Driving over 350 miles to get to the other side of the state was just the start of an interesting weekend. I was going to Pinedale, Wyoming to present a retreat at Our Lady of Peace Parish. I made the nearly six-hour long drive on Friday afternoon going directly into 50+ MPH winds. That certainly did not help with gas mileage but at least the roads were dry.
Earlier in the week I had been invited by a fellow deacon (Deacon Dan) to attend a concert upon my arrival in Pinedale. I arrived in town shortly after 6:00 P.M. and by 6:30 P.M. we were comfortably seated in the Pinedale Auditorium waiting for the Harlem Gospel Choir to begin their concert. According to the program handed out at the concert, “The Harlem Gospel Choir has performed alongside superstars such as Bono, Diana Ross, The Gorillaz, and Andre Rieu. They have performed for three presidents (President Obama, President Carter, and President Nelson Mandela), two popes (Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI) and have recorded with the likes of Sir Keith Richards, The Chieftains, and Trace Adkins.” It was a wonderful evening and the concert was something I would have never anticipated attending in rural Wyoming. It was a real treat to have been able to experience this uplifting event. Thanks Deacon Dan!
It had been an exhausting day on Friday after working in the office in the morning, making the long drive in the afternoon, and attending the concert in the evening. However, I was ready and excited for the all-day retreat with the parishioners of Our Lady of Peace on Saturday. Although the attendance was limited, it was a fruitful day and I am grateful for having had the opportunity to spend such a wonderful day with these fine folks. Thanks Father Peter James for the invitation to share this time with your congregation!
Due to the weather forecast I decided to drive back to Cheyenne following the retreat on Saturday evening. It was a long ride but I made it back home before the snow moved in and the interstate eventually closed. I have learned that keeping an eye on road and weather conditions is important in Wyoming. I am glad I paid attention because the interstate highway was closed for much of the day on Sunday.
I had hoped to make it to Fort Collins for the final day of the 40 Days for Life campaign but weather and road conditions made it a little too dangerous to make the trek across the border. Shoveling snow and driving on ice-packed roads this morning started the work week out with a little more excitement than necessary. I am officially tired of winter. As we move through Holy Week I am hoping Easter brings with it a touch of spring that hangs with us until summer.
Author: Vernon Dobelmann
-
Our Lady of Peace in Pinedale, Wyoming
-
Another School Tragedy
Is it just another news story, or is it an event which brings us to our knees in prayer? Twenty people were injured this morning as a 16-year-old male student went through stabbing other students at a high school in Murrysville, Pennsylvania. The debates about school security will be in the spotlight once again and politicians will be striving to capitalize on the catastrophe to push their personal agendas. Unfortunately, the deeper and more theological questions will most likely remain on the periphery of the discussions.
Society removes God from our public institutions and from our public discourse and we seem to be shocked when we see a downward spiral in behavior. When relativism becomes the dominant driving force behind our moral decisions we cannot help but experience a decline in upright and moral behavior. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” We choose to ignore that reality at our own peril. When “Truth” becomes whatever we say it is, we are in for a long, hard road ahead.
As we near the end of another 40 Days for Life campaign, this most recent school attack is a sober reminder that we have allowed a culture of death to permeate every fabric of our society. If we are okay with the legalized killing of innocent unborn children, and people like Nancy Pelosi are honored for protecting this “sacred ground” of killing, why are we surprised when human life has such little value in other venues as well?
People of faith need to pray with their whole heart, mind, soul, and strength for a spiritual awakening and renewal of the citizens of this nation. We also need to be actively involved in shaping the public discourse in our communities. Sitting on the sidelines and choosing to not get involved is unacceptable. We have a responsibility to be beacons of light in a world of darkness. Let us be proactive in creating a culture of life instead of constantly picking up the pieces of grief after these horrible experiences of the culture of death.
Our prayers go out to the families affected by this most recent tragedy. May each of you be blessed with strength, courage, and healing! -
Divine Mercy Novena
Divine Mercy Sunday is on April 27, 2014. The journey through Lent reminds us of our need for the mercy of God. In the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ we recognize the abundant mercy which God bestows upon us. On April 30, 2000 Pope John Paul II established the Second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.
The Divine Mercy Novena (nine days of prayer) will begin on Good Friday, April 18 and continue through Saturday, April 26. This is a powerful way to enter into the mystery of Good Friday, Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday, as well as the Octave Days of Easter which are all celebrated as a Solemnities of the Lord.
