We rejoice in the Easter season for a total of 50 days.  So, after a long season of Lent, it’s the time to rejoice…

Jesus Christ is risen! Alleluia, alleluia!

During the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter, we worship with meaningful, spirit-filled liturgies. We walk with Jesus through the great paschal mystery, which is the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus, whereby “dying he destroyed our death, rising he restored our life.”  (CCC 1067)

The below image is from Holy Cross Parish in Kaukauna. It is a reminder that the wood of the cross holds a special place in salvation history.  The base of the cross is connected to the trunk of a tree that is rooted in a garden.  It reminds us of the ‘tree of life’ in the Garden of Eden.  (Genesis 3:24)

The two deer that are drinking from the stream remind us of the opening words of Psalm 42, “Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.”

When God sent Adam and Eve out of the garden because of their sin, he stationed a mighty angel and a ‘fiery revolving sword’, to guard the way to the ‘tree of life’.  Through his death on the cross, Jesus transformed a Roman symbol of torture into the holy wood of the cross.  Jesus restored our access to paradise!

We walk as ‘disciples on the way’ with the risen Lord.  I invite you to make time each day to read, reflect, and meditate on the daily scripture readings. The daily readings can be found at www.usccb.org

As you meditate on these readings, imagine yourself as one of the disciples nearly 2,000 years ago.  Consider how your life changed because of this man named Jesus who suffered and died for you.  Imagine encountering the risen Lord, and then being filled with his Holy Spirit.  Think about being filled with the grace and the courage to boldly proclaim Christ to all who will listen.  That’s what the early disciples did, and that’s what we’re called to do too!

 

“From ancient times the Church has had the custom of celebrating each day the liturgy of the hours.  In this way the Church fulfills the Lord’s precept to pray without ceasing, at once offering its praise to God the Father and interceding for the salvation of the world.”

These words are the beginning of a decree from the Office of the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship which is part of the Roman Curia at the Vatican in Rome.  Part of this decree (made on April 11, 1971) includes a mandate that the Liturgy of the Hours are prayed each day by bishops and priests.  When nine of us were ordained as a Permanent Deacons in May 2013, we made a promise to our Bishop that we would faithfully pray morning and evening prayer for the rest of our lives.

The Divine Office, as it’s also called, includes praying three of the 150 psalms during morning prayer and evening prayer as designated by the Church.  Since the Liturgy of the Hours is prayed across the world, I find it fascinating (and comforting) to know that at any given time, someone, somewhere is praying for the salvation of the world!  We are living out what Jesus taught us… “pray always.”  (Luke 18:1)

For me, evening prayer in the coming week is something I look forward to all year! For seven days, beginning December 17, the antiphon before and after praying the Canticle of Mary, begins with “O”; hence, they are called the “O Antiphons.”  I’m sure you’ll recognize most of them since they are part of the song, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”.  Here are the first few words of each of the seven “O Antiphons.”

Dec 17 – O Wisdom, O holy Word of God…

Dec 18 – O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel…

Dec 19 – O Flower of Jesse’s stem…

Dec 20 – O Key of David, O Royal Power of Israel…

Dec 21 – O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light…

Dec 22 – O King of all the nations…  O Keystone of the mighty arch of man…

Dec 23 – O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver…

These seven days of evening prayer are followed by evening prayer on December 24, which marks the end of Advent and the beginning of the Christmas season.

The whole church is invited and encouraged to pray the liturgy of the hours.  If you’d like to try it, you can find the prayers on-line at www.ibreviary.org/en/ or you could visit Cathedral Book & Gift in downtown Green Bay and purchase the book “Christian Prayer: The Liturgy of the Hours.”

As I pray the “O Antiphons” in the coming week, I will be keeping all of you in my prayers.

During November we remember the communion of saints starting on the first of the month when we celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints.  This communion of saints is always with us, so we should challenge ourselves to stay connected with them all year round!

