Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B_102421 - The Courage to Beg

Deacon Tom Writes,

“The Courage to Beg”

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Today we hear the familiar story of Bartimaeus, a man whose disability sets the stage for his encounter with Jesus. It’s an ordinary day; Bartimaeus sets up on the side of the road to do the only thing he is able to do…Beg. His blindness makes him vulnerable and without the help of others, his life would go from bad to worse. How excited he must have been when he heard the crowd approaching! Perhaps, he might have thought, their generosity would get him through a couple of days, please God! But in reality, a greater gift awaited him.

In some ways we are like Bartimaeus. We routinely set out each day trying to secure the necessities of life, to earn enough to pay the mortgage, the orthodontist, buy groceries, fill the gas tank of the car. Yes, we need these things to provide for our families. That’s keeping it real. But there is more to life than the things that money can buy. Ironically, Bartimaeus, the blind man, helps open our eyes to the fact that our very well-being, over very existence depends totally on someone else, and that someone else is God.

It takes courage for Bartimaeus to continue calling out to Jesus when those around him demand his silence. It seems that blind Bartimaeus recognizes Jesus’ true identity as the “Son of David.” He cries out, not for a handout to get him through the day, but for God’s mercy (read pity) that will open for him a whole new way of life and satisfy all that is lacking within.

We all stand in need of God’s mercy, for his healing, for the gift of sight to see the awesome works of God around us and even in our lives, to peer into the mysteries of life, relationship and to know their true value. We have so many needs; there are so many things to pray for. Prayers that break the silence to ask for God’s guidance, protection and his mercy so that we might make it through today and have hope for tomorrow; prayers that silence the rumble of war and that bring peace to our troubled world; prayers for those who are abused and neglected who are often silent victims.

Like Bartimaeus, let’s not be silenced by the world around us. Instead, let us call out “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on us” and see what wonders lie in store.


Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Image credit: maryricehopkins.com:Bartimaeus3

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - How Low Can You Go?_101721

Deacon Tom Writes,

“How Low Can You Go?” 

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Remember the lyrics to Chubby Checker’s song, Limbo Rock? “Jack be limbo, Jack be quick, Jack go unda limbo stick.” The idea was to contort yourself from one side of the “limbo stick” to the other. The challenge was to see “How low could you go?” We had a lot of laughs trying, but not too much success!

Today’s readings provide us with profound insight into the revolutionary nature of the Kingdom Jesus laid the foundation for during his ministry. It comes as the Apostles are arguing about who was the greatest, who would be first when this kingdom came to full stature. To their dismay, Jesus makes it clear that what he has in mind isn’t about choosing a CEO or EVP; rather, it’s about attracting servants. Jesus is challenging his followers to conduct their lives in such a way that to others they would appear to be “the slaves of all.” By their outward acts of service, Jesus’ followers would reject the vestiges of power and privilege that governed the prevailing society. For the Apostles, as for us, this teaching that the rules that govern the Kingdom of God are vastly different than those we are accustomed was, and remains, quite a shock. In this world the great ones lord it over their subjects; in God’s realm, the greatest ones are the servants of all.

Jesus isn’t making small talk. We know from the way he lived and, especially, by the vicious death he suffered that he meant what he said about Servanthood. He was the faithful servant who came into our broken and troubled world to bring us the Good News of our Father’s love. It is a love that the Father intends for us to share with one another... willingly... graciously... indiscriminately.

It is in the spirit of Servanthood that Jesus takes on the role of the Suffering Servant who, in the words of Isaiah, “through his suffering…will justify many.” Most of us are not called to suffer the way Christ did, and thank God for that! But, we are called to share the suffering our brothers and sisters in Christ experience today by being aware of their poverty, how they are victimized and exploited by our society and then to respond, as best we are able, as moved by the Holy Spirit. We share in Christ’s suffering when we put ourselves into these desperate situations and we stand there as a sign of God’s presence. We witness to God’s presence when we make the decision to cooperate with the abundant graces God has placed in our hearts. The lower you go to serve God’s children, the higher you rise in the Kingdom of God where Jesus tells us that “as often as you did it for one of my least brothers and sisters, you did it for me.”

