Thoughts Along the Journey

**Note:  This is a re-post from 2009.  Have a wonderful Lord's Day!** "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him."  Mark 9:7b If you're not familiar with this passage, please take some time to look it up. ( Mark 9:2-10 ) It is what is commonly known as the Transfiguration. Bear with me, because I truly love, love, love this account of an amazing event in Christ's life. This is the story in a nutshell: Jesus took Peter, James, and John to a mountain with Him to pray. While He was there, He was "transfigured". Literally, He changed in appearance. They saw Him in His glory. (Yet another proof of His deity.) He was bright and shining, and His garments were white. Moses and Elijah appeared there with Him. The disciples fell on their faces. In the midst of all of it, God spoke to them, "This is My beloved Son. Listen to Him." Wow! What an incredible experience this must have been for Peter, James, and John! Peter got a little confused in all of th...

"The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert,  and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. After John had been arrested,  Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: 'This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.' ”  Mark 1:12-15 Today's Gospel reading is the same theme as every first Sunday in Lent:  Jesus in the desert, being tempted by Satan.  For most Christians, this is familiar territory.  For those who observe the Lenten fast, it is our example.  Christ spent those 40 days in preparation for ministry.  As we know from the other Gospel accounts (Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13), Jesus spent that time fasting.  Mark's account says the Spirit "drove" Jesus into the desert.  He compelled Jesus to go.  Matthew and Luke use the word "led."  The concept is of One who is surrounded by the ...

I open with an apology for not posting yesterday.  I have some good excuses!  The Oremus study instructed us to reflect on the passage that most spoke to us (from the previous days' readings).  It was Ash Wednesday, so a busy day for me.  And...I just didn't get to it.  :o) For the next several days' reflections, I will choose one of the daily Mass readings.  We have a reading from the Old Testament (usually--sometimes a New Testament reading), a Psalm, and a reading from one of the Gospels every day. Today's Old Testament reading is from Deuteronomy 30:15-20: "Moses said to the people: 'Today I have set before you life and prosperity, death and doom. If you obey the commandments of the LORD, your God, which I enjoin on you today, loving him, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the LORD, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn...

Today is Ash Wednesday.  Contrary to what many say, Catholics are not the only ones who observe this day.  But why? From Old Testament times, ashes on the head were a sign of deep grief and contrition over sin.  (Jeremiah 6:26; Isaiah 58:5; Daniel 9:3, Jonah 3:6--to name a few.)  It is a symbol of how sad we are to have sinned against God. Okay, so what in the world is Lent all about anyway?  So you're sorry for your sins.  Why do you spend 40 days of "giving up" something, etc.?  Let God forgive you and get on with life! I have addressed the need for Lent in past posts .  Briefly, let me just say, Lent is so important in the life of any Christian.  It mirrors the time Jesus spent in the desert, prior to His baptism and the beginning of His public ministry.  It is a time of "coming apart" with God--fasting, prayer, and alms giving.  Before becoming Catholic, we did have times of fasting.  And they were powerful times....

Well, I'm obviously lagging a bit behind. It seems as if life gets in the way of blogging. I can't even blame it on Facebook this time. I've not spent much time there lately. It gets to be sort of "same old, same old" after awhile. This won't be my usual "topical" post. Too much on my mind...so here goes! Lent began this past Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is always a solemn day o f reflection for me. A time of heart preparation for the 40 days to come. Most people don't feel this way, but this year, I'm actually excited about Lent! After all, it's not about what we "give up" in the way of food or pleasurable past times. It's about drawing closer to God because we're allowing Him to clear away the spiritual clutter that seems to inevitably build up in our lives. I recently re-read the two Frank Peretti books, "This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness". I don't remember the last time ...

"Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of Mine, you did for Me." Matthew 25:40 Just a brief note tonight, as the day has almost gotten away from me. If we read this entire passage (Mt. 25:31-46), it can seem a bit of a mystery. Sheep? Goats? And what does that have to do with feeding hungry people, visiting the sick, and going to prisons? I think it can be summed up this easily: If we want to truly be followers of Christ, we will show our faith by our actions! Look around you: who are the "least"? And what can you do for them that will truly show them Christ? "Jesus, teach me to be generous with all the riches you have given me. Show me how to share them with the poor in my midst--even in my own home. Lord, I want to become like You!" . *check out the website for Operation Rice Bowl for ideas on how you can help "the least"

I'm experiencing quite a mixture of emotions on this day, March 13, 2011. First, the joy of having been at Mass this morning. Today was the Rite of Sending, in which we send those preparing to be received into the Catholic Church to our cathedral in Cleveland for the Rite of Election. It reminds me of the day 4 years ago when we attended the rite, shortly before our family's reception into the Catholic Church. A very special day, and exciting to see the hundreds of others who were on the same journey. Today was also the sort of "prologue" for our church's annual mission services. Each year during Lent, a special speaker comes and conducts the mission services. The purpose is to encourage our parish to pursue our mission: living as God's people and reaching our community for Christ. Our speaker this year is Fr. Damian Ference , who teaches at the seminary in Cleveland. He is a man filled with energy and a passion for Christ. The words he spoke this morning rang...

"He said to him, 'Follow Me.' And he left everything, and rose and followed him." Luke 5:27 There are so many things we can learn from today's Gospel reading in Luke 5:27-32. I'll do my best to walk through it slowly here. First, Levi (Matthew) was a tax collector. This meant that, though he was Jewish, he was an employee of the Roman government. Tax collectors in those days were wealthy men. Not that the government was such a generous employer, mind you. The main reason was that the collectors would collect the necessary tax required by the government, but then also add an extra toll for their own pockets. (Remember Zacchaeus?) So, for obvious reasons, the general Jewish populace did not have much regard for the tax collectors. Jewish they might be by birth, but the others saw them as traitors. Yet, Jesus chose him as one of His followers. Just as surely as He called Andrew, Peter, James, and John...He CHOSE Matthew. The lesson to learn here? More than one, I...

"Then He said to all, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.'" Luke 9:23 As anyone who has read my blog for very long knows, our family has been on a spiritual journey for several years. We first became familiar with Lent back in 2002. We had never practiced this in our former denomination, so it was very new to us. Honestly, I did not like the somber, minor key music very well. And boy, did I get tired of hearing about sin and repentance! We couldn't even say "Allelluia" for the entirety of Lent. What a downer! But I do have to say, when Holy Week came, and we celebrated Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, and then...Easter...what a difference! I felt so much more ready to celebrate! My sins are forgiven because of the cross! I have victory because of the empty grave! Being able to say "Alleluia" again had even deeper meaning. One of the things I like most about Lent (and there are man...

"'Yet even now,' says the Lord, 'return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. ad tear your hearts and not your garments.' Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy...Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly;gather the people. Sanctify the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants." Joel 2:12-13, 15-16 And so begins another season of Lent. There is often the question of "why does a priest smear ashes on your forehead"? It is a beautiful reminder that we are "but flesh"and, as the priest says upon imposing the ashes, "you are dust, and to dust you will return." We are fallible human beings in need of a Saviour. Yes, the ashes are not simply a smudge. They remind us of our need to repent. Our assistant priest, Fr. Mike, encouraged us with this morning to make this Lent a season of becoming less selfish and m...

Today is what is commonly known as "Fat Tuesday" or Mardi Gras. Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. For those of you from a non-liturgical background, this may all seem a bit foreign. I was raised in that type of background, but have learned a lot in the past few years. As I've said in previous posts, too many people have such an inaccurate view of Lent, what it means, and what it's all about. The simplified explanation is this: We spend 40 days (not counting Sundays) of fasting and abstinence, as we imitate the 40 days of fasting Christ spent in the wilderness. These 40 days should be used to prepare our hearts for Holy Week, Good Friday, and, ultimately, EASTER! The whole idea of "giving up" something for Lent is this: anything that is a distraction, stumbling block, or barrier between my Lord and me is something that needs to go! These are 40 days that should be used for reflection and drawing closer and closer to God. It's no...