As you get to know individual saints, you will come to find that virtually all of them were common, ordinary people, who went on to live extraordinary lives and witness to their faith in amazing ways.  My ‘go to’ prayer guide is the Magnificat, which includes our daily scripture readings, reflections, and lives of the saints.  The daily feature on a saint may be about someone who I am familiar with, and often times it’s about a saint that I’ve never heard of.

November 11, Veterans Day, is the Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, Bishop.  St. Martin is the patron saint of soldiers, and I really enjoyed reading about the “God moment” that changed his heart.  Here’s what the Magnificat had to say about St. Martin on his feast day…

Martin was born in Pannonia (modern Hungary) and became a catechumen at the age of ten.  While serving in the Roman Army, he met a poor, half-clothed man outside the city gate of Amiens.  Martin drew his sword and divided his own cloak in two, giving half to the naked man.  That night, he saw Jesus in a vision. “Martin, who is still a catechumen, gave me this robe”, our Lord told the angels.  After this, Martin “flew to be baptized.” After he resigned from the army, he founded a monastic community in Gaul (modern France).  In 372 he was elected Bishop of Tours, where he served his flock with great care until his death in 397.

What a neat story!  Can you imagine having a dream where Jesus is sharing a story with the angels about a kind deed that you did?  Those kind of “God moments” are often life-changing.  By our baptism, we are all called to be saints.  A great way to nourish our souls is to read about and reflect upon the lives of the saints.  I know you will be amazed at what you’ll discover!

Here’s an easy way to stay connected to the communion of saints all year round… Simply, go to www.Franciscanmedia.com and click on the “Saint of the Day” tab.  There is an option to enter your email address to subscribe, at no cost.  Then, Franciscan media will send you an email each day that provides more information about the life of that saint along with a brief reflection.  It’s a great way to help feed your soul all year round!

God bless you and your family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As Lynn & I were nearing the end of our pilgrimage in Ireland earlier this month, we were talking with another couple, and I asked them what they thought of this journey.  The response was, “We sure prayed a lot!”  Yes, we did!  In addition to individual time for prayer and reflection, for each of the ten days, we attended Mass with Bishop Ricken, we prayed Morning Prayer, the Angelus, either the Rosary or the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and Evening Prayer.  A pilgrimage is a wonderful time to “pray without ceasing” as St. Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians. (5:17)

Before we left for this pilgrimage, I invited others to send their prayer petitions with me.  I knew that we would be visiting many holy sites, and it would be a great opportunity to lift up those prayers, in addition to my own.  Like each of you, I have my own list of prayer intentions and specific people to pray for.  My list includes prayers for our parish, all of our parishioners, and for your intentions.

We were blessed to be able to pray at many amazing places in Ireland including… the tomb of Saints Patrick, Bridget, and Columba, in front of the relics of St. Oliver Plunket and St. Valentine, the Marian Shrine of Knock, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the Galway Cathedral, the Cathedral of Armagh, the 6^th century monastic ruins of Glendalough, on the mountain of Croagh Patrick, St. Mary’s Church in Killarney, St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral in Dublin… Just to name a few!

There is a contemporary song called “We Are One Body” written by Dana Scallon from Derry, Ireland.  The lyrics include the phrase, “We are one body, one body in Christ . . . and we do not stand alone!”  One of ways that we can stand together and to be ‘one body’ is to pray for one another.

As most of you know, we have a parish book of prayer intentions located just outside the south chapel dedicated to the North American Saints.  This book is simply known as the ‘Prayer Tree’.  The prayer intentions in this book are hand-written by our parishioners or anyone else who visits our parish.  We lift up these prayers at Mass, and I know that many people include these intentions in their personal prayers.

I encourage everyone to use the Prayer Tree for your personal intentions, and I also encourage everyone to remember to pray for these intentions in your daily prayers.  Remember . . . “We are one body, one body in Christ . . . and we do not stand alone!”

Finally, when you or your family happen to travel to other parishes and other holy sites, wherever they may be, please remember to pray for our parish, and for the intentions of your fellow parishioners.

