An Open Letter to Senator Obama

An open letter to Senator Barack Obama:

Dear Senator Obama;

I listened carefully to your acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention and was very deeply moved. I sense you understand the need for these United States of America to once again be a united people of courage, caring and sharing LIFE in the spirit that has made America great.
I have been undecided in this most important of elections of recent times. After hearing your speech and studying your positions on many issues I felt ready to make a decision.
Except for one issue in which you refuse to honestly explain or discuss your position. The issue of abortion is too important to hide under the wraps of fancy political double talk. As a former Republican I am now a Democrat (a Democrat for Life).
Will you please answer these questions?
How could you be so instrumental in Illinois when you brought about the defeat of the a law that would have allowed the saving of infants born alive during an abortion?
How can you accept the support of the abortion mill, Planned Parenthood? Documented evidence is available of PPH's founder, Margaret Sanger's position on eugenics and the racist targeting of blacks as an inferior people? Or even their recent tapped phone conversations accepting donations to help abort black babies?
Any of these questions and points can be easily researched via the internet. I encourage all readers to simply Google these topics and study for yourself. The choice is yours.
Why can't you even consider the concept of requiring full and clear information being required as to what is being aborted and how it is done to the unborn and the impact it has on women before an abortion is chosen. What is wrong with fully educated choice?
I purposefully chose the picture attached to this letter as an honest example of the information pro-abortion people are so afraid of sharing, or viewing.
I want to give you my vote Senator but until you honestly and courageously answer these questions and convince me how your decisions are right, that will not happen.
I also wrote a letter to you at your campaign headquarters a couple of months ago seeking the same information. While not surprised, I had no reply.
For the sake of this nation and of life, please answer the questions.

Harry J. Martin

Souls, Soils Seeds & The Sower

The cyber-version of my homily for the 15th Sunday Ordinary Time

Today we share the Parable of the Sower. This familiar “earthly story with a heavenly meaning” helps us to realize the power of the seed of God’s Word and the opportunity we have as we allow our Lord to transform and care for the soils of our soul.
When my wife and I were first married we lived at our church camp in the foothills of Western Washington. We wanted to have a vegetable garden. We figured with my gardening and Randi’s kitchen skills we could put up some good food for our pantry. The best place for a garden was a sunny area next to the house. Water was available and the ground had been fallow for years. However it had also been a path/driveway/parking area for a long time. So the soil, already very rocky, proved very resistant for my pick and shovel to make into a fertile garden. So…. I went and got our camp backhoe and dug, deeply, the rocky scrape ground into garden soil. Turning over the soil, I moved rocks building them into a wall around the garden. I then went to the horse barn and brought loads of aged manure to work into the ground. That rocky garden plot was probably one of the best vegetable gardens we have had over the years. And, as often is the case in the garden, it was a precious place of prayerful learning from the Master Gardener.

Often in thinking of this parable we are brought to think that we are to be only and always the rich fertile soil. Yet Jesus, a man of the earth and familiar with the realities of life makes clear that this is about real times and places of life. Our souls will know, in the course of a lifetime’s journey, the soils and places of the soul. Jesus, the Christ also helps us to learn we are called to be souls whose soil is made fertile in the fruitful understanding of the Word of God.
Path soil is shallow and while often receptive to seeds of grace will usually result in shallow-rooted plants easily lost when the evil one comes along to steal away the Word of God. Much like the crows or blue jays that will feast their way through a newly sown garden the seeds of grace intended by God can be lost.
Rocky ground also is not initially well suited for a rich and fertile garden. When the heat and scorching wind burn with trials and persecutions seedlings of faith and untested hopes may quickly wither and die. But when worked by the nail-scarred hands of the Master Gardener the stoniest, hardest of hearts can be made rich and fruitful.
Briar patches overgrown with the thorny worries and cares of this life can quickly overwhelm and crowd out that which the gardener intends to flourish. So often we allow our pride and possessions to choke out the seeds of God’s Word. Possessions, material or otherwise (pride, greed, lusts, anger) can choke out the Truth and peace sown by the Spirit of God.
However the fertile soil of the soul that has been broken up and nourished by waters of baptism and works of faith-filled penance, then nourished by grace will provide fertile, deep soil. The seed of God’s Word can grow to full, fruitful abundance. It is in this place that the soul comes to understand the Word of God.
It is in the simplicity of that word, understanding, that we also find our hope for those times when we are facing places of shallow, path-like, or rocky, and overgrown brier-filled life.
Jesus longs for people to receive and understand His Word. Christ recognized and confronted the reality that people often have in their lives times when the soil of their soul is shallow, easily robbed. He faces the rocky hardness of hearts beaten by forces of testing and oppression. He felt the thorny thickets of pride and self-important arrogance found in many of the learned and powerful of that time and ours. Yet, He calls us to fruitful faith, as we believe and understand His Word.
The Greek word found here in the Gospel describes a growing understanding and faith of mind and heart. This is not just intellectual attainment or proud accomplishments of knowledge. Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb, ironically, yet with wisdom, defined understanding as simply: “to stand under”. It is the working of the grace of God when the experience of God’s Word opens blinded eyes and deaf ears of the mind and heart. The Greek roots of the word translated “understanding” define a sending under, of union with, that which we want to comprehend.
This is when the light bulb comes on”.or when we “hear it for the first time” in the heart and mind of faith.
The Prophet Isaiah defined the Holy Spirit as the “ Spirit of Understanding”. Following the Spirit of God, we are lead to the Cross, to Christ and that there our understanding grows in the Truth and power of God’s Word that will return, with us, to Heaven fruitful in grace and mercy.

