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Are You Too Weak For God? / ¿Eres Demasiado Débil Para Dios?

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I really like the words of First Corinthians 1:26-31. I guess it is because I’ve struggled all my life with poor self-esteem. That usually starts young in life after being told that you’re a bad person. The good part is that I’ve felt God being part of my life beginning at a very early age. I’ve probably mentioned it before but I’m not a cradle Catholic. I came into the church at 9 years old. But, prior to that, the pastor’s wife of a free Methodist Church would pick me up on Sunday morning and bring me to Sunday school. I would really like a picture of myself at that age (4) because my eyes must have been as big as saucers! I would look at the felt board and listen to Bible stories. I remember it like it was yesterday. That Lady was like a surrogate mother to me, but I didn’t realize it until I was about 40 years old. It was discovered during spiritual direction. I think I went through a lot of Kleenex at that moment.

Today’s First Reading talks about most of us not being of noble birth. Then it says that God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise. I chuckle at that because I’ve seen it happen many times. Paul goes on to say that God chooses the weak of the world to shame the strong and chooses the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something. 

Wow! Is that awesome or what? Except, the world does not believe that! The world tells us that we have to be powerful. And what gets power, you say? Usually, it’s money. Following the line of logic, if you have no money you have no power. But, power is not all it’s cracked up to be. At least human power. 

Hopefully by now, you have felt the Lord’s presence working through you. That includes Him giving you the words to say when he places someone before you that needs help. In my opinion, one can only believe that by experience. And where does that experience come from? It is from us dying to ourselves and actually allowing the Lord to work through us. Be careful though, because when that first happens it can or may become prideful. The Lord’s words have power, especially when delivered in a gentle way. There are so many places in Scripture where this was proven and sometimes we forget that some of the greatest people in Scripture were the lowliest, at least in the eyes of the world.

I am going to get real serious now. If you have ever had the feeling of being “less than”, please hear this: Many people disregard the idea of God speaking to a person. That is because they never heard God speaking to them. Scripture tells us that God loves the poor and the lowly. How could that be true? Easy, the poor and the lowly need God to survive. So, they are in contact with the Lord every day. They do not wait for a major crisis to call on the Lord. 

The secret is to die to self (sound familiar?) and open up that channel between you and God and let Eternity be your goal.

Amen?

Serving with Joy!

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Me gustan mucho las palabras de 1 Corintios 1,26-31. Supongo que es porque he batallado toda mi vida con una baja autoestima. Eso generalmente comienza temprano en la vida después de que te digan que eres una mala persona. Lo bueno es que he sentido a Dios siendo parte de mi vida desde muy temprana edad. Probablemente lo he mencionado antes, pero no nací católico. Entré a la iglesia a los 9 años. Pero, antes de eso, la esposa del pastor de una iglesia metodista me recogía el domingo por la mañana y me llevaba a la escuela dominical. ¡Realmente me gustaría una foto mía a esa edad (4) porque mis ojos deben haber sido tan grandes como platos! Miraba el tablero de fieltro y escuchaba historias bíblicas. Lo recuerdo como si fuera ayer. Esa Señora fue como una madre sustituta para mí, pero no me di cuenta hasta que tuve unos 40 años. Fue descubierto durante la dirección espiritual. Creo que gasté muchos Kleenex en ese momento.

La Primera Lectura de hoy habla de que la mayoría de nosotros no somos de nacimiento noble. Luego dice que Dios escogió a los insensatos del mundo para avergonzar a los sabios. Me río de eso porque lo he visto suceder muchas veces. Pablo continúa diciendo que Dios elige a los débiles del mundo para avergonzar a los fuertes y elige a los humildes y despreciados del mundo, a los que nada valen, para reducir a la nada los que son algo.

¡Wow! ¡Qué impresionante! Solo que el mundo no cree eso. El mundo nos dice que tenemos que ser poderosos. ¿Y qué obtiene el poder? Por lo general, es el dinero. Siguiendo la línea de la lógica, si no tienes dinero no tienes poder. Pero, el poder no es tan bueno como parece. Al menos el poder humano.

