tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366004342024-01-20T17:37:34.266-08:00Diakonia - Deacon Pat KearnsDeacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.comBlogger1660125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-5971924319173881952023-12-03T15:28:00.000-08:002023-12-03T15:32:33.221-08:00Advent - Be Awake! The joyful wait<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTxZgBkk5O5bMGnf2RfKwxss7MBuMgluDS_vKbrGSQrgJtA1zez6sXwg44WIB_xh2CufCGubOFWh3n5bPkeH_dxk_1jwfeMmjFgr1pPT2otXz9YrwOjgPPsfIukF_KV99WbdYImaOZ09wrGco5CqjstCEi2z9zjjGozttvzc9ZI17_gvZoCAP/s235/Untitled.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="235" data-original-width="215" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzTxZgBkk5O5bMGnf2RfKwxss7MBuMgluDS_vKbrGSQrgJtA1zez6sXwg44WIB_xh2CufCGubOFWh3n5bPkeH_dxk_1jwfeMmjFgr1pPT2otXz9YrwOjgPPsfIukF_KV99WbdYImaOZ09wrGco5CqjstCEi2z9zjjGozttvzc9ZI17_gvZoCAP/w380-h416/Untitled.jpg" width="380" /></a></b></div><b><br /><br /></b><p></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><i><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Adapted Homily originally written by Msgr James P. Moroney.</span></u></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I remember the day that Tom died, as Betty held his hand. She wept. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Oh, how she wept as she clung to his body in the hopes of somehow not
losing the 39 years of married life they had lived and loved together. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The kids tried to console her, but it was of little use. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">She just needed to cry until she couldn’t cry anymore. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The pain and the emptiness were much deeper than what I could ever have
imagined. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">She spent the next days and weeks longing for Tom more than she had ever
longed for anything in her entire life. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">She so wanted him to come back that every creak of the floorboard, and
shadow around the corner, made her heart leap in hope.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Regrettably, time went by before I had realized it, it had been almost a
year since I had spent any significant time with Betty. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">She was still sad, but not as desperate as the last time I had seen her. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">I inquired how she was doing and she told me about the day that made all
the difference. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">She said she had gone to Church and she was sitting all alone in the pew
staring at the crucifix above the altar. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">When all at once it occurred to her that it was not actually Tom for whom
she longed, but God. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The God who she prayed would forgive Tom’s sins. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> The God who would keep her in his grace until the last day. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The God who had gone to prepare a place for Tom, and for her, and for all
who loved others as he had loved them. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">And her waiting for Tom was just a shadow of her deepest longing for God,
her desire for love, and her desire to live in God and to know peace with him
forever.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Don’t we all ache for God? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Don’t we all wait, waiting for something better, just like: </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: small; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The addict in the alley behind the Gas station who waits for a God who
will come and remove all that enslaves him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">How about the single mother who waits for a day when she no longer has to
work fifty-four hours a week, a night when she can sleep 8, a life when she
will finally know the kids will be ok. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">What about the soldier in the Middle East who waits for a morning when
there are no more explosions, and every look is not feared as the precursor to
an assault, and when he doesn’t have to bury his new best friend. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Or the old man in the nursing home who waits for the day he will no
longer be alone, when pain will no longer be his most constant companion, and
when he can once again rest in the embrace of her whom he loved. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">What about the prisoner on death row who waits for a place where he will
no longer be seen as evil, for a life that makes sense, for a time when love
can be given and received, for the coming of a God who will love him. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">What about the investment banker who waits for the day when he’s not
gripped by the fear that he’s about to lose everything, for the day when he can
count his value in the quality of his love rather than the size of his profit. </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Or what about the little child who waits within her mother’s womb for a
world that will welcome her, and parents that will love her, and a country who
will protect her.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">As Christians we should all realize and recognize that we wait in joyful
hope, with baited breath, as we gaze toward the Eastern skies in expectation of
the one who rises with healing in his wings…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">But Exiled in a Babylon of our own selfishness, we cry out: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“Rend the heavens, O Lord, and come down to us!” </span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Yet he patiently waits for us in that confessional, ready to embrace us,
pick us up on his shoulders, and carry us home to himself.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Still longing to be loved, orphaned by our infidelity and broken
promises, we cry out, </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> “Why do you let us wander and harden our hearts?” </span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Yet he patiently waits on that altar, to feed us with himself and to make
us sons and daughters of his Father, to live in us that we might live in him.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Still frightened that we have been abandoned, strangers in a strange
desert, we cry out: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">“Let us see your face and we will be saved!” </span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Yet he patiently waits for us in the poor, the sick, and the old, ready
to console our frightened spirits. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Let us be honest, we all wait in joyful hope.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The part of us that is afraid to confess that secret sin. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The part of us that doesn’t think it’s possible to forgive what ‘that
one’ did to us, or that God could really forgive me. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The part of us that cries in the middle of the night. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The part which feels empty and alone. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The part that’s overwhelmed and confused. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">The part which amidst all the din and doubt waits…waits in silence for
the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ upon a cloud in all his glory.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">My dear brothers and sisters: </span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">This is a time for all of us to Wake up and to Get ready. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We are to be watchful and alert! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We are to go to confession, We are to celebrate the Holy and Sacred
Mysteries like never before, and we are to pray; to pray deeply and honestly! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Also, we cannot forget about those around us. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We are to feed and care for the poor. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We are to go visit the prisoners and the old people in nursing homes. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">We are to find the ones we have not yet forgiven and call them right now.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">This is what the season of Advent is all about. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Making our hearts into mangers to receive our king, for He is
coming. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">There is but one ultimate question that we need to ask ourselves and
ponder: </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Am I ready…to stand before the One who is Truth Himself, the One who knows my heart completely, the One who has seen everything? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Am I ready to meet the Creator of the world, the creator of my soul? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Am I..</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Truly..</span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"> </span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: small; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;">Ready?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p>
Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-1381725138050631322023-03-05T11:51:00.035-08:002023-03-05T11:57:35.343-08:00Transfiguration of our Lord - Seeing God face to face.<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdG-R19gDdhDXFOvzW4XswmnUhIRlLmI9lZq3u7mBiVweT9_jcEgfM_qqUcNtnjJSCcHhsHaZOCrCcw5GUeoQAKUdeCVruDxLvHINvw1K4D8h_yr8p2o15QLkUw7qpc5INweUWM9zGlfNWaebeky7ellnTgy8QQUbbU3BAUFYtPAfVfi-RQ/s900/Transfiguration.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="900" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdG-R19gDdhDXFOvzW4XswmnUhIRlLmI9lZq3u7mBiVweT9_jcEgfM_qqUcNtnjJSCcHhsHaZOCrCcw5GUeoQAKUdeCVruDxLvHINvw1K4D8h_yr8p2o15QLkUw7qpc5INweUWM9zGlfNWaebeky7ellnTgy8QQUbbU3BAUFYtPAfVfi-RQ/s400/Transfiguration.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent Year A</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Adapted from a homily by Fr. Tommy Lane </div><div><br /></div><div>As we begin to discern today’s readings, I would first like to share with you a short story that just might help us understand the deeper meaning.
The story goes something like this:
Twins, a sister, and a brother were talking to each other in the womb.
The little sister said to the little brother, ‘I believe that there is life after birth!’
Her brother protested: ‘No, no, this is all there is.
This is a dark and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but to cling on to the cord that feeds us.’
But the little girl insisted: ‘There must be something more than this dark place, there must be something else where there is light and freedom to move.’
Still she could not convince her twin brother.
Then...after some silence, she said hesitantly: ‘I have something else to say, and I am afraid you won’t believe that either, but I think there is a mother!’
Her little brother now became furious: ‘A mother, a mother, what are you talking about?
I have never seen a mother and neither have you.
Who put that idea in your head?
As I told you, this place is all we have so let’s be content.’
The little sister finally said: ‘Don’t you feel this pressure sometimes?
It’s really unpleasant and sometimes even painful.’
‘Yes,’ he answered, ‘what’s special about that?’
‘Well,’ the sister said, ‘I think this pressure is there to get us ready for another place, much more beautiful than this, where we will see our mother face to face!
Don’t you think that’s exciting! </div><div><br /></div><div> In the story, the twin brother did not believe there was anything beyond what he could see and hear and touch, while his twin sister believed there was a life beyond what she could see and hear and touch.
The story reminds me of our lives.
We are like the twin sister when we say, “we are only passing through,” meaning that this life is preparing for eternal life. </div><div><br /></div><div> We all know and realize that We live in strange times with lots of tragedies and appalling accidents and many people dying young.
During times like this, we need more than ever to remember that our lives here on earth is temporary, that we do have a special purpose, and that we are on a pilgrimage to God.
Through our baptism, we are all sons and daughters of our heavenly Father.
Like the girl in the womb who could not see her mother but believed, we too believe that eternal life follows this life and that there is more to this life than what we can see and hear and touch. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Gospel today helps us to understand this even better.
On the mountain Peter, James, and John saw that there was more to Jesus than met the eye.
During the transfiguration they got a glimpse of the future glory of Jesus’ resurrection.
Like them, we too get glimpses of the presence of God in our lives.</div><div> • We get glimpses of God in the love we receive from other people. </div><div> • We get glimpses of God when badly needed help suddenly comes to us from out of nowhere. </div><div> • We get glimpses of God when we look back over our lives and what we couldn’t understand in the past makes sense now. </div><div> • We see glimpses of God when we see someone making a sacrifice to help somebody else. </div><div> • We see glimpses of God in the beauty of a fine day, a nice beach or a beautiful sunrise or sunset. </div><div> • We see glimpses of God when a passage from the Bible or a homily strikes a chord in our hearts. </div><div> • We get a glimpse of God when we spend time in prayer and experience the loving presence of God in our lives. </div><div><br /></div><div> And We get more than just a glimpse of God when we receive the body and blood of Jesus in Holy Communion. </div><div><br /></div><div> The Transfiguration coming early in Lent encourages us to continue our Lenten penances because it reminds us of the glory of Jesus risen from the dead.
When Jesus and the disciples came down the mountain Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone about his transfiguration until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
Of course, they did not know what he meant.
Unknown to them the glory of Jesus’ transfiguration was preparing them to accept the scandal of the cross.
They would understand this only afterward when looking back. </div><div><br /></div><div> The good times take us through the bad times.
So, when our cross is heavy or when we are tempted to despair about the meaning of life, let us look beyond the pain of the present moment and remember those times when we got glimpses of God, those times when God sent us his consolations.
Let us look beyond the pain of life and see the presence of God in our world, and the offer of life that God wants to make to each of us.
Let us look beyond the illusion of happiness that this life offers and gaze toward the real happiness that God offers us.
Let us look beyond this world to eternal life with God.
And let us be patient.
As Catholics, we understand that the pressure we often feel in our lives is there to not only help us build virtue, grow in love and forgiveness, and reduce our pride but mostly to get us ready for another place.
A place much more beautiful than this.
A place where we will see our Jesus, our God, face to face.
