Top 10 Reasons to Pray

This Sunday’s readings are all about prayer, so I thought I’d share my Top Ten Reasons to Pray!

10.  You can do it anytime, anywhere.

9.  It beats talking to yourself.

8.  It’s good for the mind, the body and the soul.

7.  It’s less expensive than playing the lottery.

6.  It’s less expensive than throwing a coin in a wishing well.

5.  You can say what you really want to say.

4.  Someone is always listening.

3.  You won’t be corrected if you use incorrect grammar.

2.  You're not limited to 148 characters.

1.  God lives within us; it would be rude to ignore him.

Readings:  Acts 1:12-14; 1 Peter 4: 13-16; John 17: 1-11A

Memorial Day 2014

"There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for a friend."  (John 15: 13)

With heartfelt thanks to all who have died in service to our country.

A Grateful Nation

                “This flag is presented on behalf of a grateful nation as an expression of appreciation for the honorable and faithful service rendered by your loved one.”  Those words have been spoken all too often in the history of our nation at the funerals of soldiers and veterans.  My family has heard these words at least four times:  honoring my Great-Uncle Fulton (World War II), whom I wrote about last year; my father (Korean War); my father-in-law (Korean War); and my brother-in-law (peacetime).  We cherish the flags that accompanied those words, not just because they honored the remains of our loved ones, but because of the expression of our nation’s gratitude that they convey.

                I've spent a lot of time over the past few weeks studying and contemplating gratitude.  It’s a subject that has interested me for some time.  You see, in my ministry and in my own life, I've noticed that there appears to be a connection between gratitude and happiness.  The more thankful people are, the happier they are.  So I've spent some time reading about gratitude and testing my theory.  I’m happy to report that both Scripture and science agree that gratitude is good for us.

                Scripture is filled with expressions of gratitude.  The word “thanks” and its derivatives appear in the Bible more than 150 times.[1]  Many of the Old Testament expressions of thanks can be found in the Psalms:  “Give thanks to the Lord who is good, whose love endures forever.”  (Psalm 107: 1)  We even find words of thanksgiving in the Lamentation (complaint) Psalms:  “You who fear the Lord, give thanks!”  (Psalm 22:24)  In the New Testament, we hear the story of the healing of ten lepers where only one returns to Jesus to thank him.  (Luke 17:12-17)  And what does the grateful leper get as a result of his gratitude?  A relationship with Jesus.  Not bad.  We also hear of Jesus himself giving thanks before the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (John 6: 1-15); before raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11: 41); and at the Last Supper (Mark 14: 22-26).  It’s no coincidence that the most important Rite in the Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican traditions – the Eucharist – means “thanksgiving.”  The Jewish practice of giving thanks is continued in Christian liturgy as a cornerstone of the faith.  In the words of Saint Paul:  "Rejoice always.  Pray without ceasing.  In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."  (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Jews and Christians certainly don’t have a lock on gratitude.  “Since ancient times, philosophers and sages from every spiritual tradition have taught that cultivating gratitude is a key to experiencing deeper levels of happiness, fulfillment and well-being.”[2]  That’s because gratitude reminds us of the positive things in our lives.  Gratitude “lets us relive blessing and grace and in this we have the experience twice. . . .  Gratitude is the way we access them again and again.”[3]  Gratitude turns bad things into good, and reminds us of what’s important in our lives. 

The benefits of gratitude are so profound that science is finally acknowledging what religion and philosophy have taught for millennia.  In one study, sixth and seventh graders who were assigned to list five things they were grateful for every day for two weeks had a better outlook on school and greater life satisfaction.[4]  A study of high school students found that the students who showed high levels of gratitude had stronger GPAs, less depression and envy and a more positive outlook on life.[5]  And a University of Connecticut study shows that heart attack victims who saw benefits and gains from the heart attack experienced a lower risk of having another heart attack.[6]  So being grateful is good for our minds, our bodies and our souls!