Ojalá ya habrás sentido la presencia del Señor obrando a través de ti. Eso incluye que Él te dé las palabras cuando pone a alguien delante de ti que necesita ayuda. En mi opinión, uno solo puede creer eso por experiencia. ¿Y de dónde viene esa experiencia? Se trata de nosotros muriendo a nosotros mismos y permitiendo que el Señor obre a través de nosotros. Sin embargo, ten cuidado, porque cuando eso sucede por primera vez, puedes volverte orgulloso.

Las palabras del Señor tienen poder, especialmente cuando se pronuncian con dulzura. Hay tantos lugares en las Escrituras donde esto se demostró y, a veces, nos olvidamos que algunas de las personas más importantes de las Escrituras eran las más humildes, al menos a los ojos del mundo.

Voy a ponerme muy serio ahora. Si alguna vez has tenido la sensación de sentirte “menos”, por favor escucha esto: Muchas personas ignoran la idea de que Dios le hable a una persona. Eso es porque nunca escucharon a Dios hablarles. Las Escrituras nos dicen que Dios ama a los pobres y a los humildes. ¿Cómo podría ser cierto? Fácil, los pobres y los humildes necesitan a Dios para sobrevivir y por eso están en contacto con el Señor todos los días. No esperan una gran crisis para invocar al Señor.

El secreto es morir a uno mismo (¿te suena familiar?) y abrir ese canal entre tú y Dios y dejar que la Eternidad sea tu meta.

¿Amén?

¡Serviendo con Alegría!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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What is Your Pearl? / ¿Cuál es tu Perla?

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How far back can you remember what your favorite toy was? I can remember still, sleeping in a crib cuddling with my blankie and holding my little stuffed elephant. For some reason I never had a teddy bear. I guess it’s human nature wanting to cuddle up with something. 

I bring this up because Jesus, in today’s Gospel talks about the pearl of great price. He uses the example of the pearl to show how someone can become fixated on an object. The object could be anything, like a rare shotgun, or a beautiful ring, or a 1939 Pontiac or a Rolex and on and on. Having those things is not a bad thing, it’s just how we think about them. Are they our pearl of great price?

Have you ever heard of the parenting style “Love and Logic”? I learned it in the 90’s when our youngest was 14. Love and logic does not have punishments. It has consequences. I think they used that word so it doesn’t sound so bad. If your parenting skills are not quite as they should be, look up Love and Logic. It might just change your family life! There are classes and books that will put you on track. 

The beauty of this parenting style is that you are not the bad guy. The child is allowed to discern whether to do this or to do that. You decide what the consequences are and design it so that whatever they choose, is still pleasing to the parent. For instance, you sit down with the child and explain to them, if you don’t do what Mommy or Daddy ask you to do there will be a consequence. The consequence is based on withholding something that they hold dear. Warning. If your child does not hold anything dear, it’s going to be a difficult process. 

Ten or so years ago one of my grandsons was the receiver of this new parenting style. At that moment in his life he thought Thomas the train was the best thing ever. His mother picked up on that and used the withdrawal of Thomas as his consequence. I never heard much about how that was going. Except, I walked in the back door one day and there was my grandson staring up at Thomas the train which was set-up on the top of the refrigerator. He didn’t move, he just stood there and stared at it. I could hardly keep from chuckling. I knew his mother had picked the right consequence.

So what does this have to do with the Pearl of great price? Jesus is trying to tell us that we are to love nothing above him. If I were to ask you, “Do you love Jesus”? You would probably say yes. And so would I. But if they heard you or I talking about something that we really would like to have, then sometime later, purchased it, especially if it was kind of pricey, what would you think?

