Ocean View

Posted on June 12, 2017June 12, 2017 by Deacon Joe

Standing in my bedroom,

Which happens to have a magnificent ocean view,

I slid the glass doors open and walked onto the balcony,

Where I stood looking upon the ocean,

While a nice gentle cool night breeze

Brushed my skin.

Standing there, Oh Lord, looking upon the ocean

Listening to the waves as they dance upon the waters,

Seeing the soft rays of moonlight smiling upon its surface,

Made my soul forget the cares of the day

Helping me feel the serenity of Thy peace

Oh Lord, my God,

So many times I forget to stop

To enjoy the beautiful things you have created.

To just let you take care

Of the burdens that are weighing me down.

To feel the relief of my distress.

Oh Lord, my God,

How sweet it is

To let go of everything negative

To breathe in the freshness of your peace.

When I finally put my trusts in Thee,

I let your spirit gently minister to mine.

Standing there on the balcony,

Anointed with your love and peace,

I raised my hands and shouted to Thee

With cries of joy how awesome you are

I opened the eyes of my soul

To behold you clothed in splendor and majesty.

I just stand still

Knowing in my heart that you are God.

(Written by Maria Anna Cortino, June 9, 2017

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Reflection

The Vision

Posted on June 3, 2017June 3, 2017 by Deacon Joe

I behold the beauty of your glory through the window of my soul, Oh Lord.

My heart is rejoicing in the green meadows that are so peaceful.

It brings rest to my restless soul.

I walk with you oh Lord, hand in hand as a child walks with his Father.

We talk and laugh.

I enter into your garden.

I inhale the sweet aromas that are so pleasant.

That makes me want to shout, dance with joy and glorify your Holy Name.

Then you guide me to this beautiful crystal sea with unbelievable beauty.

It shines so bright with your glory, as I take a sip of water my soul regains its strength.

What a glorious place of complete serenity.

Then the Lord took my hand and said, come now to my house, sit at my table set for you.

Now rejoice in my kingdom, for this is your home forever more.

You have been redeemed.

(Written by Maria Anna Cortino, June 1, 2017

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Homily

Ascension of the Lord

Posted on May 24, 2017May 27, 2017 by Deacon Joe

Where does a nine day Novena come from? That was the question posed to me one day. Nine days represent the time of prayer between the Ascension of the Lord and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. In prayer a Novena is a longing for the coming of the Lord, the anticipation and a realization of his return. The power of the Holy Spirit gives witness to his coming “to the ends of the earth”. Each baptized faithful is a temple of the Holy Spirit. The “two men dressed in white garments …said,…’men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:10-11) We are to look not up to the sky for him but look ahead to where he wants us to take him in our love, our actions, our kerygma, proclaiming the kingdom of God.

“The Father of glory…gave him as head over all things to the church which is his body the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.” (Eph. 1:17, 22-23) His body given to the church which we receive in the Eucharist is in communion the fullness of all things from Jesus. His is the authority, power, and dominion above all things and in Him it is now our authority, power, and dominion called to go forth. This is the witness of disciples transformed into Apostles to go forth and heal the sick, cast out demons, have authority to forgive and be renewed in the sacramental life through his body, blood, soul, and divinity.

We long to belong. It is God’s creation, in our DNA to belong. Where we belong is a choice of daily life. We choose to belong to a family, to a community, to a house of worship. When we say “yes” to the invitation to belong to God it comes with a promise and a shared responsibility. The church says “welcome” and “go forth”. Welcome to the love of Jesus and go forth to spread God’s love to others.

Go forth into a world where there is much suffering, a world in need of the proclamation of the Kingdom of God. Where does suffering go to die? It dies where we find joy, purpose, and meaning in the calling. The calling comes from God. The calling is rooted in living our core values. Those values are in our Christian heritage, passed on by our practice of faith, our traditions, and our sacramental life. It is our inheritance to pass on and our responsibility.

