Reflections of Refinement: A token of gratitude

Reflections of Refinement: A token of gratitude

 

 

FEAST OF THE HOLY FAMILY

With the coming of the Christ Child the Holy Family is complete. The Christ Child has entered the world with the promise of salvation and vindication. We are encouraged to look at the Holy Family as a model for our own lives and our own Christian Community. Throughout Sacred Scripture it is emphasized how a God fearing and loving family should conduct themselves in comparison to the expectations of society. The family is the most central and important social unit in the world and we are instructed to focus on this continuously. There is a sense of peace and wonderment that is revealed through the Manger Scene that moves us as Christians. It is not only because it is the moment when our savior entered the world but because of what it represents: peace, love, and happiness. Meditating on the Manger Scene invites us to contemplate the central aspect of our faith which is love: the perfection of which can be demonstrated through the love that a mother and father have for their child.

Through the Prophets, God continuously makes comparisons of his love for us. He describes it as the same love that a mother has for her child. The child is represented as the perfection of God’s creation. As Jesus said, “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” It is through the unconditional love that a child has for its parents early on that we can learn how to love our God and each other.

A lot of the problems and ills of society can be traced to the slow crumbling of the family unit and society’s attempt to change it. The Wisdom of Sirach instructs us to honor our fathers, revere our mothers; all the while parents are expected to guide, nourish, and foster the growth of their children. The relationship between the three is the seeds of growth which will develop and transform everyone. As more children enter the picture their relationships will also define who they are in a continuous cycle. This is why marriage is important and parenting is a great responsibility.

 

There are expected rules of conduct within a Christian Community and within a Christian Family. We should meditate on this continuously and strive to make changes when we see where we have erred. God understands that we are not perfect but we must acknowledge our mistakes and shortcomings if we are to improve ourselves. Through the Holy Family we learn that our conduct does not only affect ourselves but everyone around us. In a family this is all the more true. Everyone is watching; all the time. Our children watch us and watch what we do. They learn from us, absorbing all of our actions and what we say. They mimic us and use our example as a blue print for the rest of their lives. This can be frustrating at times but it must be understood. We are not in this world alone and cannot act as such.

Happiness can be achieved through an understanding of our duties and responsibilities. These can be very hard and overwhelming. We all will fall short sometimes. It is inevitable. The difference between true success and failure is how we react to the failures and use them as lessons to better improve ourselves in the future. It is never too late to do well. It is never too late to take what we know and transform ourselves through Christ. When we transform ourselves we then transform all those we interact with. Especially those who are closest to us.

Deacon Tom





 

 

                                                   FIESTA DE LA SAGRADA FAMILIA

Con la llegada del Niño Jesús de la Sagrada Familia se ha completado. El Niño Jesús ha entrado en el mundo con la promesa de la salvación y vindicación. Se nos anima a ver la Sagrada Familia como modelo para nuestra vida y nuestra comunidad cristiana. A lo largo de la Sagrada Escritura se hace hincapié en cómo un temor de Dios y el amor de la familia debe ser el comportamiento en comparación con las expectativas de la sociedad. La familia es la unidad social más central e importante en el mundo y se nos instruye a centrarse en esto continuamente. Hay una sensación de paz y la maravilla que se revela a través de la escena del pesebre que nos mueve como cristianos. No sólo porque es el momento en que nuestro salvador entró en el mundo, sino por lo que representa: la paz, el amor y la felicidad. Meditando en la escena del pesebre nos invita a contemplar el aspecto central de nuestra fe, que es el amor: la perfección de la que se puede demostrar a través del amor que una madre y un padre tienen para sus hijos.

A través de los profetas, Dios forma continua hace que las comparaciones de su amor por nosotros. Él lo describe como el mismo amor que una madre siente por su hijo. El niño se representa como la perfección de la creación de Dios. Como dijo Jesús: "Dejad que los niños vengan a mí,. No se lo impidan, porque el reino de Dios es de quienes son como ellos" Es a través del amor incondicional que un niño tiene de sus padres desde el principio que podemos aprender a amar a nuestro Dios y entre sí.

Muchos de los problemas y males de la sociedad puede atribuirse a la desaceleración desmoronamiento de la unidad familiar y el intento de la sociedad para cambiarla. La Sabiduría de Sirac nos enseña a honrar a nuestros padres, a nuestras madres veneran, y todos los padres, mientras que se espera que guiar, nutrir y fomentar el crecimiento de sus hijos. La relación entre los tres es la semilla de crecimiento que va a desarrollar y transformar todo el mundo. A medida que más niños entran en escena sus relaciones también se definirá quienes son en un ciclo continuo. Esto es por qué el matrimonio es importante y crianza de los hijos es una gran responsabilidad.

