17th Sunday Ordinary Time - Matthew 13: 44-52 - "The Greatest Treasure"

Take a moment to think about what matters most to you in your life.  Many of us would say, it’s my family or my children or my spouse.  Some may say it’s my reputation that matters most to me, or my integrity or my standing in the community.  Others may consider that it’s their freedom and rights that matter most important or their ideology or dignity that matters most to them.  Still others may say it is God who matters most to them in their life.

Now ask yourself, “What would you sacrifice to protect and keep what matters most to you in life?  Is there anything that you would not give up or be prepared to lose or trade in exchange to keep what is most important to you?

In the Old Testament, what mattered most to Abraham in his life was God.  He was willing to unquestioningly follow God’s instruction to sacrifice his son Isaac at God’s command.  God subject Abraham to a test to measure his commitment to God, his love of God.

Today, Jesus tells a parable about finding a great treasure and what lengths, what sacrifices others made - to secure these great treasures for themselves.  Both the land speculator and the merchant realize the great value of the treasures they found, a hidden treasure (we imagine of gold, silver and jewels) or a lustrous pearl glowing in perfection.  He tells us they both made a great sacrifice to possess their treasure.  They sell everything they own; giving up all they possess, risking all they have in their life, so they may possess a treasure far greater than anything they have ever had in their lives before.  Their sacrifice, their risk is their total commitment to possessing what they consider to be their greatest treasure of all.

As Christians, what is our greatest treasure?  Is it not the love of God?  Is not God’s gift of eternal life worth more than any buried treasure we could find or pearl of perfection we might discover?  Is not Jesus’ promise of a place in God’s heavenly kingdom worth more than all the earthly treasures combined?  And, has not God already made the ultimate sacrifice of his Son to purchase for us this greatest of all treasure?

We don’t have to go out digging in the fields or searching all the markets of the world to find this great treasure.  To possess the greatest of all treasure, we only have to turn to God, the Father with love.  

To possess this great treasure: to become inheritor’s of God’s kingdom in the eternal life of heaven, God does not ask us to sacrifice everything we own, nor does he ask us to give up all our possessions.  We inherit God’s holy kingdom, as his beloved children, by loving Him above all, doing His will; loving all our brothers and sisters as He loves us.  

God’s love for us gives us a share in the greatest of treasure – Eternal Life.  It is in loving Him and doing His will that we fulfill God’s greatest desire – for us to gain His great gift, to dwell with Him in heaven, forever.  

Through His grace we come into our place in His kingdom among the angels and saints.  There is nothing we can buy or bargain for – for our place in heaven.  It is God’s desire; His grace, freely given, that secures for us what is greater than any earthly treasure found hidden in a field or sold in a market.   

Living as God’s holy children, doing God’s will, loving God and loving one another as we are loved gives us the greatest treasure of all: Life Eternal in the everlasting peace of God’s heavenly kingdom.  Amen

Peace, 

Deacon Don

16th Sunday Ordinary Time - Matthew 13: 24-30 " Weeds among the Wheat"

Jesus continues the seed imagery in today’s Gospel.  Last week - seed was sown - some on fertile soil, - some on rocky soil, - some among thorns - and some on the path only to be trampled and eaten by birds – today – the evil-one sows the seeds of weeds among the good seeds of wheat – evil growing among the good.

The seeds sown by the evil one are a type called darnel - that looks like wheat in its early growth stages.  Only the learned eye can tell the difference between the good wheat and the deadly weed.  This is why the landowner does not want his servants to pull out the weeds until they mature – only then will they be able to see the evil among the good.

We, the children of God, are the soil on which the landowner (God) sows his good seed.  We are the fertile soil of God’s goodness, receiving:
- his grace, that feeds us, 
- his mercy, that waters us 
- his love, that nurtures us 
So that within each of us the good seed can grow strong - in faith and love.

In God’s good soil the evil-one plants his seeds of destruction.  The seeds of: 
Temptation – Lust – Greed – Gluttony – Sloth – Hatred – Envy - Pride – 
Seed which mature in Darkness and Desolation - separating us from the Love of God.

God’s good seeds:
Hope – Peace – Faithfulness – Charity – Compassion – Mercy - Love
Flower in Light and Life – giving off the sweet fragrance of God’s Love - The Love He has for us – the love we are called to have for all our brothers and sisters in Christ.