I want to invite and encourage you to join an on-line community of people who pray novenas on a regular basis. You simply sign up and novena prayers will be sent to your e-mail for those nine days from Good Friday to Divine Mercy Sunday. There are 99,000 people signed up currently and it would be great to break the 100,000 mark. Can you imagine the graces that will be poured upon God’s people through this magnificent prayer endeavor?
Which novena are we about to pray? The Divine Mercy Novena! Sign up to join us.
-
Fifth Sunday of Lent
“Thus says the Lord God: O my people, I will open your graves and have you rise from them, and bring you back to the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 37:12) Do we truly trust in the resurrection? This weekend’s Scripture readings remind us very clearly of the power of God. We profess this belief in the resurrection each week when we recite the Creed, but I sometimes wonder if it impacts us in any significant way.
The Gospel this weekend details the account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Familiarity with a story can be a good thing, but it can also lead us into complacency. This is one of those Gospel passages that is astounding if we seriously put it into perspective. However, if we simply gloss over it because we know how it ends, we will potentially miss the profound lessons offered to us. I wish I could audibly hear the conversation between Jesus and Martha. It would be interesting to know the tone of voice and the sense of urgency from Martha when she explains that Lazarus has been dead for four days. There will be a stench! This piece of information lets us know the magnitude of the miracle performed by Jesus. The Sacred Scriptures bless us each week with insights into the love of God and the Season of Lent certainly highlights our faith journey with the selected readings.
This past week I had the opportunity to visit Mount Grace Convent in St. Louis, Missouri. This is the home of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, more commonly known as the “Pink Sisters” because of their rose colored habits. These cloistered sisters spend their life in prayer, and I can only imagine the abundance of graces we have received because of their faithfulness. Spending a few minutes in their chapel served as a quick reminder to me of the awesome mercy and love of God. We can trust in the resurrection.
May this Fifth Sunday of Lent bring you abundant blessings! -
Does Sin Have You Tied Up In Knots?
Some historical records suggest that on March 27, 1790 the shoelace was invented in England. http://www.shoelacesexpress.com/shoelaceshistory.asp
Obviously, footwear had been around for a long time prior to that date, but it is an interesting tidbit of information nonetheless.
I can still remember the struggle when I was learning how to tie shoelaces for the first time in my own life. All the little rhymes and stories offered as aids to learn the process seemed to be of little help, but eventually the task was conquered. I could tie my own shoes. (No, it wasn’t just last week when I mastered this task. On the other hand, it is still easier to use slip-on shoes and skip the whole tying process.)
As I read the brief historical sketch about shoelaces it reminded me of how many skills we have attained throughout our lives. I now take it for granted that I can tie shoelaces; it’s not a big deal. However, it is a gift from God to have the motor skills needed to perform such a task. Having an injured finger or thumb can quickly remind us of the many tasks we normally undertake with the nimble and skillful use of our hands. How frequently do we give thanks to God for these simple blessings?
The reason this article on the invention of shoelaces initially caught my attention was because of a Lenten reflection question that I had seen earlier. “What sinful areas in my life keep me “tied up”? That penetrating question gave a whole different perspective to my casual reading about shoelaces. The bondage of sin can keep us from experiencing life in abundance as offered by Christ. What are we doing to be set free? Do we seek the grace, love, mercy and forgiveness of God on a regular basis? Do we ask to be set free from the bondage of sin?
As we commemorate this anniversary (224 years) of the shoelace, I invite you to join me in doing three things.
1. Let us give thanks and praise to God for all the motor skills we possess.
2. Let us ask to be freed from the sins that tie us up?
3. Let us recommit to our acts of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving for the second half of Lent.
Happy Anniversary to the Shoelace! -
40 Days for Life
The snow was falling throughout the morning hours yesterday in Cheyenne, Wyoming but I had made a commitment to participate in the 40 Days for Life prayer vigil in Fort Collins, Colorado later in the afternoon. It was already 18 days into vigil and I did not want to delay my participation any longer. My family and I decided to make the 60 mile trek across the border to keep our commitment. Thankfully, the only slick spots on the highway were on the bridges and under the overpasses and travel was relatively easy.
