August 10th 2022 – 2nd Anniversary of Ordination

Today as I begin my day, I am reminded that this is a special day. Today I celebrate my 2nd anniversary of ordination.
I am sure that for most men, as they enter into the life of a permanent deacon, they can feel overwhelmed. Luckily over the last two years, I think everyone has felt overwhelmed by everything that has occurred.
Most days I am able to remind myself of the two statements that help me maintain my diaconal identity.
1) Each time I prepare myself to proclaim the Gospel, I repeat the words that the Bishop spoke to me at my ordination: ” Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you new are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”
2) My mission is to bring the poor to the Church and the Church to the poor.

Today is a good day to reflect on how am I living out the 7 CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY:

1. Feed the hungry.
2. Give drink to the thirsty.
3. Clothe the naked.
4. Shelter the homeless.
5. Visit the sick.
6. Visit the imprisoned.
7. Bury the dead.

Taking a moment…

it has been a busy few weeks … maybe months …
winding down Lent, running through Holy Week and ramping up the Easter season.
The parish has been busy, work keeps going and home is always exciting.

When the life schedule gets all jumbled, I find myself retreating into some prayer time and podcasts …. one inspiring podcast was a ‘Pints with Aquinas’ that feature Matt Fradd speaking with Ralph Martin.
This prompted the purchase of two of his books, “A Church in Crisis” & ‘The Fulfillment of all Desire”.
Currently I am working my way through, ” A Church in Crisis”, at the point where the author points out the two biggest lies of the devil, the deception that made their way into the church.
– the assumption that almost everyone will be saved because God is so merciful.
– the assumption that sexual sins that were once considered gravely sinful are no longer so in light of “new knowledge” about sexuality.

The author then points to the idea that if hell is real and many people go there, and if our decisions in the area of sexuality indeed have eternal consequences, then we had better start taking it seriously ourselves and telling people that.

This has to make us think ….

In case you were wondering…

With everything that we have experienced in the past few years and now the crisis in Ukraine, I find myself diving into reading the life of Pope John Paul II. There is so much insight and reflection that I receive from his story.
He is the Divine Mercy Pope and if there is any statement that we need to hold onto it is, ‘Jesus, I Trust in You’, it is our best defense against the anxiety and the feelings of doubt and being overwhelmed by what is happening in the world.

A few years ago I was asked this question… so I though now is a good time to review it again …. I the answer is from FR. VINCENT SERPA O.P. from Catholic Answers

How Can We Offer Jesus’ Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Divine Mercy Chaplet?

Question:

I am perplexed by the phrase in the Divine Mercy chaplet, “I offer you the body and blood, soul and divinity, of your dearly beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.” I thought that was something only a priest could do during the sacrifice of the Mass. Surely the offering made in the Mass is different in some way than what is offered in praying this chaplet. What am I missing?

Answer:

Saying that prayer is not the same as offering Mass. At Mass we participate in the one sacrifice that Jesus made for us. But because he made that sacrifice, that perfect prayer is now ours. Therefore we can always make reference to it. It is a most powerful prayer because it is his prayer. Basically, what we are saying to the Father is: “By the merits of his Passion, we ask for your mercy!”

What I’m Reading …

As you can imagine, in my many conversations with people it does not take long for a book recommendation to be offered. I have made it a practice not to run out and by the book, but simply write it down. Once the book comes up in three conversations with three different people then I track down the book to read.

Here is what is on my book table:
The Fourth Cup by Scott Hahn
The Wisdom of Fulton Sheen
George Cardinal Pell – Prison Journal – Volume One
Pray, Hope, and Don’t Worry – True Stories of Padre Pio, Book 2

Our call to shine…

Here is the Pope’s tweet for today, Feb 2,


Pope Francis@PontifexOn the feast of the #PresentationOfTheLord in the temple, we present ourselves to God with purified spirits, so that our eyes might see the light of salvation and we might thus bring it to the entire world, as the Saints did.

… today is a good day to reflect how we bring the light of salvation to all the people we meet and interact with each moment of the day.

