June 13 – Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel Jesus speaks in parables.  Parables were Jesus’ favorite way of teaching.  He used parables because parables force you to think.  You have to pause and use your imagination to consider how the kingdom of God is like two sons, or ten virgins, or a treasure found in a field.  Today Jesus tells us that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed.  What is he trying to say?  Parables always have multiple meanings.  I suggest to you one possible meaning of this parable today of the mustard seed is that Jesus is telling us that small things matter.

The parable is very clear on this.  The mustard seed is the smallest possible seed.  Yet, once it is planted, it grows into a sizeable plant that can give shade to birds.  The mustard seed is very small, just a speck.  It would be so easy to lose it or to ignore it or to discard it.  But doing any of those things, we would miss the opportunity to see how it would grow and what it would become.  The lesson of the mustard seed is important, because we live in a culture that values what is big and impressive.  We get excited about a new car or better clothes or the most recent laptop or smart phone that at times we overlook what seems to be less.  That is unfortunate, because small things matter.  They matter because God uses them, and they matter in two different ways.  They matter in the actions that we do, and they matter in the things we receive.

As we live any day of our life, we should never discount the small things we can do: a word of love or support to our spouse, a few moments to affirm a son or daughter about something they are good at or something that they have achieved, a phone call to a friend who is grieving the death of a loved one, or even a thankful smile instead of a vacant stare as we approach the cashier in the supermarket.  These are small things, tiny; things, things that could seem to have no significance.  Yet they can be important because God can choose to use them to build up some person in our lives and to increase the goodness around us.  We should never discount doing small things in the course of every day!

But neither should we overlook the importance of receiving small things each day.  For each day there are people in our lives who give us signs of love and support.  How much richer our lives would be if we were open to accept those signs and take them in….the smile of a 3-year old child, the person who breaks to let us into traffic, a friend who says to us “How are you? How are you really?”  All of these are signs that God is using to show us that we are loved and that there are reasons for hope.

Big and flashy things always seem important.  But small things matter.  Things a little as a mustard seed can shape our lives.  We can be the farmer who plants the mustard seed or the soil that receives it – the giver or the receiver.  In both cases, small things like a mustard seed can make a difference.  God uses the small things in our lives to build the kingdom of God.  SMALL THINGS MATTER!

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

June 6 – The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Today we celebrate the foundational Catholic truth that Jesus is really present in the Eucharist, which unfortunately during this COVID pandemic, which started in March 2020, many have been deprived of receiving. Today we celebrate the Body and Blood of Jesus – our communion with Him through the Eucharist.  As I said, many, for various reasons have not be able to come to Mass and are spiritually starving!  Technology allowed us to livestream Mass to watch on television and mobile devices, but technology cannot provide for receiving Holy Communion.  During the pandemic, our bishop gave a general dispensation from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.  I suspect the obligation to attend Sunday Mass will be re-instated soon (if it already hasn’t been since I’ve written this article).

One of the aspirational values we are encouraging our parishioners to embrace is the Primacy of Sunday Eucharist.  We dream to be a parish where everyone hungers to be nourished by the true presence of Christ in Word and Eucharist, giving priority to coming to Mass every Sunday.  That means not attending Mass only if we can fit it in our schedule between kids sporting events, projects we want to get done around the house, and any of the numerous reasons we can find for not attending Mass.  Instead, we attend Mass BEFORE (or after) doing all the other activities in our schedule.  Why?

Can you recall what was your most memorable meal?  This question was posed by a hostess at a dinner party, and she received a variety of answers.  One couple said that their most memorable meal was a three course dinner which was made by an executive chef for them on their honeymoon while on a river cruise in Paris.  Another couple said that their most memorable was the first time their children served them breakfast in bed on their anniversary.  A man who had been a boy scout said his most memorable meal was a meal of hobo hamburgers, which he prepared in tin foil over a campfire.  A mother of three said her most memorable meal was a meal at which she ate nothing.  It was the first time she nursed her newborn son.

I would add that your First Communion should be included in your list of most memorable meals!  The truth is that the Eucharist is the perfect meal!  Because, in this meal we share the body and blood of Christ, the real presence of our Savior.  Christ is the source of life and therefore the source of all the blessing in our lives, which we commemorate in all the other meals we celebrate.  The Eucharist is the meal which is the source of all our meals, because in the Eucharist, we encounter the author of life who is the source of every blessing.  Through Christ we are blessed in our family, our friends, our talents, and our possessions.  All of these gifts come for Christ.  In the Eucharist we encounter Him and celebrate the blessings we have received!  That should have priority in our Sunday meal plans!!