Lord have Mercy

We face floods of catastrophic proportions in the midwest.
A fire season in California of profound and dangerous intensity has started and it isn't even summer.
Drought conditions are impacting food production here in California and throughout the world.
Fuel and economic chaos is impacting every nation and family, most with stress and loss. While the very wealthy are generally growing richer.
The moral morass of this nation and much of the world is a battleground of fears prejudice and greed with selective judgement and condemnation while souls starve not just for food, but for for acceptance, respect and love.
The Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2009 will be $2,650 Billion Dollars. 54% ($1,449. Billion will go for military spending. 46% ($1,210. Billion will go for domestic needs. This nation's military spending eclipses beyond comprehension any other nation on earth. When this nation invaded Iraq in March of 2003 someone asked my thoughts. Before I could even form any significant thoughts I heard myself say.."This nation needs to pray for mercy."
Christ's message was really quite simple in the Upper Room. As He faced the hate and doubts of the world He gave us His Body, His Blood. While John the Beloved trusted in His embrace God, come in the Flesh said:
"This is My Commandment, Love one another as I have loved you..." {John 13:34}

Lord Have Mercy...

Feast of Corpus Christi ~ Reflections

The Feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated this past Sunday. In our parish it was also First Communion weekend. The Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist was one of the pivotal reasons I entered into full communion as a Roman Catholic. Yet I felt this Sunday that for numerous reasons, Christ’s Presence is hidden.
We become so engrossed in the externals of our faith. For some this means focusing upon the tradition and ritual as it is expected and understood. Processions, certain songs (In English or Latin), and for the sacrament of First Holy Communion, clothing and gestures all fill the time and heart with the stuff, the externals of what should be a simple and genuine faith and love.
Others may not focus upon the seeming older traditions but instead will focus on the Body of Christ as THE PEOPLE OF GOD, emphasis on THE PEOPLE. With this focus we often experience so much awareness of the community we lose ……our communion, with Christ.
Perhaps, now that the celebrations are past we can simply remember their intent and and simply celebrate…Christ.
“Sweetheart of Jesus, be my love”

Pentecost

Here is the cyber-version of my homily for the Feast of Pentecost:

GROWING IN THE FULLNESS of GOD

“No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit. It is in these words that the message of God this Feast of Pentecost, is focused. When we speak of Pentecost there are many thoughts that come to mind. As a servant of Christ from the tradition of the Charismatic church many would have expectations of how or what my message should be. For others the mention of Pentecost will mean the symbols of fire, water, wind or oil. In celebrating the gift of this third Person of the Holy Trinity we struggle to understand the infinite Spirit of God in terms our human mind can embrace. Even the use of pronouns is a quandery for some. Is the Holy Spirit to be expressed as a person..or “IT”? Is the Spirit of Christ to be thought of as HE or SHE in deferrence to those who like to dwell on issues of gender? The Gift of the Holy Spirit, given to ALL believers is about more than pronouns or symbols, the gifts of tongues or emotional fervor.
It is in this holy mystery, the infinite fullness of God with which we are called to be filled, immersed, to be baptized. For it is the Holy Spirit that is given to lead us beyond our struggling selves, our futile intellect and understanding, to grow in fullness of Christ our Risen Lord. For in the the Feast of Pentecost we celebrate a profound change in the relationship of God with humanity. From special outpowerings of the Holy Spirit upon prophets and holy leaders we see the Presence of God given to ALL the faithful. We see it is the longing of our Heavenly Father that we would know the Presence of His Son through the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We all are called to EXPERIENCE the growing fullness of God in our everyday life. Let’s open our hearts to this gift as we explore some of those familar lessons of God’s Spirit.

THE POWER of HIS PEACE: God well knew that the early church would be growing in an environment and time harsh and deadly to the things of God. Our Lord well knows we live in and environment and time that is seemingly as harsh and deadly to His Kingdom. We could easily fret and worry for all the problems that face our faith, our homes, our Church. But as Christ met with His followers He gave them His Peace. So it is today that the Holy Spirit would cause each of us in our journey and place in life to grow deeply rooted in the eternal, infinte and growing Truth of Christ and His holy loving peace. As we yield to the embrace of the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, in the challenges and heartaches of life we experience the hands of God rooting us ever more securely in the Rock of Christ our Risen Lord. It is in the power of God’s Spirit that we are rooted by the wood of the Cross in the empty tomb to know the promise and power of His resurrection. It is with the Holy Spirit we experience God’s “peace that surpasses all understanding” or circumstance.

THE PURPOSE OF THE BREATH of GOD: The wind, the breath, of God blew powerfully upon the disciples in that upper room. So it should be in our lives today. God may whisper His plans and purpose for us in a quiet reading of the Scriptures or a time of reflection in the garden or before His Presence in the Blessed Sacrament. God may also blast us with His intent with gusts and gales of providential circumstance. The disciples were lead to diverse peoples and places by the circumstances of struggle they faced in Jerusalem. Our instinct would lead us to nest and stay in places of ease and comfort. But in Scripture and in life we see that while we are ever to be rooted secure in the truth and peace that is Christ we also see that the Holy Spirit may well fill the sails of our life to bring us to face and grow through needs, people, places and issues that His redeeming love would seek to embrace...through us. This holy breath of God will empower us to live in the freedom that is found where the Spirit sets us free. This holy wind of God will enflame the very fire and passion that will consume our doubts, fears and sins and enflame within the fire of Christ’s love..

