On The Outside Looking In

There are so many people now a days who feel like everyone else is in the - in group - while they are left- outside - all alone - looking in - observing the action - festivities. Except for rare instances - there should never be a time when anyone has to be excluded - left out. The reality - this happens all too often - usually for very selfish - mean reasons.  Often done by some in an effort to ridicule - embarrass - tease.  To those on the outside - not fun - being excluded.  Those who are guilty of  this action - not the type of people with which one should associate.  It is this type of activity that leads some to retaliate - become violent - act out in socially unacceptable behavior.  In Lent - as we look at ourselves - what and how we treat others - this is one sin that definitely needs to be eliminated.  To create a pure heart - a loving heart - one has to make sure not to be guilty of  this activity - even when deemed as just good natured fun.  Taking advantage of others - for laughs - never acceptable.

God has provided us with a world filled with wonders - opportunities for fun - laughter - enjoyment.  There should never be a need to ridicule others - instead we need to affirm - build up those around us.  There are lots of lonely people in this world - lots of opportunity for us - to bring them in from the outside - to include them in our groups - to make  them feel like part of our family - the family of God.

Deacon Dale 

Drinking It In

When one is living in a desert - the value of water - quickly learned. In today's Gospel - the woman at the well - confronting Jesus - He asking her for a drink - she asking for Living Water - the bucket brought to the well - left lying on its side - empty.  What appears to be a simple story of an encounter with the Messiah - much more than most realize.  An outcast - a sinner - marginalized by society - forced to seek a basic need of life - water - in mid-day heat - abandoned by friends - family - neighbors - welcomed by The Christ.  Knowing exactly who she is - what she has done - representing you - me - accepted with open arms - forgiven.  In Lent each of us is seeking something - love - tolerance - acceptance - Living Water.  Through many prayers - giving of alms - fasting - we seek....

God - in His greatness - making everything possible.  Lent - the period of introspection - a time of looking deep into - self - the well of our being -  seeking holiness - drinking it in - new life in Christ.

Deacon Dale 

Pilgrimage To Israel

As was mentioned in Friday's blog - we are currently looking for persons who would be interested in joining us on a pilgrimage to Israel - The Holy Land. For most - this is a once in a lifetime journey - yet - I know of one Deacon and his wife who have traveled to Israel eighteen times - leading Catholic pilgrimages - over the span of eighteen years. Their focus - as leaders - strictly Israel - very meaningful to them. This will be our third pilgrimage to The Holy Land - very meaningful to us - also finding value in visiting other pilgrimage locations - thus a variety of places that we have led pilgrimages.   Many ask - why go to Israel - or for that matter - anywhere - the answer - to see with your own eyes - exactly where Jesus - the saints - lived - ministered - touched the people of God.  A large bonus on any pilgrimage - meeting - people from different cultures - learning on a first hand basis - what other people of God are like.

Pilgrimage To The Holy Land

October 24 - November 1, 2018

$3799*  All Inclusive - From Chicago**

Per Person - Double Occupancy

Deadline To Register - April 1, 2018

*Reflects Early Registration Discounts

** Additional Gateways Available - Please Ask

(Philadelphia - San Diego - New York - Phoenix)

Registering Singles - Couples - Families

Single Supplement $800

Optional Trip Insurance/Cancellation Waiver $290

Optional Side Trip To Qumran - Masada - Jericho - Dead Sea $90

**Includes Air - Transfers - Hotel - Bus - Tour Guide - Most Meals - Daily Mass

Our Spiritual Director - Father Matt Lamoureux, MIC

Pilgrimage Highlights

Jaffa – Caesarea – Nazareth – Cana – Tiberias – Sea of Galilee - Mount of Beatitudes – Capernaum – Church of the Nativity Bethlehem – Church of the Transfiguration – Jerusalem - Mount of Olives – Church of the Holy Sepulchre – Western Wall -

Via Dolorosa – Holy Mass Daily – Walk in Jesus’ Steps

To register call 630.334.5065 or

email:   deacondale-holyland@deacontravel.org

Registration Closes Soon

Those who have made this pilgrimage come home with a new appreciation of Israel - seeing with their own eyes - having walked in the footsteps of Jesus - prayed - celebrated Holy Mass in historical locations - their faith - strengthened - the Bible coming alive.  