God allows us to nurture the seed within us – the good and the bad.  He does not interfere by ripping out the bad seed, but lets it grow among the good seed he has planted – giving us the gift of free-will, so we may decide which seed to allow to grow strong in our hearts and which seed to starve; to let wither and die.

Sometimes we cannot just starve the seed of the evil one: we must fight against its growth because its evil is so infectious that it destroys us even if we do not, ourselves participate in it.
“The greatest trick the evil-one ever played was to make people believe he does not exist!”
“The second greatest trick of the evil-one is to make us believe that the evil he sows is for our benefit.”
There is evil that is packaged as a good, evil wrapped in a blanket of acceptability or presented as a benefit - but in reality is deadly - cutting us off from the Love of God.

These evil seeds can lead us away from loving our brothers and sisters in Christ, - turning our back on God’s love for us.  When we ignore the evil or accept it as “necessary or the new way of the world” – we participate in that evil; allowing it to exist: allowing it to destroy us; cutting us off from God and His promise of Life Eternal.  
Among these evils are:
 Indifference toward and disregard for all life at all stages
 Exploitation and enslavement of God’s children
 Cruelty, mistreatment and torture of God’s beloved 
 Abuse of the weak and innocent by the strong and powerful
 Misusing God’s gifts for selfish gain
 A redefining of the natural laws, especially of life, marriage and family

These and other evils reduce our dignity as children of God and separate us from His Love.  They can never be justified. They are always wrong.  They are always evil. 

We are called by our Baptism (death to sin and rising to new life in Christ) to live a Life of Love – with mercy and peace for all our brothers and sisters. To love one another as we are loved, completely.
We cannot allow the seeds of evil to grow in our hearts; the seeds of the evil-one chokes off life; leading us to death and eternal damnation in the fires of Gehenna.  

Through our Lord, Jesus, we have the strength to follow the path of righteousness that leads to heaven.  He shows us the Way to Life Eternal - through the Love of God:
 who hears the cries of the poor, 
 who comforts the sorrowful, 
 who fills the hungry with good things, 
 who eases the burden of the oppressed 
 And brings peace to all His people.

Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life – who leads us to life everlasting.  Through Him we will yield the good fruit of the good seed – life eternal – life everlasting - in the Peace of God’s Kingdom.  – 

~ Mother of Mercy – Pray for Us! ~ Amen

Peace, 
Deacon Don

15th Sunday Ordinary Time - Matthew 13:1-23 - "Seeds"

“Teaching religious education is like planting seeds in the minds of our children.”  We pray the lessons take root; hoping their faith grows – by the mystery of God – at some later time in life.  And that when it does, we again hope and pray they will return to the church of their youth.”  Does this approach to Religious Education sound familiar? 

We hear the farmer, seed and planting metaphor several times throughout the New Testament.  In Mark 4:27, the passage refers to plants growing from seeds while the farmer sleeps, but the farmer knows not how it’s done, except through the mystery of the Divine.  And here today’s Gospel tells us about seeds being scattered on good and thin soil, among thorns and on rocky ground.  The seed grow well only in the good soil, but withers and dies on the thin soil or is choked and overwhelmed by the thorns and fails to take root at all, among the rocks.

So, how well does that first statement about religious education being like ‘planting seeds in the minds of our children’ - work when we hear that there is a three-fourths chance of the seed falling not in the good soil?

What do we do to increase the odds, so that more seed fall on the good soil, take root and grow strong?  

And remember – these odds are not just some impersonal numbers, - they are the souls and eternal lives of those we love – our children, sons and daughters,  our grand-children, - our nieces and nephews - our husbands and wives, - our brothers and sisters – all those people NOT sitting in the pew next to you that you wish and pray were.

If we believe what we profess – if we believe in God, the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit and His promise of eternal life in His heavenly kingdom – if we believe that Jesus is the Word of God made Flesh and if we believe that He died on the cross, so we may eternal life – then we need to take a more cooperative stance in the planting of the seeds of faith in the minds and hearts of all God’s children.

The world, - domain of the evil-one, - is filled with messages designed to separate us from the love of God.  Each of us is bombarded by over 3,000 messages a day - designed to form or change our opinion on everything - from what car to buy, what soap to use and more importantly on how we are to view life and death - marriage and family – and care for the poor and those suffering children of God in most need - even on the very existence of God.  

And, unless you listen to Catholic radio or watch Catholic television (and we know how few of these channels exist) – how often, in mass media do you hear messages positively speaking about God, Jesus, the Catholic Church or faithful Christian living?  I’ll save you the research – ZERO - NADA – NOTHING! 

