The Leper

Imagine what would life be like as a leper; having to live outside the community, - away from family and friends – unable to take part in the social life of the community, unable to be with family, unable to gather to worship, unable to take part in business or trade or work or recreation. – This is what a leper faced in the time of Jesus. 

As we heard in the first reading, the afflicted person had to go before the priest to be judged if they had leprosy.  If the priest said it was leprosy, the victim had to rend his garments, bare his head -- cover his face and warn people of their presence announcing, “Unclean, unclean!”  This is why Jesus tells the leper he healed, to present himself to the priest, so that he may be judged clean according to the Law of Moses, -- so he may celebrate his return to life in the community. 

We can use leprosy as a metaphor for sin.  Not being in a state of grace, the stain of sin places us outside our Christian community.  Sin is both private and public - an act against God and against the good of the community.  Sin separates us not only from the love of God, but also the peace and harmony of our community in which we live, so we become like the leper – separated, banished, alone.

I recently watched a short film in which the narrator tells the story of his 7 year old son, who commits a “grave sin” – he hits his little brother and then lies to his mother when she confronts him.  His response to being “busted” by Mom is to run away and hide.

Later, when his father comes home and learns of the incident, he goes about the house searching for his son.  He finds a “Lump” (which is the name of the film) about the size of his son under the blankets of their bed.  Dad sits down near his son, who has been hiding under the covers for a long time.  Slowly the father peals back the covers to reveal his son all curled up, sweat-soaked – with eyes red and swollen from crying.

The son separated himself from his community - his family, - in his shame, in essence crying out, “Unclean, unclean” as he ran away to hide – alone, -- banished by his sinfulness. 

At this point the son climbs up into his father’s arms and receives his father’s loving embrace.  In doing so he is asking for and receiving forgiveness – a healing from his affliction.  Just as the leper in Mark’s Gospel asks Jesus for healing – both want to come back in the loving embrace of their community – they want to Live in the Light – live in the love of God and family – to be alive among friends – not banished, -- as if dead to the world. 

To receive forgiveness takes no more trial than the asking.  The leper asked Jesus for healing – to be made clean and the son -- in his sorrow -- climbs up into his father’s arms: -- both trusting in the love of the Father -- that they would find healing and forgiveness.  We too must trust in the love of God to heal us of our afflictions, forgive us our sins. 

But the story for the boy doesn’t end there – he receives forgiveness, but he must also be reconciled with his community. Just like the leper who had to go before the priest to be declared clean, -- the son must take a positive action to make things right within his community.  He must apologize to his brother and mother -- to make things right again among the family; returning his community to harmony and peace.  -- So too -- we -- must be reconciled to God and our community when we receive forgiveness.

The sacrament we celebrate is called Reconciliation, not forgiveness.  Forgiveness is the beginning of our journey to healing and return to life within our community.  The restoration of peace and harmony is made manifest when we seek -- to make things right again with God and community – through Reconciliation. 

So when we sin -- we seek forgiveness, but for real healing to take place -- we seek Reconciliation -- with God and Community -- so we might live again -- in the Light of Christ -- among our brothers and sisters in love, peace, and harmony.

Peace,

Deacon Don

Footprints

Footprints

One night a man had a dream.  He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord.  Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.  For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him, the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.  He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints.  He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it.  “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me always, but I have noticed that during the darkest moments of my life there were only one set of footprints in the sand.  Why Lord, would you abandon me when I needed you most?”

The Lord replied, “My precious child, I love you more than anything and would never abandon you.  During your time of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

-Anonymous

Peace,

Deacon Don

Gone From My Sight

  

I am standing upon the seashore.  A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and heads out onto the blue ocean.  She is an object of beauty and strength.  I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone says: ”There, she is gone!”

“Gone where, I ask?”

Gone from my sight.  That is all.  She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side, and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.  Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone is saying, “There, she is gone!” there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices taking up the glad shout: “Here she comes!”

And that is dying.        - Anonymous

Peace,

Deacon Don

Saying "Yes!" to God

“Let it be done unto me according to your Word.” 

This is Mary’s unequivocal “Yes” to God.  God chose Mary to be the Mother of Jesus, the Son of God.  God chose her to be the one who brings salvation into the world.  By Mary’s “Yes,” to God’s task for her - in his love for his people - we are all brought to a Life Eternal in heaven.

I’m sure we have all experienced being chosen.  As a child, I remember standing anxiously among my classmates waiting to be chosen to be on a team:

·         Or waiting to hear the outcome of a job interview, to see if I was chosen among the candidates,

·         Or again, waiting for a director to choose me for a part in a play after audition. 

All these are anxious moments - waiting to be chosen from among others – based on our abilities, - our qualifications – our talents - with our biggest and brightest smile.  If you’ve ever watched the Broadway show or movie “The Chorus Line” you see the anxiety of those waiting to be chosen.

