It was overcast when I left the house this morning. By the time I reached the office the snow had started to fall. It did not take long for the cathedral to have a fresh dusting of snow on the roof. I am not a big fan of snow, but I realize the necessity of it here in the high plains to provide us moisture. It just makes it a little inconvenient for travel on the roadways.
Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. John of the Cross. I have long been fascinated with the writings of St. John of the Cross. I tackled, or at least attempted to read, “The Dark Night of the Soul” at a relatively young age. It was well beyond my comprehension level at that time. I have pursued it a few more times in my adult life and gain a little more insight each time I read it. The wisdom contained in the writings of St. John of the Cross is phenomenal.
One thing I have reflected upon through the years is how attitude or mood impacts a person’s life of prayer. For instance, are we able to pray if we are angry, upset, or irritated? Are we able to pray if we are brokenhearted? Are we able to pray if we are suffering from a serious affliction? Are we able to pray if we are sad, lonely, or depressed? If we are able to pray in any of these circumstances, is the prayer fruitful? What does prayer look like in each of these circumstances?
When I was young I often felt great consoolation during prayer. As I got older I experienced this less and less. This was quite disturbing until I started reading some of the works by people like St. John of the Cross. I was especially drawn to The Dark Night of the Soul as I searched for answers. While I am still a long way from grasping some of these nuggets of wisdom, I am grateful for each step forward in understanding more aspects of prayer. One thing is clear from the writings of the saints. We will not always experience consolation in our prayers.
Whether we experience great consolation in prayer or suffer from a lengthy case of desolation, we continue to pray in faith. May each of us be given the gift of perseverance!
I wrote the following blog post last year on this date. I have updated it at the end.
Last night I drove to church because there was a special ceremony at the cathedral in which the bishop was going to “open the doors to the Year of Mercy.” The snow had stopped but travel conditions were still not good. Accidents were so numerous in the Cheyenne area that the police were only responding to those accidents in which injuries were involved or vehicles were immovable. I wanted to be present at the cathedral for this special celebration but also wanted to be safe.
As I headed out of the driveway I couldn’t see the road. However, I was familiar with the territory so I knew where it was located. As I looked at it this morning in the daylight I could see that I was right on target. Familiarity can help us stay on course.
In our relationship with God we walk by faith. Sometimes we do not exactly know where we are going, but we continue to move forward in faith. That is not always an easy thing to do–especially when times are difficult. I was made very aware of this at an early age when I was diagnosed with cancer the first time at age 25. Why was this happening? What was the point? How do I continue forward when I don’t even know if I am going to survive? A thousand questions flooded my mind.
The amount of hurt and struggle that people face is overwhelming. Sickness, loss of employment, broken relationships, poverty, or the stress of living in war-torn countries and high crime neighborhoods can all take a toll on our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. We can become worn out by the challenges and struggles of each passing day. How do we move forward when we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel?
Today, I read an update on Caring Bridge about a young man (19) going through a tremendous struggle. It was four years ago today on December 13 that a CT Scan revealed a tumor in his brain. His life, and the life of his entire family, was forever changed. Although progress has been made over the last four years, there is still a long way to go. How does one continue to maintain the fight to get well when the odds are so steep? It is with the grace of God, support from others, and a tenacity developed from deep within oneself. There are times when you can’t see where the road leads, but you walk in faith.
This young man was a student at the elementary school of which I served as Principal and Coordinator of Religious Education. Keeping up-to-date on his story frequently calls me to prayer. There are times it even brings a tear to my eye. Why does one so young have to suffer so intensely?
When I went through surgery and chemotherapy nearly 30 years ago I spent 52 days in the hospital over a four month period. (Who was really counting?) The recuperation took much longer, but at least I was able to somewhat get back into a regular routine after about six months. I can’t even imagine how tired, frustrated, and angry I would have been if it would have lingered for years as it has for this young man.
December 13, is the Feast Day of St. Lucy. There isn’t much known about her life; we mainly have legends handed down through the ages. However, I offer my prayer to God and seek St. Lucy’s intercession for all who are hurting. Today, I especially offer my prayer for Sam and his entire family. May God bless each of you with an abundance of grace, mercy, strength, perseverance, faith, hope, and healing!
“Saint Lucy, you did not hide your light under a basket, but let it shine for the whole world, for all the centuries to see. We may not suffer torture in our lives the way you did, but we are still called to let the light of our Christianity illumine our daily lives. Please help us to have the courage to bring our Christianity into our work, our recreation, our relationships, our conversation — every corner of our day. Amen” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A year has gone by since I wrote that piece and Sam continues his journey. His dad posted a summary of the five-year journey on Sunday and I was speechless as I read through the account. There is no way I can even imagine the many struggles, the tears, and the disappointments that have occurred in those five years. Reading the highlights of Sam’s story is nothing short of amazing. It truly demonstrates the spiritual gift of fortitude for Sam and his entire family.
