May Flowers

It has been three weeks since my last post - no I did not fall off the face of the Earth. In these three weeks we have traveled from Arizona back to Illinois - back to the Midwest which had a lot of rain these past few months - back to a an acre of grass that needs tending - back to lawn equipment that refuses to run - work properly - back to a rush of obligations at church - in other words - life. In Arizona - we relax - no family in that area - here in Illinois - plenty of family.  It might be daunting to some - but my wife and I thrive on it. That is what keeps us young - being active. Yes April showers did bring May flowers - and weeds - and over growth - and other issues with maintaining our home. In addition - we were blessed with my - nephson's - nephew + son - wedding - which was a very blessed event. I sat as a stand-in for my deceased twin - the father of the groom and my wife sat in for his deceased mother. That was the only sad moment during the celebration of young love - a beautiful couple - starting life freshly as a couple. To us their marriage - a flower in God's bouquet. 

Life is interesting when you sit back and reflect. All of us have tasks to accomplish - many things that we take for granted - maintaining our homes and property - keeping a social calendar - holding ties to family and friends tight and close. In the midst of these - the sadder events of life - visiting friends whose mother passed away - another family - getting together in the final days of a life - soon to be extinguished. In all  these events - happy - sad - God is so clearly present. As we continue in this Easter Season - we continue to celebrate the Easter Event - the Resurrection of Christ - the resurrection - of our own lives. In time we pause and reflect - with Jesus at our side - always there for each of us.

Deacon Dale 

Divinely Merciful

For many - Easter - one day - nothing more - nothing less. For those who understand the Church and its Liturgy - Easter - a Season - Fifty days to celebrate - pray - contemplate the Mystery of Easter. So much happened around the First Easter - unable to really understand - comprehend all that occurred. The Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday - proclaimed by Saint Pope John Paul II in 2000 when Saint Faustina was canonized. The Church speaks about God's Divine Mercy - few understand the scope - depth of God's mercy - exactly what that means.

Jesus - I Trust in You - God's mercy - the forgiveness - acceptance - promise - hope - healing - offered by Jesus to all who have ears - all who will hear -eyes - all who might see - the wonders God has done. In His Divine Plan - God offers everything to each of us - it is up to us - to accept - His Divine Mercy.

Deacon Dale 

He Is Risen!

Those three words - how can anyone follow that up? What more is there to say. Jesus Christ is risen Today! Alleluia!

Happy Easter

Deacon Dale 

Now What?

Holy Saturday - time of waiting - Jesus crucified 3:00PM Good Friday - in the pit - a quiet day - day for reflection - waiting - what is to come. For the majority of people - routine Saturday activities - shopping - cleaning the house - preparing for Easter Sunday - a busy day. For a few - prayer - preparation rites - RCIA - the elect - the final scrutiny - waiting to be baptized - confirmed - Holy Eucharist - for the first time - tonight at the Vigil. In between - quiet. Those involved with those in the RCIA - prayer - reflection - looking forward to the Vigil. No Mass yesterday on Good Friday - no Mass Holy Saturday - until after sundown - the Vigil - in the dark - waiting for - New Light - the Candle Service - Blessing of water in the font - lots of readings - music - inspiring homily - Baptism - Confirmation - Eucharist. All happening tonight - in the new day - the anticipation of Resurrection - Easter. 

In the time of Christ - nightfall signaled that time between one day and the next - in the darkness - time ceased to exist - a void - emptiness - sleeping - with the hope of another day of light - resurrection - new life. Today Jesus lies in the Tomb - like us - waiting. Waiting - like us - to see what great things God has planned for each of us. Today - Holy Saturday - we wonder - in Faith - now what?

