Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time_C - Happily Ever After Starts Here!_020319

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Happily Ever After Starts Here!”

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

How easy it is to say, “I love you”. How easy it was for the people of Nazareth to speak highly of Jesus and to render a favorable opinion about the gracious words he spoke. It’s quite a different matter altogether to act with love toward the people we say we love or to respond to those precious words. Jesus speaks to us today as he did to the people in his hometown Synagogue, his friends and neighbors who watched Jesus grow from youth to a young man and itinerant preacher and miracle worker.

St. Paul writes to the Corinthians about love. Couples often chose these words for their wedding ritual because they capture our heart’s desire for genuine, selfless love. “Love is patient, love is kind” Paul says. If he were to stop there, we would struggle mightily to put those words into practice. We would have to work very hard day and night to show those we say we love a patient love, a kind love. But Paul doesn’t stop with those two qualities. He goes on to say that there is much more to love than patience and kindness. He probes the very essence of love to reveal that at its very core, to love means to surrender oneself completely to the other. Love, Paul says, “is not pompous or rude; is not inflated and doesn’t seek its own interest; it is not quick-tempered nor does it brood over injury. Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing; it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things”.

Love, then, is so much more than simply saying, “I love you”. It is the journey of a lifetime to a place we nearly always choose not to go: it is a place of complete surrender. One does not get there simply by saying “I love you”. Rather it is the work of a lifetime; it is a slow process of letting go, of dying to self, of subjecting our very self-will to the will of others. And, should we really give some thought to this, we can’t love to the depth that Paul describes by ourselves. We need God’s grace to make any progress at all. For, if we are left to ourselves, we might act like the people of Jesus’ hometown who hear his “gracious” words and then, moments later, try to push him over the cliff. They just weren’t prepared to hear how abundant and liberating God’s love is and that his love goes out to all who search for him.

There is little doubt that God’s love remains a mystery. We will never completely understand the depth of divine love in this life, but we can experience a glimmer of it through the love of others. The deeper our love becomes, the more selfless our love will be and the closer we will come to the source of that love who is God and the better we will be at sharing that love with one another.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image credit: Tom Casey_Words of Wisdom to Bride and Groom, Corolla, N.C.

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time_C - One in Christ_012719

Deacon Tom Writes,

“One in Christ”

Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

The devastation caused by natural disasters, the sufferings of those traumatized by war and famine, the fear on the faces of children with swollen bellies from hunger and disease we see night after night on the evening news overwhelms our senses. It is painful to watch these tragedies unfold, for, the truth is, our minds simply cannot grasp the horrific misery many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are enduring at this very moment. Consider what the Syrian people have experienced these many years; try to comprehend that more than eight million people are on the verge of starvation in war-torn Yemen right now! Imagine what it is like to lose everything you own in an instant when a tornado rips through your home. St. Paul tells us the reason we Christians feel the pain that others are experiencing is because we believe that we are all part of the one Body of Christ. “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it” St Paul reminds us in today’s reading. Are we feeling the pain that are brothers and sisters in Christ are experiencing today?

St. Paul recognized that we are intimately united with one another when we enter into a relationship with Christ. His experience while on his way to Damascus to persecute those early followers of Christ helped formed this understanding. Recall the events of the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 9, when Saul was blinded by a bright light and fell to the ground. He heard a voice say, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me”? When Saul asked who was speaking to him, he heard the response, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting”. Saul must have felt confused. He was on a mission to put an end to the fledgling body of Jesus’ followers, NOT Jesus, who was already dead. But, after his conversion experience, those same followers Saul intended to kill would help him to become one of Christ’s greatest witnesses. And one of his many contributions to our faith is this understanding of the Mystical Body of Christ that we read today.

Because we Christians believe that we share this mystical union with one another through Christ, all of us suffer any and each time someone else suffers physically, mentally, or emotionally, whether the cause is natural or the result of our own misguided activities. Yes, we are all aware of the suffering and misery that thrives in our world today. And how are we as Christians to respond to the afflictions of refugees, or the victims of war…AIDS…poverty…injustice, etc. that ravage our brothers and sisters in Christ, all of whom we believe are made in the image and likeness of God? Certainly financial support is essential for food, medical supplies, and disease control. These items are most essential. But also, we cannot overlook our spiritual contributions – prayer, fasting and time spent reflecting on how the suffering of people around the world is bound up with Our Lord’s redemptive suffering that frees us from death and restores us to everlasting life. In the end we need both the material and the spiritual contributions to help alleviate the suffering of so many people. Doing our small part will help us better understand ourselves as the mystical body and provide much needed assistance to those in need. And, therein lies tremendous hope for our broken and troubled world.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image: http://religion-cults.com/metanoia/cristo-cuerp-m.jpg

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Second Sunday in Ordinary Time_C - Water into Wine – A Call To Transformation_012019

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Water into Wine – A Call To Transformation”

Second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C

The Wedding Feast at Cana is the third “epiphany” of our Lord in that it is the third official occasion in which Jesus’ identity is revealed to the world. The first revelation was recounted two weeks ago on the Feast of the Epiphany when the magi came from the far corners of the world to pay homage to the Christ Child. Last week was the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord and Jesus is revealed as God’s beloved. Today at Cana Jesus reveals his power over the natural order by, of all things, changing water into wine.

Jesus is an agent of change. What was, ceases to be. What was not, comes into being. According to John, Jesus is the preexistent and Incarnate Word who comes to reveal the Father to us. Jesus comes to establish the Gods reign in our world through his creative and transforming works reminiscent of this amazing miracle at Cana.

