"Stolen Blessing" Book Study (Chapters 8 - 13) with the Weary Travelers

The Weary Travelers faith-sharing men's small group started a book study on Catholic author Jim Sano's novel "Stolen Blessing". After reading the novel over the summer, I prepared this reading plan for our book study and discerned the following themes:

• Introduction - Chapters 1 - 7
• Mystery - Chapters 8 - 13
• Search - Chapters 14 - 19
• Wrong Person - Chapters 20 - 25
• Confession I - Chapters 26 - 31
• Elizabeth - Chapters 32 - 37
• Jacob - Chapters 38 - 43
• Confession II - Chapters 44 - 49
• Forgiveness & Hope - Chapters 50 - 53

Below are my thoughts on chapters 8 to 13 of "Stolen Blessing" [and *SPOILER ALERT*]:

Chapter 8: Sr. Helen said something every important to us to take heed of. She said to Fr. Tom: "Praying is good, but I'm thinking the good Lord uses his hands on Earth to help answer some of those prayers."

I shared this from Chapter 3: In recent years, people have become very cynical of the phrase "thoughts and prayers" after a tragedy. And while it is true that we should take action where and when we can to affect change in our communities, we still need prayers because prayers change and convert hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, so there is nothing wrong with offering our "thoughts and prayers."

We are the hands and feet of Jesus in this world and, as followers of Christ, we are called to "get into the game" and lead others to Christ, to fight for justice, to be the voice of the voiceless, to protect the vulnerable, and to reach out to the marginalized.

Erick is awake and asks Fr. Tom about Elizabeth. Addie wonders why God would allow this to happen to someone "so small- -so precious." Fr. Tom says that he does not have the answer but that he must trust in God. Along with prayer and doing what we can, when we can, we must also TRUST IN GOD, especially when we are faced with difficulties and challenges in our lives (as hard as it may be for us).

Chapter 9: Detective Brooks follows Fr. Tom back to Saint Francis Church and asks Fr. Tom to recount the events of the morning of the baptism. Moreover, Jack comes to see Fr. Tom and Fr. Tom asks him about his relationship with his brother, Erick. Jack also shares that he helps Addie network with clients through this veterinary business. Fr. Tom also asks Jack about their parents. Jack leaves but seems to  have more that he wants to tell Fr. Tom but he does not..

Chapter 10: Fr. Tom visits Erick at the hospital and talks with Addie. Addie asks him why God does not return Elizabeth to which he assures her that the authorities are doing everything to find her. Fr. Tom then prays with Addie. Fr. Tom asks about Erick and Jack's lives growing up, their relationship with their grandfather, and how their mother preferred Jack and their father was harder on Erick. We learn that their father was also their basketball coach. Erick made the game-winning shot but his father/coach focused on the pass that Jack made to Erick instead, which devastated Erick. This affected the relationship between Erick and Jake. After leaving the hospital, Fr. Tom joins Detective Brooks and Angelo at Dempsey's Pub for food, drinks, and conversations about the case.

Chapter 11: Fr. Tom sees Jack and Rachel talking to each other. He approached Rachel after Jack left but she says that she was not meeting with anyone. Rachel brings Fr. Tom's homily at the baptism, saying she wants to "disappear and become someone new" (p. 48). However, Fr. Tom corrects her and says that "the idea is to become the person God made you to be, versus the one we try to create ourselves to be" (id). Rachel liked Jack growing. However, she does not have a good relationship with her sister, Addie, who she feels got all the attention. Rachel was jealous of Addie. Fr. Tom talks to Rachel about love, jealous, and envy. He says that "Virtues are always the best medicine. For envy, humility especially kindness can conquer even the worst cases" (p. 49-50).

Chapter 12: Fr. Tom joins Angelo as they visit Erick and Addie's apartment again. However, they are met with an assailant who hit Angelo and flees. Both Fr. Tom and Angelo end up at the police station with Detective Brooks after the officers arrived at the apartment. They discuss the case with Detective Brooks. 