Jesus wants to be the “Pearl”. He wants us to seek him and love him and to adore him. Is that so difficult? The gifts that he gives us at times are beyond our understanding. At times we see those gifts less and less. Why? Does he move away from us? Wait! That is not what happens. We move away from Him. We are in a battle today to keep our faith. The world is so full of darkness, it wants to rip faith away from us. Many stayed home during the COVID pandemic and watched Church streaming on TV. The problem is many are still watching it on TV. If that is what you need to do, that’s fine. But those who are able to get to church, should go to church. Searching for that Pearl of great price (Jesus) is not so difficult. No matter how long we’ve been away, He is there waiting for us. Waiting to forgive us and bringing his marvelous light into our hearts.

Serving With Joy!

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¿Cuánto tiempo atrás puedes recordar cuál era tu juguete favorito? Todavía me acuerdo durmiendo en una cuna acurrucada con mi frazada y sosteniendo mi pequeño elefante de peluche. Por alguna razón nunca tuve un osito de peluche. Supongo que es la naturaleza humana querer acurrucarse con algo.

Mencione esto porque Jesús, en el Evangelio de hoy, habla de la perla de gran precio. Utiliza el ejemplo de la perla para mostrar cómo alguien puede obsesionarse con un objeto. El objeto podría ser cualquier cosa, como una escopeta rara, un hermoso anillo, un Pontiac del año 1939 o un Rolex, etc. Tener esas cosas no es algo malo, pero ¿cómo pensamos de ellas? ¿Son nuestra perla de gran precio?

¿Alguna vez has oído hablar del estilo de crianza “Love and Logic” (El Amor y la Lógica)? Lo aprendí en los años 90 cuando mi hijo menor tenía 14 años. El amor y la lógica no tiene castigos. Tiene consecuencias. Creo que usaron esa palabra para que no suene tan mal. Si sus habilidades de crianza no son como deberían ser, busque “Love and Logic”. ¡Podría cambiar su vida familiar! Hay clases y libros para encaminarte.

La belleza de este estilo de crianza es que tú no eres el malo. Al niño se le permite discernir si hacer esto o aquello. Usted decide cuáles son las consecuencias y lo diseña para que, sea lo que sea que elijan, siga siendo agradable para los padres. Por ejemplo, te sientas con el niño y le explicas que si no haces lo que mamá o papá te piden, habrá una consecuencia. La consecuencia se basa en retener algo que aprecian. Advertencia. Si su hijo no tiene nada querido, será un proceso difícil.

Hace más o menos diez años, uno de mis nietos fue el receptor de este nuevo estilo de crianza. En ese momento de su vida, pensó que Thomas el tren, era la mejor cosa del mundo. Su mamá se dio cuenta de eso y usó la retirada de Thomas como su consecuencia. Nunca escuché mucho acerca de cómo le iba, pero un día entré por la puerta trasera de su casa y allí estaba mi nieto mirando a Thomas el tren que estaba instalado en la parte superior del refrigerador. No se movió, solo se quedó allí y lo miró. Apenas pude evitar reírme. Sabía que su mamá había elegido la consecuencia correcta.

Entonces, ¿qué tiene esto que ver con la perla de gran precio? Jesús está tratando de decirnos que no debemos amar nada más que a él. Si te preguntaran: “¿Amas a Jesús?” Probablemente dirías que sí. Y yo también. Pero si escuchan a ti o a mí hablando de algo que realmente nos gustaría tener, y luego lo compramos, especialmente si es un poco caro, ¿qué pensarías?

Jesús quiere ser la “Perla”. Él quiere que lo busquemos y lo amemos y lo adoremos. ¿Es tan difícil? Los dones que nos da a veces están más allá de nuestra comprensión. A veces vemos esos dones cada vez menos. ¿Por qué? ¿Dios se aleja de nosotros? Eso no es lo que sucede. Nosostros nos alejamos de Él. Estamos en una batalla hoy para mantener nuestra fe. El mundo está tan lleno de oscuridad que quiere arrancarnos la fe. Muchos se quedaron en casa durante la pandemia de COVID y vieron la transmisión de la Iglesia en la televisión. El problema es que muchos todavía lo están viendo en la televisión. Si eso es lo que necesitas hacer, está bien. Pero aquellos que pueden ir a la iglesia, deben ir a la iglesia. Buscar esa Perla de gran precio (Jesús) no es tan difícil. No importa cuánto tiempo hayamos estado fuera, Él está allí esperándonos, esperando perdonarnos y trayendo su maravillosa luz a nuestros corazones.