Hay reglas de conducta esperados dentro de una comunidad cristiana y dentro de una familia cristiana. Debemos meditar sobre esto y nos esforzamos continuamente para hacer cambios cuando vemos que nos hemos equivocado. Dios sabe que no somos perfectos, pero tenemos que reconocer nuestros errores y deficiencias, si queremos mejorarnos a nosotros mismos. A través de la Sagrada Familia nos enteramos de que nuestra conducta no afecta sólo a nosotros, sino todo el mundo que nos rodea. En una familia esto es aún más cierto. Todo el mundo está mirando, todo el tiempo. Nuestros hijos nos miran y ver lo que hacemos. Ellos aprenden de nosotros, absorbiendo todas nuestras acciones y lo que decimos. Nos imitar y usar nuestro ejemplo, como un proyecto original para el resto de sus vidas. Esto puede ser frustrante a veces, pero debe comprenderse. No estamos en este mundo solo y no puede actuar como tal.

La felicidad se puede lograr a través de la comprensión de nuestros deberes y responsabilidades. Estos pueden ser muy duro y abrumador. Todos nos quedan cortos a veces. Es inevitable. La diferencia entre el éxito y el fracaso es verdadera forma en que reaccionamos ante los fracasos y los utilizan como lecciones para mejorar mejor a nosotros mismos en el futuro. Nunca es demasiado tarde para hacerlo bien. Nunca es demasiado tarde para tomar lo que sabemos y transformarnos a nosotros mismos a través de Cristo. Cuando nos convertimos entonces transformar a todos los que interactuamos. Especialmente aquellos que están más cercanos a nosotros.
Diácono Tom





 

 

ENOUGH SAID!

 

NO NECESSARIO A DECIR MAS!



 



Voces de júbilo hija de Sión!


Hemos entrado en la tercera semana de Adviento. Hemos proclamado nuestra fe en la venida de nuestro Salvador y han reflexionado sobre lo que podríamos hacer mejor como hijos de Dios. Esta reflexión y examen de conciencia nos desafió y cómo nos hemos comportado en esta vida nuestra. A través de ella puede haber hecho algunos compromisos con respecto a lo que podemos hacer de manera diferente para acercarnos más a Dios. Esperemos que se ha producido algún tipo de transformación a medida que avancemos hacia nuestra gloriosa reunión con nuestro Dios y Creador. Si no es así, todavía podemos orar para que el Espíritu Santo abra nuestros corazones, mentes y almas para el amor eterno de Jesús y la misericordia, especialmente durante este tiempo de Adviento.

El mensaje de esta semana es simple: pura alegría! Jesús nos invita a celebrar el hecho de que somos sus hijos y están destinados a la salvación por su misericordia infinita. Jesús nos ama por lo que somos. Llora por nosotros cuando pecamos y nos alejamos de él. Todo lo que él quiere para nosotros es amarlo a cambio y experimentar la vida ya que estaba destinado a estar con su creador en el centro y nosotros participar en su gloria. Tenemos la suerte de tener un defensor, como Jesús camina con nosotros y nos muestra el camino.

Pablo nos invita a regocijarnos en el Señor siempre porque él puede liberarnos de todo nuestro equipaje y ansiedades. A través de la oración y participando en nuestra vida religiosa nos permite estar más cerca de él y comprometerse en una relación reflexiva y amorosa que trasciende los límites de este mundo físico. A través de esta relación de nuestro amor y confianza en el Señor pueda crecer y nos llevan a una vida próspera. La ansiedad, el estrés, el dolor y las dificultades no son cosas que Dios creó. Estas son cosas que nosotros en nuestra humanidad hemos abrazado. Jesús nos anima a dejad ir y concentrarse en él. Mientras nos centramos en lo que son capaces de ser felices.

A través de la felicidad que experimentamos con Dios nuestra fe se fortalecerá y nuestra confianza aumentará. Confiando en Dios siempre nos permitirá soportar todas las pruebas y tribulaciones y experimentar una gracia maravillosa que se ha ocultado de nosotros a causa de una ignorancia que nos rodea por Satanás. Es sólo que Satanás quiere que seamos separados de nuestro Creador y estar solo dentro de esta hermosa creación.

La alegría es la clave para el amor. Sé feliz que Jesús nos ama y nunca nos abandona.



 



SHOUT FOR JOY O DAUGHTER OF ZION!

 

We have entered into the Third Week of Advent. We have proclaimed our faith in the Coming of Our Savior and have reflected on what we could do better as Children of God. This reflection and examination of conscious challenged us and how we have conducted ourselves in this life of ours. Through it we may have made some commitments regarding what we can do differently to bring us closer to God. Hopefully there has been some sort of transformation as we proceed towards our glorious reunion with our God and Creator.  If not, we can still pray for the Holy Spirit to open our hearts, minds, and souls to Jesus’ everlasting love and mercy; especially during this Season of Advent.

