We are so familiar with this fishing expedition that it feels like a quaint little story about Jesus making a big catch for his friends. That much is true, but it leaves out everything that happened before. It is a story about ordinary fishermen in an ordinary village in ancient Palestine. They have ordinary wives and ordinary children and ordinary lives. They are on the sea most of the time. Their faces are weather beaten, their hands cut by net barbs and hardened by the sea salt. It is a hard life of work, but it is a good life: honest, healthy and simple and they are content. 

Then, all of a sudden, a charismatic preacher took the region by storm. He made everyone acutely aware of the evil in their lives. They had grown so accustomed to the way they compromised their covenant with God that they thought everything was just fine. But the Baptist warned them that God was unhappy and about to scuttle their comfortable boat. Hundreds of people were frightened into repentance; but not our intrepid fishermen. They knew they were not   perfect, but they would not be stampeded into salvation by rigid laws. Fishermen are free. But just when they had       escaped the Baptist, along came an even more exciting preacher with anew angle on God. It sounded much more     appealing, but there were fish to catch. It was not until Jesus approached them personally that they were lost. His     message was powerful, but his personality was over powering. All he had to say was “follow me” and they dropped nets and family to chase God-knows- where after this amazing man.

They had a glorious time romping over the hillside like Robin Hood’s ban. But it all fell apart as quickly as it had come together. The powers grew tired of this road show and they had to shut it down. They killed the leader of the band, and the backup players drifted apart as everyone knew they would. They went back to their old jobs where they could; and suffered the scorn of their wives. They paid a serious price for getting in over their heads.

 And now they are back in the boat, working all night for nothing. But that “nothing” was still profitable. Because “boat talk” is the kind that lingers; it floats over the water, it is plain, honest, intimate.  Boat talk is like pillow talk or doing the dishes talk or going for a walk talk. Close conversation, solidifies bonds and intensifies the memory. They said to each other: “What a grand time we had. We never would have dreamed we had that energy and daring inside us….It was the best thing that ever happened to us….It was well worth the price.”

Their happy reverie was disrupted by a voice from the shore: “Hey kids, how’s the fishing?” They bristled: Who dares to call hardened fishermen “children”?  And make fun of our fishing failure? But the voice sounded vaguely familiar. It couldn’t be….could it possibly be? John knew right away. Peter jumped into the sea as quickly as he would have jumped into a fire for his friend. But the other fishermen wondered “Do we really want to go through this again? It was wonderful, yes but such a huge price!”

You and I are still in the same boat with them, wondering if fishing with Jesus is really worth it.

Pray over it,
Deacon Ron

The gospel according to Luke has been called the gospel of prayer, the gospel of women and the gospel of compassion because it stops to pay attention to these themes and the stories about them.

On His way to Golgotha, Jesus stops to acknowledge the grief of the women of Jerusalem and their insight that His death also signals the failure of the holy city to avert coming disaster and destruction.

Even in His death throes, Jesus is alert to the needs of others.  He will die in the place of Barabbas. He hears the appeal of the thief crucified with Him and promises him paradise.  His Passion, to the end, is for the sake of sinners, and His surrender to the will of God is expressed in His fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, that God’s chosen one must suffer and die for salvation of all people.

He is betrayed by a friend, one of His disciples. He is denied by Peter, chosen to lead others to faith. His final hours reveal the complicity and corruption of power. Arrested by the temple police, He is beaten during His interrogation, mocked by Herod’s court, flogged by Pilate’s soldiers, even though Pilate declared Him innocent, and then executed to avoid a public disturbance. His death is not just a public execution, but a method of killing, designed to humiliate, torture and prolong the agony of the victim. Jesus’ death is routine for the soldiers, who wile away the hours gambling for the few possessions He had.

Luke’s Passion is heart breaking, and is meant to move us to compassion. We are invited to stand with the women who weep as Jesus staggers past them. We are invited to identify with Simon of Cyrene, drafted to pick up Jesus’ cross in order to insure that he survives long enough to be nailed to it.

