Walking On Dry Land..

When we read Holy Scripture - often the recognition of walking - on dry land.  The significance - not walking in water - crossing from one side to the other - on dry land - God making the path - easier - safer.  So it was with the Israelites when Joshua led the people over the Jordan River.  In Hebrew Jordan is translated Yarden or יַרדֵן which means to descend - go down.  It was given this name because  the river physically descends downwards to the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on Earth - significant to us spiritually - after we have descended to the lowest point - we move forward with our lives - we ascend - go up on a path closer to Jesus - to God.  Recalling the baptism in the Jordan when Jesus was baptized by John - He first descended downwards as an act of humility - at which point the dove appeared above Him as He ascended upwards to the start of His ministry.  As we were cooling off in the pool at the Arizona house today - escaping the 94 degree temperature - we descended down into the water.  After splashing around a few minutes - I spied a tiny winged creature - a bee - a hornet - struggling in the water - having made a bad decision - seeking dry land.  I gently lifted it up on the back of my hand and carefully set him on the concrete decking surrounding the pool.  I watched for a few minutes - wondering if it was alright - then swam away - leaving Him in His creator's hand.  Later on as we were placing the solar blanket back on the pool - I looked for it - nowhere to be found - hopefully restored to good health.

So many times in our lives we feel like we are lost in a sea of troubles - floating in an ocean of worries - emotions - fearful - looking for some sort of help.  In Lent - not unusual to have that same lost feeling - wondering how we can escape our current feeling of loss - failure.  In those moments - when we need to allow ourselves to descend - give up our self sufficient ideas - admit that we are not a god - that we need help.  Looking upwards to Heaven - we seek the hand of God - Jesus - standing there on the shore of our lives - hand outstretched - saying - Come to Me - All who are weak and tired - I am here for you.  Like my little - bee - hornet - your life has value - meaning - He will help you to ascend to a higher place.  If only - you will ask Him.

Deacon Dale 

Stations..

What would Fridays during Lent be without - Stations of the Cross - a prayerful Journey of thirty minutes or so in which we are led through the meditation of the Stations Jesus endured on His Journey.  The practice of Stations origins vary depending on who you ask.  Originally when people came to realize who Jesus was - The Son of God - The God who came to Earth - the Author of Life - only then - did people wish to pay respect to Him - what He did - what He experienced.  In the very early days - people travelled to the Holy Land - to visit - see - the significant places where Jesus walked - ministered. Specific sites were visited - Calvary - Pilate's House - a few others.  Eventually - The Via Dolorosa - the path that the Roman soldiers would have taken Jesus from Pilate's to the place of Crucifixion.  Starting at the Antonia Fortress to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - a distance of about two thousand feet - with nine specific stations - stopping places - with five additional stations inside the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.  The Via Dolorosa is not one specific street - rather a route involving multiple streets as it winds through Jerusalem. I can personally share - walking the Via Dolorosa - on three different pilgrimages - is a very - spiritual - emotional - experience.  When it became apparent to Church leaders - the majority of Christians would never be able to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem - the concept of building Stations in places other than Jerusalem developed.  Over the years the numbers have varied - finally being set by Pope Benedict XIV in 1742 at fourteen when he exhorted all priests to erect Stations in parish churches and grounds- in order that all the faithful could experience walking the Stations.  More recently Saint Pope John Paul II rewrote some of the Station prayers and added a fifteenth Station. 

Stations in the Sonoran Desert 

It does not matter if one walks the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem - the route has been modified over the years - or if one prays the Stations hanging in their parish church.  What is important is that one acknowledges - meditates - prays the Stations - as a spiritual exercise to draw them deeper into the mystery of Faith. Stations may be prayed any day - week of the year - not just during Lent.  It is there for the faithful to take advantage of - to help - bring Jesus closer to their - mind - heart.

Deacon Dale 

Prayer Time...

When my wife and I walked the Camino de Santiago - majority of our waking hours - focused on the trail - where we were - where we wanted to be - the path - the obstacles.  Our number one priority - our well being - staying safe in a foreign country - following our guide book - staying on a well marked trail - speaking a foreign language that we were not fluent in.  In the large cities - English readily spoken - in the villages - hamlets - no hablo ingles.  Walking in the mountains - valleys - through - the backyard of Northern Spain - in between the thousands of steps - our time dotted with - prayer.  We prayed so many - Rosaries - Divine Mercy Chaplets - free form prayers - that we lost count.  When you have been married to your trekking partner for forty-four years - not a lot to talk about - so prayers flowed like water.  Our basic day - from eight o'clock in the morning until four o'clock in the afternoon - eight hours daily - on the trail.  At a minimum we spent six hours daily in prayer.  In that time as we drew closer to - Jesus - God - we also drew closer to each other.  One giant prayer experience that lasted over thirty days.