I spent much of the summer writing a book about my own journey of suffering. This provided fresh memories of the struggle that I had when I was diagnosed with cancer on two different occasions and the time I underwent open heart surgery on another occasion. Even though some of this is thirty years in the past, many of the memories are quite vivid. I know firsthand some of the difficulties experienced when you are battling a life-threatening illness. However, I cannot fathom the tenacity that must be required of Sam as he continues his path toward healing for five consecutive years.
My prayers continue to be offered for Sam’s recovery. I also pray for the entire family. An illness like this impacts everyone in the immediate family immensely, and it ripples out to the wider family and friends as well. We give thanks for the healing that has occurred to this point, and we pray for even more rapid healing in the days ahead.
I especially offer a note of encouragement to Sam’s parents today. The love between a parent and a child is a bond like no other. I remember my mom and dad sitting in the hospital day after day watching me go through chemotherapy treatments when I was 25 years of age. It took a toll on them. I cannot fully grasp the anguish you have experienced these last five years, but I am grateful for your faith and hope. You have taught all of us a lesson in the art of persevering in prayer. May God bless you abundantly for your faithful witness!
Our entire chancery staff gathers for prayer each day before heading off to lunch. We routinely pray for those who have requested our prayers. Today, we will be lifting Sam and his family up in a very profound way. May the healing hand of God be present in some magnificent ways in the coming days!
Today’s Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is not just a celebration for the people of Mexico. This feast reminds all of us that we have a Mother who loves us. The story of St. Juan Diego, the tilma, the roses, the bishop, and the sick uncle all create a masterpiece of Mary’s love and concern for each of us. We are blessed indeed.
This feast is a day in which I am reminded to maintain my diligence in standing up for the sacred dignity and value of each human life–conception through natural death. As society continues to slide down a slippery slope of of moral decadence, it is imperative that people of faith stand strong in being proponents for life. Many individuals in our culture remain committed to securing abortion on demand and without apology. Others are insisting that we need to legalize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. There seems to be no end to the desires of those yearning for a culture of death. We as Christians have a responsibility to resist at every level.
If society refuses to stand up for the rights of those most vulnerable among us, why are we surprised when other heinous acts of violence occur around us? If I am unwilling to speak out on behalf of the helpless child in the womb, how can I ever have credibility in speaking out against any other injustice taking place in society? We cannot simply pick and choose which violent acts against humanity will offend us. Until we are willing to stop the killing of millions of children in the womb, we will never effectively address the other societal problems that afflict our world.
Abortion proponents have been very effective at communicating their message. Unfortunately, many women and men in our churches have been dramatically impacted by their decision to believe the message of abortion proponents. Statistical evidence would seem to indicate that a significant percentage of women within our church congregations have had abortions. There is one simple message I have for anyone who has been directly or indirectly involved in procuring an abortion. There is healing, hope, and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. If you are post-abortion and struggling with grief, please reach out to your local pastor or pregnancy care center for help. There are resources available to assist you.
I was informed yesterday by Tate Publishing that the official release date of my book will be February 28, 2017. After months of writing, editing, proofreading, and learning about the whole publishing process, the end product is finally coming into view. I placed my initial order yesterday and should have books in my hands by the end of December.
It is my hope to arrange some pre-release gatherings in January and February to give readers of my blog early access to the book. (Would a discount in the purchase price encourage you to attend?) I am hoping to have a few gatherings in Wyoming, Missouri, and possibly southern Colorado. My intent is to offer a one hour presentation on the virtue of hope and then have some time to socialize and give you the opportunity to get copies of my book. As I get some things arranged, I will keep you posted right here with details.
In looking at my calendar I am anticipating the first week of January as a good time to head to Missouri. It would be nice to have several events while I am there. My hometown of Old Monroe would obviously be a desired venue. Other options would include the areas of O’Fallon and Troy. If my brother has any pull in the Diocese of Jefferson City we could include someplace like Louisiana or Bowling Green into the mix. Depending upon time constraints in my travel schedule, I could also envision a trip to Ste. Genevieve as well.
In Colorado I would like to make it down to the Florence and Canon City area for a gathering or two. There will always be a special place in my heart for the people of St. Benedict’s Parish. You were my first venture into full-time ministry and I treasure those years in your parish.
Our faith in Jesus Christ empowers each of us to be people of hope regardless of the difficult circumstances confronting us at any given time. That is the message I strive to convey in my teaching, preaching, and writing. That is the intent of my book. As a 30 year cancer survivor I want to be a symbol of hope to others by being living proof that adversity can be overcome. It is not always easy, and and I realize we will not always win, but the fight is worth the effort.
