Our Understanding Lord (Bulletin Column 20141221)

Today we read of the angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that when will bear a son.  Mary with the free will that God has granted all of us declares she will do the will of the Lord.  This is not an easy decision for Mary to make.  By accepting this child, Mary's life will be forever changed.  She will open herself up to shame, ridicule, divorce, ostracism and the possibility of death.

The birth of Christ is a beautiful and wonderful event in the history of mankind.  It can also be a life full of many dangers.  These dangers are not just for Mary and Joseph but for Jesus himself.  Our faith is that Jesus was fully divine but also fully human.  Jesus as fully human was exposed to all the frailties that come with being human.  He felt the cold of the night and the heat of the day.  He experienced the pain that comes from cuts and bruises.  There were probably days of hunger and of sadness.  Jesus would also experience all the good things that come with being human.  Jesus would have felt the warm and comfort of a parent's hug.  He would have tasted the food made with care and love that only a mother can make.  He would have felt the pride of Joseph as he learned his earthly father's trade.  Jesus would understand how a beautiful sunrise or a full moon moves us to ponder our existence.  He would experience friendships both created and lost. Jesus experienced all that you and I will experience in our lifetime.

There are only a few days left in this Advent season.  These past few weeks have given us the opportunity to review our own life.  We have removed the things that cause us to sin and added those things which bring us closer to God.  Let us also begin to look forward to Christmas, when our Lord becomes flesh.  For it is only through the sacrifice of his flesh and blood that we find salvation in our Lord.  A Lord that completely and fully understands what it is to be human.

Rejoice in the Lord (Bulletin Column 20141214)

"Rejoice in the Lord always” are the first words in our entrance antiphon. They are the very first words that are either recited or sung when the Mass begins. We rejoice because the Advent season is more than halfway over. We are closer to the birth of Christ. Advent is a season of joy to most of us. We have found the perfect gift for our loved ones. We have attended a few Christmas parties. Our houses have been decorated both inside and out. The Christmas Eve or Christmas day menu has been set. We wait in joyful anticipation of the beautiful Christmas Mass with its music that recalls the angels giving glory to God.

To recognize this joy the Church lights the pink candle on the Advent wreath and the clergy vestments are rose colored. The third Sunday of Advent or Gaudete Sunday should also remind us of what the Advent season is for. In just the action of lighting a pink candle we should be reminded of why purple vestments are worn and purple candles are light during the other weeks of the Advent season. Advent is like the Lenten Season, a penitential season. Advent is a time for us to remove any hindrance that will keep us from being in full communion with the Church when our Savior is born.

It is important that we be prepared for the birth of Christ. Recall that John the Baptist was crying out in the desert for all to repent and make straight the way of the Lord. John the Baptist understood that we must remove the distractions that keep us from growing closer to our God. When our earthly distractions begin to fall away we realize that our hope can only come from God. Advent gives us the opportunity to examine ourselves. We use the season to remove the things that give us false hope and distance us from God.

We read in Thessalonians that we are to “Pray without ceasing.” This does not mean we should always remain in a prayerful posture and never attend to those who cry out for our help. It means that everything we do should be done as a prayer being offered up to God. Recall how you pray in church; with reverence, sincerity and humility. Image if you did everything in this same way, as a form of a prayer being offered up to God. Your abilities are a gift from God so you would use your gifts with reverence. You would share your gifts with others in sincerity knowing that they are given to you by God's love for us. You did not earn these gifts; they are given to you freely from God so you would use them humility. Your actions can be prayers that glorify God.

The conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians is a prayer. The part we read today is a wonderful Advent prayer to all of us.

May the God of peace make you perfectly holy

and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body,

be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May this Sunday’s change in liturgical color be your encouragement to continue the spiritual preparation for Christmas.

