Wednesday of Holy Week - time to wrap up our Lenten experience - gather up all that we have accomplished - review all that we have done - looking forward to the Triduum on Thursday. Similar to getting our vacation house in order as we prepare to leave - putting things away - turning things off - shutting down this and that. One final cleaning - getting our spiritual house in order - as we move on.
Thursday a rest day for the most part - all the action to take place at Holy Mass - Thursday evening. Jesus stands at our side as we take inventory of all that has been accomplished this Lent. Great and small - any improvement - a positive - moving us to the Triduum - closer to Easter. One day of rest - then three days - focused on the Passion.
Deacon Dale
When we refer to something as winding down - losing power - coming to a stand still - we acknowledge that it is coming to an end. So many things happen in our lives - we will experience this winding down - over and over again. We begin the work week - full of energy - as the days pass - it slows down comes to a halt. Schools open their doors - full steam ahead in August - wind down - shut down in June. The same goes for most professional sports - each has a season - training - active games - wind down with only a few teams - final competition. We are now in the winding down days of Lent - three days left - then over. In these last three days we focus - on ourselves - our growth - what we have accomplished. We slowly move from the Lenten season in preparation for the Triduum - the three Holiest Days of the Christian Year.
God gives us the ability to learn - grow - adapt - adjust - to prepare ourselves for an eternal life with Him. In the season of Lent we have taken time - away from other concerns - issues - to focus on the spiritual side of life. We have paused - prayed - reflected - meditated - on our relationship with Jesus - with God. In our spiritual exercises we have experienced growth - understanding - prepared ourselves to participate more fully in the special three days to come - the Triduum and Easter celebrations to follow.
Deacon Dale
Normally when someone refers to - the anointed - visions of a person of great importance - jumps into your head - a religious leader - one elected to an office of great power - influence. To be anointed - means - standing out - selected from the many - to be included with the few. In most Roman Catholic dioceses - tonight - Monday of Holy Week - the local bishop celebrated the Mass of the Oils - special oils blessed - by the bishop - Oil of Catechumens - Oil of the Sick - Sacred Chrism - to be used in all the parishes of the diocese during the next year - in celebration of the sacraments of baptism - healing - confirmation - dedication. Sacred Chrism might be used in the dedication of a new altar - church building - the majority of the oil - used on people - ordinary people - receiving extra ordinary blessings.
Throughout history - religions - cults - have used oil as a special sign - blessing - healing - power - anointing from powers beyond our understanding. In Christian theology - anointing with oil - a special calling from God - to ordinary people - to become more than ordinary - to become people - of faith. The oils blessed tonight - presented to the parish family on Holy Thursday evening at the celebration of Holy Mass - the commemoration of the Eucharist - Priesthood - to be used on Holy Saturday at the Easter Vigil. God calls each of us to reflect on the anointings we have already received - will receive - in the future.
Deacon Dale
Today marks the beginning of Holy Week 2016 - we commemorate Jesus' entry into Jerusalem - riding on a donkey - palms waving - people cheering - chanting - excited - the entrance of the Messiah. How quickly things went from joy - excitement - to - despair - anger - sadness - loss of hope. Today we begin our annual walk down memory lane - we recreate the events of this week - complete with all the emotions - happy - sad. For over 2000 years now - we remember - has it done us any good - has it made us a better people. Most - weather Christian or not - would agree that Jesus' appearance in the world was one of the biggest events in the history of man - affected the development of cultures - people - around the world. Yet - two millennium later - do we act like we learned anything. If you have watched even a minimum of the current political shenanigans - it would be almost impossible to see any Christ like actions among the candidates. Trash talk - innuendos - misdirection - comments taken out of context - all confusing the public - creating a very unhealthy environment. At a time in history when we should be people of peace - compassion - understanding - we have nothing - reeds - palms blowing in the wind - our leaders - acting like children - immature - themselves victims of their own tactics.
In this holiest week of the Christian calendar - we experience God's Divine Mercy - His compassion - understanding - forgiveness - healing. God is able - will forgive our sins - even the comedy that is the political scene in America. All we need to do is ask - period. We do not understand why - but He will. Jesus - the compassionate teacher - Son of God - the gentle spokesperson - calls each of us to a deeper relationship with Him - with His Father. In this week - it is possible - Jesus waits - quietly - for your next move.
Deacon Dale
We have all been there - done our best - worked our hardest - went above and beyond the call of duty - only to be told - not good enough. To say it is frustrating - does not even begin to describe our frustration. It may be a project at work - in school - at home - for a employer - teacher - family member. We plan - design - develop - create - review the finished project - only to be told - not good enough - needs improvement - design change - more time to complete. Unfortunately - some people - never happy with the results.
God knows our limitations - our natural abilities - skills that we have developed - skills that we are improving upon. Many - right now feeling frustrated that the end of Lent is so close - yet not happy with their results - efforts - knowing that come Holy Thursday evening - over - done - finished. The reality is that whatever has been done - accomplished - is all that there is - final results - no more - no less. God does not expect perfection - only an honest effort - doing what you were able to do. Jesus does not judge - He urges you to look at the positive - improvements - even if small - still improvements - something achieved. Focus on the goal - holiness - you might just be surprised how far you have grown.
