Making Yourself Great Again

All of us entered  the world the same way - naked - innocent - crying our heads off. For most of us we have grown beyond those initial assaults on our lives. Over the years we have learned - acquired - knowledge - skills - to help us through our lives. Unfortunately some of what we have learned has not always been the best - worthwhile - knowledge.  Foul language - learning how to lie - becoming skilled in deception - to mention just a few - not something of which we should be proud. Those are the things - we seek to eliminate during our Lenten exercises. Like dust bunnies that cling to our souls - we seek to brush them from ourselves. 

Jesus is our role model when we seek to attain holiness. He who was without sin is our guide - mentor - in how to recreate the lives we were initially blessed with. No matter what shape our present life is in - it can become great again - if we only try.  Focusing our eyes on Jesus - reading His Gospels - going deep into understanding His teachings - then adopting them as our own - will give us the tools to achieve holiness for ourselves. Try you must - for to be great as your Heavenly Father intended - takes work.  Time to buckle down.

Deacon Dale 

Holier Than Who?

OK - let's admit it - those who are always at church - always praying - always talking about their relationship with God - may come off as - holier than thou. The thou - meaning you - yourself. It is not unusual for people to talk about - those - people - gossiping about how many hours - how many devotional practices - how often they are seen - on their knees - in prayer. There is no justification for this kind of criticism - spoken in angry tones - shared with others who hold the same attitude.  In fact - it is none of - your - business - how - they - pray - how often - they - take time out of - their - day to practice - their - devotions. Guilt and justification for your lack of a prayer life - the most common motivator. Everyone has to acknowledge - realize - that a person's prayer life - relationship with God - is theirs and theirs alone. No two people are expected to have the same prayer - spiritual - life. If that were true - we would all be robots - blindly doing the exact same thing.

Just because we have been created in the likeness of God - does not make us God. On the contrary - we are very far from gods ourselves. Psalm 8 tells us that we were made a little less than a god - the difference is our tendency to sin - to do things that separate ourselves from God. Gossip is one - being uncharitable towards others - another. When we look at one's level of holiness - it should be our own level and no other's that we look at. Each of us is called to holiness - to a closer relationship with God. Each of us is an individual and as such - is expected to meet similar but different standards. You cannot put everyone in the same class - category - box. We attain holiness in many and various ways - through different - but similar - devotions. In this Lent when  you reflect on your life - ask your self - holier than who - yourself!  Have you grown over the past year spiritually - have you finally mastered that one sin that separates your from God - are your truly holier than YOU.

Deacon Dale 

Lent 101

Today marks the First Sunday of Lent - Lent 101 - the basics of Lent - the rules - regulations - opening comments - as we begin our observation - participation - in this season of reflection - meditation - inspection - of our lives. In this time we are asked to look deep - inside ourselves - past the obvious - to that which is hidden - in the closets of our hearts - minds.  To look at  those things that we have neatly tucked away - stored - not the first things we like to revisit. The obvious sins - missed opportunities - activities - actions - those of which we are not proud. It is not an easy task to accomplish - nor one to which we look forward - but - must we will.  Thankfully Lent lasts six weeks - enough time to start small - to begin slowly - to give us the time and energy to accomplish all that we must.

Only God has the patience to wait on us - each of us - granting us the time needed to review our lives and actions. He does not expect us to change - correct - faults in a single day - so He waits patiently. For one day with God is like a thousand and a thousand as one day. In these Lenten days we are called - to use that time wisely - gaining for ourselves - along the way - holiness.

Deacon Dale 

Fixie

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

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 

Yakity Yak

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 And Other Objects

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 

Salt Shaker

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 

Blessed Are They

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

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