Louis Zamperini, Unbroken (Homily Excerpts-2nd Sunday of Advent Season)

I just finished reading a book called “Unbroken”.  It is a book about the life of Louis Zamperini.  His family and friends called him Louie.  Louie excelled in track and at the age of 19 Louie qualified for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.  He did not win a medal put he set a record for the fastest final lap in the 5000 meter run.  This was so impressive that Adolf Hiller had a personal meeting with him.

In 1941 Louie enlisted in the Army Air Force and became a bombardier.  While on a rescue mission in May of 1943, his plan crashed into the Pacific Ocean.  Louie and his friend Phil, the pilot, lived on rainwater, raw fish and birds for 47 days.  It was on the 47th day adrift that Japenesse captured them. They were held in captivity, severely beaten, mistreated, bones broken and underfeed until the end of the war in August 1945.  Louie was tormented by a prison guard nicknamed "The Bird", who in psychotic rage would beat him regularly.  Louie was so badly beaten, abused and starved that he would never again be a world class runner.

After the war ended Louie married but began drinking in an attempt to forget his POW abuse.  He thoughts were comsumed by plans to murder “The Bird”, constant nightmares also haunted Louie, including nightly dreams of being strangled by his captors.  He woke up one night with his wife screaming, Louie was strangling is own wife trying to fight off the prison guards.

Louie's wife Cynthia attended a crusade looking for peace.  Louie reluctantly agreed to attend a later crusade with his wife in the hope of saving his marriage.  After attending the crusade, Louie remembered his prayers both on the life raft and in the prisoner of war camps.  Louie had made repeated promises to serve the Lord if God would only protect him.  Louie laid everything at the foot of the Cross. He said that as soon as he made his decision to fulfill his promise to Christ his life changed. He was able to forgive his captors, stop drinking and never had another nightmare.

Louie became an inspirational speaker and established a camp for troubled youths called Victory Boys Camp.

Second Sunday of Advent

This is the column I wrote for our Church bulletin dated December 7, 2014.

Almost everything we do that is of importance to us requires the devotion of our time. If we like a clean house or a manicured yard we must put in the time to maintain those features. If we like to be good in academics or athletics then we must set aside time for study and practice. Our faith should be the same way. For us to be good Catholics we must devote the time for growth in our faith. This would include personal time for prayer, scripture reading and the study of the writings of our Church fathers.

Personal time is not all that is needed for growth in faith. A few weeks ago was the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. We learned that we are all members of the Kingdom of God. Just as the members of earthly kingdoms do, we must come together to praise and worship our heavenly king. We come together through the celebration of the Mass. This coming together in celebration of the Mass is so important to the formation of our faith that it is one of the five precepts of the Church.

The Precepts of the Church are the basic actions required as a practicing Catholic. The five precepts are;

• You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.
• You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
• You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season. 
• You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
• You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church. 

The precepts are in place to guarantee each one of us has the opportunity for more growth in our faith. Monday, December 8, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is a Holy Day of Obligation. We know that as a precept of the Church, we must attend Mass on Monday and that by attending Mass we will grow in our faith.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was infallible dogma proclaimed by Pope Pius IX in 1854. He stated that “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.” We learn through the Catechism of the Catholic Church that Mary, "full of grace" through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. Mary was born into our world free of Original Sin.

In this second week of Advent there will be many opportunities to follow the precepts of the Church. Along with attending Mass on the Holy Day of Obligation, our Cathedral will offer a Reconciliation service on December 10th. The Advent giving tree is now available. It is one of many ways you can help provide for the needs of the Church. May your faith continue to grow.

Advent and the New Liturgical Year

This is the column I wrote for our Church bulletin dated November 30, 2014.

When we begin a new calendar year we start a cycle that recalls different parts of our life throughout that calendar year.  Think of birthdays and anniversaries as examples of this.  We also begin a new cycle of celebrating events that are important to us as a people of a community.  Think of Independence Day or Memorial Day as examples of this type of celebration.  These days are not forgotten because they are important to us either as an individual or as part of a larger community.

