Alone on an Island! Modern Day Sodom and Gomorrah

Have you ever been in a situation where you were surrounded by people who think differently than you do? 

It can be very uncomfortable. As they share their beliefs you have two options:

1. Say nothing and let them say what ever they want, or

2. Share your point of view.

But if you choose option two, and they care very little about contemplating your point of view, what is the point?

We are surrounded in life with these dichotomies, usually centered on morals, values, faith, politics, ethics, etc.

What I am finding out is that there are very few Californians who are actually in search of the truth, they actually just want you to accept as truth what they believe it to be. And believe it or not, most of them just assume that you believe exactly the same as they do, not even considering that you might have an opposing view.

And when they finally come face to face with the realization that you believe differently than they do, they are immediately taken back, appalled, and either try to force their ideas upon you, or react in a passive aggressive manner and act in a manner to somehow belittle you, dishonor you, or semi-humiliate you. The internet and gossip are their most honored weapons.

They wont admit to their destructive actions, usually internally rationalizing their response, but the truth is they had a reaction that innately was evil...... and why? Simply due to the fact that you don't agree with their point of view.

Living in California I often find myself feeling as if I am living on an island. I am surrounded by people who think much differently than I do, inside the ranks of the church, and on the outside in the secular world as well.

Are my views in life always correct, No, how can they be. 

But are all my views incorrect, No! 

What is correct?

You have probably heard the words "tolerance" over the past decade. Tolerance is a unique concept in this world today. It has come to mean for so many, "If you disagree with what I am saying, you should be tolerant and try to understand where I am coming from, even if it is contrary to your core values." It has also come to mean by the same people, "But if you disagree with me, then you are a moron, a radical, and even called divisive, and at times prejudiced." 

Why - Because I feel differently than you do. Why should I be disrespected for my beliefs, when you demand my courtesy and tolerance. My beliefs are not that unusual, they are consistent with millions of people across the globe, they just are not consistent with  many in California.

This unbalanced scenario has become so prolific in California that the perpetrators don't even realize what they are doing. Note:  I am being generous!

Do I take my family and run away from this battle ground. The perpetrators would probably say (and Have) that as Christians we are to take the message to the sinners, not to just surround ourselves with like minded people. But what is the point when the evildoers care very little about the truth, only caring what they perceive to be true. So what really is the point. They would rather keep you surrounded and continue to beat you down in hopes of converting you..... remember  in their eyes, you are just an unenlightened moron.

Yet what about even the 1 or 2 other people in your care, those that need your nourishment, those like-minded others, can you just pack-up and abandon them?

Yet again, if you yourself are not nourished how can you continue to live? How can you endure week after week of so many saying that you are wrong, that their way is the right way, that you must be ignorant for not thinking like them..... how long can one endure without living in the truth, the truth that we know in our hearts and soul to be true and real?

I often feel that I am in a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.... and I assume that those around me feel the same as those who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah at the time. I am sure they perceive their life and actions to be warranted and just....

Yet what did God do?

He wiped then all out.

Did He ask Abraham to stay and try to convert them....

No.

He wanted and allowed him to escape.

The world around us is crumbling.......especially in California......  

I pray that God speaks loudly to those who are truly listening, searching, and open to his spirit. Am I to escape.... or am I to continue to fight for what I believe to be true, holy, and just?

A Man With A Hidden Mission!

This is my friend Cyrus who is now in Heaven.

Cyrus became known to me a few years ago when he walked into the hall at the Catholic church and entered a class for people interested in becoming Catholic. He didn't look like the typical man wanting to know more about the faith. He had long hair, seemed to be somewhat wild, and smelled of alcohol. But as we went around the room and each individual shared a little about themselves and why they were there, that was when I knew there was something very special about this man.

Cyrus stated that he had not been living a very good life, that he was a musician and a drunk, and that he recently had a vision from Mother Mary. He stated that Mary appeared to him and told him that he needed to make some changes and that there was a greater purpose for him. He stated that the vision was so profound he knew it wasn't a dream, but real.  He further stated that he didn't know anything about faith or religion but knew that Mary was "Catholic" so he needed to go to the Catholic church. 

That night was the beginning of my relationship with Cyrus and also his introduction with the Catholic faith. Each week for the next year, Cyrus would show up for class, often smelling of alcohol. It was evident to everyone that he had an addiction, and he would be the first to point out what a failure in life he was. Yes, most people would of called him a bum, but there was something so very special about him.... It was his humility. He never asked for anything, never gave an excuse, and was always so thankful for even a kind word. He had such deep and profound questions about Mary, God, Heaven, the Saints......

It wasn't long and Cyrus completed his studies and entered the catholic church at the Easter Vigil. His parents later told me at his funeral that the only thing in life Cyrus ever completed was the RCIA program and becoming Catholic.

As Cyrus joined the Catholic family at Our Lady of Mercy Church, he still remained an alcoholic, but he would be seen at Mass from time to time, and was a regular attendee at the Good Friday Stations of the Cross - walking across town carrying the cross. Anyone who met Cyrus immediately saw beneath the outer shell and could see his holiness. Yes, he was a sinner, a drunk, and you couldn't miss seeing his sin, but he was humble, he never tried to hide his sin, he just picked up his cross and carried it with him everyday trying to be the best person he could.