¡Sirviendo con alegría!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Walk With Me, Jesus

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Today’s Gospel tells us that the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head. There are the words the so-called disciples tells Jesus, “We will follow Him anywhere.” And Jesus answers with these words, “the Son of Man has no where to rest his head”. Every time I read that line I feel kind of sad to think that my Savior has no place to rest. I believe that Jesus was telling this man that following him is not an easy task. Jesus was moving from place to place in order to bring the good news to as many people as possible. I believe he was trying to tell him it’s really difficult to follow him. And it can be.

We are told that the road to heaven is very narrow. Now we know why, because it can be difficult! To reach any worthy goal it takes work. It’s the same in our spiritual walk, but isn’t it worth reaching for? Does it take some effort? Of course it does. Few of us are given things on a silver platter. Scripture is full of stories of times when Jesus met those that were not happy with what he was doing, spreading the good news. He left friends and family behind. But even then He had those that would follow him and help him along the way.

We have three daughters (and five sons) and all three of them experienced some form of what Jesus did, one at a time. They all left home and became missionaries for several years. They left family and friends to give themselves to Jesus and to help spread the good news. Some were in different countries even farther away from home. But they persevered. As time went on they discerned that the Lord was calling them to a new vocation. They are all raising families now and doing well. But, they tell me that those years they spent in the missionary fields they would trade for nothing. God has blessed them for giving Him their first shot.

One thing we never know is how we would react in a certain situation or when making a very important decision. This of course takes a process of discernment. Even that sometimes is very difficult. If you were to ask me if I would give my life for Jesus, what would my answer be? I have thought of this many times in my life. Of course I tell myself, sure I could do that!  But in reality I would not know unless I actually did it and if I actually had the faith to do it.

Many decisions in life are not that heavy, but even some of the lighter ones can be troublesome. This Gospel reading is about making decisions. Many times I have used the term  “Am I all in”? Meaning, am I all in for the Lord? In my heart, I say yes. My mind actually doesn’t prove that I have. So, I continue to do my best for myself and for my family and my Church that we all will help Jesus, to find a place to rest his head and believe the Good News that he continues to give us!

Serving With Joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Who is Your Neighbor?

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The Lord does not allow the big stuff to happen without letting his people know first. I had a bad day yesterday. It seemed like a lot of the darkness in the world was coming in at me at the same time. I knew I would survive. I just needed to be patient and to trust in the Lord to help me get back on track. That early evening, I watched a program on EWTN on Adoration. I felt refreshed. In Acts 18 today, once again, Jesus in a vision tells Paul after all those beatings and shipwrecks, “Do not be afraid”. Why would he say that? Because, Paul seemed to have a price on his head. Because, he was teaching something other than the Mosaic law. Jesus needed to give Paul some reassurance that all was well. That was enough for Paul to carry on and spend 1 1/2 years in Corinth preaching and teaching.

Jesus carries that theme, kind of, telling us we will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. Certainly, this is going on in the present moment. I can’t imagine the horror the people in the Ukraine are having with such great destruction and killing. Three million plus people have left the Ukraine and most of them were the elderly and women and children. They traveled to neighboring countries that would let them in. The men of fighting age were not allowed to leave. Which means there are thousands of children that no longer have a father and women that do not have a husband. God help them.

I heard a few months ago that the shift of wealth today is the greatest in our history. Would it be too much of a stretch to say that the wealthy might be rejoicing? The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. We must remember what God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. The 10 commandments. The second command of those commandments is to love our neighbor. Again. We come to that same conundrum of “Who is our neighbor?” Let me make it easy. It is anyone that the Lord places before you and me.

