Holy Week: the most solemn week in the Church's calendar. It begins with Palm Sunday,  celebrating Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem and by the end of the week he would be a dead man. Talk about a startling turn of events....

Crowds are fickle aren't they? Cattle could go from gently grazing to stampeding herd in an instant and human beings can go from peaceful gathering to rioting mobs in similar time. Pay attention to Palm Sundays reading that show both sides of our human nature: we have crowds shouting "Hosanna in the highest!" Such joy, such exuberance! five days later they would be  shouting "Crucify him, crucify him!" Such hate! Crowds are fickle aren't they?

This past week crowds gathered in Washington as the justices of the Supreme Court heard arguments on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. They were passionate in their beliefs, for and against, coming out with placard and poem, slogan and song. Whichever way the Justices eventually decide will result in a huge segment of the population feeling disenfranchized. Such is the work and effort of men.

Not so the work of God, says the Church in Holy Week. Jesus' passion, death and resurrection brings salvation to all. It was offered to those who yelled 'hosanna' and to those who yelled 'crucify him', to those whose hands wiped His bloody face with a towel and to those whose hands held hammer and nail. It is the universality of our sinfullness that leads to the universality of God's gift of salvation and all that is required is that we repent, believe and be saved. God, the Supreme Justice has decided and no one need feel disenfranchized. Such is the work of God.

This week put yourself in the story.

Wave your palm fronds, shout your hosannas.
Be amazed at Jesus' works, marvel at his teachings.
Recognize your indifference and acknowledge even animosity.
Feed on the meal he offers, learn as he washes the feet. 
Stand with him before Pilate's Seat of Judgement  and follow him on the way to Calvary. Hear the sound of the hammer, listen to his last words.
Stand vigilant at the tomb, tremble as the stone is rolled away.
Worship him as he steps in the dawn-light of the new creation.
BEHOLD, HE IS RISEN!

Peace.

CNN featured an article by Paul Moses on Tuesday 14th February 2012, with a headline “Can U.S. bishops regain their clout?” It focused on the role of the USCCB in standing up in opposition to the attempts by the Obama Administration to mandate that religious institutions provide coverage for abortion and contraception to their employees...

The article started out with this statement:

“For about a week, the nation's Catholic bishops enjoyed some measure of their bygone political clout The bishops launched a vigorous grassroots campaign to protest a rule from the Obama administration's health care mandate that would force many Catholic institutions to cover birth control through their employee health plans. Catholic churchgoers have seen such campaigns attempted before, with bishops issuing stinging denunciations that are repeated in church publications and in letters read to parishioners at every Mass.

But this time, to the surprise of many, the bishops' effort seemed to work. President Barack Obama quickly modified the rule. He didn't satisfy the bishops -- but still, the clergymen had upset the political calculus that they no longer affect Catholic voters. The bishops were able to wield influence because their message against the contraception mandate was framed in a way that appealed to a broad spectrum of Catholics. For moderates and liberals, there were calls to freedom and conscience, rather than blunt declarations to heed ecclesial authority. For conservatives, there was the opportunity to circle the wagons against secularism.”

The Obama Administration conceded to their protests and changed the language of the ruling. Note I said “language” not “intent”; insurance companies will still provide coverage for abortion and contraception to employees who request it but the Church will not have to pay for it.

This leads me to the following questions:

Question one: How do you label this victory for the Church leadership: “strategic”, “moral” or “pyrrhic”?

It’s really can’t be labeled ‘strategic’ as the battle goes on: As I’ve mentioned above, all we have is a change in language and not intent, but as Mr. Moses rightly pointed out “the clergymen had upset the political calculus that they (Bishops) no longer affect Catholic voters” - my parentheses. This leads to my second question:

Who is speaking for the church and who is listening to those who speak?

