Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time_A - La Dolce Vita_090323

Deacon Tom Writes,

“La Dolce Vita….”

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Today’s gospel makes it crystal clear that Jesus was aware of the fate that awaited Him in Jerusalem at the hands of the “Elders, chief priests and the scribes.” There is no turning back, as Peter learns the hard way.

As we enjoy the warmth and brightness of the full summer sun, scripture provides some fuel for us to meditate on if we pause for a moment of reflection. That, in itself, is a real challenge for us with all that needs our attention. Yet, if we do set some time aside for God we can reflect on the actions Jesus is taking. He has made the decision to continue to spread the message of God’s unconditional love for all His children even though He knows it will cost Him His very life. The very thought of that possibility is grossly disturbing to Peter as Peter’s actions attest. One would think today’s lesson would be better placed within the context of the Lenten Season, but no, we encounter it now, as summer draws to a close and a change of seasons is upon us. So, with no shopping to do, no cakes to decorate or cards to send, and as we are free to relax beneath the bright summer sun and wonder just what difference, if any, God’s love for us has made in our lives.

One way to reflect on the difference God has made in our lives is “via negativa,” that is, by imagining what our lives would be like if our lives were totally disconnected from the Divine Presence. For instance, we might find that if God wasn’t an active, dynamic force in our lives we would have more money to spend since we would have no obligation to fund a parish community or donate to the poor and needy or respond generously to those who are suffering from the natural disasters, famines, havoc of war and tragedies brought about by discrimination towards people who are different from us or immigrants seeking shelter from the political and economic turmoil that abounds. Yes, we might still contribute to worthy causes occasionally, but it would be based on how we felt at the time; it wouldn’t flow from our spiritual awareness of being, “one in Christ.” We certainly would have more time on our hands also because we would be freed up from attending Mass every Sunday and running the kids back and forth to religious education and all those service hours that go along with it. Another big change we would notice is that we wouldn’t have anything to feel guilty about that comes from our failure to love our neighbor or following the Golden Rule. How liberating! We would only have to follow man-made laws. Perhaps! For as we all know, there are plenty of laws presently that we disregard for our own convenience. Freed from that good old Catholic guilt, we could certainly enjoy…La dolce vita!

Make no mistake, a world with God would be a scary place …for left to our own best “human behavior” we would no longer have any awareness of our moral responsibility to love others as God has loved us, as Jesus has love us… unconditionally. So, I welcome the chance to use this passage from scripture to reflect on God’s abundant love for His creation. With that thought in mind we can begin to grasp the reality that for those who love the Lord, we are in fact living, “La dolce vita,” and the Good News is, the best is yet to come!

Please pray for all those who have and are suffering from so many tragedies affecting not only the physical well-being of many of God’s children but also their spiritual, emotional, and mental health as well. As we see so many struggling to maintain healthy family lives during these difficult times, remember, God hears the cries of the poor and calls us in Charity to come to their aid in His Name.


Enjoy the day!
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: Dating God - Live and Love in the way of St. Francis by Fr Dan Horan O.F.M. It may seem shocking to compare our relationship with God with the notion of "dating." But this book does. With fresh insight and a deep personal spirituality, Horan points out that the desire, uncertainty, and love we experience in relationship with God resembles our earthly relationships. In our human relationships, we set aside time for the people who are most important to us. Horan reminds us that St. Francis of Assisi understood and even described his relationship with God in a similar way. Drawing from the Franciscan tradition, Dating God encourages us to see St. Francis's spirituality in a new light, challenging us to reexamine our own spirituality, prayer, and relationships, and inviting us into a more intimate relationship with our Creator.

 

Recommended YouTube Video: The Name of God is Relationship a presentation by Fr. Dan Horan, O.F.M. Fr. Dan attempts to enlighten us on several of those lingering questions we may have from time to time such as: What we can know about God?; What we can’t know about God; What is God’s Name?. Listen in on his presentation at the Center for Christian Spirituality Lecture at the University of San Diego.

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time_A - Lead... Follow... or Get Out of the Way_082723

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Lead… Follow… or Get Out of the Way!”

 

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

We lose track of the fact that God has a plan for us and that plan will not be compromised. In today’s first reading, Isaiah recounts what happened to Shebna, the Master of the Palace. He was “thrust… from his office” for disgracing his master’s house. Eliakim, a faithful steward, was given his authority and the privilege that went along with it. God alone is the source of “wisdom and knowledge” says St. Paul and everything is ordered according to His ways: “everything is from him and through him and for him.” Shebna apparently didn’t figure this out. By acting as if he was in control, he brought shame and disgrace upon him and his family.

It is noteworthy to reflect on how Christ approached this reality that everything is from, through and for God. If everything is, in fact, ordered in this way, then we can get a better understanding of why Jesus embraced the role of “servant.” He understood that his purpose was to serve God alone, for whom all things were made. What a profound love Jesus had for the Father, to offer his life completely to doing the Father’s Will and teaching us to do to do the same.