The pandemic taught us about weeping and mourning. It isn’t just about the physical damage, but also the emotional damage. Being in lockdowns, wearing masks, social distancing, and on and on. Many were necessary, but some were not. There have been plenty of opportunities for us to help our neighbor. How? Perhaps picking up groceries for them or giving them a ride to church or just visiting them or being a friend, etc., etc.

I went back to College in the mid 90’s. The curriculum was Family Life Education at Spring Arbor University. In one of our classes, our professor told us that there was a big culture shift in our country in the last generation. None of us could come up with what it could be. She said a generation ago towns were smaller and everyone knew their neighbors. And it went beyond that. If a neighbor needed help, there was someone nearby that would reach out and help. So, what is the big shift? It is the fact that our country has moved from a family and community-oriented world to a world of individuals. It didn’t take us long to agree with that culture shift. Many people care only about themselves. So, when it comes to needing help, the population of helpers has become much smaller. We need to help change that.

We need to hang out with kindred spirits. I will close with this last example. Last week our little church south of town had special devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary in celebration of Our Lady of Fatima. So what’s the big deal, you say? Afterwards the parish hall was set up for people to socialize. It included a light lunch, card games, etc. A little deal becomes a big deal because we are hanging out with kindred spirits. The spirit in the room changes when kindred spirits gather!

Serving with joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Fear Is Not From God

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I can still remember clearly after St. John Paul II became Pope, he said, “Be not afraid”. It has remained with me to this day. In today’s reading from Acts, Jesus tells Paul in the vision, “Do not be afraid”. Paul would have been dead several times if it wasn’t for the Lord keeping him alive. He went through a lot of pain, including beatings and stoning. The Lord gave Paul a perk. He let him know that he would be OK while in Corinth. I’m sure Paul felt a great relief knowing he would have some smooth sailing for a while.

In today’s Gospel as usual, Jesus would fit right in. It Is a short Gospel but it says a lot. We will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. It reminds me of the life of Noah. Everybody was partying except Noah and family. They did their best to remain faithful. And because of that, and a few thousand Gopher trees and a lot of work, the Lord saved him and his family and the animals. Remember, he didn’t build the ark on a long weekend. Some say it took two to three years.

Today, there’s a lot of weeping and mourning going on. Some of it is very personal and some is going on in faraway countries. The pain and grief are indescribable. In the midst of that pain and suffering, people are opening their hearts and homes to refugees seeking some kind of safety. Praise God!

Jesus tells us that there will be time when he comes back again. He will not allow anyone to take away our joy. Can you imagine that?

For me, the best way to avoid fear is to say, Jesus. I trust in You! If I really do trust him, there is no room for fear. So, be not afraid.

Serving with joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Are You The Father?

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We are all familiar with today’s Gospel, The parable of the prodigal son. The Gospel is a little long, but please take the time to read it again, slowly and reflectively, allowing the Lord to speak to you. I have read it many times and each time I see something new.

If you put yourself into the story, who are you? If that thought has ever occurred to you, you may be surprised at where the Lord puts you! Are you the father, the youngest son, the oldest son, people along the way, or the servants? 

The younger son is the one we remember the most. He’s the rebel, making demands on his father that the son doesn’t deserve. Can you imagine such a thing? Most of us have or have known someone that has a rebellious son. The way to handle a rebellious son is easy. We have two choices: to boot him out or to suck it up. Right?

After reading today’s Gospel, I think not. In fact, not even close! This parable (remember Jesus tells the story) says the father was generous and gave his younger son, half of his estate. That is so far from what we were taught to do. I’m having trouble wrapping my head around that thought of generosity!

Yet, the Father (God) did exactly that. The younger son took off and in no time squandered the money in various places and was broke. He had nothing. To make matters worse, a famine struck. The country that he was in was so bad that no one had much of anything. Did you notice, nobody gave him anything (except corn pods)? He hit rock bottom.