May God bless you and your family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

One of the major benefits of living in Wisconsin is the change of seasons.  There was a time when autumn was my favorite season, but as time marches on, I’ve come to appreciate the beauty of all the seasons!

The more I observe nature, both from afar and up close, the more I continue to be utterly amazed at the beauty of God’s creation.  From the vast multitude of stars in the night sky to the tiniest plants and insects, we are surrounded by beauty and mystery that shouts out God’s presence… when we take time to observe and encounter it!

We’re all familiar with maple trees, but in the weeks leading up to the big fall ‘colorama’ there’s a lot more going on than just leaves turning colors and falling to the ground. When we take a closer look, we see that tiny, compact buds have appeared.  These are the buds of new life that will transform into leaves next spring.  As part of this process, the branch begins to ‘seal off’ the base of the maple leaf.  After the leaf has nothing left to hang on to, gravity takes over and the leaf begins its final journey to the ground.

Jesus often referred to nature in his parables.  He spoke of grape vines, mustard seeds, and grains of wheat.  It seems to me that there is a parable buried within the bud on the branch of a maple tree.  We could think about the newly appearing bud as our personal growth in virtue.  As goodness grows within us, God helps us to ‘seal off’ the roots of bad habits and poor decisions.  Eventually, these vices have nothing left to hang on to in our lives, and they gently drift away like a leaf falling from a tree.

“Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea and what fills it resound; let the plains be joyful and all that is in them. Then let all the trees of the forest rejoice.”  ~Psalm 96:11-12

Take some time to enjoy this beautiful season of autumn. May God bless you and your family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This is a great time of the year to take a road trip.  In addition to clever bumper stickers, I enjoy seeing the many variations of ‘family stickers’ on the back windows of vehicles. They range from stick people, to Star Wars characters, to dressed up animals. The stickers on the outside are as unique as the families inside!

Recently, I drove to Minneapolis to visit some college friends.  One of my routines on long trips includes catching up on my backlog from the “CD of the Month Club” from Lighthouse Catholic Media.  (Feel free to pick one up from our parish office library for your next trip!)

One of the CDs included highlights from the 2015 World Meeting of Families conference in Philadelphia.  In a beautiful sign of ecumenism, Pastor Rick Warren was invited to give the final keynote address, the day before Pope Francis arrived.

The theme of the conference, “Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive,” emphasized the positive impact of the love and life of families on society. Pastor Warren is passionate about the importance of the family, and he put together a concise and thought-provoking summary of the problems that families face along with some solutions.  It caught my attention and I listened to it several times.  Here’s what he said:

“In today’s society, materialism is idolized, immorality is glamorized, truth is minimized, sin is normalized, divorce is rationalized, and abortion is legalized.  In TV and movies, crime is legitimized, drug use is minimized, comedy is vulgarized, and sex is trivialized. In movies, the Bible is fictionalized, churches are satirized, God is marginalized, and Christians are demonized. The elderly are dehumanized, the sick are euthanized, the poor are victimized, the mentally ill are ostracized, immigrants are stigmatized, and children are tranquilized.  In families around the world, our manners are uncivilized, speech is vulgarized, faith is secularized, and everything is commercialized. Christians are often disorganized and demoralized, and their faith is compartmentalized, and witness compromised.

 So, what do we need? We need to revitalize our worship, minimize our differences, mobilize our members, and evangelize the lost, and we need to re-energize our families.”

Strong families form the foundation of strong communities.  I invite you to take time this week to lift up your family and all families in prayer.  How about if we all form a new habit?… Every time we see one of those clever ‘sticker families’ on the vehicle in front of us, take a moment to say a prayer for the people inside.     🙂

May God bless you and your family.

 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Although almost 2,000 years have gone by, St. Paul’s words to the Romans still ring true for many of us today…

“The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought…”

After many years of listening to Relevant Radio, journeying with RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) candidates, and talking with fellow parishioners, there always seem to be questions and concerns about the right way to pray.  When the disciples asked Jesus how to pray, he responded with the simple, beautiful, intimate, heartfelt words of what we now call the Lord’s Prayer … the Our Father.  One thing we can learn from the Our Father is that prayer is about dialogue, a conversation with God … our Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.

