Pentecost, Mass During the Day_C - Lord, Send Out Your Spirit, And Renew the Face of the Earth_060825

 

Photo: Weeki Wachee Sunset_tjc

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Lord, Send Out Your Spirit,

And Renew the Face of The Earth”

 

Pentecost Sunday, Mass During the Day, Year C

 

If you are among the diminishing number of Catholics that attend church on a regular basis, I think you would agree that we don’t show much enthusiasm about being there.

 

The event that set the world on fire, spiritually that is, has become routine, ho-hum, ordinary. That event, Christ sending his spirit into the world to complete the work he had begun, seems to have fallen on deaf ears. And perhaps you have notices this too, that our world, our communities, our schools and shopping malls and homes are at a loss because of this. Things change, we all know that. New ideas, trends, philosophies, come and go. I get that. But to surrender our faith, our core beliefs centered on God’s unconditional love for his creation in favor of the glitter and trinkets the world has to offer, well, I don’t get that. More than ever, we are in need of Divine intervention, help from above to guide us and direct our hearts and minds and enlighten them as to who we are and what God has called us to be. On this special day, a day that for these past two millennia has been called the birthday of the church, we pray to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, whose help we are most in need. We pray for the Spirit of God to come into our lives and revive our hearts so we may know God’s presence at work within us and in our world, renewing us and filling us with his love.

 

This Pentecost we pray that the Spirit of Jesus Christ will awaken in us a desire to know God and to do his Will. Yet, we really don’t need to ask for this gift…. Jesus told us that he would send… “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name -- will teach you everything and remind you of all that (I) told you” JN 14:26. Our need is to be open to receive this Spirit of God deep within the fiber of our being. We need the Holy Spirit so that we can meet the demands of Christian discipleship … that is to grow daily in the knowledge and love of God and in service to our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who breathes into us the knowledge of God’s love so that we, in turn, can love and engender love in others as Jesus taught us. For indeed… “we have been given the manifestation of the spirit for some benefit” …. and that benefit is to realize God’s abundant love not only in ourselves, but in others also giving them the opportunity to discover God’s love for themselves.

 

Jesus sent his disciples into this world that hungered for the love and peace that only God can give and to find rest from the toils and anxieties of life. We have these same needs today! Can there really be any question about that as we witness the horrific suffering in our world, the political divisiveness, the economic disparity, and the hopelessness engendered by the degradation of the human spirit? We are in desperate need of the gifts of the Holy Spirit...wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord so that we can live together and realize our full potential as children of God. These gifts of the Spirit transform our lives and conform us to the life of Christ in every way. Too difficult? Yes, for us left to ourselves, but not for Christ to accomplish in us. That is the transformative power of Holy Spirit this Pentecost for all who strive to be disciples of Christ today. As Christ sent his first disciples into the world to dispel the darkness and give it hope, he now sends us into the world so we can continue to be people of hope…. who forgive and love one another, who act justly and work for a justice in this world, who look forward to the fullness of God’s reign. We, like those who have gone before us, have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit and, so empowered, are sent into the world to be witnesses of God’s love and to cooperated with his own Spirit so that together we can renew the face of the earth.

 

Enjoy the day

Deacon Tom

 Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it. 

 

OTHER RESOURCE

Recommended Reading: Against an Infinite Horizon - the Finger of God in Our Everyday Live by Ronald Rolheiser O.M.I - is one of Fr. Ronald Rolheiser’s most beloved books in which he leads us to a deeper experience of the beauty and poetry of Christian spirituality. In this reflective work Fr. Ron asks us to view our lives against the infinite horizon of God's love and power.        

 

Recommended Podcast: Desert Fathers in a year podcast with Bishop Erik Varden. Erik Varden is a Cistercian monk and the Bishop of Trondheim in Norway. Bishop Vardan has become a leading Catholic voice through his writings that engage our secular culture using the language of beauty to point us to the centrality of our search for God, even when we look in the wrong places.

 

A Catholic convert during his studies at Cambridge, he discovered the monastic tradition and the Desert Fathers, inspiring his own vocation at Mount St. Bernard's Abbey in England where he eventually became abbot.

 

He guides us through the insights won in the spiritual combat of the ancient desert which direct us to what we need most today: the love of Christ that conquers all obstacles.

