God's Word: Jesus

Nativity of the Lord: Day – Cycle C

Isaiah 52: 7-10; Hebrews 1: 1-6; 

John 1: 1-18

 

The author of today's gospel reading tells a different story than we are used to hearing on Christmas.  There is no Mary, no Joseph, no manger, no stable – there are no shepherds, no angels, no bright star leading the magi from far away.  Instead, John introduces us to Jesus using poetry – wondrous images about the mystery and the glory of God:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came through him, and without him nothing came to be.” (John 1: 1-3)

It is fitting that John the evangelist is symbolized as an eagle.  His words soar, lifting us up on its wings, taking us back to the beginning of creation, when everything began with a word.  God spoke – God spoke and the world came to be.  This all-powerful word of God created it all – galaxies so far and vast that their light takes centuries to reach us – cells so small that they cannot be seen except through a microscope – yet containing all the building blocks for life in our world.

After creation, God continued to speak.  God spoke out of the stillness to Abraham, and two elderly people were chosen to parent a promise.  God spoke to Moses from a bush aflame, and he led his people out of slavery to freedom.  God spoke to others as well – to Isaiah, to Jeremiah, to Ezekiel, Amos and Micah.  People listened for awhile … but then they would grow distracted, or bored or tired of the message.  But God continued to speak in partial and various ways – until He spoke more explicitly.

God said, “Jesus.”

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth. (John 1: 14)

The darkness did not smother the Word.  The light that is Christ continues to shine and we are witnesses – testifiers to the light.  Sometimes our world chooses darkness – but the darkness will never extinguish the light that is Christ.  To us, God continues to say, “Jesus.”

In the face of persons carrying assault weapons into our schools and shooting down students and teachers, God says, “Jesus.”

In the face of racism, sexism, hatred and intolerance, God says, “Jesus.”

In the face of war, poverty, hunger and homelessness, God says, “Jesus.”

Again and again and again, God says, “Jesus.”

And the Word becomes flesh.  And the world is made new.  Here in this place of worship and community, God says, “Jesus,” over the bread and wine that enters into our bodies. And the Word becomes our flesh and dwells within us all.

God's word is truth.  God's word is strength.  God's word is love.  May we hear this word today and in the days ahead.  May we make room for it to dwell in our hearts and fill us with grace and truth.  Amen. 

Deacon Darryl J. Diemer

Nativity of the Lord

December 25, 2012

Seeing Joy Through The Tears

3^rd Sunday of Advent – Year C

Zephaniah 3: 14-18a; Philippians 4: 4-7; 

Luke 3: 10-18

Today we hear a bit of a change in tone from the readings of the past two Sundays. The previous two weeks we’ve been hearing phrases like “repent and make straight the Lord’s path.” We’ve heard about John baptizing in the desert – a baptism of repentance – preparing the way of the one who is to come. But today we hear “Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully O Israel!” It’s a bit of a change. Look at our advent wreath – today our candle is a different color. We have a rose colored candle symbolizing joy amidst the purple candles of repentance.

So today we are supposed to feel joyful. We are supposed to feel the warmth of God’s unending love for us. Sometimes that is easier than done.

This season focuses on gift-giving – but many people are out of work or struggling financially; many are torn between not spending enough and spending too much without the means to pay for everything.

This season centers on the joys of being with family – but many people have lost loved ones during the past year; many live alone or are estranged from families that have caused more pain than joy.

Two days ago, we had another senseless massacre in one of our schools, this time in Connecticut.

So how do we tune out these distractions? How do we deal with the loneliness, the pain, the anger that we are all feeling? 

How do we find the joy?

In today’s gospel, people come from everywhere to hear John the Baptist – and they are all asking the same question: “Teacher, what should we do?” Maybe John’s answers will serve us too. John said “Whoever has two cloaks should share with the person who has none. And whoever has food should do likewise.”

