Smile!

Nothing makes me smile more than the laughter of a woman who is pregnant, the joy on her face, the glow on her skin. There is just something about that person who is joyfully doing something that reminds us all that we are made in the image of God. That very act of bringing life into this world shows just how we are a part of the creation process, just as God created us humans, we are allowed the grace of making humans as well!

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was given the grace of being the only person to ever give birth to God physically! We can learn from that. I know there are many who avoid talking about Mary, I used to. I missed a lot of the gospel by avoiding thinking of her. After all, she gives us an example of devotion to God that should be emulated! Should be talked about! She always points to her son! Just as at the wedding of Cana, she declares with her very life, "Do whatever he tells you!" (John 2:5)

How does this apply to our lives? Each of us receives Jesus into our lives in communion with Him! At the Eucharist we are given the gift of receiving our God into our very body, and just like Mary we are allowed the grace to bring Jesus out into the world. We bring Christ spiritually into the world by our very actions. By our thoughts, our deeds, and our lives. So are you the kind of person that when others see you, a smile comes onto their face? Do they see a post from you on Facebook and think "Oooh I can't wait to see what they have to say" or do they say "Oh dear, what is he/she going to say now?" Be like Mary! Share the radiance of the life inside you with everyone you encounter! Give birth to the spirit of Christ into this world! Open your life in complete obedience with God, and say in your very soul "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38)

YOU deserve better! (Dignity!)

So God created man in his own image, in the image of

 God he created him; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

Dignity. That word seems to invoke ideas of some regal queen with her nose in the air, looking down on her peasants with disdain. Yet, the word itself is an important one. One that we need to remind each and every one of our children of, both boy and girl alike. To have dignity means to be worthy of honor, and respect. Each and every person, whether they know it or not, is worthy of honor and respect.

You see we treat certain people in our society as having dignity. The President for instance gets a lot of respect. Having the highest job in our country is a very difficult thing and we show him respect for it. We stand when he enters the room. For the most part people are kind enough to stop talking while he's talking and listen to what he has to say, though we need to work on that as a society (we are losing our manners.) Yet we also extend that dignity to members of his family. The First Lady for instance gets respect, even though she is not the one in office. The children are seen as deserving respect and often get invited to do things. Even the children of previous presidents are known and respected for simply being their children.

They get dignity because of who their parents are. How does that apply to us as Christians? Each and everyone of us is made in the image of God! God IS our Father! Now some of us deny it. Some of us reject it. Some of us have no clue about it. Even those of us who do have a clue, often forget that simply truth. Being made in the image of God means that every single person, no matter how rough around the edges, no matter how they treat themselves, deserves to be treated with respect.

When we look at someone as an object, we remove their dignity. Pornography, strip clubs, dirty pictures.. all of these remove the person and only leave an object, a thing to be lusted after. There is no love in pornography. No love in staring at someones revealing images on Facebook. No love in turning a person into an object for our own personal pleasure. All of which removes their dignity, and our own. They deserve better! Even if they don't know it! Even if they put themselves in that position, we as Christians owe it to them and to God to still keep their dignity in tact as much as we are concerned and able to do so.

Remember this in every relationship: You are made in God's image. God loved us so much that he not only bragged about us, but he died for us on the cross! He loved us so much that he holds us up to the world and says, they are worth everything to me! Even my life! I will suffer ridicule, hatred, and anger.. I will be beaten, spit on and bruised.. I will lose all of my dignity so that YOU can have yours.

Every Christian man and woman are challenged to love with that same commitment. When we love, we should be putting them first. We should be showing the world how much we love them, by being willing to go through anything to prove that love. Not hiding them and only loving them when others aren't around.

Yes, we are in God's image.. and that's a huge responsibility. It means we should be treated with dignity for that very reason alone, even if that person doesn't realize it or act in a way that seems to deserve it. Even the vilest of people were still created in God's image. Ah, that people would teach their children, their sons and daughters this simple truth. That dignity is not optional!

So examine yourself. Examine your life, your heart, and your conscience.   Are you showing dignity to everyone involved in your life? If you are married are you showing it to your spouse? If you are a parent are you showing it to your children? Are you teaching your children that THEY deserve better? Do your sons and daughters know that they are made in God's image, and a worth a sacrificial love? That part of that dignity means being worth waiting for? How can you show your family, friends, children, and spouses that you appreciate them and uphold their dignity?