My book is a brief autobiographical sketch (just over 200 pages) with a focus on some of the more serious challenges in my life. The 53 chapters of the book are very short. That is my preference as a reader so that is how I designed my own writing. At the end of each chapter you will find a reflection question or two in which I encourage you to ponder your own life circumstances. We each have a story. I am simply sharing my story to invite you to enter fully into the love, mercy, and healing of Jesus Christ as you live your story.
I was recently asked whether my book contained guidance for holding a book discussion group. I had not considered that and the book was too far along in the process to make any monumental changes at that point. However, I thought the suggestion was a good idea. I subsequently wrote an eight session study guide and have created a new page on my website to give you access to that material. Click on the “Book Discussion Guide” tab at the top of the page to download it for free. If you have difficult printing the page, simply copy and paste the information into a word document and print it that way. I hope many people find the guide useful.
The few people that have seen a picture of the cover of the book prior to this post have mentioned the similarity between my blog picture and the picture on the cover of the book. That was obviously done intentionally. It is a picture I took in Thermopolis, Wyoming of the Big Horn River. In addition to being beautiful scenery there is a question I am subtly asking you in the photo. How do you decide which way to go when the river of life splits off?
I am grateful to many people who have touched my life through the years to get to this point. My family, friends, and fellow pilgrims on the journey have all impacted my life in one way or another. The medical personnel at St. Joseph’s Health Center in St. Charles, Missouri, where my first battle with cancer was waged, are forever etched into my mind. Spending over 50 days in the hospital in the course of a four month period gives one a different perspective on life. I especially owe a debt of gratitude to the hospital chaplain during those days, Marilyn Antrobus. Marilyn asked me to write about my journey shortly after I finished the chemotherapy treatments. I was unsuccessful at that time, but after 30 years of reflection I was finally able to complete the assigned task. Thanks Marilyn.
A couple of people from St. Benedict’s Parish taught me how to praise God even when things were tough. You drove to University Hospital in Denver to pray for me on site while I was in surgery. You helped me get through my second diagnosis of cancer in ways you never imagined, and you positively impacted my prayer life ever since then. Thank you.
The medical personnel, especially the surgeon, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield, Missouri brought me through an open heart surgery with flying colors. The expertise of the surgeon and all of the supporting staff was magnificent. I am grateful that my sister-in-law who works at the hospital was able to refer me to such a competent and skilled surgeon.
Finally, I am grateful to Archbishop Paul Etienne who graciously wrote the foreword to the book. Working with him for almost seven years prior to his recent installation as Archbishop of Anchorage on November 9, was a pleasure. His kind words at the beginning of the book are truly appreciated.
It has been quite a journey, and the story continues to be written. Thank you to each of my readers for being part of the story!
Some of my relatives have lived in the Pigeon Forge area (not far from Gatlinburg) for many years. As I watch the videos and look at the pictures of the devastating fire my heart breaks for all of the people impacted. Please know of my prayers for all of you, especially the emergency personnel involved in battling the blaze.
“Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” These words from St. Paul in his letter to the Romans (today’s second reading at Mass) remind us of the necessity of living a moral and upright life. We each have a purpose in this life. It is to walk humbly with our God.
I have tried to escape politics during this four-day weekend. However, a simple glance at social media can quickly draws one’s attention to the rantings and ravings that continue to flourish in this post-election season. I am beginning to wonder if it will be perpetual bashing of people from this day forward. Civil discourse on ideas no longer seems possible. Attacking people generates more headlines than quietly putting forth a good, solid idea to improve the country.
I read an article today about the sheriff from Franklin County, Missouri humbly serving the people of that county for 24 years as sheriff. According to the article he has never spent more than $7,000 on a re-election campaign. The sheriff said he has tried to stay out of politics. That is quite a feat when you hold an elected position. I give a tip of the hat to Sheriff Gary F Toelke and others like him who strive to serve the people entrusted to their care.
Obviously, the death of Fidel Castro sparked a lot of discussion over the weekend. The celebrations in Miami indicate the sentiment of people who came to America to escape oppression in Cuba. Meanwhile, some leaders around the world and some celebrities here at home offered words of praise for the deceased. That difference in worldview says a lot about the challenges facing freedom across the globe.
As we embark on a new liturgical year on this First Sunday of Advent, let us heed the admonitions in the Scripture readings. Throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. The world needs your faithful witness to Jesus Christ. Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
It has been a great week, and it is only Wednesday. The first two days of the workweek also brought variety into my life.
On Monday I had the privilege of spending a couple of hours working at St. Joseph’s Food pantry helping distribute turkeys and all the fixings for a Thanksgiving dinner. I heard on the news that nearly 500 hundred households were served by that endeavor. It was sad to know that so many people are experiencing hardship and are in need of assistance, but the atmosphere of the day was truly uplifting.
