I Can See Clearly Now

I can see Clearly Now was an original song written and sung  by Johnny Nash in 1972 hitting the pop charts and becoming a number one best seller. It has stood the test of time - being sung by many singers since and re-done by Jimmy Cliff in 1993 and used in the soundtrack for Cool Runnings when it again reached #20 on the pop charts. It is about ones vision returning after a rain - vision restored - obstacles removed - enabling one to visually see clearly. Often in our lives issues - become clouded - confused by rhetoric - propaganda - lies - rumors. Many times the confusion - an honest error -not intended - not clearly explained. Other times - a direct attempt to misinform - confuse - lead away from the truth. In today's Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Lent - at the celebration of the Second Scrutiny - for the Elect - we heard about Jesus healing the man born blind - visually impaired - unable to see. His blindness - of natural causes - not a sin committed by either parent - a situation of circumstance. Those who are unable to see - blind - partially blind - no fault of their own. Those spiritually blind - another issue completely.

Jesus came to open our eyes - to His presence - His Father's presence - the reality of Their existence. He came to help us see - the reality of our spiritual life - into the very depths of our souls. He came to cure that blindness - to reveal to each of us - the potential each of us possesses - to live good wholesome lives - to treat each other with kindness - love - to prepare our mortal souls - for life in eternity with God. Jesus has revealed the truth - can you see clearly now - or - are you still blind?

Deacon Dale  

The I Of God

Just what do I mean - The I Of God - what am I saying? There is the EYE of God - in this reference - the all seeing - all knowing - eye of our Creator - our Lord - our God. The One who knows everything - is all knowledgeable - all loving - all forgiving - all healing. When I refer to the I of God - that is me - myself - the one individual - who hopefully - in some small way - reflects this one small part of the community of believers - who makeup up the body of Christ - God. Each and every one of us - individuals - together - help form - give shape - give substance to the body of Christ - the God of the people. How I act - react - speak - say - reply - respond - to others - a reflection on the entire body of Christ. When I sin - do something wrong - make a decision to hurt - harm - another - I diminish - the body of Christ. My actions - reactions - speak for themselves. All of us - no one excluded - at times - will error - do something wrong - to diminish the dignity of  the entire body. As I watch - observe - the current political gymnastics - between opponents - it is apparent that none of them - respects the communal body of Christ. It does not matter if they are Jew - Greek - Christian - Protestant - Catholic - Atheist - Agnostic - religion aside - none of the political hopeful - shows any respect to their fellow opponents. A very sad commentary on the times.

We are half way through the season of Lent - when most people seek ways to avoid sin - rid themselves of pettiness - flaws in lifestyle - to be better than they are - to raise themselves up in the eyes of God. If any of us wishes to be seen - in a positive light - as being one with our Lord - we cannot allow ourselves to - do as they do - rather - we must go against the flow - avoid the temptation - to be sucked into the cesspool of the political world. We do not live in their world - nor would we want to. Respect for ourselves - for each other - in all situations - is the way to be - to live - to become - The I of God.

Deacon Dale 

Game Day

If you are a Chicago Cubs baseball fan - this is the day you have been waiting for. The first game of spring training at Sloan Park. Today marks the first game at Sloan Park where Cubs fans from almost anywhere will gather to see what the Cubs team has lined up for their fans. There will be plenty of fans from Chicago in attendance today - as well as locals - all fans of the infamous Cubs. Many are snowbirds - here in Arizona for the winter - others like my cousins - here on vacation - in time to watch their beloved Cubbies. Win or lose - today will be a great day.

At some point in time most of us will see God - face to face - when our game day arrives - that day when we are taken from this earthly existence - to our heavenly one. When we come to that time in our life - when we are called by God - prepared or not - to join Him - we will celebrate with great joy - anticipation - of our eternal existence. There will be no more batting practice - no more leg stretches - no more running the bases - no time left for preparation. Ready or not - God will call us - to be with Him. One day - in the future - Jesus will tell us - it is game day.

