Pentecost Sunday_A - Let the Fire Fall_052823

Deacon Tom Writes,

Let the Fire Fall

 

Pentecost Sunday, Year A

Today marks the Feast of Pentecost that celebrates the Holy Spirit’s presence in our church. In fact, Pentecost is considered the "birthday of the church”. The term "Pentecost" comes from the Greek word meaning "the 50th day". It is the day Christianity commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection.

Pentecost is not just a Christian feast. It is derived from a Hebrew celebration known as, Shavuot, which was held 50 days after Passover and was associated with the first harvest of grain in the spring, in other words, it is a sign of life, a sign or hope, a sign of renewal, ideas and expressions that perhaps have taken on greater significance given the state of worldly affairs.

Pentecost continues to be very important in our Catholic Tradition (capital “T”) because of its identification with the Trinity where God is the Father who created all things; Jesus is the Redeemer of mankind; the Holy Spirit sanctifies all that the Father has brought into being and all that Jesus has redeemed.

The coming of the Holy Spirit into our world continues God’s presence among us. The Holy Spirit, our Advocate, our Helper, brings divine power to enable us to overcome our human weaknesses, our bigotries, our hatreds, our idolatries, rivalries, and jealousies. The Holy Spirit is our champion who awakens within us the divine qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, and faithfulness. We call these attributes the “fruits of the Holy Spirit”. It is through these gifts that we ourselves are transformed and are thus able to cooperate with God in bringing about the transformation of the world into the Kingdom of God, a kingdom of peace and justice, a kingdom where Christ will reign forever over a new heaven and a new earth that we have been created to share.

Today, more so than perhaps ever before, we pray that the Spirit of God, the Advocate, our Helper, friend, and companion be with us to enlighten our minds and strengthen our hearts so that we may be instruments of God’s peace. We pray that our world may see the dawning of a new day that ushers in the Kingdom of God in its fullness.

Come Holy Spirit

Fill the hearts of your faithful

And kindle in them the fire of Your Love.

Send forth your Spirit

And they shall be created.

And You shall renew the face of the earth

O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,

did instruct the hearts of the faithful,

grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever rejoice in His consolations,

Through Christ Our Lord,

Amen.

As always... 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: Here and Now by Henri J.M. Nouwen is not a faint memory, but happening right here and now, spiritual living takes place in the present; the Spirit meets us in the ordinary. These inspirational reflections by Henri Nouwen succeed in convincing us that God’s presence is reliable.

 

 

Recommended YouTube Video: Living in the Presence of God - part 1b with Fr. Thomas Keating who discusses the practice of Centering Prayer.

 

The Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord_A_052123 - Go, Make Disciples

Deacon Tom Writes

Go, Make Disciples

 

The Ascension of the Lord, Year A

It’s hard to believe that three months ago we were just getting ready for the beginning of Lent. Now, as the Easter season draws to a close we have some perspective to reflect on where our spiritual journey has taken us over that brief but spiritually significant time span.

Were we able to hear God’s voice in the midst of our Lenten journey through the desert? Or gain a new insight about God’s incredible love for us during this Easter Season? Perhaps we have a better sense now of what God is asking of us than we have when we started out. How successful were we in changing some of those habits and behaviors we needed to change about ourselves - our judging and criticizing attitudes, our negative thinking, our inertia for self- reflection, or our sense of superiority, and our propensity to put others down in order to fuel our own ego? Have we succeeded in elimination gossip from our lives?

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. And yet, that’s, at most, all the time that the apostles had to grasp Our Lord’s revolutionary way of thinking about loving, forgiving, and serving one another… friend and enemy alike. The Apostles really were, when you think about it, on the fast track. Once Jesus was gone, that was it. It was all up to them to spread the Word throughout the world.

Imagine if you were the one who Jesus told to, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” What would you do? How would you begin?

Well, the strange thing is, this command Jesus gave His hand picked “go-to” guys was meant for you and I also? Yes, we who hear the Word of God today are chosen to carry the message in our times. Jesus is telling us to go into the world and proclaim the Good News to everyone we meet along the way.

In his Apostolic Exhortation on Evangelization in the Modern World , (or as they say in Rome, Evangelii Nuntiandi- December 8, 1975 – the feast of the Immaculate Conception), Pope Paul VI wrote:

“Those who sincerely accept the Good News, through the power of this acceptance and of shared faith therefore gather together in Jesus' name in order to seek together the kingdom, build it up and live it. They make up a community which is in its turn evangelizing. The command to the Twelve to go out and proclaim the Good News is also valid for all Christians, though in a different way…. Moreover, the Good News of the kingdom which is coming and which has begun is meant for all people of all times. Those who have received the Good News and who have been gathered by it into the community of salvation can and must communicate and spread it.”

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….to go out and preach the gospel, and when necessary, use words.