THE FIRE of GOD: We experience the fire of God’s passion as we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to greater love in Christ through His Cross. As Christ showed His disciples His hands and side He was calling them to enter in and share in the Passion of His Holy Wounds. It is in the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit that God will take our wounds, our brokeness and by uniting them with Christ’s bring us to healing, wholeness and the Passion of His love.

This day of Pentecost may we each, together, allow the fullness of the Spirit of God to fill these humble temples with God’s Presence and power. May we each grow and share our experience of living and proclaiming Jesus is Lord, by the Holy Spirit.

The Pope's Message to the United States

Pope Benedict XVI has concluded his first visit to the United States. It was fascinating to listen to the media, and various individuals, (Catholic or otherwise) with their various comments on what "the Pope said".
I was deeply moved by our Holy Father's visit. I appreciated his courage and straight forward comments on the sexual abuse scandal, his outreach to diverse faiths, and to all the people of our Catholic Church.
I was not surprised that there are those who would focus on sound bites and excerpts to prove or disprove their prejudices about the Pope, the Church or our Lord.
I am prayerfully hoping however, that the Catholic Church in the United States will truly allow the message of our Pope to bring us all closer to Christ, and each other.
If there was one consistent message in all he shared it was that we are to be a true people of Christ, allowing the Spirit of God to bring healing and unity to His Church.

"Our celebration today is also a sign of the impressive growth which God has given to the Church in your country in the past two hundred years. From a small flock like that described in the first reading, the Church in America has been built up in fidelity to the twin commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. In this land of freedom and opportunity, the Church has united a widely diverse flock in the profession of the faith and, through her many educational, charitable and social works, has also contributed significantly to the growth of American society as a whole.

This great accomplishment was not without its challenges. Today's first reading, taken from the Acts of the Apostles, speaks of linguistic and cultural tensions already present within the earliest Church community. At the same time, it shows the power of the word of God, authoritatively proclaimed by the Apostles and received in faith, to create a unity which transcends the divisions arising from human limitations and weakness. Here we are reminded of a fundamental truth: that the Church's unity has no other basis than the Word of God, made flesh in Christ Jesus our Lord. All external signs of identity, all structures, associations and programs, valuable or even essential as they may be, ultimately exist only to support and foster the deeper unity which, in Christ, is God's indefectible gift to his Church."

From Pope Benedict's homily at Yankee Stadium, Sunday, April 20, 2008

Born Blind

From my homily for the Fourth Sunday of Lent:

BORN BLIND

 

From birth his eyes had never

seen his Mama’s face

as she held him in her arms,

with tears

for the blind mistake.

Or his Papa’s worried love

as he came through the door,

those sights his eyes,

never did behold.

He had never seen

the sun

shining gold

through the trees.

Never saw 

the birds

In Spring’s green joy

to wing.

He never saw the grapes

at violet harvest crush.

Nor see the red of wine,

to cheeks bring a blush.

He never

Saw,

but felt,

those who at him

long would stare.

He heard,

but never saw

those who at his faults,

would glare.

He never saw a smile,

for a job, that he had done.

He never saw a dog

that with a child did run.

No color he liked best.

For black was all he knew.

The thought of red or green,

he could not even construe.

He never saw a friend,

with him together sit.

Never saw a laugh,

a smile,

or a loving kiss.

The awe of holy places,

in beauty white and gold,

his blinded eyes

had never to behold.

The orange and red of sunrise,

awakening in him hope,

his eyes had never seen.

Darkness only spoke.

So that day 

in darkness,

he sat along the way,

begging for the alms

that might his hunger stay.

The commotion he did hear.

A crowd was coming near.

He hoped some coins might come.

But better did he fear.

Alms of pride and arrogance,

more likely would be flung.

The crowd he heard go quiet.

A man he felt nearby.

And in the blinding darkness

The sound of spit

did fly.

He never saw the hands,

fingers,

he only felt.

The mud upon his eyes,

a strange, 

but holy help.

The Voice, 

The Man,

did say, with words

of love and hope.

the pool of Siloam go,

for there to wash and pray.

He stumbled to the pool,

to the waters edge he went.

The mud

he washed away,

in faith’s

blind assent.

His eyes,

he then did open.

And looking

he then saw.

The light,

The day and

Hope,

in wonder and in awe.

What followed happened quickly.

he saw,

and

he was seen.

The people were amazed.

To many

it seemed

but a dream.

But others were unhappy.

They did not 

understand.

They judged

this man so sinful

his seeing

they could not stand.

His critics now,

he saw,

their righteous

arrogance.

The man born blind,

he saw.

In humble truth,

he spoke.

“The Man who made the mud,

and to my eyes did place.

His Word I did obey.

And now before you face.

I do not understand.

But blind,

yes once,

I truly was.

But now

I know that Man,

a Prophet

is to all.”

So out they did him throw.

And hatred,

he did see.

Out into the streets,

from blindness did he flee.

Outcast once again,

alone he did go.

But streets no longer dark,

he walked, alive 

in hope.

A Man,

he then did see,

who smiling,

toward him came.

The Voice

he recognized

t’was He

the mud had made.

And looking

in His eyes,

of He who saw him blind,

he heard

His Words

and saw the Son of Man

and Love.

Lord come

to us

blind also.

So clearly

we think,

we see,

the sins, the faults

of others,

then whispers spread,

with glee.