There can be no challenge on the role of the Pope and Bishops as the Magisterium or Teaching Authority of the Church. Vatican II taught (Dei Verbum # 10): "The task of authoritatively interpreting the word of God, whether written or handed on [Scripture or Tradition], has been entrusted exclusively to the living Magisterium of the Church, whose authority is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ." Nevertheless a serious divide between who speaks and who listens was poignantly exemplified when a local TV station spoke to the Archbishop on the HHS directive after a Mass at the Cathedral. The Archbishop unequivocally declared his opposition but the TV station also interviewed an attendee at the same Mass who said that while understanding the Church’s teaching, the choice should remain with the individual. This is not a new development when it comes to contraception and abortion. Pope Paul VI’s 1968 Encyclical ‘Humanae Vitae’ was received with a barrage of dissent from clergy and layperson alike, while Roe vs. Wade has not been in any significant danger of repeal in either the 24 years of Republican or 16 years (including current) of Democratic presidencies since the Supreme Court ruling of 1973. It remains a political hotbed issue but different surveys show Catholics both past and present as heavily divided on the issue, thus casting doubt on the reality or existence of a ‘Catholic vote’.

My third question goes even further: Who is speaking for Christ?

The Catholic bishops have found support from Evangelicals and other Protestant denominations, but the support comes, not so much from doctrinal alignment, for many of the other mainstream denominations have no issues with contraception and/or abortion but rather from the perception of intrusion by the state on churches. Therefore the arguments are couched in the language of “freedom of religion” which definitely  illicit more fervent support against the Obama Administration rather than a universal declaration that abortion and contraception are simply intrinsically and morally wrong which as discussed above remains a divisive issue both within and outside the Catholic Church. This no longer is a debate guided by the simplistic slogan “What Would Jesus Do?”

Since the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century there have been numerous voices speaking in Jesus name. in regard to contraception The Catholic Church has always maintained it stance against its use while The Church of England has stated in the 1958 Lambeth Conference that the responsibility for deciding upon the number and frequency of children was laid by God upon the consciences of parents “in such ways as are acceptable to husband and wife” ; the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America allows for contraception in the event the potential parents do not intend to care for a child; the United Methodist Church, holds that "each couple has the right and the duty prayerfully and responsibly to control conception according to their circumstances." Its Resolution on Responsible Parenthood states that in order to "support the sacred dimensions of personhood, all possible efforts should be made by parents and the community to ensure that each child enters the world with a healthy body, and is born into an environment conducive to realization of his or her potential." To this end, the United Methodist Church supports "adequate public funding and increased participation in family planning services by public and private agencies; the Presbyterian Church (USA) supports “full and equal access to contraceptive methods.” In a recent resolution endorsing insurance coverage for contraceptives, the church affirmed that “contraceptive services are part of basic health care” and cautioned that “unintended pregnancies lead to higher rates of infant mortality, low birth weight, and maternal morbidity, and threaten the economic viability of families.” The definition and role of “conscience” as we have seen cuts a broad swath across Jewish, Christian, Islam, Hindu and other faiths. It is due to these divergent views as well as the morally reprehensible and unfortunately all-too-human failings of the leadership of those who claim to speak for Christ that have allowed past and present administrations to gamble on the political impact of their decisions whether it be on contraception, abortion, war, or attacks against basic human rights and other social justice issues such as poverty, hunger and equality.

Finally my last question goes back to the article by Mr. Moses:  If the USCCB’s action is seen as being “political clout”, are we fighting our battles in the right arena?

I’m trying to reconcile the disparity between increasing emptying pews and the strong religious fervor opposing The Obama Administrations ruling. Can the bishops really effect a grassroots movement that would bring about the recall of this mandate (sadly the efforts against Roe vs. Wade would indicate ‘no’)?  Maybe this would explain their increasingly vocal entry into the political arena; take it to the media and the halls of Congress rather than ‘the pews’. But Catholicism and thus Christianity did not have its origin in a favorable political milieu. No, we grew from the seed of martyrs, a lesson that should not be lost among us.

Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the USCCB, said in a recent publication:

“This has not been a fight of our choosing.  We’d rather not be in it.  We’d prefer to concentrate on the noble tasks of healing the sick, teaching our youth, and helping the poor, all now in jeopardy due to this bureaucratic intrusion into the internal life of the church.  And we were doing all of those noble works rather well, I dare say, without these radical new mandates from the government.  The Catholic Church in America has a long tradition of partnership with government and the wider community in the service of the sick, our children, our elders, and the poor at home and abroad.  We’d sure rather be partnering than punching.” – I Owe You an Update: http://blog.archny.org/?p=2291

To be sure, we as the Church have always been able to define ourselves in the face of adversity. The actions of the Obama Administration may actually galvanize us into looking at ourselves in the mirror and assess what being the ‘Body of Christ’ really means once more, bridge the gap between clergy and laity and maybe, just maybe, re-inject ‘conscience’ into the soul of America once again. God works in mysterious ways.

As you can see your deacon has more questions and answers today and seeks wisdom and understanding. Help me, pray for me. Peace.

Merry Christmas! Two of the most beautiful words ever put together, conveying the joy of the birth of the Savior-Servant-King. Two words announcing the celebration of God's eternal Love for his creation and especially sinful man.....

I have often said in talks I give the "God loves us as we are... but too much to leave us this way". We will never understand why God, chose that time, that place, that woman, to directly enter into human history through the Incarnation but Christmas is not about figuring out the 'why's' but simply celebrating the fact that he did. I'm certainly glad he did because this deacon knows he needs a Savior as he struggles with the rest of humanity in its pettiness, spitefulness, jealousy, insecurity and anxiety. The words "Merry Christmas" confirms to me that there is hope for me and for the rest of humanity.

There is a tendency these days to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" in the name of political correctness, but I am not offended if my Jewish brethren wishes me "Happy Hannukah" or if my African American brethren wishes me a "Happy Kwanzaa" if they are sharing the joy of their holy days, why hide it behind some obscure greeting?

It is the true meaning of Christmas that makes people happy: The Savior is Born. People smile a lot more, are nicer to their neighbors, look forward to spending time with family and love ones. I dare say that's why people would endure malls, long lines at grocery stores and traffic jams. I know that consumerism has crept in, Christmas decorations hit the stores from October. The business people know how to play on the mood of Christmas but they can't create it (they would if they could): only Christ can!

Joy to the World, for unto us is born a Savior, Jesus Christ who is Lord. Love came down and dwelt in our midst, still does and will reveal himself to all who seek. And wise men will seek him!

And so I wish you all, with all the blessing, love and hope that comes with it: Merry Christmas.
 
Peace.

I can't believe so much time has passed since my last entry. Busy, busy, busy: Work, church, family (not in any particular order) that time seems a blur. Summer seemed to just have started and now it's back-to-school ads on TV.
It looks like I have a case of HWS...

...Hamster Wheel Syndrome! It sneaks up on you and before you know it you're in business of being busy for busy sake, yet despite all the energy and effort life goes zooming by and you've lost precious moments that can never be recovered. It was only when one day I really felt so tired and down that I realized what was happening to me: HWS! And so I took some time on an ordinarily busy day to visit a botanical garden here in Miami to simply lose myself in the beauty of nature and in doing so re-establish contact with my ever-loving creator God.

Now don't get me wrong I'm constantly saying my prayers, reading my Scriptures, preparing for bible classes, homilies for Mass, and giving retreats but I have been so busy with all of these things that I really wasn't praying the way I ought ( Saying prayers is not always the same as praying). But as I walked in the garden, in the early morning sunlight, listening to the soothing sounds of nature I prayed! I gave thanks to God for all the beauty he gave us and asked forgiveness for all the times I failed to notice it. I took example from the water lily and opened my hands wide, closed my eyes and felt the warm life giving rays of the sun on my cheek. Precious moments indeed, time taken to literally 'smell the roses'.

I left before the midday sun made being outdoors in Miami in July unbearable but I left a better person than I came in. I have duties and responsibilities to home, church and office that keep me very occupied but no longer busy at least not busy for being busy sake. I feel recharged, re-energized: physically, mentally and spiritually. It brought home the reality of something I read, somewhere, sometime:

'I asked God for all things that I may enjoy life. He replied "I gave you life that you may enjoy all things" '

Do you have HWS? What do you intend to do about it? I'd like to hear from you. Peace.

