Author Archives: Deacon Jonathan Jones

San Damiano Cross Is Going Home!

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San Damiano crossThe Franciscan blogosphere is buzzing with the news that the Cross from which Christ spoke to St. Francis of Assisi, is returning to the chapel of San Damiano!

During his period of conversion, Francis was known to visit some of the chapels that dotted the Italian landscape around Assisi.  Many were in ill-repair, one of them was the chapel of San Damiano.  Francis was said to have been drawn to the icon cross of Christ Crucified that was hanging in the chapel.  The painter of the Byzantine style cross is unknown, but experts estimate its creation took place around 1100 AD.

The story goes that when Francis entered the chapel, and knelt before the cross, he heard the voice of Jesus Christ coming from the image on it.  The Crucified Christ said to Francis: “go and repair my house, which as you can see is falling into ruins.”  Francis immediately assumed that the Divine command referred only to the chapel he was in.  He leaped to his feet, gave some coins to the priest in residence there, to keep the votive lamp burning in front of the cross, and then set off to purchase building materials.  And the rest is, as they say, history.  After rebuilding San Damiano, Francis went on to rebuild several other countryside chapels.  Christ would soon lead Francis to the realization the his call was not just to repair a few chapels, but to repair the whole spiritual edifice known as the Catholic Church.  The Franciscan movement he founded would draw thousands of individuals to join him.  Among them, a young woman by the name of Clare of Assisi, and other women as well.  They became known as the Poor Ladies of Assisi.  We know them today as the Poor Clares.

Francis installed Clare and her sisters in San Damiano, and they became the custodians of the crucifix.  Later, after the death of St. Clare, a basilica church was built within walls of Assisi, to house her remains.  The Poor Clare community also moved into Assisi, for safety, and they brought the crucifix with them.  The San Damiano Cross has been on display within the Basilica of St. Clare for many years.  Now it is being returned to San Damiano, it is going home.

San Damiano Monastery

 

Belated Happy Feast Day, St. Anthony!

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St Anthony of PaduaWith the tragedy in Orlando, Florida; I forgot to write something acknowledging the feast day on June 13th of this blog’s namesake, St. Anthony of Padua.

Born in Portugal, an Augustinian monk; he wound up in Italy as Franciscan friar.  He was famous for his eloquence, and skill as a preacher.  During his life, and after his death, he gained a reputation as a miracle worker.  The following is a prayer, asking his intercession:

O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and charity for His creatures made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers.  Encouraged by thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request).

O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours.  Amen.

If there was ever a time when, as a country , and a world; we needed a miracle, it is now!  So, St. Anthony, pray for us!

And Jesus Wept

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Memorial Orlando ShootingsThe tragedy in Orlando FL has shaken the country.  Yet, there are those who say the people, the victims, who attended the nightclub; got what they deserved.

Whether you accept their lifestyle or not; these were human beings, created by God.  And Jesus wept.

There are politicians who cry out for banning Muslims from our shores.  The majority here are hard-working, and law-abiding.  Those who wish come here; are seeking refuge from violence.

They wish only to exercise the rights that are the foundation of this country; “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”  But some of us want to turn them into objects of fear.  They are human beings, created by God.  And Jesus weeps.

And Jesus wept

The First Novitiate – Friday Fictioneers

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RivoTorto photo-by-piya-singh-bittercharm-6The farmhand walks through the Italian woods, heading for home.  His body aches from his labors; his heart aches because he will barely feed his family with what he earned today.  In the twilight, he is passing by an abandoned farmhouse, when he hears the sound of chanting, coming from it.  He peers in, and sees a group of men, dressed in brown robes, kneeling on the dirt floor.  They circle a little thin man, who is leading them in prayer.  The farmhand sees a glow of light emanating from him, touching the others, touching him.  He experiences great peace.

 

 

 

 

NB:  After Francis of Assisi won provisional papal approval for his rule of life; he and his small group of brothers went down to a small Italian area known as RivoTorto.  There they lived; during the day they cared for lepers.  Some would work in the fields, and get paid in food and drink.  They spent their evenings in prayer, and being taught by Francis.  It was the Order’s first novitiate.  One day, a farmer pushed his donkey into the hut, and pushed the brothers out, into the wider world.

Second Cup – Weekend Coffee Share

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deacon coffee mugIf we were having a second cup of coffee, I would tell about this Sunday being an important day in the life of the Catholic Church.  It is Pentecost Sunday, fifty days after Easter, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles, Mother Mary, and the other disciples: “Tongues as of fire appeared, which parted and came to rest on each of them.  All were filled with the Holy Spirit.  They began to express themselves in foreign tongues and make bold proclamation as the Spirit prompted them.” (Acts 2:3-4)  We celebrate the day when the Apostles went out and boldly announced to the world the Good News of Jesus Christ.

If we were having a second cup of coffee, I would tell that I am wearing my red Deacon stole; red symbolizing the fire of the Holy Spirit.  It is a fire that is desperately needed in the Church, to awaken slumbering hearts and souls.  It is desperately needed in my own heart and soul.  We need to open ourselves to experience the love, the awesomeness of God.  And we need to rekindle the fire within ourselves; to be able to go out and give witness, by word and deed, to the love of God.