Ascension of the Lord_C- Imitation / Seventh Sunday of Easter_C - We Are All in This Together_060125

This weekend’s liturgy is quite unique. Most dioceses in the U.S. have transferred the Feast of the Ascension to this weekend. Other dioceses, mostly in Northeast will celebrate the Liturgy for the Seventh Sunday of Easter, having celebrated Ascension Thursday several days ago. To accommodate readers in both areas, I have prepared a reflection on the readings for each of these liturgies beginning with the Ascension of the Lord followed by that of the Seventh Sunday of Easter.

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Imitation”

The Ascension of the Lord, Year C

It’s hard to believe that three months ago we were beginning Lent. Now, as the Easter season draws to a close, this may be a good time to reflect on where our spiritual journey has taken us.

Were we able to hear God’s voice in the midst of our trials and struggles we encountered on our journey through the day-to-day events of our lives? Were we able to gain a new insight about God’s incredible love for us during this Easter Season or perhaps even get a better sense of what God is calling us to do as we emerge into Ordinary Time? How successful were we in changing some of those habits and behaviors we needed to change about our habits? Were we able to put a stop to our judging and criticizing others, our negative thinking, our inertia for self- reflection and bloated sense of superiority? Were we able to put a leash around our impatience, lack of tolerance for the ideas and beliefs of others, and put an end to our gossiping?
Three months is not a long time when you think about it, especially if we are trying to measure such things as spiritual growth…. It just not a lot of time.

I suspect that three years isn’t a lot of time either, to make much progress in the spiritual realm. And yet, that’s, at most, all the time that the apostles had to grasp Jesus’ new way of thinking and his new emphasis on of loving, forgiving, and serving one another, friend and foe alike. The disciples really were, when you think about it, on the fast track. Once Jesus was gone, in-person training was over. It was all up to them to spread Jesus’ teachings throughout the world. Fortunately, Jesus fostered their continuing education by introducing them to the Holy Spirit who would continue to guide and watch over the band of followers Jesus had drawn to him.

Imagine if today we were the ones who were responsible for preaching repentance and the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name. Where would we begin? How would we do that?

Well, guess what? You and I, yes, we are the ones upon whom the responsibility of preaching forgiveness and repentance falls. And the best way to approach this task is by example.

We all have experienced deep hurts and sorrows in our lives caused by others. How have we handled them? Do we hold grudges? Do we retaliate? Do we seek revenge? Do we follow the ways of the world and “Don’t get mad... get even”? That’s not the way Jesus teaches us how to handle the suffering others bring into our lives. Forgive... “Not seven times but seventy times seven times” (Mt 18:22). Imitation is the best method to spread the faith. Much easier said than done!

My brothers and sisters, there is a saying that goes, “Faith isn’t taught, it’s caught.” Jesus’ work of salvation has been accomplished. What remains is our participation in that work that calls us to spread the Good News, to be living witnesses of the faith that we profess, to do as St. Francis was fond of telling his followers…. “Go out and preach the gospel, and when necessary, use words.” May our example in forgiving others for the wrongs they have done to us be a powerful sign that the teachings of Jesus have taken root in our hearts and lives.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

OTHER RESOURCE

Recommended Reading: What Is the Point of Being a Christian? By Timothy Radcliffe, OP, Winner of the Michael Ramsey prize for the best in theological writing. Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe is in demand the world over with Bishops, priests, lay people and above all young people. This book is his response.

What is the Point of being a Christian? One is pointed to God, who is the point of everything. If one thinks of religion as just 'useful' then one has reduced it to another consumer product. But if we are pointed to God, then this should make a difference to how we live. This is not a moral superiority. Christians are usually no better than anyone else. But the lives of Christians should be marked by some form of hope, freedom, happiness and courage. If they are not then why should anyone believe a word they say?

In this book, Cardinal Radcliffe is at his best, writing with a prophetic edge. His argument for Christian belief is profoundly Catholic and profoundly human. But what is just as remarkable, Radcliffe's argument for and interpretation of Christian Gospel is couched in a deep understanding of human nature and the problems and anxieties of modern men and women.

Radcliffe is far distant from the theologian's ivory tower and yet his understanding of the Gospel is profoundly theological. The frame of reference for this book is wide, and it is based amongst other things on Fr Radcliffe's pastoral experience of dealing with people with problematic marriages, those struggling with celibacy, those trying to understand the nature of religious authority and those trying to remain loyal to the Church which finds their sexual orientation 'irregular'.

Recommended YouTube Video The Case for God: Timothy Radcliffe OP speaks at St Paul's Cathedral - Timothy Radcliffe OP, former Master of the Dominican Order, speaks on the topic of his book 'What is the Point of Being a Christian?' at St Paul's Cathedral. Part of the series of events hosted by St Paul's Forum entitled 'The Case for God'.