Deacon Dale 

Holier Than Thou

So I was cruising the net - looking for some input for today's blog and came across an article and a blog that was highly critical of Holy Mass being celebrated in maybe Portugal - maybe Italy. Not sure - as I am not familiar with what was being sung - I didn't recognize the language. If a person with reasonable intellect would stop and look at the video you could see that #1) it was a large celebration #2) definitely foreign #3) crowded church  complete with full staff of musicians #4) lot of servers along with numerous priests. I can not believe the holier-than-thou criticisms. It appears that all those holier-than-thou critics thought they were witnessing Adoration. To almost anyone who knows a few things about Catholic liturgy - easily recognize that it was the end of Holy Mass - Adoration to follow - the celebrant carefully placing the large host which was just consecrated at Mass into the Monstrance - as with the end of any good liturgy - a dismissal song - complete with youth clapping and finger gestures - perhaps signing for hearing impaired. From my viewpoint - a happy celebration of God - very Christ focused. The complaints - musicians with back to altar -  unfortunately with limitations of space - forces musicians to be able to see each other - to perform well - beautiful music honoring God - not first choice - but in Rome. Other complaints - the signing - referred to - as looks like  the chicken dance - maybe those critics needed to learn signing and the local language - the last complaint - two Monstrances being prepared - one to remain on the Altar - the second - presumably for the priest to carry to another location - perhaps to disabled people in the back of the church or perhaps to an overflow crowd in an annex. My thoughts - who are these self righteous people - including some priests - that even judge a video based on a few minutes of run time. I would be the worlds greatest fool if I dared to comment on such small data. As I saw it - what was available - very mediocre video - a celebration - honoring our God - Jesus His Son.

Today Good Friday - the day commemorating when those who thought they knew God - people who were  holier-than-thou  crucified Jesus. He did nothing to deserve it - proclaimed Love - Forgiveness - Acceptance - Tolerance. Here we are some two thousand years later - still burdened with - small minds - self righteous - holier-than-thou people. Many stuck in the past - highly critical of The Church - the language used - which Missal - where to place  the altar - what songs appropriate. Jesus did not die for this - did not die - because of the color of your hymnal - did not die - for what music is selected - did not die - for how many handicapped parking spaces you have. He did not die for any of this. He died because you - I - are sinners. He died because we judge - we criticize - we refuse to help - the untouchable - the outcasts. This Friday when you attend services - when you look at Him on the Cross - remember that it was you and I who put Him there - and still do. Today just might be a Good Friday - if we repent - ask for forgiveness - change  the way we think. Today might be a Good Friday - if we commit ourselves one hundred percent to God.

Deacon Dale 

Three Peat

Three-peat is a term used primarily in American sports to refer to winning three consecutive championships. In a similar vein a hat-trick is when a player - usually in hockey or football - scores three goals in a single game - not necessarily consecutively. According to NBC Sports the term hat trick invented back on January 26, 1946 when Alex Kaleta of the Chicago Blackhawks - needing a new hat - unable to afford one - struck a deal with Sammy Taft - a Toronto haberdasher - for a free hat if he scored three times in one game. Kaleta went on to score four goals - thus the hat-trick was born. Today - in hockey - spectators throw their hats onto the rink when a hat trick accomplished. The hats - given to charities - the player - or put on display.  Today begins - The Triduum - the three-peat of the three holiest days of the Christian year. Today Holy Thursday - tomorrow - Good Friday - Saturday - Holy Saturday - the Easter Vigil - the mother of all vigils.

In these three holy days - the Church - gives us time to seriously reflect on the Gospel message of Jesus - God's Love - Forgiveness - offer of New Life. Tonight's Holy Thursday Mass celebrates the institution of the Priesthood - Eucharist - Ministry to others. Flowing out of Jesus' declaration that His disciples would do as His did - serving others - the creation of the diaconate - ministry to  the home bound - feeding the hungry - clothing the naked - caring for widows and orphans - preaching  the Good News to all who would listen. As ordained clergy - our duty to do as listed above - no more - no less - the rest in God's hand. All of us - ordained or not - called to do the same. Today begins our call to ministry.

Deacon Dale 

Can't Complain

How many times have you asked somebody how things are going and they respond - can't complain. Does that mean life is going well - all is good - or perhaps - cannot complain - nobody will listen - life is rough - who wants to listen to anyone complaining. Complaining is an unconscious incompetency - something that is done without thinking - creating an air - lack - of positive energy. My oldest son speaks frequently about - individual strength - taking responsibility for self - warrior self. My youngest son - also sees complaining as a waste of good energy - directed wastefully - accomplishing nothing. My wife and I have been discussing this lately - bottom line - I am a complainer - not to the public as such - rather to family - close friends. Although I have been in denial - I have to admit that they are correct - I need to change. Everyone complains - I have been doing it to excess - unhappy with my leg issue for which I have been seeking answers - for the past fifteen months. In public I hide my discomfort - privately - with family - in particular with my wife - I complain. I complain that I am on my seventh doctor - at the end of the month I will have completed seven months of physical therapy - having received only minor relief. My real complaint - that this might become a permanent disability of which I want no part. I have been active all my life and not being able to walk comfortably - my complaint. Time to change because - I can walk - although slowly. Other than my issue with walking I am fairly healthy - for my age. I have blessings poured upon me daily that I fail to acknowledge - that I need to admit are there. Turning the corner - moving from the grouchy old man - to a pleasant older fellow - in the works as I write.

