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
Thursday, July 23, 2009
18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Tim’s Column
8-2-09
In the selection from the Letter to the Ephesians, our second reading today, Paul tells us to “put away the old self of your former way of life . . . and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self . . . .” The first reading from Exodus and the Gospel selection by John mirror this need for and a call to conversion. In Exodus, the Israelites grumbled because they were hungry and they were unfamiliar with the food that God provided, manna. In John, Jesus exhorts the crowds by telling them not to work for the food that perishes, but rather the food “that endures for eternal life.”
Both the Israelites and the crowds that followed Jesus had a hard time with change. Obviously the audience that St. Paul was writing for had a similar difficulty.
Just as the Israelites would have preferred to stay in Egypt – enslaved – but in familiar surrounds and the crowds Jesus attracted wanted food they could see not the nourishment that Jesus was to give, we, like Paul’s audiences sometimes find it hard to move out of our comfort zones. It’s so easy to become complacent. It’s hard to break out of the rut that we find ourselves in. We can go for years in a spiritual rut, complacent in our relationship with God. We pray, we give thanks, we obverse the externals, we receive the sacraments but there is still something missing. When we truly open ourselves up, when we start to move beyond the comfort level we have built up, this is the point that we start to go on a journey. Just like any journey, we don’t know everything that we’re going to encounter. When we do encounter new things, when we stretch ourselves, that’s when the trip gets interesting. This spiritual journey that we are all invited on is ours for the asking. The more we travel, the more adept we become with change. The more that we follow the guidance of the Spirit working within us, the more we can accept the accompanying challenges.
Despite being with Jesus, traveling with him and listening to him, the Apostles stayed in a safe place—very complacent (and also very confused). That completely and totally changed on Pentecost. The Spirit came down and set them “on fire” for the Lord. Jesus before the Ascension promised to send the Spirit to be with his Church and to finish his work in the souls of the Apostles and disciples. We’re offered that same Spirit. We’re offered all those same gifts—wisdom—understanding—counsel—fortitude (courage)—knowledge—piety and an incredible awe of God and a new appreciation of his workings in our lives. When we open our minds and hearts to the Spirit, absolutely incredible things happen. We fall deeper and deeper in love with God and more open to God’s love for us. As we deepen this relationship, the Spirit penetrates our weakness with strength. We become protected more and more from the distractions of the “world.” As we deepen our life in the Spirit, many of our doubts dissolve and we experience an incredible, wonderful ongoing healing in our heart, soul and mind. In other words, we become “on fire” with the Spirit just as the Apostles did.
I was talking to a very spiritual friend this week about this feeling of being “on fire.” My friend had a difficult time understanding this because she has always had a very unique and deep relationship with the Spirit for as long as she can remember. When you haven’t had this deep relationship though, when you’ve grown complacent, when the Spirit finally penetrates your outer shell, it is the most incredible, awesome feeling imaginable. Once you start this journey in the Spirit, I can promise you that you won’t want to be complacent. You’re going to want to be more and more Spirit filled and deeper in love with God.
Grace and peace to you and your families.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com
Availability: M-F 9a-10a, W 4p-6:30p, (M-F 10a-6p by appointment).
8-2-09
In the selection from the Letter to the Ephesians, our second reading today, Paul tells us to “put away the old self of your former way of life . . . and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self . . . .” The first reading from Exodus and the Gospel selection by John mirror this need for and a call to conversion. In Exodus, the Israelites grumbled because they were hungry and they were unfamiliar with the food that God provided, manna. In John, Jesus exhorts the crowds by telling them not to work for the food that perishes, but rather the food “that endures for eternal life.”
Both the Israelites and the crowds that followed Jesus had a hard time with change. Obviously the audience that St. Paul was writing for had a similar difficulty.