There is a story of an American researcher who went to study the customs of a Japanese education system. As he sat at the back of the class doing his observation and taking notes, the teacher asked the students to draw a cube. He went around the class and found one child who had drawn it incorrectly. He asked, “Hiroshi would you like to come up to the board and draw a cube?” The boy said “yes” with excitement. After attempting to draw the cube he asked the class, “Class, did Hiroshi draw the cube correctly?” They all said “no”. The researcher felt bad for the child. The teacher asked Hiroshi, “Would you like to try again to draw a cube?” He said, “yes” and made a second attempt. The teacher asked the class, “Did Hiroshi draw the cube correctly?” The class said “no” all together. The researcher not only started to feel bad for the child but felt the anxiety and projected feelings of humiliation for the “poor” child. The teacher asked Hiroshi again, “Would you like to try again to draw a cube?” The child said, “yes” and again he did it wrong, and again he asked the class and all said “no”. By now the researcher was feeling the physical pain of this stressful activity wondering “why, put this child through this?” Once again the child was asked if he wanted to try again and he said “yes”. This time he drew it correctly. The teacher asked the class, “Did Hiroshi draw the cube correctly?” The all said “yes!” and began to clap. The ones who drew it correctly did not have a lesson to learn but the child who went through the struggle and persevered learned a life lesson beyond how to draw a cube.

Brother and sisters, the calling is to, “proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching…be possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry.” (2 Tim 4: 2, 5) Those called before us have finished their race and kept the faith, now it is our turn “for all who have longed for his appearance”. (2 Tim 4: 8) Go forth the Kingdom of God is at hand.

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The Deacon Joe

Called to Earthy Sanctity

Posted on May 3, 2017May 3, 2017 by Deacon Joe

Called to Earthy Sanctity – I believe, I hope, and I trust! The Lord calls each to holiness according to their state in life. Earthy sanctity is encountering Christ in the world where the evils of sin abound to be an instrument that points to a greater good, an encounter with the living God, and a call to holiness for the body is clean but not all.

Some are called to holiness in detachment from the world through a cloister life, monasticism, and clericalism that offers a separation from the world dedicated to prayer, contemplation, and service structured in that order of priority. This comes through praying the Liturgy of the Hours throughout the day, the celebration of the Mass, daily Adoration time and in works to support self and offer service to others. Through this calling one can discover a rich interior life climbing the highest spiritual mountains and going deep into the interior darkness to find the light of Christ.

A deacon in our times is called to an earthy sanctity to battle sins of the world from within and without, to fight the good fight as a wounded warrior and to persevere to finish the race by going forth into the dark places of this world and bring the light of Christ where sin prevails. From God the earth radiates his glory in the spirit of life for eternity but also the threat of death from sin deceived by the seven capital sins: pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and acedia. Earthy sanctity carries its sin nature in search of purity of heart, mind, and soul with prayer, sacrifice, and charity. This day I surrender to you O’ God, this moment, and this challenge for your glory especially when the cross seems hard to bear.

Earthy Sanctity was caring for a dying man in the hospital as a nurse. His body so swollen with fluid it poured out of his pores dying from liver disease. It was debriding the gangrene off the foot of a man whose diabetes was not controlled and is trying to save his feet as you smell the stench of dead tissue. It was being a counselor helping a child victim of abuse by a parent who now is separated from their home into an unknown world of foster care for their protection depressed and feeling abandoned. It is administering a corporate company with the motto, “Changing hearts, Changing minds, Changing lives!” to prevent, intervene, and treat addiction. Climbing the corporate ladder is also sanctifying it each step of the way. It is daily facing the sins of the world as a sinner seeking to make a difference.