 

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 Human Condition: Contemplation and Transformation. One of the founders of the Centering Prayer movement, Thomas Keating offers a reflection on contemplative prayer, the human search for happiness and our need to explore the inner world. The spiritual search for God, he says, is also the search for ourselves.

 

Recommended YouTube Video: Living in the Presence of God Fr. Thomas Keating discusses the title topic and the practice of Centering Prayer.

 

 

Sixth Sunday of Easter_Our Reason to Be Hopeful_051423

Deacon Tom Writes

“Our Reason to Be Hopeful”

 

Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A

 

Hope is such a resuscitating virtue. We cling to hope to keep our hearts beating in troubling times as if it was life preserver and we were adrift in a stormy sea. Hope is what keeps people of faith going when their world is falling apart. You see it in the faces and hear it in the voice of people who have lost loved ones to Covid these past years or from those whose homes have been destroyed by those so called “Atmospheric Rivers” that have plagued California last month or those tornados that have devastated cities throughout the south. Grieved as they are, they inevitably talk about rebuilding not just their homes but also their lives. Hope is what gives them the courage to face a new day.

Hope fuels our dreams also. We hope to get into the college of our choice; we hope to get that perfect job or that promotion. We hope that one day we will meet the love of our life; we hope that a bad situation will be favorably resolved. We hope others will change their ways, their attitudes… or better yet, that we will change ours! No matter what we hope for, we are not likely to give up hope without a fight.

In today’s scripture, Peter advises us, “Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope.” Peter wants us to pay close attention to those things in which we place our hope…. and to be able to tell others why we hope in them. Key to Peter’s advice, however, is that the focal point for Christian hope is Christ. He is the fulfillment of all our hopes. Peter wants us to put our hope in noble things, “...treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.” (Mt 6:20)

Yes, we hope for that new job, good things for our children, a good resolution to an illness or bad relationship…but our Christian hope seeks the ultimate goodness that comes from having Christ…. “as Lord in our hearts” (1 Pt 3:15) as Peter says so well. With Christ as Lord of our hearts, our hope will turn to treasures, relationships, and loves that will last forever and provide us ample opportunity to share the reason for our hope with everyone.

Lastly, Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers who are shining examples of self-sacrifice, love and humility to their families and friends. God Bless them with much joy and happiness

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.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Beginning to Pray by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom of Sourozh was a prominent writer and broadcaster on prayer and the Christian life, as well as the founder and leader of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sourozh. His classic book on prayer leads us into a deeper experience of the one we seek.

 

Recommended YouTube Video: Beginning to Pray - Listen in to hear the wisdom of Bishop Bloom as he guides us on how to have a richer prayer life that draws us closer to God.

 

Fifth Sunday of Easter_A - All Is Well_050723

Deacon Tom Writes,

“All Is Well”

Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A

The first lesson we hear in today’s readings gives us profound insight into a distinguishing characteristic of the calling we have received. The Apostles find themselves in a crisis. The material needs of some of the members of the fledging community are being ignored. It just so happens (doesn’t it always seem to be the case!) the needs being overlooked are those of a minority group composed of Greek widows. At that time, you may recall, widows were outcasts; they had no standing in the community, and were left on their own to fend for themselves and their children. This was a horrible situation, of course. We read today that this did not sit well with the Apostles and the community! They knew they had to respond in a way that was consistent with the teachings Jesus had left them. Their logical solution...get some help. And thus, we read that after some discernment, the Apostles chose the first six deacons upon whom they imposed the laying on of hands. The word deacon is derived from the Greek word diakonos, which literally means “through the dust” and is often translated as “servant” or “waiter.” This ministry arose out of need to provide for both the spiritual and material needs of the community. Overcoming our worries about our temporal needs provides much comfort for our anxious and troubled hearts. 

In the gospel, Jesus aims at soothing a much deeper worry that troubles our hearts that comes with the death of a loved one. I find this particular passage we hear today utterly amazing. This is part of the “Last Discourse” of Jesus we find in Chapter 14 of John’s gospel. Take some time to read it and reflect on it with this thought in mind: Jesus knows he is about to die. His own words to his disciples that he was going to Jerusalem where he would, “suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised” (LK 9:22) were coming to fruition soon. Yet, 

with this unimaginable, overwhelming burden plaguing his own spirit, Jesus comforts his disciples. He tells them “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” These are powerful words from a man on death row whose concern is not about his own bleak situation, but about the well- being of his followers. Jesus’ hope is that his words put our troubled hearts at rest. We do not have to worry or be concerned about what will happen to him...or us when we face the most significant worry of our lives... what lies in store when we die. 