Deacon Tom Writes,

“We Are All in This Together!”

 

Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year C

 

The words of today’s gospel challenge anyone attempting to live as disciples of Christ amid the disunity that troubles our world. Jesus finishes the last Passover meal he was to share with his friends before heading across the Kidron Valley to the Garden of Gethsemane. His final words spoke of his burning desire that “they may all be one”. Jesus calls us to share the same unity with one another and with him as he has with the Father so that we may know, “…that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.” Recall that when Jesus spoke these words, he too was in the midst of a fractured world… Roman occupation, tension between the Jews and the Gentiles, slaves and free, rich and poor, religious leaders and the people they were supposed to shepherd. Unity was far from the reality.

 

Yet, Jesus calls his followers to a different worldview… one of unity. Jesus’ last words emphasize that we live in God’s love just as Jesus lives in Father’s love. The Son of God calls us to a mutual love, loving him as he loves us. It is an invitation into this mutual love, a love that leads us into union with the Divine Godhead, the Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier – the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

With even the slightest awareness of this reality, we begin to see ourselves as one with God, united to him as children to their father. We all should be working as one big family seeking to remove all the barriers that divide us, that separate us from the love of God and each other. And so, as people so intimately united with one another through our mutual, loving relationship with God, we are called to surmount all the barriers to God’s love, the barriers of hatred and discrimination, the barriers of poverty and ignorance, the barriers that has one group thinking they are superior to another group. And, furthermore, we are called to shun all the voices calling us to disunity, factions, division. All these barriers attack the central reality of our faith – that we are made in the image and likeness of God and that we possess a dignity of person because of God’s love and indwelling in us.

 

God loves all his children, without exception and he calls us to be like him in this regard. Let our lives be spent living Jesus’ farewell prayer to his disciples by seeking to be one with him and with each other by reconciling our differences, by being moved with compassion in the face of suffering, bigotry, violence, and ignorance. In the face of the rampant divisiveness, we witness today, do we dare pray with Jesus, “Holy Father… may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you.”  May the Almighty Father hear our prayers and give us the grace and courage to overcome our fears so we may live as true disciples of the Lord who prayed that “we all may be one.”

 

 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Sixth Sunday of Easter_C - Keeping God's Word_052525

Photo attribution - Pinterest.com

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Keeping God’s Word”

 

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year C

 

In today’s gospel Jesus tells His disciples, “Whoever loves me will keep my word and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him”. It sounds pretty simple, doesn’t it? If we keep God’s Word, the Eternal, Almighty, Divine Presence will come and be a part of our lives forever, through the good times and the bad, through thick and thin.

 

The problem is there are many of Jesus’ words that are really troubling to us; words that we choose not to believe, let along want to keep; words that challenge us, like...

   “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” … Matthew 6:33

     “Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you” …Luke 6:27

       “No one can serve two masters” … Matthew 6:24

          “Go and sin no more” … John 6:11

     Or this one.... “Do not judge” ... Matthew 7:1

 

We dismiss the hard words of Jesus, the words that are at the core of his teaching…to love one another – as I have loved you. Loving one another, showing respect to everyone because of one’s intrinsic worth, one’s divine essence, one’s very nature as a child of God, is how we reflect the love of God in our lives. This love is an active, conscious act of the will; it is how we cooperate with God, allowing ourselves to be transformed by God and in turn helping bring about the transformation of the world. This is what it means to keep God’s word. We just can’t pick and choose which words of Jesus we will accept and which ones we will ignore if we want to have an authentic relationship with Jesus and grow in his love.

 

In all reality there is another question we need to ask ourselves, “Do we really want God living within us?” Within, well, that may be too close for comfort. It’s better when he’s living some distance away like the “In-Laws” whom we can invite over whenever we have something they can do for us. Far enough away that they can only come over when invited. How much God enters our life is pretty much our choice! We can keep God’s Word and look forward to the promises he has made to us, or we can go it alone and see what the world has in store for us. It’s…. all our call. 

 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it. 

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Do Not Judge Anyone - Desert Wisdom for a Polarized World Too often Christianity has been hijacked by the superego and the good news of grace has been compromised by fear and the rationalization of violence. In “Do Not Judge Anyone” Cistercian monk Isaac Slater reflects on the desert fathers’ teachings and practice of not judging with a focus on contemporary life. Interweaving sources from East and West, ancient and modern, Slater finds profound points of contact between the first monks and figures like Dostoevsky and Simone Weil, and in the teaching and witness of Pope Francis. “Do Not Judge Anyone” offers a radical, refreshing, and deeply hopeful vision of the gospel for the twenty-first century. 
 