But

blind

we proudly see ,

ourselves so better 

for to be,

in holiness and deed,

in loving charity.

But. truth be told

and heard,

we’re really in a mess.

So please Lord,

Please do come,

Bring light to our darkness.

My eyes do cover all,

with mud’s humility,

that at repentance’s pool

your mercy may then free

and open wide our eyes

to truly love and see

each other in Your Light

but most importantly,

You,

Your eyes

Your smile,

Your Love,

eternally.

“Blessed are they”….a critical fundamentally, thinking, relevant Gospel

This last Sunday before Lent begins the Gospel presents us with a familiar message. In the Beatitudes Christ shared on the Sermon on the Mount we hear the oft heard and less often fully lived “Blessed are they’s” of Christ. To share in the blessings of the poor in spirit, meek, and persecuted does not fit well with the self-centered prosperity gospel that many long to hear. Even those who may hunger for what Christ is calling us to may, because of the familiarity, enter into a “yes I have heard this before” slumber.
But before we wrestle with poverty of spirit or meekness or any of the other precepts of our King we might consider the basic affirmation and promise He makes. What is it to be “blessed”?
This frequently repeated word in both Old and New Testament could accurately be expressed as…HAPPY. In the Greek of the New Testament the word can be expressing…”blessed…. happy… adorable”! It is a challenge to humanity but the simple Biblical truth is that the longing of the Sacred Heart of our Lord is to see His creation, women, men all the children of God in the happiness God longs to share and nurture in our lives. This paradox is difficult for those who thrive on a God of vengeance and wrathful purity. It is also difficult to reconcile with the poor of spirit, persecuted and struggling we see in the beatitudes.
These profound invitations and promises of God are summed up in another Gospel verse. In Luke 11:28 it is written:

But he said, "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

Jesus is sharing this “blessing” in response to a common trait of believers. There are those in the crowd who upon the subject of Mary, the Blessed Mother, proclaim with fervor her blessed state. It is sometimes so much easier to project and assume God’s blessings…true happiness for others. We in false humility, fear or simple doubt are reluctant to hear and heed what Jesus would say. The blessings, the happiness that God designs us to live and grow in are simply found in living His Word.

But….this brings us to the very basic question of how are we to study, to understand the Bible? Believers over the ages have struggled with this issue. By the time of Christ the Pharisees and Sadducees had developed two distinct schools of Scripture interpretation. In our day and age with the plethora of Bible versions the matter is even more pronounced. While their many distinct aspects of Bible interpretation any serious student of Scripture will probably prefer and follow on of two major approaches.

The fundamentalist and generally conservative approach will take and adhere to a literal reading and understanding. In the Beatitudes this works albeit with a real wake up call to the vitality and depth of our faith. This is healthy and needed in our faith. However this literal approach runs into a major obstacle in this same sermon for but a few verses later Jesus is saying if our hand offends us the cut it off or if our eye offends us pluck it out. In the context of dealing with temptation and the occasions of sin this would leave most of the people in the church either maimed or partially blind, if interpreted literally.

Now if we follow the critical thinking approach of studying the actual Greek or Hebrew words along with determining the actual person who “wrote” the message evaluated in context of text, time, place, custom and the personality and background of the writer we gain a rich and often much debated interpretation. This approach is valid and essential in the ongoing quest of the Truth of the Gospel. However it frequently becomes an intellectually elite school of scholars that disdain any approach other than the course of interpretation of which they approve. Many out spoken critical thinking scholars develop a pseudo-magisterium of liberal theology that is vehement in their fundamentalist fervor of refusing to acknowledge validity to any school of thought other than their own. This is a sad trait shared with their fundamentalist siblings.

All the while the strict adherence to one school of Bible study versus the other leaves many believers bewildered or excluding others and themselves from the very blessings and happiness that God longs for us all to…..share.

What is the answer? Perhaps it is in a critically thinking approach that allows that portions of Scripture are clearly meant to be received as written, literally. It is in the yielding of our body, souls (minds) and spirits in a living faith that seeks and allows the Holy Spirit of God to lead and teach us in the living and growing Truth that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As we prayerfully study Christ’s message in the Sermon on the Mount, Luke 11:28 and especially John 14 -17 we hear our Lord calling us to a living relationship with He who is the Truth that sets us free to be blessed as God desires. We need to stop restricting Christ to the finite little boxes of our understanding, intellect or pride. The Gospel of the Kingdom is far to big for anyone of us to try to confine the mercy and love, the holy happiness and blessing that is Christ. It is then we experience that Christ and the Gospel are fully relevant for all ages.

AFTER THE SHEPHERDS LEFT

Does this story contain any truth?

You alone can decide.