There is no taking away the heartache we experience when someone we love dies. These words today are a comfort to east this grief by teaching us that God’s plan is to bring us home. Home, such a comforting word, symbolizes where we are all headed when this earthly life is over. In this Holy Thursday – Good Friday experience Jesus teaches us to follow His example. From his washing the feet of his disciples as a humble act of service to his placing his trust in and surrender to the Divine Will of His Father, to his death upon the Cross, Jesus, the consummate teacher, gives us the best example possible on how to live life to the fullest, as we read last Sunday. In his last gathering with his friends, he teaches us how we are to approach death: by placing our trust in God and living each day with the certainty that we are all on a journey and our final destination is our heavenly home. 

So, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” All Is Well! Even during these crises-filled days. If we look, there are people literally following Jesus’ example: healing the sick, caring for the well being of others, being compassionate and sympathetic to those who have been affected by war, natural disaster, community tragedies and mass killings. We continue to pray for those who are working in so many ways to help us all through these crises and ask God to bless the work of their hands and guide us in ways that we can help. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com for a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: A Big Heart Open to God - A Conversation with Pope Francis (Interviewed by Antonio Spadaro, S.J.). In this historic interview, Pope Francis's vision for the church and humanity itself is delivered through a warm and intimate conversation, and he shows us all how to have a big heart open to God.

 

Recommended YouTube Video:  Praying With the  English Mystics

 

Fourth Sunday of Easter_A - Abundant Life_043023

 

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Abundant life”

 

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A

The reason that Jesus came into this world, he tells us, is that we might have “abundant life.” That’s interesting, for who doesn’t want to get the most out of life or have the greatest experiences during this lifetime? We all do! The trouble is that we all have a different idea about what such a life would look like and how we would go about pursuing it. There is a cataclysmic difference of opinion between what we would consider living an “abundant life” and the “abundant life” Jesus had in mind when he spoke these words. 

We are living in the most prosperous country ever to have existed. We are living during the most unprecedented expansion of technological knowledge that gives instant access to information to anyone anywhere on our planet or traveling in space above it. We have diagnostic capabilities that are simply amazing, increasing both the quality and duration of our lives. We have countless forms of entertainment; we have access to products made around the world. Just key in a couple of digits, swipe your credit card, and products from around the world will be at your door tomorrow. We have all sorts of toys and gadgets that compete for our time. We have so much food that we throw a quarter of it away! We want for nothing…. Except…. this may not be the “abundant life” that Jesus came to give us. 

The “abundant life” Jesus came to share with us has to do with satisfying the deepest desires of our hearts: our need to love and be loved; our need to be respected as people who are created in the image and likeness of God. We have within us the need for “human flourishing” which means that we will never achieve true happiness unless we strive to become all God created us to be. Because we have this need to be all that God calls us to be, we possess an intrinsic dignity and worth that must be respected at all times. “Abundant life,” in Jesus’ eyes, envisions a just and peaceful world where we all can achieve the highest and most dignified status possible by the proper use of the gifts and talents God has given us and who one day will ask us to render an account of what we have done with those gifts and talents. 

Reading today’s gospel suggests that we need to be doing more in pursuit of the “abundantly life” to which each of us has been called. In order to achieve this richer existence, we should strive to rid ourselves of some of our worldly concerns such as our need to be in control of outcomes and others and place our trust in God’s divine plan; we need to overcome our selfish tendencies and resist our prideful attitudes; we need to develop a spirit of generosity and compassion. To grow firmly in the “abundant life” Jesus intended for us means that we need to better prepare ourselves to serve others and to find in them the face of Jesus who calls us to, “deny ourselves, pick up our crosses daily and follow him.” In doing so we become more fully engaged in that “abundant life” to which we have been called. In doing God’s work, we find life to the fullest. 

As I reflect on today’s gospel about the “Good Shepherd,” I recall the many health care workers, first responders, rescue personnel and medical staff who put there lives on the line moment by moment as ‘shepherds’ watching over the flock of those who have contracted covid-19. But care-giving is not an activity we can leave for others. Being Good Shepherds is not just something left up to pastors and deacons. These are ways we demonstrate our love for the Lord and give witness that we are his disciples. The message in today’s gospel: service dedicated to the well being of others is a path that leads to the abundant life that Jesus calls all his followers to travel. At this critical time for our world, we pray that we may all find this pathway. God bless you and your loved ones and stay safe. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com for a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Thoughts in Solitude by Thomas Merton addresses the pleasure of a solitary life, as well as the necessity for quiet reflection in an age when so little is private.

 

Recommended YouTube Video:  Sit back and enjoy Thomas Merton feed your soul on YouTube - Thoughts in Solitude.