Following closely Jesus’s injunction to “Stop judging!” the first Christian monks strongly emphasized the practice of not judging others as central to the gospel ethos. Through captivating and sometimes enigmatic sayings and stories of the desert fathers, Slater shares a monastic approach to everyday living that applies Jesus’s teaching of radical non-judgement as a balm for the polarized environment commonly found in the Church and the world today. This book can be a wonderful group read for us today. Why not ask some of your friends and parishioners to join in and do this.

 

Recommended YouTube Video Catholics for the Common Good with Daryl Grigsby - Author, Daryl Grigsby, joins FutureChurch to share about his new book, "Catholics for the Common Good: An Eternal Offering." In his book, Grigsby profiles 36 contemporary Catholics who have worked for justice and human dignity. He features Catholics from diverse national and racial backgrounds; religious, lay, and ordained. During the presentation, Grigsby shares the origins of his book, how it's organized, offers highlights about four of the Catholics who appear in the book, and takes questions from our community. Daryl Grigsby is an author and commentator on contemporary Catholic issues. A retired public works director, he also holds a Master’s Degree in Theology and Pastoral Studies from Seattle University and is a graduate of the Sabbatical Renewal Program at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. He is a board member for Leadership Foundations, which resolves critical urban challenges around the world, and for FutureChurch. Grigsby is the author of In Their Footsteps: Inspirational Reflections on Black History for Every Day of the Year and is a frequent contributor to National Catholic Reporter and Black Catholic Messenger.

 

 

 

Fifth Sunday of Easter_C - Glory Days_051825

  

Deacon Tom writes,

Glory Days

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year C

 

Today’s gospel has all the makings of a great Hollywood movie that begins on the night before Jesus dies. Jesus and his companions are nearing the end of their last meal together. Judas had just taken “the morsel… and left at once.” “The morsel,” we know, is the Eucharist, Jesus’ legacy to remain a “real presence” for his followers. Judas takes the Eucharist…then leaves.

 

When Judas leaves, Jesus brings this extraordinary Passover celebration to a dramatic close saying, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” What intrigue! Jesus seems to infer that what’s about to happen, his betrayal, torture, and death, will somehow bring Glory to God! How unimaginable! Yet for God, all things are possible, even turning these horrific events into something that can and does reveal God’s glory!

 

How much our faith depends on this Truth, that “…with God, all things are possible.” That includes the fact that God took upon himself our human nature and all of our limitations and experiences to teach us how we might become like him in all ways. Jesus suffers the betrayal of a friend, gets convicted on trumped-up charges, suffers beatings and humiliations of all sorts that no one, let alone he deserves. Imagine, he knows all of this ahead of time and still chooses his suffering and death to teach us to love and forgive one another. And, because he sees what lies ahead as God’s Will, he accepts it all. In fact, he embraces it all knowing that doing God’s Will was all he desired to do in this life.

 

Jesus leaves his followers with a “Command,” not a request, not a “can you do me a favor... but a “Command” ... to “Love one another as I have loved you.” He sets our hearts and minds on God’s Will…. that we love one another as he loves us…. completely. Christ held nothing back. He emptied himself on our account…. That’s the standard he set, if we are to be disciples…. to embrace the disappointments, betrayals, broken promises and relationships, sickness and death…to take it all in, the good and the bad, and accept all that comes our way as Christ did, and to do so while remaining faithful to God’s promises that he is with us always, till the end of days. And yes, he sustains us through each and every one of them, through all the glory days of our lives... this one and the one to come.

 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

 

 

Recommended Reading: The Saint's Guide to Happiness by Robert Ellsberg - suggests that some of the best people to show us are holy men and women throughout history—Learn who they are and the lessons they teach us.

 

Recommended YouTube Video: John Main and the Practice of Christian Meditation. A deep look into the practice of Christian Meditation by two masters: John Main and Laurence Freeman

Fourth Sunday of Easter_C - Hearing Voices_051125

Deacon Tom Writes

“Hearing Voices?”