It is important for anyone who wants to experience a deeper spiritual life to be open to the transformative power of Christ. It’s difficult to make any significant changes in our lives let alone trying to break deep-seated habits or prejudices we’ve harbored for years. There are several reasons for this: first, because we don’t see them for the evils that they are, so we ignore them. Denial is an insidious part of our human nature. Second, we are very good at putting off difficult changes until tomorrow. Tomorrow, of course, never comes.

Jesus’ ministry is one that invites us to change our lives. He does this by taking away our blindness, curing our paralyses, and giving us the opportunity to embrace new life. In other words, he empowers us to overcome the obstacles that hinder our spiritual growth. Jesus gives us the power to change; he gives us the living water of Baptism and the bread of life in the Eucharist. He gives us the power to come to know him though the abundant sacramental life that feeds and nourishes all who come to him.

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reveals that the transformative work begun by Jesus is continued through the power of the Holy Spirit who lavishes God’s gifts upon us for the good of all. We all drink of the one Cup that has been filled with the “Good Wine” that Jesus has made available to all who come to him looking for God’s infinite love, mercy, and compassion.

Our efforts to deepen our relationship with Christ continue as we enter these days of Ordinary Time in our Liturgical Year. May God bless all we do to accomplish this.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image Credit: The Wedding Feast at Cana by Fr. Joel

The Baptism of the Lord - Christ Among Us_011319

Deacon Tom Writes,

Christ Among Us

The Baptism of the Lord, Year C

Today’s celebration of The Baptism of the Lord marks an end to this Christmas Season. I hope the peace and joy of the Christ Child touched you and your loved over the course of this holy time of year. You will notice that the white vestments that have signified these solemn days of Christmas will give way to green indicating a return to “Ordinary Time” as the liturgical calendar rolls forward.

Last Sunday we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord. This Feast’s importance is centered on the visit of the magi whose presence before the newborn King of the Jews reveals God’s loving plan of salvation for all the nations of the world. Yes, God who first befriended the people of Israel now sends his Only Begotten Son into the world so each person may experience the intimate presence of Emmanuel, the presence of Christ living among us.

In today’s gospel text Jesus comes to John to be baptized in the Jordan River, a second occasion where God is visibly living and active in our human family. God’s voice from on high proclaims and affirms Jesus His “Beloved Son” as the Holy Spirit descends in bodily form. Yes, today we experience the fullness of Trinitarian love fully present in the completely human person of Jesus.

The Baptism of Jesus reveals the mystery of the presence of God in all of our lives. God comes to us when we are baptized just as he came to Jesus, filling us with his Spirit and claiming us as his own. We too become his “beloved”. We are invited to deepen our awareness of the calling we have received in our own baptism and, as our journey of faith continues, to pass the fire burning within us to all those who come into our lives.

Our relationship with God is much like our relationship with others in our lives. Just as it would be virtually impossible to have a healthy and meaningful relationship in this life with someone we claim to love but then constantly ignore, so to with God. To be his “beloved” is to be in an intimate and trusting relationship with him, a union of trust and faithfulness that is mutually nourishing, beneficial, health, and supportive, and yes, even full of surprises!

As we ease back into Ordinary Time, let us remember that we are God’s “beloved”. Let this simple thought become our mindset in these next few days so that we seek take advantage of every opportunity to act as God’s beloved and continue to grow in his love, deepen our relationship with him, and to share the abundance of his love with everyone whose lives touch ours.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image Credit: Baptism-of-Christ.jpg/ by Davezelenka

The Epiphany of the Lord - Lighten The Load_010619

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Lighten The Load”

The Epiphany of the Lord, Year C

If you have taken a flight to go on vacation lately, then you know how difficult it is to get everything you need packed into your suitcase and not go over the 50-pound limit to avoid the surcharge. Sometimes you just can’t do it, so you have to leave behind that extra sweater or the additional pair of dress shoes or pony up the extra bucks! Oh well, they can be replaced.

I wonder if the Magi had trouble packing all they needed for their trip. They didn’t know how long their journey would take nor what exactly they would need along the way. There was only so much that they could bring with them and there were no shopping malls along the way like there is today. They had to pack wisely if they wanted to find that special object they were seeking, the infant King of the Jews.

This journey of the Magi that announces the Good News of God’s salvation to the entire world invites us reflect on the journey of our lives. The Magi’s story prompts us to ponder the direction of our lives and asks us, “What it is that we are looking for in this life”? What is the object of our hearts’ desire that is driving us forward each day; what is that “special thing” that will completely satisfy us when  we find it? Most of us recognized that our lives are so busy and cluttered at times that we often neglect those important things that give us the most joy and happiness. Suffering from that same condition, I have been asking myself what are the essential, absolute necessities I need to enjoy life. It comes down a single word…relationship. Relationships with my family, friends, and God are what matter most to me at this stage of my life. Perhaps the same is true for you also. 

There are so many activities that contribute to the busyness of our lives that don’t contribute to the quality of our lives, nor do they lead us to what is most important: a deeper relationship with those around us and God. If the choices we are making aren’t leading us to deeper, more profound relationships, then, these are the things we need to leave behind, just like we must leave some things behind when we pack for the airport. Life, as we are often reminded, is full of choices…and not all of them are good.

I hope that 2019 will give us all the opportunity to lighten the clutter of our lives and enable us to concentrate on improving the quality of our lives – spiritually, mentally, and physically.

May God, who sent His only Son to “dwell among us”, direct our hearts to His so we may experience  a meaningful relationship with Him and those other people in our lives who are important to us. And, may God bless you and your loved ones in the new year.

Enjoy the day and a very blessed, holy, and happy to you and your loved ones.

Deacon Tom