Deacons Retreat 2022 (Part 3)

One of the great things about the annual deacon retreat is the opportunities to learn from my brother deacons. For example, after Adoration on Saturday night, Deacon Al shared with me that he has his own "Adoration Travel Kit" that included battery-operated tealight candles, a headlamp to shine light on the Blessed Sacrament, and prayer cards, which he passed out to everyone the next morning.

A few years ago, Deacon Jose talked about his "go" bag in his homily. Since then, I have my own "go" bags for House Blessings, Communion Service, and now I will add a "go" bag for Adoration. If you are reading this and you have tips for a "baby" deacon, then pray share with me.

Personally, I did not bring my alb and cincture because I knew that I had "behind the scenes" things to take care of. I was the MC after all. :) I am glad many of my brother deacons signed up to help lead Adoration and the Liturgy of the Hours, and serve at Mass. I had a fun time doing the sacristan part, particularly ringing the bells during Mass.

I was asked to be the MC again for next year's deacon retreat, which I happily accepted. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my brother deacons in this role.

Previous reflections:

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 1)

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 2)

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 3)

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

Faith, the Path that Leads to Jesus Christ

Deacons Retreat (October 17-19, 2025)

Stewardship of God’s grace

Sisters and brothers in Christ, a dear friend shared this post from "The Chosen" page this morning and after I read it, I immediately thought: "I felt it (the magnitude of what God is calling [me] to do) at Ordination as we laid prostrated on the floor during the Litany of Saints." It is as Jesus tells us in today's Gospel parable, saying: "Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more."

This is the "stewardship of God’s grace" that Saint Paul speaks of in his letter to the Ephesians, making all of us (through our baptism) ministers of God's grace "to preach to the Gentiles the inscrutable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for all what is the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past in God who created all things, so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the Church to the principalities and authorities in the heavens."

Truly, being a disciple of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is a calling and with it, a tremendous responsibility to live a life - in words and actions - worthy of that calling from God. Being an apostle of Christ demands even more of us. However, thanks be to God, He gives us the grace - through the Sacraments - to help us along that path to salvation and to bring others with us. This is our Christian hope and the reason for our joy. I know it is for me as I carry out the mission of the diakonia that Jesus has entrusted to me through his one, holy, catholic, and apostolic. Yet, not only me, but all of us who are baptized into the one Body of Christ and the mission of the Church.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to his disciples: 

“Be sure of this:

if the master of the house had known the hour

when the thief was coming,

he would not have let his house be broken into.

You also must be prepared,

for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Then Peter said,

“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”

And the Lord replied,

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward

whom the master will put in charge of his servants

to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?

Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.

Truly, I say to you, he will put him

in charge of all his property.

But if that servant says to himself,

‘My master is delayed in coming,’

and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,

to eat and drink and get drunk,

then that servant’s master will come

on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour

and will punish the servant severely

and assign him a place with the unfaithful.

That servant who knew his master’s will

but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will

shall be beaten severely;

and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will

but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating

shall be beaten only lightly. 

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,

and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Like lambs among wolves

Sisters and brothers in Christ, today is the Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist.

Today's Gospel reminds us of our important role in Christ's mission and the mission of his Church for the salvation of souls in the world. Just as Jesus did with the seventy-two disciples, he appoints us, through our baptism, and sends us ahead of him as laborers for his harvest. It is a calling that is not for the "faint of heart" and Christ knows this, saying: "I am sending you like lambs among wolves", but he promises to be with us to the end of time.

Two things come to me as I reflected on this Gospel. First, speaking the Truth of Christ oftentimes means standing alone in a crowd, going counter to the culture and society in which we live, and facing "pushbacks" and even persecution. However, we are never alone if we look to our fellow sisters and brothers in Christ for prayers and support. More importantly, the Spirit of God is always with us, as well as the holy angels and the communion of saints to back us up. Second, we can do all things in Christ who gives us strength (Phil 4:13), and our Lord does strengthen us through his Spirit. Let us always remember to turn to him with expectant faith and hope and, most of all, frequent the sacraments, especially Holy Eucharist - at Mass and in Adoration.

Therefore, let us perform our role in the mission of Christ and the Church with fidelity to God and speak Truth with courage, rooted in faith, filled with hope, and always with love. Proclaiming 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you" for the salvation of souls.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples

whom he sent ahead of him in pairs

to every town and place he intended to visit.

He said to them,

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;

so ask the master of the harvest

to send out laborers for his harvest.

Go on your way;

behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.

Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;

and greet no one along the way.

Into whatever house you enter,

first say, ‘Peace to this household.’

If a peaceful person lives there,

your peace will rest on him;

but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,

for the laborer deserves payment.

Do not move about from one house to another.

Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,

eat what is set before you,

cure the sick in it and say to them,

‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

Treasures that matter to God

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel parable, Jesus reminds us not to put too much stock in the treasures of this work while neglecting what matters most to God, saying: "will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God." How can we be "rich in what matters to God"? As I reflected on this, I started to think about what Fr. Bruce Nieli talked about during the annual Deacon Retreat this past week. He talked about the ingredients that make up the "pizza supreme" and, for me, these are the ingredients that we need to be "rich in what matters to God." These ingredients are unity, Truth, goodness, and beauty. Looking at these a different way, these are the Four Marks of the Catholic Church - one (unity), holy (goodness), catholic (beauty), and apostolic (Truth).

