Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time-B - Envious Hearts_092924

  

Image from:zazzle.com

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 attract one to a deepening cycle of 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 the demonic 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, he instead 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 two 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, humanly limited 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 like one on whom God’s spirit has been bestowed. Why? Because it has been!

 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

 

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Thoughts Matter by Sr Mary Margaret Funk In this highly regarded series that includes Tools Matter, Humility Matters, Lectio Matters and Discernment Matters, Sr. Meg offers the foundational theories and practices of the early monastic way of life while pointing out why and how this inner work is as fresh and necessary today as ever.

 

Recommended YouTube Video:  The Heart of Centering Prayer: Part 4 of 4 by Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault who brings insightful teaching on being silent in the presence of the Divine

 

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - Who's Numbero Uno_092224

Image from – lailas blog.com 

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 waiting on those in line! “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 who is really “Numero Uno” in our lives.

 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

 

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: A Vacation with the Lord by Fr. Thomas H. Green S.J. A personal directed retreat based upon the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. What a good way to prepare for the transition from Ordinary Time to the speedily approaching Season of Advent.

Recommended YouTube Video:  The Heart of Centering Prayer: Part 3 of 4 by Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault who brings insightful teaching on being silent in the presence of the Divine. 

 

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, B - Better Choices - Better Results_091524

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Better Choices - Better Results” 

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

 

Last Wednesday marks the twentieth-third anniversary of the World Trade Center tragedy. We have all heard stories of the pain and suffering that continues to live in the hearts of the family and friends of those who perished in that tragedy. There is no shortage of tragic stories. We witness so much pain and suffering in our world. Much of it is the consequence of our own poor decisions. There’s nothing new here; “nothing new under the sun”. Tragedy, experiencing a loss of a loved one, a job, a marriage can often give us a chance to stop and reflect upon our lives. It may be time to pause for a moment to look at our own decision-making process and how that has contributed to such anguish, anxiety and negativity in our families, in our local and global communities, in our churches, and, as we see constantly today, in our politics and ecclesiastical institutions.

 

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

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Discipleship For the Future - Spirituality of the Kingdom by Fr. Frank DeSiano , C.S.P. guides the reader through meditations on the power and importance of the kingdom of God and our role as we are drawn to it as disciples in hope of the future, made possible by the coming of Christ and the gift of the Spirit"

Recommended YouTube Video:  The Heart of Centering Prayer: Part 2 of 4 by Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault who brings insightful teaching on being silent in the presence of the Divine. 

 

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time_B - The Secret to Success_090824

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

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 in which he has been living but not fully participating in. In an instant he is complete, made whole, reunited to his community from which he was isolate and ready, perhaps, to begin life anew.

There are many events recorded in Sacred 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 imposed upon him by his physical impairment.

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 willing to change our behavior and stop believing or thinking that we or our beliefs 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 tweets, 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 each person; that we are made in God’s image and likeness; that we are infused with great dignity, and our destiny is to share forever 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

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from it.

 

 

OTHER RESOURCE

 

Recommended Reading: Faith and Religion in a Secular Society by Cardinal Jozef De Kesel makes the case that, in the face of the phenomena of secularization, religious indifference, and institutional weakening, it is not by preaching about or idealizing a bygone past that Christianity can expect to regain in Europe, because it risks isolating and separating even more than it is from a culture that no longer waits. The salvation of the Church and the safeguarding of her universal mission depend rather on its ability to facilitate a culture of encounter with all those who want to humanize the modern, pluralist, and secular society, while also asserting its freedom of expression. It is this pastoral option that Joseph De Kesel is already experimenting with in deeply secularized Belgium, which, like France, was once a land of Christianity.

Recommended YouTube Video:  The Heart of Centering Prayer: Part 1 of 4 by Rev. Cynthia Bourgeault who brings insightful teaching on being silent in the presence of the Divine.

Twenty-second Sunday of Ordinary Time_A -Following the Rules: Easier Said Than Done_090124

Photo Credit: Newseum, Washington, D.C.

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 (Ex20:2); #10 - to imitate His good and upright ways (Deut 28:9); #27 - not to stand idly by when a human life is in danger (Lev 19:16). There were also some interesting commandments such as: #159 - not to slaughter an animal and its young on the same day (Lev 22:28), or #364 - not to work with beasts of different species, yoked together (Deut 22:10). 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 people’s 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. It follows along the lines of the “Keep it Simple Principle and it sums up the teaching ministry of Jesus: "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 the Divine Presence is 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 biases and judgements and act like the Children of God that we are.

Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those on the threshold, those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from 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_B - Loyalty Check_082524

Deacon Tom Writes,

“Loyalty Check”

 

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 an essential question of our faith.

 

No generation has had an easy time answering this question. Life has always been hard. Remaining faithful to 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 even imitate the behavior of someone we have put on a pedestal. 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. Jesus asks that of his disciples today over the issues of his Body and Blood being “real food” ...”

Do you also want to leave?” 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. We have choices to make! 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 eye.

 

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

 

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those thinking of joining our Catholic Community ofr walking away from 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_B - A Word to the Wise_081824

 

Deacon Tom Writes,

“A Word to the Wise.”

 

Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

 

Not surprisingly, the Wisdom passage we read today gives us good, sound advice, a “word to the wise”, you might say. It tells us, “to forsake foolishness that you may live” and “to advance in the way of understanding”. Surely this is practical advice, yet easier said than done! St. Paul carries this theme even further in his letter to the Ephesians telling them, “to watch carefully how you live, not as foolish persons, but as wise, making the most of the opportunity, because the days are evil”.

 

Scripture often portrays this theme that there are two very different approaches to life. On one hand, we have the way of the wise and virtuous person who chooses to do what is right and just. The other is the way of the fool, whose life is anything but virtuous. The author of this wisdom passage encourages us to choose wisely and make the most of the opportunity we have been given.

 

Wisdom, we are told, enables us to grow in understanding so that we make the most of every opportunity. What a thought! Any decision that we make will have consequences, results that have either good or bad outcomes. In other words, Wisdom holds the secret to the quality of our life. Good decisions lead to good outcomes which leads to good lives. Bad choices... we know too well, from our own experiences, perhaps, where that path leads, don’t we?

 

Many today complain that our world is troubled and they fear that it will get worse. After all, what St. Paul says to the Ephesians remains true for us today, “the days are evil”. We have problems, to be sure, that approach the diabolical. But fear and worry will do little to change that. On the other hand, Wisdom invites us today to embrace her and follow her advice to make most of the opportunity that we have been given. What opportunity? The opportunity, “to live in a manner worthy of the calling you have received”. (Eph 4:1) Yes, we live in troubled times; yes, there are plenty of problems, so much divisiveness, and the lack of civility. How are we to respond? By relying on Wisdom to lead us through these troubled waters and direct our efforts so we can help make this world a better place and advance the Kingdom of God on earth.

 

Scripture proclaims a “word to the wise” today. May God give us the grace and the wisdom to listen.

 

Enjoy the day!

 Deacon Tom

Please Visit www.deaconspod.com and listen in as the three deacons engage in a contemporary conversation exploring the treasures our Catholic faith has to offer to those thinking of joining our Catholic Community or walking away from 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.