Lent Day 15 - Holier Than Who?

 OK - let's admit it - those who are always at church - always praying - always talking about their relationship with God - may come off as - holier than thou. The thou - meaning you - yourself. It is not unusual for people to talk about - those - people - gossiping about how many hours - how many devotional practices - how often they are seen - on their knees - in prayer. There is no justification for this kind of criticism - spoken in angry tones - shared with others who hold the same attitude.  In fact - it is none of - your - business - how - they - pray - how often - they - take time out of - their - day to practice - their - devotions. Guilt and justification for your lack of a prayer life - the most common motivator. Everyone has to acknowledge - realize - that a person's prayer life - relationship with God - is theirs and theirs alone. No two people are expected to have the same prayer - spiritual - life. If that were true - we would all be robots - blindly doing the exact same thing.

Just because we have been created in the likeness of God - does not make us God. On the contrary - we are very far from gods ourselves. Psalm 8 tells us that we were made a little less than a god - the difference is our tendency to sin - to do things that separate ourselves from God. Gossip is one - being uncharitable towards others - another. When we look at one's level of holiness - it should be our own level and no other's that we look at. Each of us is called to holiness - to a closer relationship with God. Each of us is an individual and as such - is expected to meet similar but different standards. You cannot put everyone in the same class - category - box. We attain holiness in many and various ways - through different - but similar - devotions. In this Lent when  you reflect on your life - ask your self - holier than who - yourself!  Have you grown over the past year spiritually - have you finally mastered that one sin that separates your from God - are your truly holier than YOU?

Deacon Dale 

Lent Day 14 - Fixie

A fixie refers to a fixed gear bicycle - one gear - sweet - simple. Uncomplicated biking. With a  fixie you avoid the confusion of which gear you should be using - up hills - over rough terrain - cruising - at leisure. Most people who own bikes with multiple gears -admit they rarely use all the gear combinations - rather settle into a routine - selecting perhaps six out of eighteen combinations available. Keeping life easier - especially on long bike rides.

In Lent the Church asks us to do something similar - strip away the excess - avoid the unnecessary - simplify.  For those who give up things during Lent - eliminate unnecessary projects - strip away time wasters - Lent becomes easier. In this time of less things - less projects - more time to focus on self - on Jesus - on God. This Lent why not get a "fixie" for yourself - in your daily routine - strip away everything that is not mandatory - see what God will reveal to you. 

Deacon Dale 

Lent Day - 13 - Green Eyed?

 Ah today - the wearing of the green - Saint Patrick Day - celebrated by much more than just Irish heritage persons.  Saint Patrick's Day originated as a religious holiday  – honoring Saint Patrick -  who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the 5th century – but has evolved into a celebration of all things Irish.  In 1991 - Congress designated March as Irish American Heritage month - celebrations of Saint Patrick's Day date back to the 1600s.  America’s first St. Patrick’s Day celebration was in 1600 in the Spanish colony of present-day St. Augustine, Florida.  Spanish colonial records mentioned a celebration for Saint Patrick in 1600 and the first known St. Patrick’s Day parade was held on March 17, 1601.  The tale of Saint Patrick likely traveled from Ireland to the Americas in the 16th century by way of Richard Arthur, a priest in St. Augustine and an Irish soldier,  The Washington Post reported records of St. Patrick celebrations died with Arthur, but additional records show Irish soldiers in the English military marched in celebration of Saint Patrick in Boston in 1737 and New York City in 1762. Today - even though it is reported than only 1 in 19 claims Irish heritage - over 60 percent of those in the USA celebrate this day with many various celebrations.  The city of Chicago is known to dye the Chicago River - which runs through the downtown area - green each year in commemoration of Saint Patrick. The first St. Patrick Parade began in Boston USA.

St, Patrick Parade in Ireland

It is important to note that the commemoration of Saint Patrick is much more than celebrating Irish heritage - all the parties - festivities - that are celebrated. The deeper connection with each of us - Irish or not - is that Patrick was a man of faith. Also interesting - although considered the Patron of Ireland - Patrick was not Irish - rather of Romano-British ancestry. In simple terms his ancestry came from Roman - perhaps Italian parentage - from his father a deacon - grandfather a priest - and born in Britain. Kidnapped at a young age and taken to Ireland where he lived for six years - escaped - returned to Britain where he continued studies in Christianity begun in Ireland - eventually becoming ordained - returned to Ireland to bring Christianity to the pagans there. The rest - as they say - is all history. The point for us - as we celebrate Saint Patrick today - during Lent - it is never too late to experience conversion - make more of our lives - than they are. Today - wearing our green - a great day to confess - admit that we may have been slack in our observance of our faith - the perfect day to - like Patrick - pick up our cross - become much more involved in our own personal story. Never too late to start a new chapter in the book of our life. With God - all things are possible.