Maybe the first step to finding that joy is to stop thinking about ourselves and focus our attention outward. I know of no other activity that will boost morale and self-esteem better than volunteering our time for those less fortunate:

• Start a drive to collect food for those who are hungry
• Collect blankets and coats for those who go without
• Visit someone in the hospital or the nursing home
• Sent a Christmas card to someone in prison or to a soldier overseas

When I was twelve years old, I hung around with a group of kids about my same age – all except for one – his name was Jimmy but we all called him “Tag” because every time we turned around, he was there. Jimmy was eight years old and was not welcomed into the group with open arms. We used to sneak off when Tag wasn’t looking. That summer, one of the neighborhood girls, Jeanette, got and in-ground swimming pool. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess where we hung out that summer. We would spend hours in that pool every day. Tag wanted to come too, but he didn’t know how to swim. So Jeanette took matters into her own hands – while we were playing games in the deep end of the pool, Jeanette was teaching Tag how to swim in the shallow end. She never gave up, never lost patience, and by the end of that summer, Tag could swim well enough to play in the deep end too. That winter, Jeanette’s father was transferred out of state, and we lost our friend and our pool privileges. But Jeanette’s influence was still felt in the group. After that summer, Tag became part of our group.

Seeing Jeanette in action makes it easy to see God’s love for us through her. Scripture is full of images telling us to exalt – to sing to God in love and worship for all that God has given us. Today’s passage from Zephaniah puts a new twist on that sentiment. I had not heard this passage before this week, but it has quickly become one of my favorites:

He will rejoice over you with gladness and renew you with his love, he will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings in festivals.(Zephaniah 3:18)

Can you imagine – God is singing joyfully because of you! God loves us so much, that HE is singing for joy! I absolutely love that image.

But how do we know that God loves us? Where is the proof? That’s an easy question to answer. Look into the eyes of your spouse. Look into the faces of your children. Look into the heart of your best friend. Is that enough? Can you see it now – or do you still need more? There is one sure way of knowing God’s love for us - and you already know it! It’s imbedded in your mind. It’s written in your heart like the lyric of a song that you’ve heard your whole life:

 

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. (John 3:16)

That’s the good news that we should all be singing about.

Deacon Darryl J. Diemer

Third Week Of Advent - Year C

December 16, 2012

Then You Are A King?

Our Lord Jesus Christ The King – Cycle B

Daniel 7: 13-14; Revelation 1: 5-8; 

John 18: 33b-37

“Then you are a king?”

Jesus answered, “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.”

Truth, my friends, is not always easy to comprehend. As we go through life, we continually look for meaning, searching for answers to questions that have taunted us forever. And if we are paying attention, occasionally we are blessed with a new insight that brings us closer to each other and ultimately, closer to the Kingdom of God.

About a year ago, my wife's brother, Kenneth, began to feel weak. He had no energy. He would become winded by just walking across the room. After many tests, the doctors concluded that his heart was diseased. He needed a heart transplant.

The doctors felt that Kenneth was an excellent candidate for the surgery – other than his heart, he was in good health. That made his chances for a full recovery much better. The insurance company, however, did not see things the same way. In their opinion, Kenneth wasn't sick enough to warrant this drastic and costly procedure. They refused to cover the expense. Several appeals were filed. Finally, the insurance company relented and agreed. Kenneth's name was placed on the national registry list for a new heart. Doctors inserted a pic line and began giving him medication. Then we waited … and waited. It was maddening. A few times the pic line became infected and he was hospitalized while they treated the infection. This removed Kenneth's name from the registry for a time. On Saturday, a couple weeks ago, we finally received the news they had waited so long to hear – a heart was available. Testing was completed and the surgery was scheduled for Sunday morning.

The family members piled into vehicles early Sunday morning and headed for the UK Medical Center in Lexington. My wife has a large family, so we took up a lot of space in the ICU waiting room. We were all filled with joy and hope that this day had come. But there was also another emotion in the room. The day we had prayed for came with a price. Somewhere, another family was mourning the loss of a young man; A son who would never graduate from high school; never fall in love; never give his parents grandchildren. This was the reality that we found ourselves in that day. Kenneth's chance for new life was only possible by the untimely death of another.

This christian faith that we follow also came with a price. Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection was necessary for our salvation. If you were raised in a christian home, you've known this for a long time. But there is a huge difference between knowing it in your head and feeling it in your heart.

St. Francis of Assisi parish is a wonderful place for us to gather as a community. We come here to pray and worship. We come here to learn. We come here for friendship and for entertainment. We come here to serve others. Some of you have called St. Francis “home” for your entire lives. Others, like myself, have only been here for a brief time. But even in my limited exposure to this parish, I can see a joy, a closeness that is shared. At St. Francis, we rejoice in our christian faith and our catholic identities. This weekend, that joy manifests itself with the baptisms of six children. We celebrate with the families as we welcome these newest members into our faith community. But let us never forget the sacrifice that made all of this possible.