A helpful way to think about prayer is to begin our conversation with God using simple words … please, thank you, I love you, I’m sorry.

… God, please show me the path you want me to follow today.  Guide my words, my thoughts, and my actions.

… God, thank you for the many gifts of your creation. The beautiful sunset, the peaceful water, and the birds in the air.

… Jesus, I love you and I trust in you.  May your love that dwells in me radiate to everyone who I encounter today.

… Jesus, I’m sorry for the times that I let you down today.  Forgive me and help me to do better tomorrow.

God is always with us, He created us, He loves us, and He longs to grow in relationship with us.  Jesus is our best friend.  We grow closer to Him when we spend some quiet time with Him and when we converse with Him throughout our day.  We greet Him when we wake up, we talk with Him as we move through the day, and share our thoughts with Him when we go to bed.  This conversation is called prayer.  When we struggle to find the right words, recall the words of St. Paul, “the Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.”

May God bless you and your family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Oh, the power of just a few simple words . . . “Receive the Holy Spirit!”

The doors were locked and the disciples were filled with fear, but when Jesus spoke these words, everything changed.  The disciples were emboldened with the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit . . . wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.  From that point on, they boldly proclaimed the Good News.  Here we are, 2,000 or so years later with over two billion people who are Christians . . .followers of Christ.  Oh, the power of a few simple words!

Many readings from the Acts of the Apostles provide us with a glimpse of the early Church and the workings of the Holy Spirit.  And, the spirit is still alive and well today.

On May 17, 2017, we had 32 high-school students from our parish stand up as their names were called.  Each of them boldly proclaimed, “I wish to be confirmed!”  Their witness was inspiring!  After calling down the Holy Spirit, Bishop Ricken sealed them on the forehead with the oil of Sacred Chrism.

Also during the month of May, I was blessed to attend two ordination Masses.  “Will those called to the Order of Deacon please stand.”  When each name was called, the candidate rose, stepped forward, and boldly responded with one simple word…“Present!”

Five men from our diocese became permanent deacons on May 13, 2017.  Then, on Sunday May 21, 2017, Kyle Sladek (who grew up in our parish) and José López Vargas were ordained as transitional deacons.  God willing, Kyle will be ordained as a priest in our diocese next year.

Oh, the power of just a few simple words!

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.

May God bless you and your family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Just as Jesus spent 40 days in the desert, we spend the 40 days of Lent preparing for the passion, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

On Ash Wednesday, we heard these words from Jesus in the Gospel reading.

“When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret.  And your Father who sees in secret will repay you.”

Where is your favorite place to pray?  Is it in a chapel, in our church, or somewhere in your home?  Do you have a favorite room, or a favorite chair?

Like many people, I have my favorite ‘prayer chair.’  It’s in a quiet part of our house.  I have my breviary and other prayer books close at hand.  From that chair, I can see my statue of St. Francis of Assisi and a beautiful image of the Blessed Mother holding the infant Jesus that belonged to my mother.

I like to be comfortable when I pray.  I enjoy sitting back and having a quiet conversation with God.  I alternate between praying and listening.  Pray a little, then listen a little.  Every day begins with at least 30-45 minutes in my prayer chair.  The house is quiet, and it’s a wonderful time to connect with God.  I often return to that chair at the end of the day to reflect on the blessings of the day.

A healthy prayer life helps to renew us, strengthen us, and draw us closer to God.  Make a ‘prayer plan.’  Find your ‘inner room’ and begin a dialogue with our God who loves you… “And your Father who sees (and hears) in secret will repay you.”

May God bless you and your family.

John the Baptist is one of my favorite saints. Oftentimes, as I prepare to share God’s word, deliver a homily, or assist at Mass, I recite this simple prayer of St. John the Baptist . . .