But this kind of choosing is different from how Mary was chosen.  Mary was not chosen because she was the best, the brightest or the most hard-working – Mary was chosen because “Mary had found favor with God.”

Nothing that Mary did made her deserving of God’s gift of grace in choosing her to be the Mother of Jesus.  Remember, God chooses the weak things of this world to do his will.

Mary was not in a contest for God’s favor – in scripture we read that Mary was going about her normal everyday activities when she was approached by God’s messenger, Gabriel. It was quite a shock and very worrisome for Mary to be greeted – “Hail Mary, full of grace.  The Lord is with you.”

·         Kind of a “You talking to me?” moment for Mary

God’s grace is freely given.  Mary did not earn grace, or did she deserve God’s favor or was she entitled to God’s gifts.  God’s gifts and favors are given from his love and generosity.  He bestowed them on Mary as one of his beloved children.  His giving made her worthy and filled her with his grace.

Mary’s song response to God’s generosity:

“My soul does magnify the Lord

My spirit rejoices in God, my savior

For he has looked with favor upon his lowly servant”

Remarks on how undeserving she is of God’s grace and on how his love is reflected in her.  She knows it is God who does all these wonderful things for her and not anything she has done to deserve them.

“From his day forward

All generations will call me blessed

For the Almighty has done great things for me.”

Today, we all recognize the favor and grace God bestowed on Mary and call her blessed among women.  She is the one who sits in heaven, closest to us between Jesus and the world.  She is our heavenly Mother, God bearer – chosen with favor and grace – to bring God into the world - as one of us – to bring us back to God: to show us how to be truly human.

We too are chosen people, beloved children of God.  He chooses each one of us, like he chose Mary, not because we do anything to deserve to be chosen, not because we are the best, the brightest or the most deserving, but because God loves us.

He chooses each of us to be a part of his plan of salvation; each of us given a unique role to bringing all the scattered sheep of the flock back into his heavenly kingdom.  He bestows his grace and favor on us, so we might be called holy and blessed children of God.

But do we respond to God’s love as Mary did?  Do we give our immediate and unequivocal, “Yes” to God when he calls us?  Do we sing God’s praise for the favor and grace he freely gives?

·         Or do we hesitate?  Do we doubt?  Do we think he is calling someone else?

God’s grace abounds – it is everywhere – waiting for us to respond to his call. 

·         It is in cries of the poor. 

·         It is in responding to the needs of the least of God’s children. 

·         It is only in the listening in our hearts to the quiet of God’s voice - calling us to love as he loves; - to care as he cares – to follow in his way - toward the promised kingdom of heaven.

·         Be like Samuel - when God calls, saying, “Yes, Lord! Your servant is listening!”

·         Be like Mary – when God calls: Rejoice in God’s favor, saying, “Let it be done unto me according to your word.”

Peace and Merry Christmas,

Deacon Don

Advent - Waiting in Joyful Anticipation

This is truly a joyful time of the year.  We rejoice at the birth of Jesus, our Savior who was sent into the world by God the Father to free us from sin and lead us to life everlasting in heaven. This is the season for good will toward all people – a time for peace – a time for reconciliation with those with whom we have lost touch - a time for family and friends to gather together across the miles to celebrate and be reacquainted – it is also a time for reflection on the meaning of Christmas and the promise of God’s love for his people that is made manifest at Easter.

We see at this time of year, signs reminding us to Keep Christ in Christmas – on billboards, on car bumpers – I want to tell you of the original “Keep Christ in Christmas” story.

The Legend of the Candy Cane

Once upon a time a faithful disciple of Our Lord, Jesus wanted to make something to help people remember what Christmas was all about.  He thought very hard about what he could do to help people keep the mission of Jesus in mind and what his birth really means to us.

Being a candy maker he decided that he would make a candy to help people, especially children remember Christmas.

He began with a stick of pure white hard candy.  White symbolized the purity of Mary’s Immaculate Conception and the virgin birth of Jesus.  It also stood for the sinless-ness and purity of Jesus. White is also the color of baptism, when we are clothed in a white garment to symbolize how our baptism makes us pure and sinless like Jesus.

The rock hard candy symbolized the rock-solid foundation of the Church, for Jesus told Peter, “Upon this rock I will build my church.”  It also stands for the solid firmness of God’s promise to his people. His promise is never changing, never to be broken.

The disciple then put red stripes on the white candy stick to symbolize Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice on the cross.  Jesus took away our sins through his suffering and sacrifice to free us from sin and bring us to Life in heaven with God the Father.

The candy maker then made the candy into the shape of a shepherd’s staff – for Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lovingly looks after his flock; going out to search for all the lost lambs; carrying them safely back home in his arms.