Today is the first day of a new year in the Catholic Church.  It is the beginning of the new liturgical year.  The cycle of recalling the events of God interacting with his people will begin anew.  The Church will also use the liturgical year as an opportunity to help us reach our desire of eternal salvation.  One of the first things you will notice in the new liturgical year is a change in the Sunday Gospel reading.  The Church is now in Cycle B. The Gospel readings for the Sunday Masses of the new liturgical year will be from the Gospel of Saint Mark and chapter 6 of the Gospel of John.  The Gospel cycle gives us the opportunity to hear all four Gospels over three years.  This spacing allows us to grow in our understanding of the Gospel message as we grow spiritually and intellectually in our own life.  The liturgical calendar is different from a calendar year in that it is more than just a way to mark the passing of time. It also helps us to better understand and live our faith.

A calendar year can mark the passing of time by season; winter, summer, fall and spring.  The Church liturgical calendar also marks the passing of time through seasons.  The seasons of the Liturgical calendar are Lent, Sacred P aschal Triduum, Easter, Ordinary Time, Christmas and the season we are beginning today, Advent.  Each season points us to a very special event that happens in the life of the Church.  Just as the changing cycle of the Gospel readings help us grow in our faith, so too does the liturgical season help us prepare, appreciate and understand the events that take place in the Church.

The liturgical year always begins with the season of Advent. It is a time of preparation.  The Advent season focuses on the both the birth of Christ and his second coming.  In the first reading of today’s Mass we hear the Israelites calling out to God.  They are in exile and are praying for God to reveal himself to them.  The Israelites are asking God to come to their aid.  In the Advent season we too are awaiting the coming of Jesus.  Open yourself up to the beauty of the Advent season.  Participate in all the events the Cathedral is offering.  Expand your prayer life.  Remove yourself from that what separates you from God.  Become what the Israelites pray; “clay in the Father’s hand.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

This is from the column I wrote for our Church bulletin dated November 23, 2014.

The world of today seems to be much closer to us than ever before. We can see images of faraway places by just a few clicks on our computer or smart phone. We stay current in worldwide news through the Internet and watch our favorite movies over and over again on our mini pads. Videos of the latest disaster or merry moment are almost instantaneously available to us. We use our phones to check the weather before we leave our homes and we view and review our vacation destinations by web site.

These same devices that bring the world so close to us have caused many of us to disassociate ourselves from it. The world is at our fingertips yet many of us do not feel part of it anymore. The devises that make the world smaller also cut us off from its inhabitants. There is no need for interaction when everything we desire is at our fingertips. When we have no interaction with other people and places, we begin to separate ourselves from them. The problems we see others facing in different parts of the world become their problems not ours. The world does seem to be closer and smaller but is it more merciful and loving?

Today is the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This feast day was established in 1925 by Pope Pius IX. It was created in response to a changing world view. People doubted the existence of God or the need for one. The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe should remind us that we are part of one kingdom. Though we may live in different parts of the world and have different cultures, we all are citizens of the Kingdom of God. Our King is King of the Universe. He is not a king that sits on his throne without regard for his people. Our King will not leave us to ourselves. He will seek us out and rescue those who call out to him. We hear in today’s readings that our King can be likened to a shepherd. He will attend his flock. He will search out all who have strayed and he will bind their wounds. Our God will give us rest and heal our illness.

Jesus has been given power to judge us all. Though king and judge, he is also our shepherd. He does not abandon us nor are we to abandon others. God created all of us. We are all citizens of God’s kingdom and we should live according to the precepts of our King, Jesus Christ. We are called to be merciful and loving. Our treatment of the people of God will decide if we inherit the kingdom of Jesus Christ.

The Greatest Commandment

These are excerpts from the homily I gave on the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, October 26, 2014.

When the Pharisees ask Jesus what is the most important commandment,  It is a legitimate question.  It is a question the Pharisees have been debating amongst themselves for generations.  The Pharisees identified 613 commandments in the Torah, the first five books of the Bible.  Two hundred forty-eight were positive, things to do, “thou shall” and three hundred sixty-five were negative, things not to do, “thou shall not”.  Asking Jesus "which commandment in the law is the greatest," the Pharisees are stating that the law comes first and must be followed.