Announcing the Movable Feasts in a Liturgical Year

The proclamation of the date of Easter and the other moveable feasts on Epiphany dates from a time when calendars were not readily available. It was necessary to make known the date of Easter in advance, since many celebrations of the liturgical year depend on its date. The number of Sundays that follow Epiphany, the date of Ash Wednesday, and the number of Sundays that follow Pentecost are all computed in relation to Easter.

Although calendars now give the date of Easter and the other feasts in the liturgical year for many years in advance, the Epiphany proclamation still has value. It is a reminder of the centrality of the resurrection of the Lord in the liturgical year and the importance of the great mysteries of faith which are celebrated each year.

Each year the proper dates for Ash Wednesday, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, and the First Sunday of Advent must be inserted into the text. Those dates are found in the table which is included with the introductory documents of the Roman Missal. The form to be used for announcing each dates is: the date of month, e.g., “the seventh day of April.”

On the Epiphany of the Lord, after the singing of the Gospel, a Deacon or cantor, in keeping with an ancient practice of Holy Church, announces from the ambo the moveable feasts of the current year according to the following text.

Know, dear brethren,(brothers and sisters,) that, as we have rejoiced at the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, so by leave of God’s mercy we announce to you also the joy of his Resurrection, who is our Saviour.

Here are the dates for this year 2022 :

On the 2nd day of March will fall Ash Wednesday, and the beginning of the fast of the most sacred Lenten season. 

On the 17th day of April you will celebrate with joy Easter Day, the Paschal feast of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

On the 26th day [or, where applicable, the 29th day] of May will be the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

On the 5th day of June, the feast of Pentecost. 

On the 19th day of June, the feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. 

On the 27th day of November, the First Sunday of the Advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Pope’s Intention for February

As we begin this month, just after the Fourth Sunday of Ordinary Time, we settle into the cold winter nights with the days beginning to be just a little longer each day.

This month we look to just how counter cultural religious life is to a secular society that reduces women to objects to be used; instead of a child of God to be loved.

Here is his intention as printed in this month’s issue of ‘the Word Among Us’:

The Special Intention of Pope Francis
Lord Jesus,
Throughout February, we lift up all religious sisters and consecrated women.
We pray for every one of these women.
We thank them for their mission and their courage.
May they continue to find new responses to the challenges of our times.

Pope’s Intention for January

With all the excitement of the Christmas and New Years celebrations, it is easy to overlook the Pope’s intention for the month of January.

This month it is an important one, it affects the foundation of our society, the rights and dignity of each and everyone.

Here is his intention as printed in this month’s issue of ‘the Word Among Us’:

The Special Intention of Pope Francis
Dear Father,
As we start a new year, we ask you to bless us with true human fraternity. We pray for all those suffering from religious discrimination and persecution. May their own rights and dignity be recognized, which originate from being brothers and sisters in the human family.

Receiving the Holy Eucharist

Over the past few years, You Tube and Facebook have blown up this issue, and as a result, has divided families, local parishes and the Catholic Church.

Bottom line: We need to receive the Holy Eucharist in a State of Grace.

Fr. Allen Alexander explains what Catholics need to consider when receiving the Eucharist on either the hand or the tongue.

https://youtu.be/oKjozUfaGGM

Do not be afraid…

The readings of today are very timely as we entering a new period wth some additional restrictions and government measures to manage the spread of the omicron virus.

Even in the storm that we are experiencing, Jesus us looking to walk to us and get in our boats. He wants to me us where we are and take us where he needs us to be.

All we need is courage to not be afraid. DG

MARK 6:45-52

After the five thousand had eaten and were satisfied, Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and precede him to the other side toward Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And when he had taken leave of them, he went off to the mountain to pray. When it was evening, the boat was far out on the sea and he was alone on shore. Then he saw that they were tossed about while rowing, for the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, he came toward them walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out. They had all seen him and were terrified. But at once he spoke with them, “Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!” He got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astounded. They had not understood the incident of the loaves. On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.