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Jesus often used everyday examples from the pastoral settings that surrounded him. He drew upon them because they didn’t need any explaining. People knew that all a shepherd had to do was to call out and his sheep would follow his voice. It is said that shepherds would graze their sheep in different fields during the day but when night came the shepherds gathered the sheep into one sheepfold so they could have safety in numbers. At daybreak, the shepherds would simply call out and, amazingly, each sheep would instinctively follow the voice of its own protector and guardian… What a beautiful image of this dynamic relationship between the sheep and the shepherd.

We may have lost the pastoral setting that the shepherds enjoyed back then, but we are still able to understand the message Jesus wants to communicate when he says, “My sheep hear my voice.” This is what Jesus expects of his disciples. Not only the hearing but also the following too. So, a disciple is one who hears and follows the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Today there are many voices competing for our attention. And, there are many gods for us to follow; whispers invite us to seek fame, fortune, be all that we can be in the eyes of the world... top dog, Numero Uno, the king of the hill. How do we choose which voice to follow? Whose voice are we attuned to? Jesus is calling us to “eternal life.” He is promising us the safety and security that comes from the Father, a joy and happiness that is “not of this world.” He is calling us to be his disciples and to live our lives according to his teachings on love, forgiveness, and sacrifice. He is asking us not to count the cost of what it takes to walk in his footsteps as we endeavor to have a genuine relationship with him and one another. Other voices are calling us to focus our attention on ourselves, on getting as much as we can here and now, no matter the cost. Many paths of life to choose; many different flocks to be a part of, and many different shepherd voices to follow, but only one will lead us to green pastures.

Today’s Responsorial Psalm reminds us of some of the additional benefits we receive from the hands of the Good Shepherd… we are filled with his joy and gladness; we share in his unending kindness and enduring faithfulness. God cannot be outdone in generosity to paraphrase Scripture. He loves each of his sheep; our safety, earthly well-being and eternal destiny are his only concern.

May the voice we hear this Easter Season be that of the Good Shepherd, calling us to grow in love, in holiness and service to our brothers and sisters in Christ, the Risen One!

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.


Recommended Reading: The Shattered Lantern by Fr. Ronald Rolheiser O.M.I is a Roman Catholic priest and member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. He is a theologian, professor, award-winning author who knows how to make faith real and tangible for the contemporary reader. The Shattered Lantern invites us to rediscover that while not all seems well, or just, faith truly can make sense of it all.

Recommended Youtube: New Seeds of Contemplation: A guide to Thomas Merton’s Famous book explores the path to spiritual awakening and union with God. It emphasizes the importance of cultivating an inner contemplative life by recognizing the seeds of spiritual vitality present in everyday experiences. The book encourages readers to detach from the superficial self and embrace humility, poverty, and solitude to discover their true identity in Christ.

Third Sunday of Easter _C - Year C - How Do I Love You? Let Me Count the Ways_050525

Image Credit:  2.bp.blogspot.com/jesus-peter-reconciliation1.jpg

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Deacon Tom Writes,

“How Do I Love You? Let Me Count the Ways”

 

Third Sunday of Easter, Year C

 

It takes real courage to admit our mistakes. It takes more courage to move foreword and not be paralyzed or held back by mistakes of the past. Peter appears to have resumed his prior way of life as a fisherman after the death of Jesus, perhaps trying to forget those last days: Jesus’ brutal death, his own cowardly denying his friendship with Jesus, his inability to comprehend Jesus’ mysterious presence in the midst of his disciples. It was just too much for Peter to grasp!

 

It is understandable that Peter and the others would go back to a way of life that was most familiar to them, fishing. They could pick up where they had left off before Jesus called them and now put their ambition and energy back into rebuilding their business. But think about it! Do your really believe anyone could have put that kind of experience behind them and pick up where they left off? No way! Then, as now, that personal experience with Jesus leaves you changed for life. There is no going back. And that is the experience we find in today’s gospel as the Apostles flight to the safety of the past is very short lived.

 

This is more than Peter’s physical encounter with Jesus. It is the consequence of Peter’s coming to terms with himself, with his own failures and shortcomings, with his own fears and doubts. It is our privileged view into Peter’s soul-searching and honest self-reflection that leads to his confessing his love for Jesus. Only after this spiritual catharsis is Peter able to put to rest his failures and weaknesses, and, most importantly, to accept them for what they are. Once he comes to grips with his inner demons, he is ready to move forward to a new and heightened mental and spiritual life that awaits him. He is able to accept Christ’s forgiveness and even to forgive himself and embrace the work that Jesus gives him to do, “Feed my sheep.” Peter embraces this new mission with a renewed enthusiasm fueled by the power he has received from the Holy Spirit. He is now willing and able to assume his role as first among the Apostles and leads them on their mission to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations…” MT 228:19.

