During the last few months I have undergone a spiritual conversion, from being mediocre and lukewarm in my spiritual life to being what I can only describe as being "on fire" with the Spirit. During these last three months I have developed and continue to develop and deepen a very close relationship with the Spirit. In part this is through the excellent questions of my spiritual adviser and in a small novena to the Holy Spirit (published by the Apostles of the Holy Spirit - see the links). One prayer that I've found extremely helpful is the following:
Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Jesus, before ascending into Heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples. Grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul the work of His grace and His love. Come Holy Spirit Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom - that I may not be attached to the perishable things of this world - but aspire only after the things - that are eternal. Grant me the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind - with the light of Your divine truth - the Spirit of Counsel - that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God - and gaining Heaven - the Spirit of Fortitude - that I may bear my cross and that I may overcome with courage, all the obstacles that oppose my sanctification - the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the image of the Saints. Grant me the Spirit of Piety - that I may find the service of God sweet and enjoy showing Your goodness to others, the Spirit of Fear - that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may avoid anything that may displease Him. Mark me, dear Holy Spirit - with the sign of a true apostle and make me alive with Your Spirit in all things.
Amen.
From the web site of "Apostles of the Holy Spirit" http://www.aoths.org
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Tim’s Column
8-30-09
In the Letter of James in today’s Gospel passage by Mark we have the true definition of religion. James tells us “Be doers of the word not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
In Mark, Jesus quotes from the Prophet Isaiah “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, teaching as doctrine human precepts.” Jesus warns that it is not external observance or the lace of it that determines our relationship with God, but rather a heart that is being continuously transformed by Christ’s love which manifests itself in our external acts.
We can give lip service to Christ’s teachings, spouting “love your neighbor” but unless we actually do love our neighbor, it’s a sham. We can follow all the pious external trappings but unless our heats have been transformed by the workings of the Spirit, it’s all hollow. When we pray, we must mean what we pray and pray what our transformed hearts really mean.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our crosses and overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose our sanctification.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com
8-30-09
In the Letter of James in today’s Gospel passage by Mark we have the true definition of religion. James tells us “Be doers of the word not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
In Mark, Jesus quotes from the Prophet Isaiah “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, teaching as doctrine human precepts.” Jesus warns that it is not external observance or the lace of it that determines our relationship with God, but rather a heart that is being continuously transformed by Christ’s love which manifests itself in our external acts.
We can give lip service to Christ’s teachings, spouting “love your neighbor” but unless we actually do love our neighbor, it’s a sham. We can follow all the pious external trappings but unless our heats have been transformed by the workings of the Spirit, it’s all hollow. When we pray, we must mean what we pray and pray what our transformed hearts really mean.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our crosses and overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose our sanctification.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Tim’s Column
August 23, 2009
All of us have options. In the first reading, Joshua asked the people to decide who they would serve, the false gods of their fathers or the one true God. In a similar manner, in the Gospel selection from John, Jesus’ disciples said that his teaching was hard, both about eating his body and drinking his blood but also his teaching in general. Because of this, many of his disciples turned away from him, they just couldn’t make that leap of faith. Peter though, when given the choice said “you have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the holy one of God.
Today we have the same options. We can accept Christ and his teachings or we can reject him. Occasionally we get caught up in the things of this world had lose sight of what path we should be on. In our hearts we know better, but sometimes we get bogged down and while not completely rejecting what Christ taught we kind of put it on hold. I guess that is part of our imperfect human nature.
In thinking about these things, I started to reminisce. Perhaps it’s because we’re getting to the end of the summer and school for many will be starting. I did a fast rewind to about 14 years ago. My oldest daughter left about mid-August to go to college. In my mind, I knew that she couldn’t be going to a better place. The academics were great, the location was incredible (Chicago) and the campus (right on Lake Michigan) couldn’t have been more beautiful. I knew she was doing what she wanted to do and was going to do it at a place that she really wanted to be at. I did fine until it came time to leave her at her dorm at Loyola. Despite the fact that I was thrilled that she was going there, that she was going to receive a great education and that it was truly the start of her adulthood, I had an extremely heavy heart. (Obviously a case of heart over mind.) In fact, after we dropped her off, I think I cried until we got back to Detroit…and then cried some more. After a while though, it started to sink in, talking to her and hearing how she was adapting was also helpful. Despite the fact that I knew I shouldn’t be sad, that I was extremely happy for her, it was hard to overcome those feelings of the first one leaving home.