Deacon Dale

Lent Day - 12 - Second Sunday

 Today we celebrate the Second Sunday of Lent - our focus on the Transfiguration of Christ before His disciples. This event not only confused - but also scared - His disciples. Who was this man - who changed before their eyes - did amazing things - unseen by others. I can imagine that you and I would be just as confused - concerned - wondering just what was going on before our eyes - and why. I doubt any of us would just say - oh - a miracle from God - rather - slowly inch away - waiting to see what followed. 

God does not expect us to blindly accept everything that happens right in front of our eyes - there are those who would deceive - manipulate what was happening. That is a lot of what is happening right now in world politics - people - misleading - misinterpreting events - to draw us into their mindset - to make us believe - their truths. Today we heard in the Gospel - watch and listen - great advice for each of us. Using our days of Lent to read - listen - ponder - think - reflect - will bring us to the truth - which is Jesus.

Deacon Dale 

Lent Day - 11 - Barriers

Coping With Barriers

A few years back the HOA in Arizona sent out a request for residents to notify them if they had any issues with property cared for by the association. Like all the homes in Arizona - we have a cinder block wall that surrounds our home and the majority of it is cared for by the association. I notified them that I thought there was an issue with one section which seemed to be tipping inwards toward our property. Happy to report they were out in a matter of a few days to inspect the wall from our side - the community side had been inspected previously and appeared normal. After viewing from our side - decided to tear down a twenty foot section and rebuild at no cost to us. When they did the work they removed the wall - block by block - tearing it down to its foundation - then rebuilding - back up six feet. The entire work done easily in one day - straight in line with the remainder of the existing wall.

As we journey through Lent we are asked to examine our lives - to see where we have built walls - keeping others out - locking sins in - putting up barriers to our relationship with God. Time heals all things - so we are told - and in time - most things are healed. Unfortunately some will not live long enough for time to do its work. As we spend time in prayer - meditation - we need to look inward first - at our lives - our relationships - our walls - before we can start the process of restoration - tearing down - building up. Removing barriers in our lives should be simple - one of the most complicated tasks known to man. Attitudes - feelings - past history - often confuse the real issues. Through prayer - patience - perseverance - walls can be torn down - removed - opening us up to everything hidden on the other side. Need help - ask Jesus - He is awesome at removing - healing all barriers.

Deacon Dale

Lent Day - 10 - Abstinence & Fasting

Abstinence is the self-enforced restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are generally experienced as giving pleasure. Catholics across the world and other religious expressions practice avoiding specific foods during designated holy days and days of fasting. For Muslims - fasting during Ramadan - for Catholics - fasting and avoiding meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays of Lent. Many other religions also observe abstinence - fast days along their specific guidelines. It is not unique to one religion or another - exact restrictions and times do differ among them.

The entire idea of fasting is to empty oneself of earthly desires - creating room - time - in ones life for filling the inner spirit with thoughts of the Divine. As you hunger and thirst for earthly foods and drink - one is reminded that their inner spirit needs to be nourished as well. The emptiness felt in the stomach mirrors the emptiness of ones spirit. The goal through fasting is enlightenment - spiritual growth - touching the Divine. It may not always be easy - end the end - always rewarding. 

Deacon Dale 

Lent Day 9 - Lent Fog

When a person begins to become more deeply involved in Lent in their spiritual life - many things to experience.  New activities focused on a spiritual life - attending church - getting involved in parish groups - Bible study - prayer meetings - volunteering for various ministries. All are good - all take up time - for many - a sudden feeling of over involvement - feeling stressed.  When that happens time to hit the brakes - slow things down a bit.  

Too many people in Lent tend to focus on doing things at church - in groups - projects that take up more time than they honestly have to give.  The truth - being involved at church - with church projects - not necessarily the best way to create the personal relationship with Jesus many seek.  When one realizes they are slightly off track - time to withdraw - go to their personal prayer closet - spend time - focusing on what is really important - looking through the fog - setting  their sights on the Cross - that place where Jesus lives.  For all - Lent is the time to really focus our eyes on Him - The Lord - The One who gives us the eyes to pierce the fog in our lives - to experience Him - perhaps clearly for the first time.