</div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-2249717730579639802023-01-28T07:42:00.001-08:002023-01-28T07:42:33.238-08:00Kevin Kearns Funeral Homily - 01.20.2023 - Saint Joseph Church, Marysville, CA<p> </p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1434550252&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/kevin-kearns-funeral-homily" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Kevin Kearns Funeral Homily">Kevin Kearns Funeral Homily</a></div>
Kevin Kearns Homily – Deacon Pat Kearns (Funeral Mass 01/20/2023) <div><br /></div><div>Kevin was quite the man, remarkable in many different ways.
He was smart, creative, kind, giving, and yes at times stubborn and onery.
He was also a fighter and a man of faith.
We were quite surprised many years ago when he was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 cancer.
He was only given a 50/50 chance to live.
He fought, receive great medical care, and won the battle.
He eventually went into remission and after so many years was deemed completely healed, cured.
He did have some residual side effects from the drugs and radiation, he became hard of hearing, but he wouldn’t admit it. 😊 </div><div>Just like how he would never admit he was color blind.
Remember some of the outfits he would wear? He swore those colors matched. 😊 </div><div><br /></div><div>But seriously, having cancer changed his life greatly.
After his recover he saw life much differently.
He knew that life could end at any time and unexpectedly.
If you ever asked him how he was doing, he would always say “Blessed.”
He truly saw his life that way.
He embraced life and was thankful for the life he had.
He also shared his blessing with others.
Most might not know but years ago he created a charitable organization that he named “Hope Floats.”
He used the organization to sponsor teachers in poor areas of Africa and Guatemala.
He also helped with the funding of cancer and diabetes research, and did so much more, too much to list.
He was always looking for ways to help those in need, especially children.
Maybe that was his way of being fatherly since he had never married.
And speaking of fatherly, after our father suddenly died at the age of 65, Kevin naturally and effortlessly took over the role as the patriarch of the family.
He watched over his younger 5 brothers, their lives, their families, and was always eager to help if help was needed.
He also had a family-related dream.
For many years he dreamed that one day he would buy a large piece of property and that all the brothers and their wives could live by each other and share in each other’s daily lives.
He loved his brothers more than anything.
Well, a little more than a year ago, Kevin did acquire a large horse ranch in South Carolina.
He then moved to the ranch and became a South Carolina resident.
My brother Tim and his wife Angela followed.
And two of the other brothers were beginning to make plans to join them in the near future.
His dream was becoming a reality.
I had never seen Kevin happier than when he was on the ranch or with his horses.
He especially enjoyed driving the tractors, riding the horses, puttering around the ranch on his Kubota Mule, or exploring the forest on one of the quads.
In a small way we might say he was already experiencing a bit of Heaven on earth.
+ </div><div><br /></div><div>When we reminisce about the life of a loved one, especially so near to their time of passing, and if they go suddenly as in Kevin’s case, one can’t help but feel a sense of sadness and sorrow.
We are united today in our sadness and sorrow at the death of Kevin Kearns.
The reality of death, with all its pain and sense of loss, confronts us at this moment.
But as we are united in sorrow, we Christians are also united by something else... our Faith.
Confronted with the reality of death, we must allow ourselves to be confronted with the reality of our Faith.
The reality... not a "maybe" or "I hope so" or fantasy or wishful thinking, but a reality.
Our Faith opens our minds to the whole picture about life, death, and what happens after death.
Only in the light of our Faith can we begin to understand what has happened to Kevin and how we are to keep going from here.
When in our Faith we speak about heaven, and resurrection, and the next life, we do not speak about these things primarily because they give us consolation and strength.
They certainly do that, but the primary reason we speak of these things is because they are True.
God has spoken His Word to us; we hear it in the Scriptures and in the teachings of our Church, and we respond to it by saying, "Yes, I believe; it is true!"
God has broken the silence about death, and told us that He has conquered it!
Death was not part of God's original plan; it came into the world because of sin. Death is not from God; death is from turning away from God.
Yet God did not leave us in death's power.
He sent Christ, who died and rose again and conquered death!
God has spoken to the world through Christ, and told us that He wants to give us victory over death in and through Jesus Christ!
Because of this, a Christian is not silent in the face of death!
Many people, on coming to a wake or funeral, do not know what to say!
Death seems to have the last word.
But we who believe are not silent.
We speak! Christ is risen! Death has been conquered!
Many people think that the story of human life is, "Birth, life, and death."
For a Christian, it's different. The story is not "Birth, life, and death," but rather, "Life, death, and Resurrection!"
Death does not have the last word; life does!
Death is not the last period after the last sentence of the last chapter of the human story.
There's another chapter to come!
Death is not the end of the human story; it's the middle.
The end of the story is Resurrection and life that has no end!
The farewell that we give to Kevin today is a temporary farewell;
the burial we give Kevin is a temporary burial.
He will live! He will rise! </div><div><br /></div><div>The ceremony today contains many reminders of this, and it points us to the fact that Kevin was baptized.
We sprinkled the (remains) with holy water at the beginning of the ceremony... This recalls the waters of baptism that were once poured on Kevin.
The white funeral pall is a reminder of the white garment placed on the newly-baptized... a sign of the new life of Christ given to the Christian.
This candle is the Easter candle; it is present at every baptism, and symbolizes the Risen Christ.
When Kevin was baptized right here in this church, the life of the Risen Christ was poured into his soul!
He began to share, here on earth, the life of heaven!
At baptism, God rescued Kevin from the power of death; He literally snatched him from the dominion of death and transferred him into the Kingdom of Christ -- a kingdom of eternal life.
Christ said to Kevin on that day, "You do not belong to death! You belong to me!"
Therefore, a Christian does not merely die.
A Christian dies in Christ.
Those two words, "in Christ," make all the difference in the world!
We belong to Him by baptism, and we live in Him by a life of prayer, obedience to His teachings, and faithfulness to the Sacraments of the Church.
If we live in Christ and die in Christ, we will rise in Christ!
In the midst of all this, should we grieve?
Yes, brothers and sisters, it is OK to grieve; it is natural, because we love Kevin.
Even Christ wept when His friend Lazarus died... and He wept even though He was about to bring Him back to life!
Yes, we as Christians grieve. But we grieve with hope.
It is OK to be sad today that we do not see Kevin anymore, but it would be wrong to think we will never see him again.
It is OK to grieve, but it is wrong to despair.
Christ is alive!
We pray today for Kevin that he may complete the journey to heaven.
Pray for him every day, and for yourselves.
Look at him today and say with faith, "Kevin, you do not belong to death.
You belong to Christ, and so do we!"
Amen.
</div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-45221817270358280122022-12-04T11:09:00.001-08:002022-12-04T11:09:40.983-08:00The reality of Heaven and Hell (Advent)<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSxCtHXxHlKMAsKX8v8P77YEQeRbIRN6wXwryodaClucPD9gwnmc98_LxbbgzTTMlGvdajptRezJ6dRSWwpCW2WoTNSrkR9xTwhgoU5gvrgymqXmENHEeRz9VVccU7b8bDYb1eUlHjDvZBvDH13R2uEf7lVLoBTrbhG8IJ9guSpXW_LE29QA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="907" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSxCtHXxHlKMAsKX8v8P77YEQeRbIRN6wXwryodaClucPD9gwnmc98_LxbbgzTTMlGvdajptRezJ6dRSWwpCW2WoTNSrkR9xTwhgoU5gvrgymqXmENHEeRz9VVccU7b8bDYb1eUlHjDvZBvDH13R2uEf7lVLoBTrbhG8IJ9guSpXW_LE29QA=w299-h337" width="299" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div>
"The Reality of Heaven and Hell" (2nd Sunday of Advent) <div><br /></div><div>Today is the 2nd Sunday of Advent, a time of preparation, and the Gospel today has a profound message for us.
The Gospel begins with the words of the prophet Isaiah, declaring that God was sending a messenger to prepare the way.
The messenger would be a voice crying out in the desert. That voice was to be John the Baptist.
Understanding John the Baptist is not an easy task, probably not unlike the task posed to those of his time.
Few people, 2000 years ago, probably truly and completely understand what he meant when he declared his mission “To prepare the way of the Lord and make his paths straight.”
However, the gospel states that John the Baptist who appeared in the desert proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
And what was the response of the people of that time:
The scripture states that people of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.
John further stated that one greater than he would be coming.
John the Baptist is the very voice of Advent, the voice of the coming of the Lord Jesus to earth to intervene in the relationship between God and ourselves.
What John stated when he said “I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit", was not just a word about Jesus, It was the Gospel – It was the beginning of the good news for the world.
John and his message happened at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry on this earth, and John and his message still are the beginning today for all those who want to find their way out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, there is one reality that so many Christians have lost sight of, and because so, their whole faith foundation has become weak and makes them easy prey for temptation and sin.
This reality that I speak of, is having a clear distinction and belief in Heaven and Hell.
That’s right, I said Hell.
I would be shocked to hear of a Christian that didn’t believe in Heaven, but you would not believe how many Christians I have met that question the reality of Hell.
Without a clear understanding of the reality that your behaviors and actions in this world do have consequences, and that the result of those actions either lead you to heaven or hell, could leave a person confused, and lost, and can lead to a rationalization for behaviors that are clearly sinful and in opposition of God.
What is missing, and what I am speaking of, is the understanding of a healthy “Fear of the Lord.”
The “Fear of the Lord” as it is spoken of in the Bible, is not just a concept, but an experience that predisposes us to wisdom.
In fact, “The Fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom.
The “Fear” is not the fear of a tyrannical God who arbitrarily inflicts punishment, but a fear that gives proper respect to a God who administers “Just punishment” for those who deserve it.
The biblical “Fear of the Lord” is an intelligent fear, based on a deep perception of the holiness and majesty of God, which rightly recognizes the possibility of violating the law of God, despising His love, rejecting His mercy, and meriting eternal separation from Him.
While the fear of the Lord is simply the beginning of wisdom, the end of wisdom is love.
The scriptures tell us in fact, “blessed is the man who fears the Lord.” </div><div><br /></div><div>Saint Catherine of Sienna, a Doctor of the Church, relays to us from a vision from God the Father that there is much more depth to the reality of heaven and hell than many commonly suppose.
She states that sin and evil are far more ugly and more horrendous than most of us can imagine, but so too are the beauty, glory, and goodness of heaven greater than we can comprehend.
Saint Catherine states that there are four torments of hell. </div><div><br /></div><div> • The first is that souls are deprived of seeing God. </div><div><br /></div><div> • The second is that the souls agonize ceaselessly with regret about what has been lost. </div><div><br /></div><div> • The third is that unlike the beatific vision in heaven, the souls in hell will be immersed in the demonic vision, the source of evil itself.
God even showed Catherine a brief vision of hell and reminded her of the vision by stating,
“You will recall that when I once let you see him (the devil), for a tiny while, hardly a moment, as he really is.
You said, after coming to your senses again, that you would rather walk on a road of fire even till the final judgment day than see him again.
But even with all you have seen, you do not really know how horrible he is.” </div><div><br /></div><div> • And the fourth torment is the ceaseless burning of an immortal fire that has as many forms as the forms of the sins that were committed.
Stating that: </div><div>- Misers will be plunged into the filth of greed </div><div>- Violent souls will be engulfed in cruelty </div><div>- The indecent will be engulfed in indecency and wretched lust </div><div>- The envious in envy </div><div>- And those who were hateful and bitter toward their neighbors will be engulfed in hate. </div><div><br /></div><div>So why do I go on and on about the reality of heaven and hell, it is because heaven and hell is a reality, a reality that so many have allowed to fade away in their conscience.