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

May 30 -The Most Holy Trinity

One of the things that Fr. James and I do is to take turns at being “on call” to respond as soon as possible to various pastoral emergencies.  It is a rare occasion that both of us are unable to respond quickly to a pastoral emergency.  But, did you realize that you are “on call” too?  On this feast of the Most Holy Trinity, we celebrate the mystery that God: Father, Son, and Spirit, has called us into an intimate relationship of love; has made us God’s own daughters and sons.  But that relationship is a two way street.  Not only do we expect things from God, but God expects things from us.  God made us.  God saves us.  God sends us.  God has a plan for the world, and we are part of that plan.  That is why as sons and daughters of God we must always be ready to hear the word “Go” – “Go” is the word that God uses when there is something for us to do.  The disciples hear the word in today’s gospel.  “Go and make disciples of all the nations.”  But this command does not only apply to the first disciples.  It applies to all disciples.  It applies to us.  We must be ready to go.

To what God is sending you I cannot say, but the fact that God is sending you is not in doubt.  Sending is what God does to God’s daughters and sons.  God make us.  God saves us.  God sends us.  If you want to know to what God is sending you, all you need to do is listen.  We wake up each day and we plan our own schedule.  First I’ll do this, then I’ll do that, and if there’s time, I’ll fit this in. But do any of us in all honesty ask the question, “Lord, is there anything you want me to do today?”

I dare you to ask that question!  Whether you’re in the fourth grade or you’ve just retired, whether you’re married or you’re single, whether you’re healthy or you’re sick – I dare you to ask, “Lord, is there anything you want me to do today?”  I promise you that if you ask, God will answer.  It may be in that moment, or an hour later, or a day later, but if you ask, you will hear God say, “Go.”  “Go to that person at work and tell him or her….” “Go to your friend and ask him/her…….”  “Go to the phone and call……”  “Go to your spouse….Go to your daughter…..Go to your neighbor….and do this.”

God has a plan for this world.  You are part of that plan.  As sons and daughters of God we must always be ready to be sent.  Christians are always “on call.”  So ask the question, “Lord is there anything you want me to do today?”  If you ask, God will answer, and you will soon find yourself going forth to do your Father’s will.

Have a blessed week!

Father Don

May 16 – The Ascension of the Lord

Many of you my age remember the song “Up, Up and Away in My Beautiful Balloon” sung by the Fifth Dimension.  As we celebrate the Ascension today, perhaps up, up but NOT away would be our song.  While Jesus is out of sight, he is not out of mind or presence.  His presence can be experienced in many ways, or as the Gospel accounts today, through signs.  Jesus reminds us that he is with us until the end of the world.  How?  First, in his church.  But not only in holy places or shrines, but in the people who are the church.  When I was pastor of St. Michael in Wheaton (2001 – 2012), the church was destroyed by an arson fire in 2002.  That morning one of the news reporters on the scene asked me, “Father, how do you feel about losing your church?”  I responded, “we didn’t lose the church, we only lost the building where the church gathers.”

On this feast of the Ascension, we celebrate the truth that Jesus has ascended and entered into glory and is seated at God’s right hand.  But just because Jesus has sat down, does not mean that his work is finished.  The Kingdom of God is not yet fully established.  There is still violence and injustice in our world.  Jesus will need to return at the end of time to finally establish God’s Kingdom in its fullness.  Until the time when Jesus returns, he expects us to be active.

Jesus expects us to work for justice, to proclaim the good news of God’s love.  This is what we are called to do.  The gospel makes it clear, Jesus says to the disciples, “Go out to all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole of creation.” The gospel also makes it clear that our mission cannot be successful unless it is accompanied by signs.  Signs make other people take notice.  They set us apart and validate the power and the truth of the message.  Words are not enough!  Signs are necessary if the gospel is to be fully confirmed and believed.