It now was very late. The shepherds had left. Their angel-fueled awe had been overwhelmed as they knelt in the quiet before the Christ child. Joseph and Mary were full of joy and welcome. Yet the keepers of the sheep, ever mindful of the needs of those they cared about sensed the weariness in the holy couple. They had humbly left with holy joy brightening the journey back to the hills above Bethlehem.
Now Joseph sought to make Mary and in the Infant Jesus as warm and comfortable as possible in the stable. Jesus was fed and wrapped in clean warm swaddling clothes as He rested in His mother’s young arms. But He would not rest.
His restless squirms and fussing cries troubled the Virgin Mother. Joseph sought, with his weary love, to comfort and help calm the restless hunger of the infant. But Jesus would not rest.
As the long chill night crept on the Infant stayed awake with longing cries and squirming silences. It was in a few moments of tired silence Mary and Joseph heard the steps. In the cold stony ground outside the stable the stealthy steps could not be hidden. Glancing at each other in worry Mary and Joseph said with their eyes that they both had heard the steps of the intruder. Clutching Jesus closer to her breast Mary covered Him with a blanket. Joseph arose and quietly crept to the stable entrance. It was then that the shadowy figure peaked into the darkened stable.
An anxious cry broke the nervous silence. Struggling within the cloths and blanket Jesus cried with lonely longing cries. And Mary and Joseph understood.
Brightening the small fire Joseph then went to the huddling figure hiding at the entrance. With gentle firmness the person was brought close to the restless Infant. Mary arose and brought Christ to the shaking soul. With a warm smile of she placed the restless Jesus in the dirty arms of the wanderer.
And it was as you received Christ He cried in contented joy. He was at rest. You were with Him.

Come to the Fire

The cyber-version of my homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent

We are just days away from the shortest day of the year. The chill and dark of winter brings us to seek the warmth and light of hearth and home. We are created to be creatures of light and warmth. Especially on a cold winter evening our eyes look to light and our bodies seek warmth. Whether it be a campfire or fireplace, a simple candle or Christmas lights we hasten by sight and effort to that warmth and security.

Yet in the cold, and the darkness of the season we face the harsh reality of life. Like the land of C.S. Lewis’s Narnia frozen by the wicked queen life can be oppressed, seemingly frozen in the cruel sorrows of self, sin and sadness. Sadly the powers of the prince of darkness are not the stuff of myth and legend. Whenever we see murder of innocent life, wars of greed and pride or icy malls of materialism and selfishness we encounter the reality of the powers of darkness.

With the second Sunday of Advent the Holy Spirit beckons us to come out of our darkness and to leave our sin chilled lives to come to the Fire of God as we prepare for our coming King.

When we speak of the fire of we can think of many concepts. There would be those who would rejoice at the flaming chariots of God’s wrath that would consume the evil in the world. Many Jews in Jesus’s time were sure that was what the Messiah should and would do with the evil and decadent Romans. It perhaps should be noted that when Christ spoke of the fire and wrath of God he was speaking to the legalistic, religious Pharisees. Yes..the fire of God will burn and destroy the chaff of sin and selfishness. Yet it is in the season of Advent we can hear and heed the Spirit of God to come to the light and warmth of God’s fire and to be enflamed with the joy and peace of His mercy and love.

We come to the fire of with:

REPENTANCE AND CONVERSION ~ We are called to fuel the eternal mercy and love of God with our humble offering of repentance and true sorrow for our sins. Whether we bring kindlings of temptations left to God or immense timbers of repentance our confessions bring to Christ fuel that will be embraced by holy flames of His mercy, forgiveness and love. From the fiery embrace of His holy Passion we then will be empowered by the Spirit of God to follow in His Light.

LIGHT FOR THE JOURNEY ~ With hearts renewed we then can walk the path of faith through the dark and chill of the world. The Advent candles of His Word lead us to prepare for and welcome His coming into our lives and to bring Him to lives of others. In the light of His holiness we can start to see the beauty and hope in the places, things and people He brings us to meet.

COALS of HOPE and FAITH ~ It is as we come to the Fire of God He gives to us holy coals of hope and faith to be shared with those we would meet. In the cold winds of doubt and fear this world can bring the fickle flames of feeling and emotion may soon be extinguished. Leaving one in confusion and loneliness we may stumble and fall. But carrying in our hearts fervent coals of His hope and faith we can journey in the courage of His peace. Then as we meet others on this path we then can share and bring the fire of His love to warm and encouragement by words and actions of caring trust and respect.

The chill and darkness of this world is especially evident in the winter season. Yet as we come to the fire of God we can know the healing warmth of His embrace of mercy as we live our repentance and follow in the light of His Passion. It is in the fire of God we see and experience the beauty of our coming King and the power of His love.

The Communion of Saints & The Mount of Transfiguration

The Feast of All Saints is a good time to reflect upon the gift of grace we find in the Communion of the Saints.

"...Exactly as Christian communion among fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God" {CCC 957}

The Biblical account of the Mount of Transfiguration has many profound lessons of grace. One, perhaps overlooked, is that it is a lesson in prayer and a lesson of the communion of the saints, provided by Christ.

Christ upon the mountain top,
took along disciples three.
Christ upon the mountain top,
with Moses and Elijah,
they did see.
If Christ our Lord,
with saints did call,
and to His Father's will
give all,
What better way of prayer
for us?
What better way to loose our cares
with trust?
Than with the saints
whose love and faith
will help us,
together,
to grow
in grace.

Mark 9:1-4: (RSV)
And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see that the kingdom of God has come with power."
And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them,
and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
And there appeared to them Eli'jah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus.