Deacon Dale 

Wandering Pilgrims

I believe most of those who read this blog know that I - along with my wife - lead pilgrimages. We do an annual local pilgrimage to Chicago - sometimes Wisconsin - Indiana - for a local senior group - in addition to international locations. We have gone to Italy three times - Poland two times - Spain two times - Israel two times and are currently recruiting people to visit Israel - The Holy Land - for a third time.  We began leading pilgrimages back in 2010 and by the end of 2018 will have led a total of ten pilgrimages in eight years. In addition to religious pilgrimages - last year I arranged a two week trip for family to Italy for a group of fourteen and while in Italy arranged and hosted a family reunion for forty people. Every one of these experiences has been different - rewarding - fun.  The one issue that always pops up - those who stray from the group - have a need to explore on  their own - want to wander on their own for self exploration.  This is wonderful when people are confident enough to have the desire to wander on their own in a foreign country - a headache for those who lead  the group - no knowing where all their people are. We have never lost anyone - all eventually gathered back into the group - safe to continue the journey.  We begin our Lenten journey as a group - eventually drifting away from the large group events - often wandering off by ourselves - doing Lent - our way.  Although the entire Church is in the Season of Lent - individual members - encouraged to - wander - seek - search - find - that which will bring them closer to Our Lord.

Arlene at Western Wall - Ladies Section - Israel

God created people as a group of individuals - different colors - body types - nationalities - language - likes - dislikes.  He calls us as a group to draw closer to Him - His Son - Jesus. Not all hear His call - not all who do hear His call - respond. He encourages us to wander - under His umbrella of love - to experience all that He has for us - as individuals - as a group - to grow - this Lent - in Holiness.

Deacon Dale 

Stations.....

The interesting thing about stations - usually fixed - one location - normally always there.  Buses - trains - taxis - all have stations where they usually meet persons - looking to go elsewhere.  The transportation industry - providing the service of helping people to move from one point to another - normally in a reasonable amount of time - usually on a specific time schedule.  Without these stations - persons would become helpless - paralyzed - in their attempts to move on in life.  Going to work - school - church - movies - dates - family events - stalled without the system of stations and schedules.  In Lent - usually Friday evenings - the Stations of the Cross - a journey of time and space - defies the normal concept of time - moves persons from past events - towards future goals.  Praying the Stations of the Cross - most importantly - moving hearts - minds - souls - on a journey - closer to Jesus - His suffering - closer to God.

The Church offers all people the opportunity to take this special journey - to participate in the Stations of the Cross - every Friday - sometimes more often - as a special way to move themselves - spiritually - from whatever point they are at - to a better place - closer to God.  This Lent - join the crowd at any church you can find - Fridays - as scheduled - on your journey - closer to Holiness.  All aboard.

Deacon Dale 

I Have No Idea

Yes - you heard it - I have no idea - a comment made so often it almost deserves an acronym - IHNI - but how to pronounce.  There is noting wrong when somebody says - I have no idea - just catching them at an odd moment when they cannot focus on the question - asked about something of which they have no knowledge.  If asked - almost everyone would admit to making that comment.  Who - me - what - where - when - why - clueless - in that specific moment.  Lenten devotions sort of fall into that category - pray what - read whom - go where.  

God has to have a good laugh at the things that we worry about - things of no consequence - when much more serious matters are at hand.  Gun control - second amendment - rights versus privilege - good versus evil - heaven versus hell.  The later are the questions  that we should focus on - where are we going - when will we get there - what is our final destination - all good things to contemplate - especially this Lent.

Deacon Dale 

Failure To Thrive

Failure to thrive - in very simple terms means that someone - something - is not growing as expected.  This term is used frequently with newborn babies - in particular those born premature - very much underweight - frail - fragile - unable to feed on their own.  Usually an I.V. line is placed so the infant will receive adequate nutrition.  Without the proper nutrients - all living things will die.  Babies - not the only persons who are at risk - also - teens - adults - seniors.  When food and water are withheld - the body suffers.  The same goes for those intangible things that help lives grow - faith - and especially love.  When love is removed from  the daily diet - persons feel lost with no purpose in life - become confused - worry invades their lives - emotions run wild - feelings of abandonment surface - a sense of hopelessness enters their lives. This obligation to nurture falls on everyone - primarily - parents - children - spouse.  Parents nurture children when young - children nurture parents in old age - spouses nurture each other throughout their entire relationship. When anyone fails to meet their obligation to nurture those to whom they are obligated - relationships fail - one or many - will become - physically - emotionally - starved. 

