GregCast Diakonia

Prophets Provoke Presence First, an Advent thematic overview... Week One: Watch and Be Ready! Week Two: Prepare the Way! Week Three: Point to the Lord! Week Four: Welcome the Lord! These shoes of mine ran a Marathon! As unlikely as it seems, your Deacon ran today’s Rocket City Marathon in just over 5 hours! My Brother and a Team of Angels pushed me in what’s called a Racer’s Chariot! This was an idea of my brother some time last Spring, and all he wanted to do was involve his brother in something that he loved to do. At first the idea seemed crazy, but then he found a local chapter of an organization who assists the disabled to be included in events such as this. Ainsley’s Angels was founded by the parents of a girl named Ainsley, who was disabled. They simply asked the crazy question, how can people like my daughter run in this race? Their efforts, the work of local volunteers, like our host Mitch, the vision of a guy like my brother, and the movement of the Holy Spirit

Happy Almost Thanksgiving... And we do have much to be thankful for!! Adding to last week's image of Wisdom being resplendent, or attractive and impressive through being richly colorful, and hastening to meet us, welcoming us with solicitude, that is, with care and concern... Today she comes to us as a worthy wife and mother, sharing the challenge for us to stand in awe of her work! Her worthiness is defined in the same vain as the worthiness of an army, with great valor and courage! The description of course is rooted in the culture and time of the writer, but don't let the specifics limit the potential of how one can use their gifts and abilities to truly serve God with the same valor and courage! Remember where you come from... This family of ours has made its share of mistakes, but Paul reminds us that we are indeed the people of God, the children of a light that has empowered us to do great things! Let's live like it! Even if we don't know the day or hour of th

It seems that the invitation for special prayers are once again necessary. We pray for the victims and their families effected by Monday’s Las Vegas shooting. We pray for our country and the ongoing discussion on how we are to live together in peace. We pray for those in the path of another storm, and those who continue the effort to rebuild their communities after the previous ones. This invitation to prayer isn’t just an invitation from Fr. Thomas, or myself, or from those asking for help, this is an invitation from today’s Word of God. This allows us to glimpse into another time, much like our own, where there was much confusion and need, and at the same time, much celebration and reassurance of the loving presence of God. If the usual flair for reflecting on the Scripture is to highlight a motivational theme that calls us to do more, and be better at what we do, then today includes the reality of a heart-felt lament, and the consideration that with prayer, peace and peaceful a

After last week’s Parable of the Vineyard, it’s fair to pick up where we left off... The group who worked all day whined a little when the those who only worked for an hour got the same wage… IT’S NOT FAIR!!!! First Reading from Ezekiel... You say, "The LORD's way is not fair!" Hear now, house of Israel: Is it my way that is unfair, or rather, are not your ways unfair? The argument here is that the Lord is asking us to follow his ways, tough as they may be, as compared to the ways of the time, where children were attached to the sins of their parents. I guess you could say that there was s sense of “what the heck” in the air... I’m condemned any way, so why bother? The Lord wants us to know that EACH OF US is responsible for our choices, and therefore open to the rewards and consequences of our actions. There is no predisposition. We all start from the same place, and we all are given the same opportunity. Gospel from Matthew... 'Son, go out and work in the vineya

September 11th (16 Years - Monday) Remembrance of such milestones are crucial to healing and growth  We develop phrases like 9/11 and name storms like Andrew, Fredrick, Donna, Hazel, Camille, Katrina, Harvey, and now Irma because in a weird way, we need them to be personal so as to never forget!  But let’s not forget the nameless tragedies like the wildfires out west, earthquakes, tornados, and other natural disasters.  God doesn’t send natural disasters or use unspeakable tragedies to teach us a lesson! The lessons learned from such random events are seen in our readiness to RESPOND with faith, a faith that is shared and expressed in loving and genuine ways. Last weekend's and today's second collection is the least we can do to simply show our love and support for VICTIMS of flooding and monstrous high winds! Another thing we can do is lift them all up in prayer, so let us pray together in this moment of silence… THANK YOU. Lydia’s Serenity Prayer: Lord, I'm not s