Just as the Israelites would have preferred to stay in Egypt – enslaved – but in familiar surrounds and the crowds Jesus attracted wanted food they could see not the nourishment that Jesus was to give, we, like Paul’s audiences sometimes find it hard to move out of our comfort zones. It’s so easy to become complacent. It’s hard to break out of the rut that we find ourselves in. We can go for years in a spiritual rut, complacent in our relationship with God. We pray, we give thanks, we obverse the externals, we receive the sacraments but there is still something missing. When we truly open ourselves up, when we start to move beyond the comfort level we have built up, this is the point that we start to go on a journey. Just like any journey, we don’t know everything that we’re going to encounter. When we do encounter new things, when we stretch ourselves, that’s when the trip gets interesting. This spiritual journey that we are all invited on is ours for the asking. The more we travel, the more adept we become with change. The more that we follow the guidance of the Spirit working within us, the more we can accept the accompanying challenges.
Despite being with Jesus, traveling with him and listening to him, the Apostles stayed in a safe place—very complacent (and also very confused). That completely and totally changed on Pentecost. The Spirit came down and set them “on fire” for the Lord. Jesus before the Ascension promised to send the Spirit to be with his Church and to finish his work in the souls of the Apostles and disciples. We’re offered that same Spirit. We’re offered all those same gifts—wisdom—understanding—counsel—fortitude (courage)—knowledge—piety and an incredible awe of God and a new appreciation of his workings in our lives. When we open our minds and hearts to the Spirit, absolutely incredible things happen. We fall deeper and deeper in love with God and more open to God’s love for us. As we deepen this relationship, the Spirit penetrates our weakness with strength. We become protected more and more from the distractions of the “world.” As we deepen our life in the Spirit, many of our doubts dissolve and we experience an incredible, wonderful ongoing healing in our heart, soul and mind. In other words, we become “on fire” with the Spirit just as the Apostles did.
I was talking to a very spiritual friend this week about this feeling of being “on fire.” My friend had a difficult time understanding this because she has always had a very unique and deep relationship with the Spirit for as long as she can remember. When you haven’t had this deep relationship though, when you’ve grown complacent, when the Spirit finally penetrates your outer shell, it is the most incredible, awesome feeling imaginable. Once you start this journey in the Spirit, I can promise you that you won’t want to be complacent. You’re going to want to be more and more Spirit filled and deeper in love with God.
Grace and peace to you and your families.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com
Availability: M-F 9a-10a, W 4p-6:30p, (M-F 10a-6p by appointment).
17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Deacon Tim’s Column
July 26, 2009
The first reading today (from 1Kings) and the Gospel selection (John) both deal with hungry crowds and divine intervention. The feeding of the hungry crowd was a pre-figuring of the Eucharist. Jesus came to nourish the body and the soul.
We live in a skeptical age. Miracles are so much “fluff” and if they did happen at all it was a very long time ago. Whenever I read the Gospel accounts of the miracle of the loaves and fishes my mind shifts from Palestine 2000 years ago to the 20th and 21st centuries. Some theologians and writers try to explain away the loaves and fishes in ways that are not miraculous. They have a range of theories and explanations. I can tell you that, with all due respect, these theologians and writers are wrong—completely, totally and unequivocally wrong.
If the Spirit can work these kind of miracles today, Christ most certainly wouldn’t have had any problem multiplying the loaves and fishes.
During the Great Depression in Detroit (the first one, not the one now) the Capuchins opened a soup kitchen (still operating today). On at least a couple occasions Solanus Casey acted as a conduit for God. The monastery on one occasion ran out of bread. Fr. Solanus in his mild way wasn’t worried. “God will provide.” Those waiting to be fed joined in prayer with Solanus and when they finished a baker came to the front door with a big basket of food. On another occasion with the ranks of the homeless and desperately poor swelling as the Depression deepened, a bread truck made a delivery at the monastery. There was obviously not enough to feed everyone. Fr. Solanus again prayed and they started to unload the truck. Enough bread was unloaded to feed everyone. The thing is though, that the quantity of bread unloaded far exceeded the capacity of the truck.
