A Catholic Deacon's Perspective: December 2023

Saturday, December 30, 2023

Updates to the Blog for 2024

Dear Subscribers –

Beginning with the first Sunday of 2024, my blog, entitled “A Catholic Deacon’s Perspective,” will now look into the areas of Commentaries, Scripture and Theology. Similar to the last three years in which Gospels and Readings from the New American Bible were used to offer a perspective on what their messages might mean to you personally, these blogs will offer an additional aspect in which you as the reader can comment on by offering your own take if you choose to do so. In doing so, all of us will be able to see various insights based on where we are at in our life.

My theme is the same as in the past in that I am looking at God’s purpose for creating us. We are tasked to discover what that reason is based on the gifts we are graced with by Him and then using that answer to serve all that God has created. Though many responses will be similar, each and every one of us has a story to tell that is unique unto ourselves. It is my hope that by sharing different perspectives, we will begin to understand our relationship with God and come to realize how oneness with our Lord is truly what makes life work no matter what the situation.

In these new blog presentations, there will be general and specific questions that pertain to the subject matter at hand. Their purpose is to provide you with insights into yourself that may create additional ideas you would like to explore. Based upon your need to receive a response from the blog or others is when you are asked to offer comments at the end of each blog. You and responders can be completely anonymous with what you or they write. My answers will include my name. In all cases I ask that you remember this is a Christian blog and what you write needs to be approached in that manner as it regards verbiage used.

It is my hope that you will see this as something of value to help you grow closer to the Lord. If not, I would appreciate your feedback to improve it or, if necessary, allow me to use a different format for furtherance of the relationship theme.

Thank you for you openness to this. I look forward to your comments for all of us to grow into a deeper relationship with the Lord.

Deacon Jim Merle

Friday, December 1, 2023

Dear Subscribers

Please accept my apologies for not receiving the last two blogs of 2023 from “A Catholic Deacon’s Perspective” for the 33^rd Week in Ordinary Time and Jesus Christ, King of the Universe in a timely manner. We have taken measures to rectify the system problems and hope future blogs will be uninterrupted and received on time. Any prayer you want to insure that would be greatly appreciated.

BLOG INTRODUCTION

Scripture is like the eyes into God’s soul. Whether from the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) or the New Testament, we are able to garner, as best we can, who God is (what He feels and how He thinks in human terms). The original purpose of this blog, which began in 2019, was to take a three-year cycle of A, B and C Gospels and readings from each Sunday and provide a perspective as it pertains to our current lives as seen through the eyes of a Catholic deacon who for the last 18-1/2 years has served Catholics in words and deeds per his ordination. The intention was and still is to help all those who read the blog to find the purpose for which God created them and in turn to use the God-given gifts and talents they possess to fulfill that purpose. Having completed the three-year cycle of A, B and C, I have decided to expand the perspective to look into the areas of Commentaries, Scripture and Theology. Similar to the last three years, I will be using the New American Bible to offer a perspective on what their messages might mean not only personally to you, but an additional aspect in which you as the reader can comment by offering your own take, if you choose to do so. In doing, all of us will be able to see various insights based on where we are at in our life. My theme is the same as in the past in that I am looking at God’s purpose for creating us. We are tasked to discover what that reason is based on the gifts we are graced with by Him and then using that answer to serve all that God has created. Though many responses will be similar, each and every one of us has a story to tell that is unique unto ourselves. It is my hope that by sharing different perspectives, we will begin to understand our relationship with God and come to realize how oneness with our Lord is truly what makes life work no matter what the situation. In these new blog presentations, there will be general and specific questions that pertain to the subject matter at hand. Their purpose is to provide you with insights into yourself that may create additional ideas you would like to explore. Based upon your need to receive a response from the blog or others is when you are asked to offer comments at the end of each blog. You and responders can be completely anonymous with what you or they write. My answers will include my name. In all cases I ask that you remember this is a Christian blog and what you write needs to be approached in that manner as it regards verbiage used. It is my hope that you will see this as something of value to help you grow closer to the Lord. If not, I would appreciate your feedback to improve it or, if necessary, allow me to use a different format for furtherance of the relationship theme. Thank you for your openness to this. I look forward to your comments for all of us to grow into a deeper relationship with the Lord. Deacon Jim Merle