 

The message this week is simple: pure joy! Jesus invites us to celebrate the fact that we are his children and are destined for salvation because of his infinite mercy. Jesus loves us for who we are. He cries for us when we sin and turn away from him. All that he wants for us is to love him in return and experience life as it was meant to be with its creator at its center and us partaking in his glory. We are fortunate to have an advocate such as Jesus walking with us and showing us the way.

 

Paul asks us to rejoice in the Lord always because he can free us from all of our baggage and anxieties. Through prayer and partaking in our religious life we are able to become closer to him and engage in a thoughtful and loving relationship that transcends the boundaries of this physical world. Through this relationship our love and trust in the Lord can grow and lead us to a prosperous life. Anxiety, stress, pain, and hardship are not things that God created. These are things that we in our humanness have embraced. Jesus encourages us to let these go and focus on him. As long as we focus on him we are then able to be happy.

 

Through the happiness we experience with God our faith will be strengthen and our trust will increase. Trusting in God always will enable us to endure all trials and tribulations and experience a wondrous grace that has been hidden from us because of an ignorance that has surrounds us because of Satan. It is only Satan who wants us to be separate from our Creator and be alone within this beautiful creation.

 

Joy is the key to love. Be happy that Jesus loves us and will never abandon us.

 



 



"LA SEGUNDA SEMANA DE ADVIENTO"
Aquí estamos en la segunda semana de Adviento, el discernimiento de la Segunda Venida de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Tengo que decir que la primera semana pasó volando y ahora estamos acomodando para los tres restantes. La Palabra de Dios se nos revela a través de Isaías y se nos pide ir más despacio, a nosotros mismos, alejado del día a día los movimientos del mundo y realmente concentrarnos en donde estamos en esta temporada, como Iglesia y como individuos.
La Corona de Adviento sirve como herramienta en este proceso y realmente puede enriquecer nuestro viaje a través de esta temporada. Al encender una vela nueva cada semana, un significado especial viene con él, no sólo por la temporada o para esa semana, pero algo que se puede realizar durante todo el año. La semana pasada fue la Fe y la Esperanza. Estas palabras definen quiénes somos como cristianos. Se nos dice que tiene fe en que Cristo vendrá otra vez, a tener fe en nuestro Señor Jesucristo, y darlo todo a Jesús. Se nos enseña a liberar a nuestros problemas, a dejar de lado nuestras cargas, y para secar nuestras lágrimas. Si realmente somos una comunidad llena de fe, entonces tenemos que hacer esto. Saber que Cristo es nuestro compañero y nuestro guía a lo largo de esta vida nuestra. Es una relación compartida. Se siente lo que sentimos y que entiende cuando nos duele. Al abrazar nuestra fe, somos capaces de acercarnos más a Jesús. Con la práctica de nuestra fe, somos capaces de desarrollar y fortalecer nuestra relación más de lo que es ahora. Cuanto más hacemos estas cosas, más somos capaces de entender el mundo que vivimos
Podemos relacionarnos con el profeta Isaías. Isaías, que viven en un mundo enloquecido, fue llamado al oficio profético. Él se levantó y desafió a todos los que le precedieron a reformar sus vidas, reconstruir su relación con Dios, y luego ofreció una visión de la salvación que no se dio cuenta hasta más de 700 años más tarde a través de la venida de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Por medio de Isaías, el escenario estaba siendo preparado para la venida de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Hoy en día, el tiempo de Adviento nos llama a la misma tarea. Debemos desafiar a reformar nuestras vidas, reconstruir nuestra relación con Dios y tienen la fe y la fortaleza que la visión de la salvación que tenemos a través de Nuestro Señor Jesucristo.Ahora, el pasado domingo la segunda vela de encendido. Además, estamos llamados al arrepentimiento y reconocimiento de nuestros pecados pasados. Tenemos el desafío de superarnos y de comportarnos como cristianos que poseen las llaves de la vida eterna. Somos los guardianes de la Palabra Viva y deben actuar en consecuencia. Se nos advierte que no sabemos cuando nuestro salvador volverá, pero debemos permanecer siempre vigilante.
En la carta de Pablo a los Corintios, él describió la crucifixión como "una piedra de tropiezo para los Judios y un absurdo a los gentiles. Sin embargo, sostenemos que la verdad especial tan cercano y querido a nuestros corazones. Esta temporada nos pide que lo mantenga mucho más cerca y más fuerte. Se nos pide que lo abrazan. Dentro de nuestros corazones, tenemos un anhelo. Ese anhelo se llama Cristo a nosotros. Podríamos estar inquieto o podríamos ser frustrado. Podríamos estar abrumado o bajo el agua. Tenemos que volver a Cristo y reconocer lo que ya sabemos: que él es Dios y que nosotros somos sus hijos. A partir de ahí, tenemos que construir poco a poco todo alrededor de ese entendimiento simple y todo lo demás caerá en su lugar.