The Holy Spirit works within each one of us - urging us to use our gifts to work in cooperation with God in bringing about the salvation of the world.  We do this by living faithful Christian lives, everywhere we go: in the home, at the office, in school, at play, among friends and strangers - and especially among family.  We should be living examples of Christian living that shows and teaches others about Jesus and how important He is in our lives and how strong our faith is in God’s promise.

The journey of discipleship in Christ Jesus is not always an easy journey, but it is best made among family and friends, fellow disciples, who support one another in their faith; helping to make saints of one another, lifting up and carrying one another to the gates of heaven.

So, while through the mystery of God, seeds may grow, it is with the cooperation of the farmer that the seeds find and take root in the good soil.  
It is the farmer who tills the soil and the farmer who pulls up the weeds; ensuring the seed has the best opportunity for life and strong growth.  For the world is full of thorns, and rocks and thin soil – seed should not be left unattended to fend for itself in such a scary place.

Pray for us, O’ Mother of Mercy, pray for us.

Peace,
Deacon Don

Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul - "Lord, I am not worthy"

“Depart from me Lord, for I am a sinful man.” cried Peter; falling to his knees; realizing, as he witnessed the miracle of the catch of fish, that Jesus is the One sent by God.  In that moment, when God’s glory and true holiness was revealed in the light from within Christ, Peter was confronted with the realities of his imperfect life.  In the light of Christ revealed: Peter saw his sins and came to understand how his life, to that point, was spent in sin and sadness.  With sorrow and regret Peter deemed himself unworthy to be in the presence of the Lord.

How frail and failed we humans are when true perfection is revealed in the light of Christ.  In His light our sinfulness stands out in sharp relief.  Our unworthiness becomes all too apparent in contrast to the sweet holiness of Jesus; causing us to tremble and fall under the weight of our offences against God.  We too, like Peter feel unworthy in His company and wish ourselves banished from His holy presence.  In our humiliation and shame we too say, “Depart from me Lord, for I am sinful and unworthy: as if our unworthiness would contaminate Him.  

But it is in His love we find perfection.  It is through Christ that we gain what was lost through Adam.  He is our Good Shepherd; returning the lost sheep to the fold, we are the son who was dead, now returned alive to the Father’s embrace.

It is only through God’s mercy and grace and in the love of Christ that we, who are unworthy, are raised up.  Our redemption is made manifest, not by anything we do, but when the Holy Spirit captures our hearts, so the love of Christ can find fertile soil to grow and expand.  It is in giving ourselves over to His love, surrendering ourselves to His will and opening ourselves up to live in close and familiar rapport with Him - that we fulfill Jesus’ command to love God above all and one another, as we love ourselves.

The most zealous persecutor of Christians, - through the love of God, was brought to say, “I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”  Saint Paul was spent by God as he carried the Good News of Christ to the Gentiles.

Who better to bring a sinner to the Lord than another sinner?  Paul confessed his great sinfulness as a persecutor of Christ.  No one was more unworthy of God’s grace than he - who aided in the martyrdom of Stephen, denounced and condemned Christians; forcing them to blaspheme the name of Christ. No enemy of Christ was more infamous than Paul or showed more zeal and passion in oppressing Christ and Christians.  The name of Saul brought terror to Christians.

It was through this sinful man, - through this most unworthy person that God brought the Word of salvation to the Gentiles.  Tirelessly he persecuted Christ and his followers, and tirelessly he preached the Word of God, persistently spreading the Good News to pagans and suffering most cruelly for speaking of Christ.  His miraculous conversion changed him from terrifying persecutor - to great fisher of men.  It was only through these trials and tests of suffering that Paul would gladly say, “The Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.”  

In these two Apostles we find God’s love and glory.  In these two sinners we find God’s truth in using the weak things of the world to bring about His kingdom.  
In Peter we find the Rock upon which Christ built his Church and in Paul we see the glory and power of God.  In them we see all man’s failures and weakness gathered up and purified in the love of Christ.

So, (let us) be filled with joy and hope in the Risen Lord, that we who are unworthy, as were Peter & Paul, will find redemption in the love of God, who makes worthy and useful - to His purpose, - sinners.  By His mercy and grace will are lifted up and given a place in His heavenly kingdom. Amen.

Peace,
Deacon Don

Corpus Christi - Food that Fills, Drink that Quenches & Practicum

We do not have life on our own, but through the grace of God.  Our lives are sustained through Real Food and Real Drink, the Body and Blood of Jesus, the Christ.