I think it’s the same sometimes. There are so many times that I know what I should be doing, what I should be thinking but get side-tracked. It seems like the Spirit knows just when to give some not so subtle reminders of what I should be doing. All of us have choices. It’s up to us, though, to make the correct choices. We can’t do that in a vacuum. We need all the help that we can get through prayerful contemplation and by constantly reminding ourselves of what we should be doing, putting aside those personal feelings which conflict with the workings of the Spirit in our lives.
Grace and peace to you and your families.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Counsel, that we may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com
August 23, 2009
All of us have options. In the first reading, Joshua asked the people to decide who they would serve, the false gods of their fathers or the one true God. In a similar manner, in the Gospel selection from John, Jesus’ disciples said that his teaching was hard, both about eating his body and drinking his blood but also his teaching in general. Because of this, many of his disciples turned away from him, they just couldn’t make that leap of faith. Peter though, when given the choice said “you have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the holy one of God.
Today we have the same options. We can accept Christ and his teachings or we can reject him. Occasionally we get caught up in the things of this world had lose sight of what path we should be on. In our hearts we know better, but sometimes we get bogged down and while not completely rejecting what Christ taught we kind of put it on hold. I guess that is part of our imperfect human nature.
In thinking about these things, I started to reminisce. Perhaps it’s because we’re getting to the end of the summer and school for many will be starting. I did a fast rewind to about 14 years ago. My oldest daughter left about mid-August to go to college. In my mind, I knew that she couldn’t be going to a better place. The academics were great, the location was incredible (Chicago) and the campus (right on Lake Michigan) couldn’t have been more beautiful. I knew she was doing what she wanted to do and was going to do it at a place that she really wanted to be at. I did fine until it came time to leave her at her dorm at Loyola. Despite the fact that I was thrilled that she was going there, that she was going to receive a great education and that it was truly the start of her adulthood, I had an extremely heavy heart. (Obviously a case of heart over mind.) In fact, after we dropped her off, I think I cried until we got back to Detroit…and then cried some more. After a while though, it started to sink in, talking to her and hearing how she was adapting was also helpful. Despite the fact that I knew I shouldn’t be sad, that I was extremely happy for her, it was hard to overcome those feelings of the first one leaving home.
I think it’s the same sometimes. There are so many times that I know what I should be doing, what I should be thinking but get side-tracked. It seems like the Spirit knows just when to give some not so subtle reminders of what I should be doing. All of us have choices. It’s up to us, though, to make the correct choices. We can’t do that in a vacuum. We need all the help that we can get through prayerful contemplation and by constantly reminding ourselves of what we should be doing, putting aside those personal feelings which conflict with the workings of the Spirit in our lives.
Grace and peace to you and your families.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Counsel, that we may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com
20th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Tim’s Column
8-16-09
In last week’s selection from the Gospel according to John, he uses the term “bread of life” but in this early reference this “bread of life” was instruction asking for a response of belief. That was hard enough for the crowed to accept but now he tells them he is the “bread of life” and those who eat this bread will live forever something even harder for them to accept. You have to sympathize with the people who ask “how can this man give us his flesh to eat.” Eating flesh was an act of evildoers and drinking blood was completely forbidden.
In the first reading, Wisdom is personified as a woman, asking that foolishness is forsaken in order for one to live and can advance in the way of understanding. Some of the medieval mystics found a comparison between Jesus and the image of motherhood (where the mother feeds and nourishes her unborn child through her body and blood and continues to nourish and nurture the child after birth). Jesus then nourishes us with his body and blood to those who are born to a new life in him.
Throughout the centuries, theologians have tried to explain the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, to reduce the mystery to mere words, an attempt to explain the inexplicable. Belief in the Eucharist takes faith. We cannot intellectually explain it. This faith calls us to accept the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, his bread for us which nurtures us and makes possible eternal life.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of your divine truth.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com
8-16-09
In last week’s selection from the Gospel according to John, he uses the term “bread of life” but in this early reference this “bread of life” was instruction asking for a response of belief. That was hard enough for the crowed to accept but now he tells them he is the “bread of life” and those who eat this bread will live forever something even harder for them to accept. You have to sympathize with the people who ask “how can this man give us his flesh to eat.” Eating flesh was an act of evildoers and drinking blood was completely forbidden.
