A fixie refers to a fixed gear bicycle - one gear - sweet - simple. Uncomplicated biking. With a fixie you avoid the confusion of which gear you should be using - up hills - over rough terrain - cruising - at leisure. Most people who own bikes with multiple gears -admit they rarely use all the gear combinations - rather settle into a routine - selecting perhaps six out of eighteen combinations available. Keeping life easier - especially on long bike rides.
In Lent the Church asks us to do something similar - strip away the excess - avoid the unnecessary - simplify. For those who give up things during Lent - eliminate unnecessary projects - strip away time wasters - Lent becomes easier. In this time of less things - less projects - more time to focus on self - on Jesus - on God. This Lent why not get a "fixie" for yourself - in your daily routine - strip away everything that is not mandatory - see what God will reveal to you.
Deacon Dale
Abstinence is the self-enforced restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are generally experienced as giving pleasure. Catholic across the world and other religious expressions practice avoiding specific foods during designated holy days. For Muslims - fasting during Ramadan - for Catholics - fasting and avoiding meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent. Many other religions also observe fast days along their specific guidelines. It is not unique to one religion or another - exact restrictions and times do differ among them.
The entire idea of fasting is to empty oneself of earthly desires - creating room - time - in ones life for filling the inner spirit.with thoughts of the Divine. As you hunger and thirst for earthly foods and drink - one is reminded that their inner spirit needs to be nourished as well. The emptiness felt in the stomach mirrors the emptiness of ones spirit. The goal through fasting is enlightenment - spiritual growth - touching the Divine. It may not always be easy - end the end - always rewarding.
Deacon Dale
According to the Urban Dictionary Yakity-Yak is catching up on everything - nothing important. Some would call it blabber - senseless talking - conversation that seems to never end. At Mass yesterday we arrived early enough to find a seat - to prepare ourselves to celebrate the Mystery of Holy Mass - begin our Lenten devotion for this year. Not all in the pews were so disposed - especially the two ladies directly behind us. From the time we arrived until Mass began - endless yakity-yak. Some might call it gossip - a sin? - others - just two old women doing what old women do. At a minimum they were renewing a friendship - in their own way - preparing for the Lenten season - in their way.
God calls us all to reflect on our lives in Lent - some will do so in a very quiet - private manner - at home - in the adoration chapel - complete non verbal communication with self - with God. Others - more verbal - audible conversations with self - God - everyone around - within hearing - sharing stories - disappointments - achievements - spiritual growth. Each of us is an individual - each will have their own way in how they observe the Lenten season. Some will go to great extremes - others barely taking the time - to touch the Divine. This is OUR Lent - we are called not to be great - we are called not to be powerful - we are all called - to holiness. How you accomplish this will be different from how others do - all ways are right - OK - as long as the focus is on Jesus - His GIFT - His LOVE - His FORGIVENESS. May God Almighty bless YOUR Lent.
Deacon Dale
Burning bridges in common terms - breaking ties with others - making a distinct - permanent break in a relationship. Most often - advised - not to burn bridges - never knowing if - when - that particular relationship might be desired again - in the future. In many facets of life - heeding the warning not to burn a bridge - good advice. Today - observing - Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent - we are asked to make an important decision - which bridge to cross - which to burn. Some may lead us closer to God - to a deeper relationship with Our Lord - others - leading us into sin - away from God - away from righteousness.
In this holy period of Lent - the Church - God - gives us time to reflect on who we are - where we are going - what we have made of our lives - what we have become. Are we a person of love - or hate? Do we forgive and forget - or remember and brood? Have we collected things in our daily lives that tempts us - leads us into sin - or have we brushed our hands clean of that which is contrary to God's plan. In forty days - we will evaluate each of our lives. Will we burn bridges and contacts - things that diminish the person God wants us to be - or will we rise like the Phoenix - from the ashes - to a New Life in Christ? In forty days - we will know.
