Take A Hike

 Take a hike - often spoken when one is tired - irritated - with another person - get away - leave me alone - take a hike. The truth - hiking - taking long walks - away from your normal busy life is very healthy. It is not just the fact that you are off the couch and exercising your body - but there are beneficial aspects to your mental health. According to an article posted on the website of outsideonline.com - research has been done both in America and England citing data to show that hiking makes one happier. The study followed participants who walked in cities and countryside walks measuring their levels of depression - happiness. Bottom line - getting out side your house - away from hectic lives - the stress of work and daily commitments - helps one cope much better with their life overall.

Jesus told us in Holy Scripture - that He came that we might have life and live it to the fullest. Some would say that means spending all your time on your knees - in prayer - alone and quiet. If you really think about what Jesus said - He declared that we should live life to the fullest - taking advantage of the world created for all of us by God. That means the land - water - air. We are called to explore - investigate - immerse ourselves - in all of God's creation. If we sit in our chairs - spend countless hours on our knees - when is there time to explore - experience all the rest? That is only possible when we move outside our homes - our comfort zones - into the rest of the world. Hiking through a woods - forest - nature trail - traveling to other cities - states - countries - meeting and exploring the cultures of the world - is how we experience life to the fullest. God calls each of us to move - from complacency - to being active participants in all He offers us. He asks you and me to venture with Him - into the unknown - uncharted - corners of our lives.

Deacon Dale 

Safety Recall

 I think almost everyone is familiar with the concept of a safety recall - merchandise or product - deemed to have an inherent flaw - dangerous to the well being of the public in general. My sister frequently sends me notices about food recalls - contamination with bacteria - foreign material - unhealthy for even animals to consume. The food recalls are unbelievably common - more common that we would like to think.  Other products - toys - contaminated with lead paint - toxic plastics - harmful vapors - harmful to anyone who uses them. Possibly the biggest and most well known - automobile recalls - failed brakes - steering systems - faulty air bags - and on and on - all defects - discovered after the fact. At the time of manufacture - production - safety tested - only to fail ongoing testing at a later date - after it has landed in the hands of the final consumer. Thankfully - few are harmed - because of the due diligence by these companies.

When God sent Jesus - no need for safety testing - no need to follow up with additional testing - rather - follow up only to see how effective His Word - actions were. God is the original - Jesus - the real deal - no prototype - no future model. God gives us His best - first and foremost - no need for a second or third edition. What we see - what we get - day after day - hour after hour - minute after minute. Unlike the rest of the world - we get the best first and forever. In these days we tend to relax - let up on our spiritual observances - take the low road - ignore the high road - skip a Mass here and there - let our relationship with God slide into a lower place - possibly - no place at all. Instead of allowing this to happen - insert God moments - times when you may touch the Divine - into your summer activities. Had a great golf game - thank God - experience an awesome camp out  - praise the Lord - enjoy an well deserved vacation - sing your praise to the God who loves you. The only recall you should have with God - is recalling that He loved you - first.

Deacon Dale 

It's A Crazy Life

 Yes we are not alone - too many of us -  experiencing crazy times. Now that we are back in the Midwest - life has taken on a whole new aspect.  After enjoying a relatively relaxing four months - the hectic stuff has quickly crept back into our lives.   Illinois is more challenging - lots of grass to mow - lawn tractors that break down when you want to use them - weeds to pull - flower gardens to spruce up - not to mention just getting back in touch with everyone we left behind - reconnecting - gathering - getting crazy.  Add to these issues - coping with life's daily issues - the political scene - social media - humidity - lots of bugs - fixing things around the house.  Slowly getting back to deacon duties at church. 

God looks over every thing that is going on - not only in my life - but all of our lives - and smiles. Smiles because we are experiencing life to the fullest - with ordinary events - extra ordinary - happy - sad - frustrating - fun - stressful - relaxing. Just as He wanted - exactly why Jesus came - that all might experience life to the fullest. Often people will complain about the unpleasant things in life - why do we have to have those off moments - yet - if we think about it - the rough times - make the good times better - makes us appreciate little things - like peace - quiet - blue skies - white puffy clouds - handshakes - hugs - moments sharing with others. Like my friend Tom said last night - keeping in touch - looking to the future. God is present in 

everyone - everything we experience. Crazy or not - God is always there - smiling - calling us to touch the Divine.

Deacon Dale 

Mother's Day

 Today - a universal celebration of women - mothers - moms - grandmothers - women who have either given birth to another human - women who have acted very much lke a mother to children not born by them.  Going through the process of pregnancy - the actual - percieved - pain - sacrifice in order to bring another person into this world.  Unless one has personally given birth - not able to truely share that experience.  As a male I can only share what I have observed - been told by women what that process is like.  I know there are struggles - difficulties - pain - joy in that process.  I recently read that a women's body goes through multiple changes biologically in order to carry - give birth.  It almost sounds like a woman's body internally becomes a very different person - unseen by the naked eye.  On this Mothers Day - I for one say thank you!  