The reading of the Passion is meant to be felt as much as listened to.  We are invited to join our own personal suffering and losses to Jesus’ way of the cross. We as baptized members of His body are meant to invoke all of the terrible suffering the world has experienced in the past year. This is our work for Holy Week. It will prepare us to feel Easter.

Always Loved, Always Welcome…
Deacon Ron

The gospel story about the woman charged with adultery leaves us standing with her, blessed by the generous compassion of Christ. In forgiving the woman, Jesus did not do so lightly as if her sin were of no consequence. Rather he deferred judgment so that the woman could go and try her best, with God’s grace, to sin no more.

Jesus’ attitude toward the woman gave her the gift of added time and the  opportunity to live her life differently. Jesus was more concerned with what a person might become rather than what the person had been. He affirmed that one has a future as well as a past. He showed great compassion, while others judged and condemned. He sought to understand; while others hated and degraded the weak. Jesus offered his strength and caring to them.

Jesus challenged the woman to become her best self, the self that was a clearer reflection of the God in whose image she had been created. Yes, she had sinned, but in response to Jesus word and God’s grace, she would become a saint.

The story of the unnamed adulteress reminds us that we stand beside her, rightly accused of sin. Whether it be adultery or apathy, pride or prejudice, greed, envy or lust, her story confronts us with a choice. Do we accept the  second chance and challenge Jesus offers us or do we return to the sins that have become so rote in our confessing? Do we dare to come away from our Lenten encounter with Jesus and live differently or not? Jesus tells us, as he did the woman, “Go and sin no more.” But one day Jesus will require an accounting of our responsiveness to his loving mercies. When that time comes, the consequences shall be eternal. How will you respond?

Always Loved, Always Welcome…
Deacon Ron

   St. Paul also had a burning bush experience on the Damascus road, and the passionate faith in Jesus that took root that day is visible in all his writings. Samuel and Isaiah discovered their burning bush in the temple. Each went forth from their experiences to serve God and God’s people as best he could despite the personal cost.

   Mary’s initial burning bush experience was mediated by the angel-messenger in whom she recognized the divine presence. She listened as the voice of God changed her future forever.

   Joseph’s experience came to him in a dream that encouraged him to surrender his own sense of morality and his logic to a plan he had not made, but in which he was invited to participate in a very important way. As for their son, Jesus, his burning bush took place in a garden after an intimate meal with his friends. Agonizingly alone before the reality of what lay ahead for him, Jesus knew the presence of God in the depths of his suffering. Even before his death on the cross, he allowed himself to be consumed by the will of God for him.

   With those experiences to ignite our own, each of us is challenged this Lent to be willing to discover those burning bushes through which God is revealed to us and we are revealed to Him. This Lent through prayer and penance let us ignite our own fire.

In His Burning Desire,
Deacon Ron

Saying what we mean and meaning what we say is key to becoming real. Those who persevere in the process of becoming real will have to work daily at cleansing their hearts and actions of prejudice and discrimination, as well as the apathy that allows such injustice to go unchecked. It will require each of us to stand and listen as Moses tells the story of who we are as a people. We speak our own story before God and our brothers and sisters in faith, and we are challenged to acknowledge the good we have done and the good we have failed to do. Becoming real will mean we have to admit our weakness and   vulnerability and offer these to God, who will grace us with the strength to face every temptation. Even though it hurts to become fully who we are called to be, it is important for us to make a new beginning.

Lent is a time to renew our baptismal commitment, and baptism calls us to be servants and witnesses, to carry on the mission of Christ today. Lent should lead us to become better servants of others and to reach out to others with the good news of the Gospel. The process of becoming real doesn’t happen all at once. What better time to start than now?

Have a blessed and REAL Lent,
Deacon Ron

Stewardship is not simply about making donations or taking care of the building and grounds. It is a spirituality, a way of life and it is made up of four parts:

• Receiving the gifts of God with gratitude
• Cultivating them responsibly
• Sharing them lovingly in justice with others
• Standing before the Lord in a spirit of accountability        

The Gifts of God

• Your faith, hope, love, joy
• Your family love and relationships with others
• Your intelligence, talents, and skills
• Your imagination, compassion, and vision
• Creation in all its splendor

Our Catholic tradition teaches us that with so many blessings come great challenges.  At all times in our life, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to share what we have been given.