My daughter called last night and gave us good news about her grades of which I'm naturally very proud, but she gave other good news for which truly excited me: She was coming home for Easter! Now the daughter of this doting Dad lives in the Orlando area, not that far away yet still too far...

...and since she's a grad school student it means that she has been away for over five years now but it has never really become easier not having her home and we would all admit (her brother somewhat reluctantly) that there is a certain excitement that builds when we hear she's coming.

Okay, I've established I'm a doting dad and that goes same for my son who remained at home; I just enjoy having my children around. I know they are young adults and they have lives of there own but my home will always be their home. No matter what. 'Nuff said.

And isn't this is what Easter is really about? Our Father God desires that we come back home, he gets excited when he knows we're coming! He sent patriarchs, kings and prophets to bring us back home and then he sent his Only-Begotten Son, Jesus to bring us back by removing that which prevented us from returning home: sin.

Come home this Easter, You've been away too long and you are missed. God's word in Luke 15:10 tells us:

I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents

Our Father God is an infinitely greater doting dad that I am. His house will always be your home: no matter what. Nuff said. You are not that far away but still too far. Come back home. See you in church.

Happy Easter, welcome home. Peace

I can't believe it's April already! How time flies and how things change. On Feb 7th the company I work for changed ownership and I did not know if I would still have a job...

Here we go again, uncertainty and anxiety over the future. On the first day under the new ownership the CEO gave a address to the staff and used that famous quotation "the only constant in life is change" (François de la Rochefoucauld). Life does involve change: no day is exactly the same as the last one, in fact no minute is exactly the same as the last one.

We change constantly but not consistently, sometimes taking two steps forward and one step back or as I've often felt one step forward and two steps back, but going back to the uncertainty and anxiety caused by changes, it stems from our frustration over the lack of complete control over the events of our life.

Look at the people in Japan, their lives and lifestyles turned upside down by the power of a wave. O what a wave, a tsunami! We saw its power in 2006 and now again in 2011 and we've seen the power of earthquakes that generate tsunamis in Haiti and Chile and New Zealand. All these forces of nature are totally beyond our control and they can adversely change our lives in a flash, in a moment.

"The only constant in life is change". The more I think about it the more anxious I become but every now and then the light goes on in my head (thank you Holy Spirit) and I realize there is another constant that also remains consistent in all the change: Christ.

Christ is present in the good times and in the bad times, with us in times of feast or famine. No matter which way things go; good or bad, he is there with his LOVE, unconditional, unchanging, and offered to all, every second of every day. That is something that WILL NOT CHANGE and I find great comfort in that and my anxiety dissipates.

Even as I write this I received a call from someone who left the office a short while ago only to receive news that a close relative is at the end of her life's journey. More changes, more anxiety and more CHRIST. The words of St. Patrick just flood my mind and gives me hope:

" Christ beside me, Christ before me,
   Christ behind me, Christ within me,
   Christ beneath me, Christ above me.”

All is Christ, the only constant in life is Christ. Peace.

On 1/24/2011 Pope Benedict delivered his message for World Communications Day entitled 'Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age'. I've found that His Holiness' message resonated well with the thoughts of my previous blog 'Friend, Unfriend, Refriend' written exactly one week earlier.

Pope Benedict was using this year's WCD as an opportunity to address issues of humanity in the realm of technology and in patricular "the emergence of the internet as a network for communication"...

Pope Benedct said the:
"communication appears not only as an exchange of data, but also as a form of sharing. This dynamic has contributed to a new appreciation of communication itself, which is seen first of all as dialogue, exchange, solidarity and the creation of positive relations. On the other hand, this is contrasted with the limits typical of digital communication: the one-sidedness of the interaction, the tendency to communicate only some parts of one's interior world, the risk of constructing a false image of oneself, which can become a form of self-indulgence".

In my previous blog I had spoken of using Facebook as a 'mask', one which hides the true self and/or projetcs a false image. In reading the Popes message I have asked myself 'Do my posts reflect who I am, who I want to be or simply who I want you to percieve me as, or all of the above?' It is far easier to do this in the digital world because the contact is not in person.

