Go and Tell Every One!

Here are 3 important questions we should ask ourselves . . .

 

What do I believe?

Why do I believe it?

What difference does it make?

            Today’s readings [Acts 1:1-11; Eph 1:17-23; Mk 16:15-20] asks of all of us to have a strong and active faith.

            Today, on this Feast of the Ascension, we recall a very fragile time in the birth of our church. Lacking the physical presence of Jesus, the disciples had to search within themselves to find faith and courage to carry on the mission of Jesus.  

"Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

            We too have been called to be “willing” witnesses to the Gospel, but, like the Men of Galilee in the first reading of the Acts of the Apostles, we can at times be found just standing motionless looking upward when, we are in fact,  called to move forward.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A “WILLING” WITNESS?

             To give witness to the teachings of Jesus means to live in a manner worthy of the call we received at our Baptism, the call to live with humility and gentleness, to exercise patience in all we do, and to put up with one another’s faults and short-comings with unconditional love, striving always to preserve the unity of the Spirit of Christ among us.

HOW AND WHERE DO WE BEGIN?

            First and foremost, we begin by praying. Prayer is fundamental for the strength and courage necessary to proclaim Jesus’ message and live Jesus’ mission.

“He proclaims more effectively who prays without speaking,

then he who speaks without praying.”

            Our efforts to proclaim the Gospel can often be exposed to many dangers, specifically, and not the least of which, is the danger of inactivity or just plain laziness; the desire to do nothing, leaving everything up for someone else to do.  

            Mother Teresa would make the Sisters pray for two full hours before they could go out into slums of Calcutta to minister and care for those who were lying in the streets dying. When asked why she insisted that the nuns spend so much time praying when they could be out in the streets doing good – Mother Teresa replied, “If they didn’t do that praying before going out, they probably wouldn’t go out at all!” 

            Secondly, we must call on and depend upon the Holy Spirit in our life.  Without the Holy Spirit, we, like the “Men of Galilee,” might still be caught looking intently into the sky — frozen in the past rather than living in the present.

            In the first reading Jesus tells the apostles, “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" and with that grace of the Holy Spirit, “they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the Word through accompanying signs.”  

            Through the grace of Confirmation we too gain a special strength to spread the faith by our daily words and in our daily actions.  Through the continuing grace of Confirmation, and our living out its purpose, the Holy Spirit enters into our life.  The grace of Confirmation deepens our relationship with God the Father, it unites us more firmly to Jesus Christ, and increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us.

            These “gifts” of the Holy Spirit, they are:

v  Wisdom,

v  Understanding,

v  Wonder and awe,

v  Right judgment,

v  Knowledge,

v  Courage, and

v  Reverence.

            On this Feast of the Ascension, when the disciples came to the realization that the Lord’s spirit was indeed within them, they willingly carried on the mission of Jesus.  

            Let us take a moment to remember the day we were “baptized with the Holy Spirit,” that we might renew the hope and re-light the fire of the faith we had on that special day, re-energizing our present day faith.

            At the end of today’s Mass I will announce: “Go forth and proclaim the Gospel of the Lord.”

            This proclamation reminds us that the Mass does not end there. Strengthened by the Body of Christ, sanctified by the Blood of Christ, and enlightened by the Word of God, we are sent to take that “Word” and change our world – beginning, most importantly, with changing ourselves!  

            Let it not be said of any one of us that we neglected to carry out Jesus’ last command that we failed to share the greatest gift in the world!

LET US PRAY:

            Spirit of God, rest upon us, consecrate us, and bid us to go forth to proclaim Your peace and Your joy.

          Send us forth to WITNESS the kingdom of Jesus among all we meet today, 

to PROCLAIM the good news of Jesus to those who hunger for God’s Word,

to CONSOLE the hearts that are overcome with sorrow,

to COMFORT the poor who mourn and who weep,

to ANNOUNCE the grace of salvation, and to

REVEAL Jesus’ glory among all the people we encounter each day.   Amen.

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Something That We Do!

            Congratulations to Angela and Jason who have joined their lives together today (May 19, 2012) in the sacrament of marriage.  May they always be aware of God’s love and blessings for them, and may their love for each other continue to grow and deepen every day of their lives.

            Here are examples of two very different experiences of love.  “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” is a song of lament by Tina Turner about her failed love with her abusive husband Ike Turner.  “Something That We Do”, is a song of love by country singer Clint Black celebrating 21 years of married love with his actress wife Lisa Hartman.

