Who Would Be King?

For so many people  - the most important thing in their life is to be the head person - the leader - the chosen one - president - to be King.  To them it does not matter how they achieve that goal - devious action - lies - schemes - manipulating the truth - no shame in falsely attaining their top dog status - as long as they become King.  Once at the top - once King - they rule with themselves only in mind.  A true King rules with compassion - seeing the value - importance of those below them.  A false King - blind to all others - seeking only that which is personal gain to  them.

In the movie - The Lion King - the King's brother - filled with jealousy - conspires - eventually  seeing his brother die - falsely placing the blame on the King's heir - essentially banishing him from the pride - that he may take his brother's place as the new king.  As in  other stories -in this vein - the brother eventually pays the price for his schemes - evil actions - with his own life.  The banished son - the heir apparent - rightfully crowned King after enduring much hardship.  Moral of the story - to be King carries a great responsibility of caring for others - not one self.  As the Son of God - Jesus - heir apparent - crucified - tortured - left bloody on the Cross - now rightfully - King of Life.  To know the King is to serve the King - not for self - rather for others - in serving we bring life in the fullest to those who need it most.  All of us are called to be modern disciples - servants of our Lord and King - Jesus Christ.

Deacon Dale 

Blindsided

You know the scenario - you are having a discussion with someone or perhaps you are involved in an activity - when out of the blue you are either physically or emotionally attacked with no warning.  One minute you are having what you believe to be a friendly casual conversation - when suddenly something is either spoken or your mind realizes that you are being attacked.  The worse part - an accusation made - no chance to face the accuser - no chance to rationally discuss the situation - from some previous months.  Judgement has been made - no witnesses - no defense - tried - convicted - decision made.  What most rational people would call rushing to a conclusion without listening to both sides - unfair - unjust -completely justified by the one before you.  Conversation closed - no further discussion allowed. 

That is a little bit what we heard in today's Gospel - be ready - be prepared - you never know when final judgement will be made. At least in the Gospel - a warning given.  Those who hear and understand - given the time - the courtesy of preparing themselves - modifying their lives- so everything may be in order.  God is just in His actions - unfortunately - many people are not.  Luckily being blindsided by another person - not usually a critical event - more of an insult due to their lack of empathy.   When something important is about to happen - God sends His messengers - gives a sign - fair warning.  None of us know the day or the hour - so imperative that we live our lives - prepared

Deacon Dale 

Enough Already!

Yes - Enough already - stop it - stop!  In today's Holy Scriptures all three scriptures point to one thing - look at what is above - what is important - not what is below.  In the first scripture vanities refers to all the things that we tend to focus our attention on - both good and bad - how many good things - how many bad things - that we have in our lives - things that may vanish in an instant - in God's mind not of true value.  The second scripture and third continues this exact theme - do not worry about possessions - how many you have - where to store them - what you might do with them in the future.  For - as in the Gospel - we never know when God will call us from this place - and to whom will those possessions go?  In the Gospel ther farmer wanted to build ;larger buildings - in the midwest we love silos - big silos - lots of silos - to store the abundance of our crops.  Some to store - to dry - to prepare before moving to sell.  Others to store our grains - holding for a time when the value of those grains may be maximized.  Farmer or not we all have treasure - treasure stored in various places.  Banks - stocks - bonds - buildings - vehicles - all stored in our personal "silo" where we can sit and admire the physical wealth they represent.  But all of that - no matter how much - has no value in our life as spiritual creatures - as children of God - who cares less about what we have - compared to what we have not.  To God our most important possession is our relationship with Him - with His Son - Jesus.  He wants us to know HIM - to know His LOVE - PEACE - FORGIVENESS - ACCEPTANCE.  If our personal silos are not filled with these things - then we are the poorest of the poor - a sad lot to be sure. I love it when I am in Arizona.  So many days after being so busy - God paints the sky with such beautiful sunsets - a gift for all to see - a painting - saying job well done - enjoy my sky. These are the things that I put in my silo.

Our parish is currently part of the Divine Renovation Project to recreate the Church - through targeted evangelization via personal contact - through use of the Alpha Program - by getting parishioners to stop and refocus their attention on getting to completely understand their relationship with God - and forming a personal relationship with Jesus.  Once accomplished - renewed through the power of the Holy Spirit - better educated - fully understanding what it means to be a disciple in this day and age - all are empowered to take the mission of Jesus into the streets - to anyone who will listen.  In our parish we have seen the fruits of our labors as new people come to join our parish - as neighboring parishes come to see what the excitement is all about - asking us to help them renovate their own parishes to move from a maintenance model of a status quo - to a revitalized model of active evangelization.  Becoming a true disciple of ChrIst is very easy - as long as one focuses their yes on what is above rather than what is of Earth.  Yes - some possessions are expected and fine - they only become a problem when they take our attention away from the One who made them available in the first place.