Chapter 13: The mysterious Jimi Johnson pulls into a motel just outside of Columbus, OH. He has a baby with him. We learn that Jimi grew up without a father in his life, which led him on a path of emptiness and even prison time. However, we learn that he has someone who trusts him - Mariana. She believes in him and he would do anything for her. Mariana has cancer.

Previous blog(s):

• Stolen Blessing" Book Study (Chapters 1 - 7) with the Weary Travelers https://dcnphuc2019.blogspot.com/2023/10/stolen-blessing-book-study-chapters-1-7.html

"Stolen Blessing" Book Study (Chapters 1 - 7) with the Weary Travelers

The Weary Travelers faith-sharing men's small group started a book study on Catholic author Jim Sano's novel "Stolen Blessing". After reading the novel over the summer, I prepared this reading plan for our book study and discerned the following themes:

• Introduction - Chapters 1 - 7
• Mystery - Chapters 8 - 13
• Search - Chapters 14 - 19
• Wrong Person - Chapters 20 - 25
• Confession I - Chapters 26 - 31
• Elizabeth - Chapters 32 - 37
• Jacob - Chapters 38 - 43
• Confession II - Chapters 44 - 49
• Forgiveness & Hope - Chapters 50 - 53

We have 5-6 men doing this book study and hope that more will join us, although I am planning to close things off after All Saints Day (11/1). We met for the first book study on October 11th and for the second book study on October 25th. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the October 25th book study because of work but I am confident that the men had great discussions.

Below are my thoughts on chapters 1 to 7 of "Stolen Blessing" [and *SPOILER ALERT*].

Chapter 1: We are introduced to brothers - Erick & Jack Comghan - as they practice for the state championship game in basketball in Queens. We are also introduced to sisters - Addie & Rachel Kerrins. The four of them appear to have a close friendship and, there is no doubt, that the two brothers are very close and supportive of each other. However, we are also introduced to their coach and what struck me is this thought from Erick at the end of the chapter: "Maybe then, Coach will thing I'm good enough?" Erick looks up to Coach and works hard to prove himself to Coach. We do not know if the team won the state championship or not.

Chapter 2: Fast-forward 13 years into the future and we are now at Saint Francis Church in Boston. Fr. Tom Fitzpatrick is preparing for the baptism of Elizabeth, who is the daughter of Erick & Addie. While it is a joyous occasion, we can sense a strain in the relationship between Erick & Jack and also less affection between Erick & Addie, through the observant eyes of Fr. Tom. Nevertheless, Jack and Rachel are the godparents of Elizabeth.

I love this description of what it means to be baptized in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ: "With His love and grace, she [Elizabeth] won't need to look to others, to things, or to accomplishments for acceptance or her self-worth and identity, but to the only place it exists, which is in God Himself" (p. 5).

I think this is very important for us to understand because we must remember that we are secured in the Lord. I hear lots of stories about bullying and how the victim of bullying loses his / her sense of self-worth and identity because of what the bully said. I cannot only pray that the children these day can find their self-worth and identity in Christ and not in anything of this world. Unfortunately, with God removed from schools, it becomes more and more challenging. The key then is, parents must strengthen their faith so they can strengthen their children's faith to help them overcome these challenges of self-worth and identity that the face with in their lives.

Chapter 3:What happened to Erick? Where is Elizabeth? The mystery begins and we are introduced to Boston PD detectives Tony Brooks and Jan Mullen. We are also introduced to the groundskeeper at Saint Francis Church, who has a beautiful story that is told in the Jim Sano novel "The Father's Son". In times of great uncertainty, all we can do is pray, just as Fr. Tom says at the end of the chapter: "I'll be praying."

In recent years, people have become very cynical of the phrase "thoughts and prayers" after a tragedy. And while it is true that we should take action where and when we can to affect change in our communities, we still need prayers because prayers change and convert hearts, through the power of the Holy Spirit, so there is nothing wrong with offering our "thoughts and prayers."

Chapter 4: Fr. Tom and Angelo Salvato visit Erick in the hospital, which Fr. Tom "made the Sign of the Cross on Erick's forehead and said a short prayer" for him (p. 13). We find out a little more about Angelo. He grew up without a father but spent thirty (30) years in a cell with a "man that changed his life and saved his soul" (p. 14). [NOTE: to find out more, read "The Father's Son".]