In our world where nearly everyone wants to be in charge, call the shots, be the big enchilada, what does scripture tell us? “Get out of the way!” We are in a constant struggle with our own flawed desires to be in control, to have things our way, to have others behave the way we want them to. Scripture gives us the “statutes” or better yet the “way” we must embrace in order to put our egos in check and learn the humble road of service to the people that Jesus would have us serve by loving, forgiving, being virtuous and genuine. We need to act as if Jesus were walking here among us today (which, by the way, he is). It is faithful, loving service on that order that changed the world for the better and made others remark, “See how they love one another.”

We live in a time when an epidemic of faithful service is needed to stem the horrific evil that is touching so many lives in our world. Now is the time for all who call themselves “Christian” to “lead…. follow…. or get out of the way.”

Enjoy the day!
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: Paul, A Biography by N.T. Wright. In this definitive biography, renowned Bible scholar, Anglican bishop, and bestselling author N. T. Wright offers a radical look at the apostle Paul, illuminating the humanity and remarkable achievements of this intellectual who invented Christian theology—transforming a faith and changing the world.

 

Recommended YouTube Video: Lecture - N.T. Wright - How Paul Invented Christian Theology. N. T. Wright approaches the Apostle Paul as the world's first, and greatest, Christian theologian. Much of his lifetime study has had Paul, his life and writings, as the focus. He has offered detailed insights into Paul's life and times for over 30 years, beginning with his dissertation on Pauline Theology and Romans and continuing through his recently released, two-volume Paul and the Faithfulness of God. In between those writings, Wright has produced over 60 books, many of which have dealt with Paul, and another one is soon to be released, Paul and His Recent Interpreters.

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time_A - What Would Jesus Do?_082023

Deacon Tom Writes,

“What Would Jesus Do?”

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

“Observe what is right, do what is just.” Sounds sooooo simple, doesn’t it? But somehow, in the midst of the complexities of life, there are times when knowing the “right” thing to do or knowing the “just” thing to do does not translate to what we “actually” do. Some people use the acronym “WWJD” to help them overcome their hesitation to doing what is right and just. You may have seen their formula for success written on a bumper sticker or two as you drove along the highway. Do you recognize these letters: WWJD? They stand for this message “What Would Jesus Do?” Perhaps we could use a new acronym to guide our thought process when we are confused about what the “right” or “just” action to take is: JDWJD - Just Do What Jesus Did!

Jesus is always teaching his disciples how to live and act in ways that are pleasing to God. Today we encounter Jesus teaching us about breaking down barriers that separate and divide us from one another, barriers that stand in the way of our practicing the central tenet of our faith and becoming one with each other as we are called to do at our Eucharistic Banquet.

In today’s gospel Jesus and the disciples encountered a woman whose daughter was tormented by a demon. The disciples can’t be bothered with her and they advise Jesus to “Send her away.” Pretty harsh response from the Apostles, isn’t it? But, what else could they possibly do with her? She isn’t “one of their kind,” not one of the “chosen people.” Isn’t that how we deal with the difficult people in our lives; those individuals who we wish would just “go away;” those people who are different from us, always challenging us and our ideas, beliefs, practices. That seems to be how we react to people who are always making demands of time, our finances, or “who keep calling out to us” for something or who simply don’t have the same likes, attitudes or lifestyles as we do.

Fortunately, Jesus has a better grasp on what’s the right thing to do. He listens to the Canaanite woman and is able to recognize the depth of her faith, although it is not that of the Jewish people. He is able to see what strong faith she has. He is moved by this faith and the woman who possessed it and he grants her favor. Her faith and the very presence of Jesus in this woman’s life, even for this brief moment, was life altering for her and for her daughter who was healed.

Jesus told us that we would be able to do greater things than he if we only had a little faith. It shouldn’t surprise us then of the remarkable power our presence has in the life of others. This is because God abides in each of us. We have his power to reconcile ourselves with one another; we have the power to cast away loneliness and fear; we have the power to bring the presence of Christ everywhere we go, even to those who “keep calling out to us” and who refuse to “go away.” We have the power to do many of the things Jesus has done. All we need to get started is to ask ourselves in any given situation, “What Would Jesus Do?” and then DO IT!

Enjoy the Day!
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: No Man Is An Island by Thomas Merton. "Without a life of the spirit, our whole existence becomes unsubstantial and illusory. The life of the spirit, by integrating us in the real order established by God, puts us in the fullest possible contact with reality — not as we imagine it, but as it really is."

Recommended YouTube Video: The Lifelong Journey of Discovering God and Ourselves: Thomas Merton and the True Self. Fr. Dan Horan O. F. M leads us into Merton’s foundational work on discovering our true identity as we seek to answer the two questions: Who am I and Who is God. Good listening here with another of the contemporary Franciscan Friars, Fr. Dan Horan.