Without this acknowledgment and understanding, Saint Augustine, Saint Catherine, Saint John of the Cross, Saint Theresa of Avila, Saint Therese of Lisieux all warn of the ease and likelihood of falling for the traps of the devil and spending eternity in hell. </div><div><br /></div><div>So where do we go from here?
This brings me remembering a story I once heard that involved a professor and a great master.
The professor traveled to the Far East to meet with a great master and the professor asked the master to teach him what he needed to know to have a happy life.
The professor stated:
- I have studied the sacred scriptures
- I have visited the greatest teachers in the land, but I have not found the answer, please teach me.
At this point, the master served tea to his guest.
He poured the professor a cup full and then kept on pouring and pouring so that the tea began to run over the rim of the cup and across the table, and he still poured, until tea was cascading upon the floor.
The professor watched this until he could no longer restrain himself.
“It’s overfull, stop, no more will go in,” he cried out!
“Like this cup” the master stated, “you are full of your own opinions, your own ideas, your own speculations, you are full of yourself.
How can I show you the way, until you first empty your cup.”
Doesn’t this story represent our own lives so very much!
We want to be shown the way, yet at the same time, we want to pursue and follow our own desires, our own ideas. </div><div><br /></div><div>John the Baptist called to the people with the message of repentance.
He called to them to hear his message and then to take action so that they would be able to greet the Messiah and walk in his way.
He preached to “repent.”
Repent, what does the word repent mean?
Quite simply, it means to “turn around”, to change directions, to face a new way, and to begin to walk in that way, leaving the old way behind.
Just as the professor had to empty himself to learn the way of the master, so each of us must change direction if we are to truly see the Lord and walk with him from the wilderness to the promise land. </div><div><br /></div><div>Advent is a time to empty ourselves.
It is a time of Quiet and reflection.
It is a time for acknowledging our sins, it is a time for enjoying the sacrament of penance, it is a time of forgiveness, it is a time for change.
It is a time to purge ourselves of habits and behaviors that draw us away from God, and it is a time to cultivate holiness in our lives and in the lives of others. </div><div><br /></div><div>When we realize this and make room for God in our lives, then we are on the way to true repentance after the example of John the Baptist and can joyfully accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
</div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-37051178278877650762022-10-01T16:37:00.004-07:002022-10-01T16:37:41.925-07:00Faith the Size of a Mustard Seed<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1355096479&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/faith-the-size-of-a-mustard-seed" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Faith The Size Of A Mustard Seed">Faith The Size Of A Mustard Seed</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith (Luke 17:5-10) 27th Sunday
Ordinary time – Deacon Pat<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Adapted from a homily by Father
Michael Marsh<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of us have said:
“If I just had more faith.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">I think most of us have
struggled with this at some point in our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We might even have
thought: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If I just had more faith, I wouldn’t have
so many questions or doubts. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If I just had more faith, God would answer
my prayers. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If I just had more faith, he or she would
not have died; or he or she would have recovered. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If I just had more faith, I would be more
involved in the Church. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If I just had more faith, I would be a
better person, a better parent, a better spouse. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If I just had more faith, I would know
what to do, I would handle things better. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If I just had more faith, life would be
different.</span></p></blockquote><p><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;">Sound Familiar? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe to understand this
Gospel message more deeply and this concept of faith we need to examine the apostle’s
approach to faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus has just warned them
not to become stumbling blocks to others and enjoined them to forgive as often
as an offender repents even if it is seven times in one day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The Apostles must have
thought:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">This new teaching is too difficult to do
and to live that way. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraph" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">So, they asked, “Jesus, Increase
our faith.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It seems like a
reasonable request. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If a little is good, a
lot must be better. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If McDonald’s can
supersize our fries and drinks surely Jesus can supersize our faith.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">This
request to increase their faith,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">the
belief that if they had more faith things would be different,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">reveals,
at best, a misunderstanding of faith itself and,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">at
worst, probably demonstrates a fair amount of unfaithfulness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus is very clear that
faithfulness is not about size or quantity. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">“If you had faith the
size of a mustard seed,” he says, “you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be
uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith is not given to us in a packet to be
spent as currency in our dealings with God. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith is not measured out according to how
difficult the task or work before us will be. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith is not a thing we have or get. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l6 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith is a relationship
of trust and love. </span></p></blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It means opening
ourselves to receive another’s life and giving our life to another. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">That other is Jesus the
Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">That one
faith-relationship is determinative of who we are and how we live.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith is not about giving intellectual
agreement to a particular doctrine or idea. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith is not about how much or how
strongly we believe Jesus’s words or actions. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">When we speak about a
married couple’s faithfulness, we do not mean they always believe or agree with
each other’s ideas or even a particular understanding of marriage. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">They are faithful because they have
committed themselves to each other in love and trust. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">They are faithful because they continually
give their life to the other and receive the other’s life as their own. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">They are faithful because they carry with
them that one relationship wherever they go, in all that they are, and all that
they do. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">So true it is also in our
faith-relationship with Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith will not, however,
change the circumstances of our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Instead, it changes us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Living
in faith does not shield us from the pain and difficulties of life, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">it
does not undo the past, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">and
it will not guarantee a particular future. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Rather, faith is the
means by which we face and deal with the circumstances of life – the
difficulties and losses, the joys and successes, the opportunities and
possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith does not get us a
pat on the back, a reward, or a promotion in God’s eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It is simply the way in
which we live and move and have our being so that, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">at
the end of the day, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">the
faithful ones can say, without pride or shame, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">“We
have done only what we ought to have done!” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Nothing more and nothing
less. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We have lived in openness to, trust in,
and love for Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We have allowed him to guide our
decisions, our words, and our actions. <o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We have been sustained by him in both life
and death.<o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo7; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Faith, however, is not
lived out in the abstract. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It is practiced day after
day in the ordinary everyday circumstances. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Some days when the pain
and heaviness of life seem more than we can carry it is by faith, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">relationship
with Jesus, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">that
we get up each morning and face the reality of life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Other days present other
circumstances. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">When we feel the pain of
the world and respond with compassion by:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">feeding
the hungry, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">housing
the homeless, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">speaking
for justice; <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">when
we experience the brokenness of a relationship and offer forgiveness and mercy;
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">when
we see the downtrodden and offer our presence and prayers, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">and
when we help a woman carry her pregnancy to term,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 39.75pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>—
in all those things we have lived, seen, and acted by faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">And speaking of acting,
we now have a special opportunity to put our faith in action, especially in
light of the reversal of Roe versus Wade.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We have an opportunity to
help those mothers with a crisis pregnancy who might have previously aborted
their child.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">So many will now be in
need of reassurance, support, friendship, and help.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank goodness for the
Gabriel Project where volunteers called Gabriel Angels are trained to:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">be a resource to answer questions about
pregnancy, childcare, and parenting,<o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Provide friendship and emotional and
spiritual support,<o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Help with items for a new baby,<o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">And have knowledge about available
community resources.<o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe God is calling you
to become one of these Gabriel Angels, one of their volunteers?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Or maybe you can help in
other ways.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Truly this is something
worth praying about.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">God often creates situations
and then waits for us to act. Or not act.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Wasn’t it Padre Pio that
once stated the greatest of all sins in the world are sins of omission? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="border-bottom: solid windowtext 1.0pt; border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-element: para-border-div; padding: 0in 0in 1pt;">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in; padding: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Situations
where God was waiting for us to act and we did nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">So what is our take-away
from this special Gospel message today?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe it is that Faith is
how we live; <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">the
lens through which we see ourselves, others, and the world; <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">the
criterion by which we act and speak. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe it means that Faithfulness
no matter where we go, no matter what circumstances we face we do so in
relationship with the One who created, loves, sustains, and redeems us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus does not supersize
our faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It is not necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We live by faith not
because we have enough faith but because we have faith, any faith,
even mustard-seed sized faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">That is all we need. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus believes that, so should
we.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The question is not how
much faith we have, but rather, how are we living the faith we do have?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">How is our faith, our
relationship with Jesus, changing our lives, our relationships, the lives of
others? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">If it is not, more of the
same will surely make no difference. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">The mustard seed of faith
is already planted within us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">It is Christ
himself. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">He has withheld from us
nothing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We already have enough. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We already are enough. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We do not need more
faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">We need more response to
the faith, to Christ, to the relationship we already have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Let us now act upon this
faith, starting today, and become a reflection of Christ to the world around
us.<o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-86990736040270674922022-05-07T07:31:00.006-07:002022-05-15T17:56:10.076-07:00Love as I have Loved You (5th Sunday of Easter - Year C) Sunday Homily
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi30BFTtKzBxvCp2cg5m7BJBr8jBtRiwkZDCFgX0_sK8DsNOEK9Qo6m2DNe_e9JKIDu65RKq6qctfLkWw1nsXd588YlR2-nzHAKci9eTTDVcjq_pC2bZkXS4rxrjcrqrt25Tyv3MRk0-zlA2JY5nqZ4wNIGSuYvkdHwL5apxsbtah_BMPyr8r7wBUL1-g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi30BFTtKzBxvCp2cg5m7BJBr8jBtRiwkZDCFgX0_sK8DsNOEK9Qo6m2DNe_e9JKIDu65RKq6qctfLkWw1nsXd588YlR2-nzHAKci9eTTDVcjq_pC2bZkXS4rxrjcrqrt25Tyv3MRk0-zlA2JY5nqZ4wNIGSuYvkdHwL5apxsbtah_BMPyr8r7wBUL1-g" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Deacon Pat – 5th Sunday of Easter Homily </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div> Today, we are reminded of the New Commandment that Christ gave us the day before he suffered.
We are brought back to that Last Supper when Jesus was gathered with his closest companions and opened his heart to them.
It was the night when his heart overflowed with love as it never had before.
It was the night when he revealed the secret identity of every Christian, the distinguishing mark:
He said "This is how all will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another."
And not just any kind of love, but Christ-like love:
He added "I give you a new commandment... As I have loved you, so you also should love one another."
Being a Christian is much more than being a member of a club.
Being a Christian means having an urgent, important mission in life.
It means being another Christ in the world.
Jesus gave his very life in order to fulfill his Father's will and win salvation for sinners.
Each one of us is called to reproduce in the unique circumstances of our lives that exact same pattern:
dedicating our lives to discovering and fulfilling God's will and striving to help as many people as possible to know, love, and follow Christ.
Yet, if critiqued honestly, how well do you think we are following Christ’s command? </div><div><br /></div><div> Mahatma Gandhi, last century's leader of India's independence movement, received his education in Europe.
Although he wasn't Christian, he had many opportunities to study Christianity and get to know Christians.
Later in his life, he commented on this experience.
He said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians.
Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." </div><div><br /></div><div>And G.K. Chesterton, the famous British convert to Catholicism and great apologist for the faith in the early twentieth century, made a similar statement.
He was responding to critics who claimed that since Christianity had been around for so long, but hadn't solved the world's problems, it must be false.
Chesterton responded: "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried." </div><div><br /></div><div>These two examples remind us of something we already know: too often, too many Christians are satisfied with a mediocre Christianity.