St. Paul reminds us that Jesus experienced all of our human condition in their entirety. He suffered the abuse, rejection, ridicule of the people he came to redeem; he suffered the rejection of family who thought he was out of his mind; he suffered the loss of beloved friends. He suffered the injustice of capital punishment! He experienced the full spectrum of our human drama, and he did so willingly... “tested in every way” Paul writes. Why? Because of his great love for us. And, the Kingdom he sets in motion is that place, the only place, where the love we see in Christ’s life and death calls us to follow him by “giving our all” to being “servants of all.”

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Choose Wisely_101021

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Choose Wisely”

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

 Have you ever had the chance to watch a little child try to decide which coin to take when given a choice between a nickel and a dime? Quite often, the child will choose the nickel because it’s bigger. The poor lad hasn’t learned to distinguish monetary values. Today’s reading from the Book of Wisdom is intended to teach us about what constitutes real value in our lives so that we may know how to make wise and morally correct decisions and not fall victim to the ways of the world. Here is today’s reading from the Book of Wisdom again.

I prayed, and prudence was given me;
I pleaded and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.
I preferred her to scepter and throne,
And deemed riches nothing in comparison with her,
nor did I liken any priceless gem to her;
Because all gold, in view of her, is a little sand,
and before her, silver is to be accounted mire.
Beyond health and comeliness I loved her,
And I chose to have her rather than the light,
because the splendor of her never yields to sleep.
Yet all good things together came to me in her company,
and countless riches at her hands.

The teacher of Wisdom informs us that other virtues accompany Wisdom for those who pursue Wisdom. Prudence and Perseverance, Patience and intense Prayer are found in Wisdom’s company. That explains why Wisdom is so rare and elusive, while foolishness is seen all around us, like pollen during ragweed season. Foolishness appeals to the here and now, feeds upon our egos and disillusions, and makes no demands upon our character. Foolishness endures because it is so captivated by the glitter of the physical reality around us and is so easily enticed by the things of this world… the riches, temporary fame and fortune, success and the pleasures that fail to give lasting joy and happiness. The Wisdom described above is a manifestation of God’s very identity and his essence. It is a part of God’s very being. God shares his Wisdom, a very part of his nature with those who ask for it, with those who seek lasting riches found only in the things from above. When one possesses this form of Wisdom, they abide in God and God in them.

If we seek the things from above, we will never be disappointed. God’s Wisdom will guide us on our earthly journey and enlighten us along the way so we, unlike the little child who is deceived by the belief that bigger is better and makes the wrong choice, won’t settle for second best. May we have the Wisdom of God at work in us so that we always and easily choose wisely.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom



Image: eastdailyoffice.wordpress.com

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - RESPECT_100321

Deacon Tom Writes,

RESPECT

Twenty-seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B

Aretha Franklin was arguably one of Rhythm and Blues top female vocalists. Referred to as the “Queen of Soul”, one of her many blockbuster hits was, “RESPECT.” It became the US’s No. 1 hit in 1967. The following year it won two Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it at No. 5 on their list of “The Greatest Songs of All Time” securing its place in music history for all time.

Besides being a musical blockbuster, the very title of Franklin’s music expresses, perhaps, the most fundamental obligation and duty we owe not only to one another but to the entirety of creation around us. Why is that?

In calling forth creation, Genesis recounts this majestic moment when, after Adam named all the animals, God found no suitable partner for him. That there was no suitable “partner” for the man from all that God had made is telling. Man’s partner does not come from all prior life that he was given dominion over. Rather, the man’s partner is “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh.” How unique that this creation story is centered around a partnership between two created beings, intimately sharing the same flesh and blood, whose purpose in life was to become, as it was to begin, “one flesh?”