Senses of Faith

Here is the cyber-version of my homily for the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time:

“Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.”
— Mother Teresa to the Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, September 1979 These words of Blessed Theresa of Calcutta have shocked the world. Some would say she was a fraud or hypocrite. Others are just shocked or surprised that a woman so loving and caring could feel such uncertainty of her faith.
And we too struggle with faith. We want to feel God’s Presence in our prayers, Bible reading, at Mass. It would seem with all the competition from the world for our feelings God would pay a little more attention to our prayers..our coming into His Presence. We often come to God expecting His appreciation of the privilege of our attendance. We are very unlike the servant Christ speaks of in the Gospel who comes to serve Christ..not to be waited upon by Him. So..when God neglects to acknowledge as we feel we may deserve we sulk and doubt.
The prophet Habbakuk was not feeling God’s help as he expected. The rebellious Hebrews were soon to be chastised and overcome by the evil idolatrous Chaldeans. How could God allow sinners to prosper and chastise His people???? What was God thinking?
Paul in writing to the young priest, Timothy was confronting his fears and doubts and telling him to stir up that live his faith and testimony in the world that was so challenging.
It is in the refrain from our Psalm that we hear the paradoxical call of God that IF we hear His voice, NOT to harden our hearts. It is no accident that this Psalm is the main invitatory Psalm of our Church prayed everyday by the faithful clergy.
But it is in the Gospel we see most clearly God’s design of eternal love. His love that sows seeds of trust and challenges us to be servants growing strong in faith. The reason God does not always cater to our temporal feelings and senses is simply LOVE..eternal love. Hence He seeks to cause us to grow strong in the senses of faith. At our baptism, every time we come and hear God’s Word seeds of faith are planted and nourished that the true Senses of Faith may become strong.

EARS of FAITH ~ Listening to His Word, His Holy Spirit leading into the Truth that frees from fear and the lies of doubt. How much of you daily life, your family life is directed by faith or, perhaps very deceptively dictated by fear or doubt. God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a disciplined mind. If today..you hear His voice.....calling to trust...to look beyond our understanding, abilities, the waves or fear...to HIm

EYES of FAITH ~ What is your focus? The church..its problems..personal sorrows, fears..what is your focus? It is in the light of faith we see the truth. (Looking at life, etc. with critical thinking..critical mind). Faith in what we see..feel..or in the vision God will provide. Are we willing to WAIT, in faith, for the vision to be fulfilled?

WORDS of FAITH ~ We confess with our mouth what is in our hearts. Do we proclaim our fear, doubt, resentments? Or do we nourish faith (others and ours as well) by sharing our testimony..our faith story?

STEPS of FAITH ~ It is as we hear God in His Word, in prayer that we must decide if we are to follow. it is when we see Him, Present in the poor, the outcast, or lonely we must decide to see beyond our self, comfort, pleasure or pride. Perhaps He is calling to look past somebody’s sin to the mercy and forgiveness He seeks us to share. True, living faith is something that will cause us to step out in love, away from fear toward His Kingdom, toward Him.


Jesus challenges us that we don’t need a lot of faith.. We simply need to exercise and nourish the faith He gives. It is as we follow Him He heals, strengthens and enables us to see, hear and follow Him into His Presence and peace that surpasses all understanding.

{For added reflection upon the senses of faith:}

St. Francis of Assisi, not long before his death, almost blind from eye disease, in pain and suffering from the stigmata, his worldly senses overwhelmed by life..heard and proclaimed, with senses of faith, one of his greatest prayers..the Canticle of the Sun:

Canticle of Brother Sun
St. Francis of Assisi, 1225
Most high, all-powerful, all good, Lord!
All praise is yours, all glory, all honor
And all blessing.
To you alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy
To pronounce your name.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through all that you have made,
And first my lord Brother Sun,
Who brings the day; and light you give to us through him.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor!
Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and Stars;
In the heavens you have made them, bright
And precious and fair.

All praise be yours, My Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all the weather's moods,
By which you cherish all that you have made.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water,
So useful, lowly, precious and pure.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,
Through whom you brighten up the night. 
How beautiful is he, how gay! Full of power and strength.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Earth, our mother,
Who feeds us in her sovereignty and produces
Various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon 
For love of you; through those who endure
Sickness and trial.
Happy those who endure in peace,
By you, Most High, they will be crowned.

All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death,
From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin! 
Happy those She finds doing your will!
The second death can do no harm to them.
Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,
And serve him with great humility.

Forgiven by the Father

Eager, stubborn the boy had left,
off to live his life he set.
From the father’s wealth he bore,
From the father’s heart he tore,
Love and hopes with tears he gave,
the son his share of what he’d saved.

The son the road quickly trod.
And spread his given wealth abroad.
Seeking pleasure and sensual gain,
Soon he found but loss and pain.

Money gone and hunger found,
In lonely places the boy did scrounge.
For wasted food with swine he fought,
as solace for his hunger sought.

The empty pangs of stomach hid,
not the pains of his heart, but bid.
Longing for the meals of home,
Even a servants place his heart did own.

Struggling in his sorrow.
Aching in his loss,
His father’s gate in humble tears,
he arose and sought.

For his son his thoughts did trend.
As his pain, his heart did rend.
Looking, watching the homeward path
His wearied hopes could not slack.

Then one day, his eyes with tears did fill.
With joy and love did they spill.
For up the road in rags so humbled,
the son he sought did weakly stumble.

Running fast his child to embrace
the father ran the eager race.
In broken sorrow his child had trod.
In love and joy the father called,
My son!

"Will you trust Me?"

For the 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time ~ 9 September 2007 ~

WILL YOU TRUST ME?

“Will you trust me?”
Was the gentle query,
that was heard,
when one day,
upon Christ,
my Love,
I awaited.
No audible words.
No rush of angels wings,
upon the wind,
was felt,
or heard.

It was in the woods,
our time together,
in the early evening.
I had shared my prayers,
in my end of the work day
weary, dusty, praise.
Hungering for Him,
His Word,
His Presence,
His Love.
Yet, feeling, knowing
my failures,
my weakness,
my fears.
I felt so deeply,
the silence.
I heard so clearly,
nothing.

