Down Not Out

Right now the entire world is fighting a battle with an enemy that cannot be seen.  When most people are called to fight - arm themselves - prepare for battle - they know what their enemy looks like - where they live - their strong points - weaknesses.  This battle - not like any normal battle. As big - as strong as we may be - nothing to compare when fighting microscopic enemies.  Our strength - our knowledge - our intellect - our faith.

Throughout history - many battles fought - won - lost - by people all over the world.  Some large - some very small.  In all battles - always a winner.  This current battle with Corona Virus - not our first - not our last.  We may be down - feeling subdued - not out.   We have not lost - we will not lose.  In all battles - time determines the final winner.  A few days left in Lent - our 40 days in the desert drawing to a close.  When Jesus was ready to leave the desert - His battle with the Evil One - never gave up - walked away - to fight another day.  Like Jesus - we too will walk away from this battle - like Jesus - victorious - as long as we remember - with Jesus at our side - we may be down - not out.  

Gone MIssing

The one thing I hear the most from Catholics during this pandemic - shelter at home - how much they miss Holy Mass. In particular - receiving Holy Eucharist. It has been estimated that perhaps only one-third of Catholics believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. In simple terms - that the Bread and Wine have in reality been turned into the Body and Blood of Jesus. Very few believe in transubstantiation - the changing of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood. The majority treat communion as a - symbol - something representing Jesus. Unfortunately more Catholics believe in purgatory - than the Real Presence. Some think this has happened because almost all Catholics have Protestant friends whose belief in Communion is different from that as Catholics - communion - a symbol of Jesus. Thomas Aquinas is one of the first to use the term transubstantiation - when the "substance" of the Bread and Wine is changed into the "substance" of Jesus' Body and Blood. . This is called faith - when visible proof not available. It is interesting that believing in the Real Presence or not - does not make a difference in the fact that it is missed.  So for a few weeks we have been denied receiving communion - imagine when - according to Father Frank O'Dea SSS - Congregation of The Blessed Sacrament - a period from the fourth century on - Christians were reluctant to receive the Body and Blood of Christ. A new kind of vocabulary of awe and fear was attached to the sacred mysteries. This situation was not reversed in any significant way until the early twentieth century with the letter of Pius X urging frequent communion. By the thirteenth century the reception of communion had become so rare that the Church made a law that everyone must receive communion at least once a year. That such a law should be necessary indicates how poorly the Eucharist was understood at that time. Thankfully - through better catechesis - our understanding has improved such that a majority of Catholics now receive Communion almost weekly - some daily.  

Not being able to receive Communion - a special sacrifice for the faithful - pales in comparison to the sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross. In our diocese - typically on this Monday - the bishop would bless the oils used during the liturgical year - Mass not happening as normal.  Social distancing - disrupting all liturgical celebrations during Holy Week.  As mentioned - our sacrifice small in comparison to what the entire world is experiencing.  The Blessing - Eucharist is still celebrated daily - our participation will return in time.  When that day does come - when we are able to once again attend Holy Mass - when we can once again be offered Holy Eucharist - we will be able to respond with our hearty - Amen!

Deacon Dale 

And So It Begins

Today - Palm Sunday - Passion Sunday - marks the beginning of the holiest week of the liturgical year.  Holy Week - all the significant celebrations that brings Lent to a close - leads us to the three holiest days of the year - the Triduum - finally Easter - the Season of Easter that follows.  This week when the bishop blesses the oils used thought out the year - renews his commitment along with his priests - to serve the Church with their entire being - promising to pastor the flocks they lead - when deacons and religious and the laity promise their obedience - heart felt service to the community of believers - the celebration of the institutions of Holy Mass - Holy Eucharist - the Priesthood - the washing of feet - New Life in Christ.  This is the week  that will be - when the Elect professes their belief in the Holy Roman Catholic Church - receive Baptism - Confirmation - Holy Communion.  This is the week when all this should happen - this year - 2020 - the year of the pandemic - putting almost all of this on hold - liturgical celebrations limited to a few who will live stream - to be viewed by the masses - denied the blessing of attending in person.