While the signs mentioned in today’s gospel may seem rather extreme, may I suggest a few “kingdom” signs:  What if some objected to having a co-worker or a fellow student belittled or refused to laugh at a racist joke?  What if someone stood up to defend another who was being ignored?  That could be a sign of the Kingdom.  What if someone decided to be patient with another person who annoyed them?  What if instead of discounting that person or saying offensive things to them, a person would choose to listen and perhaps understand where that person was coming from?  That could be a sign of the Kingdom.  What if parents occasionally set aside their work, set aside their household tasks and their multiple schedules and created a space where the family could simply gather and listen to one another’s lives?  That could be a kingdom sign.  Whatever causes people to notice, sets us apart, goes against the grain – if it is oriented toward justice and love – can be a sign of the Kingdom of God!

Have a blessed Easter Season!

Father Don

May 9 – Sixth Sunday of Easter

BLESSING PRAYER FOR MOTHER’S DAY

God of Love, listen to this prayer.
God of Holy People, of Sarah, Ruth and Rebekah;
God of holy Elizabeth, mother of John,
of Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus,
bend down Your ear to this request
and bless the mother of our family.

Bless her with the strength of Your spirit,
she who has taught her child/children
how to stand and how to walk.

Bless her with the melody of Your love,
she who has fed and nurtured
the life that was formed within her
while still helpless but embrace in her love.

Bless her today, now, in this lifetime,
With good things, with health.
Bless her with joy, love, laughter
and pride in her child/children
and surround her with many good friends.

May she who carried life in her womb
be carried one day to Your divine embrace;
there, for all eternity,
to rejoice with her family and friends.

This blessing and all graces, we pray,
descend upon the mother of our family:
in the name of the Father, and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN+

Reprinted With Permission
“Prayers for the Domestic Church by Edward Hays
Forest of Peace Publishing, Leavenworth, KS

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Father Don

May 2 – Fifth Sunday of Easter

One of the most challenging things that many of us struggle with is not allowing the past to dictate the way in which we live life today.  The past, which we cannot change, can often linger negatively.  It will always be part of our lives.  But, we can change the present moment.  We can always move into a positive way of living and thinking.  Through God’s grace, St. Paul with the help of Barnabas made his conversion experience known to the apostles.  His life was dramatically changed and his work began in the early Church.  The Holy Spirit was the driving force in his life and can be the same for us as well.  These remarkable readings from Acts of the Apostles inspire us throughout the year.  The liturgies we celebrate together pour those graces into each one of us.  ALL WE NEED IS THE WILLINGNESS TO SAY YES AND MOVE FORWARD.

The reading from the 1^st Letter of John reinforces the fact that the power of the resurrected Jesus can see us through the trials and tribulations of life.  When all seems hopeless, or at is seemingly at a dead end with nowhere to turn, there is always an incredible light to show us another way.  Through the love of God and one another, new ways of life can unfold.

The parable of the vine and the branches is a wonderful reminder to prune away the baggage in our lives that constantly wears us down and robs us of the energy to live our lives as fully as possible.  One thing we can learn in life is to be not only compassionate to others but to learn self-compassion.  We constantly need to forgive ourselves, acknowledge our mistakes or compulsions, fearlessly address them, and move on.  Otherwise, we run the risk of stagnating and making ourselves miserable.  It takes much courage to face our hardships and challenges in life.  God’s grace and a fearless self-honesty can work miracles!

Fr. James and some of our prayer team warriors are being trained in a special ministry of prayer based on the book “Unbound – A Practical Guide to Deliverance” by Neal Lozano.  If you would like to be prayed over using this type of prayer, please e-mail Fr. James.

Several people have asked how I am doing since the surgery I had on March 25^th to remove my isthmus, the bridge of tissue that connects the two lobes of the thyroid gland.  At the time of surgery tissue samples were sent to pathology and no classic features were displaying at that time.  However, the full pathology report received two weeks later show that I have encapsulated papillary carcinoma cells present.  Therefore, I now need to have my entire thyroid gland removed.  That surgery is scheduled for June 10^th.

Have a Blessed Easter Season!

Father Don

April 25 – Fourth Sunday of Easter

Every year on the Fourth Sunday of Easter, we hear John’s gospel of the good shepherd.  It is easy to tune out because we have heard it so many times.  But, Pope Francis’ strong emphasis on the link between mercy and evangelization has cast new light of the risen Christ as the Good Shepherd. In today’s Gospel, the risen Jesus gathers his disciples, who were scattered like sheep when he was arrested and executed.  His first words to them are of peace – total forgiveness for their cowardice in his hour of need.