This is our foundational narrative. This is the Creator’s plan from the beginning, a plan that would manifest itself in the unity and equanimity of the man and the woman that would extend to all of creation they were to govern.

Respect is a duty we owe to one another and all creation. It is the profound recognition that we are “created beings” whose origin is from the beneficent Creator who has made us “little less than god” (Ps 8:6) who are destined to share in his very being for all eternity.

If we only understood the meaning of the word “respect.” If we only knew the meaning of the Creation Story, what a different world we would experience. Fostering respect for one another is the way out of many of the problems we confront in our society today. This is certainly rich soil to cultivate. We are living in a time when respect for one another has all but disappeared. Worse, we are living at a time of disrespect for individuals, institutions, laws, any moral authority. Don’t tell me what to do!!! Don’t try to limit my freedoms!!! Such disregard for others can only produce outcomes that will lead to further division, strife and alienation from one another.

Today’s readings urge us to reflect on not only how we treat others but how we view them. For in Christ we are all members of the “One body”. And people of faith treat one another with RESPECT.


Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Envious Hearts_092621

Deacon Tom writes

“Envious Hearts”

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Both Moses and St. Luke shed some light about a serious sin that we all experience from time to time, the sin of envy.  In the spiritual realm this is such an insidious offense that it ranks as one of the seven deadly sins so named because they tend to inspire one to further sin. We hear today how Moses responds to a complaint brought to him by two of his tribesmen.  What bothered them was that several others of their group were prophesying even though they had not been in their company when they received the “spirit. Moses sensed that a spirit of envy or jealousy was at work with those who lodged the complaint. Instead of chastising the two who had received the gift of prophesy while away from camp, instead he responds, “Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets! Would that the LORD might bestow his spirit on them all!"

In a similar way, the Apostles see that someone not in their group is casting out demons and report that to Jesus.  Jesus wisely cautions his disciples “Do not prevent him.” Jesus knows that any good work done in his name will produce good fruit.

Very often our fragile human nature shows itself in the ugliest of ways. In these two incidents from Sacred Scripture we notice how one group of individuals is offended because others appear to have gotten something that they did not deserve. In the first reading the Spirit came to rest on the men who left camp and the “crowd” is upset with this; in the gospel a stranger was empowered to cast out demons without being an Apostle and again the “crowd” of disciples are offended. Envy is at work in both these events. In both instance the intention of those who complain is to get someone – Moses or Jesus – to issue a cease and desist order to the perceived antagonist. Rather than get their way, our teachers today hold a class that remains applicable for us today. 

Our sequential, linear minds constantly seek to put God in a box. We want to control God. We want him to be predictable and to be fair; fair, that is, as we perceive fair to be. But God is above all our thinking and our wildest imagination. God’s ways are simply beyond us and we need to grow into that realization.

God is at work all around us, in all faiths, in all peoples, in all circumstances. God’s Spirit works in the hearts of the faithful everywhere. God is the reality through which we live, and move, and have our being. It is not jealousy that should fill our hearts when we see good being done, but rather a deep sense of awe at the wonders God is unfolding minute-by-minute, day-by-day all around us. Even by those who look, act, believe, and worship differently than we do. Better than keeping a jealous eye on what others appear to be doing is for us to act as those upon... whom God’s spirit has been bestowed. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Image from: zazzle.com

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Who's Numero Uno_091921

 

Deacon Tom Writes

“Who’s Numero Uno”

Twenty-fifth Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year B

One of telltale signs that we struggle to embrace Jesus’ message “to become the least” is the fact that we do all that we can to be the first… to be the best… the greatest, the center of attention. We want to be in the limelight; we want the bigger piece of the pie. Yet, today, Jesus’ instructions are clear: the only way we get to the head of the line is by seeking to be the last one in it! “If anyone wishes to be first”, he says, “he shall be the last of all and the servant of all”. That’s how things operate in the Kingdom of God. It was the behavior of his closest disciples that prompted Jesus to pass this teaching on to us. In today’s gospel we hear that an argument broke out among his disciples as to who was “Numero Uno”. This happened right after Jesus revealed what’s going to happen to him when they get to Jerusalem. “He will be handed over to men and they will kill him…but in three days he will rise”. How callous of his followers to be so dismissive of Jesus’ horrific prophesy! Imagine how anguished we would be if, while we were bearing our souls to a close friend, they were disengaged and self-absorbed. There is just no imaginable way to describe how hurt and distraught we would feel‼!