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, A - The Language of God_081323

Deacon Tom Writes,

The Language of God

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Elijah is awestruck to realize that God presented himself in the “tiny whispering sound.” After hearing this sound Elijah “hid his face in his cloak.” Perhaps this is why so many of us struggle with our spirituality today. It is so difficult for us to find quiet space and idle time in our busy lives. We have so much coming at us during our waking hours. We feel “bombarded at times. Technology has delivered so many devices to entertain us 24/7. There is no “free” time; there is no shortage of things to do. More than ever before, we have to make a conscious decision to seek out a quiet place and set ourselves apart from the rapid pace of life. I don’t see any other way of being able to hear that “tiny whispering sound” through which God reaches out to us so he can be a part of our lives. We have to make a conscious decision to let him into our lives. 

In his autobiography, Seven Story Mountain, Thomas Merton tells how he was able to find true freedom not in the world but rather within the confines of the four walls of a monastic cell. It was there in the silence of the Trappist Monastery that he experienced the “tiny whispering sound” that enabled him to find himself and to find God. 

Now we all aren’t as fortunate as Thomas Merton to be able to head off to the solitude of a Cistercian Monastery. But, as fate would have it, Covid-19 has caused us to break out of our daily routine and subject ourselves to a self-imposed isolation to various degrees. This is our chance to imitate Merton in finding that quiet place and setting aside some of that freed up time to hear the “tiny whispering sound” of God piercing through the din of the world to make his presence known to us. For it is only in this silence, this strange language of God, that we are able to hear his voice. 

God bless and keep you always!

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: American Catholics: A History of the Roman Catholic Community in the United States by James Hennesey, S.J. Written by one of the foremost historians of American Catholicism, this book presents a comprehensive history of the Roman Catholic Church in America from colonial times to the present. Hennesey examines, in particular, minority Catholics and developments in the western part of the United States, a region often overlooked in religious histories.

 

 

Recommended YouTube Video: Catholics in America by Ryan Reeves Ph.D. is Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Here he gives a brief summary of the Catholic experience in the early days of America.

 

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord_A - Close Encounters of the Best Kind_080623

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Close Encounters of The Best Kind”

 

Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Year A

Today’s readings describe “close encounters” of the best kind...unimaginable encounters that take place between God and man. (This visible manifestation to a living person is referred to as a “theophany). The first one is the story of Daniel and his vision of heaven in which he sees the Ancient One upon His throne...with flames of fire...and wheels of burning fire... Daniel sees thousands upon thousands ministering to this mysterious figure as the court was convened and the books were opened. Daniel foretells the day of The Lord, the day of judgment. He foretells a time when One like a Son of man will appear coming on the clouds of heaven to receive dominion, glory, and kingship presumably from those who have anticipated His coming. Daniel encounters the Living God in all His glory during this vision and shares it with us so that we may contemplate the fullness of God’s Glory and place ourselves in the service of the One like the Son of man.

The second “close encounter” between God and man takes place during the event we know as the “Transfiguration,” when Jesus is revealed in His glory to the amazement of Peter, James, and John.

Throughout the course of Sacred Scripture God breaches the gap between His dwelling place and our earthly abode. We see God making His presence known to Moses in the form of the “Burning Bush” and again in the “Pillar of Fire” as God leads the Israelites through their ordeal of crossing the desert. When Jesus was being baptized in the Jordan, a voice from heaven was heard to say, “This is my beloved Son.” And, of course, we know that in the Person of Jesus, God took up a physical presence in our world to teach us that above everything else, God loves us and cares for us and that God’s greatest desire is for us to love Him in return.

As we continue on our spiritual journey we do well to focus on deepening our relationship with God. Are we doing our part to be mindful of God presence during the day, arranging some quiet time for our own “close encounter” with God and by making ourselves present to Him? That’s really all He asks of us, for us to be present to Him so that He can be present to us; so, He can reveal Himself to us as the God who loves, who forgives, who shares our pains, joys and sorrows, and who longs to fill us with His peace, joy, and His love. May we all experience a “close encounter” with our Lord and may that encounter be the beginning of a deeper and liberating experience.


Enjoy the day!
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: Reaching Out by Fr. Henri J. Nouwen. With the clarity and depth characteristic of the classics, this spiritual bestseller lays out a perceptive and insightful plan for living a spiritual life and achieving the ultimate goal of that life -- union with God.

 

Recommended YouTube Video: ART OF LIVING Conference | FATHER RON ROLHEISER, "Finding Peace in Anxious Times".  2021 marked the 25th anniversary of the death of Henri Nouwen. This spiritual master has encouraged and blessed millions the world over with his writing! To commemorate and celebrate his remarkable life and work, the Henri Nouwen Society, in partnership with Creative Communications of Bayard and the University of St. Michael's College in the University of Toronto, hosted "Henri Nouwen and the Art of Living" online conference on June 4-5, 2021. Keynote Speakers Included: Sister Helen Prejean, Dr. C. Vanessa White, Father Ron Rolheiser, Rev. Marjorie Thompson, Sister Simone Campbell, Dr. Roberto S. Goizueta, and Dr. Chris Pritchett.