We also learn that Detective Tony Brooks last name is "Brucato" but his grandfather changed the family's last name because Italian migrants were discriminated against and he could not find work. I, too, changed my name to "Andy" back in kindergarten because the teachers and students had a hard time pronouncing my Vietnamese name. I did not switch back to my Vietnamese name until I was in college.

Chapter 5:We learn more about Erick & Addie from Fr. Tom as well as their relationship with their siblings, Jack & Rachel, which he describes as "cold" although they were "very charming individually" (p. 18). We also learn that Erick never talks about his own family, which explains Jack's remark earlier that he is not surprised that Fr. Tom does not know that Erick even has a brother.

There are two mysteries - Elizabeth is missing AND the $30,000 in fifty-one-ounce gold coins that are also missing - that Detective Brooks has to solve.

Chapter 6: A paternity test requested by Erick? What is going on here? Does Erick suspect that Addie cheated on him? That Elizabeth may not be his daughter? The mystery deepens.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions," replied Fr. Tom (p. 22). This reminded me of the Penitential Rite at Mass when we pray the Confiteor and say: ". . .that I have gravely sin. In my thoughts, in my words, in what I have done and in what I have FAILED to do. . ." Perhaps what we have failed to do are our "good intentions" that Fr. Tom speaks of?

Chapter 7: We are introduced to a mysterious person - Jimi Johnson - who is traveling to Tijuana with a baby and a cash with him. What is going on here?

During our discussions at the first book study, one of the guys mentioned that the story of Erick & Jack reminds him of Abel & Cain (Genesis 4:1-16) and Jacob & Esau (Genesis 27:1-45) from Scripture. As I mentioned, I missed our book study on Oct. 25th because of work but I look forward to rejoining the Weary Travelers on All Saints Day as we discuss Chapters 14 - 19.

Reflecting on the Deacons Retreat (Oct. 20-22, 2023)

In the summer of 2021, I had a big trial in Travis County District Court so I was not able to attend the annual deacons and wives retreat, at the Oblates Mission in San Antonio, with my wife. So that year, I had to sign up to attend the deacons retreat in October at Cedarbrake. Interesting enough, one of my Formation Directors, who also happens to be the retreat coordinator, saw my name on the list of retreatants and asked if I could help him by being the MC for the retreat. The deacon who normally MC had something going on and he would be late to the retreat. I agreed and have been the MC for the deacons retreat for 3 years now. However, I am glad the retreat coordinator asked me to be MC because it has been a blessing to serve my brother deacons on our retreat weekend.

This retreat was unusual in that our retreat director - Monsignor Edward "Ned" Ryan - could not make the trip because of an ailment. Although he was not able to travel from NY to TX to be with us in person, he was able to lead our retreat via Zoom. We were blessed that Msgr. Ned was our retreat director even if all the way from NY. Saint Albert the Great, pray for us! Blessed Carlo Acutis, intercede for us! We had some technical issues but we overcame them with the help of the saints.

Msgr. Ned gave conferences on the theme of "Hospitality", particularly how Jesus requested hospitality, accepted hospitality, and offered hospitality during this public ministry. As the "bridge" between the clergy and the laity, because we are deacons but also husbands, fathers, and workers in the secular sectors, we are called to be like Christ and receive, accept, and offer hospitality. Some of the Scripture passages that we reflected on are: Mark 6:30-32; Luke 19:1-10; John 12:1-8; Matthew 26:6-13; John 1:35-42; Matthew 11:25-30; and John 21:1-7.

Msgr. Ned intertwine his teachings with his own experience of the fire at Our Lady of the Angels School (Chicago, IL), which killed 90 students and 3 nuns that tragic day, including the aunt of one of our deacons. Here is a link from the History web-site if you want to read more about the fire: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/students-die-in-chicago-school-fire and from the Chicago Sun-Time https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/12/3/23490684/remembering-one-of-chicagos-worst-tragedies-our-lady-of-the-angels-school-fire.