Jesus made many references to the fact that the Kingdom he was announcing was ordered a bit differently than our experience here in this temporal realm. In God’s kingdom ….the first shall be last, the hungry will be satisfied, the broken, crushed, dispossessed and sorrowing will be comforted. And forever, the peacemakers will be held in high esteem….!

Those are some powerful promises, and yet, given the state of the world, some of our inner city neighborhoods, and even our family, one can’t help wonder if we are doing all that we can to ease the plight of the poor, the neglected, those who are suffering through this life? Why aren’t we looking to “store up treasures in heaven” (Mt 6:20) by helping the worst of the worst? Are we confused about the significance of Jesus’ teachings? Matthew, Chapter 25 makes it pretty clear… “Whatever you do to the least of my brothers and sisters, you do to me?”…Or, are we, like the disciples in today’s gospel more distracted with our own concerns and interests than the suffering and hopelessness of many of those around us?

It is very difficult to die to self, to take up the crosses of our lives and unite them with that of Christ. That is why we need to learn from the Master, to follow in his footsteps, and practice every day to love and serve each other, as Christ has loved us, even unto death. That is one way to show others is really “Numero Uno” in our lives.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Image from – lailas blog.com

Twenty-fourth Sunday_B - Better Choices - Better Results_091221

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Better Choices - Better Results” 

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

This Saturday marks the twentieth anniversary of the World Trade Center tragedy. As we commemorate this heart rending occasion we suffer the additional trauma of watching the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. We have all has our share pain and suffering over these years, the consequence of both natural disasters and of our own poor decisions. There’s nothing new here, I suspect. But, perhaps more than ever, it may be time to look at our decision making process that has produced such anguish, anxiety and negativity in our local and global communities, in our churches, in our politics and in our families. 

There is a saying that goes like this, “If you always do what you always have done, you will always get what you’ve already got”. So, if we keep eating the cheesecake, we are going to keep adding on the pounds! Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? So, when it comes to understanding and solving the problems in our families, in our communities and in our world, we need a different mindset than fighting fire with fire, or punching back harder when someone strikes us. We need a higher level of thinking to find real solutions. To paraphrase Einstein, genius that he was,  he said it this way, “Problems cannot be solved with the same mind set that created them”. Many of the problems of our world, our communities and in our families are of our own making. We have no one to blame but ourselves for the bitter results of our poor choices. Real solutions to any problem that ails us demand that we pursue alternate and elevated way of thinking than the thinking that got us into that bad situation as Einstein so eloquently noted. 

For us whose faith is centered upon Christ, today’s gospel gives us insight into finding solutions to any problem we face, large or small. Jesus tells Peter, “You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do”. The invitation here is clear:  elevate your thinking! This may be an oversimplification, true. But, at the same time, it is good advice. For left to our old patterns of thinking, one could reasonably expect more of the same... more war, more violence, more suffering and pain, more erosion of the moral and spiritual fabric of society in a continuing state of decline. 

The antidote to this dismal future lies in the essence of Jesus’ teaching that is founded upon the dynamic principle of Love. Love of God and love of neighbor. Simple, yet this is the challenge of a lifetime. Love as Jesus loved: selflessly, unconditionally, without ulterior motive or even a desire to be loved in return. Love that forgives all injuries, infidelities, idolatries.  It is called agape, where Jesus empties himself because of his complete and total love of God and dependence upon God for all things and for all outcomes. This is the way God, Abba, thinks, acts, and IS. And God invites us to do the same! 