The response Jesus gives to the question is:
“You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, with your whole soul and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and first commandment.  The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus is teaching us that the law comes from our relationships with God, neighbor and ourself.  It defines the reason for following his commands.  Love is part of the greatest commandment because the law flows from God's love for us.  Love comes first then the law follows.

Jesus tells us who our neighbor is by the use of parables.  Think of the Good Samaritan, his neighbor was the total stranger he helped.  We cannot love God if we do not love our neighbor who is also the stranger we do not know.  Love of neighbor is an essential part of our desire to love God.  If we fail in this we fail in our love for God.  If we do not recognize our neighbor as our brother, we cannot recognize God as our Father and we cannot love what we do not recognize.  God makes it quite clear to love either God or neighbor without love for the other is impossible

We read in scripture (1 Jn.3: 20):
"Anyone who says 'I love God' and does not love his neighbor is a liar" for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.”

Let each one of us ask ourself today how seriously we take the Greatest Commandment of all and the second commandment like it.  How do we show love to our neighbor?  Do we notice those people who pass through our daily life as strangers?  If you are not still not sure who your neighbor is recall the words from Pope Benedict.  This is one of my favorite quotes and comes from the encyclical God is Love:
“Anyone who needs me, and whom I can help, is my neighbor.”

Open the Door when He knocks.

My wife and I dated for over three year before our marriage. The last few months before our marriage became fairly routine. So routine that we rarely made plans for seeing each during that time. We just assumed what we would do. Three or four evenings a week I would go to her house and we would watch television or play dominoes with her parents. On some of those evenings I would pick her up and we would go back to my parent’s house to watch television or sit on our porch swing. 

Saturday evening was always different. We would go out on a “date”. I would take my fiancee to a movie and dinner or to some special event taking place. There were some Saturdays that I would be late. I would either be busy helping at the house or some friend would unexpectedly drop by. Whatever the reason, I was past my normal arrival time. My soon to be wife was always patiently waiting for me. I must admit it made me feel good. I knew this was someone that truly loved me and wanted me happy even if it caused her disappointment.

God loves us. He desires that we wait for him with love and patience. I was the cause of disappointment for my wife but God does not cause us disappointment. He will come again at the appointed time. Though we are to prepare and wait for his second coming God is also with us now. He comes to us through the Sacraments of the Church and through the people we meet every day.

We must open our hearts to everyone. We must receive every person as though we are receiving Jesus. The Gospel from today’s daily Mass (Luke 12:35-38) tells us “be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.” We are to be ready.  We are not be late. Do not wait for Jesus to come into your life. He is already here, knocking on your door.  We meet him in the sacraments of the Church and in those around us. Go out and meet him with lighted lamps. See God in all of his creation.

Death with Dignity

A few days ago I read an article on the Internet about a young lady dying from a brain tumor. She lives in the state of Oregon that has a dying with dignity law.  This law allows a physician to prescribe drugs that will end someone’s life.  The young lady is planning to commit suicide under Oregon’s death with dignity law.  The lady desires this type of death so much that she and her husband moved from California to Oregon to be able to do this.


In the CNN article I read the lady writes about dying with dignity, not putting her family through the ordeal of seeing her physically deteriorate, and that she has a safety net if the end of life experience becomes unbearable. The lady wishes to die on her own terms.

Death is sad and tragic. It is an ordeal each of us will experience.  I can only relate to it by the experiences I had from watching my parents and sister die.  There can be dignity in death even if it lengthy and painful.  Dignity springs forth from hope.  The one subject I did not read about in the article was anything about a God or the hopes of an after-life except the words “as I pass into whatever's next.”

If you have no hope there is no reason to wait for death.  There is no reason to pray for a miracle. There is no hope that God will work through your sufferings to strengthen those who love you. Ending your life unnaturally takes away the graces your family may receive through the sacrifices they will make for you.