Today is the final Sunday of our liturgical year, the Feast of Christ the King. Our Heavenly Father, creator of all, loves us completely and totally. He loves us so much, that through the incarnation, he joined with us. Jesus, fully human, experienced love and loss, doubt and pain, suffering and even death, just as each of us does. He triumphed over death through the resurrection and ascension into heaven. The kingdom the power and the glory are His now and forever. Amen.

Deacon Darryl J. Diemer

Feast of Christ The King

November 25, 2012

Prophetic Witness

26th Sunday Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Numbers 11: 25-29; James 5: 1-6; 

Mark 9: 38-43, 45, 47-48

Throughout recorded history, we've tried to discover God – tried to define God. Each time we try this, we fail because to define God is to limit God. God cannot be put into a box. There aren't enough pages in the latest edition of the catechism to hold God to our definition of Him.

God's Word that we hear in our liturgy today throws a curve ball to those who cannot think and reflect outside the box. We listen first to the story of how God's Spirit blew where it wasn't supposed to blow – on Eldad and Medad. Joshua, an assistant to Moses, is angry. “It's not supposed to happen this way.” The elders gathered and the Spirit of the Lord came upon them. But Eldad and Medad did not attend the meeting. They should not be allowed to prophesy – to speak with authority.

Moses is not upset that God's Spirit has landed not only on the elders, but on two young upstarts as well. He gives Joshua a fantastic response. Do you remember it? Moses said “Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all.” Moses gets it. Moses understands that God's ways are not our ways.

Mark's gospel passage is similar. Someone from outside their chosen group is exorcizing demons in Jesus' name. This time John complains. Jesus corrects him - “Whoever is not against us is for us.”

Prophets are often misunderstood and frequently ignored. They are sometimes persecuted because they speak a truth that society is unwilling or not ready to accept. Prophets are individuals who are in tune with God's call and are willing to step out of their comfort zone and act.

There is a support group in Louisville which serves the needs of young, low-income pregnant mothers. The group meets to learn parenting skills, ask questions, and be part of a community in which they are accepted and understood with their unique circumstances. By attending this group, the mothers receive small gifts for their baby each week and a crib and mattress for the baby when they complete the program. Due to the age and the nature of the group, only the expectant mothers and the fathers of the babies may attend. The mothers of the young girls do not participate so that the young girls feel free to share their thoughts, feelings, and questions within the group.

A very young girl and her mother arrived to join the group. For the purpose of this story we will call her “Mary.” Mary was upset that her mother could not be with her during the parenting classes. She truly wanted to be part of the group and she needed a crib for her baby, but she couldn't face the prospect of the group without the support of her mother. When the director of the program insisted that her mother could wait in the waiting room, Mary chose instead to leave.

Now, on that particular day, there was a student intern sitting in on the group who was able to sense that there was more going on than was apparent, so she went out with Mary and her mother to find out more. The mother confided in the intern that her daughter was pregnant as a result of being raped and that Mary needed her emotional support. So the intern sat with the family and allowed the spirit of God to guide her words. Mary came to slowly trust the intern, and some of her fear and anxiety subsided. The intern ended up teaching the parenting class so that Mary could get the crib she needed.

The intern didn't conform to policy. She didn't follow the rules. She didn't keep the spirit of God in a box. She used the gifts of wisdom and right judgment to guide her actions in working with the young girl, but the girl was not the only one affected by this encounter. The intern learned a great deal from Mary as well. She saw a person of great faith in her midst – a young woman who recognizes the dignity of the human being growing within her. This girl displayed the strength and courage to move forward with having this baby, despite the circumstances of his conception.

The characters in this story were not the elders or the disciples from the scripture we read about today. They didn't have any special knowledge or training. They acted in unusual ways, without a script, guided by their understanding of a loving and compassionate God.

We as a society must have rules and rules are good. They are created to protect us and serve us. But these rules cannot anticipate every situation. Jesus always put the individual's needs first – even if that meant setting aside the occasional rule. God created each of us as individuals. We each have our own talents and gifts. Each of us, as disciples of Christ, follow his example in our own unique way. The spirit of the Lord can touch us all at any time. Although society may frown upon it, coloring outside of the lines is OK. Perhaps understanding this brings us closer to our own baptismal call to be a prophet.

“Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all.”

 Deacon Darryl J. Diemer

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

September 30, 2012

This Is Hard; Who Can Accept It?

21^st Sunday Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Ephesians 5:21-32;

John 6:60-69

I had one of “those” moments recently. I'm sure you've all had a similar experience. Someone says something to you and you’re not sure how to answer them back. Ten minutes later, you think of the perfect response, but it’s too late. The moment has passed.

My family was in northern Ohio on vacation. While there, we visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. I was wearing a St. X alumni shirt. A gentleman approached me and asked if I was Roman Catholic. I answered yes. The gentleman introduced himself as Jeff. I told him my name and then added that I was a deacon in the church. This man took this as an invitation to tell me all of the problems with the Roman Catholic Church today. It seems Jeff was born and raised Catholic, left the church as a young adult, and only recently had found Jesus in one of those non-denominational mega-churches.

Jeff told me that the Catholic Church spends a great deal of time educating our children, but once they have been Confirmed, the church abandons them. There are no places for an adult to learn more about the faith. People become discouraged and they stop attending mass.

 

Jeff said that the Catholic Mass is boring. The same thing happens week in and week out. The people occupy the pews, mindlessly standing, sitting, kneeling and reciting prayers memorized long ago, without a second thought to the meaning behind the words. They don’t want to be there. They come out of sense of obligation. They think that by being at mass, the attendance card gets punched and the score will be higher when tallied on the last day.

Jeff said that in an age where women are assuming major leadership roles in all walks of life, the Catholic church seems to be moving backwards. The recent controversy involving the Leadership Conference of Women Religious demonstrates that Rome is trying harder than ever to assert its dominance and keep women everywhere underfoot. 

Why would anyone choose to be catholic?

When the man had finished his rant, I wasn’t sure how to answer him. I wasn’t bothered so much by his bitterness toward the church. No, what bothered me the most was the amount of truth that his words carried. I’ll admit it. I couldn’t counter any of his attacks until later, after he had moved on. By then it was too late. But just in case Jeff followed me back to Louisville and is here with us today, here is how I would like to answer him.

Yes Jeff, the Catholic Church does spend a lot of effort to educate its youth. And yes, there used to be very few options available for adults wanting to learn about their faith. But times have changed. In addition to RCIA classes, we now have bible study for adults, prayer groups and other forms of adult formation. We engage today's youth at universities through campus ministry. There are retreats and spiritual direction available for those seeking a closer relationship with God. We have “Why Catholic” which breaks open our beliefs and traditions, and makes them easy to understand. These new opportunities allow the Catholic faithful to grow and evolve beyond what was learned as a child. You should take advantage of them.

Secondly Jeff, you need to remember that the Mass is a celebration. I was invited to attend a birthday party not too long ago, and I did not want to go. I felt obligated to attend. All I wanted to do was show up, make an appearance, drop off a gift, and get out of there. There have been times in my life where I felt the same way about the celebration of mass. But the great thing about the catholic liturgy is that it is a communal prayer. On those occasions when I’ve arrived at mass in the wrong frame of mind, often, the joy and the prayerfulness that I see in others can lift me up and help me to redirect my focus to Christ. I can only hope that when someone else comes to church feeling out of sorts, that my joy and enthusiasm will reflect God’s love back to them. Mass is a celebration of transformation. The bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Christ. But it goes much deeper than that. Through the reception of Eucharist, we become one with that paschal sacrifice. We become the sacred vessel that takes Jesus out into the world. We carry out his mission of bringing about the Kingdom of God.

Finally Jeff, you stated that the church is oppressing our women. I'll be honest here, Rome's treatment of women has been a frustrating point for me as well. We should all recall that some of Jesus' most faithful and beloved disciples were women, and that is still true today. Women around the world, both vowed religious and lay women, continue to serve Jesus and his corporal works of mercy. They run our schools, staff our hospitals and ease suffering everywhere with our missionary presence. But more basic than that - women are the family leaders in proclaiming the Good News. Take a look at any family that you consider to be faithful or devout. Nine times out of ten, you will find that the woman of the household is the primary spiritual leader. Ask yourself this simple question: Who has had a greater impact on my spiritual formation – my mother &/or wife or the pope and bishops?