Change the way we think, act and how we approach our problems from our way to God’s ways and while that might not produce immediate results on a global scale, more than likely we will be much more successful solving problems in our homes and in our communities. A good enough start wouldn’t you agree? 

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - The Secret To Success_090521

Deacon Tom Writes

“The Secret To Success”

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Jesus has a remarkable encounter with a deaf man as he traveled the countryside of the Decapolis. Petitioned by the man’s friends, Jesus cures him. “Be Opened!” Jesus says two simple words to the deaf man and he is able to hear. His life changed in an instant. There is newness to the world he has been living but not fully participating in. He is complete, made whole, reunited to the community from which he was isolated and ready, perhaps, to begin life anew.

There are many events recorded in scripture that demonstrate Jesus had power over the natural world. He changed water into wine, walked on water, calmed the sea. But Jesus’ greatest power lies in his power to heal as we read in today’s gospel. He uses that power to set this man free from the loneliness and isolation that his deafness caused. 

The words we hear in the gospel today are powerful, “Be opened”. They challenge us to look into our lives and find those attitudes and behaviors that stand in contrast to the openness to which God calls us. Are we “Open” to forgive someone who has hurt us? Are we “Open” to letting go of resentments? Are we "Open" to changing our behavior and stop gossiping or thinking that we are better than others?  

Be Opened! Not just our ears, but our minds and attitudes also. We are living in a fast-paced, media fueled, 280 character twitter tweet, relationship challenged world and we can’t help but wonder if, when we speak, there’s anybody listening?” Is anyone open to what we are saying when we speak about God’s love for us and for every person; that we are made in God’s image and likeness; that we are infused with great dignity, and our destiny is to share eternity in the divine presence?

When we are “Opened” to the Word of God, our lives change, just as the man in the gospel’s life was changed. We don’t know the details on what changed. We only know that everyone was told to keep silent about what happened. Yet, because of their astonishment, they just couldn’t keep this amazing occurrence to themselves. They had to spread the word. And those words did not fall upon deaf ears! Praise God!

God never disappoints. There is nothing in our lives that God can’t use to bring about the good if we turn to him and trust in him. That’s the deeper meaning of faith. That’s the “Openness” that God longs for so that he can fill us with every good thing in our time of need. Openness is our invitation to God to come into our lives and holds the secret to success in attaining a peaceful and joy filled spiritual life.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

Image credit: dave-burke.squarespace.com/storage/ephphatha.jpg

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Following the Rules: Easier Said Than Done_082921

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Following the Rules: Easier Said Than Done”

Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Question. How many laws are necessary to help us lead dignified, well ordered, and morally responsible lives? 

Answer. Not many!

In today’s first reading we hear Moses instruct the Israelites to follow the laws and statutes that God has given to them. According to Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, one of the greatest medieval Jewish scholars, there were 613 mitzvot (commandments). Of these commandments 248 were positive – thou shall commandments and 365 were negative – thou shall not. These commandments stated the obvious in some cases such as: 1) to know that G-d exists; 10) to imitate his good and upright ways; 27) not to stand idly by when a human life is in danger. There were also some interesting commandments such as: 159) not to slaughter an animal and its young on the same day, or 364) not to work with beasts of different species, yoked together. There were commandments for every facet of daily life and they were intended to help the people live together in peace and harmony. But that ideal was never realized.

By the time Jesus comes along, we can understand his compassion for those who were suffering from the burden of so many unnecessary “statutes and decrees”. In the hours he spent in prayer Jesus must have been amazed that so many "additions" to the law had been place upon the peoples shoulders.  And so, as he performed his ministry, Jesus teaches his disciples the sure fire way to live fully in the context of the Mosaic Law without getting caught up in all the nitty-gritty.  You are familiar, I have no doubt, with this profound teaching: "Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength; and, love your neighbor as yourself”. 