As I mentioned, one of our deacons - Dan Lupo - lost his aunt in the tragedy but, many years later, she guided him home to Rome. You can read his account here: https://olafire.com/Story.asp?S=677, just search for "Lupo". Msgr. Ned also shared how William R. Edington, Jr., on of the students who perished in the fire, interceded for him during one of the most challenging times in this life and priesthood and reenergized him. Read more about young William R. Edington, Jr. here https://olafire.com/Memorial.asp?V=26.

I left the retreat renewed, refreshed, and reinvigorated to serve Jesus, his Church, and the people of God. In my time of prayer and reflection, particularly in the Saint Clare Room, I found this Prayer of Saint Clare: https://saintclareofassisi.org/prayer-of-st-clare. These words and phrases struck me from the prayer:

• behold, hold, enfold
• gracious acceptance of me
• I hold the Lord and I am held in His love.
• I am secure in the Lord.
• the Spirit of our God has called you

I also was reminded to trust God and entrust my diaconate to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.. I prayed the Litany of Trust, which helped me to recall these words: JESUS, I TRUST IN YOU. Amen.

I wanted to share some of my experiences from the deacons retreat in hopes that it will inspire you in your own faith journey. Most of all, I pray that you trust in God and entrust your life to our Lord Jesus Christ. Come Holy Spirit!

Here are some pictures that I snapped from the retreat weekend.

This is me arriving at Cedarbrake Retreat Center on Friday afternoon. It was my third year as MC and I really enjoy serving my brother deacons as MC.

Back in July, during the Parish Staff silent retreat (also at Cedarbrake but much HOTTER), Fr. Charlie invited us to pray with the saint in which our room was named after. For this retreat, I stay in the St. Ignatius of Loyola room, which is quite striking because the topic of Fr. Charlie's talk at the silent retreat was Ignatian Spirituality. Saint Ignatius of Loyola, pray for us!

On Saturday afternoon, it was cool enough that I was able to sit outside at one of the picnic tables near the conference center. I decided to so something that I usually do not so, lied down on the bench. This was the beautiful and peaceful perspective that I saw as I meditated on all the wonderful "nuggets" that Monsignor Ned Ryan was sharing with us during our conferences. It was a blessed moment for sure! However, the Saint Clare Room and Garden has become my favorite spot at Cedarbrake to pray and meditate. Saint Clare of Assisi, pray for us!

These are some of the brother deacons that I got to spend the retreat weekend with. Some of them had already left and returned to their parishes for various reasons involving ministries. Both of my Diaconal Formation Directors were there and a few of the guys from my Class of 2019 were there so it was fun catching up with them for sure! I pray that more deacons in the Diocese will attend this retreat in the future. It is always a good time to pray and fellowship with my brother deacons from all over the Diocese.

Reflecting on the CTFCM's Benefit Dinner (10/26/2023)

My wife and I almost did not attend the Benefit Dinner. Originally, I had a trial setting that would have precluded me from attending the Benefit Dinner. However, the case settle but then I had forgotten about the Benefit Dinner. One of the representative from Central Texas Fellowship of Catholic Men (CTFCM) reached out to me and asked if my wife and I could attend. We checked out calendar and said we could.

I am glad we were able to attend because one of our good friends and fellow parishioner at Saint Albert the Great Catholic Church was nominated for the inaugural Catholic Man of the Year award. We were blessed to be there to support him and his wife, and enjoyed a good meal and conversations with them and others at the Benefit Dinner.

Bishop Joe Vasquez led us in the Invocation and shared some opening remarks. Fr. James Misko shared some closing remarks and led us in a closing prayer. I love being Catholic because we always start with prayer and end with prayer. The keynote speaker was David Bereit, founder of 40 Days for Life, and he gave an amazing, energized presentation, talking about how the culture in America is heading in the wrong direction with (1) decrease in participate in religion, (2) increase in (sexual) immorality, (3) the decline of the family, and (4) a disregard for the sanctity and dignity of human life. Mr. Bereit said that these are all things that left to the decline of other cultures throughout human history (based on his research).