A deacon finds refuge in the sacramental life, in the sanctity of marriage, in raising a family, and in fellowship while serving God in the domestic church, in the universal church, and in the world. A deacon is to go forth in the economy of the world and the economy of salvation as a bridge that speaks to both in our times building up the kingdom of God. A deacon finds refuge in communion with God, in our loved ones, and in our mother church who offers us a legion of angels, saints and the most Holy Trinity. The one sent to us to awaken us in her apparitions is our Blessed Mother Mary and she remains to comfort us. The purity of her conception and life places the crown on her head to intercede for us when we turn to her and ask, “Pray for us”. Will her son deny her? Not then, at the wedding of Cana, not now!

The sun rises and the earth awakens to challenge God’s sons and daughters to subdue it. We dare to walk in sanctity as children of the light but not all is clean for our feet remain in need of washing our sins clean. In earthy sanctity we dare with courage to go forth with the armor of faith, hope and love to make holy ground.

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Reflection

He is risen indeed!

Posted on April 22, 2017April 22, 2017 by Deacon Joe

Victory over death in an age of terrorism, innocent martyrs killed daily, and millions seeking freedom from persecution is the hope of the resurrection. Hope comes not by escape from suffering, nor is one called to embrace misery as inevitable but from the risen Lord. We embrace hope and claim our victory over death in redemptive suffering as we offer ourselves to our Lord, our whole being to live according to his will. Death is not foreign to life for each day there is a sense of an ending with the hope of a new beginning with the sun rise. With each five years of life there is a physiological transformation with an ending to one stage of life and a new experience in our physical and spiritual growth and maturation. Life stages are not a drama we pass through onto another stage but a meaningful journey of purification of mind, heart, and will for the sanctity of the soul.

Jesus is risen and he appears to his disciples with the greeting “Peace be with you”. He breaks bread, eats fish, and appears to many. The joy of this peace is the witness of victory over death that brings peace to live the truth with courage. Jesus is now sending his disciples to go forth and live the truth with courage in the face of what will lead to their persecution. Our victory comes in living the truth found in the risen Lord. Embrace life in its goodness and in service of the greater good of humanity and the environment. It begins with our home environment, our families, friends, and our state of life called to be holy. Our sacred space is given within through our baptism not to be kept hidden but to shine light upon the world.

The difference a life makes is in the embrace of love we are willing to offer to one another. It is the embrace of generosity, compassion, forgiveness, understanding, and charity to the needs of others. The sting of death is in the seduction of a world’s relativity in action of self-justification. Our freedom is our justification by the blood of the lamb in Christ. Because he lives, we live the light of eternity. Hope in the unseen is now seen through the eyes of faith and the will to embrace love with courage. Go forth, He is risen indeed!

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Reflection

Palm Sunday

Posted on April 12, 2017April 12, 2017 by Deacon Joe

It begins, the Great Remembrance of the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He who lays down his life for all humanity emptied himself and received the glory of God the Father. Our Lenten journey was an invitation to empty ourselves from our attachments and to be purified by the sacrifice that comes from love in preparation to receive the glory of God the Father this Easter.

What has filled that emptiness of self that is reflective of the resurrection? Sacrifice brings us closer to our identity, who we are and who we are called to be. In sin we acknowledge our weakness and in obedience we encounter the power greater than us to overcome our sin. It sets our compass in the direction to serve the purpose for which we came into the world. That purpose begins with the two greatest commandments, love of God and love of neighbor and in the encounter with God and neighbor our mission becomes revealed.

The past self has the opportunity to die to self, receive mercy and rise to new life. What has changed this Lenten season to bring about a transformation in us? In the times we have said “yes” to be present, charitable, and humble, while enduring our sacrifices and persevering in kindness and generosity for the greater good we have become the image of God’s love and mercy.

To let go and let God is to receive a taste of his glory bound to his love. Through our sacrifice and acts of charity we enter into sacred space to be in communion with him, all the saints, angels, and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Homily

5th Week of Lent

Posted on April 6, 2017April 5, 2017 by Deacon Joe

Lazarus come out! That was this Sunday’s call from Jesus. As we approach Holy Week our scriptures have us reflect more on death and God’s power over death. We saw it on Sunday’s gospel in the death of Lazarus and Jesus announcing, “I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, even if he dies will live and everyone who believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” That is the question we need to answer for ourselves in facing death. Fear of death is a powerful force for the evil one to use on us.

