The Resurrection of the Lord - Mass of Easter Day_A - This is the Day_040526

 

 

Deacon Tom Writes,

“This is the day!”

 

The Resurrection of the Lord - The Mass of Easter Day, Year A

 

The Responsorial Psalm for the morning Mass of the Resurrection is taken from Psalm 118 encouraging us to embrace the moment, to live in the present, to let our hearts sing out, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad”. I can’t think of a better attitude than this to embrace throughout the day and beyond for that matter, especially given the state of our nation and world around us. Being grateful for being alive and sharing in the wonders of family and friends might be a struggle for some of us because of the problems that we are facing – uncertainty because of serious medical issues or the lack of resources to pay for them, uncertainty about staying employed or finding a new job, uncertainty about the future for our children or grandchildren, uncertainty about the future prospects for peace in the Middle East and other “Hot Spots”  in our world. Being grateful for this moment, what we call the “the eternal present now” through which God continues to unfold creation, is challenging at times since we often get swept up in the demands of this world. Finding reasons to rejoice in the Lord when there is so much change and so little security is, well, an act of faith to say the least.

 

Staying focused on the present is a “Eucharistic,” that is a “thankful,” appreciative mindset that we should take with us as we leave Church after Mass. The reality of our encounter with Jesus in the Eucharist should enable us to recognize on this, the holiest day of the year, that God is in, around and with us every moment of our lives. If we really believe this, our lives will change. We will find the joy and happiness God intends for us to have in each “present moment” that passes. This does not mean that we live in a bubble and that we go unscathed through life. This would be delusional thinking... there is nothing that can prevent us from experiencing the hurts and disappointments that life scatters along the way. But what it does mean is that we are able to cope with the failures, disappointments, and sorrows that we suffer along the way and rise above them.

 

“This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad.” As we celebrate this great mystery of Christ’s rising from the dead, let this joyous refrain echo in our minds and in our hearts as we seek to keep His spirit alive within us and do our best to share our joy with all those we meet along the way.

 

May you and your loved ones enjoy a most Blessed Easter Season!

Deacon Tom

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com  and listen in as the three deacs engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those thinking of coming into or leaving it. 

 

OTHER RESOURCE

Recommended Reading: The Life of The Beloved by Henri J.M. Nouwen is insightful testimony of the power and invitation of Christ to lead us into a deeper spiritual life in today’s world.

 

 

Recommended YouTube Video:  The Life of the Beloved Henry Nouwen was a spiritual teacher of the first magnitude. Born in the Netherlands in 1932, he was called to the priesthood at a young age. Throughout his life, he studied philosophy, theology, psychology, and spent much time traveling, living in community and speaking publicly. His work is beautifully suffused with his own personal and intimate experiences of God’s love. This is one of his many works that are available on YouTube. Enjoy watching them.

 

 

 

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion_A - Wash Away My Troubles_032926

 

Deacon Tom Writes,

Wash Away My Troubles

 

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, Year A

 

As we read through Jesus’ Passion by St. Matthew today, we hear how Pilate handled matters when he lost control of the crowd... “he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourself’”.

 

In capturing so vividly Pilate’s attempt to wash himself clean of any complicity in Christ’s death, Matthew has given us an image we may, at times, use to escape our own culpability in wrongdoing; we wash our hands of the matter. This need to become clean when things have gone wrong is universal and timeless. Pilate obviously realized that. Along similar lines, we may recall the story of King David years before whose guilt drove him to journal his remorse over the killing of Uriah, the Hittite, the husband of Bathsheba. We read his lament in Psalm 51:

 

            Have mercy on me, God, in your goodness;

            in your abundant compassion blot out my offense.

            Wash away all my guilt; from my sin cleanse me.

            For I know my offense; my sin is always before me.

 

And guess what? This need to become clean again when we are troubled by our guilt is still around today. It has even been popularized in our music, I’m sure some of you may recall these words to the song, “The Road to Shambala by Three Dog Night:

 

            Wash away my troubles, wash away my shame

            With the rain in Shambala

            Wash away my sorrow, wash away my pain

            With the rain in Shambala

 

Yes, in all honesty, we make mistakes, (yet rarely own up to them though...) and we do things that hurt others and ourselves. Or, sometimes, we fail to do the right thing and that makes us feel just as guilty as if we did something wrong. We need to get back on the right path... the path of righteousness. What better image than that of water as a sign of our becoming clean again as a first sign of our willingness to show remorse and begin anew?

 

That is the exact function of the Sacrament of Reconciliation…you see, this Sacrament provides real cleansing. It provides healing from the inside out; in one’s heart and one’s attitude. Real and therapeutic forgiveness comes from the very person Pilate unjustly condemns to death. It’s unfortunate that today when there is so much need of forgiveness and such a profound underestimate of our own sinfulness, this healing Sacrament is so underutilized. As we come to the end of our Lenten journey, let us attempt to take advantage of the graces Our Lord makes available to us when we ask him to cleanse us of our sins and heal our brokenness.

 

Remember to enjoy the day and let your joy touch others!

Deacon Tom

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacs engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those thinking of coming into or leaving it.

 

 

OTHER RESOURCE

Recommended Reading: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis explores the core beliefs of Christianity by providing an unequaled opportunity for believers and nonbelievers alike to hear a powerful, rational case for the Christian faith. A brilliant collection, Mere Christianity remains strikingly fresh for the modern reader and at the same time confirms C. S. Lewis’s reputation as one of the leading writer and thinkers of our age.

The book brings together Lewis’ legendary broadcast talks during World War II. Lewis discusses that everyone is curious about: right and wrong, human nature, morality, marriage, sins, forgiveness, faith, hope, generosity, and kindness.

 

Recommended YouTube Video: Shortest Way Home: C.S. Lewis & Mere Christianity