The interesting thing about stations - usually fixed - one location - normally always there. Buses - trains - taxis - all have stations where they usually meet persons - looking to go elsewhere. The transportation industry - providing the service of helping people to move from one point to another - normally in a reasonable amount of time - usually on a specific time schedule. Without these stations - persons would become helpless - paralyzed - in their attempts to move on in life. Going to work - school - church - movies - dates - family events - stalled without the system of stations and schedules. In Lent - usually Friday evenings - the Stations of the Cross - a journey of time and space - defies the normal concept of time - moves persons from past events - towards future goals. Praying the Stations of the Cross - most importantly - moving hearts - minds - souls - on a journey - closer to Jesus - His suffering - closer to God.
The Church offers all people the opportunity to take this special journey - to participate in the Stations of the Cross - every Friday - sometimes more often - as a special way to move themselves - spiritually - from whatever point they are at - to a better place - closer to God. This Lent - join the crowd at any church you can find - Fridays - as scheduled - on your journey - closer to Holiness. All aboard.
Deacon Dale
Yes - you heard it - I have no idea - a comment made so often it almost deserves an acronym - IHNI - but how to pronounce. There is noting wrong when somebody says - I have no idea - just catching them at an odd moment when they cannot focus on the question - asked about something of which they have no knowledge. If asked - almost everyone would admit to making that comment. Who - me - what - where - when - why - clueless - in that specific moment. Lenten devotions sort of fall into that category - pray what - read whom - go where.
God has to have a good laugh at the things that we worry about - things of no consequence - when much more serious matters are at hand. Gun control - second amendment - rights versus privilege - good versus evil - heaven versus hell. The later are the questions that we should focus on - where are we going - when will we get there - what is our final destination - all good things to contemplate - especially this Lent.
Deacon Dale
Failure to thrive - in very simple terms means that someone - something - is not growing as expected. This term is used frequently with newborn babies - in particular those born premature - very much underweight - frail - fragile - unable to feed on their own. Usually an I.V. line is placed so the infant will receive adequate nutrition. Without the proper nutrients - all living things will die. Babies - not the only persons who are at risk - also - teens - adults - seniors. When food and water are withheld - the body suffers. The same goes for those intangible things that help lives grow - faith - and especially love. When love is removed from the daily diet - persons feel lost with no purpose in life - become confused - worry invades their lives - emotions run wild - feelings of abandonment surface - a sense of hopelessness enters their lives. This obligation to nurture falls on everyone - primarily - parents - children - spouse. Parents nurture children when young - children nurture parents in old age - spouses nurture each other throughout their entire relationship. When anyone fails to meet their obligation to nurture those to whom they are obligated - relationships fail - one or many - will become - physically - emotionally - starved.
God sends His love to each of us daily - for our personal well being - for the well being of others. His love is not for our benefit alone - He expects us to share - give His love away to others - a gift to be re-gifted - time and time again - not only when we feel like it - rather constantly. If we want to be nurtured by God - then we have to give His love away - otherwise His love to us - will dry up - stop. In Lent we focus on God's awesome love - His gift of His Son - His Son's gift to us - on the Cross.
Deacon Dale
The Budweiser people came up with an infectious mantra for their recent advertising campaign - the key words - Dilly Dilly. The ads were silly - made people laugh - encouraged copycats - even our pastor got the bug - an avid Eagles fan - Philly Philly. Finally something funny - with good taste - getting people to smile - laugh - together. In Lent many people do not find much to laugh about - somber faces - ashes - penance - guilt - sorrow - not the joy one would expect from people being cleansed of their sins - being brought closer to God - finding new life - new ways to live good and holy lives.