Apparently, his feet still worked, so he headed back to his father’s house. He had time to review what he had done and by the grace of God became remorseful, very remorseful! He begged forgiveness from his father. Once again, his father broke out with great generosity! It was party time because his youngest son was home! So, if we put the face of God onto his father and we have a similar son or daughter could we be so generous? I am praying that we all can learn a great lesson when it comes to love. Perhaps we would have to go against some of the modeling displayed in our families and use God’s favorite word for love, agape. It means unconditional love. To love, even if we are not loved. Wow, What a concept. Let’s all try it!

Serving With Joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Did You Find The Beam?

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One of my favorite books in the Old Testament is Sirach. Today we all get a taste with just a few verses. Verse seven of today’s reading says, “Praise no man before he speaks, for it is then that a man is tested.” I picked that because of what happened to me a few years ago. A very famous Bible teacher came to the Grand Rapids area and I went to hear him. Before the talk, he was standing by the podium by himself. So, I went up there and started some small talk. As I left I said, “I’ll say a prayer for you”. His response was, “I’m sure I’ll be fine”. I couldn’t believe it! I was hurt and angry! I guess my little prayer was something he did not need. Days later, I was still upset. I finally let the Lord breakthrough. He said, “What about you??” Well, I don’t think I have enough fingers to count the times I have put my foot in my mouth! Way too many times! I’m convinced, it was a wakeup call from on high.

The readings for today are very blunt and have a lot to do with being careful with our speech. Has anyone ever said to you, “Why are you so ordinary today?” The answer is, “Well, I got up on the wrong side of the bed”. We all know that’s a pretty weak answer. If we are honest with ourselves and go back over all the emotions of each day and the things that came out of our mouths, we might be saddened and embarrassed realizing what may have happened. The Lord gives us time to repair the damage.

Sirach uses nature to get his point across. For those of you that are familiar with growing fruit and veggies, you know that the time you invest in the ground prep, seeding, watering, and cultivating produce great results. And of course, negligence produces the opposite effect. It’s about the same for us, the more time we invest in curbing our speech and asking for God’s help in the manner, the more Christ-like we become. The more Christ-like we become, the closer we come to God. The Church used to use the phrase “Economy of Words” in its teachings. Simply put, our excess use of words can get us into trouble. As we approach Lent it might be a good time for us to give some thought to “Economy of Words”.

Serving With Joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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What’s Your Secret?

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Today is the memorial of Saint Angela Merici  (and my wife’s birthday.) Perhaps you have heard of Saint Angela or know very little about her. One of our daughters that writes a blog here attended and graduated from Brescia University a few years ago that was run by the Ursuline Sisters. That order was founded by Saint Angela Merici, which is the oldest women’s order on the planet.

Saint Angela seems to be a secret in the church, at least in the USA. She grew up in Italy during a very difficult time. It was also the time of Saint Charles Borromeo, Bishop of Milan. Angela was a friend of the very rich and the very poor.

I used the word secret because Jesus used that word in today’s Gospel. Jesus was rapid fire in his talk today! First, he asks if you put a lamp under a bushel basket or a bed? Then, “nothing is secret except to come to light”. And, “anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” Then, “take care what you hear”. In a way, Jesus is telling us what to do and what not to do.

When I read the word secret, I flashed back to two things. First, many years ago someone told me that I should make a general confession. I wasn’t even sure what that was. I prayed about it and followed through on the Feast of Saint Ambrose. Gulp! It was a very difficult thing to do! It is revisiting one’s past sins and telling them to a priest in confession. Now I know if those sins were confessed before then they are in the past and do not need to be resurrected again. I’m still not sure if it was the right thing to do, but so be it.