Jesus is the Steward

It begins with our Baptism, when we became followers of Jesus Christ.  From this call flows the commitment to Christ that makes stewardship possible and deeply rewarding. However, this is a commitment to a lifetime of action, and it requires sacrifice. Through following Christ, we have the benefit of the role model of sacrifice for the greater good, a model of self giving and loving  service.

Hearing and Responding to the Call

Everyone has a calling, which is another way of saying that your walk with God is personal. When you hear the call to gratitude and responsibility in your friendships and family, in your work, wherever you go, then taking the next step to answer that call is where Catholic stewardship may be clearly seen. That response usually happens in a wonderfully rich and vibrant community such as St. Anastasia. We are all encouraged to consider responding generously to God’s call to a priestly or religious vocation as well as to married life.

I would encourage you to go to the top of the page and click on Stewardship, and read Father J.J.’s article. You will find it informational and inspiring. In fact, look at our whole web site, it is one of the best if not the best in the archdiocese.

Have a blessed week,
Deacon Ron

In a sense the search for the presence of God can be similarly challenging. Set against the vast and varied backdrop of the human condition, God’s presence seems elusive and at times even indiscernible. Although we may be intellectually convinced that God is present, it may still be difficult to satisfy our deep desire to experience God. For this reason, God in all love and compassion has sent guides and mentors to move among us, to help us discern the face, touch and handiwork of God by pointing our searching eyes, minds and hearts in the right direction. We call these mentors / guides by different names – prophet, disciple, evangelist, pastor- all are believers whose privilege and responsibility it is to lead us and others to discover God.

Peter, James and John thought they had found their place in life as fishermen. No doubt Isaiah of Jerusalem had the same sense of himself as he served his people as high priest. Paul, too, had known security in his vocation as a Pharisee, with the responsibility to keep his community orthodox and free of heretical elements. But when the presence of God broadened their spiritual horizons, Isaiah and Paul, Peter, James and John realized that their life’s search had only just begun.

Like those who must find Waldo in a new setting on every page, these heroes of our faith were called to discover the plan of God for them in ever new and evolving circumstances. Isaiah, the priest, would also be Isaiah the prophet; Paul, the persecutor, would become Paul the proclaimer of the good news of Jesus; and Peter, James and John would help others navigate the complexity of human experience and find the face of God in the words and works of Jesus Christ. We honor these heroes by continuing their mission. Now it is our turn to help others recognize the face of God.

What are some of the ways we can help others recognize the face of God? The best way is by being good stewards. We have to be out on the front lines as ushers, greeters, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, teachers and any other type of ministry that can advance our faith and our community. When others look at us they have to see God’s face in us and then they will be able to see His face in others.

Have a good week,
Deacon Ron

As we draw to a close of another liturgical year,  I thought this homily says it all.  I read this in “Celebration”, a resource pamphlet, and thought it was worthy to share with you.

The Fate of Jesus…. a homily by Fr. James Smith

This is the end of the road for Jesus.  He is dragged to court on a capital charge.  Will he be acquitted or sentenced to death?  He seems rather indifferent to the whole scene.  But I’ll bet his Father is not.

Parents who sit in courtrooms waiting for a jury’s decision on the fate of their children wonder where they went wrong.  I wonder what the Father of Jesus thought.  Maybe something like this:
 ”How did my Son and I end up here, now?  Could it have gone differently?

“His dual slogan of ‘repent and believe’ was ambivalent at best.  Repent of what?  Of their sins; of their reliance on the law; of their dependence on a foreign power?  Should they repent of their preference for sacrifice instead of doing justice, or repent of commercializing the temple, of calculating their relationship with me?

“And what did he call them to believe?  In his words, in his miracles, in his vision, in himself?  Although he was patient and understanding, Jesus demanded a lot from his followers.  In this family-dominated culture he insisted that they leave their blood families and form a spiritual family.  In this poverty belt he told them to become even poorer – and then to consider themselves blessed.  At this crossroads of invading armies he told them to be peaceable, even to love enemies.  And to this subjugated, defeated non-nation,  he proposed the idea of a kingdom.  God’s kingdom, to be sure, but in their godforsaken land.