Weary tears
of hopeless love
spilled from within
my soul of longing.
Past the time
I should return
to my quarters,
yet unfelt,
a gently strong hand
Kept me
in the darkening wood
of longing.
Then, in the shadow,
of His Wood,
my heart heard
the whisper,
“Will you trust Me?”
“Will you follow Me”?

Unseeing,
Unknowing,
Yet with the eternal clarity
And hope
of Love,
Yes, I said.
I will trust You.
I will follow You.

Then remembering
my true self
I cried.
But Lord,
I do not understand.
How can I?
You know….
me.

Then again,
His eyes upon me,
Smiling.
I heard.
“Will you trust me?”
“I do understand,
I know you,
I created you.
Follow Me”.

Then I saw the wood.
Red with His blood.
And I followed Him.

Sweetheart of Jesus,
Be my Love.

And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me”. Mk. 8:34 RSV

God & Bailey

Today's blog entry is going to be different than most. I want to introduce you to Bailey. He is my 6 year of Golden Retriever. From his earliest puppy days he has been my helper and co-worker.
While working with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) he was known as Bailey the Fire Dog. He has worked in fire safety education. As Fire Chaplain Dog he has assisted in many Critical Incident Stress Debriefings besides just comforting victims of the sorrows of life.
He has also come to be known as the Deacon Dog. He lives a simple yet powerful four-footed furry lesson in the grace of simply trusting, loving and joyfully serving whomever he meets.
Bailey is an excellent reminder of the message of God's Word to join with all creation in living in praise to God.

Ps.148

[1] Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights!
[2] Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host!
[3] Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars!
[4] Praise him, you highest heavens,
and you waters above the heavens!
[5] Let them praise the name of the LORD!
For he commanded and they were created.
[6] And he established them for ever and ever;
he fixed their bounds which cannot be passed.
[7] Praise the LORD from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps,
[8] fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!
[9] Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars!
[10] Beasts and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!
[11] Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth!
[12] Young men and maidens together,
old men and children!
[13] Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven.
[14] He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his saints,
for the people of Israel who are near to him.
Praise the LORD!

Tenacious Prayer

"...because of his importunity (tenacity) he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
And I tell you, Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For every one who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. ~ Luke 11:8b-10

The readings for this 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time call to each of us to....PRAY. The message is clear. Christ calls, desires..expects His followers to be tenacious in prayer. As Christians we speak often of prayer. We read about prayer..study prayer..gather for prayer. Yet we oft fail to know the power of prayer because we are not tenacious in our faith. Christ provides all we need to be the tenacious, victorious warriors of prayer He calls for and commands.
His Word will nourish our faith (Romans 10:17) and guide us into His will (Ps 119:105) so that we may pray with confidence (I John 5:14). Guided by His Word we then can know the Holy Spirit's strength to persevere in tenacious faith and love. This tenacious prayer will bring us into the very Presence of God. Fighting past the doubts, fear and distractions of the enemy we can come to the Cross and receiving His Holy Body and Blood we can be nourished by Christ Himself. In His Eucharistic Presence we can know the power and love of His wounds of holy love. If there is a 'secret' of tenacious prayer it is to pray until one is in the Presence of Christ.
For it is in Him we will find the strength, wisdom, guidance, healing, provision...whatever our need or desire it will be found in His way, His time, His place..in Him.
So..let us each ASK... for those needs and desires that which God brings into our lives,
and, SEEK, His will, provision, strength to tenaciously
KNOCK..not just at the doors of life before us but to also, in courageous, loving faith knock down the
very fears, doubts or obstacles that would hinder the love of Christ from being known.

St. Francis of Assisi..prayed with tenacious love and faith. He would not allow failing health, eyesight, discord among his brothers form detering him from prayer. It was in his tenacious faith He experienced the fullest sign of gods' love as he shared the very wounds of Christ.

Helping the Wounded

This Sunday the Gospel shares the account of the Good Samaritan. The story tells of a man, wounded by robbers, left by the roadside. A priest, a Levite pass him by. A Samaritan, symbolic of those perceived to be of lesser value, stops, cares for the man living the love that Christ calls us all to live.
Today there are more people than ever on the roads of life who are wounded. Sometimes physically, even more often in soul and spirit. Yet the failed practice of the priest and Levite is many times the norm..even among Christians. In our times we often will hide behind the excuse that it is the job of the professional, or the idea that "I am not trained". So it is left for the firefighters, paramedic, doctors or other "expert". Even within the Church it is common to leave it to the priest, deacon, or "professional" to help another.
But it is not about expertise. It is about love for our fellow man or woman. As a firefighter I could not have responded to the many sick and injured that I helped care for IF first a loving soul had not first cared enough to stop and help as best they could.
We all are called to care for the many wounded with our prayers, our helping hands and hearts, with His love.

A Man Who Followed Christ ~ Fr. Junipero Serra

The readings from the Thirteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time speak of the call to follow God's call in our life. The Scriptures have many examples of men and women who did, and did not, follow God in the journey of their life.
This weekend we also have a Saint who gives a faithful and powerful example of what it means to follow Christ. Bl. Junipero Serra (1713-1784) was a Franciscan missionary priest to California. He is credited for founding the California Missions, some of which are still active Parishes to this day. Contemporary secular bias often seeks to blame Fr. Serra and the Church for the oppression and loss of culture and life among the native American Californian tribes. More accurate history would indicate that while seeking to share the Gospel of Christ with the native Californians the Church was often the strongest defender of these people from the military, greed, and corruption of the secular colonial forces.
This also helps us to understand Fr. Serra as a dynamic example of a man sharing, living and defending the Kingdom of Christ in a world that was often hostile to the truth of God's love. As he simply sought to follow Christ in faithful obediience Fr. Serra was lead to new frontiers of mercy and grace for the Kingdom of God.
Bl. Serra pray for us! Pray for the Church here in California.

