How Do I Love Thee..

Elizabeth Barrett Browning penned the sonnet - How do I love thee, let me count the ways. In fourteen lines she spelled out her thoughts on how to love - ending with - if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. These first few lines are quoted very often - most not realizing that she brought God into the picture at the end.  All of us love - in various and different ways.  We love different things - people - pets - jobs - sports - music - the arts - money - God.  Sad to say when asked what they love all too many will mention those listed above - usually leaving out God.  Love is an intangible that cannot be seen - smelled - felt - touched - a feeling that evades some - a decision by most - held only in one's mind - heart. In today's scripture in Hosea 6:6 we are told - For it is love that I desire - not sacrifice.

Continuing our Lenten journey - we should all spend time meditating on these words - what  it means - God desires love - not sacrifice - especially when we are asked in Lent to give up - to sacrifice.  When we give up - do we long for that which we are depriving ourselves - more than we love God?  Are our sacrifices seen as a punishment - for what we have done wrong - or a gift to God - showering our sacrificial love upon Him - His Son - reflecting on God's gift to us in Jesus - the sacrifice He made of His Son - that we could be set free from sin - to live a life of fullness.  When God looks into your eyes - does He see sadness - the loss you feel of your sacrifice - or does He see the love that you have for Him? God alone posses agape love - a love unknown to humans - a love that forgives everything you ever did - will do wrong.  When He looks into your eyes - heart - will He see how you love Him?

Deacon Dale 
For it is love that I desire, not sacrifice,

With Our Eyes

Our eyes are one of the most fantastic organs in our bodies - how they function - the intricate structure - elements - that work together to allow us to see the world around us. With our eyes we can see others near us - the blue shades of the sky - the green of the grass - the browns of the desert sands - the reds and yellows of the flowers.  As much as they allow us to see - they are also the windows to our hearts.  Looking into the eyes of another person - allows you to see into their heart.  The best example is your dog - look into a dog's eyes - all you see is love - a reflection of your love for them.  How we see - what we see is different for each of us. 

In the picture above what did you see - the bright sun in the sky - a glare in your eyes - uncomfortable - painful?  Did you see the mountains in the distance - rising upwards- touching the sky - reaching into heaven - offering hope - peace?  Did you see the garbage cans lined up on the street - filled with the trash that burdens people's lives - the sins cast aside in the hope that God would send His celestial garbage crew to remove from their home?  What did you see - what did you think you saw - what was the reality of the visual captured in a picture?  In Lent we need to look with our hearts - not our eyes - we need to see the truth that is in each of us - that we are precious in the eyes of God - God who sees  into our hearts - knows us better than we know ourselves.  In Lent - we pray - for ourselves - for others - for peace - for hope - for life eternal with God.  Jesus calls each of us to open our eyes - hearts - to all that we have been given.

Deacon Dale 

Sunlight

Depending where you live you may be experiencing a lot of cloudy days or as we are in Arizona - mostly sunny days.  Our time out here this year has been very different from previous years - cooler than normal - more rain days - lower activity level.  For the most part - even when temperature is lower - there is still a lot of sun.  The sun not only gives us brighter days - also adds to the comfort when outside.  Sunlight - everywhere - a gift to almost everyone - boosting one's mood.  Arizona seems to have a lot more happy people than other parts of  the country - possibly due to the fact that there is constant sun.  No seasonal affective disorder here - happiness prevails among most.  

In these days of Lent as we reflect on our lives - what we have done - things ignored - what we should have done - things we could have done - those that we might do - we pause and ask - was that selfish - sinful.  The answer depends on you - the situation - circumstances.  So many of us tend to beat ourselves up - not helping enough - not spending enough time in prayer - not fasting as often as others.  As we reflect on all these concerns - we look to the Son - the light He brings into our lives.  God did not create us so that we would be unhappy - sad.  Rather as Jesus reminds us - He came that we might have life and live it to the fullest.  Even when the days are cloudy - God sends the Light of Jesus to each of us - reminding us to rejoice - to bathe ourselves in His Son's light.

Deacon Dale

Keeping Faith

The majority of people have various levels of faith - about different things. Faith that their favorite sports team will win the game - faith that their family is a happy unit - faith that their job is safe - faith that so many things will remain the same - improve in the future.  Faith is an intangible thing that cannot be seen - felt.  Faith may be lost - gained - in a moment. In today's scriptures we are reminded - hear - observe the statutes - decrees - teach your children - honor - keep the commandments - life will go well.

