Who Am I - The I of God

Who am I - I am me - you - us - as an individual - I exist as I and I alone. I live my life - I choose how to act - respond. I make decisions - commitments - honor such - fail on occasion. My  intent is to live an honorable - productive life - following the rules - once in awhile - I am unable to follow through  - make mistakes - choose to do wrong. I think - speak - keep quiet - sometimes - periods of silence. No matter what I do - it is I alone who makes that decision. I am not you - you are not I - unless you choose to be the I - then I become the you. In all of this I am an individual - me - myself - I.

God created me - to be an I - an individual. He did not make me to be a copy - an alternate version of myself. As such He loves me just as I am - since He created me to enjoy my personal relationship with Him. I am His creation - I am - I worship - adore - my creator. I draw myself closer to Him - in Lent - I seek - to be found - to become all that I may be. I am I - the I of God.

Deacon Dale 

Holding Hands

Holding hands - parent with child - caregiver with patient - lovers - young and old - just dating - longtime married. Holding hands with another person is possibly one of the easiest ways to say - I care - I love you. I love to see people holding hands with each other - it reminds me that in spite of all the bad stuff in the world - there is always hope - always the chance that somebody cares. 

In Isaiah 41: 13 we read   "For I am the Lord, your God, who grasp your right hand; It is I who say to you, Do not fear, I will help you". Just as our parents held our hands when we were children - just as caregivers offer us their hands in support - just as those close to us - spouse - children - lover - holds our hands in times of need - so to does God. As we slowly work our way through Lent - Jesus - is there - offering you His hand - helping to guide you through this Holy Season.

Deacon Dale 

Partners

According to the dictionary a partner - person who takes part in an undertaking with another or others - especially in a business with shared risks - profits. Selecting a partner takes time - patience - developing a relationship - learning to trust - establishing ground rules - operating under the same ideals - goals. Many business ventures fail due to poorly thought out - created - partnerships. Rushing into a partnership - failing to properly plan - poor communication - sets the stage for failure. Many marriages - relationships - a partnership. Following some basic ground rules - keeps lines of communication open - ensures a long lasting partnership.

When Jesus enters our lives - He offers us a chance to become partners - in our future. How we will live - control - manage our lives - relationship with special others - with God - number one priority. As in all partnerships - failing to plan - planning to fail. All relationships must be well established - thought out - nurtured - in order to survive. The time we invest in our partnership - one of the best investments we can make. Jumping in - both feet - whole heart - becoming one hundred percent involved - the right way to proceed. Even if you have not yet begun to focus your life on Lent - there is still plenty of time. Make a commitment - now - with God. Join His team - Jesus waits - to be your partner. 

Deacon Dale 

Taxing Times

It is mid March and high time to get working on the yearly income taxes - a much dreaded task. I know some of you have already received and spent your tax refunds - then there are those - like me - who wait until the end gets close.  I have always done my own personal taxes and as much as I hate doing them - would never think of paying somebody else to do a task that I can do myself.  There are so many good tax preparation programs available these days - should be a simple task for most. It amazes me - the number of people with only a W-2 and claiming the standard deductions - who pay others to do their annual taxes. Perhaps the whole concept scares them - dealing with the government - making an annual recap of income and expenses.  Perhaps one day - tax time will be eliminated - a straight tax - equitable deductions for all - weekly - monthly deductions from paychecks - would bring relief to a very large number of people. Until that time - a task to be completed.

It is not only the annual income tax reporting that creates taxing times for people. Money - a big issue - relationships - with family - friends - neighbors - God - another. So many different issues with which to contend - cope - solve - improve.  Relationship issues - often much greater than money.  How we relate to each other - how we speak - think - act - respond - depends a lot on emotions - versus facts. When overly emotional - excited - angry - communication comes to a halt - progress stops - situation develops. As with all things worth doing - improving our relationships - a top priority. In Lent we seek to work on our relationship with God - His Son - Jesus - The Holy Spirit. We are asked to go to a quiet space - to focus our complete attention on the - Divine. Although difficult for many - a task that is possible - with eyes - ears - open wide - hearts open to the impossible - minds ready to accept the unbelievable. In quiet meditation - contemplation - your relationship with God - need not be - a taxing time.

Deacon Dale 

Dancing With The Stars

Dancing With The Stars is a very popular television show - well trained dancers partnering with various celebrities in an effort to win the dance competition. Some celebrities - much more celebrity than dancer.  Some are awesome dancers - others - not so much. Last night Chicago Cubs fans got a peek at former Cubs catcher David Ross as he attempted to convey his 2016 World Series home run hit into a world class score on the dance floor. It will take a few weeks to see how well he sustains last night's performance. For the average guy or gal - dancing with the stars - a real treat.

When God enters your life He takes control - guides you across the dance floor of life. There will always be dips and twirls - slow baby steps - fast tippy toe movements - as you adjust to your new relationship with Him. As you grow and evolve in your relationship with Him - you will quickly learn that His moves are smooth - gentle - helping you constantly along the way. Dancing with God - you have to let Him take the lead - He knows all the best steps - steps to move you from where you are to a better place in life. What better way to observe Lent - than dancing your way into God's heart.