God sends His love to each of us daily - for our personal well being - for the well being of others.  His love is not for our benefit alone - He expects us to share - give His love away to others - a gift to be re-gifted - time and time again - not only when we feel like it - rather constantly.  If we want to be nurtured by God - then we have to give His love away - otherwise His love to us - will dry up - stop.  In Lent we focus on God's awesome love - His gift of His Son - His Son's gift to us - on the Cross. 

Deacon Dale 

Dilly Dilly...

The Budweiser people came up with an infectious mantra for their recent advertising campaign - the key words - Dilly Dilly.  The ads were silly - made people laugh - encouraged copycats - even our pastor got the bug - an avid Eagles fan - Philly Philly.  Finally something funny - with good taste - getting people to smile - laugh - together.  In Lent many people do not find much to laugh about - somber faces - ashes - penance - guilt - sorrow - not the joy one would expect from people being cleansed of their sins - being brought closer to God - finding new life - new ways to live good and holy lives.

The Church never intended the season of Lent to be a burden - beating people up - causing anguish.  Lent is probably the most misunderstood season in the Christian calendar.  A season of deep spiritual reflection - looking into our very souls - finding things that should be eliminated - removed from our lives - seeking ways to help us grow in holiness. In Lent - God - Jesus - stand by waiting to help - encourage - heal - forgive - reconcile.  One has only to ask and  they will be  there at your beck and call. Dilly Dilly 

Deacon Dale 

No One Alone

It came to me during morning Mass today - as Father Anthony delivered a very impassioned homily - begging parents to become - parents - to live up to their call as - Christians - to put down the electronic instruments of distraction - to connect to their children - to more closely monitor their children's use of technology.  He likewise begged children - to drastically decrease their - screen time - time spent on their phones - computers - televisions - to discover the real world surrounding them.   His plea - for families to become families again - without technology - to eat meals together - without the distraction of - devices - to gather outside - without devices - to engage - fresh air - outside activities - each other. His plea - the result of the Florida shootings - aim to put the blame exactly where it truly belongs - as I said a few days ago in my post - WE THE PEOPLE - have caused this.  We have been lured - lulled - into a group of lazy - technologically drugged individuals - mesmerized - by the capability of what is possible to do that was not available just a few short years ago. Technology - designed to help - promote - better lives - new advances - enhanced education - has been hijacked by Satan who has turned electronic devices into - addictive drugs - to dull our senses - to tear us away from each other - from the real world - lured by the promise of a virtual world - inhabited by - 1143 friends - who we have no idea who they are.  WE THE PEOPLE - guilty as charged - have left people who are hurting - alone - abandoned - turned our back on those - most in need of our attention - begging for attention - love.  My new mantra - NO ONE ALONE - no reason for anyone - young or old - to feel alone - unloved - abandoned.  WE THE PEOPLE - need to immediately notice those on the sideline - left out of the game - pushed into corners - alone in darkened places - as if they have no value - no worth.  Beginning now - I urge everyone to make it a point to notice the misfits - the troubled - the lonely - to engage them - to help them to feel that they are not alone.  Each one reach one - the world will start looking better in no time.

God created us to be men - women - family - community - to live - love - laugh - together - looking after each other.  In today's Gospel - Jesus - transformed before His disciples - revealing His glorified body - showed His disciples His true nature.  This Lent - allow yourself to be transformed - not physically - rather spiritually - to connect yourself - to others - those also struggling with life.  Your Lent will be the better for it.  Jesus - always with us - always there to offer a hand up - leaving NO ONE ALONE.

Deacon Dale 

Going For Gold

For the last two weeks many eyes focused on the 2018 Olympics - the games - the athletes - the results. Going for gold - the focus - settling for silver - bronze - the reality for many.  The majority competing - going home empty handed - not losers - by any standard - a winner without a medal.  Just being good enough to be able to participate in the winter games - an awesome achievement - being rewarded with a medal - the frosting on the cake.  In Lent - too many people approach this season - as if it were a competition - something to be beat - mountains to climb - adversaries lurking at every corner - turn - along the path. The Lenten experience is a journey - traveled at one's own speed - a path walked alone - even when in a group. The prize at the end of the journey - holiness.

We are all gold - in God's eyes - everyone a winner - nobody a loser.  No matter what we do during the 40 days of Lent - no matter how many - how few efforts we accomplish - all of us will be gold in the eyes of God.  It is not quantity - how good - bad - it is the fact that we entered the season - trying - seeking something - to grow in holiness.

Deacon Dale