GregCast Diakonia

Many people have wondered out loud about these recent COVID times. While we know it's a pandemic, some wonder if it was sent by God to teach us a lesson of some sort, like some kind of plague. Others see it for what it is... A virus yet to be controlled, calling upon us to respond in a manner that is best for community and ourselves. The question is: What is best for our community and ourselves? While the debate for answers goes on, no one can doubt that this is indeed a test of sorts. It's a test of patience. It's a test of trust. It's a test of endurance. And pertinent to today's Good News, it's a TEST OF FAITH! Last week, the Gospel offered us the story of the Disciples being tossed about on their boat during a storm at sea. When Jesus came towards them on the water, they said it was a ghost! When Peter knew it was him, he asked him to command that he walk out to the Lord, and with that, Peter began to walk on the water! But when the wind picked up

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 wer

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 c

Greetings Church! Note that in today’s Second Reading we are called to be “living stones!” This sets forth a certain logic in understand the connection that we all have with the cornerstone, Jesus Christ. As he was THE living stone, we too are called to recognize our strength and purpose, being willing TO BE BUILT into spiritual houses! Certainly those houses are to be your own homes, but today, let us also be built into THE CHURCH! ——— Happy Mother’s Day to all the Mom’s out there! As civil as this holiday is, it is fitting that we also lift up our Blessed Mother during this month of May, as she inspires all of our Mothers to love, teach and walk with their children each day. I think it is also fitting that the qualities and the gifts of motherhood that we celebrate today, are the same gifts and qualities asked of each of us by our Lord, as we follow him in discipleship. ——— Now and then, it helps to reset things and step back to see the big picture. During these past several weeks,

Two Words… Well, actually one word: Coronavirus Planning & Preparation Most have followed all of the recommendations along the way, and have prepared themselves for all that is now upon us… Honestly, looking at the pictures of empty shelving in the stores, some of have prepared a little too well! In our Lenten Journey, we too have established a plan of what we’re going to do, or sacrifice as we prepare for Easter, but deeper than that, we’ve been Baptized! All that we need to plan, prepare and live have been set into motion by the Lord, our parents, and our community, bringing us up in the faith, ready to live each day to the fullest with this life giving water available to all, and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit raining down on us from the above. Prevention & Practical Common Sense While the virus is here, we’re continuing to be reminded of the basic and common sense steps that we can all follow to help keep our neighbors safe and healthy. In our faith life, living eac

Today, the Gospel continues Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which actually began in our cycle of Gospels two weeks ago. We missed the beginning back on Feb. 2nd as we were celebrating the Presentation of the Lord, which takes precedent over Ordinary Time when Feb 2nd falls on a Sunday. Anyway, this Sermon actually begins with the 5th Chapter of Matthew and continues through the 7th Chapter. Listen to the bullet points of the entire Sermon: First there’s The Beatitudes, “Blessed are they who…,” the most familiar part. This is often treated as the entire Sermon, when it’s actually just the introduction. The teaching continues, calling us to be salt & light for the world, (last week’s Gospel) reassuring us that Christ has come to fulfill the Law! He teaches us ways that we can handle anger, lust, and broken relationships. He models for us the art of taking an oath, challenging us to let our YES mean yes, and our NO mean no. The Sermon also offers us the way to deal with retaliation

We were well represented at the March for Life in Birmingham by our Knights of Columbus and other parishioners, and we will be well represented at this week’s March for Life in Washington DC, as our High School Youth will walk for each of us, as we all seek to protect the precious lives of the unborn. Tomorrow we begin the International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and Monday is Martin Luther King Day. I invite you to keep all that these represent close to your heart as we reflect on today’s Word… There’s a quote on the Montgomery Civil Rights Memorial that quotes the Prophet Amos saying, “Until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.” As Christian communities we gather to become aware of our unity, joining our common concerns, making a common response, all as evidence of our faith. This, our U.S. Bishops say, "is the spirit of unity, faith and patience of a people who long for God’s promise." Our gathering as Church, our listening to

Jesuit Priest and Author, Fr. John Kavanaugh offers this wonderful statement as to what this season is all about: “The heart of Christianity is a transformation of the ordinary, not a flight from it.” Understanding the Feast of the Holy Family begins with a knowledge that our God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Moses and the prophets, chose to enter space and time, because deeply concerned about and profoundly moved by our condition. He promised us generations as countless as the stars, a land to call our own, and a blessing on all the nations of the earth. He freed us from our bondage, and guided us to a place to call home, no longer slaves, so that we would be free to live together as a people, a nation, a community and a family! This continues in the Christmas narratives, as ordinary people like shepherds and travelers are the messengers of God, not just angels, and certainly not the power-brokers of nations... Elizabeth found God in her cousin, Mary, and in her old age gave birth to