His presence affected others. Here was a young man, handsome, and talented, but wounded and debilitated by an addiction, a disease. Yes, he had so much potential, but he couldn't think past just getting through the day. You wanted to help this man...... Yet, he never asked for help. He knew he didn't amount to anything in this world, he was a loser, he was a drain on society, a drunk. He often looked sad and eyes often fixed with a downward gaze. 

Yet - People liked him..... There was something about him that was so real and true. I can remember a lady in the confessional line at church say that she was standing in line next to Cyrus and that as they waited their turn he openly shared his struggles with her. She commented  "He openly shared his struggles with me with such humility. I remember thinking if I could have the same convictions of my failings and love and submission to Jesus as Cyrus, I would be Blessed. He inspired me.”

I also recall a very proud man saying with tears in his eyes "We all could see his sin, but we all have sins, ours are just hidden. Cyrus was the most humble man I ever  knew..... If I could only be as humble as Cyrus."

He didn't even realize that he had touched so many people in very profound ways.

At his funeral, the church was packed... Not with an abundance of childhood friends of relatives, there were less than 10 of them, but with people from Our Lady of Mercy Parish. These new friends were as young as toddlers and many senior citizens, and every age in between. This young man, what society would of called "useless," and forgotten by many, had a special mission in life. He was an instrument in God's hands, that through the public appearance of his struggle, and the purity of his heart and sincere desire to be a Christian, and the extreme effort it took  to become Catholic, he was an authentic witness, a saintly witness, of perseverance, humility, love, forgiveness, and honor to so many around him.

Cyrus died at the age of 31...... yet his mission was fulfilled and he converted and inspired many souls here on earth. Thank you Cyrus for teaching us so much..... Your pain is now gone. We love you!

Peaceful Protest At The Local Abortion Mill (Clinic)

40 Days For Life......Ash Wednesday thru Easter

Go Girls!

My Son Sean's Car

The view as you drive by.

A powerful message by Teenagers.

A Prayerful Message

It is really all about life.

The Devil, Temptations, and Lent

Homily - 1st Sunday of Lent (Year A)

Deacon Pat Kearns

It all began in the desert where Jesus fasted and the Devil Tempted. The message today is a powerful message, actually a life changing message if we honestly open our hearts and minds and receive it. Not unlike Christ’s journey, our own journey will be filled with highs and lows, possibly even similar to the joys of Palm Sunday and the contrasting hatred of Good Friday. But we must never forget that this road ends gloriously….. It did for Christ; empty tomb, empty linen clothes, resurrected and Glorified.
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Today however, we focus our attention on the desert where the devil faced Jesus at a moment of incredible human vulnerability, and what happened; Jesus concurred the devil. Jesus had become like us in every way. Since we have flesh and blood, he had flesh and blood. We have feelings and emotions, He had feelings and emotions. He shared in our humanity and we even read in the scriptures that he suffered and was tempted.
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But there is one important difference between Jesus and us – where we fall, he stands tall. He was tempted, yet was without sin. He was without sin because he was both true man and true God… And that was his mission. He was sent by God the Father to be obedient to God’s law – perfectly, continually, and completely – and to rescue us from our own sins. Christ taught those around him and continues to teach us today.
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Let’s look a little deeper into Christ’s desert experience and see how it applies to our lives today. I don’t know about you, but I would have thought that the devil would have been a little smarter. After all, he had been around for thousands of years. He knew God’s promises, he knew Jesus.
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• When the devil said in the first temptation “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He isn’t questioning Jesus’ divinity, But plows forward and tries to get Jesus to imitate Adam to wonder, to distrust, and to question: “Did God Really Say…..?” The Devil insinuated that the Father wouldn’t provide for His son as promised.
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• And in the second temptation, the devil tries another tactic. Whisking Jesus to the highest point of the temple, a dizzying height of almost 500 feet, he tells Jesus to jump. Satan Proclaims “Didn’t God say that His angels…will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone?” This time, rather than doubt God, he tries to tempt Jesus, in a twisted way, to trust that God will save him, even if he does an incredibly reckless thing.
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• In the third temptation the Devil says, “People love power. It is all yours.. if you only worship me.” The devil is asking the Son to abandon His father and worship the fallen angel. Again, the Devil should of know better. He has nothing to offer. The Devil can only confuse the truth, lie, and tempt.
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He uses these same tactics on us today. The devil encourages us to doubt that God is the provider that He says he is. How many of us have listened to the devil’s voice as he said:
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• Dedicate your lives to work, work, work, to the almighty dollar, because if we accumulate enough money we will gain everything we need. After all, food, clothes, cars, homes, and children all cost money. “Turn those stones into bread…… Turn this time into money…. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will….
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• Or what about when we have been tempted to “Jump.” How many of us have rationalized a behavior or an action by saying: “If it is God’s will, it is God’s will, there is nothing I can do if God wants it to happen,” only to later realize that we just committed an extremely reckless action, foolishly trusting that God would somehow intervene, and then afterwards have to deal with the repercussions. God never promised to protect us from every bad choice, what He said was that He work all things out for our good.