This week King Nebuchadnezzar in his “utter rage” has Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bound and thrown into the furnace but four appear to be walking in the fire, unfazed by it, and the “fourth looks like the son of God”. How is it that Nebuchadnezzar recognizes the fourth as the “son of God” but the Jews don’t recognize the son of God before them fulfilling the scriptures? The great sign is victory over death. Soon we will be celebrating the passion of the Lord and Jesus victory over death. “Do you believe this?” Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Martha, and Mary believed.

The fear of death is powerful among the earthly living? Why, a lack of faith? Perhaps one reason is we are taught the definition of death is “the end of life…a permanent and irreversible cessation of all vital functions” in Webster’s Dictionary. This is a contradiction to God’s spirit in us for everlasting life. If this humanity was the true “end of life” then Jesus coming is a myth for the weak and vulnerable and his miracles an illusion.

Science will attest that in human development all our cell structure dies and is renewed about every five years; thus an infant dies to itself to become a child, and a child dies to become a teen…in more ways than one…and a teen passes on to become an adult and the adult an elderly person with the same spirit and soul given to the infant. We are not in the custom of saying each dies to itself into the next stage of life, we say we grow and develop. We also grow and develop into the divine life and image of our creator. Jesus calls us to die to oneself and be transformed into his image.

The final transformation is to leave this body for a spiritual state and then the final coming when we will have an incorruptible body reunited to our soul. Two more stages to grow into. Recall the transfiguration of Jesus when he appears with Moses and Elijah, they are all alive.

So what is death? Sin is death and death is a permanent and irreversible separation from God. We fear mortal death and don’t fear sin to the pleasure of the evil one who desires our permanent and irreversible separation from God. Human decay is the stench of sin. Death where is your sting? It is in sin. Jesus victory over death is not a mortal victory over the body, it is the victory over sin for our humanity that we may believe.

Catechism has clear teaching on death. In #1105 we read, we must “be away from the body and at home with the Lord. In that ‘departure’ which is death the soul is separated from the body. It will be reunited with the body on the day of the resurrection of the dead. #1006 say, “Death is in fact ‘the wages of sin.” #1007 says, “Death is the end of earthly life.” #1008 says, “Death is a consequence of sin.” And, #1009 says, “Death is transformed by Christ.”

It also reminds us to die in a state of Christ’s grace is to participate in the Lord’s death so we can also share his Resurrection (#1006). This participation we will be celebrating liturgically this coming Holy Week but we live it daily. Thus as scripture says, “not all will die” but all share Christ’s death. Let us remain among the living for all eternity. Prepare to live on!

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The Deacon Joe

Thy Kingdom come, and so it has!

Posted on April 5, 2017April 5, 2017 by Deacon Joe

The Kingdom of God is at hand in the “multiplication” of the sacraments as parents, sponsors, and children prepare for 1^st Communion at St. Francis Xavier in La Feria, Texas, and it is already at hand. The gift of the kingdom we hold as a treasure unlike the treasure of the world is everlasting. Earthly treasure makes a poor man rich and a rich man poor because it is limited and in the exchange some gain and others lose within limited resources. Heavenly treasure is seen in the multiplication of the loaves, as Jesus makes visible the miracle of his creation as a gift in the lives of those who come to receive the sacred now transformed into temples of the sacred kingdom. Faith is in action, in obedience, and in the joy to be called children of the Most High.

The Kingdom is celebrated in the Universal Church and in the domestic church at home when we gather together to pray, share a meal of thanksgiving, and celebrate life.

Viva Cristo Rey!

