Lent #16 - Tiny Houses

In our free time we enjoy watching the HGTV show Tiny House Living - focuses on people trying to minimize the size of their home - minimal financial burden - compact life style inside - allowing for a larger life - outside the home.  It is educational - listening to the logic of the buyers - justifying what they need to dispose of - what to keep - to be able to fit possessions in their new tiny space.  The process forces buyers to prioritize what possessions are important - how they may be able to live a life - meaningful - with less distractions.  In Lent we are asked to make a similar effort - to scale back what is necessary to live a meaningful life as a Christian - eliminating the distractions present in all lives.  In our spiritual homes - that part in our minds - souls - space devoted to time with God - often become cluttered with worldly concerns.  In Lent we take time to - clean our spiritual homes - remove that which distracts - helping us to focus on what really is important in our relationship with God.

Jesus told us that He came that we might have life - live it to the fullest. (John 10:10).  That does not mean that our lives will not be filled with distractions - good - bad - growth comes from experiencing all facets that life gives us.  In bad - sad - times - we learn - just as we do in good - happy moments.  It is up to us to discern - that which we hold on to - that which we discard.  Our spiritual homes confined to our physical bodies - the space in our mind - soul - that we have made space for Jesus - His teachings.  With Jesus' help - each one of us can put our spiritual house - our tiny house in order.

Deacon Dale 

Lent #15 - Teach Me To Pray

One of the most common comments from those who have newly started to develop a spiritual life - have entered catechism classes - preparing for baptism - confirmation - Holy Communion - please - teach me how to pray.  Most often various prayer books placed in their hands - told to read - learn - an assortment of prepared prayers.  This gives them approved - popular - prayers recited by many.  Adding common prayers normally prayed during Holy Mass - adds an additional assortment of common prayer.  Once comfortable with these - next step - teaching how to create - pray their own words - directly from their heart - free form - personal words - spoken to God.

When Jesus' disciples felt comfortable journeying with Him - as their personal relationships  developed to a deeper level - finally  they asked Him - teach us how to pray.  This obviously something people have been seeking ever since prayer - talking with God was discovered. For Jesus - taught as we do - starting with the Lord's Prayer - not in a booklet - rather straight from  His heart - now the most common prayer known to Christians.  In Lent our daily exercises - observances - always must include prayer.

Deacon Dale 

Lent #14 - Learning Tolerance

Tolerance is not something that everyone has a good handle on - in fact - something that majority have to develop.  Unfortunately - most of us have been raised with certain - attitudes - ideas about - some types of people - activities - driven by - life experiences - ancestors who lived before them.  Some attitudes go back generations - compounds the difficulty of changing attitudes - learning how to become tolerant.  In order to develop tolerance - takes time - getting to understand - accept - differences with which you are not familiar.  Prayer helps when seeking to become tolerance - accepting those with different beliefs - customs - experiences.

Jesus came to help mankind with those issues and many others.  When God created mankind - intent was peaceful co-existence - sin changed all that.  Today we have a big problem with numerous ideas - ways to live - that challenge many beliefs. In these confusing times - best to give to God - go deep into prayer - ask Him to help you understand others - their different beliefs - that you may come to understand - accept them even when their beliefs do not match yours.  Often others beliefs may be different - not necessarily bad - wrong - just think - act different because of their lived experiences - how they were raised.  With God - Jesus - at your side - all things are possible - even becoming tolerant of others.

Deacon Dale 

Lent #13 - Father Forgive Us

Once we have said our - YES! - need to continue the journey to - living a life fully as a Christian.  Study - worship - prayer - acceptance - tolerance - all parts of who a Christian is.  There are many challenges along the road on this journey.  One of the hardest is forgiveness.  Too often many feel that past behavior - so bad - severe - God will not forgive them.  Others have that worked out - readily accept the Father's forgiveness - unable to do the same for others who have harmed - hurt them.  In those situations - I recommend people say the Lord's Prayer - really stop - think - what they are saying in that prayer - especially - Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.  In that prayer we are asking God for forgiveness in direct relation to how we forgive others - if we cannot forgive someone - we are telling God - since we are not willing - He should treat us in the same way - definitely not what we really want - hope for.