When we’re grateful we remember the benefits we've received from others and experience them again.  And so “it is altogether fitting and proper,” and good for us, that we should give thanks this weekend to those who have given us so much – those who have given their lives so we can live free.  It’s a debt we can't repay.  “In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives.  In the end, maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.”[7]  And so, on behalf of a grateful nation, we say thank you, forever and sincerely, to all who have died for our freedom, and to all who have answered the call to serve our country.

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[1] Robert Emmons, Thanks!:  How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier (Houghton Mifflin, 2007) at 95.

[2] Deepak Chopra, “3 Essential Practices for Gratitude,” http://spiritualityhealth.com/print/1621

[3] M. Renee Miller, A Guide to Spiritual Practice: Gratitude Practice.

[4] Diane Kapp, “Raising Children with an Attitude of Gratitude,” http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB100011424052702303773704579270293660965768, citing Journal of School Psychology 2008.

[5] Kapp, citing Journal of Happiness Studies 2010.

[6] Bruce Campbell, “Counting Your Blessings:  How Gratitude Improves Your Health,”   http://www.cfidsselfhelp.org/library/counting-your-blessings-how-gratitude-improves-your-health.

[7] Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray Love:  One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

Be Like a Deacon

                Those are the words of wisdom posted on the sign in front of our Church this week.  It’s only Monday and I've already lost count of how many people have asked me what they’re supposed to do to be like a deacon.  One woman came into the Sacristy looking to put on one of my albs (the white vestment we wear).  I guess she thinks that being a deacon is all about the wardrobe.  Last night, a friend texted me a picture of the sign asking, “Does this mean I should tell some really bad jokes this week?”  Note to self – cut back on the jokes.  And just this morning, four people separately asked me; “What does that mean?”  Hmm.  I guess I’m not an obvious example of what it means to be a deacon.  No surprise there, but, being a glass-half-full kind of guy, at least they read the sign. 

                Being like a deacon means being “handsome, elegant, intelligent and sweet.”  Oh, sorry, that’s for “Be like Magilla Gorilla Week.”  How about “faster than a speeding bullet; more powerful than a locomotive; able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.”  Oops, that’s for “Be like Superman Week.”  So what does it mean to be like a deacon?  Well, the message on the sign is referring to the first reading from Sunday’s Mass (Acts 6: 1-7), the calling of the first deacons.  In that passage, the Apostles ask the community to “select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom,” to serve the community.  So that’s it in a nutshell:  reputable; filled with the Spirit; and wise.  Allow me to share a few words on each.

                Reputable means “considered to be good; respectable.”  I think we’d all like to be reputable, but it takes work.  It’s a sad fact that people tend to remember the bad things we do more than the good.  Recall Marc Antony’s tongue-in-cheek eulogy of Julius Caesar:  “The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.”[1]  So true.  We all have our faults, so we need to work extra hard to be reputable.  We need to be aware of our public persona – the image we want to portray to the world, the person we want to be remembered as.  I ascribe to the famous words inscribed on a pillow:  “I’d like to be the kind of person that my dog thinks I am.”  Once aware, we need to make it our reality.  To be reputable, we need to do enough good to outweigh our faults.

                Being filled with the Spirit is a fun one.  It means allowing the Holy Spirit to enter our hearts and guide of our actions.  It means living life fully as God wants us to live.  God speaks to us all of the time; we just have to take the time to listen and allow God to lead us.  God’s Spirit inspires us to make good choices; it helps us do good.  Psychologists acknowledge that faith-filled people are happier and healthier than those without faith; they make better choices that ultimately promote their health and happiness.  So being filled with the Spirit is fun and good for you.

                Wisdom is the ability to think and act with the benefit of knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight.  Wisdom takes time.  Life is filled with lessons, many learned in the school of hard knocks.  Wisdom comes when we heed those lessons, when we learn from our mistakes, when we follow the example of good, reputable people, and when we listen to the inspiration of the Spirit.  Wisdom doesn't come easily, but it's worth the wait.