Yes we are in unprecedented times - everyone concerned about Coronavirus - completely afraid - scared - some laughing at it as if it is a fake concern.  For the first time in our lives - church services cancelled - weekend Mass - banned - large groups discouraged. In all this we are still in the early weeks of Lent.  Even though we need to be concerned about the pandemic - we also need to be concerned about our spiritual lives. We cannot allow this virus to consume our every thought - we need to pray - trust in God that we will emerge from this season of Lent - stronger in our faith - trust in God.  Jesus is the ultimate physician - we pray that through Him - this world will be healed.

Deacon Dale  

Size Matters

There is a lot of concern about many things - for those trying to observe a faith filled Lent - always the concern of what to do - when to do it - how much is enough,  Prayer - fasting - alms giving - how many times to pray - what prayers - how much to fast - what to avoid - making donations to help others - where to draw the line.  To each of the above - depends on the individual - their circumstances - wants - needs.  No two people are alike - no one situation exactly like another - to each - the answers - only apply to them - up to them to make that determination.

Jesus said if we had faith the size of a mustard seed - very tiny compared to other seeds - we could move mountains - do amazing - wonderful things.  All He asks of us during Lent is to focus on our personal relationship with Him - His Father.  The time we spend - place - completely up to us.  No right answer - no wrong answer - as long as we just do it.

Deacon Dale 

When Will This End

It is very hard this Lent to focus one's mind - spirit - on spiritual exercises - when everyone is being bombarded from all sides about the Coronavirus.  Unfortunately there is so much misinformation - guessing - experts - amateurs - selfish - greedy - people looking to scare - make a quick dollar - it makes one's head spin.  In the midst of all this - precious time wasted - better spent quietly - doing constructive things.  Reading - meditating - praying - being quiet - all better uses of time. 

Worry is not from The Lord - a tool of the devil - disrupting otherwise peaceful lives.  Right now too many worry - when will this end - will I be infected - will I survive.  We have gone through this before - survived.  Some did not make it - those same people - those who were in the process of dying anyhow.  All of us begin the dying process the day we are born.  We are born to die - no one immortal - most live fairly long lives.  When will this current virus be a thing of the pass.  The cap is just off the pen - the ink has not yet started to run.  It will be months before life returns to normal - in the meantime remain - people of Hope.

Deacon Dale 

Bonus Post - Social Distancing

This new terminology - social distancing - what is the fuss?  I see a lot of people - complaining that large venues have been banned in light of the COVID19 pandemic.  The President - Governors - Mayors - all mandating - social distancing.  The outcries - unbelievable - conspiracy - government regulating our lives - our freedoms - unfair!  That is what my children would often say as mom and dad would lay down the rules - rules to protect them - keep them safe - healthy.  They were only children - did not have the knowledge - experience to know what we knew - thus the cry - unfair!  I find it unbelievable that in this day and age - knowledge readily available - adults - those who think they are adults - crying unfair.  I am no stranger to large events - most recently standing with 200,000 strangers - waiting to see Pope Francis at the Vatican.  Did I really want to be in that crowd - did I really want to find the right spot - get close to the Pope - did I really think that the other 199,999 people added to my experience - No!  My preference - one on one - nobody else around.  When we attend sporting events - how many people do we interact with - maybe a handful - why the need for a crowd? Bottom line - the need to feel involved.  If large groups were allowed right now - the spread of COVID19 would be monumental - the affect - mass deaths - all because we had to be there - to be a faceless number in the crowd.  When those deaths - many unnecessary - added up - we should stand trial as being involved in one giant mass murder.  Sure - you didn't get sick - but you got the virus - unknown - no symptoms - carried it home to your children - spouse - parents - to the neighbor recovering from surgery - immune system completely comprised - and you brought the virus to them even though they were observing social distancing. In spite of their efforts - your selfishness - caused their premature death.

Although you may miss the game - party - gathering - you will miss your mother more.  Think about it - this will pass - in a few months hopefully - all may get back to normal.  Until then - follow the guidelines - practice social distancing - stay safe - not just for yourself - for everyone else around you.

