Pool Party

Almost everyone loves a pool party - gathering with friends - enjoying - music - food - lively conversation - celebrating all the gifts that life gives us.  Sharing successes - hopes - best wishes for each other.  There is something special about water - people become energized when close to water - spirits lift - smiles grow across faces - joy bounds in hearts.  Once in the water - a feeling of comfort - surrounded by the warmth - coolness - the freedom that water provides.  Our bodies are mostly water - depending on age and gender - anywhere from 55% to 75% water.  It is the water in our bodies that facilitate so many body processes - keeping us healthy - refreshing our souls.

In today's Gospel Jesus comes across a man crippled - attempting to crawl into the pools at 
Bethesda near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem. As the water would stir up - those in the pools - healed of their afflictions. Not a pool party as we call it - a party of people - all seeking the same thing - a better life - healed of their infirmities.  I have been at those pools - no longer filled with water - a dried memory of the history of that place - the Spirit of God - still strong - running freely - as water flows - among those now gathered in prayer - reflection.  As we continue through these days of Lent - the Elect - those looking forward to their baptism at Easter - now a questionable reality.  With no Easter Masses scheduled - when will they be renewed in the waters of baptism - when will we be renewed in our hearts - as we observe water being washed over their bodies?  Eventually - it will happen - at a day - a time when all will be healed.  Just as Jesus told the cripple - pick up your mat and walk - He tells us - be strong in faith - cast your fears aside - pick up your head - walk into your future.  He will be at our side.

Deacon Dale 

Shelter In Place

With the current pandemic - fear - contracting the coronavirus - new terminology - words to inform us of proper activity.  The newest - Shelter in Place - to isolate one and their family - in a familiar place where they may be safe.  For most this place is their home - apartment - house - supplied with food - comfort items - bedding.  In this morning's Scripture from Isaiah 65:17-21 we read that the Lord is in the process of creating new heavens - a new earth - that things of the past shall not be remembered. It continues that there will be new joy - crying no longer.  For all of us going through this pandemic - those words are very applicable to our present situation.

Casa Del Camino "Fortress of Solitude"

Many people view Lent as a time of giving up things to be regained at Easter - no permanent sacrifice - very temporary - at best.  In Lent the true focus should be on making ourselves - new creations - discarding bad habits - sinful activity - walking away from our six week Lenten retreat - a new creation - no longer burdened with the problems - sins of our former life.  As we observe - Shelter in Place - in Arizona you may notice in the above photo that our home - as well as all  the homes here - are surrounded with cinder block walls - separating us from each other - from the community.  Once we enter the door to our home - we are completely isolated from everyone around us.  In our new - Fortress of Solitude - we spend our days of Lent - alone - reflecting on everything happening.  Lots of time for prayer - meditation - allowing ourselves to be alone with each other - with God.  When we emerge - we pray that we are better off - spiritually - emotionally - physically - learning all that God wants us to learn - experience - just as Jesus did - in His 40 Days in the desert. Praying that this Lent you Shelter in Place - with Jesus.

Deacon Dale 

All Eyes and Blind

Our eyes are one of the most interesting organs of the human body. From birth until maybe the age of 21 years our eyes continue to grow - increasing in size by only a few millimeters.  In appearance they appear to remain exactly the same size as birth - a few additional developments do occur - not visible to the naked eye.  With our eyes we can see almost all the colors of the rainbow - visual acuity - clarity - provide us with very clear vision - ability to see all of God's creation - the world around us.  Over time - issues may develop - our vision declines - the ability to see diminishes as we age.  In today's Scriptures the focus is on sight - not seeing as God sees - rather as humans tend to see - looking only on the surface - judging a book by its cover - failing to recognize the light of God - dwelling in the darkness of their sins - blaming an infirmity - blindness of an individual on their or their parent's sinfulness.

As Christians - as Children of God - Disciples of Jesus - we are called to see much deeper than our humanly vision allows us to see. We are asked to look into the hearts - souls of our fellow humans - to not judge by their outward appearance - to see in them - the person that God has created them - us - to be.  Casting aside our preconceived notions - prejudices - we are asked to see that all of us - are the same - seeking the same things - looking for that which fulfills.  On this Fourth Sunday of Lent - we are called to open our eyes to the great possibilities that exist among all people - to seek Jesus - in His Words.  This Sunday we will not find Him in Holy Eucharist - churches closed to all because of the current pandemic.  Denied meeting Him in Holy Communion - we must take in His Words - all that we see around us - to know that He - the Lord of Lords - the Author of Life - is with us.  In Faith - we see clearly - that - which we cannot see.

Deacon Dale 

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