Navigating Chaotic Waters… (Note: Occasionally I write and present the Homily from a more bulleted outline... This is one of those times. Thanks! -GT) A Deep Sea Fishing in the Gulf  Family Vacation Year One: Awesome Deep Sea Fishing (Gulf smooth as glass)!  Family Vacation Year Two: Recreate the magic of another deep sea fishing trip!  Mistake: Cloudy Skies, A Few Sprinkles and Rough Water!  Brother, Sister and I start out of the marina up in the crows nest!  We All Got Sea Sick Before We’re Even Out of the Bay!  Memory: Dad worked through the “green gills” and continued to Fish! After all, he had a lot invested in that trip, and “ENCOURAGED” us to come out and fish!  The Moral of the Story... Be like DAD, and keep fishing through the chaos (and sickness!) WE COULD FOCUS ON SYMBOLISM… EARTHQUAKE - CHAOS, WHISPER = PRAYER BOAT = CHURCH, WATER = WORLD, CHRIST = CALM But I’d like to focus on our Call to be Prophets & Disciples in a Chaotic World! DISCIPLE! In Matthew’s

Homily – July 30, 2017 (17th Sunday of Ordinary Time - A) There’s a story told of a young woman who had been appointed President of the bank in which she worked. She'd never dreamed she would one day be president, much less at such a young age. So she approached the venerable Chairman of the Board and said, ''You know that I've just been appointed President. I was wondering if you could give me some advice.’' The old man came back with just two words: ''right decisions!'' The young woman had hoped for a bit more than this, so she said, ''That's really helpful, and I appreciate it, but can you be more specific? How do I make right decisions?’' The wise old man simply responded, ‘'Experience.'' The young woman said, ''Well, that's just the point of my being here. I don't have the kind of experience I need. How do I get it?’' The wise, elderly chairman simply replied, ''Wrong decisions!’' I won

Homily – July 9, 2017 (14th Sunday of Ordinary Time - A) I want to be honest and share with you one of my own pet peeves in ministry… Too often, people disqualify themselves as disciples, or dare I say “good Catholics,” because they don't feel they have enough wisdom or knowledge. While I understand this is an important admission when it comes to being a teacher of calculus, or an expert in scientific truths of nuclear physics, or a doctor practicing internal medicine, but being a witness of this faith of ours does not require a license, or an “A” on the final exam. In fact, to illustrate the point… The back pews are packed, while the front could use a few more brave souls! As the song says, “Be not afraid!” But to be fair to the back pews, a nice lady at the 11:30am Mass offered this on your behalf… The last shall be first! But seriously… Here’s what qualifies us as Disciples: Do you remember the day that you first REALIZED that God is in your life, and Jesus is the real de

Here's a riddle: What can you hear and feel, but not see or hold? The wind, of course! (and Thunder as one parishioner told me on the way out...) 😁 In Greek it is Pneuma, and in Hebrew it is Rûah, each meaning "wind" and "spirit." Many even define it as "the breath of God," for as this wind and spirit enter a moment, something is always created out of the mystery! The Breath of God comes to us from the Father... The Rûah in Genesis depicts the moment of creation as "a mighty wind" sweeping over the waters. The Book of Ecclesiastes offers that, "Just as you do not know how the life breath enters the human frame in the mother’s womb, So you do not know the work of God, who is working in everything." The Prophet Ezekiel tells of the Lord saying to the dry bones in the desert, "Listen, [and] I will make breath enter you so you may come to life." God has given us our life's breath, and he has entered our lives so that

Note: Dan and I agreed that while preaching about Mother's Day was not the purpose of this particular Homily, it was appropriate and fun to cryptically include something about "M.O.M."  Look for it below! This Mother's Day offers a unique opportunity to celebrate with something more than flowers, or breakfast in bed, for yesterday marked the 100th Anniversary of the First Apparition of the Blessed Mother to three young children near Fatima. Lucia, Francisco and Jacinta were entrusted with a series of messages that were meant to challenge godless ways, during a time when the world was being torn apart by war and sin. Yesterday, Pope Francis canonized two of the three seers of Fatima. Saints Francisco and Jacinta. His homily included a wonderful declaration, that is quite fitting for today… “We have a Mother. Clinging to her like children, we live in the hope that rests on Jesus.” But he also stressed the very sobering reality that still challenges our world t