Baptism - Infants & Adults

This Sunday we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord - a feast that I find difficult.  The issue - since it so closely follows on the commemoration of Jesus' birth and the feast of the Holy Family - many rush to assume that this celebration is the baptism of the baby Jesus.  The truth - from last Sunday to this Sunday - we have jumped ahead in time by some 32 years!  The baptism we celebrate is not of the infant - rather the adult Jesus - baptized in the Jordan - by His cousin John who proclaimed - it is You who should be baptizing me.  Many question the significance of John baptizing Jesus - the One born of the Virgin - the One without Sin.  Why would Jesus subject Himself to this baptism?

Jordan River - Yardenit Baptism Site 2018 

God never asks us to do anything that He - Jesus - would not do Himself - anything - except die on a Cross.  That alone was reserved for His Son.  In proclaiming the Gospel message to His followers - Jesus used many examples in the parables that He spoke.  In preaching redemption - in instructing the masses of people - Jesus showed by example - although unnecessary - how simple it was to be baptized - to renounce sin - to enter into a relationship with God the father.  As a role model - Jesus - showed all how and what to do. Even today - through Holy Scripture - inspired preaching - humble actions - Jesus teaches us - all of us.  As we celebrate the baptism of Jesus - each of us needs to reflect on our own baptism - what it means to us - what we have been called to do - to live out our baptismal promises - to be priest - prophet - king - to proclaim the Gospel - wherever we go. 

Deacon Dale  

Eureka!

Literally Eureka - a Greek word - means - I have found it.  Very often exclaimed after a long and arduous search.  Many search for various things - knowledge - wealth - love - answers to life's most difficult questions.  Often the answer sought for - right under one's nose - not as difficult as originally thought.  Too often these answers made more difficult by those who assume most questions have complex answers - whereas - rather very simple in reality.  In that moment - an eureka moment - an epiphany - an opening of one's eyes to the reality of this simplicity.  

Any sudden inspiration of any truth being revealed - an epiphany moment.  Such was the experience of the Magi who followed a star - revealing the Child Who Was To Come.  Some  epiphanies - divine - others more worldly.  Most people have experienced an epiphany - an unexpected discovery of any truth - real love - love for another - love by a God who created them.  The Church celebrates the Epiphany - the revealing of Jesus - to the Magi - to us.  As we grow in Faith - begin to understand our relationship to God - to Jesus - we experience another epiphany - that we are also children of God - brothers and sisters - of our Lord Jesus.  With this knowledge - we are all called to celebrate - share this knowledge with all we meet.

Deacon Dale 

Changing Times

The end of one year - the beginning of a new - a promise of better - for everyone.  No matter how bad or good 2019 was - it is now past history - done and over - in the history books.  Many currently making new years resolutions - others - still coping with the year that was.  Most looking forward to a new and better year - others still clinging onto the disappointments - failures of 2019.  What is - is.  What was - was.  Now the time to let go - let God - moving faithfully forward.

No matter who or what promises were made that failed - God never fails.  As we begin this new year - as people of faith - we go forward - eyes open wide - looking forward to the blessings of a new year.  With God with us - we will accomplish awesome things.

Happy New Year
Deacon Dale 

Holy Families

This Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Family which was very fitting - the Sunday following the commemoration of the birth of the Christ child.  A birth - a man and a woman - the beginning of a family.  Jesus - Mary - Joseph - role models for all families - an example of what a new family might look like.  Clean linens - comfortable bedding - nursing care - inside away from the elements - a definite advantage for modern families compared to the conditions for the Holy Family.  

God blesses all families - the basic foundation of the communities of the world. Language -  ethnicity - climate - location - cultural differences may all vary - the basics always the same. Food - clothing - protection from the elements - all necessities of life. Even with differences one common denominator required - love.  Love shared between individuals - between families - between communities.  In God's eyes - all families are Holy.

Deacon Dale 

Buon Natale - Feliz Navidad - Merry Christmas

Briefly - Merry Christmas - to everyone.  It does not matter if you are a Christian or not - the Celebration of Christmas touches everyone in one way or another.  I pray that however - whenever - wherever - your life is touched - that you recognize that it is the Hand of God - you are feeling.  God is always present to all of us - it does not matter what style of worship we practice - God is always here.

In this special Season of Christmas - may God's loving presence fill your life!

Deacon Dale 

Counting Down

Rocket launches - wedding dates - arrival of a new baby - starting a new venture - job - changing careers - all share that countdown until you actually begin.  Justly then we countdown the hours now until the official celebration of Christmas begins -  awaiting that time when we commemorate that moment in time when Heaven touched the Earth - when God was born among us - Emmanuel - the Christ Child.  Very soon - early this afternoon - into the early - late evening -  celebrations around the world - celebrating that moment.  As moments in time that need to be celebrated - this is that one moment that rises above all others.

Just the thought that God - all powerful - almighty - would lower Himself - to become one of us.  Thinking about it - causes a mountain of emotions to rise up inside - to a point that one must explode - in tears of joy - happiness.  It has already happened - but every year since -  that same emotion - catches most of us in the magic of that moment. Angels bending near to touch the Earth with their music - announcing - that Jesus Christ is born.

Deacon Dale 

May The Fourth Be With You

Yes it is here - the Fourth Sunday of Advent.  What seemed like ages ago - here already - lighting the fourth candle on the Advent wreath - this fairly short fourth week of Advent - ending quickly this Wednesday - as we celebrate the Birth of the Christ Child - Celebration of Christmas.  However - as liturgical seasons come and go - we should always be in a state of preparedness - waiting - for Jesus' Second Coming. We have been told over and over than nobody knows the day or the hour.  He might come again in the Fall - Winter - Spring - Summer - really any time of the year - definitely - the day we breathe our last breath.  No matter what we are enduring - celebrating - coping with - He may come.  Knock Knock - it's Jesus.