Deacon Dale
A salt shaker is a device used to spread salt over an object or surface. Most people are familiar with the household table salt shaker - used when cooking or at the dinner table to add small grains of table salt to the food they are cooking or eating. These come is all sizes and shapes - glass with silver and gold tops - ceramic in the shape of animals - figurines - inexpensive cardboard cylinders - for travel and picnics - to name a few. No matter what they are made of - how they are shaped - they accomplish the same goal - to spread salt. Salt - as a condiment - adds taste - zing - to food. In much larger devices - salt is spread on city streets and roads to improved traction for vehicles in winter - icy - road conditions. There are many forms of salt - sodium chloride - the most familiar - as table salt - used with food. Many other chemicals exist as salts - solid forms - easier to work with versus the liquid form. In so many ways - salts - important to all lives - in daily living.
In Matthew 5:13-16 Jesus says - "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can be seasoned?" What He was saying - if you lose faith - if you fail to shine like a candle lit in the night - if your life goes flat - empty - how can you be an effective disciple? All of us go through periods in our lives when things do not go the way we would like - loss of employment - loss of heath - misunderstanding between family - friends - loss of faith. It is bound to happen - inevitable. Knowing this - we are called to stand firm - yes be disappointed - but never give up - never lose faith - constantly trust in the Author of Life - because after - exists - the future - when all is made new. Even at the lowest points of our lives - we must remain faithful to Jesus' promises - even when we fail to see them - trusting that God is constantly there - helping - guiding. Only by remaining steadfast may we continue to be salty - to add flavor to the lives of others - as we are called to do. We are the human containers of God's salt - we need to keep moving forward - even when we don't feel like it - to spread His salt every where we go.
Deacon Dale
There are a lot of different ideas today - what is a blessing - what is not. One person will speak of wealth as a blessing - another of his popularity - yet another - his position in society - sitting as the chairperson of a large corporation. Some will claim blessings in a team win - a good golf score - an awesome dance performance. Still others - their appearance - good looks - beautiful hair - clear complexion. In reality - everyone - the recipient of a multitude of blessings. Blessing may be worldly - down to earth - commonplace - spiritual - other worldly - divine.
For God so loved the world - not as an object - spinning throughout the cosmos - rather -those who populated this planet - the men - women- children - that He gave His only Son to the world. He came in an extraordinary way to ordinary people - like you and I - to people of ordinary means - with ordinary lives - blessed by God in very extraordinary way. God's blessings - flow freely - like rain from the sky - upon all - who believe in Him - in all - who call Him Father - to all - who accept His Son - as the Christ. To each - blessed are they - who believe - not only in Him - the Author of Life - but in His promises. Your blessings whether worldly - spiritual - divine - a gift from the One who loves you.
Deacon Dale
Going with the flow - according to the Cambridge Dictionary - to do what other people are doing - to agree with the opinions of others - only because it is - the easiest - takes less energy - do not have to think for yourself. There are occasions when following the group makes sense - going to the movies together - gathering at the same restaurant for dinner - worshiping at the same church - temple - makes complete sense - for group functions. Thinking for yourself - doing something different - not blindly following others decisions - a better way - when individuality makes more sense - selecting a long distance road bike - purchasing a set of golf clubs - attending a different college - university - studying different topics - voting in an election. There are many times - reasons - to be an individual - to go against the flow - to swim upstream - go against common wisdom. If everybody did exactly the same thing - thought the same thoughts - ate the same food - cooked the same way - wore the same clothes - drove the same vehicle - we would be robots - moving and acting - like machines. Those who dare go against the flow - the thinkers - doers - explorers - inventors - creators - making life more interesting - valuable. A priest I heard today exclaimed that we all need to go against the flow - as Christians live lives counter cultural - acting - thinking for ourselves. The only ones allowed to go with the flow - dead fish.