 

                So now you may be asking, “How in the world did you become a deacon?”  Well, the short answer is “beats me,” but the deeper answer is “by the grace of God.”  I’m not perfect; I certainly don’t demonstrate all of the qualities of a deacon all of the time.  I’m human.  But God constantly calls us to be fully human – all that we are meant to be – reputable, filled with the Spirit and wise.  We’re all called to be deacons in our own unique ways – some like the first seven deacons, some like Magilla Gorilla, and others like Superman.  With God’s grace, we can all be deacons, even those who tell really bad jokes but look great in vestments. 

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[1] William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene 2.

Blessing of the Vines – May 18, 2014

        It would be an insult to farmers to call myself a farmer.  Let’s just say I’m a big gardener.  I love gardening.  I love being out in the sun with the cool soil between my fingers; I love tending the plants with the hopeful expectation that they will actually grow; and, of course, I love reaping the fruits of my labor at season’s end.  I can’t say that I’m the best gardener in the world, but I have learned a few things about gardening over the years.  Most importantly, when it comes to growing things, I’m not in control.  No matter how much tilling, fertilizing and watering I do, if nature doesn't cooperate, there will be no produce.

          Our readings this afternoon testify to this very fact:  We’re not in control.  God provides everything we need to survive and to produce good fruit.  As our psalm tells us, God visits the earth, waters it, and makes it fertile; God gives us our grain; and God adorns the year with his bounty.  Everything we have, we owe to God, and for that, we stand in awe of his marvels.

          But we can’t just stand here, slack-jawed, doing nothing.  God calls us to use his gifts for the benefit others.  And again, he gives us every opportunity and everything we need to do so.  As our Gospel tells us, if we remain in him, we will bear much fruit.  By acknowledging God as the creator of all that is good, by acknowledging God as our loving benefactor, we humbly remain in God and all of his blessings.  So we take the time this afternoon to acknowledge God’s gifts by blessing these vines and all who work so hard at Mount Salem Vineyards to produce good fruit, and we thank you for your tremendous generosity to our community.

     Faith in God brings with it the strength and the courage to carry out his good works.  And in a good year, it may even bring some really good wine. 

Readings:  Psalm 65: 9-14; John 15: 1-8

Know the Shepherd - Homily for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, May 11, 2014

          Anthony knew his mother’s voice.  Just by hearing her call his name, Anthony knew it was time to go home for dinner, and he knew it was Prince Spaghetti day!  Do you remember that commercial?  I’m sure we've all had similar experiences.  When my mother calls me, she typically uses the longer form of my name, “Deacon Michael.”  But not all “Michaels” are created equal.  Some “Michaels” simply convey that my mother needs me for something.  These are usually delivered with a falling pitch:  [high/low] “Michael!”  Others convey a hint of displeasure about something I may or may not have done.  These Michaels have a rising pitch:  [low/high] “Michael!”  Then, there’s the dreaded “Michael,” delivered with the pitch of death:  “Michael.”  I've never heard that one.  Some more terrifying than the others, but all equally effective.  I know my mother’s voice and all of its nuances, because I know my mother.  When I hear my mother call, I listen, I follow (OK, only sometimes).  Well, today’s readings are calling us to listen to Jesus and to follow him.  They’re inviting us to know our shepherd.

          In today’s Gospel, Jesus identifies himself as the shepherd who enters through the gate to lead his sheep into green pastures.  Then he calls himself the gatekeeper who opens the door for the sheep; then he says he’s the gate, the sole admission to the Father.[1]  And in the very next line of John’s Gospel, which isn't included in today’s passage, Jesus makes clear that he is the Good Shepherd, the one who will lay down his life for his sheep.  (John 10:11)

 

          Why all of this ovine imagery?  Well, sheep are simple creatures who do best when they’re led.  A good shepherd leads his sheep; he provides them with food and water and protects them from danger.  “The intimacy of the relationship between the Shepherd and the sheep is demonstrated by the sheep’s ability to recognize the shepherd’s voice and the shepherd’s ability to call ‘his own’ by name.”[2]  Sheep learn to know their shepherd; to trust him and to follow him.  That’s what Jesus asks of us in a nutshell.  Now, we tend to be strong-willed and independent these days, but Jesus knows that that’s not our true nature.  He knows that we are creatures who are completely dependent on God, whether we know it or not.  He knows that we will do best when we are led by him.