The second thing is when we belonged to Saint Jude Church, we would have a Men’s Retreat every January. If you have never been on a weekend retreat, then you are in for a surprise! Jesus walks into the retreat whether you are ready or not. (A Cursillo is a good example. Try it, you will like it.) During those retreats, we always had confessions. Our attendees were from very young adults to the elderly. Saturday evening seemed to be the time when the Holy Spirit really did some work. We had one gentleman that hadn’t been to Reconciliation in over 30 years. The joy was overwhelming. His secrets were totally forgiven. He was a new man.

So I ask you, do you have secrets that should have been confessed by now? This is a great time to bite the bullet and to just do it. Saint Angela was a dear friend to many. She had heard their secrets as she counseled them. I’m sure she led them to the nearest priest to be absolved of the darkness that they had carried for so long. I am sure you all have heard of Divine Mercy. It is free,  and it is waiting for you in the confessional.

Serving With Joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Can We Do This?

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What a great day! It is the feast of John the Evangelist. John’s passion for the Lord is what I call “all in”. He gave his whole self to the Lord Jesus.

In the First Reading, John mentions fellowship twice. Looking up the Greek term for fellowship, we find the word koinonia. That word evoked a flashback to many years ago, a young adult group called the same. Several of our children met regularly with this group. The group was tight knit and were good friends. They did a lot of things together including attending retreats. Some weddings came from that group including one of our daughters. Why is that important? Because, it shows we are social people. We don’t do well when we isolate ourselves from other people. We learn from each other, the good and the not so good. If we have a good friend or two we can hold each other accountable. Now, before you try that, remember we are living in a time when no one likes to be told what to do. It takes a lot of love for this to work between friends. Better to deliver the message as a suggestion than as a command.

I have a feeling that John in today’s reading was pretty good at that. Perhaps you have discovered in your spiritual walk that the closer you get to God, the clearer your idea of who God is becomes. In that “awakening” you find that He whispers words to you that have great meaning. I believe that the older disciples noticed things about John that helped them grow in their love for God even though he was much younger. Remember, John was one of the three who were picked to be with Jesus in some very important times like: The Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden. Did his brothers notice that? Of course, they did. I wonder what they thought when they saw John lay his head on Jesus’ chest at the Last Supper?

I can’t stress enough how important it is to have koinonia (fellowship). In my last fifty years of ministry I have seen people that isolate themselves get into some very serious emotional distress.

Perhaps you have noticed that John never says his name in his writings. He says, “the other disciple” or “the one that Jesus loved”. An act of great humility.

Commentaries have said that it does not mean that Jesus loved John more than the others (you would have to ask Jesus about that). But, John was the one that was “all in” and opened his heart wide open to receive God’s love the most.

Can We Do That?

Enjoy Your Merry Christmas Season!  

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Are You and I Vigilant?

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If you are a regular churchgoer, by now you have noticed the readings are rather dark this time of year. By that, I mean Scripture is speaking to us about End Times. The church asks us to meditate on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell. Luke is telling us to be vigilant. That is not a word we are used to hearing on a regular basis.

It reminded me of a book that was passed around in our circle of friends about 35 to 40 years ago. I think it was called “Purgatory”. A French priest wrote it and also wrote one on Hell. I got up to page 19 and could go no further. I just couldn’t handle it. It was so condemning! I didn’t know if I could actually get to heaven. The book is mostly private revelation which we are not bound to believe. But, it sure got to me. It seemed like a lot of people were going to purgatory for very minor offenses!

It took me a few years before I could pick it up again and finish the book. Those minor offenses changed with time into ones that I might have been venial sins, but now they bothered me. To enter the Pearly Gates, one must be free of sin. Now, most of us have friends from many different denominations and we find that there are many ideas of what being sin-free means. For some, a simple declaration of faith gives a person a one way ticket straight to heaven. For us Catholics, we believe that we have been saved through baptism, we are being saved now, and we will be saved when Jesus takes us to our eternal home. I am sure you can see the difference.