“He must increase, I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

John knew his place. He knew that he was part of a broader mission, much bigger than himself.  The same holds true for all of us.  How can we possibly make room in our hearts for Jesus?  It starts with humility.  This doesn’t mean thinking less of ourselves, it means thinking of ourselves less.

John the Baptist is referred to as the precursor, one who comes before someone else. We do not know much about John’s life from when he was a child through his adulthood.  We do know that leading up to the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, John was preaching a message of repentance.

“He must increase, I must decrease.” It’s a prayer that’s simple to remember. For those of you who like shorthand, there’s also a way to make this prayer even shorter:  HE>i.  

“HE”, in capital letters refers to Jesus, “>” is the greater-than-sign, and the small letter “i” refers to us. When you read it from right to left, it becomes “i am less than HE”. Use it as a personal prayer reminder, and include it at the end of a text or email message.  When someone asks you what it means, you just opened the door to evangelize!

Many blessings to you and your family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Several years ago, I worked for a company in Greenville, which meant a 35-minute commute on Hwy 41 from our home in Ashwaubenon.  Twice a day I drove past Gillette Street on the north side of Appleton.  As I approached that area each morning, I would make the sign of the cross and say a short prayer when I saw the small building at the northeast corner of that intersection.  Why?  Because it was a Planned Parenthood facility.  In 2014, this “Appleton North Health Clinic” performed almost 600 abortions.

On many mornings, I would see a man sitting or walking in front of that building.  One day, I decided to take the Hwy 47 exit so I could introduce myself and meet that stranger.  That’s the day I met Duane.  I learned that his normal weekday schedule included attending Mass and spending several hours in front of Planned Parenthood trying to “save babies and change hearts”.  His ‘supplies’ included a variety of pamphlets, a rosary, and holy water.  He spent most of his time there in prayer.  He told me that he had been praying there for many years and that he planned to keep coming until the facility was closed.

According to a recent article in The Compass, that facility stopped performing abortions in the fall of 2015.  In late August of this year, it was announced that Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is permanently closing this facility.  When I saw this news, I thought of Duane…his prayers, along with countless prayers of many others, were answered.

October is Respect Life Month which includes the “40 DAYS FOR LIFE” campaign.  People from 23 countries and all 50 states are praying and fasting for a greater respect of all life, from conception to natural death, and an end to abortion.  The most recent S.E.A.S. Newsletter includes an invitation to join fellow parishioners in peacefully praying outside of Planned Parenthood on 2605 S. Oneida Street in Ashwaubenon.  Your prayers and support will be appreciated!

We should never underestimate the power of prayer and fasting.  Jesus hears our prayers, just as he heard the cries of the ten lepers as he was entering a village in today’s Gospel.  Sometimes prayers are answered quickly, while other prayers may be answered in many years, or answered in ways we don’t expect.  And when our prayers are answered, we need to remember to give thanks to God.  (Only one of the ten lepers took the time to return to Jesus to say thank you.)  May our prayers always include thanks and glory to God, so that Jesus might say to us, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

Many blessings to you and your family.

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I will always remember 9/11/99. That was the day that our mother died after an eight-year battle with breast cancer.  Like most of you, I will also always remember 9/11/01 when terrorists attacked our country using jumbo-jets (filled with innocent victims) as weapons.

Since this year marks the 15th anniversary of “9/11”, it’s interesting to me that virtually all students in our primary and secondary schools have no recollection of that dark day.  For these students, their awareness, knowledge, and opinions about 9/11 will most likely come from history books, TV, or YouTube.  In addition to remembering all those whose lives were ended or affected as the result of the events of 9/11, I am drawn to re-read the stories of ordinary men and women who took heroic actions on that day.

Most 9/11 coverage seems to focus on two jets that crashed into the World Trade Centers in New York City, and the 3^rd jet that crashed into the Pentagon in Washington D.C.  I’m drawn to the events that unfolded on the 4^th jet, United Airlines Flight 93.  Thanks to the heroic action of several people, that jet plowed into an empty field in Shanksville, PA. Although Flight 93’s intended target is not known, it is believed that the hijackers were targeting the White House, the U.S. Capitol, or a nuclear power plant.