But Christ wants more for us.
He wants to release our full potential as human beings.
But what does that potential consist of?
It consists of our capacity to love, to know others as Christ knows them, and to dedicate ourselves to their good.
Christ knows that if we follow him down that path, we will be truly happy, and we will make those around us truly happy, here on earth and forever in heaven. </div><div><br /></div><div> Well, by now you are probably thinking “OK, I get it. But how do I begin? How do I start?”
I think Saint Teresa of Calcutta had the Right Idea of Love – She said that the One thing that can sometimes hold us back in our efforts to follow the Lord's New Commandment is a false idea of what love should feel like.
We tend to think that true love is always accompanied by nice feelings, and if the feelings go away, that means the love has gone away too.
That's also what radio, TV, and social media will tell us, but that's not what the Gospel tells us. Love, true love, Christ-like love, goes deeper than feelings.
It demands sacrifice, self-giving, and self-forgetfulness.
Christ-like love always involves a cross.
That's what makes it Christ-like; that's what makes it true love.
If we can get this truth to sink down from our heads into our hearts, we will be freer to love more as Christ loves, and we will lead happier lives, and make those around us happier too. </div><div><br /></div><div>Maybe a few more words from Saint Teresa of Calcutta can help guide us: </div><div><br /></div><div>"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. </div><div>If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives.
Do good anyway. </div><div>If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. </div><div>The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway. </div><div> Honesty and transparency may make you vulnerable.
Be honest and transparent anyway. </div><div>What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway. </div><div>People who really want help may attack you if you help them.
Help them anyway. </div><div>Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt.
Give the world your best anyway. </div><div><br /></div><div>Why? Because in the final analysis, all of this is between you and God…It was never between you and them anyway."
Wise words from a Holy Saint. </div><div><br /></div><div>In closing I have a small request for all of us here today:
As we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, let's prayerfully ask Him two things: </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>1. to help us to pick up our crosses willingly and to love those around us as He has loved. </div><div>2. and to help us in accepting God’s grace to act in such a way that those around us will know we are His disciples by how we love one another each and every day. </div><div><br /></div><div> Amen</div>
<iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1268856154&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/love-as-i-have-loved-you-homily" title="Love as I have Loved You - Homily" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Love as I have Loved You - Homily</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-16558787984168605392022-02-12T10:38:00.004-08:002022-02-12T10:38:39.496-08:00100 Days to Freedom Program<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5t0Sjhw17p_fWSiNUoKIggNv7RECpQ1q7eTU3FspF8H-xEJbPNvkfX027TjkZ_mkId37-reFi4xVzOJyRdso16STszQ39OQJzXH7d-Z9awwO5iwZp0UME1VsKpe_vMUO5pv_//" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="1051" height="359" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5t0Sjhw17p_fWSiNUoKIggNv7RECpQ1q7eTU3FspF8H-xEJbPNvkfX027TjkZ_mkId37-reFi4xVzOJyRdso16STszQ39OQJzXH7d-Z9awwO5iwZp0UME1VsKpe_vMUO5pv_/w277-h359/image.png" width="277" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><a href="https://online.fliphtml5.com/xpfec/dbhs/" target="_blank">Free PDF Version of 100 Days to Freedom</a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Hard copies may be ordered through Amazon</p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><p style="text-align: left;"> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/100-days-Freedom-Spiritual-Transformation/dp/1693690225" target="_blank">Link to Amazon</a></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Daily audio recordings can be found on <a href="http://www.TheCatholicJourney.net" target="_blank">The Catholic Journey Podcast with Deacon Pat Kearns</a> starting January 7, 2022</p>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-74539718061741998032021-12-04T08:04:00.005-08:002021-12-04T08:04:51.633-08:00Advent - What is it for Christians?<p> </p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1171896223&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/advent-what-is-it-for-christians" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Advent - What is it for Christians?">Advent - What is it for Christians?</a></div><div><br /></div><b><u>
Advent - What is it for Christians? (Deacon Pat)
(2nd Sunday Advent, Year-C) </u></b><div><br /></div><div> As you are aware, we are now beginning the second week of Advent.
Many people have a difficult time differentiating between the seasons of Advent and Lent, yet they are significantly different.
During the season of Lent, our focus as Catholics is on our sins, doing penance, and preparing for Easter.
Advent is also a special time to reflect deeply on our lives, but instead of focusing so much on our sins, it is a time to look at the relationships in our lives, initially with Christ, and then with others. </div><div><br /></div><div>The readings today speak of: </div><div>• Lowering mountains </div><div>• Filling age-old depths and gorges</div><div>• And making the ground level </div><div><br /></div><div>As well as: </div><div>• Making the winding roads straight </div><div>• And the rough roads smooth </div><div><br /></div><div>But what does this have to do with our current lives and our relationship with others?
Well, could the mountains be the huge obstacles that we place between Christ and us: </div><div>• Our Pride </div><div> • Our Self-Centeredness </div><div>• Our Greed </div><div> • Our Lust </div><div> • Our Laziness </div><div> • And Our Anger? </div><div><br /></div><div>And the valleys.... could they be the areas of our lives where we try to hide in our: </div><div>• Addictions </div><div>• Our secretes </div><div>• Our hidden thoughts and agendas? </div><div><br /></div><div>Yet, God does not want us to hide, nor does He want us to be “God-Like” in our unwarranted Arrogance.
He wants our love of Him and of each other to increase ever more and more and for us to grow in the knowledge of every kind of perception to discern what is of value.
The value in life is not what we own, or what status we possess, but rather in what kind of relationships we have established and maintained. </div><div>• Are we loved, and do we Love? </div><div>• Do we serve others, or are we expected to be served? </div><div>• Do we Love God with all of our heart, all of our mind, and with all of our strength? </div><div>• Do we love others as Christ has loved us? </div><div><br /></div><div>Advent is a time to reflect upon these relationships in “the light of Christ,” and to initiate change in our lives where change is needed.
Advent is also a time to honor and celebrate the gift of God in sending his only son to earth to begin a relationship with us, and to prepare for the time when we will meet Him again.
It is a time to put our lives back in order.
It is a time to turn away from our habits, our routines, and our ways that seem to lead us away from Christ.
It is a time to turn back toward Christ, to rekindle that relationship, to repair the damages, to return to that closeness, that intimacy.
And not only with Christ, but also with those special people that God has placed in our lives.
If there is hurt and anger in any of your relationships, it is a time for forgiveness and compassion.
If there are relationships that over time have dwindled in closeness, grown cold, or maybe even Luke-warm, It is a time to rebuild them. </div><div><br /></div><div>• There are very few Men and Women in this world, if any, who would say that their marriage is just TOO intimate! </div><div>• Or Sons and daughters who could say that they couldn’t be any closer to their parents, or their siblings. </div><div> • Or anyone I know, who could say that they couldn’t be any closer in their relationship with God! </div><div><br /></div><div>We all have an opportunity, the real question is will we take this time, this special time, to act in the Spirt of Advent? </div><div><br /></div><div>Advent is also a time to make a difference in the world around us.
We are living in a peculiar time, not only in The Woodlands, or in Texas, but also in the entire United States.
Some might say that there is more a more darkness growing around us and it only takes watching the news for a few minutes to see why one might think so.
Yet, even with this growing darkness, there seems to be more and more people choosing to not participate in faith communities, especially the Catholic Church.
You might ask why?
I have been told by some, that when they observe many Catholics and their behaviors and actions, they don’t really see much difference than that of the “Un-Churched,” or what they do see, can often be described as hypocritical. </div><div><br /></div><div>I can remember a few wise words my father gave to me many years ago.
He stated: “It’s not our thoughts or words that truly define us, but what our actions say... that does.”
When he first mentioned this to me it really did not have much impact, I was a teenager.
It was not until a few years later that I began to realize what he trying to teach me.
I always knew my dad was a good man.
He was liked by everyone, respected as a gifted teacher, and was known as a catholic.
However, after one particular night, I began to see him differently.
That night I had stayed out much too late, and knowing that I was going to be in trouble, I made my way to my parent's bedroom door to tell them that I was now home and ready to accept my punishment.
But when I quietly opened the door, there was my dad, on his knees, praying the rosary.
From that night on, I began to take a closer look at my dad.
I watched and notice things about him I had never taken the time to notice before.
I began to see all the things he secretly did, obscured from the sight of most. </div><div>• I noticed how he never passed by a homeless man without giving him something, even if it was a few kind words. </div><div>• I noticed that a negative word never seemed to come from his mouth. </div><div>• I noticed that he was always the first to forgive. </div><div>• And I noticed that he prayed the rosary every night, on his knees, in private. </div><div><br /></div><div>It didn’t take long watching this quiet and humble man to realize that he was not only a good and just man but a holy man.
I often wonder what people would see if they decided to watch me as close as I watched my father... seeing the things that God sees every day. Have you ever wondered what people would see if they could see you as God sees you? None of us are perfect, that is for sure.
And it takes true humility to look at ourselves and see where we have failed, faulted, strayed, and to admit that we have, in our actions, turned away from God.
However.... the good news is! That.... is what.... Advent is all about!
It is about looking at our lives, our relationship with Christ, our relationships with others, and changing our ways.
It is about returning to Christ and becoming the best version of ourselves that we can be, especially in the light of Christ.
This decision to repent, to turn back toward Christ, to put our lives back in order, is the first step in preparing the way of the Lord, initially in our hearts, then in our actions, then in our relationships, and then... in the world around us.
This is.... the Gospel, the Good News of the Lord.</div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-48894890231753409542021-10-10T10:36:00.003-07:002021-10-10T10:37:18.080-07:00The Cost of being a Christian (Homily from 28th Sunday Ordinary Time - Year B)<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5F6a6ekagPSNwCRX6DmHt2ZVs6UN5eyFKrLXn53tSyLkDRappWQcpu_8-FiImziOgH8BKer-k1Ixf9pe88uAD8auKVy22LHva8uAN7hK_Ly41jFK7L784I5OfTuCITryD8KAQ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="559" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5F6a6ekagPSNwCRX6DmHt2ZVs6UN5eyFKrLXn53tSyLkDRappWQcpu_8-FiImziOgH8BKer-k1Ixf9pe88uAD8auKVy22LHva8uAN7hK_Ly41jFK7L784I5OfTuCITryD8KAQ/w352-h346/image.png" width="352" /></a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Twenty-Eighth Sunday Ordinary Time – Deacon Pat<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">One of the many struggles
of sharing the gospels, the good news of becoming a Christian with someone, is
getting them to see that there is a cost of making the decision to become a
disciple of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">So often, the focus is
more on the reward that awaits them, and they never stop to think about what
this decision will cost. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">When someone does not
understand the price to be paid when choosing to become a Christian,
difficulties will arise when they find themselves in situations that are
demanding, situations that can eventually cost them a great deal. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">It is in such times that
one’s faith is put to the test. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">In these circumstances,
some disciples turn from the path of righteousness and head back into the world
from which they had escaped.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">In the Gospel today, we
can see just such a situation when Jesus is approached by a young man who seems
to be interested in doing what is right in regards to salvation. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus tells the young man
that there is a price to be paid if he chooses to take the path he is seeking,
and in the end, we see that the young man was not willing to make the sacrifice
necessary to inherit eternal life. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">In this story, we learn
that being a disciple of Christ will cost us everything that keeps God from
being first in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">We also learn a lot about
the man who approached Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">We learn that he was
following the rules, but that he probably did not truly understand what was
beneath the rules, the reason for the rule. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">He runs up to Jesus and
says, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">He did not say, “Who must
I become to inherit eternal life?” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Perhaps, this young man
already felt that he was doing all that was required of him by following the
rules, and he only wanted Jesus to confirm what he was already doing. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">He did not actually
expect Jesus to tell him to do anything beyond the law, beyond the rules. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">In addition, when Jesus
asked more of him, he refused because that was not what he wanted to hear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of us are just
like this young man? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">We do what we think is
expected of us, we follow the rules, or maybe most of them, but don’t let Jesus
ask anything more of us, or we too might refuse. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Didn’t Christ tell us
that to be a Christian we cannot serve two masters, we serve either God or
mammon, but we can’t serve both. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">In the Gospel, the young
man had two masters speaking to him: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">God in the flesh told him to sell
everything; <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Mammon (The World) told him to hold onto
what he had. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">He couldn’t do both, so
he chose to submit to the one he valued the most. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">The man went away grieved.