Mr. Bereit said that we must get into the game and do what we can to right the ship, and it must start men of faith, devoted to God, his spouse, his family, and missionary work, which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ calls us to do as his followers and disciples. In particular, I love this mission statement / call to action (paraphrasing):

When we strengthen the man, we strengthen the family.

When we strengthen the family, we strengthen the Church.

When we strengthen the Church, we transform the culture (and society).

I an grateful to the CTFCM for all they do to strengthen the faith of men through the Men's Mass, Men's Conference, faith-sharing small groups, and not the Benefit Dinner. I have attended many Men's Masses and Conferences over the years and it has helped to strengthen my faith and shape my diaconal ministry. I would encourage all men to attend these Masses and Conferences and bring their sons, grandsons, nephews, cousins, etc., and invite other men to join them.

Here is a click to learn more about the Central Texas Fellowship of Catholic Men (CTFCM) and their mission: https://centexcatholic.com/.

Congratulations to all the men (and their wives) for being nominated for Catholic Man of the Year!

Homily for Thursday of the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A - 10/12/2023)

In yesterday’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us how to pray and gives us the “Our Father” prayer. It is an invitation for us to enter into a more intimate relationship with our Father in heaven through prayer. The words of the “Our Father” prayer embody Jesus’s Great Commandment to love God and our neighbor, as well as his teachings on the Beatitudes, asking God for “our daily bread”, helping us to “forgive” as He forgives us, and delivering us from the snares of the Devil. When we pray the “Our Father”, we are reminded of how much God loves us and, like a good Father, we are given a roadmap on how to live our lives in a way that would transform our hearts to be like Jesus’ Sacred Heart, to be imitators of Christ for the salvation of our souls and the souls entrusted to our care.

Now, in today’s Gospel, Jesus teaches us to be persistent in our prayer life. Persistence is something that we all should know well because we are taught that persistence leads to success in life. I saw this meme once that said: “Persistence [is the] virtue of never giving up.” My family and I lived in Wallingford, CT when I was in grades 3 through 5, and I remember having to go door-to-door in my neighborhood to sell products for a school fundraiser every year. I wanted to sell a certain amount of products to get a prize and that was my motivation to persist in my efforts. Now, I probably would not be knocking on someone’s door at midnight, like the man in today’s Gospel, but I would have given it my best effort and not give up until I had reached my goal. We are persistent in almost every aspect of our lives - careers, studies, friendships, relationships, etc. - and, yet, when it comes to our relationship with God and our prayer life and spirituality, we often give up too quickly when we feel that God is not answering our prayers.

We forget that God will answer our prayers according to His will and His time and not our will and our time. We forget these words of the “Our Father” prayer: “. . .thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. . .” Jesus promises that our Father hears our prayers and will answer them, saying: “And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” However, according to His will, not ours; His time, not ours. Therefore, let us be persistent in prayer, not only in words but in how we live our lives, as Saint Basil the Great tells us:

“Prayer is a request for what is good, offered by the devout of God.  But we do not restrict this request simply to what is stated in words. . . We should not express our prayer merely in syllables, but the power of prayer should be expressed in the moral attitude of our soul and in the virtuous actions that extend throughout our life…  This is how you pray continually - not by offering prayer in words, but by joining yourself to God through your whole way of life, so that your life becomes one continuous and uninterrupted prayer.”

And this is our “reward” for persisting in prayer - thus says the Lord : “I will have compassion on them, as a man has compassion on his son who serves him. . .  for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.”

Homily for Wednesday of the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A - 10/11/2023)

In yesterday’s Gospel reading, we heard how Mary “sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak” while Martha was “burdened with much serving,” and Jesus said to Martha that “Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her” (Luke 10:39-40, 42). Christ knew that the mission given to him by his Father in heaven was urgent and he only had a short period of time to complete that mission. So when he spoke, taught, and preached, he wanted his disciples and the people to listen attentively to his words. Now, you can imagine how elated our Lord must have been when one of his disciples said to him: “Lord, teach us to pray. . .”, as we just heard in today's Gospel passage (Luke 11:1). Throughout the Gospels, we read about instances where the Son went off to “a certain place” to pray and spent some alone time with his Father. In teaching his disciples (and us) the “Our Father”, Christ not only teaches us a powerful prayer but he also invites us into a deeper intimacy with our Father through prayer.