Time and again Jesus reminds us the He loves us - His Father loves us - Both - forgive - want to heal - always seeking to make us whole - if only we let Him. It is never too late to stop and review your individual life - what you have done - what you are doing - what needs correcting - made better. Most people - in good condition - minor improvements necessary. No matter where you stand exactly - you are in a good place - making changes very easy - if you only invite Jesus into your heart - let Him work in you.  Giving up - in this case - one of the best things you can do - let go - let God.

Deacon Dale 

Why I?

Recently I was asked what is the "I" in the "I Of God" - what do I mean.  It is very simple - when I write my posts - I write as an individual - not we - them - us - they - only - I.  It is my thoughts - musings - feelings that come to me.  No church - no parish - no official party to whom I owe anything - except - God.  For all I do - say - speak - think - I pray that all is acceptable to God - to Jesus - my Lord.  Let me make it very clear - I am a Christian - baptized as an infant - by my father and mother.  He the son of a Methodist minister - she an inactive Catholic.  Dad firmly grounded in his faith - Mom - turned off from her faith by a mean spirited nun - closed mind - closed heart - damaged my mother's faith.  It stayed that way until dad's premature death - dad dying as a son of God - mom - still questioning until one eventful day in the hospital - when a Catholic priest - with the love of Jesus firmly embedded in his heart - reconciled mom to her faith - her God.  I never met him but whoever he was - thanks - long over due.  When mom died - she died with her rosary and renewed faith.  I have always believed - never not believed.  I have questioned - argued - wrestled with God - but when His hands are so large that He holds the world in them - when His heart is so large that He easily forgives any sin - you just have to give in to Him - accept Him for what He Is - what He has done - what He will do.  Throughout my life I have had moments when times looked bleak - I never gave up - never gave in.  In my mind - heart - I have always known that He is there - standing at my side - even in my darkest hours - even when I chose to do things I shouldn't - He has been there.  I cannot think of a single moment when I thought He abandoned me - He has always been there - still is.

All  that I am - I owe to Jesus - to God - His Holy Spirit.  At my lowest moments - when I feel over looked - not allowed to do what I do best - I know He is there - allowing me to rest my head on His shoulder - sharing my disappointments - sadness.  Luckily - for whatever reason - those times - moments -  have been few and far between.  God has blessed me with a strong faith - a beautiful loving wife - sons that respect me - challenge me.  Today I paused and experienced a moment of sadness - my father's birthday - gone for 57 years now - he would have been 113 years old  - 57 years sharing in the glory that God promises all of us when we join Him in Heaven.  Today - although a bit sad - filled with the JOY that we look for during Advent - when we pray - Hope.  I have been blessed with a marriage that has been a constant joy for over 50 years now - 31 years blessed as an ordained Catholic deacon - looking to many more years of both.  I am the I - in the I of God - me and no one else.  What you read is me - my inner thoughts - mostly for myself - also for you who read these musings - the fire of God burning strongly in me.  I pray that you know Jesus as I do - if not - I invite you to seek Him - He is everywhere - anywhere - you need Him to be.  Praying that you too may see yourself also as the - I of God.

Deacon Dale

Not My Monkey

Not my monkey - not my circus - same as - not my rodeo - not my bull. The Third Sunday of Advent - too many people not engaged in Advent - even at this point.  For two weeks now we have been trying to focus on our lives - what we have done - what we have to do - to be better prepared for that day when the Lord will come again - end times.  Advent is a Season of Waiting - so no surprise that so many are doing exactly that - waiting. Waiting to start - waiting to make changes - waiting to improve - doubtful that the end is near.  No one knows when that day or hour will come - eventually - through the course of natural events - the end of the world - all of us will experience a point in time when our life will end. Being prepared for that end - fully engaged - making changes - not my monkey - not my circus - your concern - not mine.

The end has been prophesied so many times - no one cares anymore.  Certain dates - come and gone - nothing happened.  I dare say that in between those prophesies - many people have died - left this earth - for what?  Heaven?  Hell?  Nobody knows for sure - we can only hope.  To that point Advent is really a Season of Hope - Hope that God is real - that Jesus really is God - that God - Jesus loves us - forgives us - heals us - leads us - to an eternal existence of future joy - peace. In Advent we wait and hope - nothing more - nothing less - it is - our monkey.

Deacon Dale 

Second Verse Same As The First

The Second Sunday of Advent - same drum - same drummer - the story has not changed.  For the second Sunday we have been reminded that we need to be ready - awake - for none of us know the day - hour - when Christ will come again.  The time to be prepared has passed - it is basically now or never.  We have been called - that celestial bus is on the way to pick us up - the route has been cleared - the roadblocks have been removed - time to shower and clean up has passed.  Time to stand at the door and wait for His knock.  John the Baptist has warned us - over and over again - prepare the way of the Lord.  Unfortunately too many have closed their eyes - ears to the words of warning.

For those who have listened - redemption - for  those who have ignored the message - not heard the words - a dangerous place to be.  The reality - that bus may not come for years - or it might come today - bottom line - none of us know.  We pray for ourselves - for others - for family - friends - that they will have time yet - to prepare themselves.  For us - best to worry about our own lives - trust in God that He will - in His Divine Mercy - grant the rest the time needed for themselves.   

Deacon Dale