One of the passengers, Thomas Burnett Jr., told his wife over the phone, “I know we’re all going to die. There’s three of us who are going to do something about it. I love you, honey.” Another passenger, Todd Beamer, was heard over an open line saying, “Are you guys ready? Let’s roll.”  Sandy Bradshaw, a flight attendant, called her husband and explained that she had slipped into a galley and was filling pitchers with boiling water.  Her last words to him were: “Everyone’s running to first class. I’ve got to go. Bye.”

We’re all called to heroic action of goodness to overcome evil.  I’ll close with two quotes we can look to when we come face-to-face with evil:

“Do not be conquered by evil but conquer evil with good.”  St. Paul to the Romans 12:21

“No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”  Amelia Earhart

Many blessings to you and your family.

 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For my wife and I, this has been a summer of weddings and reunions.  The reunions included my high school class from Brillion, and three family reunions.  I looked forward to, and enjoyed, each one of them.  They were opportunities to be re-united with classmates I hadn’t seen in many years, with my wife’s family, with relatives from my Mom’s side of the family, and then with relatives from my Dad’s side of the family.

The fond memories of re-unions, past and present, stand in sharp contrast to the words of Jesus that we hear in Luke 12:49-53. “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth?  No, I tell you, but rather division.  From now on a household of five will be divided…”  These words can come across as overly harsh.  Why division?  Why not unity?  Part of the answer lies in reflecting on the re-union that is at the center of mission of Jesus…the everlasting re-union, the heavenly wedding banquet that all are invited to.

The division that Jesus is referring to is the division of right from wrong, the division of following Jesus versus following false gods.  There is no middle ground, and God gives us the freedom to choose which path we will follow.  But make no mistake…Jesus laid down his life that ‘all may be one.’  He invites us to choose the path that leads to that great eternal re-union, with Jesus, with our loved ones, and the communion of saints.  May we look to Jesus to show us the way to our heavenly re-union, for he tells us…“I am the way, and the truth, and the life!”

Many blessings to you and your family.

 

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I ran across this story many years ago.  It’s fitting anytime and especially when it’s the time of year to celebrate Father’s Day.

The rite of passage into adulthood for a Cherokee Indian boy is for his father to take him into the forest, blindfold him, and leave him alone. To pass the test, the boy is required to sit on a stump all night and not remove the blindfold until the morning sun shines through it.

He cannot cry out for help to anyone. If he survives the night, he is a man. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each youngster must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. Being in the dark and blindfolded, his mind plays tricks on him. As the wind blows the grass and trees, he hears all kinds of noises. He thinks wild animals must surely be all around him. But he must sit still, no matter what, and never remove the blindfold. This is the only way he can become a man.

Finally, after a long, fearful night, the sun appears and the boy removes his blindfold. Then, he discovers that he is not alone… his father is sitting next to him!  Without the boy knowing, his father has been there the entire night protecting his son from anything that might cause harm.

Consider our heavenly Father.  He is always with us . . . every day and every night, during the good times and the challenging times.  Let’s not wait until the light of new day before we take off our blindfolds to see the great love and mercy that our heavenly Father has for each one of us!

Many blessings to you and your family!

Deacon Mark

 

Daffodils are a sign of spring, and according to the calendar, spring arrived on Palm Sunday, March 20th. There were enough warm days in March for the daffodils in our backyard to be the first signs of new life after a long winter. In fact, I was thinking that they might bloom in time for our family get-together on Easter Sunday. But that was not meant to be. Instead, on Easter morning, the yellow blossoms of our daffodils were covered with snow!

After Easter, the snow melted, and the bright yellow flowers finally appeared with each flower silently announcing, “He is risen!” But before long, more snow and another cold spell arrived with temperatures that bottomed out in the mid-teens. I was concerned that our newly blossoming daffodils would not make it through the extreme cold, but they did… Alleluia!