 



“THE SECOND WEEK OF ADVENT”

 

Here we are in the Second Week of Advent, discerning the Second Coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ. I have to say that the first week flew by and now we are settling in for the remaining three. The Word of God is being revealed to us through Isaiah and we are asked to slow down, to remove ourselves from the day to day motions of the world and really concentrate on where we are in this season; as a Church and as individuals.

 

The Advent Wreath serves as a tool in this process and can really enrich our journey through this season. As we light a new candle each week, a special significance comes with it; not only for that season or for that week but something that can be carried throughout the year.  Last week it was Faith and Hope.  These words define who we are as Christians. We are told to have faith that Christ will come again, to have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and to give everything over to Jesus. We are taught to release our troubles, to let go of our burdens, and to dry our tears. If we are indeed a faith-filled community, then we must do this. Know that Christ is our companion and our guide throughout this life of ours. It is a shared relationship. He feels what we feel and he understands when we hurt.  By embracing our faith, we are able to become closer to Jesus. By practicing our faith, we are able to develop and strengthen our relationship more than it is now. The more we do these things, the more we are able to understand the world that we live in.

 

We can relate to the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah, living in a world gone mad, was called to the Prophetic Office. He rose up and challenged all those before him to reform their lives, rebuild their relationship with God, and then offered a vision of salvation that would not be realized until over 700 years later through the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Isaiah, the stage was being set for the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Today, The Season of advent calls us to the same task. We must challenge ourselves to reform our lives, rebuild our relationship with God, and have the faith and fortitude that vision of salvation we have through Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now, this past Sunday the second candle of lit. We are further called to repentance and acknowledgement of our past sins. We are challenged to better ourselves and to conduct ourselves as Christians possessing the keys to eternal life. We are the keepers of the Living Word and must act accordingly. We are warned that we do not know when our savior will return but we must remain ever vigilant.

 

In Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians, he described the Crucifixion as “a stumbling block to the Jews and an absurdity to the Gentiles. Yet, we hold that special truth so close and dear to our hearts. This season asks us to hold it so much closer and tighter. We are asked to embrace it. Inside our hearts, we have a longing. That longing is Christ calling to us. We might be restless or we might be frustrated. We might be overwhelmed or underwater.  We must turn to Christ and acknowledge what we already know: that he is God and that we are his children. From there, we need to slowly build everything around that simple understanding and everything else will fall into place.



Spending a great Saturday home with the family. There is definitely a different feeling in the air with the Vigil of Advent upon us. I am truely moved spiritually. I feel myself exhailing and smiling.

I just finished my English and Spanish Posts below. I am looking forward to Evening Prayer tonight and recall what Jesus said: "When you pray, go into your inner room and close the door....

Can't wait until I close the door..............................

 

LA TEMPORADA DE ADVIENTO Y PARA QUÉ DEBE DECIR A USTED

Hoy en día, la Iglesia comenzó un nuevo año litúrgico. Con esto, ahora entramos en la temporada de Adviento. El Adviento es un tiempo de preparación y reflexión. Tenemos el desafío de examinarnos a nosotros mismos y preguntarnos si estamos realmente preparados para la venida de nuestro Salvador Jesucristo. Se nos anima a leer las Escrituras y orar en silencio con nosotros mismos.

Hay un gran silencio asociado con la temporada. Un maravilloso silencio. Cierro los ojos e imaginar la oscuridad. Yo estoy fuera. Nieve cubre el suelo y el frío es todo penetrante que me pongo. No hay ningún lugar para ir. Todas las casas a la vista son oscuros y poco acogedor. ¿Cuántas personas se encuentran en esta posición? Solo y perdido en el mundo de hoy deambulan por la vida con una desesperación que es inimaginable. ¿Dónde está su comodidad? ¿Dónde está la alegría? ¿Dónde estaba su Acción de Gracias? El mundo puede ser un lugar muy grande, cruel cuando alguien se encuentra solo.

A lo lejos hay una luz brillante. Es una luz acogedora que viene de lo alto de una colina. De lo que se refiere calor que derrite el alma. Esto atrae a muchos hacia él con su poder amoroso, llamando a los que se esconden en la oscuridad para llegar a ella, a abandonar todas sus preocupaciones mundanas y que se celebrará en un abrazo amoroso. Hay alegría total y absoluta.
Esta es la Iglesia. Esta es nuestra fe. Esto es lo que creemos y profesamos. Para muchos, la Iglesia es la que ayuda a seguir adelante en sus vidas. Para otros, es su familia. Y aún para otros, es su casa.