And if you turn the shepherd’s staff upside down it makes the letter “J” which stands for Jesus – to further remind us of Our Lord and Savior who is the Son of God who became a man just like us – who came into the world this night as a baby; to take away our sins and bring us to Eternal Life in heaven for ever and ever.

The disciple’s simple creation became known as the Candy Cane and it is the original symbol reminding us to Keep Christ in Christmas.

And if this story isn’t true – it ought to be

So, whenever you see a Candy Cane –

W       Think of Jesus who was born on Christmas Day

W       Think of Jesus and the love of God, the Father who sacrificed his only Son to take away our sins and bring us to Eternal Life in heaven

W       Think of Jesus teaching us the Good News of God’s promise of Life everlasting and his great love for us his children.

Keep Christ in Christmas and every other day of the year

W       Keep Jesus, the Christ always:

o        W In your thoughts

o        W On your lips and

o        W In your heart

And let us rejoice and be glad for our Savior (comes) has come.

Peace,

Deacon Don

A Prayer for Thanksgiving

Heavenly Father, we thank you for all the gifts and blessings you’ve bestowed on us. Not because we are deserving of them, but given because of your never-ending love for us. 

We thank you for all the opportunities of grace in our lives

Open our eyes to new occasions of grace, so we may grow ever closer to you

Help us Lord, in our struggle to do your will as we strive to love one another with your love and see one another through your eyes: as brothers and sisters

Let us be good stewards of your earthly Kingdom as we share its bounty with all your beloved children

Be with us as we care for one another as we would care for ourselves

Stand by us as we see in the suffering of the poor and downcast – your suffering on the cross - move us to act always with compassion, love and mercy

Show us the ways of love that put the needs of others before our own

Guide us on our journey of discipleship as we follow your Son into the promise of Eternal Life

Thank you for this gift of Life now and for showing us the way to your heavenly Kingdom where we will live with you forever and ever.

Amen

Peace and Happy Thanksgiving,

Deacon Don

When did we see you, Lord?

Today, a good friend calls to ask us to do an important task for him.  He says, “Visitors are coming who know nothing of our faith; I want them to see Jesus, please show them Jesus.”

What do we do?  What do we tell them? How do we show them who Jesus is?  Where can we take them to find Jesus?

Is Jesus in the great cathedrals?  Is he found in the churches?  Do we see Jesus in small prayer communities?  He tells us that: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among you.”  Are these the places we take our visitors to show them Jesus?

How about taking the visitors to see Jesus where he dwells for those who are “Blessed by my Father?”  He is always found and recognized among those who love, with the love of God.  Jesus is the one who receives the love of God through the acts of mercy and compassion given by those who care for the poor, the disenfranchised, the lonely, those whose basic human needs are met by his disciples.

Jesus is the one who was hungry. . .

            The one who was thirsty. . .

                        The one who was a stranger. . .

                                    The one who was naked. . .

                                                The one who was ill; in need of care

                                                            The one imprisoned; despairing and alone. . .

The righteous recognize and respond to those basic human needs with compassion and love.  They do not seek to find Jesus, but only to love as He loves and live as he lived – with mercy and kindness for all their brothers and sisters.  It is the Way of the Lord - not merely an action, but a life, lived in the Love of God. 

His Kingdom is for those who act as he acted, love as he loved; meeting the basic needs of the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned – A kingdom prepared for those who love with his love - completely, without question, without counting the cost – for in their suffering we see the suffering of our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, Jesus, the Christ, the King and our hearts are moved with compassion and mercy.

Our visitors will find Jesus in the cathedrals, the churches and the prayer communities; there among the faithful who praise Him and give Him glory and honor, but they will especially find Jesus among those who dwell in refugee camps and slums and prisons and alleyways and hospitals – among his suffering brothers and sisters. It is here that they will see the face of Jesus in the face of those who suffer and in the face of those who tend to their needs.

Mother Teresa reminds us that we are to love the poor because “each one of them is Jesus in disguise” In them we can show Jesus to our visitors.  Here is where they will also find him in the love of his disciples, filled with the love of God; doing simple things to serve the basic needs of our brothers and sisters.  Jesus sees each kindness done to “one of the least” of his brothers and sisters as being done for him.  He promises those who do work to help the least with love, mercy and kindness will share in his inheritance - the Kingdom of God.

As disciples, we are not called to solve all the problems of the poor and suffering, but to love them and do what we can to serve them in relieving their suffering.  Again, Mother Teresa tells us, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”  Our love is not measured by how much we do, but by our loving as we would want to be loved.

Our visitors will see in the face of the poor and suffering, the broken body of Christ.  In their face they will see Him on the cross.  In their wounded-ness they will see his wounds. 

The visitors will also see the love of Christ in the faces of those who are “blessed of God”; in their quiet and simple service to the poor, the naked, the hungry, the lonely and the sick – For the King said, “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Peace,

Deacon Don