First Holy Communion

Last night was a life changing experience for me, and many other converts to the Catholic faith. There is a moment in each persons life where they must decide, do I want to follow Jesus Christ? For me that has never been an issue. The last seven years though my life has been leading me ever closer to God, and in doing so it has brought me to the Catholic church. As Scott Hahn said once, "it occurred to me that delaying obedience for me was becoming almost like disobedience."  Scripture was making itself more and more clear to me that receiving the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ was a necessary thing, something that Jesus himself said we must do.

With my wife and children, those of our families who could make it, my new family of RCIA members, and the church family as a whole present, last night I approached the table of the Lord. At previous masses I would always come up last if possible, and cross my arms. Then I would receive a blessing from the priest. It helped in a way, to know that I was partaking of the blessings and grace, even though I could not receive the Eucharist itself. But I felt like the gentile woman in the gospel, who said "Yea, Lord; for even the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs."  Yes, I thought myself a dog who was eating the crumbs, and I longed for more. I longed to be a brother, sitting at the table with my Lord.

Now I know I was a member of the church the moment I was baptized, but being in full communion became important to me. Last night that became a reality. The moment the Eucharist touched my lips, there was an amazing transformation. I didn't know what to expect. Maybe I thought it might taste like a wheat thin, or a salted cracker. After all it is made of wheat and water. Yet, there was so much more. Yes, there was the flavor of wheat, but it was so profound. It was as if I tasted an entire field, with the wind blowing across my taste buds, and the sun shining it's rays of warmth throughout my body. It tasted of life! I was overwhelmed. Then came the wine which was sweet, sweeter than any thing I had ever consumed.

As I returned to my seat I bowed my head in thanksgiving. I was indeed thankful that God had called me to his table, but more so... I was thankful of the amazing act of forgiveness occurring around and through the congregation. As each and every person stepped forward to receive their Lord in communion, their body filled with the grace of forgiveness, and then that grace rippling into the world. Ahh that each person who ever takes communion realizes the oath they are entering under, the covenant, the family bond; and that each of us then takes that love, that grace, that hope and spreads it throughout the world!


In Christ,

Brian 

Gethsemane of the Soul

Last night after communion instead of closing the mass, we had a ceremony that brought us back to the garden of Gethsemane with Jesus. Father Tim walked slowly in procession with the altar servers through the aisles of the sanctuary to the altar of repose. As he walked, incense lifted in the air and the room became alive with tension and anticipation. The church was filled with flowers, lilies, and variegated leaves. The golden ciborium glistened in the candle light as the smoke of our prayers surrounded and flowed towards heaven.

As the lights were turned out and the adoration began there was a hushed silent for a few moments as people settled into prayer. After around 5 minutes, the exodus began. People began to rise from their pews and walk out the door. My heart cried out, "Couldn't you watch with me even one hour?" I began to mourn as more and more left the room. I wanted more people to stay with Jesus in the garden, to stay alert and watch with him.

As the numbers continued to dwindle my mind was more and more occupied with how many where there. Then suddenly there where but three of us. I was startled into alertness as to what I had been doing. Instead of worshiping in truth and spirit, I had been worried about what others were doing. I was one of the three in the garden with Jesus, and I had been asleep. It was as if Jesus looked me in the eyes and said, "Could YOU not watch with me even one hour?"   As I buried my head in shame, I thanked God for what he had shown me and began to marvel at the forgiveness of our heavenly Father.

The garden became more real to me last night than ever before. All of those years that I have sat there in that ceremony, I had been preoccupied  with others things.. when Jesus just wanted me to be occupied with him. Lord may I never forget this lesson, and may I always come before you in Spirit and Truth.

The Washing of Feet

I've always wondered what it would be like to be the one who had their feet washed. My mind can easily wrap around how humbling and moving it could be the be the one doing the washing. To emulate our Lord in each  movement, doing exactly what he commanded us to do. I never really thought about the person sitting there having their feet washed by someone who loves them, someone who cared enough to do something so menial, so base, to serve our very needs.