Taking up our position on the sidewalk I began quietly praying for all who are hurting in some way. I asked the Lord to touch them with His love and peace. Next, I simply began praying for the conversion of our nation. The Scripture passage from Luke 18:8 has been weighing heavily on my heart in recent months. “When the Son of Man returns, will he find any faith on earth?” In the midst of my prayer I was startled a number of times by profanities being hurled our direction. As cold as it was outside, some folks took the time to roll down their windows and stick their heads out the window to make sure we heard their verbal assaults. It still astounds me that standing quietly in prayer can draw such vile responses.
Snow flurries fell periodically as we maintained our vigil for the hour. The dampness of the air seemed to penetrate down to the bone and my fingers were numb by the time we finished our hour. Although I was physically cold, I couldn’t help but think of the coldness that must be present within the confines of the Planned Parenthood facility right behind us. The darkness of despair and the gloom of death must surely permeate the atmosphere of an environment where hurting people make desperate choices that snuff out innocent human life and frequently brings a lifetime of regret. I was certain that the experience of coldness outside was minimal in comparison to the coldness inside. Luke 18:8 continued to reverberate in my mind.
The outstanding results of the 40 Days for Life prayer vigils held across the world are detailed on their website at www.40daysforlife.com. The current campaign is happening in 21 countries and 522 different cities. Society owes a huge debt of gratitude to all who coordinate these efforts and recruit people to participate. Over 600,000 people have participated in being a witness to the sanctity of life. The power of prayer is making a difference in a profound way.
If you have never been involved with 40 Days for Life I would encourage you to give it a try. Go to their website and find the location nearest you. Then join with others in your local community who are praying for an end to abortion. The Ash Wednesday ritual reminds us, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” It is my hope and prayer that individually, and as a nation, we will heed that urgent call. May each of us do our part to stand up for the sanctity, dignity and value of each human life from conception through natural death!
-
Be Led By Your Dreams!
“Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” This quotation attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson certainly provides food for thought. Every individual can probably provide a laundry list of problems which seem to be squelching his/her dreams. Watching the news on television can exacerbate the perception of the world going to hell in a hand-basket. Observing the political theatrics disguised as statesmanship can ultimately convince us that the American dream has been usurped by those entrusted to preserve it. A sardonic attitude can easily replace our hopes, dreams and aspirations. We are pushed by our problems.
How do people of faith respond to the challenges of day-to-day life? It’s not just a matter of balancing work and leisure. It’s a matter of bringing realistic expectations to all the roles in which we find ourselves: spouse, parent, employee, student, volunteer, etc. Do we have meaningful endeavors which keep our dreams alive, or are we simply filling up the voids in our lives with excessive activity? Does our life have a purpose? Furthermore, how do world events affect us in regard to our outlook on life?
During the Season of Lent I have attempted to reduce my intake of the news on television. I still follow enough to know about the issues making the headlines, but I have not delved into the details surrounding each of the topics presented. I have tried to utilize my time in more fruitful endeavors such as prayer and spiritual reading, but success in following through with this resolution has been sporadic at best. My mind still wanders into the realm of everything that is going wrong with society.
The spying practices of the NSA are still troublesome. The targeting of conservative groups by the IRS still has Lois Lerner pleading the fifth and refusing to testify. The Affordable Care Act continues to hit one bump in the road after another. The HHS Mandate will be front and center again next week as the Supreme Court begins to hear the case from Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood. What will happen with the Little Sisters of the Poor and other religious organizations down the road regarding their court cases against the HHS Mandate? These are just a few of the topics in our own country. What happens when we expand our view beyond the borders of the United States? An airplane full of people is still missing. Crimea was just annexed by Russia. We still don’t have answers to questions about the terrorist attack in Benghazi. The list could go on and on.
What happens when we shift our focus to the cultural and moral values of society beyond the politics of it all? The breakdown of the traditional family unit in the last forty years has already brought some devastating social issues to the forefront. How will the continued erosion of the traditional family impact the existing societal structures that shape the norms and mores which strive to guide behavior in a productive way? What happens when the Church is silenced in speaking out against sin? If the Church is not the moral compass for society then what individual or group will step in to fill that role?