El tiempo de Adviento ha comenzado. No podemos mirar hacia la Navidad con expectativa y anticipación cuando lo que tenemos ante nosotros es de treinta días a partir de una temporada que ha sido creada sólo para eso: un tiempo para explorar nuestra relación con Cristo y como El nos influye cada día. Es la temporada para prepararnos para Su Segunda Venida eventual cuando Él estará de nuevo con nosotros en toda Su Gloria y Triunfo. Y con esta temporada viene actos de caridad y amor que definen nuestra fe. A través de toda esta preparación y todos estos actos, nuestra relación con nuestro Salvador se transforma. Como en cualquier relación, cuando se trabaja en él, se desarrolla y se pone mejor. Pregúntate a ti mismo: ¿Cómo es mi relación con Cristo? ¿Cómo puedo hacerlo mejor? ¿Qué más puedo hacer por Cristo? "



 

THE SEASON OF ADVENT AND WHAT IT SHOULD MEAN TO YOU

 

Today, the Church began a new liturgical year. With this, we now enter the Season of Advent. Advent is a time of preparation and reflection. We are challenged to examine ourselves and ask ourselves if we are truly ready for the coming of Our Savior Jesus Christ. We are encouraged to read scripture and to pray quietly to ourselves.

 There is a great silence associate with this season. A Wonderful Silence. I close my eyes and imagine darkness. I am outside. Snow blankets the ground and the cold is penetrating everything that I wear. There is no place to go. All the houses within sight are dark and unwelcoming. How many people find themselves in this position? Alone and lost in the world today they wander through their lives with a hopelessness that is unimaginable. Where is their comfort? Where is their joy? Where was their Thanksgiving? The world can be a large, cruel place when someone finds themselves alone.

 

In the distance there is a bright shining light. It is a welcoming light coming from the top of a hill. From it comes warmth that melts the soul. It draws many towards it with its loving power, calling those hiding in the darkness to come to it; to abandon all their worldly cares and to be held in a loving embrace. There is complete and utter joy.This is the Church. This is Our Faith. This is what we believe and profess. To many, the Church is that which keeps them going in their lives. To others, it is their family. And still to others, it is their home.

 The Season of Advent has begun. We cannot look towards Christmas with expectation and anticipation when what we have before us is thirty days of a season that has been created just for that: a time to explore our relationship with Christ and how He influences us every day. It is season to prepare ourselves for His eventual Second Coming when He will be with us again in all His Glory and Triumph. And with this season comes acts of charity and love which define our faith. Through all this preparation and all these acts, our relationship with our Savior is transformed. As with any relationship, when you work on it, it develops and gets better. Ask yourself: “How is my relationship with Christ? How can I make it better? What more can I do for Christ?”

 

 





tu fe te ha salvado

En nuestra vida habrá momentos en los que todo se pondrá a prueba y se enfrentó con las cosas que nos desafían espiritual, mental y físicamente. Es una expectativa. Nadie está exento de esto. Esto representa una realidad que es inevitable. Como cristianos, tenemos que hacernos una pregunta: "¿Cómo se supone que vamos a abordar estos obstáculos que fácilmente podría poner a prueba nuestra fe en Jesús y nos llevan lejos de él?"

Debemos tomar nuestras respuestas a lo que las Sagradas Escrituras nos dicen y lo que muchos de nuestros hermanos y hermanas que nos hizo cuando se enfrentaron a las pruebas y tribulaciones. Es tan fácil descartar ellos y otras personas en momentos de crisis cuando la cosa natural que hacer es centrarse sólo en nosotros mismos. Esto es un error terrible y podría conducir a consequinces inimaginables. Nadie está realmente sola, y sólo cuando ellos quieren ser. El cristianismo es una comunidad, una familia que está unida por Jesucristo. Vivir en esta realidad, existe la expectativa de amor, apoyo y consuelo en la comunidad. También hay un amor incondicional que DEBE ser dada a todos los que residen en la comunidad.

Muchas veces, la sociedad nos enseña que cada individuo se eleva y cae sobre la base de sus méritos propios y faltas. Dios nos enseña que esto no es cierto. Sí, todos somos responsables de nuestras propias acciones, pero una vez que hay un RECONOCIMIENTO de un pecado o de crisis, la curación y la ayuda viene de Dios y la comunidad, no de una persona. Dios llamó al pueblo judío de regreso a la fe y la curación no individualmente, sino como una comunidad. Fue a través de la comunidad que la sanidad y reconciliación era posible. Es responsabilidad de la persona a responder, pero es gracias al apoyo de los muchos que todos recibimos nuestra fuerza. Es por eso que Jesús realizó milagros: no sólo para la persona que recibe el milagro, sino para que la comunidad pudiera testigo y por lo tanto tienen su fe fortalecida también. Es un acto colectivo.