Last night as Father Tim moved from person to person, my mind was transported through time. As he bent over before each candidate, sponsor, and young child... my heart and soul began to cry out with Peter, Lord what are are you doing? Why are you washing my feet? Is it not I who should be serving you? I am not worthy of this. No Lord, you shall never wash my feet! I never really understood those lines from John 13 until last night as I was put in that very place. Like Peter, I realized that the man washing my feet was a much better man than myself.

As Father Tim gently pulled my foot over the polished basin to wash it, I was reminded of Jesus other words in that situation, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me."  Oh how my heart was rent, my soul cried out with Peter "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" I finally understood Peter, realizing he must submit to this action in order to follow the will of God! I too wanted to shout out with joy, with exultation! Then Father lifted his eyes to mine as he was drying my unworthy feet, the very feet that had carried me through this life, the feet that were soiled with the 'dirt' of this world, the very feet that had walked me into sin many times... and I saw in his eyes something that went straight to my core.

I know Jesus is alive in each of us. I know that he lives very specially in all of our hearts. But there in those eyes, last night, without a shadow of a doubt, I saw a man filled with the Holy Spirit. I was once again transported through time. As my priest sat in persona Christi, washing my feet.. I knew that Jesus had once again washed the feet of his disciples.. and was challenging me personally:

"Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."

Just a little bad?

Dying flies spoil the sweetness of the ointment. Wisdom and glory is more precious than a small and shortlived folly. - Ecclesiastes 10:1

We as Christians often encourage our children to do the right thing. That's part of our vocation as parents. We are supposed to be teaching them right from wrong, and how to make the right choice. Yet, today's society seems to be teaching anything in moderation is OK. Is that really true?

When we teach our children about stealing, we tell them it's wrong. Should we tell them, but hey if you're going to steal.. make sure to do it with a mask on, and only steal things worth less than a certain amount so it's not a felony? Of course not that's absurd. We believe stealing is wrong, so we tell them not to steal at all.

When we teach our children about drugs, we tell them it's wrong. Should we then tell them, but if you're going to do drugs, make sure to use a clean syringe, or stick to safe things like Marijuana? Of course not. We tell them drugs are bad, and they should avoid them always.

When we teach our children about sex outside of marriage.. why then do we tell them, if you're going to do it, use a condom? We should be teaching them to not do it at all!  Why is it clear to us that telling them that when they do it, to take precautions not to do it too much? Isn't that in fact telling them that we expect them to do it anyway?

If we truly believe it's wrong to have sex outside of marriage, then we should be teaching abstinence, not 'birth control.'

One pink balloon

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25:40


We decided to go to the store and get some lettuce for a salad for dinner tonight. While we were checking out an elderly gentleman walked up to the other counter, and the lady told him she'd be with him in a second. He said no problem and waited patiently. Another cashier came in and took over for her and she went over to help him. After he left and we finished checking out, the lady walked back up to us and said "The elderly gentleman over there left a quarter with me and asked if I thought you guys would mind if he bought a balloon for your little girl, she is behaving so well." We didn't mind at all. In fact, it reminded me how far a little gesture goes to share love in this world. One little pink balloon (only a quarter!) and my little girls face is lit up. She's running around the house playing with it now, and just having that joy of a child.


How often we think making a difference requires so much work and difficulty. Yet, this Holy Week we can make small differences. One quarter here, a yard mowed there, simply smiling and checking on your neighbor. What are some ways you can make a difference? Remember, it only takes a pebble to start an avalanche.

Putting it all in the right perspective

The First Commandment: (Exodus 20:2-6)

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. "You shall have no other gods before me. "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.

It's interesting sometimes how that you learn things about God and our lives from places you expect to be learning about something else. While I was completely aware that taking a seminar on finances at a church would indeed be based on biblical principles of stewardship, I did not quite expect to be thinking so much about our relationship with God in such detail while contemplating our financial situation. One of the questions evoked a response from my heart: We must structure our lives around God, not try to structure God around our lives. 

I've been contemplating that line since the class on Sunday afternoon and it struck me how in our present society our lives are structured around so many things. We take a day off work to go fishing. We take some time off work to go visit family. Or even, I'm going to take this Friday off just because I don't feel like going to work. It's so common that we will take time out of our life to spend with others, or to do something we enjoy, even to go see a 'Super Bowl' or Hockey game.. then we Christians say something like, Oh I'd go to church.. but I have to work this Sunday. I would help at the soup kitchen, but I just can't seem to find the time.

At some point we have to think that our day of Worship should be more important than those other things! Shouldn't we consider taking a day of vacation to go to church? Or to take some time off to go to a spiritual retreat? Or to put aside some of that vacation money that we normally save up to get away, to instead spend time growing in our faith? What are some ways that you can restructure your life around God? 

The Domestic Church (cont...)

You and I are the domestic church. I just want to further talk about what I envision this as. First and foremost, it's important to realize that while we have people in authority, we are also a nation of priests. We spiritually have a responsibility to take that seriously. That means that in our homes, we too are first and foremost the priests in our home. The first responsibility of the domestic church, is to lead their flock. That means that we have a huge responsibility to know our faith. We need to be able to explain who we are, what we believe, and to teach our children and families what our faith is about and why we believe as we do. That is part of our vocation as the family, as the domestic part of the church.

That is a huge undertaking, being responsible not just for your faith, but in helping with the formation and understanding of the faith of the entire home. Many people leave the domestic church here, this is all they envision it doing. Yet, we know that a church has more than just a priest. The priest is indeed very important, and the church could not serve it's purpose without his guidance and more especially his service at the mass. But there are other people who help make the church run smoothly.

One of the most important ministries of the church is the greeter. They stand by the door before and after mass, welcoming people with polite conversation, a hand shake, and sometimes a hug (all based on the personality of that greeter.) Their purpose is to make the church a welcoming place, to invite people in warmly and help people out of town find their way into this parish for a visit. The greeter is the face of the church so to speak, because they are the first person seen. The first impression is often the most important, because it 'colors' the rest of your perception.

We as the domestic church are also greeters! We ourselves are the face that people see in the world. We ARE the ones they remember, the people who 'color' a persons experience with our church. Think about that responsibility for a minute! Ghandi once said, "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. The materialism of affluent Christian countries appears to contradict the claims of Jesus Christ that says it's not possible to worship both Mammon and God at the same time."

If we the domestic church had been doing our job... Ghandi would have been welcomed. Our Christians would be much more like our Christ. So I challenge that each of us, the domestic church, must indeed become greeters! We must welcome people into our homes, our lives, etc. Some ways we can do this is simply being kind to our neighbors.  Simple actions speak volumes. Not running the lawn mower when they are having a get together in their yard, or asking if they need help carrying something that looks heavy. Even simply taking their trash cans up for them at the end of the day, when you do your own.

Be the face of Christ in the world.. greet people warmly and serve them so that we the domestic church, will lead them to the Church itself, the Body of Christ, the living word of God!

It's in the Details

While meditating on the 'Stations of the Cross' on my commute yesterday to pick the girls up from play practice, a detail emerged for me that I had never noticed before. While we talk about how Jesus didn't speak up at times, or how that others accused him falsely, (and you may have already noticed this detail, but for me it is one I'd never spent time thinking about) did you ever notice that no one stepped forth to defend Jesus? There were many who lied about him, spit in his face, beat him, condemned him... but this man who had just spent three years traveling the country side healing the sick, feeding the poor, loving the broken, forgiving sins, and raising the dead... had no one step forward and declare his innocence. Granted they might have lost their life for doing so... granted that it was a different time, a different stage... but it still brings a potent thought into our present time.

Are you willing to stand up for Jesus? Do you stand idly by while others make false accusations about him? When others deny his deity, or claim he is just a man, do you step forward with confidence ready to drink the cup with him? 

The Domestic Church

We, the families and members of the church are the domestic church. The domestic church lives in our homes, and is part of the witness of Christ. It's also an important part of evangelization. What exactly does that mean to the family? To the husband and wife? To the children?

To answer that it's helpful to think about what we expect in a church. We expect it to be welcoming first off. That's a big part of why people leave many churches, they don't feel they belong or that people are friendly enough. As followers of Christ, we are supposed to be known by our love for one another. Sometimes when we go into a church we don't find that welcoming spirit, we instead see people glancing over at one another, or someone angry about where you are sitting (it might be their usual spot). Sometimes we truly aren't feeling welcome, at other times it's our own insecurities or perceptions making us feel out of place. Either way, our homes as part of the domestic church should be welcoming!

Think about that for a minute. Do people feel welcome in your home? Do they feel comfortable? Do they feel loved? Do we take time to make sure our home is ready for unexpected guests? I know I fall short in that aspect, often FAR short of it. Our family and friends should feel they can drop in at anytime and be greeted with love and open arms. That's something I personally need to work on. I'm one of those people who if the house isn't clean (which it often is not), I don't want guests.

That brings me to another thing that I fall short on. We expect our churches to be organized, and clean. How many of us would complain if the church had clothes all over the hallway leading to the sanctuary? Or had dust on the shelves all around? Our homes don't belong to us, they belong to God. They are simply gifts he has given us. That's a hard thing to think about, for we often treat them however we want and leave them in disrepair, and put off cleaning till later. I am the worlds worst offender of this, and as a stay at home father I should be cleaning daily.

What other ways can we make our home into part of the domestic church? How can we witness our faith through our very lives? How can we the mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers be a living example of Christ in the world?

Stewardship of our food?

Stewardship. Stewardship and discipleship are one and the same. When we become a disciple, we also become a steward. I was reading just the other day about diet and nutrition, one of my hobbies. As I was reading, I came across the comment that a pound of fat is roughly equal to 3500-4000 calories. What does that have to do with stewardship? Everything in a way.

When my wife and I got married, I was roughly 380 pounds. I was a big fella. That's at least 180 pounds more than I should have been.  Even more so if some of those charts are right, and one of my doctors who indicates I should weigh about 180 pounds. That means that I alone had at one point in time enough fat on my body to have fed someone for an entire year. That really blows me away. That doesn't count all the times that I've lost weight, and then put it back on... every one of those pounds counts too.

As a steward of God's world, I believe we are responsible for every material possession that we get. We are supposed to use them for His glory, for His kingdom, for his children. Can I honestly say I am doing that if I consume enough of the food he gives me to gain hundreds of pounds, instead of using it to feed others? I know God still loves me. I know that he forgives me for my 'gluttony.' But I also know he wants me to do better.

What are some ways that we can take small steps to do better? What are some things we can do during Lent, to help us grow closer to God, and at the same time get our minds in the right place for the rest of our lives to give God glory?

The deserted places

Lv 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.


"The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp."

Mk 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,
"If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, 
touched him, and said to him, 
"I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning the him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 


He said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest 
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them."


The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

These were two of the scripture readings from today's mass. They tie together in some obvious ways. The main obvious one is that they both deal with leprosy. But today it struck me that there is something hidden there, a jewel. A shadow of the cross. As our Priest read the Gospel reading today.. I was struck by how wonderful Jesus is.

You see in the first reading we see that the Jewish people didn't have a full understanding of Leprosy. They believed it was sin that caused it. That the person wasn't just unclean and diseased, but he reason they had leprosy in the first place was some sin in their life. They didn't know about bacteria and viruses, but God in his infinite wisdom taught them to help keep from spreading it as best as they could. So what happens in ancient Jewish culture when someone gets leprosy? They are ostracized. They are sent to live by themselves or in a colony of other lepers, until they get better.. if they get better.

Then flash forward to the year 30 or so AD and here we have Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Someone with leprosy, someone who would have been considered a sinner, came to Jesus to be healed. You see first off that Jesus sees the mans faith. After all the man says "If you wish, you can make me clean."  This man didn't ask for healing, he stated a fact. He knew that if it was God's will, it would be done! He knew who Jesus was. And Jesus did it! This was two fold... the person was not only healed, but if sin caused the leprosy.. then his sin was forgiven! Jesus forgave this mans sin, and told him to go to the priest to be declared clean, giving up his thanks to God in a sacrifice.

But the part that caught me today.. was that Jesus was then forced to goutside of town. He was forced into the deserted places. Jesus who had done no wrong, because of his glory and majesty, was instead put in the sinners place. The leper was the one who should have been in the deserted places, unable to come into town.. but Jesus.. the healer.. the King of Kings... shows us in a shadow of things to come, a shadow of his work on the cross.. that Jesus forgives our sins.. and takes our punishment... Just wow! How glorious is our God? Have you praised him today for taking your punishment?

In Christ,
Brian