The image of lost sheep certainly describes many people today, including Catholics who have wandered away or feel abandoned by the church.  The thought that someone is out searching for them, eager to rescue them from the brambles of human temptation and entanglement, to bind up their wounds, lift them up on strong shoulders and carry them home – is a comforting message.

Mercy is first aid, no questions asked.  Pope Francis’ vision of a merciful church does not dismiss the need for justice or accountability; he simply puts mercy first.  The prodigal son, the ultimate lost sheep, might never have come home if he thought his father would only scold, belittle and punish him.  In his desolate state, the son must have sensed that his father was grieving for him and wanted him to turn homeward.  In fact, the story suggest that it was the father’s longing, his daily walks to the gate to see if his son was on his way, that prompted the son to consider coming home.

The Good Shepherd will not give up on a single sheep.  He knows each one by name, loves them so much he is willing to lay down his life to save each one.  There is no talk of “cutting his losses” or the kind of “tough love” that lets a rebellious child suffer the consequences of his own actions before there can be any intervention or negotiated return home.  God’s unconditional love leaps into action at the first sign of regret or repentance.  As Pope Francis has said, “We tire of asking for God’s forgiveness, but God never tires of offering it.”  God’s name is Mercy.  God cannot do otherwise, for it is God’s very nature to love and forgive.

Todays’ Gospel is for anyone responsible for others.  This includes parents, teachers, priests and bishops.  Anyone entrusted with others who are vulnerable and need guidance has a model in the Good Shepherd.

Today’s world is in need of more Good Shepherd’s.  Will you become one??

Have a Blessed Easter Season!

Father Don

April 18 – Third Sunday of Easter

Happy Easter! As we celebrate the Third Sunday of Easter, I would like to extend a profound and heartfelt “THANK YOU” to several groups of people who put their heart and soul in serving you, our parishioners, during the Lenten and Easter seasons. I am always hesitant to single out individual people because inevitably, I will forget to include someone,
but I do want to mention Fr. James. Not long after Fr. James arrived, I
told him that I wanted him to preside and preach the three liturgies of the
Sacred Triduum – Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil. He
looked at me like a deer in headlights! What! He exclaimed! I told him I
thought it would be a great experience for him as a newly ordained and
that really the Triduum is one continuous liturgy, spread over three days.
He embraced the challenge and did what I thought was a splendid job.
His next pastor probably won’t be as demanding!

There are three groups that I want to specifically extend my deep appreciation for all the time, effort and energy that they so generously gave to ensuring a prayerful Lenten and Easter Season. First, the Liturgical Planning and Mass Coordinators. A tremendous amount of thought and
energy went in to the details and coordination required to provide worship during the COVID pandemic protocols and limits. Thanks to all
who cleaned, set-up, and took down what need to be done. Great
job….everything went smoothly! Next, the Art and Environment Committee. As usual, we were recipients of their creative talent! The
gradual transformation from the stark environment of Lent to the splendid
beauty of Easter was stunning and beautiful! Thank you for the endless
hours of planning and then preparing and executing an inspiring environment of worship.

Next, the Liturgical and Music Ministers. A big thank you to all our
greeters who so warmly and enthusiastically welcomed our parishioners
and visitors to Masses and other liturgical services. You are our frontline of our mission to provided everyone with a life changing encounter
with Jesus. Thanks to those liturgical ministers who spent time preparing
to serve at Mass as Deacons, Readers, Lectors, Extra-Ordinary Ministers
of the Eucharist. A big thank you to our seminarians too for their assistance during Holy Week, the Triduum and Easter Sunday. Despite the
fact that COVID pandemic protocols still do not permit choirs and brass
instruments, our Music Director coordinated beautiful, inspiring and uplifting music for all our liturgies during Lent and Easter. We are blessed
at OLM to have so many gifted musicians and vocalists. We express our
appreciation to all of them who uplifted us musically and blessed us with
hope during this Easter season. And a huge THANK YOU to our
Livestream Team for keeping those who are unable to be present
physically, to be present in spirit. Hopefully, I haven’t forgotten any
group. If I did, I apologize. Know of my appreciation!

Have a Blessed Easter Season!

Father Don