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">As far as he was concerned,
the choice to follow Christ was just too costly. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Many of us come to Mass
to hear the word of God and focus on the promises of eternal life. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Most of us see ourselves
as basically good people, believing our lives are morally good, and when we
pray to God, we often ask for guidance and direction to make our lives better. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Yet, we are often caught
off guard when we find that Jesus desires more than we are giving, that he
desires all that we have, all that would stand in the way of serving God. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">So, what do we do? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Some of us, many of us,
turn away from what He is asking. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">In other words, is it not
true that many of us really are not seeking to change much in our lives at all?
<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">We seek God to only
confirm what we are already doing, maybe only to have Him acknowledge the rules
that we have followed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Are not many of us just
like the young man in the gospel message?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">But what is Christ trying
to teach us? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">What is the message for us
today? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Isn’t he trying to say
that our faith is much more than just following a set of rules? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Being a Christian will
actually cost us everything that keeps God from being first in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">As with the young man, it
was not his wealth that was the problem, but rather the value he placed on it. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus never said it was
sinful to be wealthy, but he did warn us of what riches, or the pursuit of,
might do. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">What Jesus did, was
simply state that there was one thing this young man lacked: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus
looked at him, loved him, and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing, Go, sell
what you have and give it to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven:
then come, follow me. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Consider this, to lack
something means something is missing, but Jesus tells him to get rid of
something. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Yet, it is in the getting
rid of something that Jesus says he will find the means to get something. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">What this young man
needed was to love God above all other things. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">It was here that he would
find eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of us need to
get rid of something to get something? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Confusing, isn’t it? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of us completely
understand Christ and his teachings for us? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Can we rightly say that
we understand our faith as well as we should? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">How many of us know not
only what the church teaches, but also why it teaches what it does?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe that if more of
us knew the “why” of what our church taught, and not just the “what”, our
catholic church especially here in America would look much different. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">So where do we begin to
grow in our understanding of the faith? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, we have many
options. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">We can read the church
documents, such as the documents from Vatican II, or the Catechism of the
Catholic Church. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">We can visit trusted
internet sites, listen to podcasts, or we can attend classes. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Our parish offers a
variety of opportunities just look in the bulletin or listen to the invitations
shared in the announcements.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">There is also ACTS for
men and women.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">And for the men especially
of the parish, we have “<b><u>That Man is
You</u></b>” which has been life-changing for thousands across our nation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">In closing, I have two final
questions for all of us to prayerfully consider. They are:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">What must I do to inherit eternal life? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">And Who must I become to inherit eternal life?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">I challenge you as I
challenge myself to honestly and humbly ask Christ these two important
questions and then to listen to his response in the quiet of our hearts?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Once the response is heard,
we will then have a choice to make.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">To act with all of our heart and soul?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">Or to be like the young man in the gospel
message today, ask the question but find Christ’s response to be too costly,
and just walk away? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%;">The Choice is ours.....
It’s called, “OUR FREE-WILL.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-43630991484477375142021-05-10T11:37:00.000-07:002021-05-10T11:37:03.437-07:00Laying you life down for a friend<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEJoHQhJqtQZp-hx7wZTxozgVX53TgtrySq6aQ3IS58hOfpFMEyRSKgQdr4KA7Vhdz31VuUaEkylhxKQyDFscQq06XZvcoY94dYj2ZvP1MYg5ePWp5W7KXUeX9tAInWQdcz-U//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEJoHQhJqtQZp-hx7wZTxozgVX53TgtrySq6aQ3IS58hOfpFMEyRSKgQdr4KA7Vhdz31VuUaEkylhxKQyDFscQq06XZvcoY94dYj2ZvP1MYg5ePWp5W7KXUeX9tAInWQdcz-U//" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Deacon
Pat Homily (Saint Joseph – Mother’s Day)<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John
15; 9-17 Love One Another-the Supreme Commandment<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you were going on a long trip, what
would you say to your family and friends before you left?</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If your children were moving away from
home, what would you say to them?</span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-top: 12.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo4; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you knew that you were going to see
someone for the last time, what would you say?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In each case you would
probably remind them of your love and care for them, as well as give them some
instructions or words of advice. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Well, not unlike us,
knowing that He was soon to leave, Jesus gave us and his disciples His final
instructions and words of advice. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today’s Gospel passage is
part of the final instructions that Jesus gave to the disciples the night
before he was crucified. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus knew that the
disciples would not easily find love in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He knew that the world
would largely hate them and His message. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In fact, much of the
world still hates His message today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How often are Christians
belittled, ignored, or even attacked? <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nevertheless, we, like
the disciples, are called to love each other and our fellow man in spite of
opposition. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we love each other,
we will experience the joy of obeying God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we love one another,
we also allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and grow in us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But how it grows will
depend on our connection to each other, to God, and to His Church. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The stronger our faith
the more we will do, and it is the things that we do for God and for others
that brings glory to God and strengthens the Holy Spirit within us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Love for others means
being willing to die for others. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus showed his love for
us by dying on the cross for our sins. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The men and women who
serve in our armed forces also show this same type of love. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They and countless others who served were
willing to sacrifice their lives for the freedom of others. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They were willing to go out of their way
for others by dying to save their lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo5; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They came to the aid of those who were in
need even at their own personal expense, and they are still willing and ready
to do so today.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mothers show this same
type of love for their children. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">More mothers than not would willingly lay
down their lives for their children rather than see them suffer. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Their love is freely given and given
without compromise or cost. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That is why we honor them so much,
especially on Mother’s Day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo6; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">They reflect in a powerful and mystical
way, God’s love.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Thank
you, Mothers, for who you are <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
for being that special light and comfort in our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus also showed how far
that type of love can take someone when he died for us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If Jesus could lay down
his own life for us, isn’t there a part of our lives that we are willing to lay
down or surrender as well? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Maybe it has to do with a
pride, or an unwillingness to help, envy, greed, hatred, an act of forgiveness,
or even something else?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This message that speaks
of love is intimately connected to relationships. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God wants us to have
relationships that are more than superficial. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But relationship building
takes time and requires compassion, wisdom, empathy, kindness, courtesy, and
forgiveness. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we love one another,
we act as God’s hands and feet to those that he puts in our lives. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Serving others does take
time, effort, and sometimes even a little money but the blessings outweigh the
costs.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We must not forget that
loving others as God loved us is the heart of Christian discipleship.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christian life can only
exist through these human relationships, especially when they are based on
mutual respect and humane values. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The apostle Peter showed
the same type of love in the first reading. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">His love for others,
combined with the visions he and the Roman centurion Cornelius had led Peter to
minister to Cornelius and his family. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Peter proclaimed the
Good News, the Holy Spirit moved within his audience, and it marked both a
second Pentecost and the spreading of the Good News to all people (not just the
Jews). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If the Holy Spirit could
move in the hearts of Peter’s audience, it can also move in the hearts of the
people in our world today. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yet, these people will
need to be open to hearing it, and more especially we need to be open and
willing to share it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If we are to be fruitful
for Christ, we must seek His will for our lives and let Him lead us to what He
wants us to do for others and for Him, even if it seems a little uncomfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because when we love one
another, we fulfill the second of Jesus’ two Great Commandments, to love thy
neighbor as thyself. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When we love Jesus, He
also becomes our true best friend.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends have our best interests in mind,
just like Jesus does.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Friends will be with us in good times and
bad times just like Jesus is.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l4 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They help us to expand our world, expose us to
new and creative possibilities, and sustain us when we are in need.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">God has chosen all of us
for the purpose of bearing much eternal fruit in such personal characteristics
as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">These characteristics
will grow within us and help us when we tell others about Jesus and lead them
into a fruitful and personal relationship with him.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Let’s take a moment and
reflect upon our lives, our lives as Christians.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We can say that Jesus is our friend, but
can we say that we are His friends?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do we listen to Him when he speaks to us,
or do we only want Him to listen to us?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do we want to know what’s on His heart and
mind, or do we only want to tell Him what’s on ours?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Being a true friend of
Jesus means listening to what He wants to tell us and then using that
information to do His work in our world and in our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, with all that has
been shared, <b><u>what is the true message for us here today? <o:p></o:p></u></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Simply, the message is:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Christ is love, and we are to love as He
has loved, even to the point of willingly laying down our lives for our
friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l5 level1 lfo3; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And, even if the world shall hate us, we
are to love, and in that love, and service of love, we will be… eternally… united..
with God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Amen<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-48536970156222111912021-03-28T14:43:00.004-07:002021-03-28T14:43:24.786-07:00Palm Sunday<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1018096882&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/palm-sunday-1" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Palm Sunday">Palm Sunday</a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Palm Sunday – Deacon Pat Kearns</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the gospel proclaimed today we have followed Jesus from the praises of Palm Sunday, through His passion, His suffering, and ultimately His death.
For us Catholics, this week, Holy Week, continues the story of what we are, and who we are as a people.
This week is the most Holy Week of the year.
And beginning this week, today is Palm Sunday; where we celebrate that “First Joy” of the Lenten Season.
We celebrate our Lord’s triumphant entrance into Jerusalem where he was welcomed by crowds worshiping him and laying down palm leaves in the street before him. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In a few days, we will arrive at Holy Thursday – The most complex and profound of all religious observances, with the exception only to Easter.
Holy Thursday celebrates, as instituted by Christ himself, that of the Holy Eucharist and of the priesthood.
His last supper with the disciples, and the celebration of Passover, He is the Self-offered Passover victim.
Every ordained priest to this day presents this same sacrifice by Christ’s authority and command in exactly the same way.
The last supper was also Christ’s farewell to his disciples, some of whom would betray, desert, and deny him, all before the sun would rise again. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then, following Holy Thursday is Good Friday, when the entire Church fixes her gaze on the cross at Calvary.
Each member of the Church tries to understand at what cost Christ has won our redemption.
In the solemn ceremonies of Good Friday:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> • in the adoration of the cross, </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> • in the chanting of the “Reproaches,”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> • in the proclamation of the passion, </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> • and in receiving the pre-consecrated Host, we unite ourselves to our Savior, and we contemplate our own death to sin in the death of our Lord. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Then…. The Easter Vigil.