So, when Jesus is challenged by some Pharisees about washing his hands before eating, he calls them what they are, “hypocrites”. Jesus knows that this notion of ritualistic purity is a diversion from doing the real work that God calls us to do. In fact, a lot of the work God calls us to do is pretty dirty, if not totally ritualistically unclean. Working with the homeless or in prison or with the people who frequent our soup kitchens, the lepers of our day, may get your hands dirty but such activity is sure to open your eyes to a level of poverty and personal degradation many poor men, women, and children experience each and every day. There is a large contingency of our brothers and sisters today for whom eating off of dirty plates is the least of their problems. Newsflash… Jesus is not worried about us eating from dirty dishes! The filth Jesus wants to alert and cleans us from is that which comes from within – our hard heartedness, our deafness to the needs and concerns of others, our self-centeredness, our out of control desires, our lusting for what’s not ours. So again, how many commandments do we need to save us from ourselves? Ten? Seventeen? Do we decide which number is right for us – just like the Serta sleep bed, or are we going to listen to what the teacher has to say…and take up our cross and follow him by loving God and placing ourselves in the service of one another?

God didn’t bring us into creation to have us get caught up in the minutia. Nor did Jesus die on the cross to defend any prevailing legalistic way of life. We do need rules to guide us and govern our lives. For that reason Jesus gave us some simple ones to live by. If we want to live happy and fulfilling lives, we must see in ourselves and in each other the dignity that God has given to us. We must come to recognize that God dwells in each and every one of us. And, we must realize that we come to know, love, and serve him by knowing, loving, and serving one another. We don’t need a lot of rules to live a good life. Rather we must, in the words of St. James, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only” following Jesus’ example by Loving God and each other.

Last Sunday we heard that many of Jesus disciples departed from him because his teaching was too difficult. The truth is that ALL Jesus's teachings are difficult. It is difficult for us to be doers of the word.  Now, perhaps more than ever before, it's time to put our faith into practice and show our love for God and one another by putting aside our own likes and dislikes and act like the Children of God that we are and unite with one another in our common purpose of putting an end to this devastating virus. 

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Photo Credit : Newseum, Washington, D.C.

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Decide..Whom You Will Serve _082221

                                       

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Decide...Whom You Will Serve”

Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

“If it is displeasing to you to serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve.” (Jos 24:15).  Joshua poses this demanding question to all the Israelites gathered at Shechem many years after they had entered the Promised Land. The people responded,  “We will serve the Lord, our God, and will listen to his voice.” (Jos 24:24) Today as we listen to this scripture passage, we are asked the same question, Who do we serve? It is a question that demands our attention.

No generation has had an easy time answering this question. Life has always been hard. Finding God in the midst of all that life presents challenges all of us and eludes even those who strive to do so. Who is God? What is my relationship with God? What is my purpose in life? What does the Almighty ask of me so that I can answer this question honestly and with resolve? These thoughtful questions are ones people have been asking throughout the ages; questions, perhaps, we have been asking ourselves too over the course of our spiritual journey.  

I find it helpful to reflect on a passage from St. John’s gospel to get a better understanding on “how to” serve God in the way that God desires. It is the passage where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and when he has finished, he asked them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?” Not certain how they, the apostles, should respond, Jesus continues… “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do”. (John 13:15)

Jesus, ever the teacher, gives us throughout his ministry a very simple example of how we are to serve the Lord, Our God… by placing ourselves at the service of one another. That’s the true measure of our loyalty to God ways. St. Paul gives us some further guidance when he instructs the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”. (1COR 11:1)  Imitation is a powerful human motivator. We grow up wanting to be like  the athlete or musician we admire or dress according to the fashions of the day. We even decorate our homes according to the latest episode of HGTV. Our  physical lives are very much influenced by those around us. The point Paul makes is that there is a spiritual side of this reality also that is Christocentric. 