In a way it's a funny analogy - being Catholic - known fish eaters - to be warned not to be dead fish - to swim upstream - to live lives more fully - complete. God placed mankind on this Earth for a reason - your reason different than mine - common goals - equality - peace - acceptance - tolerance - safety - nurtured - fed - the good things of life. There are those who would attempt to take this away from us - naysayers - bigots - motivated by chaos - evil - self. Today to be an honest Christian one must - swim on their own - do it their way - the way led by the true leader - Jesus the Christ. He calls each of us - to be alive with our faith - to share with all - the One God of all.
Deacon Dale
In every competition - there will be a winner and a loser - the entire purpose of the competition - otherwise an exercise of futility. If no winner or loser was anticipated - why hold the competition? Everyone expects to win - no one to lose - reality check - one will succeed - one will not. The saying - better to run the race and lose - than not to have run at all - gives no solace to the loser. Unhappy - disappointed - angry - hurt - justified emotions - to be expected. Gloating - boasting - overly boisterous - unbecoming any winner. The true test in any competition - how those who participated - handled - success - loss. It is only after the contest had ended - true winners are revealed.
Luckily for us - we are all winners - in the contest of life - when choosing Jesus as your running mate. There will be falls - bumps - along the course of life. In the end - all win - not necessarily to the same degree - not gathering up the same accolades - each in their own individual way - a winner. When you come to the end of your race - you are a winner - as long as Jesus is with you. Run the race alone - without God - you end up alone - run the race with Jesus - never a lonely moment. We all run the race of life - who you choose to run with - your choice.
Deacon Dale
As Pope Francis recently preached - you can't follow Jesus - if you are standing still. This is true in every sense - unless you are willing to - move - mind - heart - feet - you cannot follow anything. Great ideas come and go - all the time - making a decision to act - another issue. How often have we come upon a new concept - idea - suggestion - we think we would like to try - engage in - only to fail so poorly - because we never started. When we discover these pearls - we have to move beyond discovery - explore - investigate - make the decision - engage. New job opportunity - better hours - more pay - potential future advancement - laying at our fingertips - fail - never move - made a commitment. All of us - guilty - failing to take that first step.
Jesus knows us so well - never angry - often disappointed - because we did not act. So often He lays opportunities at our feet - opens doors - removes obstacles - levels the rough road - clears the path - only to have us - do nothing. Time and again - He repeats His efforts. Time and again - we stall - stuck in the same time and space. Thankfully He is much more patient than we are ourselves. His offers - always there - waiting for us - to act. Every day is a new opportunity - another chance to follow Him - into a new - deeper relationship. Every day He invites us to follow Him - to move from loneliness - pain - suffering - despair - to a new life in Him - to wholeness - comfort - joy - hope. Jesus' footprints do not have to be the only ones in the sand - yours can be there alongside Him - following Him to a better place. Take the first step - the rest will be easy.
Deacon Dale
Passing the torch - a metaphoric expression - alludes to an ancient Greek race in which a burning torch was passed from one runner to another - viewed at opening ceremonies for the Olympic games. Today - a change of duty - passing on responsibilities from one individual to another - receiving a promotion at work - retirement - leaving someone else in charge. A rite of passage - for some - leaving one set of duties behind to accept new obligations. In a few days this ritual will be observed as our current President leaves office and the new President-elect takes over. In the process the winds of change will fan the flames of that particular torch - how it will affect the United States - yet to be seen - too many self proclaimed prophets - confusing this ritual. This particular ritual - occurring every four or eight years - always generates a lot of interest - quite often an unwarranted amount of misdirection - a game played in particular by politicians.
When Jesus said He had a fire to ignite on the Earth - He did not mean He would be passing any torches. Rather His fire - the flame of His love - for each of us. He wanted people to come alive for God - to share their faith - to deepen their relationship with Him and His Father. He wanted people to make a firm commitment to accept Him as Lord of their lives - to follow God's commandments - to love one another - as God loves them. Once committed to Jesus and His Father the light of that relationship would be visible to all - the flame of God's love would shine throughout their very souls. Jesus calls each of us - today - to accept His love freely and completely - to let it fill our hearts with warmth - light - to grow in us - that we may - pass the torch - to all we meet.
Deacon Dale