Today’s Psalm, Psalm XXIII, explains so beautifully why we should follow the Good Shepherd.  When the Lord is our Shepherd, we shall not want; he makes us lie down in green pastures and leads us to the still waters. “The psalmist is so confident of the divine shepherd’s leadership as to trust even when the path leads through dangerous mountain passes.”[3]   But as our Gospel tells us, Jesus is more than just the shepherd.  He’s the gatekeeper and the gate too.  As Frederick Buechner put it, “Christ is the way out.  The way home.  The only way that matters.”[4]  Jesus is someone worth knowing.  

So how do we get to know Jesus?  How do we create the intimate relationship with him that he invites us into?  It’s not easy having a relationship with someone who’s not physically nearby.  It takes work.  But the relationships we have to work for are the best relationships to have.  These are the relationships that are worth our time and our effort – the ones we really want.  Jesus doesn't have a Facebook page or a Twitter account.  We can’t just click a button to become his friends, though I’m sure he’d always accept, if we could.  Getting to really know Jesus, developing an intimate relationship with him will take time and effort.  As C.S. Lewis said, “ If you are thinking of becoming a Christian, I warn you, you are embarking on something which is going to take the whole of you, brains and all.”[5]

 So I return to the question:  How can we know Jesus?  Here are a few suggestions:

·     To borrow the advice of my mother when I wanted to know something. “Read a book.”  The Bible’s a great place to start, but there are also some great writers who have explained the importance of Jesus in our contemporary context:  Pope Benedict XVI; Sister Elizabeth Johnson; Father Robert Barron; C.S. Lewis; and Archbishop Fulton Sheen are some of my favorites.

·     Serve the poor, the sick, the home-bound, and the imprisoned.  That’s what Jesus did.  Imitating his life is a great way to get to know who he really is.

·     And while we’re imitating Jesus, love your mother – Jesus loved his mother and he listened to her.  I can just imagine the tone in her voice when Jesus first refused to perform the miracle at the Wedding at Cana:  [low/high] “Jesus!”  Now, not all mothers are like the Blessed Mother, but love them anyway.  Jesus does.  

·     Participate in Eucharistic Adoration.  Spending time with our Lord in silence is a wonderful way to get to know him, to feel his presence among us, to hear his voice calling us to follow him.

·     Above all, pray.  Prayer puts us in our proper orientation with God.  Through prayer we acknowledge that we are the sheep who need the Good Shepherd.  Speak with Jesus in prayer and you’ll know his voice.  Complain to him and you’ll receive his comfort.  Thank him for laying down his life for us, and you’ll see that your life is filled with countless blessings.

Getting to know Jesus won’t happen all at once.  It takes time – it’s a life journey.  But knowing Jesus will change your life.  An intimate relationship with Jesus gives us the calm assurance that we shall not want and the courage to fear no evil with his rod and staff at our side.  With Jesus, we “have life more abundantly,” and all around us will know that we know the Shepherd.

          Apparently, it was a common form of entertainment in the 19^th Century to invite friends to your home to listen to poetry, dramatic readings and Scripture recitations.  They really knew how to have a good time back then.  At one such gathering, a family asked a famous actor to recite the 23^rd Psalm for their guests.  The actor recited the Psalm with a flare and exuberance that none had heard before.  His audience was amazed.  The mother of the family then stood up, closed her eyes and prayed the psalm as she always had.  When she finished, the audience was silent, some in tears.  The actor then said, “When I recited the Psalm, I knew the words; but when she prayed the psalm, she knew the Shepherd.” 