            The word "love" has to be one of the most unusual and at times confusing and inadequate words in our English language!  It is supposedly packed with meaning, yet it seems inadequate when we really want to say something meaningful. Some dictionaries list as many as twenty-five meanings for the word ‘love’ and we're apt to use them all in our every day conversation. In one sentence we may say, "I love my spouse so much," and then in the next sentence say, "I really love fried chicken!”

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LOVING AND BEING "IN LOVE"

The "in-love" experience

            "Most people get married believing a myth - that marriage is a beautiful box full of all the things that they have longed for - companionship, sexual fulfillment, intimacy, and friendship.
            The truth is that marriage, at the start is an empty box.  “This box contains the love of our marriage”
            You must put something in before you can take anything out.  
            What will you put in your box? 
            Things you DO!
            Learn the art and form the habits of: Giving, Praising, Serving, and closely Holding on to each other,
            There is no love in marriage, love is only in people.
            There is no romance in marriage. People have to infuse romance into their marriage.

“A couple must learn the art

and form the habit of giving,

loving, serving, praising –

keeping the box full.

If you take out more than you put in,

the box will be empty."

-  Dr. J. Allen Peterson.

OKAY, REALLY, WHAT IS LOVE?

Love is certain, love is kind

Love is yours and love is mine

But it isn't something that we find

It's something that we do. *

It seeks the best interests of the one you love. (Ephesians 5:25-28) Love one another as Christ loves the Church.  

It requires constant effort. (Hebrews 13:1). “Let mutual love continue.”

Love sacrifices. (Ephesians 4:1) ". . .” the active character of love can be described by stating that love is primarily giving not receiving." - Erich Fromm

Love forbears (Ephesians 4:2). "Answering the call to love demands much courage and determination because self-exposure always involves the risk of being seriously hurt."   - John Powell. The Secret of Staying in Love.

HOW IS LOVE SUSTAINED?

The way we work together

is what sets our love apart,

so closely that you can't tell,

where I end and where you start.

We're on a road that has no end,

And each day we begin again,

Love's not just something that we're in,

It's something that we do.

There's no request too big or small,

we give ourselves, we give our all,

Love isn't someplace that we fall.

 It's something that we do. *

* Lyrics from “Something That We Do.” By Clint Black


            Marriage needs more than just an "in-love" experience, here are a few simple suggestions to develop and sustain a “real love” experience in marriage:

1.    Love unselfishly. (1 Corinthians 13:3)

2.    Love unconditionally. (Romans 5:8)

3.    Love self-sacrificingly. (Matthew 16:24)

4.    Love beyond your feelings. (John 13:1)

5.    Love always. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

Love, it's something that we do!

IT’S THE ‘LITTLE’ THINGS

            People who are successful at whatever they do reach their objectives by a series of the “little things” they do every day. If you do the little things on a daily basis, they will make big differences in your relationship with your spouse.

Begin today:

1. SPOIL each other.
2. Express APPRECIATION.
3. Know when to APOLOGIZE.
4. Take TIME out.
5. Know that GIFTS do matter.
6. CELEBRATE the good times.

IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Mayo Clinic and the use of Aspirin

    The following has been published by Dr. Virend  Somers, a Cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic, who is lead author of the report in the July  29, 2008 issue of the Journal of the  American College of Cardiology.

Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6 A.M. and noon.

Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame. 

           

1. If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, take it at night The reason:  Aspirin has a 24-hour "half-life"; therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the wee hours of the morning, the Aspirin would be strongest in your system.

2. FYI - Aspirin lasts a really long time in your medicine chest for years, (when it gets old, it smells like vinegar).

Please read on. 

Here are some things that we can do to help ourselves – and also good to know.

Bayer is making crystal aspirin to dissolve instantly on the tongue. They work much faster than the tablets.

          

Why keep Aspirin by your bedside? It's about Heart Attacks -

There are other symptoms of a heart attack, besides the pain on the left arm.

One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating; however, these symptoms may also occur less frequently.

Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack.

The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.

If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.

Afterwards: 

- Call 911.

- Phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by.

- Say “heart attack!"

- Say that you have taken 2 Aspirins.

- Take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and 

            

...DO NOT LIE DOWN!

Googling a Masterpiece

The following appeared in the May 14, 2012 issue of America magazine.  It is amazing what is available on the Internet.

The Google Art Project may eventually prove as beneficial and as popular as Google Maps or as controversial as Google Books. For Google’s undertakings tend to be global in scope and threaten existing copyright laws, among other concerns. Now in its second year of development, the Art Project contains an online collection of 32,000 works of art submitted by 151 museums from 40 countries, with text in 18 languages. Not every great museum has shared works (neither the Louvre nor the Vatican museums, for example, are participating), but that could change. The art now on view includes paintings, sculpture, drawings, photographs, manuscripts and artifacts. Most images are high-resolution, which allows users to explore and magnify them inch by inch—something a museumgoer cannot do.

