rose/Pink vestments were worn at Holy Mass - marking the  half way point of Lent. Yes something positive - it is almost over - not the best way to look at Lent - at least a positive note. With half the time gone - only a few weeks to continue on our Lenten Camino - only a few weeks to endure the task.  Looking with new eyes - like those of the man born blind - new opportunities - new hope - better days ahead. As so we continue with that thought in mind - positive energy - Jesus helping us through these last weeks of Lent - making the journey easier - making the outcome positive. Mondays will come and go - Tuesdays the second day of a new week - the second day of new positive energy. Ask Jesus - He will help you on this Lenten walk.

Deacon Dale 

Walking Blind

One item that most people carry with them on the Camino de Santiago is a hiking headlamp - very useful for those times when walking in the dark - very early in the morning - late at night after sundown. It is also handy for those times when you have to move around the albergue in the night - after lights out. Making sure you can easily see where you are walking - avoiding objects - obstacles - that would cause you to trip - stumble - while on your Camino. Nothing could be worse than attempting to walk - blind - not being able to see where you are headed.

In today's Gospel - we hear the story of the man born blind - forced to be immobile - to sit - to beg - to rely on others. Jesus' disciples ask if it was his parents' or the man himself who sinned - who caused the blindness. Jesus replied - neither - rather that it was in God's plan - to allow a natural disability - not a sin - to be used to make the works of God visible through him. Many people suffer from blindness - spiritual blindness - their own desires - leading them away from God - away from His plan - to follow designs of others - to build their own reality - not God's. In relying on themselves - not God - they unwittingly create a thirst for the truth - in those around them - in themselves. It is only through the real presence of God - that light may be shined on their hearts - that their blindness be removed - their thirst quenched - that they follow the One Lord - Jesus - to wholeness.

Deacon Dale 

Getting Stoned

According to the Urban Dictionary - being or getting stoned - refers to those who smoke marijuana - weed - grass - resulting in a -  high - euphoric - condition - feeling numb - relaxed. Many who allowed themselves too get this way reported that sitting on a couch - they felt their limbs to be so heavy - unable to move  as if their arms - legs - were heavy as stones - thus the stoned reference.  While walking the Camino de Santiago - getting stoned meant something completely different - terrain filled with all sizes of rocks  that made walking very difficult. One particular path was a downhill stretch where the path was filled with loose stones the size of croquet balls - often moving under foot - causing many to fall - injure arms - legs - some falling on faces - bruises galore. Luckily - they survived - feeling sore - but alive.

Most people know the scripture about the woman who was a public sinner and was about to be stoned to death - until Jesus appeared. When asked what His judgement was - He knelt down -drew in the dust and replied - that the person in the crowd who was without sin -  should  throw the first stone. None threw a stone - none were without sin - they all walked away - the woman untouched by a single  stone. For His part - Jesus - told that woman He did not condemn her either - rather forgave her - told her to go - sin no more. As we reflect on our own lives - as we see the sins in our lives - as we ask if we would be stoned or forgiven - we need to trust that Jesus is the same today as He was with that woman - 2000 years ago . To us He says - I do no condemn you - you are forgiven - go - sin no more.

Deacon Dale

Reflections

While walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain we would take breaks as frequently as possible near water - streams running alongside the path - bridges over streams and rivers - places to rest - cool our feet - relax with back packs off. One interesting thing was how clear the water was - everywhere we looked you could see everything - fish - rocks - sand - ocassionly your own reflection in the water. You could see how tired and sweaty you were or were not - the sun shinning over your shoulder - beautiful reflections - piercing to your heart.

Today on our Lenten Camino we take time to pause and reflect on our lives - what is good - what is not so good. What we have fixed and what still needs repair.  As we quiet ourselves in our thoughts and prayers today - we invite Jesus into our hearts - we reflect on how we have or have not made Him a part of our lives. As we seek Him in a deeper way - we seek to see His goodness - His love reflected in our souls. Today we reflect in the waters of our spirit - and ask ourselves - do others see God reflected in us....