In addition to the Four Marks, the virtues of faith, hope, and love help us to be "rich in what matters to God." Saint Paul sums up our Christian faith, our reason for hope, and God's love for us so beautiful in his Letter to the Ephesians, in particular these verses:

But God, who is rich in mercy,

because of the great love he had for us,

even when we were dead in our transgressions,

brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

raised us up with him,

and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus,

that in the ages to come

he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace

in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Therefore, let us store up "heavenly treasures" that do not decay with time and set our sights on eternal life with our Father in heaven.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,

“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

He replied to him,

“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”

Then he said to the crowd,

“Take care to guard against all greed,

for though one may be rich,

one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.

“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.

He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,

for I do not have space to store my harvest?’

And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:

I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.

There I shall store all my grain and other goods

and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,

you have so many good things stored up for many years,

rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’

But God said to him,

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;

and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’

Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself

but is not rich in what matters to God.”

Deacons Retreat 2022 (Part 2)

Today, during our afternoon time for reflection, prayer, and relaxation, like last fall, I did my St. Vincent de Paul Walk for the Poor walk while praying the Rosary for the intentions of my benefactors and others. I took a different route this year, walking to the end of the long driveway that leads to the retreat center grounds and back, then to Saint Clare Prayer Garden, and then to the Adoration Chapel. In a complete God moment, I ended the Rosary inside the Chapel and knelt before the Blessed Sacrament to pray for my benefactors and others. It was a grace-filled moment. I am going to miss that Adoration Chapel after it is torn down. My wife and I spent a lot of time in there during Diaconal Formation for Mass and Holy Hour.

Going back to praying the Rosary, I prayed the Joyful Mysteries and with each Mystery, I meditated on the Scripture passages that came to mind for each Mystery and reflected on them through the eyes of our Blessed Mother Mary.

The First Joyful Mystery - the Annunciation (Luke 1:38) - Mary's Fiat

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.”

The Second Joyful Mystery - the Visitation (Luke 1:46-47) - Mary's Magnificat

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior."

The Third Joyful Mystery - the Nativity of the Lord (Luke 2:10-14) - the Word was Made Flesh and Dwelt Among

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

The Fourth Joyful Mystery - the Presentation of the Lord (Luke 2:29-35) - Simeon's Prophecy and the Sorrow of Mary

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel. . . and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

The Fifth Joyful Mystery - the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:48-51) - the Heart of Mary

When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

Previous reflections:

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 1)

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 2)

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 3)

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

Faith, the Path that Leads to Jesus Christ 

Deacons Retreat (October 17-19, 2025)

Deacons Retreat 2022 (Part 1)

Once again, I am the MC for the annual deacon retreat at Cedarbrake Renewal Center (in Belton/Temple). Last year, I filled in for Deacon Charlie but, little did I know, he was grooming me to be his replacement. LOL :) It was a wonderful experience and my brother deacons were very supportive. :)

Unlike last year, which was also my first time attending the annual deacon retreat, I decided to take the entire day off. While I still had to log on and work some - QBing from home - I had time to relax and prepare myself, not only for my role as MC, but also to be in the right frame of mind and heart to receive the fruits of this weekend. Being able to leave early allowed me to leisurely drive to the renewal center without concerns about traffic and whether I can make it in time. I will certainly plan to take off again next year.

I am excited to listen to our retreat leader - Fr. Bruce Nieli - present on "Deacons and Eucharistic Revival: Inviting All to the Table of Perfect Love." It is such a wonderful topic considering the Catholic Church in America is promulgating the Eucharistic Revival over the next three years. This is in response to a recent Pew Research poll that shows that less that 30% of Catholics believe in the Real Presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the Eucharist - the source and summit of the Christian faith and life.

I plan to share reflections and thoughts throughout the weekend on this blog so I hope you check in and read my blog when you have a chance.

Previous reflections:

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 1)

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 2)

Deacon Retreat 2022 (Part 3)

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

Faith, the Path that Leads to Jesus Christ

Deacons Retreat (October 17-19, 2025)

God never had. He never has. He never will.

Sisters and brothers in Christ, in today's Gospel, Jesus reveals to us the depth of his love for us. For although we conceal things in darkness (or try to at least), our Father, who sees our thoughts and probes our hearts, loves each of us as the apple of His eye. However, our Lord is also a just judge and, like any loving parent, will hold us accountable for our words and our actions, particularly when it comes to our believing in God, living our faith daily, and carrying out our mission to share the Good News with others.

Saint Paul tells us this in his letter to the Ephesians. He writes that, in love, God reveals his Word and word to us. In love, we are called respond to God's revelation to us with faith - hear the word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation, and believe in Him. When we do this, we are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the first part of our inheritance of the kingdom of God, toward redemption as God's possession.

God reveals Himself to us each and every day of our lives. He gives us freewill to respond to Him in faith. To use a sports metaphor: "The ball is in our court." Jesus tells us - "Do not be afraid" - because He wants us to know that while people and the things of the world might hurt us, God will never hurt us. God never had. He never has. He never will.

. . .

Gospel of the Day

At that time:

So many people were crowding together 

that they were trampling one another underfoot.

Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples,

“Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed,

nor secret that will not be known.

Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness

will be heard in the light,

and what you have whispered behind closed doors

will be proclaimed on the housetops.

I tell you, my friends,

do not be afraid of those who kill the body

but after that can do no more.

I shall show you whom to fear.

Be afraid of the one who after killing

has the power to cast into Gehenna;

yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one.

Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins?

Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God.

Even the hairs of your head have all been counted.

Do not be afraid.

You are worth more than many sparrows.”