He also stated:
"Entering cyberspace can be a sign of an authentic search for personal encounters with others, provided that attention is paid to avoiding dangers such as enclosing oneself in a sort of parallel existence, or excessive exposure to the virtual world. In the search for sharing, for "friends", there is the challenge to be authentic and faithful, and not give in to the illusion of constructing an artificial public profile for oneself.The new technologies allow people to meet each other beyond the confines of space and of their own culture, creating in this way an entirely new world of potential friendships. This is a great opportunity, but it also requires greater attention to and awareness of possible risks. Who is my "neighbour" in this new world?

Wow! What do I owe my neighbor but to 'friend' or 'refriend', love and forgiveness? 'unfriend' simply has no place in the Christian world. Cyberspace may be near-limitless in size and scope but it does bring all who I connect with into the narrow limits of being my neghbor.

The Pope invites us all:
I would like then to invite Christians, confidently and with an informed and responsible creativity, to join the network of relationships which the digital era has made possible. This is not simply to satisfy the desire to be present, but because this network is an integral part of human life. The web is contributing to the development of new and more complex intellectual and spiritual horizons, new forms of shared awareness. In this field too we are called to proclaim our faith that Christ is God, the Saviour of humanity and of history, the one in whom all things find their fulfilment (cf. Eph 1:10). The proclamation of the Gospel requires a communication which is at once respectful and sensitive, which stimulates the heart and moves the conscience; one which reflects the example of the risen Jesus when he joined the disciples on the way to Emmaus (cf. Lk 24:13-35).

But he warns:
It is important always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives.

Digital media is another tool in proclaiming the Gospel that Pope Benedict encourages us to use but he leaves us some wise caveats:

The task of witnessing to the Gospel in the digital era calls for everyone to be particularly attentive to the aspects of that message which can challenge some of the ways of thinking typical of the web. First of all, we must be aware that the truth which we long to share does not derive its worth from its "popularity" or from the amount of attention it receives. We must make it known in its integrity, instead of seeking to make it acceptable or diluting it. It must become daily nourishment and not a fleeting attraction. The truth of the Gospel is not something to be consumed or used superficially; rather it is a gift that calls for a free response. Even when it is proclaimed in the virtual space of the web, the Gospel demands to be incarnated in the real world and linked to the real faces of our brothers and sisters, those with whom we share our daily lives. Direct human relations always remain fundamental for the transmission of the faith!

I invite you to read his full message here and share your thoughts on his meassage on how we should communicate and relate the truth of the Gospel:

 http://catholic.org/international/international_story.php?id=40064&page=1

Peace.

I was at a red light recently and because I had nothing better to do I looked at the cars going across and wow 7 out of 11 drivers were on their cell-phones; that's 64%, a significant majority in my unscientific study but we all know that we live in a communication age. Satellites, cellphones and the internet keep us instantly connected to the world as never before. So if we are connecting and communicating as never before then why are we having so many problems relating?..

The recent senseless shootings in Arizona has shocked and outraged me as, I'm sure, most people in the country. It seems politically motivated but come on, just because you don't agree with someone's politics you pick up a gun to kill? When you point that gun don't you see another human being in front of you? Of course this kind of senseless killing occurs in the home, among 'lovers', on the roads. There seems to be a disconnect (no pun intended) between  a world that is constantly communicating and this seeming rise of those who have trouble relating.

I ask you to bear with me as I've got this 'stream of consciousness' thing going and hopefully it will all come together for both you and for me.

I use Facebook like a gazillion other people these days. Facebook is just one of many social netwoking sites that have popped up on the internet in relatively recent times. It has helped me to reconnect and stay in touch with more people than was possible in the days of plain old telephone and letter writing. The premise is pretty much the same in all of them; search and find people to join your network of friends. And that brings me to the core of my thoughts on this whole communicating vs. relating thing.