We all have a "silo" where we store our special possessions - how big is Your silo - and what does it hold?

Deacon Dale

In The Good Old Summertime

In the good old summertime - time tends to get away from all of us.  None of us is immune to time slip.  For myself it appears that my blogging took a brief vacation - too busy with other projects to be able to sit and blog.  I feel bad - sort of - not going to bemoan this - it just is a fact of life.  When the weather is good - to many options outside that calls us outdoors - when the weather is bad - too much to do trying to cope with excessive rain and all those things that come with excess water.  The other - primary reason - for being distracted - preparing for the celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary.  Unlike many couples who choose to celebrate privately - on a cruise - or similar event - we chose to hold a party for the entire family - including all the cousins.  As far as anyone knows - we are the first couple to reach this mark and family members begged that we gather the family to celebrate the fact that one of their own reached this goal.  So we did - dinner and dancing - sharing our story over and over again in the hopes that other family members will be encouraged to stay the course - in good times and in bad - to stick out the rough times - times that no couple is happy about - but did manage to work through them when they happened.  In 50 years - multiple opportunities to make wrong things right.

Happily for us - God has always had an important part in our marriage - He has been with us from the first day of our marriage and continues to walk with us and guide us through the difficult times.  All marriages experience difficulties - deaths - miscarriages - stress from jobs - and more.  God has been there in good times as well as bad.  We could never imagine not having Him close with us in all these years.

Deacon Dale 

Seventy-Two

Seventy-Two is a large number until you divide it by two - thirty-six a more comfortable number to visualize.  Teams of two - counter balance - two stroke - two view points - twin cycles - double vision.  When the gasoline engine was first developed it employed the use of two cylinders - one to counter balance the other. Further developments saw the introduction of the four stroke engine - again - keeping the engine balanced so it would not shake itself apart. It was not until later that a single stroke engine was developed.  In nature many things seem to automatically balance by using the rule of two - front and back - top and bottom - left and right - up and down - in and out.  In Physics - Newton's Third Law states - that for every reaction - there is an equal and opposite reaction. In religion - we profess good versus evil - heaven and hell - Jesus and Satan.  Apparently Two is the Rule of the Universe.  God knew this and throughout history tried to get humans to understand this simple principle - we are not alone.  Even when we think we are alone - we are never alone.  Moses brought two of every creature on the Ark - Adam had his Eve - the sun had it's moon.  It only makes sense that the Rule of Two is valid.

When Jesus sent His disciples out - He sent in groups of two.  Just as in the past - in the time of Christ - so are modern day disciples sent out as two. It is scriptural - it follows the natural course of events - it makes complete sense.  When one forgets - the second remembers - when one becomes tired - frustrated - disillusioned - the second encourages - revitalizes the other - renews the original vision - mission - to keep both on track.  Jesus sent those in two - we do the same today - energized by the fact that in groups of two - we will accomplish the goal set by God from the beginning of time - to tell all we meet and greet - that God loves them - forgives them - wants them to live life to the fullest - to become members of His family - here on Earth - eventually in Heaven.

Deacon Dale 

Excuse Me?

We all do it - make excuses - why we did something - why we didn't - explaining why we did not honor our word - commitment.  We make excuses for ourselves - spouses - children - parents - family - friends - the list is endless.  Every one of us has had at least one time - probably more - when we failed - ourselves - others.  We are asked to commit to an unfavorable project - event - we honestly do not want to do - at least at the moment - so we make an excuse - attempting to put off to a more convenient time. 

That is what is happening in today's scriptures - come follow me - be a prophet - be a disciple - stop what you are doing - to do something - better - more important.  Let me bury my father - although he is not that old and very much alive - let me wait and say goodbye to my family - scattered as they are - years before we can all get together.  God calls - Jesus calls - even prophets call  - yet we make an excuse - not my call - not my gift - not worthy enough - not smart enough - not quite ready to make that commitment.  When Jesus was asked to die for us - even Jesus faltered - Father, let this cup pass me by - then accepting His fate - but Your Will be done.  The One obedient Son - the One who made a permanent commitment - to God - His Father - to US - His brothers - sisters.  When He calls us - can we do any less?