A través del movimiento de la comunidad todo va hacia adelante con todo un objetivo común se logra. Nadie está solo. De pie solo y sentirse solo debilita el cuerpo vivo de Cristo aquí en la tierra. Cuando actuamos de forma individual, no podemos olvidarnos de la colectividad de nuestra naturaleza. Las acciones individuales afectan al conjunto como acciones del conjunto afectan al individuo. Es por eso que debemos mantener a Cristo en el centro de todos nuestros pensamientos y acciones. Debemos permanecer desinteresados en nuestra naturaleza.
Mientras estamos desinteresados, podemos encontrar a Cristo egoísta y desarrollar nuestra propia relación que a continuación se fortalecerá la fe de los demás.

Diácono Tom

 

         YOUR FAITH HAS SAVED YOU

     

 

 

In our lives there will be times when we all will be tested and confronted with things that will challenge us spiritually, mentally, and physically. It is an expectation. Nobody is exempt from this. This represents a reality which is unavoidable. As Christians, we need to ask ourselves a question: “How are we supposed to approach these obstacles that could easily test our faith in Jesus and lead us away from him?”

We should take our answers from what the Sacred Scriptures tell us and what so many of our brothers and sisters before us did when they faced trials and tribulations. It is so easy to dismiss them and other individuals in times of crisis when the natural thing to do is only focus on ourselves. This is a terrible mistake and could lead to unimaginable consequinces. No one is ever really alone; only when they want to be. Christianity is a community; an extended family that is bound together by Jesus Christ. Living in this reality, there is an expectation of love, support, and consolation in the community. There is also an unconditional love that mustbe given to all who reside in the community.

Too many times, society teaches us that each individual rises and falls based on his or her own merit and faults. God teaches us that this is not true. Yes, we are all responsible for our own actions but once there is an acknowlegement of a sin or of crisis, healing and help comes from God and the community; not from one person. God called the Jewish people back to faith and healing not individually but as a community. It was through the community that healing and reconcilliation was possible. It is the responsibility of the individual to respond but it is through the support of the many that we all receive our strength. This is why Jesus performed miracles: not only for the individual receiving the miracle but so that the community could wintess it and thus have their faith strengthened also. It is a collective act.

Through the movement of the community all going forward with a common goal everything is achieved. No one stands alone. Standing alone and feeling alone weakens the Living Body of Christ here on this earth. When we act individually,we cannot forget the collectivity of our nature. Individual actions affect the whole as actions of the whole affect the individual. That is why we must keep Christ central in all of our thoughts and actions. We must remain selfless in our nature.

As long as we are selfless, we can then encounter Christ selfishly and develop our own relationship which will then strengthen the faith of others.

 

Deacon Tom

WE ARE SLAVES TO CHRIST

Christ suffered so that we might be saved. Christ was crucified so that we could achieve eternal life. We live our lives by his example. As Christians, suffering is an obligation and a way of life. When we suffer, we become more like Christ and are able to understand our faith more fully. We are taught to look to Christ as an example and follow him as disciples. We are his disciples now in all our actions and thoughts.

Christ became a slave for our salvation and the salvation of the world. If Christ became a servant and we are his disciples then we are also servants. Christ is the king of slaves. We must act as slaves and serve the world in his name. Through us the world must see Christ. All we want and desire must come last and what people need is first. Acts of charity and good strengthen our faith. As Christian we must love to do these things. If we all do what we want to last and everyone else is first then Christ becomes the light of the world and saves us all.
We all want something better in our lives.

 

We all want to change our lives and be happy. We must remember to pray for this, but we need to  accept the bad things from God in our lives and celebrate what we suffer on his behalf. Good things happen when we suffer. We know ourselves when we suffer. We understand ourselves when we suffer. After darkness there is always light.
To enjoy the light we have to experience darkness. For light, we must first know the darkness. We should not fear the dark, because we are following the light. Light is Christ. If we understand this, then we can celebrate Christ's suffering and know that we will not suffer forever. We become stronger in our faith only when we suffer as Christ.

God sent his only son to suffer for us and then rose to perfection. He will always do the same for us because He loves us. We will always be protected, loved and saved. So go to him and become his slave.

 DEACON TOM

“MY SOUL PROCLAIMS THE GREATNESS OF THE LORD

August 15^th was truly a great day indeed.  Gathering in Christian Fellowship to celebrate such a glorious solemnity dedicated to Mary the Mother of God who ascended into heaven body and soul to join her beloved son Our Lord Jesus Christ is reason enough to be elated. This is a dogma of our faith; something that we must believe in and profess in our daily lives. The Holy Family Serves as an example as to how we should conduct ourselves in our own families and relationships while Mary herself is an example of how we should love one another with the same love she had for her son Jesus Christ. Mary’s love for her son is perfect in nature. It unites the divine to the human and the human to the divine. We are encouraged to meditate on the relationship between Mary and Jesus; contemplating on how we should approach our own relationships with family, friends, and even those who we meet casually as we go about our daily activities.