The vigil, held at night, signifies Christ’s passage from the dead-to-the-living by the liturgy that begins in darkness, representing Sin and Death, and is enlightened by the fire and the Easter candle, the light of Christ.
The Church, the mystical Body of Christ and the community of believers, is led from spiritual darkness to the light of His truth.
We rejoice in Christ’s bodily resurrection from the darkness of the tomb: </div><div style="text-align: justify;">• we pray for our passage from death into eternal life, </div><div style="text-align: justify;">• from sin into grace, </div><div style="text-align: justify;">• from the weariness and infirmity of old age to the freshness and vigor of youth, </div><div style="text-align: justify;">• from the anguish of the cross to peace and unity with God, </div><div style="text-align: justify;">• and from this sinful world unto the Father in heaven. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As we now begin Holy Week, it is a time for deep and sincere reflection on who we are, on our current relationship with Christ, and a time to embrace Christ’s passion.
Everything we are as Catholics rest upon this week.
The week that includes Christ’s Passion, His Death, and ultimately His resurrection.
It is a time for us to embrace our own passion, our own sorrows, our own troubles, our own crosses, and to die to the sinfulness of our lives.
The sinfulness that all too often is rooted in Greed, Pride, Lust, and Envy.
If not done already this Lent, it is time for Confession, a time to be freed from the shackles of sin.
It is a time to unite our lives with Christ.
It is a time to be resurrected with Christ.
To be spiritually resurrected anew, awakened to His joy, His freedom, His power, and His love.
Pause
His life is to become our life…
His life is to become our life…….</div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-55814234502879647812021-03-10T18:26:00.001-08:002021-03-10T18:27:36.554-08:00The Kearns Boys - Life Stories from Six Brothers<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1004494399&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/the-kearns-boys-life-stories-by-six-brothers" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Kearns Boys - Life Stories by Six Brothers">The Kearns Boys - Life Stories by Six Brothers</a></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;">The paperback version of the book was released a few months ago and has been well received.</div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;">We are currently recording the audio version with each brother personally recording their own stories.</div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;">Here is a sample from the end of the book where each brother shares their reflection on writing the book.</div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;">This is from Pat (Number 4 brother).</div><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7JwjVhWomcJcNY8I6UdfQvOnU-lAd2yPqHF-Cef4GL3EV5nCzbEY_fe3RWEI9aBeG4xBV0usGH61ML4hu3r9xH7e_o3q79MmsIxOWe9lN7ftFI5FkPKyDN8tb3aAqK7nNPT5/s710/Book+cover+Kindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="479" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK7JwjVhWomcJcNY8I6UdfQvOnU-lAd2yPqHF-Cef4GL3EV5nCzbEY_fe3RWEI9aBeG4xBV0usGH61ML4hu3r9xH7e_o3q79MmsIxOWe9lN7ftFI5FkPKyDN8tb3aAqK7nNPT5/s320/Book+cover+Kindle.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><br /></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-54883951528017111052021-02-14T12:32:00.002-08:002021-02-14T12:32:46.807-08:00God's Healing Touch (Mark 1:40-45)<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/985557337&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/gods-healing-touch" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="God's Healing Touch">God's Healing Touch</a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> <b style="color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Homily – Deacon Pat - Mark 1:40-45</span></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00wT2OB6-h7u1YZ2vMYMj2O-bVAPlg03vUJGj1Om8auA49Mz9jse1lT_YbHuF1UwmNJvkflwNmTWH8HNcRq3P5Dhl5dQVv9oLQIZER-L5HPsMBpAszYA3iniv1NFtYNagHGG2DQ//" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi00wT2OB6-h7u1YZ2vMYMj2O-bVAPlg03vUJGj1Om8auA49Mz9jse1lT_YbHuF1UwmNJvkflwNmTWH8HNcRq3P5Dhl5dQVv9oLQIZER-L5HPsMBpAszYA3iniv1NFtYNagHGG2DQ//" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;"><b><u><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">God’s Healing Touch</span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">In today’s gospel, we heard that a leper approached Jesus with strong faith and with a humble heart asked for healing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Seeing his faith and humility, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him with love and mercy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">That touch to the leper bridged the gap between what is clean and what was unclean, and in that connection he purified the man and he was healed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">We all need healing from some kind of leprosy that separates us from our true selves, from others, and from God.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">But what is this so-called Leprosy that I speak of?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Is our leprosy a pervasive selfishness?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Is it an addiction to alcohol, drugs, food, excessive internet shopping, gambling, or pornography?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">It is a chronic expression of anger, rudeness, hostility, self-centeredness, or righteousness?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Is it gossip, or an unhealth addiction to the internet and social media?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">The list could go on and on….</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Weakness in many ways goes hand in hand with being human does it not?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">We all know our weaknesses, don’t we?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Especially if we are practicing the Catholic practice of examining our conscience on a daily basis, reflecting each night during our prayers on not only the blessing from the day but also on our failures, our sins, and our short comings.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Those who have kept the discipline of the daily examine are well aware of their spiritual leprosy.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">And those that are aware have three choices:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">They can try to rationalize away their weakness. The devil loves that!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">They can live in a sense of personal shame while doing nothing about it. The devil likes that too!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Or, they can turn to Christ and ask for healing. You can image how the devil feels about that.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">I think most of us here would agree that to be human is to battle against inclinations and temptations that often are contrary to a Godly choice or what we would consider a virtue.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">I would bet that many of us here would also agree that even the most fervent and devout Catholic will slip and fall to temptation from time to time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">But what separates those who are actually embracing the faith and God’s Sacraments from those who are not, are those who run toward Christ when they sin.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Running to Christ means running to the Church and her Sacraments as in the Sacrament of healing, also known as the Sacrament of Reconciliation or Confession.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">This is where we reach out to God with a contrite spirit and humbly ask for forgiveness and our soul is washed clean by God’s touch of grace.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Yes, it takes humility and faith to go to confession.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Just as the Leper in the gospel surely showed humility and faith as he approached and spoke to Jesus, and asked to be healed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Isn’t it remarkable how these Gospel passages can speak to us directly if we allow them to?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Ask, and God shall hear.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Ask and God can heal.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">And when we are healed, we can then be an agent of further healing to others.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Yes, it takes faith and courage, but Jesus calls each one of us to destroy the walls that separate us from Him, and from others, and to welcome the outcasts and the untouchables of society.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Those outcasts and those untouchables might just be some that we can call family, relatives, friends, acquaintances, or even co-workers.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">God’s loving hand must reach out to the poor, the sick, and lepers — this often can be done through us — and Jesus wants us to touch their lives.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">And how we touch their lives does not need to be great missionary feats or enormous acts.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">They can be very simple as Saint Teresa of Calcutta taught us through her motto: “<b>Do small things with great love</b>,” her “small things” left a big impact on the lives of so many of the poor and outcast.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Yet Mother Teresa’s lived wisdom taught us even more as she said, “<b>The biggest disease today is not leprosy, but rather the feeling of being lonely and unwanted</b>.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">I know this personally to be true after spending over three decades serving those in the mental health system.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">The pain of loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is a greater sorrow, a deeper ache, than any other disease I am aware of.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">And yet, this pain and sorrow at times can be so easily relived.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">All it might take is for someone to be willing to be Christ-like to them.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">I recall a story I once heard of St. Francis of Assisi encountering and kissed a leper on the road.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">The leper soon disappeared and then Francis realized that he had embraced and kissed Christ.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">I wonder how many opportunities we have had to meet Christ on the road of our daily lives and missed those opportunities due to being too distracted, too self-focused, or just too unbothered?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Our Pope Francis very often says that, “<b>Our Church community should be seen as a hospital for sinners, not as a hotel for saints</b>.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Lets us begin today seeing our own faults first.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">This will keep us humble.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Let us also pledge that we will run toward Christ when we sin and ask for His forgiveness.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">And Finally, as we prepare ourselves to receive in just a short time the Most Holy Eucharist, Christ himself in body, blood, soul, and divinity, that we accept his healing touch.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">That He will open our hearts to see those in our families and in our community who are hurting.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">And that we will share God’s love and mercy with them as we would share with Christ himself.</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 22px; margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 32px;">Praise be Jesus Christ, Now and Forever.</span></p>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-63669337812271359192021-01-23T11:01:00.001-08:002021-01-23T11:01:14.668-08:00Sharing Your Faith<p> </p><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/971272177&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/sharing-our-faith" title="Sharing Our Faith" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Sharing Our Faith</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-86625969306684295652020-12-06T09:36:00.001-08:002020-12-06T09:36:05.720-08:00Advent - What is it and why do we need it? (Second Sunday of Advent)<iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/942518614&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/advent-what-is-it-and-why-do-i-need-it" title="Advent - What is it and why do I need it?" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Advent - What is it and why do I need it?</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-82327737824335623732020-11-26T18:09:00.004-08:002020-11-26T18:09:59.782-08:00A Thanksgiving Message<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/936458848&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/happy-thanksgiving-2020" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Happy Thanksgiving 2020">Happy Thanksgiving 2020</a></div><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 94.25pt; margin-right: -7.5pt; margin-top: 0in; margin: 0in -7.5pt 0in 94.25pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 3.75pt; mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #0b416c; font-size: 30pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Thanksgiving Day<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #363936; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Gospel<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="color: #363936; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke. (</span></i><span style="color: black; mso-color-alt: windowtext;"><a href="https://bible.usccb.org/bible/lk/17?11#50017011"><i><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #363936; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Lk 17:11-19</span></i></a></span><i><span style="color: #363936; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #363936; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">As
Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,<br />
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.<br />
As he was entering a village, ten persons with leprosy met him.<br />
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voices, saying,<br />
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”<br />
And when he saw them, he said,<br />
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”<br />
As they were going they were cleansed.<br />
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,<br />
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;<br />
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.<br />
He was a Samaritan.<br />
Jesus said in reply,<br />
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?<br />
Where are the other nine?<br />
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?”<br />
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;<br />
your faith has saved you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 22.5pt; margin-bottom: 7.5pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="color: #363936; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The Gospel of the Lord”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-themecolor: text1;"><br clear="all" style="break-before: page; mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In Luke’s gospel, we start with ten men who have the worst
disease of their day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The physical ramifications are horrendous. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Leprosy attacks the body, leaving sores, missing fingers,
missing toes, damaged limbs. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In many cases, the initial pain of leprosy gives way to
something more terrible than that - a loss of sensation in nerve endings,
leading to more damage to more body parts. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The disease can take 30 years to run its course, and in
that time span, entire limbs can simply fall off. It is, assuredly, a most
horrible disease. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We have nearly an impossible task in trying to fathom
what it was like 2,000 years ago when medical treatment as we know it today
was almost non-existent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">I recalled reading in a book a few years back while being
on a pilgrimage, a Christian woman was near a <b><u>modern-day</u></b> leper
colony. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Something within her had always wanted to minister in a
leper colony and her trip overseas had given her the first opportunity to be
near such a place. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">She walked by the entrance three times. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">She saw those who were suffering. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">She begged herself for a chance to go inside. But she
could not.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The reason? The smell overwhelmed her. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">She could not work up the stomach to go inside the