Deacon Dale 

Lent Day 8 - Going Deep

If anyone wants to learn - really understand - anything - requires serious study - research.  In serious research students spend hours getting to the root - basis of their focus.  Too often in Lent when asked a person's Lenten intention - the answer very superficial.   Giving up chocolate - smoking - television - certain activities - interesting - very superficial.  Somebody needs to explain to me how giving up any of the things listed above ensures entrance to heaven.  Except for smoking - that will help extend your life span - how do any of those make you a better person - a better Christian?   These superficial things are easy to identify because these are things closely ingrained in our daily lives.  The real focus - if honest - needs a much deeper look into who we are - our deepest fears - hopes - desires - the things that we would do "if".   If we could do one thing - if we had the money - if we had the time - if we had zero limitations - restrictions - what if.

Prayer done with - no time restriction - no distractions - with the proper mindset - allows all of us to dive deeply into the ocean of our being. In the depth of who we are - in the darkness of our lives - we see who we really are. The promises - the successes - the lies - the failures - the unrealized hopes - the good - bad - ugly. It is at that depth in that darkness - silence - we meet with God. We confess - we apologize - we ask - we receive. This Lent dare to be different. Forget the superficial and dive deep into your soul - with Jesus at your side - holding you in His arms - surrounding you with His presence - His love. Then you will be able to experience that "if" that has always bothered you. Now that "if" is right there at your finger tips hands held together - in deep prayer.

Deacon Dale 

Lent Day 7 - How to Pray

 How to pray - possibly one of the hardest questions to answer. Many people will go to great lengths to tell you there is only one way to pray.  Read the Bible - pray - meditate on individual scriptures.  Pray  the Rosary - ten - fifteen times each day.  Go to an Adoration chapel at a local church - sit in adoration of the exposed Blessed Sacrament - only in total silence - or - only with meditative instrumental music. Go into a totally darkened room - pray in silence.  Only pray in a Church - never just in your home.  Sit on your back yard porch - immerse yourself in nature - pray while looking at the wonders God has created.  So many options - so many - "perfect" ideas.  That is only "where" to pray.  I haven't even mentioned which prayers to pray. That is another whole subject. 

Bottom line - prayer is conversation between God - His people - as community - as an individual. There are so many options available to all who wish to pray. Amount of time devoted to prayer - location - method - words to pray - rote - free form - learned - spoken from the heart. All are correct - none are wrong when spoken in faith. Prayers to God - to Jesus - to the Holy Spirit - to angels - saints - in honest open conversation - all are good. From the simplest to the most complex. Where - when to pray - your choice. What format - your choice. Which prays to use - your choice. All prayer is good - rewarding - when directed to Our Lord. Remember your prayers are your prayers - so do it now - your way. That is the only correct way to talk with God.

Deacon Dale 

Lent Day 6 - Lent Tools

 In Lent there are some tools that we should have on hand to help us on this journey.  A bible - some meditative music - candle - schedule - food - drink.  In our schedule - daily reminders - 10 or 15 minutes set aside each day - time for prayer - time for meditation.  Although we fast - not necessary to starve - important to maintain basic nutrition.  Sitting in a quiet space - dim light - eliminating outside distractions - a simple candle to help one focus - all useful tools.  For those who are new to Lenten practices - these tools may be beneficial.

Even those who are veterans of Lent - quite often may benefit from suggestions - new ideas - concepts on the methods of prayer - meditation.  As we enter our private time - important that we may proceed uninterrupted.  Even religious - priests - deacons - sisters - often experience moments when it is hard to pray - daily concerns - other distractions - often make seeking quiet prayer time very difficult.  Even when the time is found - often minds find it hard to stay focused on prayer - meditation.  For those times I suggest entering a private space - dimmed lighting - soft meditative instrumental music - a single candle to focus ones eyes on.  In time - a minute or two - focusing intently on the candle - looking past the white - yellow - blue - flames that make up that larger flame - looking into the darkness inside the very small blue flame - in that darkness one will find themselves alone in Divine space.  Divine space where we can be alone with God - in that space - peace - quiet - the Holy Spirit draws us closer to God where the two of us can communicate.

Deacon Dale