Deacon Dale 

The Real Deal

Today we celebrate The Feast of Corpus Christi also known in Liturgical Latin as Dies Sanctissimi Corporis et Sanguinis Domini Iesu Christi  - Latin for "Day of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ the Lord" -  also known as the Solemnity of the Corpus Christi.  It is on this day that we proclaim our belief of the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist.  The bread and wine once consecrated during Holy Mass - although still appearing as ordinary bread and wine - is no longer as it appears - rather - through the miracle of transubstantiation - has become the real body - real blood - of Jesus Christ.  It is not a symbol - rather the very real presence of Christ Himself present under the appearance of bread and wine.  It is a miracle that most do not understand - many do not believe.  That is when True Faith happens.

As Catholics we believe what Jesus said when He said that we would eat His body and drink His blood - not as cannibals - rather as True Believers - that what we see and what is real - is as different as night and day.  This is what sets Catholics apart from other Christians - a belief - not easily explained - nor believed.  In religion - there are many facets of Faith that exist only because of Faith - no hard evidence - Belief in the unknown - unexplained.  Today - around the world - Corpus Christi processions - taking the consecrated host - the  bread - The Blessed Sacrament - placed in a Monstrance - in the center - for all to see - through neighborhoods - small villages - large cities alike - to reverence - to ponder - the True Presence of Jesus Christ - in their midst.

Deacon Dale 

Three-peat

In sports and many other events a three-peat - a repeat of some win or accomplishment - three times in a row.  To be able to repeat a successful campaign - effort - three times in a row is a sign of excellent.  A triple crown of success - three being the magic number in so many places.  Today the Church celebrates its own three-peat as it celebrates the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity - Father - Son - Holy Spirit - One God - three manifestations.  To clearly understand the Trinity would take pages and pages to explain the theology that makes this understandable - even then - most walk away - still confused.  As faithful Christians - most accept the doctrine of a God with three names - accepting that the Trinity is a Mystery understood only by God .  

As modern day disciples of Christ we accept without question that God does exists in three identities all equal - in the form of the One God.  Rather than waste valuable time debating a Mystery that is difficult to comprehend - we do as Jesus told us - go make disciples of all nations - baptizing in  the Name of the Father - Son - Holy Spirit.  As our lives are transformed by the Holy Spirit working in our own lives - we freely share  this Mystery - this Gift with all whom we meet.  We accept with open minds and hearts - Jesus we trust in You - Your Words - Your Promises - Your Gift of New Life.

Deacon Dale 

Great Balls of Fire

Today is Pentecost Sunday - one of the most significant days of the liturgical year.  Today we remember that day - in time- when God sent His Holy Spirit - down from heaven - upon the apostles - disciples of Jesus.  Ordinary men - women - of little faith - not quite understanding the crucifixion of Jesus - contemplating His command to wait - for - Another - the Paraclete - The One Who Would Empower - to go boldly - where others had failed to venture.  The color of the day is - Red - the color of blood - the color of fire - the color of the Rose - a reminder of Life.  Today - in time - the Birthday - of the Church - the Universal Church of God - centered on Jesus - the Christ.

Just as the apostles - disciples - of Jesus experienced the rush of the Holy Spirit - so may we also.  Truth be told - most of us - baptized - catechized - Christians - have already had the Holy Spirit - poured upon us.  That power laying dormant - inside us - waiting to be set free - to do as commanded by God.  To release that Spirit - to become an effective Christian - to teach - heal - witness - evangelize  - simply speak a simple prayer.  Come Holy Spirit Come - I believe I have received you in baptism - confirmation - Holy Eucharist - the sacraments - come release your power in my life - that I may glorify and serve the Lord - Our God.  Say this prayer - then keep watch for how the Spirit will manifest itself in your life - for your good - for the good of others.

Deacon Dale 

Sabbatical is Over

YES - My short sabbatical is over and I am now back from tasks that kept me away from this blog.  I will not go into detail - leaving the winter retreat - returning home - attending to personal issues with which everyone has - back to writing.  Taking a break from the routine is suggested by so many people - time to take deep breaths - slow the pace - review where one has been - where one wishes to go.  It is now June 1st - not yet summer - but close to it.  Summer chores and tasks waiting for all of us - hopefully - rest and relaxation included in those plans.  Easter season is almost over and next week Pentecost.  Two weeks later - Corpus Christi and many Eucharistic processions to be observed.  

God gives us this time - time so precious - wasted by so many - enjoyed - celebrated by others.  In this time - each of us should reevaluate our individual lives - objectively look at what we have or have not accomplished in the first five months of this year.  Each of us is a promise - to ourselves - to our family - to our community - to the world.  Everyone is a piece of a giant puzzle that we call life - and each of us adds value to the larger picture.  Today is the perfect day to step back and look at that larger picture - ask yourself where is my piece - am I fitting in as I should - do I need to fine tune my presence - if so - ask God for help and everything will fall into place.

Deacon Dale