Dignity is the product of hope that comes from the belief that there is a God.  Through our belief in God life becomes important and how we live our life even more important.  When we live our life with the knowledge and belief in an eternal salvation then death becomes a doorway.  We do not need a safety net.  God will be there to walk us through the door.

Cultivating our Vineyard through Baptism

A few days ago I had the honor of baptizing my niece’s daughter.  This event was extra special to me because I had assisted at their Nuptial Mass.  It was a blessing for me to see this young couple’s growth in faith and love as shown through the baptism of their daughter.  I was reminded that our Catholic faith is a living and active faith that is calling us to respond to God’s love.

My niece and her husband have responded to God’s love by being active members in their Catholic faith and by following the teaching of the Church.  They have started their daughter on a journey that should cumulative with an eternity with God our father.  I find comfort in the thought that I could one day rejoin my departed family members praising God in heaven with all of his angels and saints.

The Gospel readings over the last few Sundays were about working in vineyards. God is telling us we have our own vineyards to work in.  My niece and her husband have found their vineyard. It is the raising of their daughter in the Catholic faith.  They will continue to cultivate the graces their daughter received at baptism. They will weed out any evil that tries to ensnare her.  They will give her the tools necessary to work in her own vineyard as she grows.

This would be a great time to recall your own baptismal promises.  Use the graces received through this sacrament to be fruitful.  Cultivate the vineyard God has entrusted to you.

Thoughts on Catechetical Sunday

This is from the Column I wrote for our Church Bulletin dated September 21, 2015.  It includes some words from a talk I gave at a retreat for our catechist.  Some of these thoughts were also included in my post of August 10, 2014.

Today the Church is celebrating Catechetical Sunday. This is when we recognize those whom the community has designated to serve as catechists. The word catechist comes from the Greek word “echo”. Catechists are people who echo the Word of God. Catechists teach those who seek to learn more about the Catholic faith. This includes our children in CCD classes (Parish School of Religion) and those in the RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). Catechetical Sunday is a wonderful opportunity for all, not just catechist, to reflect on the role that every person plays, by virtue of Baptism, in handing on the faith and being a witness to the Gospel. Catechetical Sunday is a time for all to rededicate themselves to this mission of being a witness to the Gospels as a Catholic community of faith.

The Vatican II document Lumen Gentium states that in the Church not everyone walks along the same path, yet all are called to holiness. By Baptism we are all incorporated into Christ and become the people of God. We each play a unique part in continuing the mission of Jesus in the church and in the world. Lumen Gentium also talks about the vocation of the laity. Vocation is defined as God’s invitation to love and serve him and his church in a particular state or way of life. The laity’s vocation flows from the grace of Baptism. It is the special vocation of all to seek the kingdom of God. We show this by the witness of our life as we illuminate Christ to others. The National Directory for Catechist further emphasizes the vocational call by stating that the ministry of a catechist is a vocation, an interior call, the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Have you considered that through Baptism you are given a vocation? Have you thought about how God has given you an invitation to love and serve him through the passing on of the faith to others? This vocation, this invitation by God to serve him, guides your heart, mind and soul. It is the reason why catechist set aside time for prayer and preparation to teach both our children and adults who desire to learn more about the Catholic faith.

Strengthen your Baptismal vocation at every opportunity. Include in your spiritual life personal prayer time, a love of the Trinity, faithful practice of our Catholic beliefs, be convinced of the truth of our Catholic faith, have a devotion to Holy Mary and actively participate in our parish community, especially Sunday Eucharist. The strength of your spiritual life is an important component to your vocation. Listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Be guided and strengthen in your vocation.