This question about deciding whom we should serve is so very important today. There are many activities competing for our time, our attention, money, and loyalty. We seem to be on a merry-go-round that never ends... busy from morning to night...fully engaged in a world of technological advances that fill every waking hour of the day that leaves very little time for crucial activities such as spending quality family time together, engaging in meaningful reflection, finding time for solitude and reflection…and uncovering the deeper meaning of our lives as God intended. 

Scripture asks us today to decide, “Whom we will serve”. May God’s grace direct our lives so that we may live them to the fullest  under his watchful care. 

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary_B - A Place Prepared By God_081521

Deacon Tom Writes,

“A Place Prepared By God”

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Year B

As we celebrate the joyful occasion of Mary’s Assumption into heaven, what is referred to as the Dormition of the Mother of God in the Eastern Orthodox Church, our first reading depicts anything but a festive occasion. The image there is frightful; a dragon waits to devour her newborn infant. How diabolical! But God has other plans; the woman escapes to a safe place that God has prepared for her.

We focus our attention today on the life of Mary. Her humble spirit and her willingness to embrace and do God’s Will makes her a model for us to follow. You would think that God would have given the Mother of his Son an easy path to walk in this life, wouldn’t you? But with the slightest bit of reflection we know that is not the case. The ridicule and tongue wagging that she must have had to endure as she carried the Son of God in her womb; how she trusted that God would touch Joseph’s heart so that he would know that Almighty God was the real Father of her child. What courage it took for both Mary and Joseph to flee their homeland for fear that King Herod would harm the babe. An incredible story, unbelievable really, except through the eyes of faith. Through the eyes of faith we come to know that Mary’s faith and trust in God never failed and he will never fail us either! 

I had the good fortune to visit the Holy Land and during my visit I was able to walk on the Via Dolorosa, the Way of the Cross. You may recall that the Fourth Station is, “Jesus Meets His Mother”. As I looked around and saw the narrow street, the hustle and bustle of the crowd, my senses were on overload as I realized that I was standing somewhere near where this event took place. I realized more than ever before the reality that God did not spare his own mother this most painful and sorrowful experience that any of us can ever have in this life – seeing our loved ones suffer. No, Mary was not placed on the yellow brick road of life. Yet no matter the sorrows and sufferings she endured, she remained faithful. And that is why she is the most fitting and perfect role model that we can ever imitate in this life. And that is why, when the course of her earthly life had come to an end, God raised her body and soul into heaven glory (Assumption) to be welcomed into a very special place prepared by God, a place close to her Son where there is room for all who remain faithful to him through all life’s challenges, worries, and sufferings.

Enjoy the Day!

Deacon Tom 

Image credit: The Death of the Virgin - Painting by Bartolomeo Vivarini: wikidata.org

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Taste and See_080821

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Taste and See”

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Today’s Responsorial Psalm encourages us to “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord”. Is this just a nice little expression, or is the psalmist serious? Can we really “taste and see” God’s goodness? I’m willing to bet that if you are reading this article, you probably have a number of such experiences where God’s presence is so real you can sense it. As we listen to John’s gospel about the multiplication of the loaves and the bread of life discourse over a number of weeks this summer, we Catholics have this quintessential teaching that Christ makes himself present to us in the Eucharist, body, blood, sou, and divinity, what is referred to as “the Real Presence”. We really can taste and see God’s presence and experience him within our being. How remarkable is this! Yet, sadly, I fear that our minds are on other matters as we come forward to receive Christ fully present in the Eucharist. It’s understandable... I get it! People are busy; they have their minds cluttered with things to do, places to go; they have problems at work, at home, with the in-laws, with their kids. O Lord, are we distracted!!!

I recall one of the early lessons in my life, one about problem solving. It goes like this, “The first step in solving a problem is recognizing that you have one”. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? And, you’re right; it is, at first glance. Yet, it is clear that many people we know (or ourselves, perhaps) aren’t dealing with their problems because they refuse to recognize them. And a likely reason is because they don’t know where to turn; they are clueless as to where to find help. 