“My Son knew as well as previous prophets that miracles are always problematic.  The meaning of miracles is open to interpretation.  Does blindness cured designate sight or insight?  Does lameness cured mean physical mobility or spiritual freedom?  And is multiplying bread an act of kindness or a symbol of the bread of life?

“Parables are even trickier.  They are the popular approach to teaching.  Many philosophers offer instruction in the wisdom of the world, but few can afford the tuition.  In an illiterate society, people learn by word of mouth and learn only things that are useful in life.

“So, Jesus talked about ordinary things: lilies, barns, banquets, sheep.  But he put them together in challenging ways.  Is building bigger barns prudent or presumptuous?  Is reducing debt cheating or good business?  Is it foolish or wise to sell everything for a single pearl?  Is paying all workers the same an act of kindness or injustice?  And what does all this earthly ordinariness have to do with a heavenly kingdom?

“Even so, the carpenter Jesus felt at ease with common people.  It was the leaders who made him question himself most.  Should he have been more patient with the Pharisees, less argumentative with the scholarly Saducees?  And then those powerful Romans.  Should he have made it clearer  that he was not starting a competing kingdom?  Or maybe he was?

“Just like anyone else, Jesus could never know at any given moment what might be crucial.  But it’s too late now for Jesus to reconsider.  Past and present are the same to Me, but my Son must see his future through the dust of his past decisions.  And the future of my kingdom is in his hands.  If I had done things my own way, how would I have done it? Exactly the same way Jesus did.

“You did good Son.” 

Now we look forward to Advent beginning Sunday, November 29th, and the beginning of a new liturgical year.

On Thursday evening, December 3rd, at 7:30 P.M. in the Social Hall, a special presentation will be held by Deacon John Dumas on the history of Advent.  Come learn about the Season of Advent and its Scriptural anticipation of the three Comings of Christ (Past, Present & Future).  This special presentation is open to all in the parish and is hosted by Men’s Fellowship.  

Peace,
Deacon Ron

Hosted by Men’s Fellowship

Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 3rd, for a special  presentation hosted by the Men’s Fellowship and presented by Deacon John Dumas, on Everything you wanted to know about Advent. It  will begin at 7:30 P.M. in the Social Hall and is open to all in the parish.

Come learn about the Season of Advent and it’s Scriptural anticipation of the three comings of Christ (Past, Present, Future). Learn the central message of the Liturgical Season,  current Church guidelines and regulations. He will speak of the meaning of Advent, it’s origin and history, and current and past traditions. The history of the Advent Wreath; the Jesse Tree; the Advent Calendar and the Great O-Antiphons and more will be explained.

This should be an exciting and informative presentation!   Come and learn more about Advent and support our seminarian, Deacon John.

In order to accept and acknowledge that gift, we are called to look beyond the sign in order to see and believe in the one who has used that sign to offer his very self. In today’s first reading from Exodus, the Israelites were being called to accept the manna and the quail as gifts and to see beyond those gifts to the God who had brought them into being and who, at that moment, was guiding them to freedom and a new way of life. Moses interpreted the sign for them: It was bread from the Lord, bread for the journey.

Jesus similarly provided bread and fish for the multitudes, but many became lost in the sign and came to him looking for more. As the Johnannine evangelist picks up the thread of his lengthy Bread of Life discourse in today’s Gospel, Jesus is represented as addressing the people’s desire for signs. They cited the desert event and talked of Moses and manna. But Jesus redirected their attention to the true bread from heaven. That bread, of course, is his very self who can satisfy every human hunger. Look beyond the bread and see beyond your stomachs, challenged Jesus, so as to be able to sink your teeth into the real food he has to offer, the bread of life. Jesus could see beyond the bread he took and blessed and broke and gave, aware that he would be similarly taken and broken when he gave his life for the forgiveness of sinners. Jesus could also see beyond the crucifixion to the Communion celebration, where he would be remembered and would be truly present to his disciples.

Have a blessed week,
Deacon Ron