Growing up, I asked my dad how to put bait on a fishing hook, helped him in the garage when he worked on our family cars - like changing a flat tire, and learned how to operate a lawn mower and mow the yard. I listened to my dad with childlike wonderment and enthusiasm because I looked up to my dad. I trusted him. I loved him. I still do. Understandably, we all have different experiences with our own fathers and, oftentimes, we project those feelings and experiences - good ones and, unfortunately, not so good ones - on our Father in heaven. In reflecting on the “Our Father” prayer, Pope Francis said that “[our] God needs nothing: in prayer, he only asks that we keep a channel of communication open with him in order to always recognize that we are his most beloved children. He loves us very much” (January 2, 2019). Therefore, when we pray, it is important that we approach prayer with humility, childlike dependency, and trust in God’s love and goodness.

In teaching us the “Our Father” prayer, Jesus wants us to know that we have a Father in heaven who loves us, forgives us, and will never abandon or forsake us because we are his beloved sons and daughters. The Holy Father said: “Jesus is crushed by the evil of the world. However, he trustingly surrenders himself to the ocean of love of the Father’s will. . . Out of love, God can lead us to walk along difficult paths and to experience wounds and painful thorns, but he will never forsake us. He will always be with us, beside us, within us. For a believer this is more than a hope, it is a certainty: God is with me” (March 20, 2019). Therefore, let us say to Jesus, “Lord, teach me to pray. . .” and then, let us listen attentively to him.

Homily for the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A - 10/8/2023)

Good afternoon. Who here has heard of Gary Chapman’s “The 5 Languages of Love”? For those who have not heard of the 5 languages of love, I would encourage you to Google them and, if you are married or in a relationship, I invite you all to take the inventory and share what your love language is with each other. Now, for those of us who have not heard of the 5 languages of love, allow me to share them with you all in terms of one of my favorite beverages - COFFEE. For a person whose love language is AFFIRMATION, when they give you a cup of coffee, tell them: “Your coffee is delicious.” For someone whose love language is ACTS OF SERVICE, brew them a delicious cup of coffee and say, “I made you coffee.” If your significant other’s love language is RECEIVING GIFTS, then treat them to a cup of coffee, saying: “Here’s a coffee for you.” My wife’s love language is QUALITY TIME, so I would say to her, “My love, let’s go get coffee together.” Finally, for a spouse whose love language is PHYSICAL TOUCH, hold them like you would a hot cup of coffee on a cold day.

What do the 5 languages of love have to do with the acrostic C.H.R.I.S.T. that we have been listening to during this message series on Discipleship these past few weeks? Well, we can return God’s love for us and show our love for Him by living out the acrostic C.H.R.I.S.T. in our lives to help us grow as disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let’s review. “C” is for Community and we encourage everyone to participate in faith-sharing small groups to help us experience Christian community. Jesus said that when two or more are gathered, He is present in their midst so when we gather, God is physically present with us and we with Him. “H” is for Holiness and we encourage everyone to grow in their faith through a robust prayer life, especially spending time in the Presence of our Lord in Adoration. God desires us to spend quality time with him in prayer; that is how we grow in holiness. “R” is for Retreat and we encourage everyone to attend at least one retreat a year. As a deacon, I attend the annual deacons and wives retreat in the summer with my wife, Theresa, and, in a couple of weeks here, I will be attending the annual deacons retreat. Like with Community, when we go on retreats, we are physically present with God and our sisters and brothers in Christ. Then, during this Mass last Saturday, Fr. Michael gave a wonderful homily on “I” and encouraged everyone here to Invest in our parish through service. After Mass, everyone here had the opportunity to discover how we can serve our parish as liturgical ministers. These acts of service help us to build up God’s kingdom and in a very tangible way right here at our beloved parish of Saint Albert the Great.