colony. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">She could not bear the thought of missing the opportunity
to personally serve the Lord and the Lepers, but at the same time becoming
violently ill at what she was faced with seemed to be too much. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The trip passed, and she was not able to go inside.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">And, I think, we gained a new appreciation of how bad
this disease must have been in the days of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It wasn't just the grotesque damage, or the attack to our
sight. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It wasn't just the loud cries, the attack to our hearing.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">It was also the smell of rotting, decaying flesh,
overwhelming even our sense of smell.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The emotional pain of a leper, however, must have been
even worse than the physical pain. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">He was removed from his family, from his community. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">There could be no contact, whatsoever, with his children
or grandchildren. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">None. Immediately removed. His wife would not be allowed
to kiss him goodbye. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">He would not have allowed it anyway, for fear that she,
too, would become afflicted.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Lepers tended to roam together, looking for food, begging
for assistance from a great distance, learning to yell in loud voices, both
from the need to warn others, and to beg for help from across the way.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">What would it have been like to have been removed from
friends and family for a lifetime, and to have been forced to announce that
removal on a daily basis? It must have been horrible.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">And yet, in this account, ten men encounter Jesus, and
hear him say the most unusual thing. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">"We want to be well!" they scream at Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">And the great teacher responds, "Go and show yourselves
to the priests."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The local priest had duties other than leading the worship
on each Sabbath. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">He was also something of a health official. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">If a person was miraculously healed of leprosy, it was up
to the priest to inspect the body, to test for a complete removal of the
disease, and to announce the person healed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In such cases, the person would have been cleansed, and
at that point, it would be fine for the leper to see his wife again, to hold
his daughter again, to look for work again. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">If the priest gave him the OK, he would be healed!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Now, Jesus says to these lepers, "Go and show
yourselves to the priests."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">They look down at their bodies. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The hands of one man are still mangled. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Another man looks at his leg, which ends with a filthy
rag at the knee. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Another looks at his skin, and finds it as repulsive as
ever.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">In other words, all of these men were no better off than
they had been ten minutes earlier, when they had first spotted the famous
teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">And yet, they headed off in search of the priests. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">And on their way, they were healed. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">On their way, a hand reappeared and tingled with life. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">A crutch tripped on a filthy rag, as it fell to the
ground. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The leg was back, healthy, whole, complete. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The skin cleared, and the tiny hairs on a forearm turned
from snow white to a healthy brown. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">One looked at the other, another looked at the rest, and
the screaming started. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">The smiles broke into cheering and a sweet madness. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">They raced off in the distance, not believing that the
nightmare was finally over.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">But in order for the miracle to happen, these men had to
start walking in faith before their circumstances had changed one tiny bit.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Is there a more potent lesson for us, on this Thanksgiving
Day? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We cannot wait until the problems are over to start
walking in faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We cannot put conditions on our holy God. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We cannot say, "Lord, as soon as there's enough
money, I will follow your instructions." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We cannot pray, "Lord, if you'll just solve this
issue in my family, I'll start going to church regularly." <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We cannot put conditions on God! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Instead, God places a demand for faith on us, before
anything at all has changed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">God might say, "Love me despite the disease. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Obey me despite the lack of talent, or the
lack of resources. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Follow me now, despite the depression. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Say no to the temptation, while it still is
difficult. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-left: 0.5in; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Praise me in the darkest of nights, and in
the worst of circumstances."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This is the nature of God, a God who loves us so much.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">He gives us the opportunity to be thankful when nothing
about our circumstances gives us motivation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">My friends, that is the very definition of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">If we praised God only on the good days, only in the best
of circumstances, it would not be faith at all. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">That would be more like a business arrangement - and this
is not about business!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Some of you might be in horrible circumstances, right
now. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">This year has been one of the most difficult years for so
many of us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">With the COVID pandemic and all its effects, it has
created so much turmoil; financial, emotional, a sense of overwhelming fear and
anxiety.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Many have lost jobs, and lost their homes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">For many of us, our lives have been permanently affected
and the way of life we had known and were comfortable with is no longer in
sight.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Yet, we are Catholic, we are to believe. We are to have
faith.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">We are to know that God’s ways are not our ways and that
He uses everything to create a greater good and to give an opportunity for us to
grow in virtue, especially trust, love, patience, perseverance, forgiveness,
and hope.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">So, the question on this Day of Thanksgiving is:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Will we be thankful despite the difficult circumstances? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 18pt; line-height: 107%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: text1;">Will we, like the Lepers, believe and have faith in the
promises of Christ?<o:p></o:p></span></p>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-37405996862518726082020-11-21T10:13:00.003-08:002020-11-22T19:46:53.832-08:00Kearns Boys - Our Newest Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OShq7nhAkxAQhhxUVy6bQrmQGqVBZXCJI-Bb_Sj-vtYaDUcRpo4VzLCtY74H9XHYi38BhFFzactUC9S0ZhNV25yxYlpGoLxjHp_JgVYtNlSfw90iq7ladVeE8cK08QygyH_B/s710/Book+cover+Kindle.jpg" style="display: block; padding: 1em 0px; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="710" data-original-width="479" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0OShq7nhAkxAQhhxUVy6bQrmQGqVBZXCJI-Bb_Sj-vtYaDUcRpo4VzLCtY74H9XHYi38BhFFzactUC9S0ZhNV25yxYlpGoLxjHp_JgVYtNlSfw90iq7ladVeE8cK08QygyH_B/s400/Book+cover+Kindle.jpg" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Available on Amazon </span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NF36D5N">(Click here)</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">When our brother Pat suggested the six
brothers collaborate and write a book based on random recollections of our
experiences growing up, I wasn’t sure what to expect. And certainly didn’t
anticipate learning anything new about my brothers. When it was suggested that
we each write 10 stories, I thought that might be a stretch. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">I wondered what the theme of
the book would become. Stories that poked fun at each other? Stories that
revealed a crazy sense of humor? Confessions of deeds better-kept secret? And
could we even come up with ten stories each? I assumed some of the stories
would include our parents but didn’t expect the level of respect and love for
them each brother went to great lengths to share. The book, and our lives, are
a true testament for just how special they were. Is it rare that we six are all
still friends and good friends at that? I may be biased but I think we are
genuinely good people. Our morals are solid. Our respect for God, family, and country
are unshakable. These attributes can be traced directly to how we were raised
by mom and dad.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">Going into this project we
each thought we knew our brothers. I know I didn’t expect to learn anything
new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, being the oldest, I was
the only one who could claim that I was there for each of their entire lives……
As is often the case, how wrong I was. The ten-story goal did turn out to be a
challenge, but only because it was hard to decide which ten stories to share.
We have lived full lives for sure. And, admittedly, some stories are probably
not appropriate for a “family” book – those will have to wait for volume two.
We have led different lives and that is apparent in our writings, both style,
and content. But I think there is a commonality in our sharings, it's clear we
each have a love for family and each other.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">One unexpected outcome from
this effort is a newfound desire to learn more about my brothers. I know there
is so much I missed, and these stories reveal glimpses of some pretty entertaining
guys. Unlike our friends, we don’t choose our brothers. In our case though, I
can’t imagine not having any of the five as my brothers. And I would also
choose each one of them as my friends. Sure, we still argue, and at times a
disagreement might create some distance, but it never lasts and that is the
beauty of being family. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-top: 12pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">I hope as you read through
this compilation of happy, sad, embarrassing, thankful, blessed times of our
lives, you will also get a glimpse of just what a great job Tom and Betty, our
parents, did to set us on the right course. God truly blessed us.</p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; text-align: center;">Kevin<o:p></o:p></p><br /></div></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-32681412042271681552020-11-21T10:08:00.003-08:002020-11-21T10:08:31.113-08:002021 - Thinking Ahead as a Catholic/Chrsistian<iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/933543877&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/2021-thinking-ahead" title="2021 - Thinking Ahead" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">2021 - Thinking Ahead</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-64903757679622804472020-11-11T15:37:00.003-08:002020-11-11T15:37:22.337-08:00Wise like a Virgin<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/927610675&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/virgins" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Virgins">Virgins</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) </div><div style="text-align: center;">Originally written by Fr. Roger J. Landry (Adapted by Deacon Pat Kearns)</div><div style="text-align: center;"> Wis 6:12-16, Ps 63:2-8, 1Thes 4:13-14, Mt 25:1-13 </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses an image that might seem a little strange about the practices involving a wedding, but the details would have been easily understood by the people of the time and by those living in Palestine.
There were two main stages in a marriage.
The first would be the exchange of vows.
When this took place, the couple was considered married, but they would continue to live apart for a while, even up to a year, while the husband prepared everything to welcome his new wife into his home.
It was during this time, for example, that the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary; she was already wedded to Joseph but they had not started to live under the same roof.
The second stage was when the bridegroom, the husband, would come to the house of the bride to pick her up and take her to his home.
He would be accompanied by all the guests from his side of the family as he went to her home.
There he would meet her and all the guests from her side of the family, her bridesmaids and others.
Both groups would process back together to his home and when they arrived, they would celebrate for eight days with all their friends and family.
The bridegroom could come at any time to pick up his bride and so people needed to be ready.
But before he would come, he would send out a herald who would announce along the path, “Behold the Bridegroom is coming,” but the Husband himself could come within hours, days, or even up to a week later.
He could also come in the middle of the night.
Additionally, there was a law at the time that said that if one were out at night, one had to have a lamp, which was not only common sense but prevented any ambushes.
As soon as the Bridegroom took his Bride into his house, the doors would be shut, to prevent latecomers from crashing their party.
This wedding tradition, which was universal at Jesus’ time, is still found today in certain parts of the Holy Land and the Middle East. </div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus used that image as the background to communicate to us how we should be living our life in preparation for the return of Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, at the end of our life or at the end of the world, whichever comes first.
And in His message Jesus contrasts five wise bridesmaids versus five foolish ones, wanting us to imitate the lessons we see in the five wise ones.
Corresponding to this message, it isn’t a coincidence that November is the month in which the whole Church reflects on the four last things — death, judgment, heaven and hell.
And By this image contained in the parable Jesus tries to help us prepare well for the first two: Death and Judgment, so that we may experience the third (Heaven) and avoid the fourth (Hell).
But for this to happen, we need to learn three crucial lessons from the wise virgins. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first lesson is VIGILANCE for the Bridegroom’s coming.
The heralds have already gone out to announce that Jesus is coming.
He is already married to his bride the Church, but he’s awaiting the time in which he will be able to celebrate with the wedding banquet that will last not just eight days, but be an eternal eighth day (the day of resurrection, the new and eternal “first day of the week”).
All of us have been given invitations and are members of the wedding party.
Jesus wants us there.
But we have to be ready to go with him whenever he arrives.
And the best way for us to stay alert for the return of the Bridegroom is for us to be ready, with hearts burning with love, for the presence of the Bridegroom. </div><div> • The more we long for Jesus in the Eucharist, the more we will long to share eternal communion with him. </div><div> • The more we attentively listen to his Word in Sacred Scripture, the more prepared we will be to hear even the softest footsteps of his advent. </div><div> • The more we seek to recognize him in the persons and events of each day, and love and embrace them as we would love and embrace Christ, the more ready we will be to embrace Christ when he appears without disguise. </div><div><br /></div><div>The second thing Jesus teaches us in the image of the ten bridesmaids is that THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE CANNOT BORROW.