The Church never intended the season of Lent to be a burden - beating people up - causing anguish. Lent is probably the most misunderstood season in the Christian calendar. A season of deep spiritual reflection - looking into our very souls - finding things that should be eliminated - removed from our lives - seeking ways to help us grow in holiness. In Lent - God - Jesus - stand by waiting to help - encourage - heal - forgive - reconcile. One has only to ask and they will be there at your beck and call. Dilly Dilly
Deacon Dale
It came to me during morning Mass today - as Father Anthony delivered a very impassioned homily - begging parents to become - parents - to live up to their call as - Christians - to put down the electronic instruments of distraction - to connect to their children - to more closely monitor their children's use of technology. He likewise begged children - to drastically decrease their - screen time - time spent on their phones - computers - televisions - to discover the real world surrounding them. His plea - for families to become families again - without technology - to eat meals together - without the distraction of - devices - to gather outside - without devices - to engage - fresh air - outside activities - each other. His plea - the result of the Florida shootings - aim to put the blame exactly where it truly belongs - as I said a few days ago in my post - WE THE PEOPLE - have caused this. We have been lured - lulled - into a group of lazy - technologically drugged individuals - mesmerized - by the capability of what is possible to do that was not available just a few short years ago. Technology - designed to help - promote - better lives - new advances - enhanced education - has been hijacked by Satan who has turned electronic devices into - addictive drugs - to dull our senses - to tear us away from each other - from the real world - lured by the promise of a virtual world - inhabited by - 1143 friends - who we have no idea who they are. WE THE PEOPLE - guilty as charged - have left people who are hurting - alone - abandoned - turned our back on those - most in need of our attention - begging for attention - love. My new mantra - NO ONE ALONE - no reason for anyone - young or old - to feel alone - unloved - abandoned. WE THE PEOPLE - need to immediately notice those on the sideline - left out of the game - pushed into corners - alone in darkened places - as if they have no value - no worth. Beginning now - I urge everyone to make it a point to notice the misfits - the troubled - the lonely - to engage them - to help them to feel that they are not alone. Each one reach one - the world will start looking better in no time.
God created us to be men - women - family - community - to live - love - laugh - together - looking after each other. In today's Gospel - Jesus - transformed before His disciples - revealing His glorified body - showed His disciples His true nature. This Lent - allow yourself to be transformed - not physically - rather spiritually - to connect yourself - to others - those also struggling with life. Your Lent will be the better for it. Jesus - always with us - always there to offer a hand up - leaving NO ONE ALONE.
Deacon Dale
For the last two weeks many eyes focused on the 2018 Olympics - the games - the athletes - the results. Going for gold - the focus - settling for silver - bronze - the reality for many. The majority competing - going home empty handed - not losers - by any standard - a winner without a medal. Just being good enough to be able to participate in the winter games - an awesome achievement - being rewarded with a medal - the frosting on the cake. In Lent - too many people approach this season - as if it were a competition - something to be beat - mountains to climb - adversaries lurking at every corner - turn - along the path. The Lenten experience is a journey - traveled at one's own speed - a path walked alone - even when in a group. The prize at the end of the journey - holiness.
We are all gold - in God's eyes - everyone a winner - nobody a loser. No matter what we do during the 40 days of Lent - no matter how many - how few efforts we accomplish - all of us will be gold in the eyes of God. It is not quantity - how good - bad - it is the fact that we entered the season - trying - seeking something - to grow in holiness.
Deacon Dale
This Lent our focus has been drawn away from - for some - closer to - for others - to God - why He allows violence to exist - in particular - surrounding the recent school shooting that claimed the lives of 17 people - adults - students - all children of God. Many question - why God sits blindly by - allowing these tragedies to continue. The real question - what is the matter with us - the people of these United States - that all of us - children and adults - sit on the side - allowing these incidents. What is the matter with us - why have we become numb to the realities of not only school violence - but violence in general. Why do we make it a political issue - when it really is a moral issue - an issue of social concern for our fellow persons. Satan has entered our lives to the point that he has us fighting among ourselves about weapons - of war - hunting - recreational shooting - when the real issue is the individuals who commit these acts of violence against God's children. Just as we cry and mourn the loss of innocent lives - so does God. Every time something bad happens against anyone - God is displeased. His failure to act - in reality our failure to act. One of the great gifts to mankind - the gift of free will - freedom to acknowledge the existence of God - freedom to turn our eyes away - ignore Him - His commandments. It is that same freedom of will that allows one individual to scheme - plan - commit - these violent acts - against others. The true issue here is not guns- gun rights - gun laws - age limits - it is all about being present to each other. From what I understand - none of the individuals involved in any of the recent mass shootings - schools - LasVegas - were known criminals. Criminals use guns to steal - rob - murder individuals. Criminals do not plan mass killings - spree shooting - as a norm. Thus - criminal background checks are useless when deciding who may - may not own a gun. The recent mass shootings have been committed by ordinary people - people carrying some emotional burden - feeling unloved - alone - outcasts of society. Most appeared normal - maybe some quirky - but none deemed a danger to society. Every time you view an interview with those who knew the perpetrator - you hear that they appeared - normal - quiet - alone - not someone you would ever think could commit a violent act - yet - they do. In retrospect - often they were bullied - ignored - often unloved - abandoned. So I ask - who do you ignore - who do you know that is bullied - who is unloved - made to feel less than a human - when have you failed to stop - engage a fellow human - youth - adult - in a friendly conversation. When have you ridiculed that person on the corner asking for help - rather than stopping and listening to their needs. When have you spent that extra $100 on a sporting event - personal comfort item - when the family next door was going hungry. In reality - WE - THE PEOPLE - have created these individuals - by our lack of concern - for our fellow human - not considering their color - religion - ethnic background - educational - social level - WE - THE PEOPLE - are guilty. This is not a political issue - it is a social issue and everyone of us needs to change the way we think - act - toward others - if we ever want to see this ended.