If we were having a second cup of coffee,  I would tell you the story of a Desert Father, whose was approached by one of his followers.  This person had been faithful to living the Gospel, following his rule of life, and engaging in constant prayer to God.  He asked his spiritual father: “What more did he need to do?”  The Desert Father raised his hands to the sky, and his fingers turned to fire, “If you will, you can become all flame” he said.  May all our hearts become aflame with the power of the Holy Spirit; may that fire spread throughout our communities, our nations, our world.

Well, the cup is empty, and the caffeine is wearing off.  See you next weekend over a warm cuppa.

deacon red stole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On Retreat – Weekend Coffee Share

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Campion Retreat Center 2

Campion Retreat Center

If we were having a cup of coffee, I would tell you that last weekend I was at a retreat for Permanent Deacons of the Archdiocese of Boston.  It was held at the Campion Retreat Center in Weston, MA.  The Center is managed by the Society of Jesus, better known at the Jesuits.  It is also where their retirement home is located.  Our retreat master was a Xaverian Brother by the name of Paul Feeney.  When many of us were in formation, he taught the Old Testament class.  For this retreat, he looked at the lives and spiritualities of Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton; two American Catholics, whose names were mentioned by Pope Francis during his address to the joint session of Congress.  Dorothy Day, a Catholic social activist, was a co-founder of the Catholic Worker Movement.  She practiced every day, the Corporal Works of Mercy, feeding the hungry,

79px-Dorothy_Day_1916

Dorothy Day

comforting those in distress, clothing the naked.  But there was more to it than that, she and her followers strove to change society, to make it a place where it “was easy for people to be good.”  Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk, who wrote a spiritual biography in the 1940’s, that continues inspire people.  He was a prolific writer, and a mystic; combining the two, he produced writings that helped guide many into a deeper spiritual life.  He also wrote on matters of peace and justice, that gave support and spiritual sustenance to many Catholic activists, the late Father Daniel Berrigan, SJ, being one of them.

If we were having a cup of coffee, I would tell you that I had planned on writing about this

Thomas Merton

Thomas Merton

sooner.  I packed the old laptop and brought it with me.  Only to find out that Center does not have WiFi available for retreatants.  Just as well, the weekend was suppose to a time of quiet and reflection, a time of sacred reading and prayer.  And I tried to take advantage of the opportunity handed me.  And it was a spiritually refreshing weekend.

If we were having coffee, I would tell you that while I was waiting at the main entrance to be picked up, a horse came galloping by, followed by a dismounted horsewoman, and some bicyclists.  There was a horse show going on down the road; I guess this big fellah had other ideas.  Fortunately, they caught him before he could be struck by a car, or run over a retired Jesuit, out for his morning constitutional.

If we were having a cup of coffee, I would tell that no matter how great a spiritual experience of a retreat may have been, life is waiting for you when you leave.  I have a book entitled “After the Ecstasy, the Laundry.”  For me, it should read, “After the Ecstasy, Monday morning, the commute, the cubicle!”  The challenge of any retreat experience, is to strive to make what you learn, what you experience, a part of your daily life.  That is something I am still struggling with.

Well, the coffee mug is empty, maybe tomorrow I will bring another steaming mug over.  We will see.

The Birds (A Different Take)

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Friday Fictioneers grey-day-with-pigeons-roger-bultot (1)

He slowly gets out of bed; not wanting to face the coming day.  Looking out of his window, he sees the outside reflecting his mood.  He notices the birds, sitting on the wire, huddled together against the damp.  Suddenly, they all take flight; they appear to be heading for his building!  The birds wheel about and head downward.  It is then, that he notices the little man, dressed in a brown robe.  The birds land all around the little man.  He blesses them, and they all take off; filling the air with their birdsong.  Staring out his window, he smiles.

 

A Wedding Homily

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St. Margaret

St. Margaret of Scotland Church

Last Saturday, April 23rd, at St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Beverly; I had the privilege and honor to officiate at the wedding of a very nice couple.  It was my first wedding ceremony as a deacon, and to say I was a little nervous, would be putting it mildly.  So I put everything in the hands of the Lord, and stepped out into the sanctuary and greeted the handsome groom and beautiful bride.  The ceremony was both simple and powerful.  A single violin provided the music; and the old church never looked better.  The following is the homily I delivered, although I did change it a little as I preached:

 

My friends, we are a gathered here today, to witness something awesome!  We have two unique individuals, Jaclyn and Michael, who soon will become one.  They have been brought together by the power of love; they will be joined together by the power of love.  We are to about to witness, we are about to celebrate a sacrament, the sacrament of marriage.  A sacrament, instituted by Jesus Christ, when it is celebrated, reveals and makes present the divine reality they signify, a visible sign of the God’s grace at work within us.  And we will soon witness the grace of the Father’s love at work within Jaclyn and Michael.  And they are going to be changed down to the core of their being by the grace of God, transformed, and forever changed.  They will be a new creation.