Praying Hands & Trekking Poles 

In Lent - if we are very diligent - most may be able to accumulate some one hundred twenty hours of prayer time - over the course of forty days. On the Camino in ten days less - some eighteen hundred hours.  The goal in Lent is to find ways to add more prayer time into our lives.  In truth the goal in Lent - more prayer time - not the number of hours spent in prayer.  All of us are busy - have obligations that fill the hours of our days - prayer time - a luxury.  Adding additional time in prayer - a win - a successful accomplishment.  In those prayers - for ourselves - for others - for specific needs - all excellent.  In prayer - we immerse our minds - link our thoughts - with God.  In those minutes - hours - we connect with the Creator of Life - we make our Lenten experience - meaningful.

Deacon Dale 

Game On..

If you are a fan of baseball - very happy that the extended negotiations between owners - players - finally over.  Games are finally being played again - able to go to the ballpark - enjoy an afternoon - evening - of baseball.  It is unfortunate - millionaires - arguing with millionaires - at the expense of fans - majority who will never be a millionaire themselves.  This is an issue that all of us have to contend with - those with money - too often make their wealth at the expense of those with much less.  Unfortunately - many aspects of life that are not fair - majority - coping as best they can do - accepting - what they cannot change.  Better to move on - concentrate on the really important things in life that are within ones control.  

Finally

Bottom line - our personal happiness - taking care of self - family - friends - the things that really matter in life - where we focus our energies.  Rather than waste - time - on things we cannot change - focus on those we can.  The Serenity Prayer comes to mind - 

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can,  and wisdom to know the difference."  

In life we can focus on our health - physical - spiritual - our occupations - our relationships - family - friends - God.   It is imperative that we do not let things beyond our control occupy our thoughts - actions.  Instead - the truly important things - especially our personal relationship with Jesus - must be our number one priority.  As we continue our Lenten journey - we need to be consistent - diligent - in our efforts to improve as much as we can.  Our focus - not on  the games played around us - rather that which leads us to our eternal life with God - Game on.

Deacon Dale 

Commitment

It is so easy today for everyone to join in - I am here - I want to be counted - I am standing up for all that is right - correct - hear me roar - I am not lying.  Then - almost as soon as the commitment proclaimed - gone - disappeared - cannot be found - lost in the dust of time.  Yes - so many - making proclamations of commitment - gone almost as quickly as their vow professed.  Quickly - loudly - shouting for all to hear - in the next instance - gone.  Fifteen seconds of fame - done - over with.  Best intentions - already in the toilet.  What to do.

In reality - not unusual - so many - best intentions - the busyness of life - getting in the way.  Does  that make one a total loser - sinner - fallen off the path of life - leading to Christ?  God - as mentioned previously - does not expect perfection.  So you have not been able to do as  you intended - all that means is that you did not do all that was intended - nothing more - nothing less.  It does not mean you are bad - just easily distracted - perhaps a little weak in your commitment.  Time to calm down - admit your are - human - normal - easily distracted. Developing a strong faith life does not happen over night.  Even clergy - with many years of experience - stumble fall - on occasion.  It may mean one is down - not necessarily out.  Jesus - constantly at your side - offering a hand - up - helping one back onto the path. Remember you belong to God.  He is your Father - always there - waiting - offering - accepting - no matter what happens.  His commitment to each of us - one hundred percent - even when our commitment is less than perfect.  In these moments - pray - pray again - seek strength - recommit your self to a good Lenten experience.  It is possible - still.

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Deacon Dale 

Paying Tribute

The other night my wife and I attended a performance at the neighborhood high school performance center presented by UPTOWN - a tribute singing group.  Tribute groups typically select a single performer or group - learn their history - songs - all they can - when they perform - usually very similar to the original - very often - as good as the original.  

UPTOWN - A Tribute to Motown

When a person or group of people make the decision to form a tribute group - takes a lot of research - work - practice - before they are able to appear in public.  The goal is not only to provide entertainment - also to honor the person - group - their music - showing honor - respect - for their accomplishments.  When one makes the decision to become a disciple of Christ - requires learning all about Him - The Son - The Savior - The Lord - of Life.  One does not - should not make this decision lightly - committing oneself to living a life - honoring - glorifying - The Christ.  In Lent - we ask our self - do I truly reflect the values proclaimed by Jesus - do my words - actions - thoughts - honor Him - if not - why not.  We have begun week three of Lent - now is the time to get serious - to finalize our plans for a great Lenten experience - to jump in - both feet - mouth open wide - singing praises to God - now - paying Him the Tribute - He deserves - one that we know will surely honor Him.

Deacon Dale 

Digging in..