The resilience of the daffodils reminds me of the stories we continue to hear during this Easter season from the Acts of the Apostles. Just as the early church was gaining converts and momentum, the authorities did their best to silence those who were proclaiming the Good News of Jesus.

• “We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name?” The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them.
• “The Jews, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory.”
• Despite the opposition, Paul, Barnabas, and the other disciples stood firm… “It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

Just as the disciples in the 1st century had their challenges and hardships, two thousand years later, we continue to face many obstacles in the 21st century when we speak the name of Jesus. But, with God on our side, light overcomes darkness, and hope overcomes despair. When we truly love one another, as we’re called to do, the warmth of God’s love can melt the coldness of hearts who need to hear the Good News.

After two weeks of warm weather, maybe we’ve seen the last of the freezing temperatures until later this year. Let’s hope so! I’m not sure if our crocuses are as resilient as the daffodils.

Regardless of the weather, may God be with us as we spread the warmth of his great love to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Many blessings to you and your family!
Deacon Mark

The 40 days of Lent are behind us, and now we rejoice with 50 days of Easter as we journey with the Risen Christ toward Pentecost Sunday.  For the past week, we’ve been celebrating the Octave of Easter.  For those of you who pray Morning and Evening Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours, each day since Easter morning has been a re-celebration of Easter.

Speaking of celebrations, we had some wonderful liturgies that helped draw us deeper into the Pascal Mystery; the dying, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  On Holy Thursday, Fr. Paul received the Holy Oils that were blessed by Bishop Ricken at the Chrism Mass, and will be used throughout the coming year.  We also recalled how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples at the Last Supper by highlighting ministries in our parish which live out the Corporal Works of Mercy.  Later that evening, we were blessed to have Bishop Ricken, and about 25  other pilgrims from throughout our diocese, join us as we kept vigil with Jesus in the Trinity Room.  On Good Friday, we re-lived the Passion of Jesus, according to John, lifted our prayers with the ten solemn intercessions, and venerated the cross.

At the Easter Vigil, Fr. Paul began the liturgy by blessing the new fire from which our new Easter Candle was lit.  From the Book of Genesis, we recalled how God created all that we have, “and God said that it was good!”  After the new water in the baptismal font was blessed, Nathan, our Catechumen, received the Sacrament of Baptism.  Later, Owen and Adam were welcomed into the Catholic Church, and then these three men, plus Kent and Jason received the Sacrament of Confirmation.  It was a joy to welcome them, plus many visitors, to join us in Eucharist… sharing the very body and blood of Jesus.

Although I enjoy all of the parts of the liturgical year, the Triduum and Easter Season are especially fulfilling.  As Deacon Steve mentioned in his Easter homily, we are an Easter people.  We live in joy, not sorrow!  We live in hope, not despair!  And we live with faith and trust in the Lord, knowing that in the end, love prevails!

There’s one other thing that I really look forward to this time of year… it’s saying the word that we don’t use during the Lenten season.  It’s a word that sums up the joy of this Easter Season.  And, hopefully, it’s a word that brings a smile to our face every time we say it…

That word is ALLELUIA!

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Remember Y2K? It’s hard to believe it’s been 16 years since December of 1999 when the whole world was looking forward to rolling the calendar forward to the year 2000. It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of year, so that summer, Lynn and I decided to take part in a pilgrimage to Rome with other Catholics from our diocese hosted by Bishop Robert Banks.

In the year 2000, the Church celebrated a Jubilee… a Holy Year which occurs every 25 years. During that trip to Italy, we had the opportunity to prayerfully step through the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Porta Sancta, which is only open during a Holy Year. The door was opened at the beginning of the Holy Year by Pope John Paul II, and at the end of that year, it was sealed with a wall of bricks from the inside. As far as we knew, that door would not be opened again until 2025.

That March 13, 2015, when Pope Francis announced:

“I have decided to announce an Extraordinary Jubilee which has at its center the mercy of God. It will be a Holy Year of Mercy. We want to live in the light of the word of the Lord: ‘Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful’ (Luke 6:36). And this especially applies to confessors! So much mercy!