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Homily

Third Sunday of Lent 2017

Posted on March 19, 2017March 19, 2017 by Deacon Joe

Ex 17:3-7; Rom 5:1-2, 5-8; Jn 4:5-42

Where you focus your heart will follow. This week I had the blessing and honor of baptizing two children and in the celebration after there were some newborn infants among the extended family. The joy of being able to hold an infant was seen in the gazing eyes upon each child, both in a tangible sense of growing love in the eyes and warmth in the arms as each person took turns carrying a child. At the moment a focused heart on that child was all that was important.

Lent is that invitation to have a focused heart for “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” and it does not disappoint. Jesus is focused on our salvation waiting our response. This Lenten journey is an invitation to refocus from distractions and temptations through a discipline of abstinence, fasting, and “other forms of penance, especially works of charity and exercises of piety” (Canon 1253). Focus on the face of God on the cross for our sins, on the face of God in the poor, homeless, orphan, widow and the greater sense of suffering in the world with love that leads to acts of charity.

Focus on the deeper sense of sinfulness in the silence of our hearts revealed through scripture study, in prayer, and in communion. In the Lenten discipline we can enter into the Exodus experience of the people who hunger and thirst and are tempted in weakness to harden their hearts away from God. Our awareness of suffering is a challenge of faith but also an opportunity to turn to God in repentance, humility, and trust in God’s mercy. Do you believe?

In contrast the Samaritan woman living in sin had faith to believe. The encounter is with a stranger, a Jew who does not follow the cultural norms of avoiding a Samaritan but engages her. Jesus’ thirst for water is both an act of humanity and divinity as he prepares her heart for living water after confessing her sinful lifestyle. Jesus arouses her faith as she responds, “Are you greater than our father Jacob?” How often we encounter someone of a different faith but share a belief in one God. Is not our search for the same living water and our encounter an opportunity to draw water from the well of faith in the other? In dialogue a Christian, a Jew, and a Muslim is an encounter with “a spring of water welling up to eternal life”. The faith of our ancestors meets at the mountain of God to do the will of the Father.

Our mountain is the altar of sacrifice in the Eucharist where we offer our sacrifice of worship and thanksgiving in spirit and truth to “acclaim the rock of our salvation”. With joyful praise our hope and focus is to turn to the one who says, “I have called you friends” (John 15:15) and invite him to stay with us. St. Thomas calls friendship a virtue which is an excellence of attention to love of God and love of neighbor.

In the celebration event following the baptisms there was plenty of deserts to eat. One young man asked his mother if it was ok to cheat a little and have some desert. Apparently he had given up sweats for Lent. The mother responded, “that’s between you and God.” His focus shifted to a conversation and he passed on the temptation. Let us keep our focus on him in trials and temptation and listen to the voice in our hearts where the spirit dwells ready to well up our souls with spiritual food for eternity.

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Reflection

Reality is not a pinball game

Posted on March 8, 2017 by Deacon Joe

Reality is not a pinball game in search of a prize.

In search of objective reality begins and ends with God in the life cycle of a creator and a creature transformed into his reality behind the veil of mystery waiting for the rapture of love as a gift not a pinball prize.

To ask, “What is real?” or to imperatively declare “Get real!” is to search for identity in the real presence of God, not within the subjective reality that begins and ends in the mind of a fools pinball game launched into random chance of striking success as the ball becomes a target itself by set barriers that propel it into new directions in hopes of a prize only to inevitably fall helplessly back to its starting point for a new beginning with the same mindset that propelled it from the start in search of the prize.

Objective reality is in the mystery of “Other”, God is other, and in the unity of a triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit we encounter him in the other before us in our presence, in the innocent child, the sacrifice of a parent, the sick, the elderly, the poor and the hungry, and more visibly in the veil of the Eucharist in silent adoration and in the unity of the assembly gathered for worship and thanksgiving as a sacrifice of love, it all becomes revealed in truth, goodness, beauty, and love, the true nature of self as an identity through him, with him, and in him, the crown of glory, a gift not a prize.

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