Deacon Dale 

Morning Ritual

Everyone has a morning ritual - even if they do not recognize - acknowledge one. Waking early - stretching - visiting the bathroom - shaving - showering - brushing hair - teeth - morning coffee - juice - toast - cereal - leaving early for work - school - church - the same routine day after day. Five days a week - many repeat over and over - the same ritual. The weekend - similar - most likely a different schedule - each weekend a repeat of the previous. Our prayer life often falls into a similar ritual - morning prayers - daytime - evening - bedtime - words spoken to God - often the same praises - words of gratitude - petition - repeated - over and over. We are people of habit - doing - speaking the same mantra - repeatedly - a ritual. 

When we talk to Jesus - God in prayer - we need to be active partners in this conversation of praise - thanksgiving - petition. God knows our hearts - minds - no need to constantly say the exact same words repeated in a dulling mantra. Variation of the words - praises - petitions - shows God we are actively engaged with Him. When you pray an Our Father - add your personal words - introduce other thoughts - in the conversation. There is nothing wrong with learned - memorized prayers - adding onto a prayer shows that you are actively thinking about the words you speak. Pray formula prayers slower - thinking about the words - what they mean - to God - to you - reflecting on what the impact is on your life - situation. In all prayers - make your ritual a non-ritual - break free - use your own words to speak to your Lord. He waits to hear from you - your morning ritual.

Deacon Dale 

Cruise Control

Cruise control - sometimes known as speed control or auto cruise - is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system is a servomechanism that takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver. On most modern cars one simply activates the cruise switch - selects the speed to cruise - drive at - then sits back with foot off the accelerator - allows the vehicle to continue on at a steady speed. As long as the driver pays attention to the road condition - traffic changes - other vehicles - a safe system to use. On very long road trips - alleviates legs discomfort - driver fatigue. There is a risk - monotony - boredom - falling into a trance like state - when accidents may occur. Even when using cruise control - driver must be aware constantly - where they are going.

Many people who have made a commitment to God - to Jesus - have unfortunately placed their relationship on cruise control. Prayers spoken as in a trance - words voiced - without real meaning - blindly repeating prayer after prayer - no active thought involved - are in danger of an eventual spiritual collision - with themselves - with God. When developing a prayer life - a relationship with Jesus - it must always be an active - conscious effort. To keep your relationship fresh - openness to God and the many faces of the Divine must be investigated. Cruise control on a vehicle is fine when actively monitored - the same goes for your prayer life.

Deacon Dale 

Walk - Run - Walk

My wife and I enjoy hiking - casual treks through the desert - walking up and down mountains - navigating various trails - through the sides of mountains - over river beds. It took awhile - eventually we found a pace that was comfortable for both of us. On occasion we hike with others - hiking groups here in Arizona - friends - family - who come for visits. We prefer a slower pace - partially because we are older - mainly because we have learned not to rush - to enjoy the view as we walk. When we walk with others we find that often we have to push - walk faster - to catch up - stay with the group. What starts out slowly gains momentum - the need to push faster - to catch up - to start walking again - over and over - depending on the terrain.

When a person first starts walking with God - hand in hand with Jesus - it may feel like a race - many things happening all at once - new experiences - new feelings - excitement - exhilaration - then the slump - the normal - much slower. For some - times when they do not feel God's presence - absence of the Divine - abandonment - all alone. Those who are mature in their faith have learned that life has a pattern of up - downs - highs - lows. Our spiritual life mimics the daily life - fluctuations in activity - intensity. Through all of it God is always present - even when we do not sense Him - He is there. In the quiet moments - it is then when we are called to slow down - to relax - to listen.