For probably all of us - the first time - Holy Week - without us in attendance.  To most - an extreme sacrifice - nothing to compare with the sacrifice Jesus made on the Cross - for all of us.  He came for all - many received Him - but not all.  He came to offer us life - life filled with His Grace - not all accepted His Gift. He carried our sins onto the Cross - He endured a fate that none should experience.  This Easter as we feel denied of the graces of Holy Week  - may we be united with Him - Our Lord and Savior - in this once in a lifetime - Easter Sacrifice.  He has endured - we will also endure.  In God - in Jesus - we trust.  It is all in His hands.  Jesus We Trust In You.

Deacon Dale 

Who's God?

It is not unusual for people to argue who God belongs to - as if He is some sort of possession.  Is He a Catholic God - Protestant God - Jewish God - who can claim Him as their god?  In truth He is everyone's God.  This is made very clear in Ezekiel when He says "I will be their God, and they shall be my people".  When He said that - the Christian Church had not even been started.  That was spoken to our ancestors - the people of God who would much later come to recognize Jesus as the Son of God - the Lord of Lords.

As a Christian it is so important that you do not worry about claims by some people that they have exclusive rights to God.  We know - without a doubt - He is our God - Jesus Our Savior.  As we look forward to Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem with Sunday's celebration of Palm Sunday - we rejoice that we are privileged to stand on the wayside - to wave palms - with all the others - who claim Jesus as their Lord.   He is my God - I belong to Him - who do you belong to?  Jesus We Trust In You..........

Deacon Dale  

Tending The Garden

Almost everyone who has a home has some sort of garden to manage.  It might be shrubs - flowers - winding their way around the house - perhaps decorative trees to provide shade.  Those with enough property - often have a separate garden set to the side in which they grow whatever their hearts desire.  Flowers - herbs - vegetables - pretty plants to admire - food to eat.  Whichever garden is planted - needs attention if it will become the garden of one's dream.  Tilling - weeding - fertilizing - irrigating - combined together - insures a fruitful yield.

During Lent we are asked to look at the garden of our lives - what grows in our minds - hearts - what needs attention - what is doing well.  Spending time in prayer - contemplating those things that need work - seeking answers to self improvement.  For those of faith - an easier job than for those with no faith.  With faith - Jesus stands at one's side - guiding - urging - helping to first recognize - then fix what may be needing improvement.  His love is the ground that your faith is planted in - His Holy Spirit - the water that rains down from heaven to nurture the seeds of faith - planted in His love.  As this time of Lent comes to an end - the time to harvest - those seeds planted - now a full grown crop - very near.  A few days more - harvest time.  Now is the time to finish this task - prepare to meet Jesus - face to face at Easter

Deacon Dale 

Rock Of Ages

When we were little kids there would be occasions when an argument would break out between each other.  As in any argument - disagreement - the first tools of battle - words - words carelessly thrown about like balls - sticks - stones.  When words were not enough - actual sticks - stones - whatever was nearby.  Many of us remember the mantra - sticks and stones may break my bones - words will never hurt me - a taunt that physical objects could inflict pain - but words were just words - not fatal in a fight.  So it is as adults that fights start with - words - arguing one point against another - a debate - in most cases a verbal conflict - frequently settled through negotiation - discussion - peaceful resolution.  In those rare moments when peaceful resolution not attained - the argument escalates.  Once escalated - the conflict may become physical - hand to hand combat - worse case scenario - actual battle - war.  Never a winner in war - losses rarely justify the win - peaceful resolution preferred. 

Jesus was frequently the object of anger - those in power - afraid that He would take their power - control - away from them.  In today's Gospel Jesus - once again - in a dispute with some leaders - losing a debate about Abraham - in frustration picking up stones to throw at Him.  Makes one think - for over two thousand years we have not progressed  beyond throwing stones at each other. In this period of Lent we need to reflect - contemplate - those things that caused us to become angry - throw rocks at others.  If recent - now a good time to reconcile - if an old conflict - never too late to say sorry - resolve old conflicts - use those stones to build - rebuild relationships - with family - friends - God.  

Deacon Dale 

A New Normal

Really - this is the new normal?  I certainly hope not - there  is no way that what we are currently experiencing can be called normal.  Isolation - empty grocery shelves - paranoid people all over the place - those who are preparing - those ignoring - no way is this normal.  This is chaos - disruption to what life is suppose to be.  What we are experiencing is a battle - life against death - rational against irrational - brilliance against ignorance.  