When Mary was told that she had been selected to bring the Christ child into the world there is no way that she knew what was being asked of her.  In those days even highly educated people really had no clue that a women went so many biological changes.  The could only observe the changed emotions - the obvious weigh gain - the tears - pain that most experienced.  Add onto the natural pain - the additional struggles to local customs - religious beliefs - heaped upon women due the no knowledge of the process.  To St Mary - thank you for saying - Yes - to the angel when told she would become pregnant through the power of God.  Thank you for making it possible for God to take on flesh - to experience human life - as the God wih flesh on.  I know that for Jesus - He could oly love Mary evn more for her sacrifice - a gift for Him - a gift for all humanity.  Happy Mpthers Day - St Mary - Arlene my wife and all women in the world.

Deacon Dale 

May Day

The first day of May is celebrated around the world - primarily in the northern hemisphere - 

as a festival - public holiday. In Europe - Great Britain - Finland - Estonia - France - Germany - Ireland - Italy - Greece - Bulgaria - Romania - Spain - Sweden - Poland - Canada - United States - Hawaii - celebrations predating the time of Christianity. One of the earliest - to honor the Roman goddess of flowers. Most celebrations - the crowning of a May queen - dancing around a maypole - village festivities - bring people together. The Roman Catholic Church in the 18th century selected May as the month to celebrate and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary. Many churches sponsor special prayer times in which the rosary is prayed in community - First Communicants crowning statues of Mary at Holy Mass - focusing on our special relationship with the Mother of Jesus.  This Sunday - in our parish - those who just received their First Holy Communion will crown the parish statue of Mary during the primary Mass for all to witness.

Celebration of all God's gifts are good - taking time away from our normal routine - to focus on the good things in life. Honoring God with music - dance - festivities - prayers - always good. As we begin this month of May - may our days be filled with sunshine - warmth - joy - all gifts from Our Father in Heaven.  Mary - Mother of God - Pray for us. 

Deacon Dale 

In This Moment

 When communicating with people from the midwest - it is not common to hear anyone use the phrase - in this moment. This was brought to my attention a few years back when speaking with people who speak English as their second - not primary - language. Relatives and friends from Italy and Poland made me aware of this comment - attempting to translate - now - or - right now - into American English. Each of  them used this same phrase - in this moment. To my ears - a funny way to express - now - immediately.  As a native North American - speaking the North American version of English - different from British English - we have adapted - modified - the original language from England to a somewhat different version - so that at times it would appear that we are speaking two completely different languages. As I pondered why anyone from Europe would express themselves with unusual English words - foreign to my ears - I came to realize that they were speaking British English words and phrases - not the North American version. Definitely a learning experience - expanding my understanding of other peoples - their language - cultures.

Pentecost changed many things when it happened to the disciples in the upper room - the room where they had shared the Last Supper - with Our Lord. That room - visited today in Jerusalem - a very basic plain room - the most interesting feature - I can remember seeing when I was there in 2010 & 2012 & 2018 - the capstones on the pillars - carved intricate designs. Beyond that feature - nothing outstanding to the naked eye. What the eye could not - cannot see - the history that took place between those four walls. The words spoken - actions taken - meals shared - stories of love for one another - a quick departure - an admonition from Our Lord to His disciples - the washing of the disciples' feet - the breaking of the bread - passing the cup of precious blood - the first consecration - institution of the Eucharist - the Priesthood - all hidden from sight - buried in the rings of time - spoken - unspoken words of - adoration - reverence. If we could only experience those moments for ourselves - the affect it would have on our lives - we can only imagine. As it is we have those memories recorded in the Holy Bible - words to be read - digested - over and over - to contemplate our place in God's Plan for the world - for each of us - in this moment.

Deacon Dale 

Royalty

 Royalty - in the most popular sense - when referring to people - indicates those born of Royal blood - The Queen of England - those who control an entire country. There are Kings and Queens - Princes and Princesses - Dukes and Duchesses - Barons and Baronesses - all held in high esteem above the ordinary people - the commoners. Not all royalty in reality from Royal blood. In Germany it is common for different groups to select a Queen - a young woman - to be their spokesperson - representative for their specific region or product. There is a Queen of the Blossom - Queen of the Lakeland - Queen of the Horseradish - Queen of the Bavarian Veal Sausage. Typically they are photographed in the county they represent - next to the product they promote - always alone - no pomp - plain stark reality - simple beauty. Celebrating the beautiful - simple things of life.