This time last year, I was on top of this blogging thing. I actually did a "post a day" for the entire season of Lent...with only a couple of exceptions. This year...sorry...no daily posts. For one thing, I'm working more hours than I was last year. And truly, life just seems to be more hectic...if that's possible! As this holy time approaches each year, I try to prepare myself in prayer. It seems there is always at least one "big" area God wants to deal with in my life. This year, however, it seems there are a plethora of areas! One of the biggest things is that He is reminding me not to get too comfortable in this world. Our time here is too short, there is too much to be done for the Kingdom, and the things of the world will only weigh me down. (see 2 Timothy 2:4 ) And God reminds me not to be conformed to the world, but to be conformed to His image...to allow myself to be conformed to His death and resurrection (dying to self, living to God): ...

I saw this on a friend's blog, and thought it was great... Fast from judging others: feast on the Christ indwelling in them. Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on patience. Fast from words that pollute; feast on gratitude. Fast from anger; feast on patience. Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism. Fast from worry; feast on trust. Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation. Fast from negatives: feast on affirmatives. Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer. Fast from hostility; feast on non-violence. Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness. Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others. Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth. Fast from discouragement; feast on hope. Fast from facts that depress; feast on truths that uplift. Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm. Fast from suspicion; feast on truth. Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire. Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence. Gentle God, durin...

"This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15 There is so much packed into this one little verse. John Mark summarized Christ's entire life and message into three short sentences. My summary of his summary will be longer than his summary! :o) First, "the time of fulfillment". Christ came to fulfill all the prophecies of a Savior and Messiah. He was the embodiment of the covenants with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. His life, death, and resurrection would complete everything begun in the Old Covenant. One man. The God-Man. Incredible! Secondly, the "kingdom of God is at hand". Every day, Jesus established the Kingdom more and more, as hearts were turned toward God. Even today, in us, and through us, as we draw closer to God and are used as instruments to draw others to Him, we are seeing the Kingdom build and grow. In our hearts, His Kingdom is there. As we live as the people of God, we a...

Today marks the beginning of another season of Lent. I know I comment on this every year, so why break the tradition? :o) So many view this time of the year in a negative light. I disagree with that perspective! I see it as an awesome opportunity to identify with our Lord in a couple of ways: the time of temptation in the desert (40 days...thus, the 40 days of Lent) and in His sufferings. We identify with Him as we are tempted to give in to our fleshly desires. We identify with His sufferings as we allow our flesh to be crucified in certain areas, in order to draw closer to Him. As I was growing up, I knew very little about Lent. I knew very few Catholics. Those Catholics I knew were not very vocal about their faith. As I grew older, though, I met Catholics and those in other churches (Lutheran, particularly) who only spoke of Lent in terms of "giving up" something. I view this time more in the light of "giving in." Giving up more of my own desires so that I may ...

Journal photo / Andrew Dickerman Today is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent . (It is earlier this year, as it begins 40 days before Easter, and Easter is early this year.) The priest dips his thumb into the ashes (made from last year's burned palm fronds), and marks the foreheads of the people with the sign of the cross. He repeats the phrase: "Remember that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return." (Or something similar.) It is a reminder that without God, we are nothing. (See this link for more information.) As I sat in Mass this morning, pondering the whole idea of what is ahead in Lent and what that means, this thought came to me: Lent is not so much about "giving up" as it is about "giving in". What do I mean by that? It is not to be focused on what we sacrifice as much as it is to be about submitting ourselves to God in deeper ways. It is about focusing on His sacrifice at the cross, and "giving in" ...