There are definitely enough challenging issues to tempt us into despair. However, as followers of Christ we are people of hope. The virtue of hope is a blessing indeed. Praying for an increase of all the theological virtues is a prudent thing to do on a daily basis. Let us not be pushed by our problems, but let us be led by our dreams. May our dreams include the pursuit of holiness as we seek to grow in faith, hope, and love! -
The Good Friday Fire of March 21, 1788
Fire is a powerful symbol at our liturgical celebrations of the Great Easter Vigil. It reminds us of the Light of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Fire can be a wonderful asset to our way of life, and it also has the power to consume and destroy anything in its path when it is out of control.
It was Good Friday, March 21, 1788 when a fire ripped through New Orleans destroying 856 of the 1,100 structures in the city. (An additional 212 buildings were destroyed by a city-wide fire just six years later on December 8, 1794. Two hurricanes also contributed to the devastation during this time as well.)
The website, http://www.frenchquarter.com/history/elements.php, presents this fascinating detail regarding the Good Friday fire of 1788. “Through it all the Ursuline nuns in their convent on Chartres Street had prayed to Notre Dame de Bon Secours, Our Lady of Prompt Succor, patron of Rouen, their home town. As the fire had neared the convent on that Good Friday, the wind changed suddenly. (As Providence would no doubt have it, the front arrived from the north just in time.) The convent survived, and is still here with us.”
Is it coincidence that the front arrived just in time, or is that the power of prayer? Obviously, people of faith will view it one way while others may see it as the simple cycle of nature. In my opinion it is simply amazing how many times throughout history we have seen particular structures spared from ruin because of fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and other phenomena while everything else around it is consumed in the disaster. The sparing of the Ursuline convent is one of those events which can make us pause and reflect.
Each of us will experience hardships in life. Through these difficult moments are we still able to see the presence of God? Let us pray today for all who are hurting because of illness or injury, financial hardships due to unemployment or other financial difficulty, broken relationships, or the death of a loved one. As we continue with our journey of Lent and officially enter into the season of Spring, may we experience NEW LIFE IN CHRIST! -
Retreat at St. Anthony’s in Casper
The grotto outside of St. Anthony’s Church in Casper provided an ideal setting for a photo to coincide with a specific topic covered during the day of retreat on Saturday, March 15. During the retreat I shared a story about a TV show years ago with George Burns and Gracie Allen. Although I do not recall the show, the story I heard was about Gracie calling a repairman to come to her house to fix a clock. The repairman came, looked at the clock, and proceeded to explain to Gracie that the clock was fine. She just didn’t have it plugged in to the electrical socket. Gracie said she was aware of that. She was trying to save electricity so she only plugged the clock in when she wanted to know what time it was. I intentionally kept the transformer in this photo (upper left hand corner) to remind us to always stay plugged into God. If we only call upon God when we need something, we are missing the opportunity to truly be in relationship!
It was a fantastic weekend at St. Anthony’s. The hospitality extended by the pastor was first rate, and getting to spend all day on Saturday with over 50 parishioners for the retreat was uplifting and renewing. Preaching at all four of the weekend liturgies was also a very special priviege for me. I hope that each of you experience abundant blessings during the remainder of this Lenten season. -
Jesus Looked at Him and Loved Him
In chapter 10 of Mark’s Gospel Jesus is having a discussion with a rich young man. In verses 21 and 22 it says, “Jesus looked at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
I often wonder what happened to the young man. As he got older did he eventually accept the invitation? I ask this question because I assume he spent some time in reflection after he walked away from Jesus. The young man admitted to having observed all the commandments from his youth so he apparently had a desire to do what was right. Would this one additional challenge keep him from growing any further in his journey toward holiness?
“Jesus looked at him and loved him.” I can only imagine the impact of receiving such a profound glance from the Savior. The penetrating eyes of Jesus must have surely struck at the depths of the young man’s heart. Would that look eventually bring him back?
Scripture demonstrates a variety of responses from people who received a prominent glance of love from our Lord. This young man walked away. Judas Iscariot experienced deep despair and went out and hanged himself. Peter accepted the look of Jesus, proclaimed his love three times, and became the “Rock” upon which the Church was built. Thus, when Jesus looks at us and loves us, we each have the free will to respond in our own unique way. We may experience this look in our prayer life, our worship, our joys, and in our pains and hurts as well. How often do we miss this look of love? In those times when we capture the look and experience the impact deep within our being, how do we respond?
Knowing we are loved by God to such depths should fill our hearts with joy. Let us live as people of hope!