Honoring The Trinity

Last week we celebrated the Holy Trinity - Father - Son - Holy Spirit.  Today we continued that celebration with the Feast of Corpus Christi - The Holy Trinity - One person - One God - summed up in the Physical Body of Christ.  The God - in human existence - who gave His life - on the Cross - that All of us might share in His redemption.  God who put Himself on the Cross - that each of us might have Life - Live it to the Fullest. On this day we processed through the neighborhood in our annual Eucharistic procession - sharing with those around us - our belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  An open invitation to all to join us.

Just as Jesus walked among the People of God in His days - He still is here with us - even today.  We may not see His Human appearance - He is still very much present to us today. In prayer - times of silence - at Holy Mass - receiving Him in Holy Communion - He is always available to all who seek Him.  In Him we live - breathe - experience the fullness of life.

Deacon Dale 

Flames and Glory

Today we celebrated Pentecost - that event that marked the Gift of the Holy Spirit - manifested by the Sound of rushing Wind - Tongues of Flame - Speaking in multiple Tongues - all a Grand Effort - God getting people's attention.  After Jesus returned to Heaven to be reunited with the Father - a Promise fulfilled - the Third Person of God - Spoken of in History - Revealed by the Son - United in some unexplainable Way - the Holy Trinity.  On this Pentecost Day - as in years past - celebrating the Birth of the Church.  The Birth of the People of God - assembled together in mass not church as in a structure - rather Church as People - Gathered together as the Human expression of God - His Love - His Forgiveness - His Healing - His Acceptance -  what we Call - The Body of Christ.

Two thousand years since the First Pentecost event - What we - the People of God - have Accomplished in that time - Amazing - Unbelievable - Fantastic - Things - all in His Holy Name. Now is not the time to sit back - brag about what we have done - Now the time to Accomplish even More.  Each of us has received his Spirit in - Baptism - Confirmation - Holy Communion - in Every Sacrament we have celebrated - Now is the time to Truly Act - Be the Body of Christ.  With that Power in His Body - All Things Are Possible with God!

Deacon Dale 

High Times

Today in place of the Seventh Sunday of Easter - we celebrate The Ascension of the Lord - this Feast of the Ascension commemorates Jesus' ascension into heaven 40 days after his resurrection. Thus Ascension Day falls 40 days after Easter - on the 6th Thursday of Easter - due to the  importance - moved by many Bishops to the Sunday Celebration of Holy Mass - making it available to more of the faithful to celebrate who normally cannot attend daily Mass due to work commitments - other obligations.  In this celebration Jesus gives His final instructions to His disciples - to Go - Baptize - to the Four Corners of the World.

What He instructed His disciples to do some two thousand years ago - still applies - today - to those of us who claim to be His modern disciples.  Ordained or not - each and every one of us - who professes the Creed- who tell others that we are Christians - called by Our Lord - to proclaim His Gospel - everywhere we go - whether convenient or not - that His Message reaches the ears of all people.  Today we celebrate that day when Jesus joined His Father in Heaven - that day when we - His disciples were joined with Him in His ministry to share the Truth with all we know.

Deacon Dale 

Easter Joy

 Yes - we are still in the Easter Season - Yes - plenty of Easter Joy to experience.  In today's scripture we start with Philip spreading the Gospel Message - just as Jesus said the apostles should do.  Bonus in that effort - unclean spirits - leaving many people - shouts of joy at being freed.  In the Gospel - Jesus reassuring His disciples that they will not be left alone when He ascends to Heaven - God sending the Holy Spirit to guide - help them. 

Even today - as modern day disciples - each of us - benefitting from the help of His Holy Spirit.  In so many ways - in so many circumstances - the Holy Spirit - helping His followers around the World.   We are after all - Easter People - those who have made a conscious decision to accept Jesus as Lord of our Lives - Our God - Our Savior - the One in whom we put our complete trust.  Yes - there is a reason to be joyful - every day of our lives.  No matter what may happen in our lives - Jesus - stands there - gracing you with His Love - truly-  something to be joyful about. 

Deacon Dale 

Landlord

Before anyone buys their first home - most rented an apartment - house - getting established as an adult - new graduate from school - moving away from parents - changing jobs - locations - career.  As we grow into adulthood - finish our years of education - training - settle into new situations - majority do not make the financial commitment to purchase property.  Instead we elect to rent - go through the process of credit checks - inspection by the rental agents - proving that we are worthy of a tenant - landlord relationship.  When all goes as expected - rental agreement is signed - sealed - delivered - we move in.

Hofburg Palace, Vienna 

In today's Gospel - Jesus tell His disciples - all of us - that when the time is ready - no house hunting required.  He already has a place for each of us - in His Father's house.  No inspection - security deposit - no credit check required.  Your place secured - the price - paid in full - by His Blood.  His Father's House much grander - larger than the palace shown here.  Our home in Heaven - with Jesus - a Gift from God - simply for being His loyal servants - followers - doing as He asked.  The way to Heaven - to His Father - always through Jesus - Him and no one else.  Jesus is the Way - the Truth - the Life.