We are fed at the Word of God – who has fulfilled His promise of salvation through the Son, Jesus Christ.  As He saved the Hebrews from the deprivations of life at the hands of their oppressors - feeding them manna in the desert and making water flow from the rock – he bring us life giving food and drink - His promise of salvation through Jesus Christ.

In the Body and Blood of Christ we are continually refreshed.  This is food and drink for our journey – sustaining us, strengthening us, giving us all we need for the challenges of discipleship in Christ, Jesus that leads us to everlasting life.

There are two dimensions to the saving grace of God. Food and drink for the journey and companionship, so we may be alone.  As we each receive the life giving bread and wine we also gather together in community, the Body of Christ, His Church.  We are the people of God, all together – called to love one another and live in that love together as a people.  

We come together, gathering in worship and praise, around the table of the Lord.  Just as our Lord, Jesus gathered with others at meal, teaching, sharing and giving of Himself, we gather around the holy table of the mass, with Him in our midst, teaching, sharing and giving of ourselves with His same love - to all our brothers and sisters.

And, as in the feeding of the five-thousand – we share together in the Body and Blood of Christ - all at the table are fed, - yet the drink is not diminished and the food is not decreased – the larder always remains full. 

Jesus is the well that does not run dry – the living water that quenches our thirst forever.  Come, gather round all you who are thirsty, have your fill.  All you who are hungry, partake of this life-giving food and everlasting drink.  Be nourished with that which satisfies our real hunger and thirst – our real desire – for that which is holy and everlasting.

Practicum

The other day I had the pleasure of meeting and training new Extra-Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for our two churches.  Now, we call them Extra-Ordinary Ministers because they are ‘Extra’ to the Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion – Priests and Deacons, but they also are extraordinary people - as the beloved of God, because they have discerned the call of God in their hearts to serve our community in bringing the Blessed Sacrament to His holy people during the mass.

As we were going over the basics of distributing communion during mass, I thought this would be a good opportunity to refresh everyone on the proper reception of Holy Communion.  From my observations our communities have a good understand of how to receive, but it never hurts to brush up on our table manners.

Communion in the Hand
First, I will address those of us who receive Communion in the hand.  By special indult from the Holy See in 1977, the Church in the United States is permitted to receive the host in the hand.  Pope Paul VI cautioned against certain abuses, especially a lessening in our belief in and reverence for the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.  

• Remember you receive communion, you do not take communion – the Host is placed in your hand – not taken by you with your fingers. 
• Don’t reach out to take the host from the minister, but elevate your hands to the chest level (especially children)
• Hold your palm opened, with your recessive hand resting on top of your dominant hand (if you are right-handed – your right hand should be under your left hand). The minister will place the host in your open palm – then using your dominant hand - pick up the host and place it in your mouth
• Consume the host while standing in front of the minister, not as you walk away.  Don’t worry about holding up the line. The host should be consumed when received. The ministers are required to ensure the host is consumed by the communicant at reception.
• Also, please note that no one is allowed to bring the host to someone who is unable to join the communion reception line. If someone attends mass, but cannot stand in the communion line, please notify an usher who will escort a minister to where the person is sitting, so they may properly receive communion.
• Please, do not present a pyx or other container to a minister, so you can receive a host to take to someone at home. (the host may never be placed or carried in anything but a solid metal – gold, silver or brass – container designed for such appropriate use)
• Only properly commissioned ministers may bring communion to the homebound. Please call the parish office to arrange for someone from our Pastoral Care ministry to bring communion to the homebound.

Communion on the tongue
It is good to see that at many of our communicants continue to receive the Eucharist on the tongue.  This is the regular and normal practice for reception of the Body of Christ.  By receiving communion in this manner, the chance of stray particles falling or remaining on someone’s hand are reduced or eliminated. Remember – we believe that at the consecration – the bread and wine become the actual Body and Blood of our Lord, Jesus Christ and remains so, until consumed.  This is the Real Presence of the Lord, the gift given to us by Him at the Last Supper.

When receiving communion on the tongue remember to:

• Give the minister a proper platform upon which to place the host. Stick out your tongue – we will not be offended or insulted (unless you do so in the parking lot after mass).
• Do not try to take the host in your teeth
• And my personal favorite - Do not present your mouth as if it were a CD player - where the minister has to insert the host in a narrow slot. 
• Stick out your tongue and receive the Bread of Life!