Discernment of the Internet

I try to stay current with Church news and events throughout the world.  I feel this helps me in my Diaconate and as an active Catholic practicing my faith.  I think we all should all be aware of what is going on in the universal Church.  I gleam most of my news from blogs and Catholic news on the internet.  I have found the one thing that attracts the most attention in blogs and on Catholic news sites are stories about Pope Frances.  This is especially true when he grants spontaneous interviews.  I like these types of interviews.  They seem to give a truer portrayal of the faith of Pope Frances.  I noticed over time though how some bloggers immediately write a post trying to explain the meaning behind the words of Pope Frances.  Others immediately denounce his words and decried the fate of the Catholic Church.  Some writers try to shade their comments but the negativism still comes through.

I need to remember that God has given us free will and this includes disagreeing with the thoughts and writings of others.  I do lament the lack of any attempt by some writers to search for a more spiritual meanings to the words of Pope Frances.   Some writers immediately take his words at face value never considering that he may be deliberately calling us to examine our own Catholic faith and actions.  Pope Frances could also be evangelizing others by given them the opportunity to reexamine their own faith in the light of Catholic teachings.  Some writers assign a meaning to his words as if only they themselves know the heart and mind of Pope Frances.

It would be good to remember that blogs, including this one, express opinions only.  The posts are thoughts, opinions and interpretations by the writer.  There are very good blogs on the web that convey excellent Catholic spirituality.  There are many good news websites that report Catholic news with personal commentary clearly labeled.  I recommend we stay current in Church news but remember a college degree or a job description does not necessarily make one an expert.

Continue to search the internet for Catholic news and aids to spiritual growth.  I would recommend you respect the writings and thoughts of others while forming your own opinions.  Always keep yourself open to the Holy Spirit.  Discern what you read in the light of the teachings of Jesus Christ and Church.  The prayer of St. Isidore of Seville, Patron Saint of the Internet.

Almighty and eternal God, 
who created us in Thine image and bade us to seek after all that is good, true and beautiful, 

especially in the divine person of Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, 

grant, we beseech Thee, 

that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, Bishop and Doctor, 

during our journeys through the internet 

we will direct our hands and eyes only to that which is pleasing to Thee 

and treat with charity and patience all those souls whom we encounter. 

Through Christ our Lord. 

 Amen.

Gathered together in His name

My wife and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary by visiting Walt Disney World in Florida. Spending a week at Disney World is really not a unique thing for us as both my wife and I enjoy Disney World. The employees are trained to treat everyone special and for a few days you can forget the demands of the world.

On our drive home I thought back on our trips to Disney World and wondered why we would go there so many times. Yes the employees are all nice but it has to be more than just the employees. The Sunday Mass readings from the Gospel of Matthew (18:15-20) may shed some light on my thoughts particularly: 

     "For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
     there am I in the midst of them.”

Now I am going to use a very simplistic view of this verse. Growing up I would always think Jesus was talking about gathering in a church, an actual building. It is where I would see people praying together as a group. Now imagine a group gathering everyday but at Disney World.  Every morning during our stay at Disney World my wife and I would go stand in a line to wait for the Disney World transportation. Each day the numbered of people waiting for these buses would vary. Some mornings there were only 4 or 5 people waiting while other mornings there would be close to 50 persons in line. The number of people in line never made a difference though because you always waited in the morning heat for the bus. The unique thing is everyone was happy and smiling.  During the long day of walking you could still see smiling, happy faces. I would see people helping others throughout the day and at the end of a long hot day they would give up their seat on the bus to those who seemed to need it more.

Our praying, our gathering together in the name of Jesus is more than reciting prayers.  It is a way of life. When we gather together in happiness and love we reflect our love of Jesus. Love is the prayer of Jesus. We are offering up to Jesus his prayer when we show love to others.

Maybe it is not the rides and attractions that bring us back to Disney World every year. Maybe it is the happiness and contentment that comes from gathering together in the love of God. Does Disney World give some the opportunity to love Jesus without our vanities getting in the way? I am sure each of us has a place we like to visit that seems to be perfect for us. Where we can let go of worldly expectations, let our guard down and truly be who God created us to be. Where is your place? Find it and try to keep that feeling with you even as you return to your daily routine. God is love. Gather together in love of neighbor and Jesus will be with you.