Are today's women bothered by their absence within the church hierarchy? I'm certain that many of them are. To quote today's gospel, “this is hard; who can accept it?” I'll tell you who - those who understand that is is God whom we love. It is Jesus whom we follow. It is our brothers and sisters in Christ whom we serve.

In conclusion, I will acknowledge that the church is fallible. It is run by people and people are not perfect. We’ve made our share of mistakes and blunders. We have our blind spots. But I truly believe that the Catholic Church, from Rome down to each individual, wants to do God’s will and carry out Christ’s mission. The path we take in choosing to follow Jesus is not always an easy one. We are called to stand with Christ even when it’s not popular or politically correct. Jeff, I can’t tell you why everyone should be catholic. But for me, I have to ask “to whom shall I go?” Jesus has the words of eternal life. He is present within the Catholic Church in the Word, in his people, and in the Eucharist. Nowhere else on earth can you find Jesus present in all three forms. 

That’s why I am catholic.

 Deacon Darryl Diemer

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

August 26, 2012

Mama Said There Would Be Days Like This

14^th Sunday Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Ezekiel 2: 2-5; 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10; 

Mark 6: 1-6

 

As I read today's gospel passage, there was one thought that popped into my head almost immediately: “Mama said there would be days like this.”

When I was sixteen and began my first job, my parents sat me down and gave me this bit of advise: There will be times when your job won't be fun. There will be times when you won't feel like working. There will be times when everything seems to go wrong. When that happens, you can't just quit, you can't run away and hide. You have to reach inside and find the strength to carry on.

That was good advise. I imagine most of us have gotten that same speech at one time or another in our lives. As I read today's gospel, I had an image in my head of the Blessed Mother sitting with her young son and imparting those same words of wisdom to him.

The return of Jesus to his home town was not going well. The stories that proceeded him about a new prophet who teaches with authority, heals the sick and changes water into wine must have seemed fantastic to the locals. Then they saw Jesus. Wait a minute – this is the boy that used to knock over my trash cans. He can't be the one. Those stories of mighty deeds must be untrue.

Jesus, fully human, must have felt discouraged. He must have felt unappreciated, unwanted, unloved. He probably didn't want to go to work that following day either. But he did. The results weren't what he had come to expect, but he did manage to touch a couple of people's lives. What scripture doesn't tell us what happened there after Jesus had departed.

There are times when we hear something that may seem unimportant. But for some reason, the words stick with us, and eventually they mean a great deal. Perhaps that is the Holy Spirit at work. I wonder if maybe Christ's words stayed with some of those people and took root later.

About twenty years ago, I had a conversation with my cousin Bobby that changed my life. I was a young father. I just started attending mass again on a regular basis, after several years of absence. But in truth, I was only filling a seat. I was not engaged in what was happening. The priest would begin his homily and I would zone out. The consecration would begin and before you know it, I was in line for communion with no memory of the past ten minutes. I was present physically but not mentally or spiritually.

One day I was in the car with my cousin and we were talking. Bobby had just retired from CSX Railroad. He was a family man. He and his wife had raised nine children. He enjoyed life with family and friends. He was into camping and he loved to play cards. But Bobby was not what I would consider a religious man. Yes he went to mass on Sunday, but beyond that, I had never heard him speak of God or religion in all of the years I had known him. On this day in the car, Bobby was talking about his days working for the railroad. He told of being alone on the train for hours with no one to talk to. I asked him what he thought about during that time. Bobby said that he often wondered if he had been a good enough Catholic. He wondered if his words or his actions had influenced someone to join the church.

I don't fully understand why, but his words made a tremendous impact on me. That day, my cousin planted a seed within my heart. As that seed started to grow and mature, I began to want more from the mass. I wanted to know God more intimately. I craved a deeper relationship with the Lord. There were others that contributed as well, but it was Bobby's words, more than any other, that eventually led me to this ambo and this ministry.

I found out later that Bobby was involved with his parish of St. Barnabas. He worked with the RCIA program for many years and he made rosaries. I wish I had the opportunity to thank my cousin, but it didn't work out that way. He passed away suddenly a few years ago without ever knowing the impact of his words on me.