Deacon Dale 

Dinner Date

One of the pleasures of adult life is the - dinner date - taking your special companion out for dinner - just the two of you - together - alone as a couple. The two of you sharing a special time - together - at a favorite - new - restaurant - eating favorite entries - exploring - new menus. Perhaps an evening celebrating a special event - an anniversary - birthday - new job - promotion - date night - away from work - kids - spending needed time alone as a couple. All couples need a time of respite - time away from obligations - rediscovering each other - reconnecting as individuals.

Jesus loves dinner dates - especially when it is just the two of you - Him - you - together - gathered around His table - altar - sharing bread - wine - Mass - celebrating His gift to you - the world - to all who call Him Lord. Unlike other couples - you can meet Him on a daily basis - always there waiting for you.  As we continue in Lent - as we pray - fast - we look forward - in these special days - when we can share His meal - together.

Deacon Dale 

Lent 103

The Third Sunday of Lent - Water Divine - a precious resource - available to all - for free - unless you buy it bottled. Water rains freely from the sky - anyone may collect it - use it - drink it - bathe in it. Our bodies are 50% - 60% water - the rest is all the good things - bones - muscles - fat -brain tissue.  Although seen as insignificant - we cannot live with out water. We can skip meals - avoid food - but we can only last so many hours without water - before serious damage sets in.  Water is the oil - grease in our joints - the liquid that lubricates our eyes - makes tears - aids digestion - controls our inner furnace - fuels the thermostat of our bodies. It is so important - divinely inspired - that we use it constantly in our daily lives.  In our spiritual traditions - water - used to cleanse - baptize - purify - wash away sins - impart blessings - nourish our spirits - souls. 

For the people of God - water gushed forth from rocks in the desert - saved the people fleeing Egypt - washes away impurities - sins - prepares one for prayer - to name a few. Water is an important element in many religious practices. In Lent - specifically the Third Sunday - water points to the baptism of converts to be celebrated on Holy Saturday when they will be baptized at the Easter Vigil Mass. Water - one of three major focuses in Christian baptism.  As we begin our third week of Lent - we who have been baptized - reflect on what our baptism means to us. For those looking forward to baptism at the Easter Vigil - the focus is on hope - a new life in Christ.

Deacon Dale  

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Frequently quoted - a rose by any other name would smell as sweet - from William Shakespeare's - Romeo and Juliet - is taken to imply that no matter what you would call a rose - it would still have the same aroma - pleasing smell. Juliet - in defense of Romeo's name - stating that the name of a person or object - does not define the characteristics - qualities - of anyone or thing.  On this point Juliet is correct - after all - a name is simply a name.  It takes years - decades - for a name to become common enough that certain characteristics are implied by a name.  When Shakespeare first wrote Romeo and Juliet - it was simply a new play - to be attended - investigated - critiqued - enjoyed - at that time - no significance - importance. Four hundred and some years later - Romeo and Juliet - a classic tale of love and tragedy - a name known around the world.

God not only knows how many hairs are on our heads - our name as well - each and every one of us. There may be millions of people - but each is significant - important - to God. We may share names with other people - no two people are identical - even among twins. When we come to God - He knows exactly who we are - what we are about - what we need. He waits for us to speak - quietly - gently - giving us time - to ask - to receive. In Lent - in the quiet of our hearts - dare to speak your name to God.

Deacon Dale 

Wearing Green

Saint Patrick's Day - time for  the wearing of  the green - showing your Irish pride - ancestry - genealogical roots - connecting to Irish ancestry.  Unfortunately the only green shirt I have - not in the laundry - says "Italia" not "Ireland" so could not wear that today.  Acknowledging that today is Saint Patrick's feast day - not a requirement to wear green. 

Today everyone wants to be Irish - to have an excuse to celebrate - gather with friends - with food - drink - joining together as one - enjoying life. That is as it should be - holiday not required - saint or not - people should be gathering every day to celebrate - life - the possibilities that exist - when two or more are gathered. God asks us to celebrate His creation every day - even during Lent.

Deacon Dale 

Tearing Down Walls

Last year our Home Owners Association in Arizona sent out a request for homeowners to notify them if they had any issues with property cared for by the association. We have a cinder block wall that surrounds our home and the majority of it is cared for by the association. I notified them that I thought there was an issue with one section which seemed to be tipping inwards toward our property. They finally responded - after 10 months - that they would look into this issue.  Happy to report they were out in a matter of a few days to inspect the wall from our side - the community side had been inspected last October.  The decision - tear down a twenty foot section and rebuild at no cost to us. Now we wait and see when this will be done - as we wish to be here during that process - either April this year or January 2018.  When they do the work they will remove the wall - block by block - tearing it down to its foundation - then rebuilding - back up six feet.  The entire work to be done will be completed easily in one day - hopefully straight in line with the remainder of the existing wall.

  

As we journey  through Lent we are asked to examine our lives - to see where we have built walls - keeping others out - locking sins in - putting up barriers to our relationship with God. Time heals all things - so we are told - and in time - most things are healed.  Unfortunately some will not live long enough for time to do its work. As we spend time in prayer - meditation - we need to look inward first - at our lives - our relationships - our walls - before we can start the process of restoration - tearing down - building up. Removing barriers in our lives should be simple - one of  the most complicated tasks known to man. Attitudes - feelings - past history - often confuse the real issues.  Through prayer - patience - perseverance - walls can be torn down - removed - opening us up to everything hidden on the other side.  Need help - ask Jesus - He is awesome at removing - healing all barriers.

Deacon Dale