That was the recap. . . which brings us to this week as we unpack the “S” in C.H.R.I.S.T. “S” is for Share, specifically sharing our Catholic faith with others, starting with our “domestic church” - our family - and rippling outward from there. Now, sharing our Catholic faith with others should not come as a surprise to any of us because, as baptized Catholics, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ commissioned each of us priest, prophet, and king to “[go] and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20). During the Baptism class that I taught on Tuesday evening, I reminded the parents and godparents of their baptismal calling and shared with them this quote from Dr. Edward Sri. In the “Reborn” series, on Formed.org, Dr. Sri said:

“The work of the Church [cannot] be accomplished by priests only. All of us need to answer the clarion call of our baptism, to take up our part in the mission of the Church.. . . we’re not mere bystanders in the unfolding work of God, [we are] soldiers and servants - priests, prophets, and kings. . . This is not just our deepest identity. This is our mission.”

What better way to affirm our faith and trust in God and our love for Jesus than to share our Catholic faith with others! It is as easy as clicking on the “Share” button and sharing a social media post by Saint Albert the Great, sending a text or an email to family members or friends with daily prayers or devotions, etc. Let us be instruments of peace and joy by using the technology available to us to spread faith, hope, and love to counter the darkness in the world.

This is today’s Gospel Acclamation: “I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord, to go and bear fruit that will remain.” That, my sisters and brothers in Christ, is what gives our lives purpose and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ - “to go and bear fruit that remains.” If we say we love God but we do not share His love and mercy with others, then do we love Him with all our heart, mind, and soul? If we say that we are Christians but we do not share our Catholic faith with others, then are we authentic disciples of Christ? If we say we are Catholics but do not speak Truth with love, then are we living our faith boldly? The call to discipleship challenges us because, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we cannot be “mere bystanders.” Believe me, I am NOT telling you how you should live out your Catholic faith. I AM sharing with you what Jesus said to Peter. Jesus said to Simon Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Peter said to him: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him: “Feed my lambs.” Jesus said to him a second time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him: “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him: “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter said to him: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him: “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-19) Like Peter, we show Jesus that we love him when we share our Catholic faith with others and live our faith boldly, authentically, and in a tangible way. If we do not bear fruit, then as Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel, “. . .the kingdom of God will be taken away from [us] and given to a people that will produce its fruit.”

Finally, the Diocese of Austin has identified the second Sunday of October, October 8th, as Deacon Sunday to foster diaconate vocations in the Diocese. As you may know, I was ordained in 2019, along with 30 brothers in Diaconal Formation, including Deacon Dan Lanicek and, here visiting with us today, Deacon Scott Dillon. Since then, the class of 2022 ordained 16 men and the next ordination class currently has 15 men in Formation. We certainly need more men to discern the diaconate. Men, why should you discern if God is calling you to life as a deacon, in service of God and his Church through word, liturgy, and charity? Here is my answer, do it for the retirement plan. . . working for God does not pay much, some days the hours are long, and you often have to work nights and weekends but. . . His retirement plan is heavenly! The salvation of souls - not only your own but the souls of those that you lead to Christ.

So why did I want to become a deacon? This is what I wrote on my application for the Diaconal Formation Program, back on March 27, 2013: “My motivation to become a deacon stems from my desire to (1) have a more personal and intimate relationship with God and (2) use the gifts and talents that God has blessed me with to help others grow in their relationship with God.” This was a true statement back then and it remains a true statement today. The three years that the disciples spent traveling with Jesus was time spent growing in relationship and intimacy with Jesus through prayer, to allow Christ to help them discern God’s will for them, to learn everything Jesus had to teach them, and to die to their old selves so they can become who Jesus needed them to be to serve the people of God in word, liturgy, and charity. That is five years of Diaconal Formation in a nutshell. It starts and ends with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and following the acrostic C.H.R.I.S.T. will put us on the right path as disciples of Jesus, in particular our desire to share the Gospel message and teachings that the Church holds to be the Truth with others. That, my sisters and brothers in Christ, if how you know if you or a man you know is being called by Christ to serve His Church and the people of God as His deacon. Amen.