This is not the life that God has planned for us - He is not the one who caused this problem.  People - who made mistakes - bad decisions - misinformation - the ones - creating - stirring the pot of confusion - fear.  Worry is not of the Lord.  In John 14:1 Jesus told us "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me."  In these days of fear - confusion - focus your eyes on Him who saves you - He will not leave you an orphan - He will not leave you alone.  In strength - as people of Hope remind yourself and those around you - Jesus I Trust In You - Amen 

Deacon Dale 

Protecting Our Homes

Everyone who owns or rents a home - apartment - always purchase insurance to protect their dwelling - possessions.  In addition to insurance many add home security systems - burglar alarms - cameras - so they can monitor their places.  On long trips - many notify neighbors - family - to help watch over their home while gone.  It is not being paranoid - rather prudent - part of being a good steward of what you possess.

In these days of the pandemic - the same goes for adding an additional level of protection - calling for the blessings of God to wrap your home in a bubble of protection.  In the Hebrew Scriptures in Exodus 12:23 the Israelites were told to put blood from the lamb over the top and sides of the door frame so that the Angel of Death would pass over their homes and keep everyone inside safe when he was seeking the lives of the Egyptians who were oppressing them. In a similar vein - as Jesus - the Lamb that was slain - we are suggesting that Christians place the image of the Divine Mercy on the outside of their front doors - in hopes that Jesus will protect those homes from this illness - to Seal the Doors.

We pray - Jesus I Trust in You - that by Your Precious Blood - You will protect all who live inside our dwellings.  If you need an image to post on your front door one is available from the Marian Fathers at https://www.thedivinemercy.org/DivineMercyImage  It is free and you can print on your home computer. 

Deacon Dale 

Who Do You Trust?

In today's Scriptures from Daniel and today's Gospel the focus is on rightful judgement.  Who are those judging - what are the claims - what is true - false - who stands to gain from the final decision.  One does not have to be an official judge - plaintiff - defendant - to be involved in situations that require inspection - discovery -  final decision.  Most of us will frequently be called upon to - pick a side - listen to the arguments - come to a decision.  Our days begin with the decision process - what time to get out of bed - what to wear - what to eat for breakfast - do we eat breakfast or skip it - where to go - what to do.  Luckily the majority of our decisions do not involve legal matters - rather personal choice - how to arrange our day.  On occasion - we might be called to add our voice in helping others to come to a decision.  Rarely do we become involved in legal matters - serving court duty. In all these matters - it comes down to who do you trust - can you make your own decisions - do you need help from others - better informed - wiser people.

In matters of faith - we only need to look at Jesus - to trust in His words - instructions - to live a good - proper life.  As our role model - Jesus showed us how to live - how to act.  In today's Gospel - He did not see the point of stoning the woman to death because of her sins - rather he offered His forgiveness - told her to go - sin no more.  He offers that same judgement to all of us - although sinners - we should not dwell on what we did wrong - rather learn from our mistakes -  move on with our lives - not repeating what was wrong.  As our time in Lent draws to a close - we need to trust that we have been learning how to be better people - to move from sin - into grace - with Jesus walking at our sides.  Constantly reminding ourselves - Jesus I trust in you.

Deacon Dale 

New Beginnings

How many times in your life have you wished that you could start over - go back to the beginning - make different choices - walk a different path.  If we were completely honest - most of us would say yes - begin anew - chose a different career - different life - take the high road - the path less traveled.  The majority - life experiences - not always as we hoped - careers that never developed the way we expected - lives that were a constant struggle - choices made - too many disappointments. At this point in the world - many world leaders - now regretting bad decisions - watching their citizens dying of an illness - earlier wrong decisions - ruining the lives of many.  Doom and Gloom - Hope on the horizon.

For the past three Sundays all the Scriptures have focused on the anticipation of Easter.  We have focused on water - light - new life - the baptism liturgy - celebrated with those anxiously looking forward to Baptism - Confirmation - Eucharist.  The culmination at the Easter Vigil - when the Elect - would become new creations in Christ - new members in the Christian Community of the faithful.  For them - us - a chance to return to Go - on the game board of life - finishing our Lenten experience - renewed - energized - filled with faith - that in the end - all will work out for the good.  In anticipation of our Easter celebration - we continue our walk - with Jesus - always at our side - towards a new beginning.

Deacon Dale