In 1972, a Jesuit by the name of Rick Thomas ran a bible study class in El Paso. El Paso, Texas is directly across from Juarez, Mexico and the home to the “Dump People” – people who live in the garbage dump and scrounge for food and usable items that can be sold so they can eke out some kind of a living (as meager as it is). Fr. Rick’s Bible study decided to follow the gospel and prepared Christmas dinner for the men, women and children living in the dump. It was pot-luck. Some brought bologna sandwiches, others some fruit, tamales and burritos, candy and one ham. They had food for about 125 people. When the Bible study group started serving, more and more people appeared. In all, somewhere around 350 people wer3e fed. Everyone got full portions, everyone was able to take bags of food back to their homes and there was more than enough left over to take to two orphanages. The one ham—well, those serving it kept slicing and slicing and everyone of the 350 got ham slices with enough left over to take home and to take to the orphanages.
Christmas 2002 in the Cass Corridor. A complete Christmas dinner was fixed, turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, dessert—the works. Enough was prepared for 225 (maybe 250 people if it was stretched). Everyone who came was fed. The last person came, got a full meal and that was the end of the food. Later it was learned that it wasn’t 250 people who were served but around 430 people.
What do these four events have in common with today’s Gospel. Obviously it’s Christ’s love of the poor and the power of prayer and faith.
Peace to you and your families.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com
PBJ-In almost seven years this is the first time that I have ever come to you to ask for financial help. I don’t have to be reminded on how bad things are economically. Because of this downturn in the economy our outlay of assistance has been stretched. Of course our primary mission is to feed and clothe the homeless and marginalized poor in the Cass Corridor and in SE Michigan. That will never change. What has changed though is where the requests for help are coming from. At least 95% of those in desperate need of help are in Western Wayne County (Plymouth-Canton-Westland-Northville). The PBJ has turned into a last chance resource. Obviously we are not equipped to handle everyone who needs help. I firmly believe that the people who come to us are inspired by the Spirit. I could give example after example of talking to people, meeting with them, interacting with them only to find out at the very end that they have no place to turn. Up to this point we have been able to help those who most need help. We are now barely meeting our monthly expenses for food and other items that we give out on Saturday morning at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in Detroit. In other words, we are cut down to no “frills.” That means that those individuals who need help the most will not be able to receive it.
This article is the hardest one I’ve ever had to write. I hate asking you to burden yourselves with even more financial outlay than you have now. If there was any other way, I would do it. There isn’t. Please help. If it is impossible to help financially, please pray to the Holy Spirit for help and guidance for this ministry. (Even if you can help financially, please pray too.) In know that through prayers, trust and faith, all things can be accomplished.
In Christ’s Peace
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
CLOTHES CLOSET: At some point we hope to be moving our operation from the “Gathering Space” to the garage at the old rectory. Until that time, we WILL BE OPERATING FROM THE GATHERING SPACE. I know this isn’t the ideal situation but please bear with us. The clothes we have received are absolutely incredible. ANYONE who needs business clothes (whether you are entering the job market for the first time or re-entering the job market) please give me a call. I’m available most of the time. There is no cost to this service and it is completely confidential. Deacon Tim
July 26, 2009
The first reading today (from 1Kings) and the Gospel selection (John) both deal with hungry crowds and divine intervention. The feeding of the hungry crowd was a pre-figuring of the Eucharist. Jesus came to nourish the body and the soul.
We live in a skeptical age. Miracles are so much “fluff” and if they did happen at all it was a very long time ago. Whenever I read the Gospel accounts of the miracle of the loaves and fishes my mind shifts from Palestine 2000 years ago to the 20th and 21st centuries. Some theologians and writers try to explain away the loaves and fishes in ways that are not miraculous. They have a range of theories and explanations. I can tell you that, with all due respect, these theologians and writers are wrong—completely, totally and unequivocally wrong.
If the Spirit can work these kind of miracles today, Christ most certainly wouldn’t have had any problem multiplying the loaves and fishes.