This Holy Year will commence on the next Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and will conclude on Sunday, 20 November 2016, the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe and living face of the Father’s mercy.”

So, the Porta Sancta will be opened by Pope Francis this Tuesday, December 8, when we celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

We are all called to “be merciful, even as God our Father is merciful.” This might include forgiving ourselves for past actions we regret. Or, forgiving others who may have disappointed us, hurt us, or caused us great sorrow. This Holy Year will be a time to focus on living out the words of the Lord’s Prayer. . .‘”forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

How are you planning to live out the Holy Year of Mercy? How about starting this Extraordinary Jubilee year by participating in the Sacrament of Mercy . . . the Sacrament of Reconciliation? This sacrament is a wonderful opportunity to have a conversation with Jesus – – to share your regrets and to ask the Lord for His grace and His abundant mercy. It begins quite simply . . . “Bless me Father, I have sinned…”

Let us prepare our hearts to accept God’s mercy and to be a people full of mercy.

Many blessings to you and your family,
Deacon Mark Mullins

Veteran’s Day dates back to the year 1919, and the end of “great war” that we now refer to as World War I. The end to the fighting occurred at the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month, and for many years, it was referred to as Armistice Day. When Congress officially recognized the end of “the war to end all wars,” part of their proclamation included these words:

“Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations. . .”

We are still praying for peace, goodwill, and understanding between nations. Even after World War II, Korea, Vietnam, 9-11, Iraq, and Afghanistan, the fighting continues. Many have served and are serving our country; some made the ultimate sacrifice. For all of those men and women, and for their families and friends, we remember. . .

Take some time to remember . . . loved ones, veterans, and those brave men and women who are serving in the military. Also, remember that Jesus conquered death so that one day we will all be together for eternity. Recall the beautiful words to the song by Marty Haugen that follow.

“We remember how you loved us to your death, and still we celebrate, for you are with us here; And we believe that we will see you when you come, in your glory, Lord, we remember, we celebrate, we believe!”

Blessings to you and your family,
Deacon Mark Mullins

Dear Parishioners and Visitors,

Last week I was on a business trip. As the plane landed at St. Louis International Airport, I realized that I was less than five miles from the heart of Ferguson, Missouri, the site of great civil unrest and violence following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown on August 9, 2014. I learned from our taxi driver that the violence continues. In the past two months, the St. Louis area has had 1-2 murders per day (apparently, not enough to make the news). Events such as those that occurred in Ferguson helped give rise to the Twitter campaign of #BlackLivesMatter.

Recently, in our neighborhood, we’ve noticed that some people are using blue light bulbs in their porch lights. I learned that this is being done to show support of the men and women in blue who work hard to keep our neighborhoods safe. This movement now has a Twitter campaign of #BlueLivesMatter.

October is Respect Life Month. We take pause to remember that human life begins at conception and ends with natural death. We remember that we are all sons and daughters of the living God, who made us in his own image. We pray that every human life will be treated with respect and dignity. Every life is worth living. The message is simple and timeless. At the end of wandering for 40 years in the desert, Moses said this to the Israelites.

“I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the LORD, your God, obeying his voice, and holding fast to him.” ~Deut 30:19

This seemingly simple choice has been clouded in our culture. What about the child in the womb from an unplanned pregnancy? What about the murderer on death row? Or, what about the elderly person who requests an assisted suicide? What about a blue life, or a black life, or any other color life?

As Catholics, we’re called to choose life in all colors, and all forms, at all stages. We’re called to embrace the simplicity of the fifth commandment… thou shall not kill. When we believe there should be an exception, we’d be wise to dig deeper, to do more research, to pray, and to reflect. We should take time to ask ourselves, “What Would Jesus Do?” How would Jesus think about this exception that is believed to be warranted?

I’ve never sent a tweet, but I’ve been thinking we should start a new Twitter campaign with #AllLivesMatter! What would Jesus do? He might suggest #AllSoulsMatter! And they do.

Many blessings to you and your family,
Deacon Mark Mullins