Third Sunday of Easter_A - Spread the Word_0423232

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Spread the Word”

 

Third Sunday of Easter, Year A

Reading St. Luke's account of the events following Jesus' resurrection we see that the only post-resurrection encounters with Jesus recorded in Luke’s gospel take place on Easter Sunday. Easter Sunday is a busy day for Jesus. At dawn, some of the woman came to the tomb to complete the burial ritual that was interrupted by the Passover feast. They found the stone rolled back and two men in dazzling white asked them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here; but has been raised..” So, they ran off, found Peter, and told him what they had seen and heard. Peter did not believe them and had to go check it out for himself. When he arrived at the tomb, he found it empty, just as the women had said (LK 24:1-10).

Luke continues with the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus and while in route, they encounter a stranger who is totally unaware of the happenings over the past several days, meaning that Jesus had been put to death. This stranger calls these disciples to task admonishing them on how little they learned from the Prophets and he begins to relate to them all that scripture had to say about the Christ. He then reveals his identity to them when he breaks bread with them. Then he suddenly disappears. LK 24:13-35

These disciples, their hearts on fire, rush back to Jerusalem and meet with Peter and “while they were still speaking about this, he stood in their midst and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” Jesus shows them his wounds and asks for something to eat. They gave him some fish and again he reminds all there of what had been written about him by the Prophets. He then opens their minds so they understand what was written about him in the scriptures. He then instructs them to be “witnesses of these things.” (LK 24: 36-48)

Jesus and the disciples then head out on the road that leads to Bethany and Jesus ascends into heaven (LK 24: 50-53). 

Quite a day wouldn’t you say!!! And it’s all in Chapter 24 of St. Luke’s Gospel. In each encounter that day, Jesus continues to teach and feed his disciples with the Word of God and the Bread of Life. This is the work that Jesus invites us to do – share with others the Good News others have shared with us. 

There is a reason we celebrate Easter over many weeks. It is so that we can try to understand the mystery of the Resurrection and for us to look forward to and prepare ourselves for the gift of eternal life that Christ has won for us. 

Stay safe, hopeful and faithful in these joyful days of Easter. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com for a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: The Seeing Eye by C.S. Lewis presents an eloquent and colorful defense of Christianity for both devotees and critics... in a collection of essays composed over the last twenty years of his life.

 

Recommended YouTube Video:  Listen to C.S. Lewis’ The Seeing Eye on YouTube Video.

 

Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday_A - Devoted to the Cause_041623

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Devoted to the Cause”

 

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

Webster’s Dictionary defines “Devote” as: “to commit by a solemn act 1) as devoted oneself to serving God or 2) to give over or direct (as time, money, or effort) to a cause, enterprise, or activity”.

Our First reading today expresses the primary and central activity of the early “Believers” following Christ’s death and resurrection…. as being “devoted...to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to prayer.” 

This has been a unique time for Christians, especially us Catholics who hold the Eucharist as the foundational reality of our faith. Post the Covid Pandemic we are able to gather once again and hear the Word of God and celebrate Christ’s presence in a real and sacramental way in the Eucharist. Trying to get back in the grove after the coronavirus temporarily suspended this two-thousand-year practice of receiving the Eucharist has been difficult to say the least. Perhaps that absence from the “Table of the Lord” has been a real desert experience for us... a time of fasting from the “source and summit” of our faith. Hopefully it has made us more “devoted” and committed to Christ’s presence at His sacred meal. But as we move beyond the disruption caused by the Covid virus, let’s not forget the sacrifice and selflessness of those professionals whose concern has been for the lives and safety of others. They make God smile and they give many others a ray of hope in the goodness of humanity. 

We emerge from Easter a little frazzled and dazed yet, as undoubtedly was the case that first Easter, we face the future with renewed hope knowing that our lives will never be the same because of the events of that First Easter Sunday.

We know that as Christianity took root during those early days, many people experienced deep and profound changes in the way they lived their lives as they began to care for and respond to the needs of their families, friends, neighbors and even strangers all because of their devotion to the life and teachings of Christ and the work of the Apostles. 

The changes people made were remarkable. We read some of them in the Acts of the Apostles that chronicles the early days of our church and how the community of believers came together initially to be nourished by Word and Sacrament. But it soon grew into much more than that. We read today that….

Awe came upon everyone.

Wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

All who believed were together and held things in common.

They would sell their property and possessions and divide 

them among all according to each one's need.

Every day they devoted themselves

 to meeting together in the temple area

...and to the breaking of the bread in their homes.

They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart.

Praising God and enjoying favor with all people.

And every day the Lord added to their number 

those who were being saved…..

People remain devoted to many causes today. Some are devoted to do good for others. Some are devoted to themselves. It is an individual choice! 

As we celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday, we pray that the Father of mercies, the God of all consolation will be with us in mind, heart and spirit and with those who are devoted to serving others. 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com for a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Back to Virtue by Peter Kreeft who explains that being virtuous is not a means to and end of pleasure, comfort and happiness but rather a way to experience life to the fullest by having the moral character to make right choices along the way.

 

Recommended YouTube Video:  Cardinal Virtues - Peter Kreeft Ph.D.