In Memory of the Nine Charleston Firefighters

On Monday, June 18, 2007 the Charleston S.C. Fire Department responded to a structure fire in a furniture store. In the line of duty nine firefighters died fighting this fire.


Final Call

Dedicated to the Charleston Nine and all the other Firefighters who died in the line of duty.

The tones have sounded.
A fire calls.
Riding their rig,
To the smokey pall.

Sirens scream.
Red lights flash
On to the fire
Flames warnings cast.

Arriving on scene,
To their task each one goes.
One to the pump,
Others to hose.

The officer assesses.
Another alarm is raised.
Heavy smoke showing.
Rescues to be made.

Inside for the rescue,
Interior attack.
Inside for the crew.
They will not hold back.

Inside the building,
On hands and knees,
Heat, smoke and noise,
No one can see.

Adrenalin pumping,
Their hearts flowing strong.
Fears are controlled.
They’re pressing along.

Knocking down flame,
Searching each room,
They seek anyone trapped,
In the fiery gloom.

Then in the battle.
Their comes a brief moment.
Followed in instant
The fire has vented.

Air rushes in,
Flames explode.
With deafening roar
The crew is no more.

The tones have beckoned.
Angels appear.
Escorting the fallen,
Beyond all tears.


May the souls of the faithful in duty rest in peace.

The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ

Here is the cyber version of my homily for the Feast of Corpus Christi:

Corpus Christi – The Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ celebrates and teaches the awesome gift that is Christ, God with us. It shares and proclaims the mysterious and dynamic union of Heaven and earth, Spirit and flesh. It asserts the essential oneness of true holiness and true love, in, through, and with Jesus Christ.
But we find it so hard to understand. With the frustrating limits of our human understanding we try to fit the infinite mystery and gift that is God, come in the flesh, into the precise, tight, controlling, and little, boxes of our minds and hearts. Yet, once again, Christ in His great mercy and patience, His Love, shares His Word that can lead us out of those little boxes into His arms. His truth, His love.
We recognize the struggle with mystery in the Old Testament reading and Psalm that speak of the great High (and mysterious) Priest, Melchizedek. Long have minds and hearts tried to understand who this is. In the epistle we hear the familiar and comfortable words of Christ giving us His Body, His Blood. In our familiarity we lose sight of the fact that this was a shocking and scandalous concept for the minds and hearts of the early people of God. This leads to the Gospel. It is in the account of the feeding of the multitudes that Christ challenges and calls His followers, then and now, to look, trust, give, and receive beyond what they may understand…. to trust Him, receive and share Him, in faithful love.
The Sacred Body and Blood of Christ can bring us beyond ourselves, our limitations. It is with Christ literally feeding us and dwelling within us we can grow into the fullness of life He has designed.
It is especially in our relationships that this freedom is to be lived. The Body and Blood of Christ, conquering sin and death enables us to have those relationships of faith with the saints, with our loved ones gone home to Christ...that brings alive our own Heavenly hope. Yet His Presence brings us more than just the hope of the Heaven, of the holy. It is the living gift and call to unite and share Heaven and earth, spirit and flesh.
This is where we often start to struggle.
There are those who would want to confine the HOLY body and Blood of Christ to the HOLY. The rich and appropriate reverence and awe that can be found in His Eucharistic Presence is focused upon as the right..holy..way it is to be. Yet Christ longs to be so much more than that alone.
Then there are those who would confine their understanding and faith to a concept of His Body and Blood to the people of God…in each other. our words. our actions. It is often focused upon as sharing the LOVE that is understood to be God. Yet, again Jesus longs to be so much more.
God never intended to be divided, especially in His Body, His Blood.
This weekend, after the 10:30 Sunday Mass you will be invited to share in a Eucharistic Procession in honor of Christ Jesus. We will take the Blessed Sacrament, carried in a beautiful Monstrance down the middle aisle and out the front doors of the Church. With Christ we will walk out the middle gate, down the sidewalk and back into the Church grounds to the statue of Mary where we will share a song of thanksgiving to Our Blessed Mother for the faith and courage to be the first and truest of living monstrances. This procession, this unique carrying of the Presence of His Body and Blood further illustrates the promise and reality of Corpus Christi, the Great High Priest and Servant of redeeming Love.
In His Body and Blood true holiness, true love are united and carried forth. Jesus, God with us, The Great High Priest, The Servant of God must not be confined to our limited concepts of holiness OR of love. He is and must be…both.
As we each receive Christ’s Body, as we together share the cup of His Blood we are filled and brought into a union of spirit and flesh, the Holy, and Love. So it is that as we, His living and beautiful Monstrances are to go forth. We are to share the beauty of HIS holiness. It is as we speak, as we act we are to proclaim HIS love that would vanquish our fears, heal our lives and quench the ache of the lonely. In living the gift of the Body and Blood of Christ in our lives we will follow Him to new realms of holiness. We will also be called to relationships that may well challenge our understanding of love that will call us to the fullness of Holy Love in His Body and Blood given for us.