Author Archives: Deacon Jonathan Jones

First Sunday of Lent – 2017

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Since last Wednesday, “Ash Wednesday,” the Catholic Church, along with other Christian churches, began a 40 day period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.  This leads up to Holy Week, and the commemoration of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Today, the First Sunday of Lent, the sanctuary of our church is decorated in somber, purple; with no flowers.  We process in, not with hymns, but chanting prayers, begging for God’s mercy; and for the intercession of the saints.

The scripture readings for today, first tell of how our first parents, gave into temptation, and brought sin and death into the world.  Then  we hear the Gospel, the “Good News,” of how Jesus resisted temptation, and began the journey that would lead to our liberation.  

So how will we spend these days of Lent; will we intensify our spiritual lives? Will we “repent and believe the Good News?”  Will we be lights to a world so threatened by darkness, by hate, and violence.  Let us “prepare the way of the Lord, and be witnesses of the power of His Love!

Snow Day – And Aftermath

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“Let the earth bless the Lord; praise and exalt Him above all forever!…Frost and chill, bless the Lord!  Ice and snow, bless the Lord!”  (Paraphrase from the Book of Daniel)

New England has just been through its first major blizzard of 2017.  With some delay, I was able to make it to and from work without incident (or frostbite!). 

Now, we have blue skies and bright sunlight reflecting off newly fallen snow.  It is the beauty of it, that makes me glad I am a Massachusetts man.  (Most of the time!)

Weekend Coffee Share – 01/22/2017

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deacon coffee mugOver a cup of coffee, I would first apologize to you, then say: “THE N.E. PATRIOTS ARE GOING TO SUPER BOWL!!!”  There; sorry, but I had to get that out of my system!

Now, over a cup of coffee, I would share with you my concerns over the Presidential Inauguration that took place last Friday in Washington D.C.  Never in my life, have I been more worried about the person whom the nation has elected to guide it for the next four years; and there have been some past Presidents, that while I may have fiercely disagreed with them, I respected them. election-2016

Of equal concern to me has been the type of nation that this election has revealed.  Public television recently showed a program, entitled “The Divided State of America.”  We seem to be a country that is more separated, that is more angry, and refuses to speak to another, in a respectful manner.  Even in the American Catholic Church, there is little agreement; a survey of Catholics who voted showed that a majority of white Catholics voted for Trump; a majority of Latino Catholics voted for Clinton.  It is interesting that in today’s Sunday reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to Corinthians had this statement:

For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.  I mean that each of you is saying, ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos,’ or ‘I belong to Cephas,’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’  Is Christ divided?

Could we change the wording, and have “each of you is saying, ‘I am for Trump,’ or ‘I am for Clinton.’  Is Christ divided?”  We, as a community of believers, need to realize, need to experience that around the altar of the Lord, we are one with Christ; we are all united in the Body of Christ.  This is something we all need to work for.

Over a cup of coffee, I would share with you that the Catholic Church, and many of the Christian churches are in the middle of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  Acknowledging that we are a divided worldwide community of believers; many people are working to find a path to unity.  We realize that we need prayer, because apart from Christ, not drawing on the power of His grace, we can achieve little.  Before I carry my empty cup to the sink, I leave you with a prayer that was distributed in 2008:

O God, source of perfect unity, pour out your grace upon your Church at prayer.   Heal the divisions and mistrust past years have wrought among your children.  We pray without ceasing for conversion of heart and a deeper faithfulness to the gospel.  We pray for a closer relationship with Christ Jesus who prayed ‘that all may be one.’  Fill us with the desire to unite ourselves to his prayer of unity.  May we live as one, as you are one, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen. 

Someday

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“Someday,” is a word with many uses.  It is used by those of us who prefer to put things off; “Someday, I will learn to paint.” Someday, I will lose weight.” “Someday, I will become that better person.”  Life challenges us to not wait for someday, but to begin now to be all we can be.

In the life of faith, also, we use the word: “Someday.”  How many of us make promises to God? That someday, we will have a deeper prayer life.  That someday, we will become better Christians.  Jesus challenges us to begin today; that “someday,” becomes “now.”

2017 – A New Year

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2017-new-yearSo the year 2016 is past, the year 2017 has begun.  The world, our country has been afflicted by violence whether by state sponsored or terrorist sponsored attacks.  Many times the violence has been random.  The call of “Peace on Earth; Goodwill to all!” seems to ring hollow during this holiday season.

Our country has been through the most raucous presidential election season, since the early days of the Republic!  And it has revealed that there are deep divisions in our nation.  The concept of civil discourse and debate seems to have flown out of the window.  And we have elected a person as President that many do not respect; that others are a little concerned about his style of governance; and what it portends for the next four years

While engaged in Morning Prayer, I came across this verse from Psalm 42 “Why are you downcast my soul; why do you groan within me?  Wait for God, whom I shall praise again, my savior and my God.”  This will be verse I think will become my new mantra for this coming year.

On New Year’s Eve, I joined my wife at a worshipping community she goes to; and participated in a Burning Bowl ceremony.  We were invited to write down on a slip of flash paper, something negative we wanted God’s help in taking away from us.  We then placed the slips in a bowl that had a small fire; which consumed the petitions.  It was very moving.