Luckily God will forgive us any sin - none too big - too little.  His Divine Mercy - completely beyond our understanding - comprehension.  If He who is - Lord - God Almighty - can forgive even the worst of sins - who are we - unwilling to forgive others.  As followers of  Christ - those who seek to do as He did - to follow His example - who is - Lord - God - then we must - no option - forgive all who have harmed us - even before they ask.  For some this may take great effort - with Jesus at their side - very possible.  This Lent - consider someone who you have not forgiven - if that is a situation in your life - ask Jesus for the strength to do - as He has done for you.

Deacon Dale                                                                                                    

Lent #12 - Just Say Yes

The Second Sunday of Lent - today's scriptures remind us of God's promise to Abraham to bless him if he did as asked - in the second reading we are reminded that if we are to be faithful to the Gospel - there will be difficult times that we must endure - the Gospel reminds us of the  transfiguration of Jesus before the disciples' eyes.  These scriptures assure us that if we listen to God - do as he asks - are open to transforming events in our lives - that all will work out for  the good of all.  That is the key - things will not work out just for us - ourselves - rather all - people near - close to us - people we have no idea that they exist.  Blessings abound not only for us personally - for all mankind - who are to follow.  

We have all been told through Holy Scripture - various ministers of the Gospel - in media - by others around us - every week when we attend worship services - God loves us - Jesus died for our sins - that we have been granted salvation - there is a life beyond this present existence - so what are we waiting for?  Time to say - YES! - time to make that commitment - no reason to wait.  For all those who came before you since the beginning of time - for those who will follow - say - YES! - commit to that - get on with your new life in Christ.  Now is the time to improve on that - YES! - which you said before. Time to say - YES! - if you have never done it before.  You do not have to be with out sin - you do not have to do anything right now - except commit to Jesus. The rest will follow - cleansing of heart - knowledge of God - understanding - all flows rapidly - quickly into your life - the life of  those around you - once you make that statement.  Jesus I trust in you - Have mercy on me a sinner -  bless me with your Holy Spirit - fill me with your love - acceptance - that I may spend this time in Lent - growing closer to you - rejoicing in the - YES! - you said to your Father - on the Cross.

Deacon Dale 

Lent #11 - Pray Without Ceasing

In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Paul says to pray without ceasing - never stop - never give up on your prayer - be constant - stubborn with your prayers.  That does not mean that you should avoid other tasks in life - rather - even when doing everyday activities - do those in a prayerful way.  When driving on a congested road - pray for patience - when helping others - pray that your efforts - glorify God - in everything you do - with all that you help - make those efforts - a form of prayer.  

Jesus showed His disciples that prayer was key to their relationship with His Father.  In this season of Lent - our number one task - drawing closer to God.  The best way to connect - communicate with God - through prayer. When you take time to improve your prayer life - expand the time spent in prayer - learn new prayers - include more people in your prayer intentions - your prayers become deeper - fuller - add more substance not only to your prayer life - also the life you are seeking to live.  Consider these days of Lent - your prayer workshop.

Deacon Dale 

Lent #10 - Going Beyond Hugs

Yesterday I suggested that if you were a serious committed Christian you would embrace Jesus.  I suggested - one only had to be serious about their faith - commit to Jesus - His mission on Earth.  That is an excellent way - to start - many more opportunities - exist.  One can focus their attention on God - Jesus - Him personally - other persons may be included.  The old neighbor next door who cannot shovel their driveway - cut their grass - drive to the store - unable to attend Church services - Holy Mass - all mean giving up personal time - investing your time - attention on others.  Others - who in Jesus' name -image the Lord - the One you wish to serve.

Too many people spend too much time - majority of their day - in Church - on their knees - in prayer - worshiping God - when so many people - those they can physically touch - hug - offer assistance - are ignored. Jesus told us that He came to serve - not be served (Matt 20:28) - yet opportunities for service to others ignored in the name of worship. Do not get me wrong - all should spend a sufficient time in worshiping God - that time balanced with Christian service.  This Lent - perhaps as part of your Lenten journey - you may find time to add service hours into your Lenten plans,  In doing so - you just might find Jesus.