 

Like Peter, many of us have had our “ups and downs” in our relationship with Jesus. We have had our share of doubts and fears and have often disappointed Jesus by our sinful behavior, by our bad choices, by “what we have done and by what we have failed to do.” Over time these actions become like a wedge and sever our relationship with Our Lord. But today’s gospel gives us all hope that we can never be far from God’s abundant mercy and forgiveness. Jesus will always come looking for us, to nourish us physically and spiritually and to bring us his healing presence and compassion so that we can begin again, renewed and restored.

 

Easter is a time of God renewing the whole world. And renewal is what we need now given the present state of our world. Let us embrace Our Risen Savior’s love and forgiveness and be renewed ourselves so that we may be able to experience the newness of life brought about through Christ’s suffering and death.

 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

 

Recommended Reading: Everything Belongs by Fr. Richard Rohr, O.F.M. is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation who teaches primarily on incarnational mysticism, nondual consciousness, and contemplation, with a particular emphasis on how these affect the social justice issues of our time.

 

Recommended Podcast: Catholic - Link Podcast is A podcast for busy Catholics. A mix of short, informative episodes, long form interviews, and interesting historical episodes. Wherever you are in your faith, we have content for you!

Second Sunday of Easter_C - Divine Mercy Sunday_042725

Deacon Tom Writes   

“Peace Be with You!”

Second Sunday of Easter (or Sunday of Divine Mercy), Year C

Today on the Octave of Easter we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday. It is the eighth day after Jesus’ triumphant victory over death, the reason for our wholehearted joy today. It is fitting that we reflect on God’s unconditional and constant love for us on this day that has been set aside in honor God’s Divine Mercy for it is thorough God’s Mercy we were redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.

We read today about the life of Jesus’ Apostles and the early days of the church. They weren’t looking to establish a religion to rival their own cherished Jewish faith. They had no such grandiose plans to create a new, competitive spiritual organization. Their simple intention was to spread the word about all they had seen and heard as they experienced the life and ministry of Jesus. They had to keep Jesus’ story alive. And, to this end, they were very successful, as we read today, “…the people esteemed them” as they themselves, like their teacher, worked signs and wonders among their fellow Jews. The Apostles were sharing the powers that they had received from the Holy Spirit, “On the evening of that first day of the week.” Enlivened by the Holy Spirit they left the room they had locked themselves in and fearlessly began to proclaim the Gospel, the Good News, the evangelion, that God’s reign had begun. And the people were eager to hear that Good News, for not only were “…great numbers of men and woman were added to them,” but also, “…the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits … were all cured.” And so, it began!



Today it might be a good exercise for us to ask ourselves in what ways God has shown us his mercy and reflect on the many ways God’s Mercy has touched our lives. We may recall the words with which Jesus greeted his Apostles as we begin our contemplation, “Peace be with you.” It is so fitting for us to call to mind the peace of Christ for most of us are desperate for God’s peace, a peace the world cannot give. In the shadow of Christ’s rising from the dead and being witnesses to the chaotic and fragmented world around us, Christians should desire to be filled with Christ’s gentle spirit and humble heart. After all, we’re no different than those people who heard and witnessed the Apostles and followed them. They were looking for inner peace within themselves, peace in their families and neighbors, and in the world around them; they too were eager to ease their troubled hearts and be connected with inner peace of the risen Lord. Don’t we all?

As we witness the horrific tragedies taking place in the Ukraine and see first-hand the suffering of so many new refugees, let’s strive to find little ways to bring God’s peace into our lives and the lives of our family and friends around us. We are summoned to be instruments of Christ’s peace because we have experienced God’s love and mercy in so many ways. We have the power to bring good out of evil if we but help lighten the burden of those whose suffering is unimaginable. No one can do everything to ease the suffering of the many around us BUT, everyone can do some one thing. We are the One Body of Christ... and we need to act as the One Body of Christ, in our effort to bring God’s Love, Mercy and Compassion to all.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

Recommended Reading:

Living Justice by Fr. Thomas Massaro, S.J., He is professor of moral theology at Fordham University. His books and articles are devoted to Catholic social teaching and its recommendations for public policies oriented to social justice, peace, worker rights, and poverty alleviation.

 

Podcast Recommendation:

Busted Halo Show with Fr. Dave Dwyer, C.S.P. Join in to the Busted Halo podcast to hear a reflection on Pope Francis and His Papacy with John Allen, Jr.