The psalmist today tells us where we can find help for the difficulties we face. Here at the table of the Lord is where we find the solution to many of life’s challenges and difficulties. For if we are able to center our lives around this physically, emotionally, and spiritually complete meal, we will have the strength, courage, and mindset that will allow us to face our problems and find solutions to them. 

The reason for this is simple: once we get our relationship with the Son of God on proper footing, we will then in turn be able to get all of our relationships on a solid basis also. Once the Eucharist becomes our staple meal, and the indwelling of the Spirit is effectuated in us, we are able to confront our problems with a new strength and awareness that leads us to new solutions; enables us, “to be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ”. 

These few words from today’s readings provide immense insight into God’s overwhelming love for us. His desire is for our complete happiness and for our fulfilling our destiny of being one with him forever. The Eucharist truly allows us to taste and see the goodness of the Lord. With our eyes wide open by this sacred meal we are able to see God’s goodness in the many kind acts we see around us…in the beauty of the next flower you see or the next full moon. Look into the eyes of a child or a young woman planning her wedding. Look in the mirror! The psalmist tells us to stop for a moment and take in the goodness of the Lord that surrounds us…. Don’t miss out on it! If we do, it’s because, like Martha perhaps, our hearts and minds are in the wrong place and so we miss out on God’s presence in everything and everyone around us. 

What does God’s goodness taste like? It tastes like the feeling you get when someone says “I love you” or “your forgiven” or when you wake up energized and refreshed from a good night’s sleep and are greeted by the sunrise. God’s goodness lingers within us and moves us in a way that only grace can or like that special person in your life who can get your spirit to soar.  

We taste and see the goodness of the Lord most clearly, of course, in the Eucharist and in the community that gathers to receive it, food for the hungry and sight for sore eyes.  

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom 

 Image Credit:  https://myocn.net/made-known-in-the-breaking-of-the-bread/

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Will Work For Food_080121

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Will Work For Food”

Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

We are all too familiar with someone holding a sign that says, “WILL WORK FOR FOOD”. Perhaps some are scam artists but others are sincere and will do whatever they can to earn some money to buy food for the day. When you are hungry enough, you get desperate. Today in our first reading, the Israelites are desperate. They complain to Moses because they didn’t have enough to eat and longed to be back in Egypt where they had enough food… Imagine trading your freedom for a slice of bread!

God hears the cries of his people, which is a major theme of the Old Testament, and gives them their “daily portion” of bread from heaven in the form of manna to sustain them. It’s interesting to see that they received only a daily portion and that God tested them to see if they followed his instruction. You see, the manna only lasted one day. If you gathered up more than your daily portion, “it became wormy and rotten”. (Ex 16:20)

This story from Exodus is a prelude to the Eucharistic banquet Jesus would institute at the Last Supper and that we have been called to share today. The bread from heaven given to the Jews in the desert was meant to nourish them for that day and that day only. They were not allowed to store it up for the future. No, they needed to experience the mystery of God’s presence and caring for them each and every day. And…. so do we!

This idea that we need a daily encounter with the divine is “food” for thought. Unfortunately, most of us are not able to get to Mass on a daily basis to receive Holy Communion. In that case, we can always turn to Sacred Scripture for our daily bread. For that too is the source of the spiritual nourishment we need to cope with the challenges and difficulties we face in this life. In Scripture we can also find real food, food that will last and give us the strength and courage to live each day as it comes. For Christ’s presence in our lives is all that we hunger for, all that we need to fulfill every desire and longing of our hearts.

I have found Fr. Mike Schmitz, "Bible in a Year" Podcast an excellent vehicle for reading the entire Bible. You can find it on Apple of Spotify and perhaps other media. Not only will you read the Bible in a year, you will also get some fine commentary on the readings from Fr. Mike. I hope you will look into this for it is a wonderful way to up our game when it comes to knowledge of Scripture. 

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom