Christmas Lights

We can spend a lot of time preparing our houses, food, and presents for Christmas.  But what do we do to prepare for the coming of Jesus?  How do we prepare our hearts for him?

The lights we see at Christmas can be a reminder of the love that God has for us.  A love so deep and so passionate, that he sent his only son to earth to love us and to save us.  His son who he sent to Mary.  Mary, for whose response the entire world, the angel and even God, stopped… and waited for.  Who our gospels tells us overcame her fear, who took great risk, who courageously placed all of her trust in God and proclaimed, “I am the handmaid of the Lord.  May it be done to me according to your word.”  Mary, who’s “yes” to the will of God made the impossible possible and forever defeated the “No” of Eve in the garden.  Mary, who’s yes brought Jesus into our world to let God love us and save us.  Mary, who watched her son die for us and then rise from the dead so we can be with him and know the love he has for us, forever.  So, in our preparations for Christmas during this Advent season, we make our hearts ready to receive this love, by stopping.  We stop running.  We stop our busyness.  We pause and take time to be still.  We take time to be quiet.  We take time to be with him.  We stop our questioning and worrying and like Mary, surrender ourselves to God and humbly let him into our hearts, even into those recesses we feel ashamed of.  Those tearful places where we feel lost, broken, and alone, and even there, especially there, let him love us just as we are, and comfort us with his merciful and tender embrace.  Then, we love him back.  We can only really be who God created us to be in this love.      

The lights of Christmas can also remind us to share this love.  Like he did with Mary, God waits for our response.  To say yes and let the love he consoles us with overflow from our hearts to others, especially those who feel lost, broken and alone, so that even where they are, especially where they are, and just as they are, they too can know his love and tenderness, through us.  This love is the real Christmas spirit.  Something we may be reminded of during Advent, but something we can continue to share every day. 

Now, go to that person, you know, the one struggling with life, trying to provide for their family. Wondering if this is all there is, if life will ever be any better.  The one who doesn’t know me.  The one who is lost……….and share his love with them.  Show them how he loves them.

Go, to that person, you know, the one who feels like they have failed, let everyone down.  The one who feels they are not worth loving.  The one who is broken……… and share his love with them.  Show them how he loves them.

Go, to that person, you know, the one who right now has no one else.  No one to be with, no one to talk to, no one to laugh or to cry with.  The one who is alone………..and share his love with them.  Show them how he loves them.

Don’t be afraid……..  he will be with you……….  Nothing is impossible with his love…………. As you admire the lights at Christmas,  will you do this for him?  

 

Relationship

I have the honor and privilege of attending funerals for each Catholic deacon in the Diocese of Lansing who passes away.  While each person is dear to me and each liturgy is special and beautiful, depending on my relationship with the one who passed, some funerals can be more difficult and emotional. Just before a funeral, I remember hugging the wife of a deacon who had passed and thinking to myself, “This is going to be a tough one.” It’s no secret that the condition of our relationships can affect our reactions and responses to the circumstances and situations of life that we experience with others. What we do often depends on our relationships.

We read in the Gospel the story of how Jesus was crucified and killed (Luke 23: 35-43).  The line that strikes me, “The people stood by and watched.” The rulers, soldiers, and even one of those being crucified along-side Jesus sneered at him and made fun of him.  But the people stood by and watched.  If you put yourself there, standing by and watching Jesus hanging and dying on the cross, and hearing what they were saying about him, what goes through your heart and mind?  Our response just might depend on our relationship with Jesus.

Maybe your relationship causes you to react like the others.  No reaction. Just stand by and watch.

Maybe your relationship is such that you feel moved with disbelief.  Not believing the things that happened, that it’s gone this far, and that it is going to end like this.  Sad and confused, you are left wondering what happens next.

Maybe your relationship causes you to want to respond with anger.  After all they put him through, they don’t let up.  You might feel like yelling out, Stop!  Just stop!  You’ve accused him, whipped him, beat him, nailed him, hung him, humiliated him, and are killing him.  Enough already! Just, stop! 

The good news for us is that there is another response to this story.  We can come to know and love Jesus well enough to respond with gratitude.  Gratitude for saving us by not saving himself.  So today, we can, like the repentant thief, confess our sins, listen to what Jesus has to say, profess our faith in God, ask to be remembered, receive his love, and have an intimate relationship with him.

One with Jesus, we can help him to continue his ministry on earth.  We take him with us into the world in which we go so we don’t just stand by and watch, but would use our eyes to see those who are poor and struggling, use our feet to quickly go to them, use our ears, mind and hearts to listen to their sighs and sorrows, use our hands to help and serve them, blessing whomever we encounter, by bringing into the circumstances and situations of their life the love of the one we know, Jesus.           

Humility

Back in the 1980’s, during the month of August, we would start some strenuous training before our high school football season began.  They were called 2-a-days.  We would practice early in the morning, break for lunch, then practice again in the afternoon until 3 o’clock or so.  On one of these mornings, we didn’t go out to the field but instead took some time to listen to the wisdom of the coach. 

His talk was about humility.  He understood the danger to a player and to the team if guys started to seek their own glory.  He knew how someone’s ego could be fed by looking up their game statistics or seeing their picture in the newspaper.  Gone unchecked, a player seeking his own greatness and notoriety makes playing all about him and not about the team.  This harms relationships, fractures the cohesiveness of a team, and makes it impossible to win, and hard to play. 

There was no social media like we have today.  Just 3 local newspapers so, at the end of this meeting, each of us made a promise to the coach not to read the newspaper until the season was over, to stay humble, stay focused, and practice and play hard. 

In Lukes Gospel (Lk 18:9-14), Jesus tells us of the importance of humility.  In our story, Jesus says it was not the proud Pharisee, who listed all his attributes and pious acts, but the humble tax collector who asked for God’s mercy and forgiveness who left the temple and went home with his relationship right with God. Self-righteous pride makes it all about us and places a barrier between us, God, and our neighbor. Honesty and humility, on the other hand, make us open to God, able to receive his grace and acceptance, to better love God, ourselves, and those around us.

“Walking humbly with the Lord,” not only restrains our desire for personal greatness, but it also unleashes great spiritual power.  There is nothing the devil fears more than humility because it’s what Jesus used to defeat him and his temptations in the wilderness. To be confident in ourselves, to be loved, find favor with God, and be protected against the devil, seems like conducting ourselves with humility is something we really should do. It takes practice.

Here's one thing you can do to practice humility. When you are with someone, your spouse, kids, parents, co-worker, or friend, who wants to speak with you, intentionally stop what you are doing, move your attention away from anything you had planned, and take the time to focus on them, to attentively listen. The person you’re with will know that they are noticed and that they matter. Taking time to practice putting another before yourself by really listening is an act of humility and love.

Another way we express humility is by practicing the way we use all the gifts god has given us.  What he gave us, he gave us for a purpose.  Not for our own self-gratification, or to say, “look at me”, but to love. To help him especially reach those society wants to push away and ignore, the poor, crippled, lame, and blind, and love them. 

As we continue to practice humility by reflecting on these and other situations in our lives and continue to ask God for what we need to be humble, we grow in love. If we’re not careful and don’t practice, pride and seeking our own glory can get in the way of what seem to be good works.  If we do things for our own gratification, our own notoriety, we may do good work, but we cannot love. The virtue of humility helps us to love.

Well, it’s time for practice.  By practicing humility in situations of our lives, God will help us rid ourselves of pride so others may see God’s glory, not ours, and know his love for them. Go out there. Stay humble, stay focused, practice hard, love and you will be right with God.

The Good Shepard

The Good Shepard

We can take great comfort in trusting that Jesus loves us so much that he will do whatever it takes, even die, to protect us from the wolves that seek to scatter and catch us throughout our lives (John 10:11-18). Jesus, the good shepherd keeps us safe from those who pretend to care about us but work to separate, divide, control, and take advantage of us to feed their own selfish desire for power and financial gain. To remain safe, we only need to recognize and listen to the voice of Jesus, the good shepherd, and follow him.

The Hour Has Come

The Hour Has Come

The hour has come, we hear Jesus say in John's Gospel (2:20-33), as he prepared to fulfill his purpose, so that we could have eternal life with him. As we go through life, we too have hours that come and go. Some of those hours are good, times to celebrate, times we can hardly wait for, and times that once we're there, we never want to end. When Jesus's hour had come, it wasn't one of those times.

Finding True Peace and Joy

Finding True Peace and Joy

We read in the Mathew’s Gospel (Mt 1:12-15) that Jesus was sent to journey through the desert for forty days to be tempted by Satan, who offered him every worldly thing, in exchange for his allegiance. In our desire for peace and joy in our journey through life, the devil brings us temptations, with the promise that if we chase after them, we will eventually find the peace and joy we are seeking.

One way Satan can tempt us is through our pride. He persuades us to shift our focus from Jesus to ourselves. We are lured into comparing ourselves to others which can lead to unhealthy competition and unnecessary busyness. We try to become like somebody else, or covet their possessions, rather than being grateful for who we are and what God has gifted us with. As we pursue these worldly things, we may indeed find happiness, but it will only be temporary. Putting our faith only in ourselves, our own success, our own possessions, our own status, and our own abilities will never bring us true peace and joy.

Come And See...

Come And See...

When I read the requests I receive for prayers at Catholic Charities, it seems many write to ask God for help with their need for a secure living situation, with safe housing for their families, and steady employment that will provide adequate finances to sustain good living conditions. When a stable life is found, it leads to a clearer mind, more peaceful soul and calmer heart, which eventually leads to happiness.

Who Are You?

Who Are You?

In the Gospel of John (1:19-22), we hear the Pharisees ask John the Baptist, “Who are you?”. That's a question that can be directed to each one of us, “Who are you?”

Knowing who we are is one of our basic human needs. When we know who we are, we are confident, calm, and have a sense of purpose. Knowing who we are determines what we believe, and our beliefs affect what we do and how we live. Knowing who we really are is important.

Experiencing God's Abundance

Experiencing God's Abundance

Several years ago, I worked at the GM Proving Grounds in Milford. In the mornings, to get to my office I would walk through an underground, pedestrian passageway which led from the parking lot to the building. In the mornings, I would often pass a man leaving and I would say good morning to him. He would usually not reply, just stare at the floor, and walk by.

How Good are We at Forgiving?

How Good are We at Forgiving?

Sometimes when I'm downtown at Catholic Charities people will ask me if I can hear their confession. I tell them I cannot because I am a Deacon and not a priest. That leads to a brief catechetical discussion on the difference between deacons and priests in the Catholic Church.  I offer that if they wish to go somewhere a little bit more private and spill their guts and get off their chest whatever they're carrying around, that I would be willing to listen.  When we are done, we could pray about it and put it in God's hands. I let them know that if they wish to have their sins forgiven, we have priests that come every Thursday for mass, and they would be happy to hear their confession.

Great is Thy Faith

Great is Thy Faith

In the gospel of Matthews (Matthew 15: 21-28) we read a story of a mother and her daughter who were tormented by a demon.  Imagine this mother, caring for her tormented daughter, hearing others talking about Jesus and how he can heal and cast out demons.  Suddenly, she has a renewed sense of hope; maybe Jesus could heal her daughter, and end their torment.  Out of desperation and love, and with newfound hope, she was drawn to Jesus. 

Good Fruit

Good Fruit

When I was a kid, in the late summer, my brothers and I would go to an old farm and pick green apples. The ones we didn’t eat that actually made it home, my mother would use to make apple pie or apple crisp.  Served with ice cream or cool whip, it was a little taste of heaven. 

The Harvest is Rich

The Harvest is Rich

In scripture, we encounter a God who is continually working to gather us back to himself.  In Exodus (19:2-6) we hear God working through Moses to gather the Israelites to himself by telling them that they will be his special possession if they listen to his voice and keep his covenant.

In Matthew (9:36-10:8) we have Jesus amongst a crowd of people who were troubled, confused, and left to spiritually fend for themselves.  He felt pity for them. They were vulnerable to those who would separate, divide, and scatter; those who would lead them away from a loving relationship with God;  lead them away from true happiness, peace, and freedom;  lead them away from the one who came to save them.

Ascendance into Heaven

Ascendance into Heaven

Through Catholic Charities and with the help of others, we were able to do a funeral and burial service for a man named John a couple of weeks ago.  John was 66 years old and homeless.  His life was a struggle. He was living in abandoned houses around the city and, back in March, came to Catholic Charities for help.  One of the counselors spoke with him and convinced John to spend that night in the warming center and not in some cold, dirty, dangerous place by himself, and that they would talk the next morning. John fell asleep in the Catholic Charities Warming Center and never woke up. 

It was a blessing for us to conduct this funeral and burial for a man we considered our guest, but who the rest of society didn’t see. At the cemetery, in addition to John, we had the honor to lay to rest the remains of seven others who no one claimed. It was a sad reminder for us that there are many people in our world who are invisible, unknown, have no one to care for them and who’s passing from this world just goes unnoticed.

Come Holy Spirit

Come Holy Spirit

At Catholic Charities I encounter many people who are struggling with trials of one type or another and some who are out right suffering. I see how many respond to the trials in their life.  The people who inspire me are those who seem joyful in the middle of it all and go about taking the steps they can to help improve their situation.  But how do they have joy?

Suffering is not fun, and it doesn’t bring us a sense of happiness.  But those who are joyful see it from a different perspective.  To them every trial is an opportunity.  It’s a chance to reflect and take stock of their faith in Jesus. A chance to discern how much they really trust him. A time when instead of distancing themselves from him and trying to comfort themselves on their own or in a strange way the world tells them, with the help of the Holy Spirit, they intentionally turn towards Jesus, draw closer to him, lean on him, and love him even more. With the help of the Holy Spirit, their trials actually nourish their life with Jesus. It’s this life with Jesus that gives us them power to engage, endure, overcome, and even be joyful in it all, making things they face seem a little less frightening.  Where can I get this life with Jesus?  It comes from our belief in him.

Motivated By Love

Motivated By Love

Over the years, living in a house with my wife and two daughters, I have been very blessed to see how mothers and daughters relate to one another and how their relationships can change. When our girls were young and everything seemed new to them, my wife was excited to do kid stuff; blow bubbles, make s’mores in the summer and snowmen in the winter, or bake cupcakes and cookies. I saw much fun and love, even though everything wasn’t always smooth and easy.

Be Like Your Teacher

Be Like Your Teacher

Every Disciple will be like his teacher. Back in the 90’s when I worked at Buick, I can recall that the manager of our factory at the time always wore a sweater vest. Not that there was anything wrong with it, but it just set him apart from how other managers dressed in suits and ties. It wasn’t long that I noticed that most of the other men I worked with started to wear sweater vests too. Some looked good in them, others not so much. I don’t think it was a fashion trend at the time but the men, were becoming like their leader at least in the way they dressed. Could this be what Jesus means when he says that every disciple will be like his teacher? Maybe not, but we will become like our teacher. We will become like the one we follow. Jesus gives us a choice. A choice to follow and become like him or, follow others and become like them.

The Woman at the Well

The Woman at the Well

Often during Lent we hear the story of the Woman at the Well (John 4:5-42). According to some biblical scholars, back at that time most women went to the well early in the day before it became too hot. Young men knew this and would often go to the well too. Not to get water, but possibly to find a wife. They didn’t have Tinder or any of the dating apps we do now, and you didn’t go to the bar; you went to the well.

If that’s the case then it can give us a little bit different perspective on why the woman in our story. She had five husbands and was living with another man. Along with wanting to avoid judgement, and gossip, maybe with all the man trouble in her life, she didn’t need another one, so she went when she thought none would be there. And then she meets the one man she did need in her life. She met Jesus.

The Way of Love

The Way of Love

I was recently reflecting on one of St. Paul’s letters, I was reminded of “why” Catholic Charities exists…..for no other reason but simply …TO LOVE.

Read what St. Paul says (1 Corinthians 12:31 – 13:8)

“The Way of Love. But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.

And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;

if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing

Will You Marry Me?

Will You Marry Me?

I want to be able to face anything the comes my way, no matter how trivial or troubling it might seem, with a calm, purposeful response. I want to have emotional reactions driven by pride, worry, or a need to control what’s going on around me. To know that in the end, things will work out and everything will be ok. I want this peace.