Deacon Dale
Being ignored - left out of the conversation - overlooked - does not make one feel very good. Poor Saint Joseph - his day a minor celebration - nothing compared to Saint Patrick's Day. In reality both men - very important figures - in Church history - in the world. Both very significant - in different ways - different times. Saint Joseph unfortunately overshadowed by Saint Mary. In a contested field of important persons - a second contender. Little is written about him - many assumptions - nothing of his death - accomplishments - except - he was the step-father of Jesus. Italians revere him - wear red - Saint Joseph's tables - food - family - fun - on a smaller scale compared to Saint Patrick.
God knows each of us - none of us are ignored - in His eyes we are all important. No need for a special day - color - event. Scripture tells us that he knows the count of the hairs on our heads - what we do - want to do. He knows our hearts - each and every one of us. That alone - far more important than being a household name. The only house we need be concerned with is God's house - sitting at His table - spending eternity with Him. These last days of Lent call us - to deepen our efforts - to make that last mile - our last steps - count. Jesus stands at the finish line - waiting - for each of us.
Deacon Dale
Today is Saint Patrick's Day - the Saint of the Day - honored in today's liturgy at Holy Mass. Of course today - everybody is Irish - wears green - eats and drinks green food and drink - tries their best to speak with an Irish brogue. There are a lot of saints - not all are as popular as Saint Patrick - most daily Masses in the Catholic church - celebrate one saint or another. Many more saints - than most can count - are aware of. Saints are everyday people who - for the most part - lived ordinary lives - did out of the ordinary things. Everyone has a chance to become a saint - not necessarily recognized by the Church - people who live good lives - trying their best - commendable - for all the good they did while alive.
God calls all of us to sainthood - to holiness - to live honorable - upstanding lives - as role models for others. As we complete this fifth week of Lent - look forward to Holy Week - the Triduum - Easter - we ask ourselves - have we done enough - prayed enough prayers - attended enough extra services - made an effort to take unnecessary things out of our lives - put good things - ideas into our lives. We still have time for personal examination - evaluation of ourselves. Lent continues until Holy Thursday evening - one last week to make it happen. Jesus calls each of us to Himself - to be embraced in His arms - to feel His warmth - His presence - as you journey - to sainthood.
Deacon Dale
I received an email from a friend named Tom recently - have not seen him in a few months since we are in Arizona escaping the Illinois winter. He use to ask me where I get my ideas for topics to blog about.- wondering if I used a service - versus original thoughts. If you knew me you would find that my mind - travels a very different path from most. Quite often I amaze myself at the titles and content - definitely a sign of God working in my mind. My friend reminds me of another - doubting Thomas - could not believe the stories he heard about Jesus - had to see for himself - poke his fingers in His sides - hands. Most of us are doubting Thomases - in one way or another - questioning - wondering - challenging - that which we do not fully understand - comprehend. It is perfectly alright to question - almost anything.
Jesus faced Thomas - looked him in the eye - place your hand here and there - see and believe - blessed are those who believe and have not seen. I have not seen - nobody I know has seen - yet we are believers. Many - unable to accept the witnesses of others - question so much about God - Jesus - Holy Spirit - religion - faith. None of us has hard concrete evidence - we defend what we have not seen - have not heard - never touched - yet we believe. This Lent we pray - hope - struggle - question everything - we believe. It is not an easy task - time will tell - in the end we will know - if we hold out - if we keep the faith - stop doubting.
Deacon Dale
Recently we have been attending Sunday Mass at a small church on an Indian Reservation. The route that we take to the church - passes by a casino operated by the local tribe. On previous Sundays we always had a schedule to keep - this past Sunday - no prior commitments - so we stopped at the casino - a quick coffee and donuts after church. After breakfast we wandered around to see what they had to offer. A large amount of the space - dominated by slot machines - the majority - nickel - penny - slots. I thought it funny that people would sit - many for hours - on a machine that would potentially pay only pennies - the last of the gaming high rollers.
When a person commits to a personal relationship with Jesus - God - there are no questions - winner - loser. Everyone who makes the commitment - a winner. Jesus changes the way we look at life - the ups - downs - the positives - negatives. Making the decision to give your life to God - no crap shoot - always a winner. If you are still on the fence - not sure if making a change this Lent is for you - go ahead - pull the trigger - be a high roller - Jesus has a jackpot waiting for you.
Deacon Dale
You know how it is - the best laid plans of mice and men - grand ideas - big expectations - shooting for the stars - the final winner. So often - too often - grand plans - fizzle - die a slow quick death - failure. We are now in the fifth week of Lent - so many hopes - yet unrealized - so many ideas - now a pale memory. Failure - rearing its ugly head - smack in ones face. Too often this is what happens to many - failure seemingly so permanent - a cruel joke on oneself. Yes - we are in the fifth week of Lent - the fact remains - Lent is not over. If your best laid plans have not born fruit - there is still time to cultivate - to generate - new interest - in yourself - your plans. It is never too late to start - even for the tenth or more time. The goal - still possible - the tunnel still visible.
God knows how difficult it is to change - to leave behind - start over - go in a new direction. For this reason - He is more patient that we would ever hope Him to be - He waits - patiently - for weeks - months - years - if need be. The hardest thing to give up is - is giving up. The fear of starting over - again and again - unrealistic. If anything worth attaining - it is worth working for - over and over - until finally achieved. Lent is a time of changing direction - when one turn does not work out - you change direction - again and again - until you are finally on the correct path. Need help - ask Jesus - He will light the way.
Deacon Dale
