Laundry Day

When I was growing up many families had a laundry day - major effort - washing and drying the clothes.  Mom had a fancy washing machine with a roller wringer operated by crank on top of the washer to squeeze water out of the washed clothes - excess dripped back into the washer.  Once wringed out - everything taken outside to hang the clothes on a line - to breeze dry in the outside air.  It took a fair amount of time since washing clothes back then was only semi-automatic and still involved a fair amount of effort.  Drying clothes outside - worked great in warm weather - not so good in cold.  On cold days or in cold months - laundry lines in the basement - to accomplish same thing - minus the sunshine and fresh air.  Today doing laundry - for most - completely automatic - throw clothes in washer - move to dryer - fold and put away - all within footsteps of other daily chores.  Ultimate goal - either way - to end up with white whites - bold clean colors. 

When a person first comes to God - to meet Jesus face to face - there is no need to clean up your life first. First step - most important is to acknowledge God - Jesus as Lord of your life. Once you encounter Christ - He will clean you - where it matters - inside - in your heart - mind.  No need for soap or water - Jesus will give you Living Water - His Holy Spirit - then things will begin to happen. If your Lent has revealed - dust bunnies - dirt - in your life - then let Jesus do the cleansing.  He is mild and pure in heart.- your laundry day with God - the first day of the rest of your life.

Deacon Dale 

Cleanup In Aisle 7

We have all heard that voice calling from the sky - cleanup in aisle 7 or whichever aisle has been destroyed by a wild child or careless customer.  Usually not a matter of just one can rolling around on the floor - more like an army troop just came through - tank and all.  A major mess that needs to be taken care of immediately to avoid customers slipping - falling - their shopping rushing to a halt.  Sometimes the result of a poorly constructed tower of cans or boxes - more often the result of someone who doesn't know how to properly handle a shopping cart - running straight into someone's beautiful - creative display.  One can only wonder - how - why - who.

In Lent each of us constructs an action plan - how we will "do" Lent - when - where - how - listing goals to be accomplished - enjoying small achievements along the way. The best laid plans of mice - men - often go astray - in a major way.  False starts - wrong turns - poor scheduling - all parts of a failed plan.  All - resulting in - frustration - disappointment.  We are now in the  third week of Lent - plenty of time to regroup - start over - write a new plan. God does not expect quantity - quality of efforts - a much better barometer of what we have accomplished.  If you are one who is coping with a poor start - relax - there is still plenty of time to have a fruitful experience.  Trust in God - say to yourself - Jesus I Trust in You - It will be just fine.

Deacon Dale 

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