 

The foundation of our faith is love and the love that God has for us as his children. Without love we have no faith and with no faith it is impossible to believe in or walk with god. Mary is our greatest intercessor and the greatest expression of Jesus’ love for us. She continues up until this present day to appear to us; bringing messages of love, prayer, and an urgent appeal for all of us to come back to the faith. She constantly speaks of Jesus’ love for us and his plans for the salvation of the world.

 

Reflect on what the Archangel Gabriel said to Mary when he first appeared to her:

 

“HAIL, FAVORED ONE, THE LORD IS WITH THEE….”

 

An archangel, the Messenger of God, addressing a woman such as Mary in that manner? The word “HAIL” itself commands a large amount of respect, honor, and dignity that the one saying the words is giving to the receiver. The individual saying the word is indicating that he or she is sub-servant to the person they are speaking to. In other words, Gabriel has indicated that he is below Mary in stature, rank, honor, greatness, and holiness. Saying that she is with god and favored also shows that Mary is in a perpetual State of Grace because she is already in possession of it and that she is also walking with God as mentioned by the angel. This wasn’t something that was earned. It was given freely by God to Mary and now she would maintain this State of Grace because she will be with the Christ from that point forward through his death and resurrection. Soon afterwards, she would join him once again.

 

When Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth, the Gospel of Luke tells us that Elizabeth was “filled with the Holy Spirit” and began to speak. Being filled with the Holy Spirit and being compelled to speak indicates that it is God talking and not the person. So god spoke through Elizabeth:

 

“BLESSED ARE YOU AMONG WOMEN…”

 

God just elevated Mary above all women on the Earth. Elizabeth goes on further to call Mary,

 

“THE MOTHER OF MY LORD”

 

God himself, through Elizabeth, just called Mary the mother of God.

 

Mary the proclaims in a State of Grace and walking with God that all generations will call her blessed.

 

These are things that we must reflect on and contemplate. By the command of God and the angels we have been told to elevated Mary to a position of reverence, stature, and authority within our faith lives.

 

Ask Mary to intercede for us and have her Beloved Son enter our body, hearts, minds, and souls for our salvation and the salvation of the whole world.

 

Deacon Tom

BEARING FRUIT

In Ezekiel, The imagery put forth is at once beautiful and challenging to our faith. God emphasizes once again that He would take the smallest, most insignificant sprout from a great tree and raise it up to unprecedented heights. This will be placed on a high mountain for Israel. And from it will come fruit. Here we have a vision of Jesus Christ. Israel signifies all of us. We are the birds and the trees. Christ is the greatest of them all and his shadow will cover the entire earth. He will offer comfort, solace, and instruction. 

Through our own Salvation Story we recognize this. With Jesus Christ, all is opposite. The large tree dies. A small tree becomes much stronger. The weak are lifted up. All people are important.

   When we read Sacred Scripture, we must realize that everything leads to Jesus Christ. Our confidence is build with Jesus Christ at the top of mountain. It is the desire of God to make this so. With Jesus Christ, all is opposite. The large tree dies. A small tree becomes much stronger. The weak become strong. All people are important. This is the Christian theme and the road to salvation. Christ calls us in our weakened, sinful state and it is from there that he molds us into a new being. We are a constant work in progress that will never be complete until that fateful day when we are finally taken from this earth and are completely renewed in Jesus Christ.

When we find Christ and respond to his call for us to love him, it is a natural reaction to look at everything in a different way. This includes judging our own actions and the actions of others through a paradigm of expectation that, in the end, no one can ever live up to. We are corrupt by our very nature and struggle with our humanity every day. This struggle is not unique with each individual but it is a shared struggle with successes and failures which will encompass our entire lives. The failures must be recognized as much as the successes but with the intent to improve on them and shape them into perfection; a perfection that will not be achieved in this lifetime. It is about the journey and where we are going. From failures come wisdom and understanding that cannot be achieved any other way. We all must look towards the mountaintop for guidance because that is why it is there. If we were perfect or had that capability to make ourselves perfect then there would be no need to look to the epoch of our faith for guidance. We are not Christ and we are far from Christ-like even though there might be those who think differently. They are called hypocrites.

When we see the light on the mountain, we want to climb it. As Christians, we want to go with the Lord. It is a battle between body and soul. He is our father. Our hearts belong to Him. It is our reality.  Our soul longs to be one with our creator as Paul mentions in the reading today: 

“Yet we are courageous,
and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.
Therefore, we aspire to please him,
whether we are at home or away.”

Yet we are here amidst His creation. We are asked to enjoy it in all of its wonder and beauty but with the realization that there is more to our existence than this life alone. If we don’t, we risk the danger becoming lost while trying to climb the mountain. This must be our constant theme and constant understanding of our faith.