The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit was a prominent subject in my first post and it has continued to be part of my thoughts these last few days.  The more I thought about the Holy Spirit the more I thought about the Sacraments and especially Confirmation.

For those joining the Catholic faith through the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA).  Confirmation usually takes place during the Easter Vigil Mass.  When it is time for the candidates to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, they are called forward after an invitation by the Celebrant.  The celebrant then holds his hands outstretched over the entire group and recites a prayer.  Part of the prayer is "Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their helper and guide".  The prayer continues by asking the Holy Spirit to give wisdom, understanding, right judgment, courage, knowledge and reverence.  It is a beautiful prayer and one that I like to hear every year.  I do not remember the prayer at my confirmation.

I was confirmed in the sixth grade and probably like many sixth graders I did not recognize important events taking place in my life.  I do remember my Confirmation, just not all the specific parts of the sacrament.  I remember the Church seemed to be very bright though our Confirmation was at night.  Bishop Greco talked to us and asked us questions.  I was probably like most of those being confirmed, I raised my hand when I knew the answer and tried to shrink into the pew when I did not.  I also remember the light slap we received from Bishop Greco.  It was a reminder that we were soldiers of God and should bravely spread the Word of God.  To this day I still recall that quick, light slap as something special.  It was my initiation.  I felt if I had moved into a different stage of my life.

One thing I could not remember was the saint's name I chose for Confirmation.  We choose a saint's name as a heavenly patron to us.  It is to help those being confirmed develop a deeper understanding of how the communion of saints can guide and assist us in our daily life.  Not knowing my confirmation name began to bother me so a few days ago I had my sacrament records searched.  You cannot imagine the awe I felt when I found out my Confirmation name was St. Peter.  I do not remember why I chose St. Peter so long ago but I immediately thought of Saint Stephen the first martyr of the church.  St. Stephen was a deacon.  He was chosen by the twelve Apostles.  Hands were laid upon him by the Apostles, including St. Peter, my Confirmation name.

I will now always wonder if Saint Peter has been gently guiding me all these years.  Over 43 years ago I chose a saint for Confirmation that chose the first Deacon, which I too have become.  Do you remember the saint you chose for Confirmation?  If not, find out through church records.  Review the life of your Confirmation saint again.  Can you see similarities or guidance that you may not have recognized before.  Pray to your saint.  Make your saint part of your life.  Let me know what you discover.

Called by God

I was ordained into the Diaconate on May 7, 2005. The ordination included the presentation of the Book of the Gospels. The Bishop hands the Book of Gospels to the newly ordained and says:

    “Receive the Gospel of Christ,
     whose herald you now are.
     Believe what you read,
     teach what you believe,
     and practice what you teach.”

I remember thinking of the power and commitment behind those words. Not only was I to teach the faith that I believed so deeply in but I was to now called to live that faith as fully as I could. I wondered could one truly practice what he teaches? I thought of all the months of discernment that took place before that Saturday morning of my ordination. I recalled the trust I had placed in the Lord and opening myself up to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit had brought me to that moment in the sanctuary and would be my help and comfort in the future.

Those thoughts came back to me last Saturday during a catechist retreat. The definition of Catechist is to be an echo.  Catechist are to echo the teachings of Jesus to others. This can be an intimidating thought to a catechist.  A catechist must have faith in their knowledge of Catholicism to effectively echo the Word of God.  During the retreat the catechist were given tools to help them teach with confidence.  They were reminded of the importance of their spiritual formation and how it cannot be overlooked.  The Holy Spirit has continued to give me strength and knowledge the first nine years of my Diaconate journey.  A catechist should also seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit as they pass on our their faith. 

Deacon and catechist are called by God to echo the Word of God. One receives it by his call to ordination and the other by the commissioning of their baptismal vocation.  Both need continual growth in their spiritually and knowledge of the Catholic faith.  I hope you will join me by visiting this blog many times in the future as we try to echo the teachings of Jesus to ourselves and to others.