God created us - man and woman - He created US - When He was done He looked upon all He had created - and He saw GOOD. God is not the issue - Guns are not the issue - the hearts and minds of each of us - is the issue. This Lent - as you seek inner change - as you seek to grow in holiness - seek also how you may be a better steward of the people God has placed into your lives.
Deacon Dale
What are you afraid of - what scares you - terrifies you. In America it seems that people in general are afraid of almost everything. Relationships - strangers - activities - you name it - somebody is afraid of it. Scared to drive in traffic - big cities - highways - scared to meet people who are different from them - scared to travel to unknown places - countries - scared to try - eat new foods - scared to do new things - work - sports - attend events. It is amazing that anyone wanders outside their homes. Somewhere we became a nation of fear. We buy insurance for almost everything - we are even so fearful we pay for extended warranties on items that will be worn out before they ever fail. We also fear God - His judgment - His final say on our eternal life. In Lent many fear the entire concept of 40 days of being scared - scared they will do Lent wrong - not complete their spiritual exercises - not do them long enough - good enough - to please God.
God is not the God of fear - just the opposite - God is the God of peace - comfort. Satan is the one who creates - spreads fear. In an effort to turn our eyes away from God and the peace that He brings - Satan creates chaos - events that instill fear in the hearts of many. The recent shootings in Florida were the work of Satan - in the aftermath - out of chaos - God will bring healing - peace. In Lent we are asked to give up our fears - to seek the peace - comfort of Christ. It is there - Jesus is there - waiting for you to discover - Him .
Deacon Dale
As contemporary people we love to keep score - how well our team does - tracking individual player's statistics - monitoring our children's grades - achievements - tracking government officials - their records on social actions - reforms - results. Statistics flow around us like water flowing in a river. The issue with statistics - numbers - they can be manipulated - made to say almost anything you wish. You have heard the phrase - figures lie - liars figure - not necessarily for the benefit of everyone - usually the opposite. In Lent many are caught up in their spiritual scorecards - how many prayers they pray - how often they go to confession - the number of religious book they read - prayer cards they possess - quantity of rosaries in their pockets - purses - the number of Rosary - Divine Mercy chaplets - prayed. All in an effort to prove to themselves - others - how well they did - Lent.
Truth be told - God - Jesus - not a bookkeeper - with them numbers - do not matter. All they want is our heart - our love - our commitment - to the Gospel message of Jesus. This Lent toss the scorecard and focus on what really matters - your firm commitment to Jesus - Our Lord and Savior.
Deacon Dale
The idea of wrestling with God - to most a crazy idea - an impossible task. Yet that is basically what Jacob did all night long - Genesis 32:22-32 - Abraham also wrestled with God when he kept begging Him - "but Lord what if there are only 50 - 40 - 10" - Genesis 18: 22-33 - Job likewise also had the strength to have his wrestling match with God - Job 13:3. Throughout the history of man's relationship with God - wrestling matches have occurred. Many view God as some kind of mean tyrant - in the Hebrew Scriptures - turning Lot's wife into a pillar of salt - deemed unreasonable by a loving God - more fitting to One that is mean - angry. One has to understand the context of Holy Scripture to fully understand what was happening. The reality - God has always been a loving God - looking out for the best of all mankind. In Lent - many will likewise wrestle with God - how they understand Him - His commandments - desires - requests - many which on the surface seem unreasonable. Through this 40 day period - plenty of time to dig deeper - to come to understand the truth of what God wants for each of us - as a group - as individuals.
When God created the world and all that populated the Earth - He looked back and saw goodness - everywhere. Then mankind began to exercise the gift of free will - straying away from God's plan - creating their own plan. This moving away - originally a communal action - now very individual. Today we understand that we are responsible for ourselves - alone - and how we act - react - affects our relationship with God - eventually a ripple effect on the community. This Lent - grab your sweat towel and water bottle - sturdy yourself - engage God fully - wrestling with Him - if you must - to achieve for yourself - for the community - all that God has planned for you.
Deacon Dale