Just as the unwise virgins didn’t have enough oil for their own lamps — and the image of oil stands for expectant love for the Lord — so we can’t borrow anyone else’s faith, hope or love.
We need to have our own, otherwise we’ll be caught unready and be left outside.
I can’t count how many times people who aren’t faithful to the practice of the faith say when I am trying to encourage them into greater fidelity, “I don’t come to Mass, but my wife comes all the time.”
On other occasions, people who are ineligible to become a godparent because they don’t practice the faith, have said, “But my grandmother is one of the most active parishioners in the parish.”
Sometimes they will try to name-drop, by saying, “But my cousin is a priest.”
To all of them, I explain that there are certain things we cannot borrow, and one of them is another’s relationship with the Lord. </div><div> • We can’t borrow another’s faith. </div><div> • We can’t borrow another’s expectant hope. </div><div> • We can’t borrow another’s soul or spiritual life. </div><div> And for those who are faithful to Christ, there’s a lesson here, too, that there are certain things we cannot lend.
While Jesus wants us to give of ourselves to others, to share with others freely the gifts He has so lavishly shared with us, there are certain things that we cannot give even to those we love.
There are certain things that they must do for themselves.
One is to develop this relationship with the Lord, this eager, expectant, vigilant, faithful love for God.
Those who think that they can borrow other’s relationships with the Lord when the Lord comes, are indeed foolish, as Jesus says about the unwise bridesmaids. </div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, there is the third lesson that THERE IS A TIME THAT CAN BE TOO LATE.
The unwise virgins were caught off guard.
They couldn’t borrow oil, so they had to try to obtain some on their own, but they missed the bridegroom and were locked out.
They knocked on the door saying, “Lord, lord, open to us.”
But then he replied with the words that I think are the saddest and most frightening in all of Sacred Scripture: “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.”
For the Lord to know us, for us to be on time for the wedding banquet, we have to spend our time here getting to know him intimately, as a friend, as a savior, as God.
Many of us often put off the most important thing in life, which is to make God number one in our lives.
We allow the devil to deceive us by saying, “No hurry, There’s always time.”
We allow the devil to insinuate that we can behave like the Good Thief, commit our sins, do our own thing in this life, and that the Lord Jesus will give us the chance at the end to say one prayer and everything we will work out.
If we were to think that, though, we would be as foolish as the foolish virgins in the parable.
Jesus tells us that there will be a time when there will be no time left.
There will be a time when the door will be shut.
All of us have known people who have died unexpectedly, even young people.
Even the healthiest person is this Church could die today.
The Lord in today’s Gospel tells us that the wise among us will always be prepared.
The moral he gives at the end of today’s parable is crystal clear: “Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
To be awake means never to be asleep to God, but always to be alert, full of love, waiting for his return. </div><div><br /></div><div>Three important lessons: </div><div> • Be Vigilant. </div><div>• Develop your own relationship with Christ. </div><div> • And do not procrastinate </div><div><br /></div><div> This Mass is meant to help us with each of the three.
If we’re truly ready to meet the Lord each week here, </div><div> • with our souls cleansed from serious sin by the use of regular confession, </div><div> • with our hearts hungering for Him, </div><div> • and with the Lord himself, the Light of the World, burning inside of us, we’ll never be caught off guard, whether He comes today, tomorrow, or ninety years from now. </div><div><br /></div><div> Our reaction to what we have heard today, and to the tremendous gift that is the Mass, will determine whether in the final analysis we are deemed to be foolish or wise? (Repeat) </div><div><br /></div><div>Lets us all heed Christ’s warning and ensure through our actions that we will be considered the wise.
Thanks be to God…. Amen
</div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-21110464791023057792020-11-01T19:04:00.002-08:002020-11-01T19:04:10.177-08:00Catholics/Christians and the 2020 Election<p> </p><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/921793522&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/the-election-of-2020-and-christians" title="The Election of 2020 and Christians" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Election of 2020 and Christians</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-20932953827506226062020-10-31T14:35:00.000-07:002020-10-31T14:35:10.120-07:00All Souls Day and Purgatory<iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/921166324&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/all-souls-day-and-purgatory" title="All Souls Day and Purgatory" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">All Souls Day and Purgatory</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-52011996205784041742020-10-25T13:17:00.000-07:002020-10-25T13:17:00.546-07:00A Time For Healing<p> </p><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/917497442&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/time-for-healing" title="Time For Healing" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Time For Healing</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-35673351235564378022020-10-11T10:23:00.000-07:002020-10-11T10:23:03.658-07:00Will I be allowed into Heaven when I meet God face-to-face?<p> </p><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/908809492&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true" width="100%"></iframe></div><div style="color: #cccccc; font-family: Interstate, "Lucida Grande", "Lucida Sans Unicode", "Lucida Sans", Garuda, Verdana, Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: 100; line-break: anywhere; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap; word-break: normal;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="The Catholic Journey">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/will-i-be-allowed-into-heaven" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="WIll I Be Allowed Into Heaven">WIll I Be Allowed Into Heaven</a></div><b><div style="text-align: center;"><b>28th Sunday Ordinary Time (Year A)
Matthew 22:1-14 </b></div></b><div><br /></div><div>I’m not sure about you, but often when I read one of the gospels I can be confused as to what the actual meaning might be.
Today’s gospel from Matthew is one of those confusing gospels, at least it was initially for me.
Preparing for this homily I needed to spend some time looking into the specific references to understand what was actually being said.
After the use of a few concordances, the parable began to come alive as is true for most parables once we begin to understand the deeper meaning and hidden message.
However, this parable is unique in that it contains a deep and troubling message for many of us here today.
It speaks of faith, and how faith alone may grant you a meeting with God but not necessarily entrance into heaven.
Let’s take a closer look at the details of the parable. </div><div><br /></div><div>First of all, we must understand that the story is actually describing God as the King, Jesus as the son, and the bride is the invisible kingdom of God.
The first guests that were invited and who refused to come to the banquet were the Jewish people and their leaders, God’s chosen people.
They rejected God’s invitation.
Those of the second invitation were the gentiles, the non-Jewish people.
Some of them ignored the invitation and went away without giving the invitation another thought, while others not only rejected it but fought fervently against the kingdom in opposition.
But our God, our King, being the merciful and forgiving Lord that he is, reached out again and invited everyone, saints, and sinners to the feast.
He invited anyone who cared to come.
They were invited to participate in the Kingdom of God. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now, this is where the story gets interesting, and the idea of the wedding garment can be confusing to some.
Thankfully Pope Benedict, citing Saint Gregory the Great in one of his homilies clarified that the wedding garment is actually a reference to charity, meaning love and service.
Now knowing this, the parable begins to make sense.
In other words, probably everyone who had arrived at the banquet had faith, but those who had failed to practice charity in their lives, meaning Love of God and neighbor, they did not gain admittance. </div><div><br /></div><div>Still a little confused? </div><div><br /></div><div>Let’s look at the scripture once again now knowing what we know.
“The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the King came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, ‘my friend how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’”
The man was silent; he knew exactly what God was saying.
He had passed from this world onto the next and was being judged for his life on earth.
Both he and God knew the truth and the man had nothing to say.
Actually, there wasn’t anything to say or that could be said, the time to act had already passed.
God being a God of justice, then ordered the man to be cast out and into the darkness where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
We all know what and where that place is….. It’s HELL!
And the parable ends by reminding us that, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” </div><div><br /></div><div>WOW!
This message left me feeling more than a little troubled.
I had always wanted to think of God as being infinitely merciful and forgiving, which he is, but I so often forget that he is also a God of Justice and that we will be judged for how we have lived our lives while here on earth.
This parable made to stop and think about my own life, and how God will probably see me when I stand before him face to face.
Yes, I have faith, and so do you, if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be here today.
But so did everyone else who was invited to the banquet, they also had faith.
Yet, Faith alone isn’t enough, isn’t that what Jesus is telling us in the parable.
Please don’t misunderstand what I am trying to say today.
We don’t earn our way into heaven, or earn our salvation; Jesus already took care of that.
But we do make choices in life; those choices are called our free will.
We either respond by living a Christian life in action and deed, or we do not, there really isn’t a category of being “A pretty good Catholic.” </div><div><br /></div><div>What a startling message for us here today.
Thinking that we might just be one of those people who have believed and believed without a doubt, and thought that we would be welcomed in heaven at our time of death, yet we might be judged unworthy to gain entrance when that time comes upon us.
I think Jesus might be asking us to open our eyes a little wider and to take a step back and ask ourselves a few questions. </div><div><br /></div><div>• Have we loved enough? </div><div>• Have we forgiven enough? </div><div>• Have we cared for others enough? </div><div>• Have we truly lived a life of service to others, or have we lived a life of mostly serving ourselves? </div><div><br /></div><div>After pondering these questions for some time, I came to the realization that to answer them honesty my answer to all of them would need to “No!
I have not done enough!”
I might assume that some of you if you gave the questions deep and honest thought, you might just be in a similar situation.
Believing in Christ is wonderful, but it is Christ and His Spirit in us that should be constantly changing us.
We should be growing in humility, patience, love, and charity each day of our lives.
This transformation is what empowers us to do the works of a sincere Christian. </div><div><br /></div><div> In a few minutes, we will be receiving Christ in the Holy Eucharist, we should allow him to change us, purify us, inspire us, and guide us.
The most powerful thing we can do is to worthily accept Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist and then respond to his call.
That call is so often heard in the quiet of our hearts, and that is why time of quiet and prayer is so important after receiving communion. </div><div><br /></div><div>• Yet, we have to want to hear his voice. </div><div>• We have to want to be changed. </div><div>• We have to want to be a sincere follower of Christ. </div><div><br /></div><div>Although today’s gospel contains a sobering message, it also contains the good news.
The good news is that we are still here on earth, we still have a free will, and that we can begin this minute thinking about our lives in a different way.
Thinking about how we treat our family, how we treat those sitting next us in church, and how we treat those in need that we haven’t even met yet.
We can choose to be people of action; with our smiles, our kindness, our love, our charity, and our friendships, or we can choose to be something else.
The Good News is that we have heard God speak today through the Gospel,
we have understood his warning,
and hopefully, we can be inspired and guided by His Spirit to not only respond to the invitation to the banquet,
but to also be invited in, and accepted as eternal guests into the heavenly kingdom, forever and ever……Amen.
</div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-39746022433269181762020-09-13T08:58:00.002-07:002020-09-13T08:58:11.875-07:00Can I really forgive them?<p> </p><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/892587313&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/forgiveness-just-much-can-i-forgive" title="Forgiveness- Just How Much Can I Forgive?" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Forgiveness- Just How Much Can I Forgive?</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36600434.post-45506412762031272002020-09-11T11:11:00.000-07:002020-09-11T11:11:05.736-07:00The Cancel Culture<p> </p><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/891657886&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns" title="The Catholic Journey" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">The Catholic Journey</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/deacon-patrick-kearns/cancel-culture" title="Cancel Culture" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Cancel Culture</a></div>Deacon Pathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17800236407881741454noreply@blogger.com0