Unexpected visits and phone calls kept Tuesday interesting. I am always thrilled to add speaking engagements to my schedule because I enjoy being out with God’s people rather than sitting behind my desk. Most of my venues for speaking engagements are in church or school settings, but once in a while a different type of opportunity arises. I was invited by the Cheyenne Frontier Lions Club to be the speaker at their annual Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet next March at the Radisson Hotel. I am truly honored by the invitation.
Ash Wednesday is March 1, 2017 and that always begins a busy time of year for me. Typically, I only agree to lead two parish missions during Lent. Being gone from home for five consecutive days for each mission makes doing more than two during any given liturgical season a difficult task. The administrative duties of my job do not cease to accumulate while I am out on the road. However, I just agreed to participate for one night in a third parish mission during Lent. The Cathedral of St. Mary will have a parish mission in March with a different speaker each night. I am going to kick it off on the first night. That is tentatively scheduled for March 20, 2017. (I will be at St. Patrick’s in Wheatland and Our Lady of Fatima in Casper for the other two missions during Lent. I will be at St. James in Douglas for a parish mission in Advent of 2017–still a year away.)
Finally, a meeting yesterday with the regional planning team for the 2018 Southwest Liturgical Conference Study Week was exciting. Although it is still fourteen months away, it was great to be just a small part of the planning process which will bring this gathering to Cheyenne in January of 2018. It will be fantastic to see six or seven hundred people coming together to learn how we can more effectively worship almighty God through vibrant liturgical worship. Organizing an event like this is no small task. I commend the team for the groundwork already accomplished.
On a personal note, I completed the last review of my manuscript yesterday. The layout and design are approved and the final proofreading is finished. Whatever mistakes remain in the text will be there for good now. I cannot believe how many times you can read over something and still not catch all the grammatical or typographical errors. It is my sincere hope that the major flaws have been detected and corrected at this point. We now move into the final phase of the publishing process–the actual printing. The book will be ready for purchase just after the first of the year. More details will be given as the time draws near. It took me thirty years to turn this dream of writing a book into an actual goal. Once I made it a goal, with a specific timeline of objectives to be reached, I was able to have the discipline to follow through. I wish it would not have taken me so long to figure that out.
There is much to be thankful for in my life as we inch closer to Thanksgiving Day. The family is well. A new opportunity for employment came my wife’s way and she will begin new adventures on December 1, 2017. I have only had four days off in the last six weeks, but I actually have no commitments over the Thanksgiving weekend. Subsequently, I am thankful for a four-day weekend. I am getting out of the saddle (my desk chair) for four days. That is a good feeling!
As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays draw near, it is a good time to briefly turn the page of your calendar to 2017 and block out January 28, 2017 for the pro-life events happening in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In addition to everything listed in the flyer above, there will also be a holy hour the evening before on January 27, 2017 from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Cheyenne.
Thanksgiving week seems to generate a lot of activity at food pantries and homeless shelters. I am grateful that many people donate their time and their treasure to helping those in need during the holidays. It is also a sobering reminder that people need help all year round. The opportunities to give a “hand up” are not isolated to the holiday season.
The statistics regarding poverty in our our country do not paint a pretty picture. An economic recovery may have happened for some, but it has obviously not reached everyone. The pressure placed on social service agencies caring for the needs of the poor is immense. Supply and demand dictates the level of service. Unfortunately, the “demand” for help seems to surpass the “supply” side in many instances.
We, as Church, continue to live out the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. How will you share in the healing ministry of Christ to care for those in need?
Sculpture at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyoming
The wind began to blow with more intensity and the snow started to fall. It must be time for a group photo outside. Actually, the time for the picture had been established yesterday, but it was a bit ironic how the weather changed at exactly the point we walked outside. Fortunately, the photo was not scheduled for an hour or so later because this is what it looked like by then.
We have a good group of people working at the Chancery Office. I am blessed to be part of this team that is working in the vineyard of the Lord here in Wyoming. I am grateful to Rev. Carl Gallinger (far left in top photo) who has assumed the duties of Diocesan Administrator in the absence of a bishop. He will keep the ship running smoothly while we wait for the appointment of a new bishop.
Our staff gathers for prayer each day at 11:50 am before heading off to lunch. We keep the people of the Diocese of Cheyenne in our prayers on a regular basis, but our intercessory prayer reaches much wider than just Wyoming. I have frequently placed petitions with the group to pray for people from my previous parishes in Missouri and Colorado. There is no doubt our prayers are effective. Time and time again we have seen the power of prayer in our midst. God’s grace, mercy, and healing is amazing.