Deacon Dale 

Lent #9 - Embracing Jesus

One of the greatest experiences in life - a good hug - even better - a great hug.  When God created humans He not only gave us arms to take care of ourselves - also ability to wrap around others - to draw people into our inner circles - to feel their physical closeness - a warm embrace - their presence.  As children - majority of us felt those embraces by parents - siblings - family.  As we grew - those who were allowed to enter into that private space - increased.  In those embraces we experienced - closeness - support - intimacy - love.  As we journey through this season of Lent - one goal - draw closer to God - His Son - Jesus.  Some may have already experienced that - many others - still on  the outside - wondering how to make that happen for themselves.  

Since the beginning - God has made Himself available to anyone who listened to His voice - a voice freely shared with all - not all bothered to listen.  For those who did listen - not all responded to His message.  To those His Word - became flesh - Jesus - who walked among them - made Himself available to all.  For those who sought Him - those who developed a close relationship - able to experience an honest embrace in His arms.  That same possibility exists today - not physically - but in a very personal way - if only one seeks Him.  The challenge this Lent - move your heart  - mind - closer to that of Jesus - to experience that special embrace.

Deacon Dale  

Lent #8 - One Down More To Go

Congratulations - you have completed your first full week of Lent - one week ago you were reminded that 'You are dust and to dust you shall return" as ashes were placed on your forehead.  That evening or perhaps the next morning the ashes were washed off - life returned to normal - or did it?  Did you go home from church with a renewed perspective on your life - where you were going - making plans for your personal Lent journey - or - nothing changed except the fact you attended a Lenten service.  Many people go out of their way to receive ashes - only to leave their observance of Lent at that one experience.  Perhaps you are one that takes the Season of Lent seriously - becoming involved with all that the Church makes available.  Now as we begin the second week of our journey - what are your plans - where do you see yourself in six weeks - at the foot of the Cross?  There are numerous options that we may take - and in that regards - a very personal decision.  For me and my household....... 

Jesus calls each of us - as individuals - to draw closer to Him - improve our personal relationship with Him - with His Father - to commit for the first time - recommit for the fiftieth time - or more.  Every day that we open our eyes - another chance to improve that relationship.  Every day we can make amends - take corrective action - improve upon that which we already have.  Every day we can say "Have Mercy on me Lord - a sinner".  Every day Jesus says to us "turn away from sin - be faithful to the Gospel".  Every day we can celebrate new life - will  this be that day for you?

Deacon Dale 

Lent #7 - The Desert Experience

When we hear that Jesus spent 40 days in the desert - most ask - why?  Presumably the desert is devoid of all life - no people - no plants - no animals - nothing living.  Being in the desert - living in the desert - like being in a vacuum - total silence - no distraction - ability to concentrate - focus on your thoughts - prepare for a future event.  The desert however not totally devoid as suspected - life actually abounds if one knows where to look.  For Jesus - the desert experience gave Him an opportunity to separate Himself from the distractions of life that all experience.  Each year my wife and I withdraw from our normal lives - withdraw to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.  In that time we are able to eliminate many of the daily distractions of our lives - focus on the quiet - the beauty that exists in our desert.  In the Sonoran Desert - unbelievable beauty - life abounding in the various species of animals - colorful plants - unique rock formations.  In that quiet we have identified our special - Prayer Rock - a secluded place where we sit in prayer - facing the East - opening our minds - hearts to God. In that space - we draw close to Our Lord - Savior.

                                 Desert Beauty -   Flowers on a Saguaro Cactus in Sonoran Desert 

 
For those who seek - prayer space available - one only has to take time to locate their special space.  In that sacred space - be it in a desert - on the back deck - in a tropical space - a silent room at home - all may place themselves - in the presence of Jesus.  You pick the space - invite Jesus in - and the rest will  happen.  The quiet - peace - beauty - flows freely as you experience the solitude with Our Lord.  Seek and you will find - a gift on your Lenten retreat.

Deacon Dale