All those who have grown any type of plant knows that one has to get down into the dirt - getting hands - fingers - dirty.  So many times - plants needing fertilizer - additional nutrients - time - to be given the best chance to blossom.  Getting deep into the project - planting - creating - all success - comes only after serious effort.  In Today's Gospel - a fig tree - barren - no fruit - about to be destroyed - the gardener - asks for more time - to fertilize - add nutrients - give it another chance. 

As we reflect on our lives this Lent - as many challenge us - judge us harshly - failures - weak  - ready to throw us aside - ourselves included - need to remember God does not make junk.  All of us - pearls - sometimes hidden in the soil of life - buried under - sick minds - sick hearts - disillusionment - beat up - beat down - seeking to be fertilized - given that spiritual boost - set back on the path to fullness of life.  As we honestly consider what we have done - what we have failed to do - where our successes lay - we need to realize - understand - in our weakest moments - that is when we need to ask Jesus for help.  On bent knees - hearts in hand - we look up - offer up to Him - our lives.  Take us Lord - as weak as we are - as incomplete as we may be - mold us - make us - into your Divine image.  Jesus we trust in you - Bless us this day and all days - Amen.

Deacon Dale  

Too Weak

From my experience working with people - one comment often spoken - unable to accomplish a task - project - just too weak - unable to get it done.  I am fairly certain that many of us have been in that same boat - get to a point when you feel completely exhausted - mentally - physically.  Nobody can ever blame anyone for having that happen.  There are times - hopefully few and far between - that it is used as an excuse - to stop where they are - being bored - unfulfilled - more attractive option available - just wanting to quit.  

We are now at the end of week two - hopefully not - weak too.  For some - Lent too long - too trying - too demanding.  For those whose faith is strong - just getting energized - excited by the options - possibilities - awaiting them.  Always at our side - Jesus - always ready to step in - help us - with our endeavors.  One has to remember in those times of trials - weakness - when our battery feels run down - somewhat similar to what Jesus experienced Himself during His forty days - in the desert.  He never gave up - ignored the temptations laid before Him by the Devil - as a model for all of those who would follow Him - as disciples.  Jesus - our role model - Our Lord - even today - walking in the desert - at our side - in these forty days of Lent.

Deacon Dale 

Meet Less

Avoiding meat on certain days of Lent - Ash Wednesday - Good Friday - Fridays between these days - routine.  Fridays during Lent takes on a very different aspect from the other days - stricter regulations - typically Stations of the Cross - avoiding eating meat.  Forced sacrifice - more time required for devotions - dietary restrictions - makes one think - why - what is gained - lost.  End of the work week - normally means end of job stress - bedtime brings an end to all weekday obligations.  

During the week - many distractions - obligations - deadlines - fill our schedules.  Our response - to reduce - stress - lighten our load - schedule fewer obligations - meet less.  It has become second nature for Catholics to avoid meat on Fridays - now time to also - avoid unnecessary meetings - gatherings.  In Lent as we try to become holier - draw closer to Jesus - Our Savior - important to put some things on hold - make more time for - our self - God.  Fridays new agenda - meet less.

Deacon Dale 

Rock of Ages

In the desert - lots of things to explore - plants - animals - rocks - many things to contemplate when walking through the Sonoran Desert.  As we hiked through the desert yesterday - flat land - hills - mountainous areas - up - downs - twists - turns - hiking on paths created for mountain bikers - created by mankind - on ground created by God.  Various ways that mountains are created - in very simple terms - rock pushed upwards through the crust of the earth - above ground level - forming mountains.  Most believe this process - estimated - occurred some 450 million years ago - long before people walked the earth. My favorite comment coined by me 25 years ago - flying with family to Arizona - "Mountains are a wrinkle in the fabric of the Earth" - "when God reached down from Heaven - pinched the fabric to create mountains" (©Deacon Dale Metcalfe - August 1994) The rock formations one sees - brings to mind the power of God - the power of Creation - the power of His Love - the power of His Forgiveness.

Sonoran Desert

Jesus told the people - come to Him - all who were tired - weak - worn out from life - stressed - afraid - confused.  He continues that call - even today - especially during Lent.  Jesus reminds us that we are loved - no matter what we have done - have not done.  During Lent we often are drawn to admit - we have sinned - are sinners - guilty on all charges.  Recognizing our sins - need to ask forgiveness.  One of the greatest sacraments available in the Church - Confession - available to anyone.  Some fear their sins - unforgiveable - too serious for even God to forgive.  Reality - no matter how big - grand - serious - the sin - God can - will forgive.  Many fail to acknowledge - God's Divine Mercy - His Love - Forgiveness - Ability to forgive the worst sinner - as long as they approach Him - honestly - with a repentant mind - heart - intention to not repeat that sin in the future.  Jesus calls all to healing - wholeness - holiness - is He calling you?

Deacon Dale