God created us all to be equal. In His eyes we are all Royal - all worthy of special attention - His Son Jesus - the only One to wear the crown. When we were baptized - we were baptized into the Body of Christ - to share in His ministry. Our obligation - as baptized Christians - to promote the Gospel of Jesus - to minister to the poor - to strengthen the weak - to bring comfort to the sick and dying. We are royal - in the sense that we have an obligation imposed not by Earthly powers - rather from heaven. We are called - each of us - to be servants to all - our crown - the sweat on our brow - our scepter - the dirt on our hands - our robes - the garments with which we clothe the naked. Today - our royal duty - to serve God with our entire heart - soul - mind. 

Deacon Dale  

When It Rains

You know the saying - when it rains - it pours - not necessarily anything to do with water. This phrase is a common expression - used by many - expressing frustration - anxiety - about events which are happening at a pace - faster than one would desire. It could be a series of unfortunate or sad - happy or pleasing events - the issue that the rate of events leaves one barely enough time to breathe - to recover from something bad - to enjoy the goodness - in something pleasing. Now that we are into the month of May we will be over active with First Communions - Confirmations - Graduations - Weddings - just for starters. Add into that mix any other special activities that you are involved with and you too will be singing - Dancing in the Rain. May is also the month in Spain when activity on the Camino de Santiago starts to get very crowded - especially in Holy Years.  Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims will walk all or part of the 500 mile pilgrimage to Santiago, Spain. Many people think this is a - walk in the park - a very long park of 500 miles - in reality much more difficult than most would realize. Today I am posting a photo of an acquaintance currently walking the Camino de Santiago. If you look closely at the photo - what appears to be a waterfall in the background is actually part of the trail she is walking. This is the Camino - one hill after another - one mountain range after another - when it rains....

When God moves in our lives and asks us to do anything - helping out at church - teaching a religion class - re-potting plants for spring planting - walking a pilgrimage - helping a neighbor - it often seems like too much -  too soon. Quite often we beg God - wait - let us catch our breath - you are asking too much - too soon. The beauty of God's plan for our lives is that He will give us the strength - the energy - the time - to accomplish whatever it is we are suppose to do. When  we run out of the resources listed above - He gives us more - strength - energy - time - to finish the task. Daily God rains down His blessings - love - upon each one of us - daily - He calls us to walk with Him - in the rain.

Deacon Dale 

A La Derecha

 A la derecha - Spanish for - to the right - turn here - on your right side - go the correct way. In English we often confuse - not only non English speaking persons - often ourselves - when we use the word right. Taken out of context - not written down - we are unsure if the speaker is talking about a direction - an attitude - the act of inscribing a word. To clearly understand which word the speaker is attempting to use we need to hear it spoken in a sentence. Much of everyday conversation - in many languages - incorporates the use of slang - idioms - phrases - as a normal form of communicating with others. It is not until confusion arises - errors made - that we realize that we should have spoken in a more formal manner - complete with all the adjectives - adverbs - word modifiers - to express ourselves in a clear and precise manner. Good communication requires good communication skills.

When speaking to God - in prayer - we should be as concise as possible - elaborate sentences - long stories - not necessary. God knows our minds - hearts - our needs - our desires. Even before we open our mouths - He knows what we will say. Many question if this is true then why does He wait before He acts in our lives. Sometimes He does - often He waits to hear it from our lips - from our minds - from our hearts. This process is how we communicate with God - humbly - personally - with sincerity. Every day - Jesus - Our Lord - Our Savior - waits to hear from each of us. Long conversations - not necessary - daily conversation - even very brief ones - the rule. Try it today - He waits for you.

Deacon Dale 

Back Again

 For those who follow this blog - know me personally - I am back in Illinois.  Different from Arizona.  In Arizona I can easily walk outside - see blue skies - smell fresh air - enjoy pleasant temperature.  In Illinois - different - pick one skies - gray - over cast - sometimes blue - air pleasant - not so nice - filled with tiny bugs flying all over in and around your face - not nice.  Yes country living - enjoyable with limits.  People - as everywhere - that makes any place you call home - different.  Unfortunately so many are caught up in the politics of the day.  Who says what - how do they say it - is there anger - joy in their voice?  Mix in personal obstacles that many face - affectes your own experience.

When God created this world - all was good.  Then Mankind got involved - since that day individual personalities - ideas - motives have affected God's creation.  Today we live in a world that holds many differing concepts - ideas - situations - which by themseles does not mean that our lived experience of life needs to be bad - unhappy.  If each of us would take a step back - take a deep breath - look at life around us - we might see the world God intended.  Some will - many will not - controlled by their individual thoughts on what their life should look like.  Many will chose differently from God - they think they know better - if only God would listen to me - not a good idea.  For those who live the life God planned - good for you - for those who know better - are smarter than God - good luck.

Deacon Dale