Follow the link for the Readings for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A.

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[1] See Fulton J. Sheen, The Life of Christ (New York, Doubleday, 1990) at 189.

[2] Gail R. O’Dea, “The Gospel of John,” The New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. IX (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 1995) at 667.

[3] The Collegeville Bible Commentary, Old Testament, Dianne Bergant, ed., (Collegeville, Liturgical Press, 1992) at 759.

[4] Frederick Buechner, A Room Called Remember (San Francisco, HarperOne, 1992) at 123.

[5] C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (San Francisco, Harper Collins, 2001) at 78.

Happy Mother's Day!

Holy God, 
You compare your own love for your people
 to the love of a mother for her children.
Look with kindness on all mothers, give them comfort in moments of sorrow, and joy in their work for their families.

Listen to their prayers and bless + them in all they do for you.  
Let them share with Jesus your Son and Mary our mother 
in the everlasting happiness of heaven.
We ask this grace through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Happy Mother's Day to my Mom, my Wife, my Mother-in-Law, and to all of the motherly women in my life!

The Road to Our True Home - Homily for the Baptism of Thomas John, May 4, 2014

          Did you see the rainbows yesterday?  There were two of them at the same time – the very rare double rainbow.  I was especially happy to see the rainbows because in my little mind they confirmed the direction I was already going in for this homily.  When I read today’s Gospel I immediately thought of the Wizard of Oz.  I’m sure you did too.  OK, we all know that my mind works in mysterious ways, so just bear with me for a minute.  You remember in the Wizard of Oz how Dorothy just wants to go home.  So the Munchkins tell her that she needs to see the Wizard and to get to him, she has to follow the yellow brick road.  Now with this gathering of runners I’m sure that the thought of a yellow brick road immediately conjures up thoughts of sprained ankles and plantar fasciitis.  But normal people think of the road to happiness and fulfillment.  Dorothy will find her true home by following the yellow brick road.  Now I’ll bet you see where I’m going with this.

          Our Gospel reading is the wonderful story where Jesus walks with his disciples on the Road to Emmaus, explaining to them all that was prophesied about him.  Don’t think I didn’t think twice about preaching about the Road to Emmaus in front of two people who were just on it last week.   Anyway, the story is a powerful witness not only to the Resurrection and to the words of Scripture that foretold his coming, but also to the important fact that Jesus walks with us on our journey, filling our hearts and minds with everything we need to make it to our true home.  

          We’re here this afternoon to baptize Thomas John.  We’re here to welcome him into our Church family; we’re here to wash away the stain of original sin; we’re here to set his feet firmly on the road to his true home and to place his hand firmly in Jesus’ hand, who will walk with him every step of the way.

Now you may remember that Dorothy needed some help getting to the Emerald City.  Thomas will need some too – and this is where we all come in.  Thomas will need brains – as Pope Saint John Paul II said, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.”[1]  We need some smarts to get to our true home and thank God Thomas has – Amy for that.  Thomas will also need courage.  Life is tough and we’re often faced with tough choices.  Our minds and consciences tell us which choice is the right choice, but courage helps us choose right over wrong, good over evil.  Eric, I’ll give you some credit here – any man who runs the roads of Hunterdon County with Mike driving them must be pretty brave.  Finally Thomas will need love.  Love is what ultimately brings us to our true home; love carries us through difficult times; love conquers all evil and brings us the perfect happiness that God wants us to have.  I don’t need to tell you where Thomas will find love.  I know from my own experience that there is no shortage of love in your family.

          Baptism is just the beginning of Thomas’ journey of faith.  But with all of your help, he will walk that journey, hand-in-hand with Jesus accompanied by your brains, your courage and your love.

Follow the link for today' Gospel reading:  Luke 24: 13-35

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[1] Pope Saint John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, (Vatican City, Libreria Vaticana, September 14, 1998) at 1,  http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_15101998_fides-et-ratio_en.html.