Remember what Paul said, “I work on my salvation with fear and trembling”. I believe Paul was using the word “work” as to work on not sinning. This ties in with us being vigilant. One way to do that is to guard our senses. All three of our daughters were missionaries for a while and in their faith formation were taught to “guard their senses”. Then they taught it to me. It was and is a great gift. Which of the senses causes you to sin? Eyes, ears, touch smells, etc.? Give it a name and it will be easier to overcome. And guess what? The Lord will help you! Be vigilant!

Have a Blessed Advent.

Serving With Joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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Is The Gate Too Narrow?

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In Romans 8: 26-30, Saint Paul, reminds us that the Holy Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness. When was the last time we thought of that? Paul has no problem telling us about his weaknesses over and over. Somehow, over the centuries, a person sharing his or her weaknesses has been lost. We are now in a time when we are looking for something to brag about. God always works through humility, not pride. Just ask Paul, his humility did not start until he was knocked off his “horse” by Jesus. Paul had to ask him who he was. And when he began to know him, Paul’s life changed radically! He was, as I like to say, All In. He gave his life totally to God.

Now, let us ask ourselves, Are we all in? Have we given ourselves totally to God? It’s a pretty difficult task. Well, I guess my next question would be, are you or am I really trying to live in God’s will? Something to ponder.

Today’s Gospel, Luke 13:22-30, is in our faces. Someone asked Jesus if only a few people would be saved. Jesus tells him (us) to enter through the narrow gate. Jesus even adds that the gate will be locked, and when those who are not strong (in their faith) ask for entrance they will hear the response, “I do not know you”! Those are horrific words! Why would he say that? Perhaps we are going through the motions, but our hearts are divided. Only a small portion of our hearts are saved for the Lord. 

Remember, he is a jealous God and wants us all in. I know, I know, easier said than done. But, we need to start somewhere. You and I know where to start, on our knees. We need to spend more time in prayer. Then He will lead us where he wants us to be! What a wonderful place!

Serving with joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

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The Least Among You

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Today is my bride and I’s fifty-second anniversary! How is that possible? Because of her, we have raised eight children and I just recently baptized our 30th grandchild. What a joy!

Today in the Gospel of Luke he says, “the one who is the least among you all is the one who is the greatest”. That scripture doesn’t seem to fit in the ways of this world today. I was taught that a successful person was one that made a lot of money. I was “encouraged” to go to college to be a petroleum engineer. After my first semester in an engineering curriculum, I bowed out. Our professor told us that we all would be on a drafting board for at least five years! That did it. I went into secondary education. Somehow after student teaching, I got into the business world.

I got a job working for the branch of a large corporation. They were distributors of hydraulics and pneumatics. My drive to make it was still there with me. At this point in my life my wife and I had two children. I was climbing the corporate ladder and working a lot of hours. One evening I came home and for “some reason” came in the back door. Our two boys were by their mother in the kitchen. I opened the door, and they both went and hid behind their mother. Why? Because, they really didn’t know who I was! I went to work before they got up in the morning and came home after they were in bed. I was shocked and it broke my heart. That was the day I burned the corporate ladder! I’m glad there was a child in today’s gospel because the behavior of our two boys that day caused me to make a major life change. 

Being the least isn’t always easy. It needs love, sacrifice, humility, meekness, etc., and thick skin to say the least. Above all, it needs lots of faith! So, what is the payback? For me, the joys and sorrows of our large family (47) could not be purchased at any price. Oh yes, we had to go without some of the finer things in life, but the Lord has always provided for our needs. I seem to remember reading, “you cannot serve both God and mammon” (money). Sound familiar?

Serving With Joy!

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Deacon Dan Schneider is a retired general manager of industrial distributors. He and his wife Vicki have been married for over 50 years. They are the parents of eight children and thirty grandchildren. He has a degree in Family Life Education from Spring Arbor University. He was ordained a Permanent Deacon in 2002.  He has a passion for working with engaged and married couples and his main ministry has been preparing couples for marriage.

Featured Image Credit: Jingming Pan, https://unsplash.com/photos/iYsrkq5qq0Q