For as we heard in the Gospel of John:
Jesus proclaiming,
“I am the Living Bread that came down from heaven.  Whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread I will give for the life of the world is my flesh!”
And His Church responds, “Amen, Alleluia!”

Peace,
Deacon Don

7th Sunday in Easter - John 17: 1-11a - "Prayer & Spirit"

Happy Easter!  The Lord is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!
He has ascended to the Father! Alleluia! Alleluia!
He sends us the Holy Spirit as He promised! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let us rejoice and be glad for Jesus has shown us the way to the Father is through Him.  All that Jesus has - given him by the Father - Jesus has shared with us.  To know Jesus is to know the Father.  This is the truth we accept as disciples.  This is the reality of our faith.  Knowledge of the Father is through the Son and in the Son we have knowledge of the Father. Jesus is the gateway that leads to eternal life in the Father.

The Spirit of the Father and the Son is coming to - guide and comfort us, - lead and console us, - direct and assure us - so we may continue to lead others to Jesus, so they too may know the Father and the Son and have eternal life.  Jesus knows we need the Spirit of the Father and the Son to strengthen us and be with us in this world.

The power of the evil-one is a deadly force against which Jesus sends us the Spirit, so we may resist and overcome temptation.  With the Spirit we find courage to live as disciples, keeping the Word within us and sharing the Word with the world, so all may come to know the Father and the Son.

In prayer, we invite the Spirit into our hearts.
In prayer, we find strength and courage to discern God’s call to us in our hearts and live that call each day.
In prayer, our discipleship in Christ grows and our love increases.
In prayer, God’s love for us is revealed enabling us to bring His love to others.
In prayer, the seeds of our life in Christ finds fertile soil and grows in the Light of God’s love.
In prayer, we hear the voice of the Shepherd calling us to follow him to safety and peace - to verdant pastures and running streams - in the kingdom of God.

Today, we hear the Apostles gathering in prayer in preparation for the coming of the Spirit and in preparation for all they will do in bringing the Good News of Jesus to the world.  We too need to pray, in preparation for all Jesus asks of us, as we bring the Good News to the world of God’s love for all His children.

Let us continue to invite the Holy Spirit, Father and Son - to come upon us through constant prayer.  As disciples, who truly believe that Jesus is the Christ, the one who bring us into the embrace of the Father’s love:
We proclaim today and everyday– Jesus Christ is Lord!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen!

Peace,
Deacon Don Ron

6th Sunday in Easter - John 14: 15-21 - "The Gift of the Holy Spirit"

Happy Easter!  The Lord is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!

Let us rejoice and be glad for we are a people of great hope.

We are an Easter people – a people of filled with hope and filled with the Holy Spirit.

We are a people always facing east – always toward the rising sun – always toward the dawn of a new and glorious day!

For our God is an awesome God - loving and merciful.

He has given us new life in the resurrection of His Christ, Jesus.  Whose death on the cross expiated our sins and brings us salvation.  In His once-for-all-time sacrifice, He triumphs over sin and death and raises us up to new life – life eternal in God’s heavenly kingdom. 

We are truly a blessed people – a people filled with great hope - dwelling in the promise of Christ’s Resurrection.

We are a people filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the Father and of the Son: sent to us as our comfort and guide, our advocate and companion.

Through the Holy Spirit – Christ lives within us and we, in Him.

The Holy Spirit is the breath of the Father and of the Son – the breath of their complete communion of love.

We breathe in their loving Spirit, taking their life-giving breath within us, filling us completely, so we too may be filled with their love.  In their Spirit - we find the love with which we are loved.

The Lord, Jesus has fulfilled his promise - not leaving us orphans, but sending us the Spirit of the Father’s and the Son’s union of love, so we may live in Him, as He lives in us.  For our true life is found only in Jesus.  It is in living His commandments: to love God and one another and through His resurrection, that we find life eternal.  We are claimed as God’s holy people through our belief God’s only Son.

We are a people of great joy!

We are a people of great hope! – Looking toward the kingdom of God and life eternal.

We are a people filled with the Spirit of God’s love!

An Easter people – so completely loved and desired by our Creator that He not only sacrificed His Son to save us, but sends their Holy Spirit of love to shepherd us to the gates of His heavenly kingdom.

Who has a god, like our God?

Let us continue today and everyday - to rejoice and be glad – for the Lord is risen and sends His gift of the Holy Spirit to us - now and forever.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

Peace

Deacon Don Ron