I believe that people here today are good. I believe that we want to follow the Lord's example and live as he commanded by loving God and loving neighbor. I also believe that the Holy Spirit is continually calling us, continually nudging us to speak our truth and bring about the Kingdom of God. Today I challenge each of us to listen to that call. I implore us not to dismiss those nudges but instead act upon them. It will not always be easy. Sometimes we won't see the results that we want. Sometimes we will feel unappreciated. Sometimes it will not seem to be worth the effort. On days like this, we have to search out that inner strength and find a way to keep going. You never know when your words will take root in someone's heart.

Deacon Darryl J. Diemer

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

July 8, 2012

Testimony Of A Believer

In the gospel passage that we just proclaimed, Jesus is risen, but Mary and the two disciples haven't quite figured out what is happening.  Mary Magdalen believes that Jesus' body has been taken.  We don't know what Peter is thinking at this point, but the other disciple, the one that Jesus loved, saw and believed.  He didn't fully understand yet, but he believed.

We all know the rest of the story.  A few minutes later in that same garden, Mary comes across a man that she thinks is the gardener.  "Tell me where you put his body," she begs.  She doesn't recognize the man.  It isn't until Jesus looks her in the eye, and whispers her name, that her eyes are opened and the risen Christ is revealed to her.  At that moment, all of Mary's doubts, all of her fears went away.

The fact that Mary Magdalen didn't recognize Jesus at first is a theme that is common to all of the post-resurrection appearances.  The same thing happens on the road to Emmaus, in the upper room and at the shore when the apostles are fishing.

I used to envy the followers of Jesus and Mary Magdalen in particular.  To have walked with Jesus during his three years of ministry must have been incredible.  To hear the words ... to witness the miracles ... amazing.  But to have a face-to-face encounter with our risen Lord and Saviour!  Can you imagine?  Words cannot describe what that must have felt like, and so I was envious.

But Jesus is risen today.  He is with us still.  We believe that Christ is present in the word proclaimed from the lectern.  We believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist.  We believe that He is present in the assembly, "whenever two or more are gathered in my name..."  And so Jesus is with us today.  But sometimes that's not enough.

As a young man, I knew and understood the Jesus is present to us in these ways.  Sometimes there is a big difference between knowing something in your head and feeling it in your heart.  In my case, there was a void, an emptyness that troubled my soul.  Once I understood the problem, I had to come up with a solution.  I needed to be closer to God - that much was evident - but I wanted more.  I wanted a face-to-face encounter with the risen Jesus - like Mary had - like the apostle Thomas had.  I decided to approach the problem as a fisherman does.

If you want to catch a fish, the first thing you have to do is get up off the couch and go to the place where the fish are.  You have to go to the pond, go to the lake, go to the stream, to the river, to the sea.  If you want to encounter Christ, you have to get off the couch and go the place where Jesus is.  You have to go to the church, go to the hospital, go to the prison, to the orphanage, to the asylum.

But just going to these places is not enough.  You can't just hold a net over the water and expect that a fish will jump in.  It takes effort.  You need to bait the hook.  You need to drop it into the water.  You need to check it from time to time to make sure the bait hasn't fallen off or been nibbled away.  You need to be watchful.  You need to be patient.  And to have a face-to-face encounter with Jesus, you need to watchful.  You need to be patient.  You need to be engaged.  But most of all, you need to try to reach Jesus on his level.  What do I mean by that?  Well, I stand before you, and I can see each of you, and you can see me, but if I were to stand on top of this altar, I could see everything from a different perspective.  Now before Father Lou tries to wrestle me to the ground, I want to assure him that I will not be standing on this altar today.  But you can see the point that I am trying to make.  We go through life looking at the world from here [indicate line of sight].  But if you want to encounter Jesus firsthand, if you want to be close enough to see your face reflected in His eyes, you can't do it from here [indicate line of sight again].

You have to do it from here! [kneel]  Because this is where you will find Jesus, in prayer with the Father.  This is where you will find Jesus, washing the feet of the apostles.  This is where you will find Jesus, ministering to those whom society have ignored or forgotten.  This is where you will find Jesus!  You do these things, and that encounter with Christ can be yours as well. [stand back up again]

I have just a couple of final thoughts.  You can do all of these things perfectly and the fish still aren't biting.  That is where patience comes in.  If you don't catch a fish on Sunday, you go back on Monday and try again.  You go back on Tuesday and try again.