God created us to live in His world - trusting in Him - no matter what our condition. He created us to be whole - not all are whole. He created us to be happy - not all are happy. He expects us to live as His people - reflecting everything that Jesus taught - accepting downturns - setbacks - without complaining - to be people of Faith.  As we wind up our Lenten exercises and begin the Triduum - the three holiest days of the Christian year - we need to enter into those days with new hearts - new hope - changed people - not healed completely - not complaining. I know I will - not complete - but on the right path - walking alongside the other wounded - hurting people - praising God for all He has done for all of us.

Deacon Dale 

Covering The Bases

Now that baseball has officially started the 2017 season we are watching a lot of games. We had the privilege of watching six spring training games with the Chicago Cubs while in Arizona. It is interesting to watch the plays - the planning that goes into the training - learning just where to throw the ball and when - where to hit the ball - how to place it exactly where you want it to go. Most of the time - executed exactly as planned - often - not - errors - dropped balls - lost games. In this third day of Holy Week - those preparing to join the Church at the Easter Vigil - now going through the plays - what to do - where to be - what to say - everyone a winner - all will complete the play - become full initiated into the Church.

When God set the world in motion - He had all the bases covered - people in the right places - everything planned out. Then things happened - had to deal with - Free Will. In spite of those who chose to ignore Him - He is still in control - covering all the bases for us. He is there - especially as we celebrate Holy Week - to give us special opportunities to touch the Divine - to catch the spiritual blessings - He throws at us. It is up to each of us if we participate fully - give it our best effort - to catch - accept - everything sent our way.

Deacon Dale 

Oil Change

Changing oil is recommended periodically to keep many tools - vehicles- in proper working order. Oil is a lubricant and facilitates the smooth operation of moving parts - protecting them from wearing out - extending their usable life.  In earlier days - athletes would rub oils into their skin - to strengthen - aide them in competition. Many people use oils daily to aide in their health - cod liver oil - olive - canola - corn - peanut - safflower - soybean - sunflower - in cooking - preparing foods. Oils are used in religious services to anoint as in baptism - confirmation - ordination. During Holy Week - in the Catholic Church - the Bishop blesses new - fresh oil - in a special Chrism Mass. These oils to be used throughout the following year - replenishing the supply for all the parishes - around  the world. 

In Holy Week the Church gives us special opportunities to experience the Divine. At the annual Chrism Mass the Bishop not only blesses the three oils to be used while celebrating the sacraments - also celebrates his priests and deacons - together - all renew their promise to serve the Holy People of God - the Church - to the best of their abilities. Attending the annual Chrism Mass - with all its pomp - reminds each of us - how much God loves us - lavishes His love upon all - anointing each of us - with His Love - Blessings - daily.

Deacon Dale 

Fingers Hands and Palms

When discussing the anatomy of the extremities - one must obviously include - the fingers - hands - palms. All three are very important parts of the body - used to accomplish a multitude of tasks. Individually they have their own function - combined - still more. The fingers allow us to accomplish tasks such as typing - keyboarding - playing musical instruments - the hands - hold - carry - throw objects - baseballs - stones - rocks - the palm - the cradle of the hand - the pocket - received - carries various objects. When considering the palm with center area - fingers -  thumb - outstretched - looks very similar to a palm leaf - tree. This Sunday - Palm Sunday - the annual celebration in the Christian Church around the world when we commemorate the powerful entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. I have been to Jerusalem - twice - never greeted with palms - the way Jesus was. He - the Christ - the Anointed One - me - a pilgrim - trying to get closer to my faith roots. My internal clock - telling me - maybe - I need to return to the roots of my Christian faith - one more time. Perhaps  that is why we have our very own palm at our Arizona house - a constant reminder of our faith roots - not a crucifix.

Mediterranean Palm at Casa Del Camino

God calls all of us - especially as we begin the holiest week of the Christian year - to go to our faith roots. We are asked to open our hearts - hands - palms - to received from Him the many blessing of this week. As we celebrate the blessing of Chrism by the Bishop - the institution of the Priesthood - Eucharist - Good Friday - the Passion - Holy Saturday - the anticipation - Resurrection - Easter Sunday. There is much to absorb in one short week - a lot to behold - very worthy. We need to walk into this week - eyes wide open - ears listening for His words - hearts - hands encompassing - every blessing sent our way.

Deacon Dale