Deacon Dale 

Jesus - Gatekeeper

Today - the Fourth Sunday of Easter - Good Shepherd Sunday - in the Gospel Jesus talks about sheep - gates - pasture - crooks - thieves.  So what is going on here - what does this have to do with the Fourth Sunday of Easter.  Isn't Easter about celebration - pastel colors - happiness.   In Today's Gospel we hear - John 10:9  -  "I AM the Gate - Whoever enters through Me - will be Saved - will come In and Go out - find pasture". 

Yes we are still in the Easter Season - Need to remember what Easter is all about.  If we back up just a few weeks - Death - Dying - Torture - Sadness - Resurrection - New Life.  In today's Gospel - Jesus reminding His disciples - reminding Us - that Life in Christ means - Life.   Putting our Trust in Jesus - in His Words - Knowing that He - the Lord - really Knows each of Us.  He knows our voices - we know His - an intimate relationship - one that guarantees us - Life in the Fullest.  No gate to separate us from enjoying Life.  Freedom to come - go - In - Out - as we wish.  A challenge to really act like disciples - to share His message of - Forgiveness - Healing - Love - Acceptance - Tolerance - Becoming Christ Like in our own lives.  A challenge - a reality - for all things are possible with God.   When He met Moses - He told him - I AM.  Today He tells you - me - I Am - the Gate - I AM - Here to give you New Life.

Deacon Dale 

Burning Hearts

In Today's Gospel - (Lk 24:13-35) - We heard - "Were our hearts not burning" on the road to Emmaus - walking with Jesus.  Just imagine what that must have been like for those two disciples - walking towards Emmaus - no clue that their - Lord - their God - would encounter them in that - time - that - space.  That is a part of Our religious history - a part of the Truth - that is Christianity.  Imagine when I - along with my wife - 25 other deacons - wives - ended up at Emmaus - ourselves in 2010.  The words to describe that experience - not enough adjectives exist to properly describe - that very Gospel floating  through our minds at that moment.  Now thirteen years later - having walked that same path that Jesus walked at Emmaus - not once - rather three times - still an experience - hard to put into words - that Gospel reminding me - of my personal experiences in Israel.

Emmaus 

Just the idea that Jesus - showed Himself - shortly after His crucifixion - a moment in time few could experience.  I - like most of us - have never seen Jesus appear before my eyes - but I - have felt His presence in my life -  just as many others have - most notably - in the Breaking of the Bread.  As a Roman Catholic - as a Permanent Deacon - as a Believer for my entire life - Jesus has always been a reality in my life.  In sad - unhappy moments - joyful - happy times - Jesus - always near to me.  At Holy Mass - proclaiming His Words - sharing in Holy Eucharist - my Lord always so near.  As we continue our Easter celebration in these Fifty days of Easter - may each of you have your own personal moment when Christ becomes real to you. 

Deacon Dale 

23rd Anniversary

It is always special when an anniversary is celebrated - a religious anniversary - more so.  On May 5, 2000 Pope John Paul II declared that the second Sunday of Easter would forever after be known as Divine Mercy Sunday - based on the Diary of St Faustina Kowalski who the Pope had just canonized on April 30, 2000 - the Polish nun - known as the Secretary of Jesus - whose diary shared with the world her visions she shared with Jesus.  The great focus - primarily - the Divine Mercy of God - Mercy unknown to anyone other than God. 

Because only God is able to possess agape love - a love not humanly possible - all of us are benefactors of His Awesome - Unbelievable Mercy.  God with Jesus and the Holy Spirit as One Divine Person - can - will - forgive - anyone - any sin - any deed gone wrong - if only one is willing to ask - with a heart filled with faith - sorrow - for whatever might have been done wrong.  On this Sunday - the Second Sunday of Easter - this Sunday which ends the Octave of Easter - these special first eight days of the Easter Season - we rejoice in this Special Easter Egg - offered to all - Christian or not - a Gift worth celebrating everyday of our lives - most importantly on this Feast of the Divine Mercy.

Deacon Dale 

The 50 Days of Easter

Jesus Christ is Risen! Yes - 2000 years ago He rose.  Two thousand years ago - run that through your mind - what have We accomplished in that time - where are We as His people.  Is there Peace on Earth - All people Believe - Worship Him - unfortunately No.  That means WE still have work to do.

Looking To The Future

Jesus is the same today as He was two thousand years ago.  Today in 2023 - the need for Disciples to spread His Gospel message as important as when He instructed His first Disciples.  Many people hear - not all listen to the Message.  It is up to You - Me to not only speak His message - need to also Model - that lifestyle which He professed.  Now for the next Forty-Nine Days of this Easter Season - let us ALL see if we can do just that.

Deacon Dale 

Easter Sunday!

Alleluia! He is Risen! Yes - finally - Lent completed - Triduum finished - NOW - Easter for the next 50 days - until Pentecost. Easter Sunday - celebrating that day when Jesus rose from the dead - opened the doors to Heaven - for all of us. This is what we have been preparing ourselves for - throughout Lent. Prayers - quiet time - reflecting on our lives - now - finally - this is it - just as we hoped.

Jesus did exactly as He promised - preached - spread His Gospel to all. Many listened - some did not - for those who did - New Life in Christ. It just cannot be better than that. Praise God that you are a part of this Gift. Amen..

Deacon Dale