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Deacon Dan 7-19-20

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Today we witness the generosity of the Church’s liturgical planners. They, who put together our lectionary, our cycle of liturgical reading. In their exalted wisdom, give us not one but three parables to ponder on.

Taken from the Gospel of Matthew we hear about wheat and weeds, mustard seeds, and yeast,

The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast are sandwiched by the parable of the wheat and weeds with a possible explanation proffered by the Master, himself.

All of these parables are rich in imagery, thus rich in meaning. All these parables have been used by the Master to teach his disciples about the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, the question we must answer is what they have to do with us today?

Rather than using stories of a far-off utopia of ivory and gold. Rather than tell us of a place populated with celestial beings strumming heavenly songs on their golden harps to teach us about the Kingdom Jesus doe something different. Jesus opts to use that which are near to us. Jesus …
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Deacon Kevin 7-19-20

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16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A“Sowing Seeds of Love”

As you know, a ‘parable’ is a type of story that makes a comparison between two things. At least that is one definition, based on its Greek origin. However, the word “parable” is also a translation of the Hebrew word “mashal,” a term used to denote literary forms such as proverbs, riddles, and allegories. The Old Testament Prophets like Isaiah, often used parables to indirectly condemn listeners for their hardened hearts, which prevented them from seeing the errors of their ways, or hearing what the prophet was trying to say; because their minds were closed. Jesus uses parables for two purposes: to both reveal and conceal divine mysteries. He reveals the truth to the humble, those willing to search, and conceals these mysteries to the proud. Like a riddle, parables invite us to reach beyond the text to lay hold of a deeper truth, which is hidden in the story.

In this parable, the Son of Man is the sower of the good seed, that …
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Deacon Kevin 6-21-20

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12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A “Be Not Afraid to Believe in Love”

As a little context for today’s Gospel, Jesus has sent out the Twelve as sheep among wolves to proclaim that the kingdom of God is at hand. And now, Jesus exhorts the Apostles, and us as well, to have courage under persecution. He tells us to ‘fear no one’ as we go out to proclaim His message. And what message is that? His message is this: Be not afraid to believe in love.

And the world needs love. As the old song goes, “what the world needs now is love, sweet love, it’s the only thing there’s just too little of.” We see this lack of love in the world, in our streets, in our community, in our unjust laws, and in our sinful hearts. We are often quick to condemn, pick up stones and rush to violence, rather than to imitate Christ, and do as He commands – to love one another.

In the Lord’s Prayer we address God as Father, and rightfully so. He is the Father of Creation, and He is a Father to all. So how is it, we can so…
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Deacon Greg 6-21-20

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I get to be one of the first to offer you the greeting, Happy Summer, as astronomically speaking, this year’s Summer Solstice occurred about an hour ago! It’s quite common to hear folks refer to this as the “longest day of the year,” when actually a day is always 24 hours, meaning no one day is longer or shorter than the other. A more precise description might be that today, the day of the Summer Solstice, is actually the one day of the year that has the most light within its 24 hour duration. Also, since it’s actually celebrated tomorrow, I get to be one of the first to wish you Dads a Happy Father’s Day!

So the operative question today is what do we do with all of this light?

One thing that we all do of course is the Summer vacation! One of my fondest memories of my own Father is actually a combination of two Summer trips we took to the Gulf. Like many families, our parents saved money and valuable vacation time throughout the year, banking them for that crucial week away. We we…
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Deacon Dan 6-21-20

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The opening of Jeremiah, spoken first over 2500 years ago, as well as the opening words of the Psalmist are powerful, gut wrenching lamentations.

Do not the images they convey seem so contemporaneous? Do they not appear to be the very headlines of today? “Terror on every side” “Denouncement” “Friends looking for the missteps of others” “Vengeance being sought.”

It befuddles me and should befuddle all of us that in these past millennia the human condition has not changed much. We still look to persecute one another, to sin against one another. But then why should we be befuddled.

Paul writes to us through his letter to the Romans. There he reminds them and us that sin began in the heart of one man.

Recall that that sin, the sin of Adam was predicated on his fear, his fear of being dependent upon God. His that grew from that fear was seeking independence from the God who made him. Paul goes on to remind the Romans and us that the cure for that comes from the anti- Adam, Christ Jesus.

F…
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Deacon Dan 5-24-20

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Ascension 2020

Today we celebrate Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord. For those of us old enough to remember this Great Solemnity was celebrated on the 40th day after Easter on a a Thursday. However, it has long been transferred to Sundayso more of us can hear of this great salvific event. For indeed, as our readings tell us it is an event that is necessary in the life of each and every Christian.

Our first reading is taken from the very beginning of Acts. Its author Luke gives us an extended version of the Ascension account. Luke has Jesus telling his disciples to await their baptism by the Holy Spirit which will occur on the 5Oth day when the Jewish people will celebrate their great feast of Shavuot. On that day, that we call Pentecost, the water baptism their had received by John will be complete.

In the meanwhile, the disciple’s witnesses Jesus Ascension. Some see this event as Jesus’ good-bye. And so it is if we are attentive to the origin of the English phrase as “God be with y…
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Deacon Greg 5-24-20

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Ascension 2020

Greetings Again Church… I just love this particular Sunday!

When I was a kid, going to Church at Holy Spirit in Huntsville, I distinctly remember going to Mass on the Ascension, and sticking around until after the closing hymn. I remember hearing the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles and being struck by the imagery of Jesus being taken up into the clouds. So when the volunteer assigned with the task of putting everything away after Mass, extinguished the Easter Candle, I just watch the smoke from the smoldering wick rise from the candle. It was lit from the spotlight above, and it just slowly hovered and gently rose until it was out of sight. My way of thinking was simple and straightforward. I had been told that the Easter Candle was the light of Christ, and in that moment, that light was extinguished. I just remember looking up at it, thinking WOW. Where is he going?

With that said, it’s understandable that I would begin today, stating that this could …
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