The potential of Google Art is staggering. All users, not only art specialists, can consult the same resource, where art is available in a single place, searchable at high speed. With Internet access, a child in some remote corner of the earth, who may never set foot in any art museum or have occasion to peruse an expensive art book, can examine masterpieces from around the world amassed over centuries. An education section full of self-tests and projects allows users to curate their own exhibition. Other features include a partial tour of the White House with Michelle Obama and professional videos on YouTube.com/googleartproject. Online technology makes possible the democratization of knowledge, and Google has proved itself to be a cultural leader in this important respect.

AMAZING HEALTH RESULTS

On January 1, 2012 I began the Shaklee “Cinch” Weight/Health Control Program, at that time I weighed 242 pounds.  On May 4, 2012 I weighed 208 pounds – a loss of 34 pounds!
The BIGGEST CHANGE by far was that my energy level skyrocketed!!

The following are the results of blood test taken on May 4,2012 as compared to blood test results taken 6 months earlier on December 21,2011. The Shaklee meals (breakfast and lunch) cost about $5.50 per meal.  Remember to subtract from that amount what you would have spent at the grocery store or restaurant for that day's food.  Your dinner meal is whatever you would normally prepare for yourself or family. Exercise? Of course - but walking exercise is sufficient!

                      Dec/2011         May/2012                 RESULT              ACCEPTABLE 

Glucose            125H               103              17.6% DECREASE              (80-115)   

Cholesterol        191                 132              30.9% DECREASE             (100-200)

Triglycerides      221H              123               44.3% DECREASE              (20-149)

HDL                   36L                 41                 13.8% INCREASE               (40-80)

LDL                   111H               66                40.5% DECREASE               (00-99)

If you would like to join me in this health program, contact me either by email or phone. You will be happy with your results!

RECIPES FROM THE MAN CAVE

DEACON TOM’S INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS 

GREAT PRETZEL DIP

1 - 4oz. Package of Blue Cave Blue Cheese [Sometimes I add 2 pkg’s - All depends on how you like it.]

1 - 8oz. Package of Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Onion: Green onions - 2 finely chopped [don’t turn turn’em into mush] - or you can just add onion powder.

Seasoning: Lawry’s Season Salt. [I never measured what I used but, I was rather liberal with it]

Half & Half - about 1/3 cup or more if needed to get smooth consistency.

Add all ingredients in to electric mixing bowl [If cheese is near to room temperature it will mix easily]. Start slow and increase speed to high mixing the dip into a smooth consistency. The more you ‘whip-it’ the lighter and smoother becomes the consistency.

1 - bag of Snyder’s or Rold Gold Tini-Twist Pretzel.

While dip is still in mixing bowl - taste test with a pretzel [bet’cha can’t just try one!] to check for desired flavor - adjust seasoning as needed.

Enjoy with friends! 

DEACON TOM’S “FAMOUS” BAKED BEANS

o   1 pound Jimmy Dean's Sausage

o    5 or 6 Summer Sausage Sticks

o   1 medium onion, chopped (if it’s a Vidalia onion then use a really big one!)

o   1 medium green pepper, chopped

o   1/2 stick of butter (you can skip the butter and use the sausage 'drippings')

o   1 cup of ketchup

o   1 cup of dark brown sugar

o   2 - 28 oz. cans of Bush’s “Country Style” Baked Beans

o   1 – 12 oz. can Diced Tomatoes with Chipotle

o    1 – 14.5 oz can of Diced Tomatoes with Garlic & Onion

o   1 – 14.5 oz can Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes

o   (or whatever you can find, just to add additional flavors)

NEW IDEA!  Copy & Paste the above list to create a shopping list!           

 Put everything but the sausage, onion, and green pepper in a crock pot* and turn on high to get things cook’en while you do the following...

            Brown the sausage, drains, chop up finely, and set aside.  Sauté onion and green pepper with butter or fat.  Cut up Summer Sausage Sticks to look like small buttons. Add this mixture to the crock pot* and stir.  You could add a little Worcestershire sauce (1 TBL Spoon) if you like – experiment – and/or Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce – this is a Louisiana favorite!

Cook it for as long as you wish, when it looks done turn heat down to low (it smells really good at this point)

* If you don’t have a crock pot (and that would be hard to believe - doesn’t everybody have a crock pot!) you can put all this into an ovenproof dish and bake at 350 degrees for one hour or more.  (It gets better every time you re-heat it!)

Be sure to pray with all guests at this meal a blessing before serving (in thanksgiving -- not for protection!).

ENJOY!!!