It is love, perfected by God’s grace, which binds them together.  And we need to understand that the love I am speaking about not the sentimental love one sees in Hallmark cards.  It is the type of love that St. Paul describes in his letter to the Corinthians. 

“Love is patient, love is kind…It does not seek its own interests.  It is not quick tempered….It bears all things… believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”  (1st Cor ). 

This is what love should be for all of us, in all of our relationships, but especially in a marital relationship.  But I will tell you now, after 27 years of being with the love of my life, with all the joys and happiness, there can still be challenges, there can be some struggles, because we can never know what curve balls life will toss at us.  Even the day to day of living together will bring happy surprises, but also some challenges.  But I can also testify to the fact that you will each have some new discoveries about the other; the majority of which will bring joy and happiness in your life, but some that may drive you up the wall.  It is love that will keep you both on an even keel; it is love that will see you both through.  It is love that will keep the joy alive for both of you.  And as St. Paul says, “Love never fails.”

For love to work though, our hearts, our souls, must be continually open to its source; open to God’s grace through Jesus Christ the Son.  Jesus Christ, who is the prime example of what it means to love, who emptied Himself for love of us all.  We encounter Him in Word and Sacrament , we encounter Him in quiet moments.  And in that encounter, we are refreshed.

It is appropriate that we celebrate this wedding here in this church, named for St. Margaret of Scotland.  She is one of our rare laywoman saints.  She is an example of what a Catholic marriage is all about.  Born in England, she would become Queen of Scotland, after marrying King Malcolm III of Scotland in 1070.  It is said that they had a very affectionate relationship, which was rare for royal marriages of those times.  Together, they had eight children.  She is said to have had a civilizing effect on the Scottish court.  She had a strong spiritual life, and she was known charitable works, supported by her husband.  A true marriage is life enriching for both husband and wife.  And a true Catholic marriage is life giving, by having children, or reaching out to others in need. 

The wonder, the joy of the love of God is made manifest in many ways.  One of them is by this sacrament we are about to celebrate, in what this couple is about to celebrate.  Let us join together, praying for Jaclyn and Michael, for their joy and happiness.  And let us witness something awesome!

#Weekendcoffeeshare First Timer

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If we were having coffee, I would tell you that this is the first time I am writing a post for this.  I would also share with that this is first post I have written in over a month!  There was a time that I was posting at least monthly.  That I really got into the Blogging U. courses.  That I now am having a hard time coming up with anything to write about; to share an opinion about, or have the energy to sit myself at the keyboard.  That there was a time that I had high hopes for my blog, but now I wonder if all the reading, the posting was worth it.

If we were having coffee, I would let you know that I am an ordained Deacon in the Roman Catholic Church.  I would tell you that last Sunday, I baptized three beautiful little babies (Two boys, and a girl), and welcomed them into the Church, into the Body of Christ.  How I invited the parents, the godparents, and guests to open their hearts to the miracle that was happening before them; and be aware of the love of God they were witnessing.

If we were having coffee, I would tell that I need to get through this writer’s block soon, because next weekend, I am officiating at a wedding.  I will be preaching a homily, and I need to write it this week.  I will tell that I turning to the Holy Spirit, and asking her to blow hard and breakdown the roadblocks I have in my head and soul.

As I drain my coffee mug, I would tell you that I am typing this on one of the computers in the parish office.  I have a desktop at home and an inherited laptop; both have had long service, and are kinda cranky in their old age.  Anyway, I have go back to the church soon, to prepare for the next celebration of Mass.

I hope to be here next weekend, with another cup of coffee.

Brief Reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Lent – 2016

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Jesus and the Woman

 

Isaiah 43: 16-21

Philippians 3: 8-14

John 8: 1-11

 

“Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; see, I am doing something  new!”  Isaiah 43

“Jesus finally straightened up and said to the her, ‘Woman, where did they all disappear to?  Has no one condemned you ?  ‘No one sir,’ she answered.  Jesus said, ‘Nor do I condemn you.  You may go.  But from now on, avoid this sin.'” (John 8: 10-11)

 

In the past few Sundays, the Scriptures have had the theme of God’s mercy.  Last Sunday it was the parable of the Prodigal Son, this  Sunday, we read of Jesus’ encounter with the woman who had been caught in the act of adultery.  The reality of God’s mercy and love for all His creation has been and is a constant theme in Pope Francis’ homilies and addresses to the world.  Yet, many of us have, sadly, been receiving mixed messages from many the Christian communities.  Both over radio, broadcast television, cable television, and the Web; we hear preachers of all denominations, deliver “fire and brimstone” sermons, condemning sinners to hell.  People who believe themselves to be among the “righteous”, look with disgust, and sometimes hatred,  at those they see being among the “unclean.”

In Jesus times, such individuals also existed, especially those who were among the Temple elite.  They wanted a “pure” holy society; by a strict, unbending obedience to “the Law.”  But they had forgotten what God had spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “…see, I am doing something new!”  Jesus was revealing a loving God, a Father of mercy.  Jesus challenged the leaders of his time, and he challenges us to show mercy and forgiveness to all   those who may have harmed us.  Jesus remind’s us, that none of us are without sin or fault.  As we hope for God’s mercy, so must we give mercy to others.