During the Great Depression in Detroit (the first one, not the one now) the Capuchins opened a soup kitchen (still operating today). On at least a couple occasions Solanus Casey acted as a conduit for God. The monastery on one occasion ran out of bread. Fr. Solanus in his mild way wasn’t worried. “God will provide.” Those waiting to be fed joined in prayer with Solanus and when they finished a baker came to the front door with a big basket of food. On another occasion with the ranks of the homeless and desperately poor swelling as the Depression deepened, a bread truck made a delivery at the monastery. There was obviously not enough to feed everyone. Fr. Solanus again prayed and they started to unload the truck. Enough bread was unloaded to feed everyone. The thing is though, that the quantity of bread unloaded far exceeded the capacity of the truck.
In 1972, a Jesuit by the name of Rick Thomas ran a bible study class in El Paso. El Paso, Texas is directly across from Juarez, Mexico and the home to the “Dump People” – people who live in the garbage dump and scrounge for food and usable items that can be sold so they can eke out some kind of a living (as meager as it is). Fr. Rick’s Bible study decided to follow the gospel and prepared Christmas dinner for the men, women and children living in the dump. It was pot-luck. Some brought bologna sandwiches, others some fruit, tamales and burritos, candy and one ham. They had food for about 125 people. When the Bible study group started serving, more and more people appeared. In all, somewhere around 350 people wer3e fed. Everyone got full portions, everyone was able to take bags of food back to their homes and there was more than enough left over to take to two orphanages. The one ham—well, those serving it kept slicing and slicing and everyone of the 350 got ham slices with enough left over to take home and to take to the orphanages.
Christmas 2002 in the Cass Corridor. A complete Christmas dinner was fixed, turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, dessert—the works. Enough was prepared for 225 (maybe 250 people if it was stretched). Everyone who came was fed. The last person came, got a full meal and that was the end of the food. Later it was learned that it wasn’t 250 people who were served but around 430 people.
What do these four events have in common with today’s Gospel. Obviously it’s Christ’s love of the poor and the power of prayer and faith.
Peace to you and your families.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com
PBJ-In almost seven years this is the first time that I have ever come to you to ask for financial help. I don’t have to be reminded on how bad things are economically. Because of this downturn in the economy our outlay of assistance has been stretched. Of course our primary mission is to feed and clothe the homeless and marginalized poor in the Cass Corridor and in SE Michigan. That will never change. What has changed though is where the requests for help are coming from. At least 95% of those in desperate need of help are in Western Wayne County (Plymouth-Canton-Westland-Northville). The PBJ has turned into a last chance resource. Obviously we are not equipped to handle everyone who needs help. I firmly believe that the people who come to us are inspired by the Spirit. I could give example after example of talking to people, meeting with them, interacting with them only to find out at the very end that they have no place to turn. Up to this point we have been able to help those who most need help. We are now barely meeting our monthly expenses for food and other items that we give out on Saturday morning at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in Detroit. In other words, we are cut down to no “frills.” That means that those individuals who need help the most will not be able to receive it.
This article is the hardest one I’ve ever had to write. I hate asking you to burden yourselves with even more financial outlay than you have now. If there was any other way, I would do it. There isn’t. Please help. If it is impossible to help financially, please pray to the Holy Spirit for help and guidance for this ministry. (Even if you can help financially, please pray too.) In know that through prayers, trust and faith, all things can be accomplished.
In Christ’s Peace
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
CLOTHES CLOSET: At some point we hope to be moving our operation from the “Gathering Space” to the garage at the old rectory. Until that time, we WILL BE OPERATING FROM THE GATHERING SPACE. I know this isn’t the ideal situation but please bear with us. The clothes we have received are absolutely incredible. ANYONE who needs business clothes (whether you are entering the job market for the first time or re-entering the job market) please give me a call. I’m available most of the time. There is no cost to this service and it is completely confidential. Deacon Tim
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