Deacon Dale  

Quality Versus Quantity

During Lent there are many people who get caught up in how much - how much to fast - how many things to give up - what else should I deny myself -- seeking to maximize the quantity of things they sacrifice - searching for a Holy Lent.  Fasting to an extreme where they risk damaging their health - attending every extra prayer service - every Stations of the Cross - every penitential rite - as a means of trying to purify themselves. Others look only for truly meaningful events - services to attend - quality time spent in prayer - meditation - reflection. Often chastised because they only did this or that - few events.

God asks us to seek quality not quantity. He doesn't care if we say a thousand prayers - if spoken in haste - without thought - compared to one true heartfelt conversation with Him. Spending unnecessary hours in church - when the family begs for one honest hour of your time at home. It is not how much - rather how well - honest - sincere - an effort you made. This Lent make your time - your actions - count.

Deacon Dale  

Thirsting

If your parish has people in the RCIA program - then at one of the Masses today - the First Scrutiny of the Elect should be celebrated and the Gospel should be about the woman at the well (John 4: 5-42) and the Hebrew Scripture should be about Moses and water. Both Scriptures form an image of peoples need for water - to drink - to wash - to bathe. Without water - nothing can survive - man - animal - plants. At our home in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona it is a rule that all homes use irrigation systems to insure that any plants will receive enough water to keep them alive - guarantee them a chance to grow - develop. We recently added some plants to our property and after digging holes in the rocky soil and adding mulch and fertilizer - the next step was adding drip lines - water source. The First Scrutiny today - with the Elect - begins that final purification process - moving them closer to the Easter Vigil - preparation for baptism - reception of the Holy Spirit - receiving the Living Water that leads to eternal life in Christ.

Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that the water she would get would cure her physical thirst - but what she needed was the water - that cures all thirst - Living Water. He was referring to the Holy Spirit - water that would freely flow through her life and lead to eternal life. That water is available today - to all of us - God offers - we accept - reject - His offer. Even those who have already been baptized - may receive again - and again - a fresh out pouring of Living Water - to strengthen - to fortify. No one has drunk of the Living Water so much that they will not benefit from a new outpouring. God waits - Jesus offers - a drink.

Deacon Dale 

Training Day

Anyone beginning a new venture will usually experience a training day - introduction to materials - procedures - protocols - training manuals - workbooks. Training may last a few hours - many days - weeks. In that time - knowledge is shared - acquired - absorbed - formed into ones mind. Today my wife and I began our training to become volunteer instructors for ESL - English as a Second Language. Hopefully - within the next month - we will begin helping others learn English - to help them communicate - with medical personnel - employers - everyone they meet in their daily lives - opening doors to new possibilities. Lent is similar - a time of opening ourselves up to new possibilities - learning new ways to communicate with God - with ourselves. 

All the instruction we need for life is available in the Bible - how to live - how to act - how to treat others. God has inspired many to put into writing - for all generations - a road map for life. Your Bible is all the instruction manual you will ever need - open it today - see where it leads you - this Lent.

Deacon Dale 

Pins and Needles

The phrase - on pins and needles - anxious - waiting for some news - high expectation of something - comes possibly from a similar Old English expression which described the feeling when numbness was leaving an extremity and feeling - sensations - were returning to the affected limb. Anyone who has experienced numbness knows that - tingling sensation - pins and needles - as  the numbness fades - feeling returns. The phrase is also used - when anticipating many different things - Lenten changes in ones life - new prayer experiences - experiencing  a moment when one comes in contact with the divine. Often expectations fall short - disappointment surfaces. We are ending our second week of Lent and yet - for some - nothing drastic has happened. Lent only follows a time table as far as how many days have passed - how many are left. Other than that - Lent has no timeline. Today we planted some new cactus plants - very careful not to touch - tonight - pins and needles  on arms - legs - still wondering why - when we did not touch. Cactus needles - not touching - Lent - not seeming to move forward - sitting on pins and needles - similar.

God acts in all our lives - every day - nobody should sit and worry - on pins and needles - when the time is right - He will manifest Himself in our lives. Until then - we trust - we believe - we wait - patiently - in silence.

Deacon Dale