When we remain diligent we can find ourselves becoming stronger in our own formation. Through prayer and an active faith-life we are capable of bearing our own fruit; providing shelter and nourishment for those around us. We become exemplars of Christ; providing solace, comfort, and instruction for others who are climbing that mountain beside us. Together we achieve insurmountable greatness through our Creator and Lord. 

DISCIPLINE

A friend of mine handed me a book telling me that it would be a good book for someone within the Concord Community to read. Being in between books myself, I decided to give it a chance. Seventeen pages into it, a simple quote from the Bible stood out. It was from Timothy (4:7):

“Train yourself for devotion.”

I thought: “What a powerful statement.” It serves as a warning and words of encouragement. Paul then went on to compare the benefits of spiritual training and physical training. Each has a singular purpose: one to improve the performance of the physical body and one to improve the performance of the spiritual body in relation to God. Each can take a lot of dedication and hard work. With focus and endurance, one can witness the betterment in these areas. Regarding the physical training: the body will improve and the outcome is self-evident both in appearance and capability. In the spiritual sense, other things will happen.

The purpose here is to write about Spiritual Training. With it, our relationship with God will improve and the understanding of our faith will deepen. How are we to know our faith if we do not practice it? Familiarity comes with repetition. Knowledge deepens when we seek it. Wisdom is only revealed to those who strive for it (“For to men she is an unfailing treasure; those who gain this treasure win the friendship of God, to whom the gifts they have from discipline commend them”-Wis 4:14).

Training is not always easy. It is very hard to enjoy it, yet as improvements are revealed throught it, so will appreciation and dedication. Think about this: Are we the same as when we first came back to the Church? I would have to say obviously not. This in itself is because of training. We saw the improvements in ourselves as we committed ourselves more and more to knowing God. The challenge now is not to be satisfied with the small betterment while ignoring what we can truly gain. The book gave a perfect example:

“Jascha Heifit, the greatest violinist of this century, began playing the violin at the age of three and early began to practice four hours a day until his death at the age of 75-when he had long been the greatest in the world-some 102,000 hours of practice.”

WOW! So, with that example, we must reflect on what could we all accomplish if we just listen to what God wants us to do: walk with Jesus, live our lives according to His teachings, and learn to understand about our faith. Knowledge comes through seeking, understanding through learning, and finally Wisdom through a full awareness of each. From the small amount we each do, we have already witnessed tremendous results. So, why not more?

An inspirational story of a man who serves his community

3rd Sunday of Lent 2012

 My Brothers in Christ,

This weeks Gospel Reading is the only time where Jesus is seen losing His temper. He is visibly upset and drives the merchants out of the Temple using a whip, overturns tables, and berates all who are present. Why was this situation different? Why with all the wrongs in the world and situations that Jesus interacted with within His ministry was this circumstance so different that he actually got physical? There is a messsage here in His actions. He obviously wanted to get our attention and sometimes actions do speak louder than words. It is like Jesus has grabbed our face with His hands and put His face two inches from ours. He is trying to tell us something.

One of the biggest feasts on the Jewish Calander is the Feast of Passover. In the time of Jesus, Jews from all over the world would come to the temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrafices to God and fufill their religeous obligations. What was once a very solemn event had turned into a money-making opportunity. The Jewish Community had lost their focus and the true meaning of the ritual was lost. The temple was becoming a center of commerce. Its true purpose was blurred. What was once a testament to their faith had become a cultural center. Jesus was sending a clear message: “You have lost your focus!”

Today, Jesus is sending that message to us in the form of a warning: “Don’t lose your focus!” We have just passed the Third Sunday of Lent and our journey has just barely begun; yet with the lures of society and the lures of sin it is very easy to forget why we are here. It is very easy to forget our religeous obligations. We need to keep ourselves empty of everything except for Jesus. It must be the central aspect of this season as we journey with Him carrying our own crosses to Calvary. It is so easy at this point to throw down our cross and abandon the journey. That is what temptation is all about: we are here because we want to be here. We have responded to Jesus’ call for us to love Him. Yet, we can always ignore Him instead of confronting our own pain, sin, and short-comings. We can always forget that we are part of something far bigger than ourselves. We do not need to help our brothers and sisters and treat others as we expect to be treated: with love and compassion.

It is so easy to take the road that offers no challenges and lowers expectations. Christian Life is not easy. It is arguably the hardest life that one can choose to live; but the rewards our endless. We become one with our God and that relationship becomes so intimate and personal like no other realtionship we can ever comprehend having. Let the Holy Spirit move you and let Jesus love you. There is no better feeling than being moved by the Spirit and knowing that Jesus is with you always.

“DON’T LOSE YOUR FOCUS.”

DEACON TOM