Jesus I Trust In You
Deacon Dale 

Living Water

Today's Gospel is about Jesus meeting the woman at the well - the one who had numerous husbands - the current man in the house - not her husband.  By all rights - most would condemn her - Jesus doesn't.  That should be reassuring to those of us - who sin less - commit small sins - or so we think.  As people of God - disciples of Jesus - none of us is immune to sin.  The world is a giant bowl of potato chips - each chip - a sin of a different flavor.  As the saying goes - you can't eat just one - same goes for sins.  When considering what is sinful - the list so long - it has no end.  If I sin against my wife by disrespecting her and you - is that one sin or two?  If the sinful action is the same but applied to multiple persons - how many times have I sinned. If I lose my temper and in anger shout curse words at someone - if I sneak ahead in a line - which sin is worse.  In Proverbs 24:16 we read - a righteous man sins seven times a day - so essentially we are doomed?  Tracing our roots back to the Torah - it was common knowledge that none of mankind was perfect - even a righteous person - sinful.  Recognizing that we are all imperfect versions of a perfect God - we struggle with sin everyday.

Jesus recognized the woman at the well - just as he recognizes each of us.  He knew she was sinful - he knows we are sinful - to her - to us - He offers us His healing power - to atone for what we have done wrong - to avoid the temptation to continue to sin.  As we remove one sin from our lives - another appears - another to be reconciled with - to be healed - to move on - like a powerful stream of water - flowing over us - cleansing us of our imperfections - His Holy Spirit - the Living Water of the Gospel - constantly being poured upon each of us - washing us free - to New Life in Christ.  Today thank Jesus for seeing your sins for what they are - imperfections in your life - that need to be washed away - to purify all of us - leading all to the Joy of Easter Resurrection - new life in Christ.

Deacon Dale 

A First Time For Everything

Never in my lifetime - yours - did we ever think the Catholic Church would cancel Holy Masses - especially on the weekend - a staple for all involved.  When I read that Italy was closing everything - except pharmacies - grocery stores - during this pandemic - I never thought that would happen in America.  In large cities on the east coast - in the midwest - churches closed - this weekend.  In the Chicago area - hundreds of churches closed.  It is understandable - wise - difficult - decision by the bishops - seeking to help stem the spread of the Coronavirus COVID19.  Better to miss church services - than irresponsibly - assist in the early death of parishioners - neighbors - friends - family. 

As Christians - we claim to be people of Faith - people who trust in God - people who believe Jesus' words - that He came that we might have Life - live it to the fullest.  Missing a church service - will not kill us - figuratively - literally.  God is much larger than that - He commands us to Love Him - Worship Him - Serve Him - never said it had to be in a church building - never said it had to be in a crowd - never said that we had to put our own health at risk - to Honor Him.  As committed Catholics - Christians - the Temple where we first worship Him - in our Hearts - Minds.  If we can't - don't worship Him - in the Temples of our Bodies - then all other worship - meaningless.  Jesus told us to Worship - with our whole - Mind - Heart - Soul - in the Temple that we call our body.  First and foremost - worship - begins at Home - in our bodies.  Worship continued in community - in buildings - churches - secondary.  Gathering each weekend - Sunday - as the Body of Christ - a reminder to all of us - we are not alone - we - as disciples of Christ - a visible witness to Him - the Author of Life.  Even when not in the parish church - our visible witness remains.  For  those without a church this weekend - there are many services televised - live streamed via computers - phones - tablets.  You will miss Holy Eucharist - something that many take for granted - for those who really understand - a very special sacrifice - this Lent.

Deacon Dale 

Rolling With The Times

There are always a ton of distractions during Lent that get in the way of our best intentions - work - family - illness - emergencies - helping others.  It is inevitable - if it can go wrong - it will.  In spite of all this - doing Lent properly - still possible.  All it takes is minutes - not hours.  Prayer time does not have to be hours - minutes count - seconds matter.  What is important - prayer period.  The Sign of the Cross - a prayer. A quick Hail Mary - Glory Be - Our Father - prayers that carry more power than hours of words.  Jesus I Trust In You - speaks volumes.  

Life is filled with so many challenges - making time for faith matters - one of them.  Avoiding panic buying during virus pandemic - another.  If people would hoard up prayers as much as they hoard toilet paper - world would be in better shape than currently is.  This too - will pass - Heaven - will not.  Faith in self - others - Jesus - worth more than all the toilet paper in the world.  There are options to toilet paper - not to Jesus 

Deacon Dale