In the first reading, Wisdom is personified as a woman, asking that foolishness is forsaken in order for one to live and can advance in the way of understanding. Some of the medieval mystics found a comparison between Jesus and the image of motherhood (where the mother feeds and nourishes her unborn child through her body and blood and continues to nourish and nurture the child after birth). Jesus then nourishes us with his body and blood to those who are born to a new life in him.
Throughout the centuries, theologians have tried to explain the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, to reduce the mystery to mere words, an attempt to explain the inexplicable. Belief in the Eucharist takes faith. We cannot intellectually explain it. This faith calls us to accept the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, his bread for us which nurtures us and makes possible eternal life.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of your divine truth.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com
19th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Tim’s Column
8-9-09
Last week I wrote about being “on fire” with the Spirit. Two weeks ago I made a plea for additional funds for the PBJ Outreach. Talk about being “on fire.” I’d like to say that your response was amazing but I can’t. Nothing this parish family does amazes me any more. In the ten plus years that I’ve had the privilege of serving here, your generosity continues to humble me. Your response to that plea for funds was both humbling and heartwarming—it wasn’t amazing. To be amazed means to experience something out of the ordinary. While this parish family is anything but ordinary, I’ve come to realize on an almost daily basis how much the Spirit words through all of you. When it comes to serving God’s poorest and most marginalized, you are definitely “on fire.”
This past week I was thinking about how “economical” God is. Looking back over the last ten years I have to marvel at what the Spirit has accomplished. I’ve been blessed to be able to minister to the poorest of the poor in Detroit (something a little over seven years ago was the farthest thing from my mind). I’ve been constantly humbled by the volunteers and those who contribute to the success of this ministry, without whom this outreach would not be possible. In a very economical way (obviously very adept at multi-tasking) the Spirit has been able to touch the lives of so many, both those who serve and those who are served and at the same time accomplish wondrous changes in all of our lives.
Some of you know how desperate the people we serve are. There is a warming center on East Jefferson run by the Jesuits (at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish). I know from talking to a friend who volunteers there that the homeless and marginalized poor who use those services look down on the people we serve each Saturday. In the social pecking order, there is no group of people who are poorer or more desperate than the people at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in the Cass Corridor. Without this help in time, talent and treasure (financial contributions as well as food and clothing) so many of Christ’s special ones would be ignored. Thank you!
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Wisdom, that we may not be attached to the perishable things of the world, but aspire only after the things that are eternal.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogsport.com
8-9-09
Last week I wrote about being “on fire” with the Spirit. Two weeks ago I made a plea for additional funds for the PBJ Outreach. Talk about being “on fire.” I’d like to say that your response was amazing but I can’t. Nothing this parish family does amazes me any more. In the ten plus years that I’ve had the privilege of serving here, your generosity continues to humble me. Your response to that plea for funds was both humbling and heartwarming—it wasn’t amazing. To be amazed means to experience something out of the ordinary. While this parish family is anything but ordinary, I’ve come to realize on an almost daily basis how much the Spirit words through all of you. When it comes to serving God’s poorest and most marginalized, you are definitely “on fire.”
This past week I was thinking about how “economical” God is. Looking back over the last ten years I have to marvel at what the Spirit has accomplished. I’ve been blessed to be able to minister to the poorest of the poor in Detroit (something a little over seven years ago was the farthest thing from my mind). I’ve been constantly humbled by the volunteers and those who contribute to the success of this ministry, without whom this outreach would not be possible. In a very economical way (obviously very adept at multi-tasking) the Spirit has been able to touch the lives of so many, both those who serve and those who are served and at the same time accomplish wondrous changes in all of our lives.
Some of you know how desperate the people we serve are. There is a warming center on East Jefferson run by the Jesuits (at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish). I know from talking to a friend who volunteers there that the homeless and marginalized poor who use those services look down on the people we serve each Saturday. In the social pecking order, there is no group of people who are poorer or more desperate than the people at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in the Cass Corridor. Without this help in time, talent and treasure (financial contributions as well as food and clothing) so many of Christ’s special ones would be ignored. Thank you!
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Wisdom, that we may not be attached to the perishable things of the world, but aspire only after the things that are eternal.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogsport.com
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