Deacon Dale 

Roadblocks

During the course of daily travel many people are inconvenienced by roadblocks - temporary barriers placed in the intended path of travel - interruptions -disruptions - to a direct and swift route. In an automobile - an irritation - confusion as to an alternate route - a delay in time of arrival. Walking on the Camino de Santiago in Spain - not an issue - barriers - simply walked around - change in path - inconsequential. Considering that most people would walk that route only once in a lifetime - they would not even know that it was not an original part of the Camino path - unless pointed out by another trekker or a sign. In life other roadblocks exist - leading to serious concern - anxiety - frustration.

During our Lenten Camino - roadblocks - mainly those of time limitations. Since our journey is a spiritual one and not a physical one - obstacles with this Camino - other commitments - other distractions. As we continue our Lenten exercise we need to focus - our energy - time - efforts - on the spiritual part of our lives. We must allow ourselves - time to be - time to rest - in the presence of God. Those who participate in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament - know - appreciate - this quiet time. Each of us - walking this Lenten Camino - with Jesus - needs to see past our roadblocks - into the heart of Jesus - to be.

Deacon Dale 

Mary's a grand old name

Mary has to be one of the most common names we all know - everyone knows a Mary - on the Camino de Santiago the Spanish version of Mary - Maria - is quite common. We heard it in the pubs and albergues - the majority of churches were named in honor of Santa Maria - Saint Mary. While walking the Camino - thinking - meditating - praying - our thoughts turned very often to Mary - Mother of Jesus.

Last night we had the privilege to view a special showing of "Mary of Nazareth" arranged by our church at the local cinema. The movie was very well done - acting excellent - the story of Jesus' life as viewed  through Mary's eyes. We realize that most of the movie has to be conjecture - an opinion or idea based on incomplete information - what we viewed was reasonable. Nobody actually wrote about Saint Mary - what she did or thought - from details shared by her - but one can make certain statements - known to be true of the majority of women - the majority of mothers - using that logic - Mary's actions in the movie completely believable. As we continue to walk our Lenten Camino - we pause and reflect - we look at Jesus - through the eyes of His mother - seeing - for the first time - Jesus in a completely different light - new ideas - not previously embraced. We see more - we see deeper - into our own relationship with our Lord - our Saviour.

Deacon Dale 

You Snooze You Lose

While walking the Camino in Spain - it was a daily ritual for many - waking up very early in the morning - 5:00 AM - to get a head start - leaving the albergue before the majority of other peregrinos. The goal - walking in the cool morning to avoid the afternoon heat - having more daylight so they could walk father - being able to get to the next albergue early to guarantee a place to sleep. Many were compelled to start this early for the fear that they would miss out on something - afraid of "snooze - you lose" mentality. We did not subscribe to that philosophy - we slept later - had less anxiety - accomplished our daily goals - stress free

While we are on our Lenten Camino - we find that we do follow the idea - you snooze - you lose. Being attentive throughout our day - listening to God - seeking His presence - in every waking hour - is very important. There is no race here - the awareness - the importance - working on our relationship with God - a very high priority. This Lent - each of us has to stay awake - we cannot afford to snooze - for we know not the hour when He will return.

Deacon Dale

Singing on the Camino

Walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela gives everyone plenty of time to think- meditate - pray - sing - photograph - draw - actually anything. When you have nothing to do but walk up to 500 miles - you find yourself with a lot of free time on your hands. Your mind needs to be kept alert - active - engaged. Walking with a partner - some of that time is spent in conversation.  In our case I filled some of the time with Arlene - singing. Hard to believe - since I am not a singer - on the Camino - I assaulted her ears - with improvised tunes - words - that spoke - feelings - for her ears only. It was fun - private - energizing.

On our Lenten Camino - in our free time - we experience silence - words - music - song. Most of the time during Lent - the music focuses on Jesus - God - penance. The tunes and words draws our minds and hearts closer to His presence - His reality - His acceptance - His forgiveness. As you continue your Lenten Camino - keep your ears open - for the songs that Jesus sings to you - it might be interesting - what you will hear.

Deacon Dale