The year of 2016 has been a year of some changes for me personally.  I finally found employment at a South Shore company; starting in January, 2016.  So I will be entering my second year of employment, and it has been good.  The commute is long, two hours to and back; using commuter train and subway.  I am always telling people that at least someone else is doing the driving.

In September of this year, I will be entering my fifth year as an ordained Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.  I cannot believe that much time has passed.  I have been assigned to three Beverly, MA, parishes; where most of my work has been liturgical, assisting at 5 of Masses celebrated in two of three parishes.  It seems a lot; but I have experienced spiritual aid, that helps me perform my sacred duties well.  The Deacon has several ways of service he offers to the Church; a service of Worship, service of the Word, and a service of Charity.  I am still reflecting and discerning what that means in my daily life.  What role should daily prayer, daily reading, and meditating of Scripture should have.  I am not where I think I should be.  Maybe, this New Year, I will find some guidance; and perhaps some improvement.

A New Year begins, a year of fear, a year of anxiety, but also a year of hope, a year of change, and a year of trust in the Lord.

Yearar

Enthusiasm for Blogging – Where did it go?

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I have recently looked at the WordPress Insight page for this blog.  It shows the number of times I have posted this past year.  Looking at it has been very depressing.  There have been months with very few posts, some months where I did not post at all!

I began blogging some years ago, first using Blogspot, then moving over to WordPress.  My wish, my hope, was to be able to share my views on the world of the Catholic Church, locally, nationally and internationally.  I wanted to share what was happening in my own spiritual life, and spiritual insights about the greater world. And I set the goal of trying to post at least a few times a week.  And for the most part I was able to keep to that schedule.  Even, when I was laid off, I tried to keep on posting.

Now, I am employed again, but the commute to my new job is two hours to; and two hours back.  I am usually not home until 8:30 PM, if I am lucky.  And sitting at the computer sometimes is the last thing I want to do.  And now, I have the WordPress app on my smartphone, and I have actually posted using it.  But is uses a lot of data!  And my plan does not have that much.

Of course, the main reason I have not blogged much this year, is that I no longer have the same enthusiasm for it.  It is rare for me to be inspired to sit in front of this cranky laptop, that has a cursor with a mind of it’s own; and produce something that people would be interested in reading.  And I still like reading others people’s blogposts, for the insights they offer, or just the joy of reading good writing.

Maybe I will rediscover that old enthusiasm again, some day.  What I need to do is to open to those moments, when a spark of inspiration ignites within me, and gets to to sit down and write.
Enthusiasm

Coffee Share – Week of 11/27/2016

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Over a cup of coffee, I would share that I am typing this on my IPhone.  We just had the our carpet washed, and I am nervous about having the laptop power cord laying on it. I am still trying to get my thumbs trained.

Over a cup of coffee, I would share with you my reactions to this post election period.  Again, I have been through many post presidential elections periods; never have I been through one like we currently are.  I am still trying to be open and giving this coming administration a chance; but the actions of the President-elect is not making it easy.  And now the other side is engaging in the very actions they accused the Trump campaign of trying to do; delegitimize the election.

Over a cup of coffee, I want to share something a fellow deacon, who is a theologian and author, Deacon William Ditewig.  On his blog billditewig.wordpress.com.  He suggests we take the following actions:

  • We must be active agents of peace and reconciliation.
  • We must move beyond categories of ‘winners’ and ‘losers.’
  • We can offer opportunities for listening and dialogue with the view towards reconciliation.
  • How might we all become even more involved in the local political scene…We all have a responsibility to do something and not just complain about things.

Finally, he suggests, and I concur, that no matter if we are Democrats or Republicans; liberals or conservatives;  we come together, when we gather around the Eucharistic Table.  We need to remember that in Christ, we are all brothers and sisters, we are all one.

Well, the cup’s empty, see you soon over a cup of coffee.

A Thanksgiving Psalm

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thanksgiving-2

118 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

2 Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

5 I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord,
Through which the righteous shall enter.

21 I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.

22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.

29 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

(Psalm 118: 1-10, 19-29; NKJV)

Coffee Share  11/21/2016

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deacon coffee mugGood day!  I usually meet you all on the weekend over a cup of coffee.  However, if we were having a cup right now; I would tell you that yesterday, I jammed the tips of my fingers in a closing door.  My pastor had to rush off to a wake service, after Sunday Mass. I volunteered to check our main doors, to make sure they were locked up tight.  One set of doors did not seem right, so I pushed them open a bit. Still do not remember exactly what happened, but suddenly my left hand fingers were caught in the doors.  There is no serious damage, a little bruising under one nail, and the fingertips are still a little sore.  So it has been a little painful typing yesterday.  Right now, I am using my thumbs on my mobile phone.  Not quite sure this is an improvement.

Over a cup of coffee, I would tell that we had our first snow of the year!  It was only a dusting, but I still had to brush our car off.

Over a cup of coffee, I would share with you my growing anxiety about  this presidential transition.  I have through a dozen presidential elections; and I do not remember it ever being like this.  I have in the past reserved judgment until a new administration was up in running.  But this transition, the opinions of people that they are bringing into government, quite frankly, scare me.

As I write this, I am watching a beautiful sunrise.  I remember a quote from the writings of English mystic, Julian of Norwich: “All will be well, all will be well.”  See you soon over a cup of coffee.