• And finally – The Devil lays all his cards on the table and asks us to disobey the 1st commandment: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Satan promises us power and glory. He promises success and money.

The Devil whispers in our ear: Work on Sundays, work double shifts, you need the time and a half more than time with your family, more than attending Mass. Satan says: “Go ahead, cheat off your classmates test – you need the “A.” He whispers…. “You love her don’t you, go ahead and do it, it’s ok.”
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But the Devil is a liar. He lied to Adam and Eve. He lied to Jesus. He lied to you. Like Adam and Eve, we have all fallen for Satan’s lies. Why?
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Because: We have bought into the lies that if it feels good, it must be good. The truth is…. We chose to ignore God. We ignored “You shall have no other gods” We ignored “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” We ignored “Honor thy Father and Mother.” We ignored “You shall not commit Adultery.”

For all these sins we end up right where the devil wants us – not in God’s kingdom, but burning in hell, suffering the same torments he suffers.
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Strong Message isn’t it – But True!

Thank God there is more to this message. There is Repentance and Forgiveness. Where we fall, Jesus stands Tall! We are to turn away from the world and worldly things and to turn back to God and Godly things.

That is what Lent is all about. Taking time to pull away from our usual routines, our acquired habits, our sinfulness. This is a time to remove the distractions from our lives, to clearly see ourselves for who we are, who we have become, and to place greater effort toward our prayer life, the Sacraments, and our relationship with God. Don’t put off what you can do today until tomorrow, because tomorrow may never come. We can begin today, right now, by concentrating on our prayer life, our participation in the sacraments, and how we act and pray at Mass.

You probably noticed that the announcements that are usually given at the end of mass were given prior to the beginning of Mass today. This will be a new routine for this parish. Why? Because by removing them from within the Mass, it also removes the distraction at the time of our personal connection with the heavenly world, that precious time just after receiving Christ himself.

You will also notice another change after communion. There will be a period of Sacred Silence lasting 1 to 2 minutes. Why? Because we have just consumed Christ, we have just literally become one with the creator of everything. It is a cherished time to savor, a time suspended in time, a time to be absorbed with the greatest thing that will ever happen to us. It deserves our greatest attention and respect. It is truly God; Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity that we have just consumed. Not a maybe or I hope so! But God within us!

And then….. After enjoying that Holy and personal time, we rise for the priestly blessing and then without haste are dismissed out into the world, carrying Christ within us, changed from our experience, from our intimate encounter, pure, and holy. With Him, In Him, and through Him, we can turn away from sin, repent, concur all evil and have ….everlasting…. LIFE!



Men In-Motion Winter Retreat 2011

Check out our adventure

The 2011 Winter Men's Retreat

What a great time being with such a great group of men.

Yes - we did build 3 Quinzies and slept in them.

First you build a foundation.

Then you mark off the floor area.

This is an important step so you can find the floor level once you start digging....

Then you start building the mountain of snow.

Then we had a little help from Mr. Snow Blower......

It wouldn't of been a true men's retreat without a few power tools!

We work as a team.

Time to start digging in and then up to the floor level.

Everyone took turns as the tunnel rat!

It wasn't long and then we had 3 Quinzees.

A little tired but happy with a job well done.

Don't tell the other guys.... but.... our Quinzee was the best.

See, Even Dennis thought our Quinzee was the best.

A few custom features began to pop up.

Go Paul!

What a great day!

Mark and Father Jonathan

Cliff and Mark

The final results

What a blessing to have Mass each day.

We all took turns participating / assisting at Mass.

The Eucharist.... Source and Summit of our lives.

Mass was casual, but reverent and Holy.

It would not have been an authentic "In-Motion" retreat without some motion.

The Cross-country experience.

Snow Shoeing.

Yes... Danger is our middle name.

2 hours later, almost back to the cabin.

Time for Food and Fellowship.

Each meal was a feast.

Those Macho Men can also cook.

Don't you just love the head lamp..... Cooking in the dark is no problem at a Men's Retreat!

Each man was part of a team responsible for one meal prep and cleaning...... Great job guys!

And then we had the "Men Games," how high could two teams of 8 men build a tower in 5 minutes?

and when we looked up, what did we see, but a statue of Mary and the King?????

We could not believe it....... Miracle?

You be the judge....... the men just threw the last chunk of snow on the top in the last few seconds of the challenge to see who could get the highest tower within the 10 minute limit and what does it look like to you?

Who said "We should go sledding?" 

I think we mastered the art of downhill sledding.

But all good retreats leave a little time for rest.....

Relaxing by the fire 

3 1/2 days of Adventure, Prayer, Fellowship, Good Eating, A few spirits.......And we have be nourished and ready to once again fight the good fight...... Live as Catholic Men: Strong, United, and Fervent for our Faith.