I also would like to report that my plan worked.  I met Him.  He came to me five years ago.  It was at a time when I was at my lowest.  I was doubting my calling to the diaconate.  Heck, I was doubting if I could remain a Roman Catholic.  But he came to me and he whispered four words.  That's it - four words.  But at that moment, all of my doubts, all of my fears went away.  The void that once existed in my heart was filled with the spirit.

It's a great story, and I look forward to the time when I can share it with you.  In the meantime, please accept the testimony of a believer, and know that it comes from here [indicate head] and from here [indicate heart].  Jesus Christ is risen today!  Allehulah!

Deacon Darryl J. Diemer
Easter
April 8, 2012

Love and Marriage

4^th Sunday Ordinary Time – Cycle B

Deuteronomy 18: 15-20; 1 Corinthians 7: 32-35; Mark 1: 21-28

In today's second reading, St. Paul, in his first letter to the people of Corinth, discusses the virtue of a single life in contrast to a married life. The good saint tells us that those called to live the single life can devote all of their energies to the Lord. However, those of us called the the vocation of marriage are divided between pleasing God and pleasing spouse. When I read these words, I felt anger. It's as if Paul is saying that married persons are somehow lacking in their dedication to the Lord.

“Not true, not true!” I wanted to say. I wanted to defend the honor of marriage from this man and his writings. But as I read the passage more closely, I began to see some truth in Paul's words. Yes, it is valid to say that there is work and energy necessary to make a marriage last. It is also valid to conclude that devotion to spouse and to family can take away from devotion to the Lord. But as another man named Paul would say, Paul Harvey that is, you need to hear the rest of the story.

We are all called to love each other. Marriage takes this sentiment a step further. The mutual love between married partners becomes a reflection – an outward sign – of the absolute and unfailing love with which God loves each of us. It is good, very good, in the Creator's eyes. Marriage in its intended form brings the couple closer to serving the Lord through the honor and duty that they serve each other. When the marriage is good, it is a win-win-win situation for all parties involved. It is only when the marriage covenant begins to falter that Paul's words are fulfilled. I speak on this subject with some authority because I have witnessed both the good and the bad sides within my own marriage.

My wife Susan and I have been married for almost twenty-five years. I remember people telling me that marriage was hard work, but I never saw it that way. For me, marriage was a safe harbor – a shelter from the storm that was life. I would come home from my day at work, sit on my couch, turn on the television and be married. There was no work – no effort involved. It was easy – or so I thought. But that attitude was not helping my married life, it was hindering it. My wife needed more from me and, although I did not realize it at the time, I needed more from her as well. We were growing further apart and the idea of divorce began creeping into our thoughts. Perhaps some of you find yourselves in a similar situation. I'm not an expert on marriage. I'm not a licensed therapist. But I can suggest some things that might help.

Several times a year, the archdiocese sponsors marriage encounter weekends. These are designed to let you come together, pray, recharge the batteries, and invigorate your relationship with your spouse. The marriage encounter weekends are designed for couples who have solid marriages and want them to grow even stronger. For marriages that have deteriorated, as mine had, there is an organization called Retrouvaille which can help. Retrouvaille provides a safe place to reconnect on a basic level with your spouse. Together you will move forward in reconstructing your relationship. It's not easy. There is no quick fix. There will be many tears. But if you are both willing to put forth the effort, your marriage can be rebuilt and strengthened in a way that will restore honor and glory to God and to each other.

At this point I should probably point out that Retrouvaille is not the solution to every struggling couple. Some marriages do not work. If your marital experience is beyond repair, I ask you to allow Christ to heal your pain and suffering. You are an important part of this faith community and your witness to the good news is needed.

The plain simple truth is that I am a better christian with my wife than I could ever be alone. The love and devotion that we have for each other does not detract from our relationship with God – it enhances it. It continually leads back to the altar where we professed our vows to each other before God. The sacred covenant of marriage is a blessing for all who are called to that life. Let St. Paul's words serve as a warning – not a condemnation. When two become one, united and working together, the closeness to God is unequaled. And that my friends is the rest of the story.

Deacon Darryl J. Diemer
4th Sunday In Ordinary Time
January 29, 2012