FRIEND
In Facebook you send or receive a 'friend request'. Once accepted that person is in your circle. I know people who have hundreds and others who have thousands of people in their circle. But are they 'friends'. Do you know them as they really are and do they really know you or is Facebook just a great way to mask yourself? A mask can be used to (a) hide your true identity and/or (b) project a false image. In my life's experience so far I have found that true friends are like precious gems: beautiful, rare, and never lose their luster (lustre for some). Can you truly befriend someone and not really be a friend? Do you need a mask with friends?

UNFRIEND
The Facebook phenomena has given us the word 'unfriend' which was actually declared, by scholars who have more time than I, to be the Word of the Year 2009. And I've heard it used by several people lately who were bemoaning that someone had 'unfriended' them, that is, blocked or removed them from their network list. Gone just like that, with the click of a button. That's how we make 'friends' and 'unfriends' these day. Apparently it causes real pain because it is a form of rejection - cyber rejection, but rejection nonetheless, and rejection always hurts.

REFRIEND
Let's try something for 2011: 'Re-friend'. There are so many relationships that have been broken by hurts committed by others or by the hurts we committed and no matter how much we've tried to 'unfriend', that hurt lingers like a festering sore. It's called 'unforgiveness' and there is only one cure - yes, forgiveness. Maybe it's time to click the 're-friend' button. You may have to say 'I'm sorry' or 'I forgive' depending where you stand but just as 'unfriend' hurts, 'refriend' heals.

I find some answers as I meditate on the Cross:

 * On it hung the One who reached out and said "I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father" and "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."

 *  There is no 'unfriend' button on the cross but there are three nail holes of love.

 *  "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."  -  he 're-friended' us.

I don't know if this makes any sense to you, but if we can use social networking as a means of relating as we should and not just communicating as we shouldn't then maybe, just maybe we can reduce the senseless violence that occurs in people's hearts. All I know is we have to try.

Peace.

" Would you bless the table for us?"
It was a reasonable request I thought, then came the second part of the request:
"can you make it non-denominational?"
This was at our office Christmas lunch. Or was it 'Holidays Lunch'? I'll have to recheck the invitation, everything and everyone is so PC these days...

So I kept it 'non denominational' (except for 'in Jesus name I pray'  and the sign of the cross, before and after the prayer, - I'm Catholic, sue me) explaining that Christmas is a season that brings out the best in us: people are more polite, loving and giving because we celebrate God entering human history as an innocent babe so that later he could restore the broken relationship we had with God.

This message cannot be hidden or watered down and in fact an African-American (formerly 'negro') spiritual says it best.

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

This is good news for all mankind, we need to shout it from the mountain tops so that it will echo throughout the valleys. Go tell it on the mountain...hopefully I will see you there.

While shepherds kept their watching
O'er silent flocks by night,
Behold throughout the heavens,
There shone a holy light

The Word takes flesh and the glory of God is revealed by the heavenly hosts to shepherds in the field. Christ himself who is the 'Good Shepherd' watching over us, protecting us, leading us to safety. I can only pray that as we witness Christ to others that they will see His holy light manifest and shining through us.

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

The shepherds feared and trembled
When lo! above the earth
Rang out the angel chorus
That hailed our Savior's birth

"Do not be afraid, fear not"...Christ's words spoken so many times in the Gospels. Words that calm the anxious heart and soothes the troubled soul. We who know him and his comfort have a mission, a duty to bring that comfort to those who need it.

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Down in a lowly manger
Our humble Christ was born
And God send us salvation,
That blessed Christmas morn

That the Savior of the world, the Son of God would humble himself to be born in a manger and to die on a cross. What manner of love is this, and how can I return it? I have so often placed pride before love and Christmas reminds me that salvation can only come through the power of love and not through the love of power.

Go tell it on the mountain
Over the hills and everywhere
Go tell it on the mountain
That Jesus Christ is born

Many people get hung up on the date: December 25th. It is not the date we celebrate but the fact that God came into the world, 'born of a woman'. We celebrate his birth, not his birth-day, and what it means for all of us. Now my sisters and brothers by the witness of your lives 'Go tell it on the mountains, that Jesus Christ is born!' Merry Christmas to all!

Deacon Michel